His permanent scar.

.

...

Katherine, with the aid of her mouse, clicked on the job offer. 

It directed her to the company's webpage, the available position is for a clerical staff and since she has a degree in business and a few years of experience in that aspect, she accepted the offer.

Her résumé was required and she submitted it. 

Carefully filling in some personal details that was requested in the next page, She completed the online form in no time and submitted. Jamming her palms together and hoping greatly that she gets accepted.

Just as soon as she clicked 'submit', she received a message in her mail.

Hopefully, she opened it and when she saw the company's name as the mail's title, she quickly read the content..

Dear Miss Monroe, 

   Thank you for applying for the post of a clergy at Apex Finance.

We have reviewed your application materials and would like to invite you to verbally interview for the role with Mr Bricks Johnson, Apex's manager. The interview will last for an hour and take place here in the company.

Please let us know when you are available during the following times we posted on the webpage.

Thanks again for your interest in joining the Apex Finance team! We’re looking forward to speaking with you.

Best,

Jonathan Apex. (CEO).

A smile curled up on Katherine's lips and stretched, she hurriedly scrolled back to the webpage to check for the interview dates and when it displayed; she gasped.

The interview has been scheduled for three days and today happens to be the third.

The heck!

Wide eyed, she glanced at the time again and another gasp flew out of her mouth when she realized, she had less than an hour to prepare for the interview.

She quickly texted her interest as a reply and sent it before dashing into the bathroom. 

Washing her body as fast as she could, Katherine, with a towel tied up to her chest and another on her head; walked to her luggage. 

Flinging most of her clothes to the floor in a bid to find an interview-worthy outfit. 

Most of her clothes were fancy, too fancy for an interview and she had gotten most of them as gifts from her ex-husband when they were together. 

He was a fancy man and being his wife, he never ceased to show her just how fancy he was by giving her a life she had only seen in her dreams and on TVs; a fancy one.

Waving the thoughts aside, Katherine focused on looking for a perfect outfit. Apart from the fancy clothes what was left in her box were sweats, baggy shirts, short and a few designers nightwear.

 Hopeless, Katherine left the luggage to her closet. Hoping greatly to find something suitable enough.

She ransacked through the rows of her neatly hanged and organized clothes and finally settled for something befitting enough for the interview.

Pinning a black belt over the white dress she had on, Katherine swiftly blow-dried and styled her hair, finalizing the outfit with her red and black stilleto heels.

She packaged the necessary documents in a folder and head to the door.

Flinging it open, she found Yvonne standing in front of her, her hand raised and her fist tightened. She lowered it when she saw Katherine.

"I was just about to knock," she told her. "And you're all dressed up. Are you going somewhere?" Yvonne asked.

"Yes and I will tell you all about it when I return but can I have the van keys?" Katherine asked.

"Sure!" Yvonne retreated to the living room to fetch the keys and Katherine followed.

"Good morning, dad!" Katherine greeted her dad who was at the dinning, eating from a pile of blueberry pancakes.

"Oh dear, good morning. Are you going somewhere? It's breakfast time," Xavier said.

"Yes and I'll have breakfast later, I'm running late" she said, fighting the urge to have one of those yummy looking pancakes as her cravings kicked in.

"Late for what?," Xavier disrupted her attention, his brows narrowed. "You just returned yesterday and-

"I know, dad, but I really need to go now. I promise, I'll tell you all about it when I return. I won't take long" she said and stride towards him to give him a kiss on the forehead.

Yvonne returned with the keys and gave them to her.

"Drive safe" she uttered.

"Of course. Bye!" Katherine responded as she hurried out of the house.

Arriving at where the van was parked in the driveway, she opened the door, flung her bag to the passenger side and bent over to the drivers. Starting the van, she drove off.

*

Making sure none of her preparation had fallen out of place in the rush, Katherine walked briskly to the front desk in the heart of the large hall.

"Hello. My name is Katherine and I am here for the job interview" she introduced.

"Oh.. An interview?" The lady grimaced. "I'm sorry but the interview ended already," she said.

"What?" Katherine frowned. "But I got a mail an hour ago to come for the interview by eight, I am only one minute late" she said, bemused.

"Well, I'm sorry, miss but there is no interview anymore," the lady said again, Katherine gaze lingered on her name tag.

"What do you mean by there is no interview anymore, Miss Thompson?" Katherine inquired, addressing her by her last name. "Mr Bricks Johnson is my supposed interviewer," she said, trying her best to remain calm.

"I mean that the interview ended, the vacant position you are supposed to be interviewed for have been occupied. Our manager, who is your supposed interviewer is not available right now and there is no vacancy in the company at the moment" she explained. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, ma'am. It's my fault, I was supposed to take down the offer from the webpage minutes ago but I didn't, I apologise." 

Katherine breathed out. "But..the text.. I-"

She stopped her words with a wave of her palm and walked out of the company despondently.

Roughly pulling the belt from her waist as she walked to give her lungs more air.

Why did they have to stress her by making her hurry up unnecessarily when the position she was to be interviewed for is no longer vacant? 

Katherine paused at the van, her stomach grumbling out of hunger, she groaned, resting her forehead on the Van's body.

And to think that she had to suspend those yummy pancakes for this.

Katherine unrest herself from the van, unlocked the door and hop into the drivers seat.

*

....

Anderson car pulled up in the driveway, his housekeeper came for his briefcase while he walked to his building, one of his palm tucked in his pants pocket.

Arriving at the living room, he began taking off his suit jacket when the butler showed up, Pretty beside him.

Seeing him, the dog ran up to him, curling its body up in his arms. Anderson lifted it up, ruffling its white fluffy fur.

"Hello, big girl!" He smiled at it and the dog let out a low bark, placing its paws on Anderson's palm for a handshake.

"Did the doctor say she's fine now?" Anderson asked his butler.

"Yes sir. He advised that she keeps taking her medications daily for her good health to be perfected" he said and Anderson nodded.

"You're dismissed."

The butler walked away.

"Welcome back home, pretty!" He smiled at the dog again who responded with another low bark.

He lowered her to the floor and she sat at his feet, he bent to examine her. As he did, he massaged her back lovingly.

Watching her dutifully stay at his feet, he wondered if he would have considered breeding a dog on his own. Maybe he wouldn't.

Unlike Katherine, Anderson wasn't a fan of pet. Ordinarily, he knew he would never have decided to keep a pet.

But here he is, damning all odds and breeding one; thanks to her. 

When Katherine left his house, he had expected her to take Pretty with her or to probably come back for her or visited but she didn't. 

Then, he remembered his warnings and threats, after waking up beside her that morning; sober. Even though they were already divorced at that time, he had been clear with his words and she knew it. He recalled the fear that dwelled in her eyes as he threatened to lock her up for the rest of her life if she shows up at his house ever again.

That is why she hadn't shown up for Pretty, she was terrified he would carry out his threats.

Anyone who knew Anderson, would understand that he is a man of his words and also that he doesn't make empty threats.

Katherine isn't exempted even though it has been four months already. 

No matter how long it's been, he would still carry out his threats if she ever shows up in his territory or anywhere close.

He would definitely lock her up for as long as he can, adding her disobedience and making her feel even more pain than he had in store for her, but he doubts that it will be anything close to the one he felt, the one he was still feeling. The pain from her betrayal has grown to a scar, an everlasting one.

The thoughts of it terrified him. It all started when he caught her pants-down with another man, on their matrimonial bed.

.

...