MELISSA’S POVMy heart raced heavily against its cage as I exited the forecourt of Saint Glory. I turned left to join the main road, my car almost hitting someone else's. It was the honk of incoming cars that saved me from the commotion I was about to create. I couldn't think straight. My mind was only filled with the urge to run from him. “I have to get out of here” I whispered and sped off. But as I drove through the vibrant city, a series of unanswered questions lingered in my mind. I couldn't help but whisper them aloud. Why did Listowel pull me tight to his chest like he'd found a lost treasure? Why did he follow me to the parking lot? What did he want to tell me? Does he still think of me as the naive woman he met seven years ago? Maybe I should have stayed. I shouldn't have run away. I should have let him know that I’m no longer the 23-year-old girl he toyed with. I bit my lower lip in regret as memories of the past rushed in. *Flashback*I vividly remember the day my
MELISSA’S POVThe sharp irritating sound from my alarm jolted me awake the next morning. I swept my hands across the bedstand to turn off the alarm as the consistent sound it made threatened to tear my earlobe. In times like these, I always wished I could throw it out the window and destroy it. But I simply can’t. If not for anything at all, I partly owe this alarm clock for the woman I am today. During my dark days, when I felt like the world had turned its back on me, it was the only companion I had. Its irritating sound always jerked me into action. It would always ring till the sleep in my eyes vanished.I was also able to write the law school entrance exam, all because of this my red apple-shaped alarm clock which woke me up five minutes before the starting time. A wide smile formed on my face as I took a glance at the time on the alarm clock. It was exactly 7 AM. I had set it last night after my bath. I didn't want to be late for my new job at M&M Legal Firms. “Today is an
The world seemed to be moving in circles as the words hit me. My breath hung in my throat, taken by surprise by what I just heard. Gordon Inc? For a moment, I doubted if I had heard right. “No, I must be hearing things”. No this can’t be happening. Why Gordon Inc. of all places?The words seemed to be stuck in my throat as I gazed intently at the HR Rep, her smile still boldly across her face. I wanted to scream, to rant, to vent out the anger surging through me. I wanted to let her know that, what she just announced is no good news. That her message carries no joy for her to be smiling broadly like that. But the words refused to come out. She called out my name again when she realized the shock on my face. “Miss Muggins? Melissa?” “Yes ma’am” I responded, my voice barely above a whisper. “Is anything the matter? You don't look fine?”I gripped the sides of my pants tightly, before forcing the words out of my gut. “Can I request a change please?” I pleaded firmly, not minding
MELISSA’S POVMy chest raced in anger as I sat in the HR office. I'm not the type to easily offend others but that lady drove me to my limits. I feel she knew exactly what she was trying to achieve by pulling that stunt.My mind trailed back to her words, intensifying the anger brewing inside me. Not in a thousand years did I imagine Listowel to have done something like this. He has always been the cold reserved type. He doesn't intrude in places where he's not needed. So why? Why would he use his influence to get me assigned to his company? What is he trying to achieve? My thoughts got distracted when the rep called out my name.“Miss Muggins…. What do you mean by what you said earlier? That you wanted a change?”“I'm just not fit for the job” I responded firmly, irritation evident in my voice. I didn't care about formality anymore. I mean, if such a big company like M&M Legal Firms and a law firm as such, forgot their morals by assigning a recruit based on favoritism and not meri
MELISSA’S POVMorning came faster than I expected. I stood in front of Gordon Inc, lost in my thoughts as I stared at the towering glass building. I inhaled and slowly exhaled, embracing myself for the unknown. I know very well that as soon as I enter this building, there’s no going back. I had paced up and down my room this morning, thinking of the challenging task ahead. I had finally come to the conclusion that I was only here to work. There’s no way I will let my history with Listowel distract me.“I'm stronger than this,” I whispered under my breath as I made my way toward the entrance, clenching tightly my fist. Straightening up my shoulders, I confidently strode through the revolving doors, my grip on my bag tighter. The expensive smell of perfumes welcomed me as I stepped inside, the breathtaking interior too sleek to not notice. This wasn't the first time I stepped foot in Gordon Inc. I vividly remember when I happily made lunch and bring to Listowel, seven years ago. Si
My heart pounded heavily in my chest as my eyes trailed from the sleek black garavanti shoes upward, seriously hoping that I heard wrong. That the familiar voice I just heard was not the person I've anxiously been running away from. Hot sweat trickled down the back of my ears as my eyes met that of the person in front of the door. I stumbled back, my back hitting against the horizontal pole that separates the mirror from the insides. “Miss Mugins…” Jessica exclaimed as she rushed to hold me still, her voice laced with concern. “Are you okay?” she inquired I swallowed a chunk down my throat as I nodded in affirmation, slightly closing my eyes. . “I'm… I’m fine” I stuttered while holding my gaze on him. “Mr. Gordon…” Jessica called out, pulling her hands away from me to bow as he saw Listowel. “Sir, I thought you were in a meeting and I didn't want to distract you”. There was a loud silence. She quickly caught on and continued. “Sorry for the informal introduction but this is Miss
MELISSA’S POV“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked, rolling my eyes as I turned back to shoot him a deadly glare. All this while, I have been trying to keep my cool. Despite the anger brewing inside me, I’ve been doing everything I could to refrain myself from lashing out at him.But he didn't seem to notice, he didn't seem to realize how annoying and irritating his actions towards me were. I mean, why the sudden possessiveness? Why does he think he has the right to keep me by his side? Wasn't he the same person who disposed of me like a worthless tissue, just so he could reunite with his lover? I stared at him sharply with disgust, as if he wasn't the very person I once would have sacrificed everything to see. The corner of his lips jerked mockingly, showing off how amused he was by my little retaliation. In a tone that sounded more of a threat than a mere inquiry, he asked,“You work under me now, don’t you?” “You might be the CEO or whatever but I don't work under you” I s
LISTOWEL’S POVWaiting for her to start working at Gordon Inc. felt like an eternity. The director of M&M had called to tell me about her objection to working at my company. I could only convince them to stand by their decision till she gave in. I know this is selfish of me but that's the only way I would get close to her again. Judging from how hard she pushed me away the other day, during the legal hour conference, I could tell she wanted nothing to do with me. But no, I wasn’t going to allow that. I almost jumped around like a child in excitement when I was informed she had finally to work at my company. Earlier this morning, I had come to work early. I wanted to make sure everything was in place and that everyone was doing their jobs. I went round to inspect my staff. I want her to be working in an environment conducive enough for her to seldom think of quitting or resigning. As I strolled to the hundreds of employees on each of the 52 floors, I couldn't help but smile at how
MELISSA’S POV Listowel kept the fork he was holding down and leaned back into the chair. He narrowed his eyes at me and simply asked, “Why Not?” “Because it was a mistake?” was my response. I busied myself with cutting the steak in front of me. In a deep gentle tone, “Look at me….” he demanded. As if I were a robot who could be controlled, I lifted my gaze from the plate to meet his. His pupils dialed, and his eyes widened as soon as our gazes locked. “For me. What happened between us was not a mistake. I cherish everything we shared.” I couldn't help but scoff at his words. Even though deep within myself I wanted to believe his words, a part of me couldn't help but scoff. I have to admit. It has become very difficult for me to let go of the past and trust him again. A part of me wants to give it a shot especially now that he's no more with Wendy but a part of me also dreads this decision most. Leaning forward, he moved his hands across the table to hold me. I instin
MELISSA’S POV The soothing sound from the fountain at my far right was the only thing that could be heard amidst the clatter of plates and in the restaurant where Listowel and I were seated. To disguise ourselves, Listowel had on a cap while I covered half of my face with a scarf. We made a stop at a boutique nearby to buy it because Listowel thought it would be awkward if we both came to the restaurant wearing a mask. A black mask to be precise. Thankfully, when we walked in, there were very few people here. Even the few people around were also busily eating, chatting, or having a meeting with their colleagues. No one seemed interested in who we were. Despite this, I requested that we sit at the secluded side of the restaurant and the manager was very kind to allow us. A few minutes adterfettubg seated, a slim petite lady who from the black mini dress with a white collar and tie she was wearing; hinted that she was a waitress, stridden to our table. Listowel on the
MELISSA’S POV “Back off…” I sneered. “What if I don’t?” He asked in a low whisper, his hot breath, fanning against my face. I inhaled sharply and rolled my eyes before muttering in annoyance, “Then I will be forced to—“ Before the words could fully leave my lips, he shut me up with a kiss. I pushed back slightly but his firm grip on my neck weakened my effort. I couldn’t understand why Listowel was being so careless. Was he not aware that any slight mistake could land us over the news? I closed my eyes and kissed him back for a while but as soon as I realized his hold on me had loosened, I bit him hard on his lips. “Ouch…,” he winced and I couldn’t help but let out an evil smirk. “Serves you right…” I remarked, trying hard to suppress myself from laughing at the face he had made. “Did you have to bite me?” he retorted, but I didn’t say anything. I only pulled up the nose mask and stared straight ahead. He didn’t push further. He turned on the engine and started the
MELISSA’S POV My mind wandered to Listowel as soon as the call ended. He was the one who handled everything that night so it was not too out of the ordinary that I was feeling obligated to call him. But as I finished putting in his contact number, my thumb hovered on the screen while I contemplated whether I really had to call him or not. Thinking aloud, “Should I call him or not? Won’t it be too awkward if I call him at any little inconvenience? Besides, Melissa… why are you acting like he’s your guardian or some sort? Since when did you start depending on people? No. You don’t need to tell him. Just go to the station, give your statement, and come back home. Simple. “ I battled with my thoughts as I put down the phone and headed back to the dining area. I had settled on the idea that I would be going to the station alone until something crossed my mind. Listowel still needed to know that the police called since he was also at the crime scene. I’m sure he
MELISSA’S POV Listowel had called out after me several times, probably confused at my reaction. But I paid no heed to him. I threw and sunk myself onto the bed. Even as I pressed the pillow hard against my ears, I could still hear him calling my name and asking if he said anything wrong but I didn't bother explaining anything to him. I could only thank my stars he was still oblivious and had not suspected anything. ****FLASHBACK ENDS*** Something flickered in me as soon as my eyes fell on the pink sticky note on the dining table. It bore Listowel’s handwriting. Yes, I still remember his handwriting because since I worked with him. Back when I was working at Gordon Inc., all my work projects had to be approved by him before any other proceedings so I pretty much recognize it. A broad smile formed on my face as I read the message. It read; “Hey, you had a good sleep? I made your favorite breakfast. I know I’m not the best cook but make sure you finish everything.
MELISSA’S POV A soft yawn escaped my lips as I sat up on my bed. My eyes darted, searching around for only God knows what. I live alone so it was so unusual for me to wake up and dart around like this. It felt as if I was expecting to see someone. Slightly lifting my hands, I stretched myself before rising up and heading to the living room. As I opened the door that separated my bedroom from the rest of my apartment, I was greeted with an appetizing aroma. My brows knitted together as I tried to process what was happening. Halting in my tracks, I squinted my eyes as I tried to figure out if what I was seeing in the dining area was real. To make sure I wasn't daydreaming, I rubbed my eyes a couple of times but as the savoring aroma that had engulfed the room filled my nostrils, no one had to tell me that whatever I was seeing was real. Yes. For the first time in months, since I moved into this apartment, there’s an actual breakfast on my dining table. My eyes flicke
KEVIN’S POV The thick silence that engulfed the car was too loud to ignore. For a split second, I thought the boss was ignoring me and probably didn't want me to disrupt what he was doing on his tablet so I kept my lips shut and drove out of the garage to hit the road. Listowel usually listens to the early morning news on his way to work so I turned on the radio and lowered the volume to a level that helped balance his attention on both the tablet and the radio. I had not thought much of it earlier but turning on the radio kind of eased the tension in the car. It's been a few minutes since we hit the main road but Mr. Gordon had still not asked me to continue with what I was about to tell him earlier nor has he made any sound. I had not thought much of it earlier but turning on the radio kind of eased the tension in the car. Suddenly, “What was it that you needed to tell me?” his deep commanding voice echoed from the back seat. He removed the glasses he had on and
KEVIN’S POV My head throbbed as I sat on my bed this morning. The hard liquor I had consumed yesterday was definitely the cause of the pain. Yes, I had threw up the one Wendy made me drink while we sitting at the counter so it was so odd for me to have felt this way. But the truth, I went back to drink more last night. My chest tightened with fury as I tried to recall the events of the previous night. A pang of guilt washed over me as I also recalled my indifferent attitude towards my boss these past few days. I felt mad at myself for doubting him and believing that Wendy deserved better. I couldn't help but replay the scene I had witnessed last night. Wendy, whom we all knew to be obsessed with Listowel was tightly entangled in another man’s arms, kissing him like there was no tomorrow. Initially, I thought I was hallucinating so I got off the car and hid closer to have a proper look. It was indeed her. Even though she had on a scarf which had covered most o
KEVIN’S POV“Ouch..” Wendy let out a loud shrill cry, as she clutched her stomach. “Why what is it?” Her cry caught me by surprise, making me spring up to my feet. I sprinted to her side and assisted to get up on her feet. “My…. my tummy. It aches. I need to go to the washroom now,” she answered, although her tone sounded a bit dramatic to me. I attempted to hold up and maybe escort her to the washroom door but she yanked my hands away. “Thanks but I can go by myself. It isn't really a big deal. I think I just had too much to drink.” she said, making me confused as to what she meant. “Alright… easy there,” I said, letting go of her hands. “I'll be waiting for you here then. No. No need to wait. You can take the lead.” she shouted as she made her to the ladies. “Woww…” I said, taking out money from my wallet and placing it on the bill. The harsh cold breeze greeted me as I stepped outside the bar. I shook vigorously my head in anticipation of getting the influence of the alcoho