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Chapter 18
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The Games We Play Chapter 19
It Felt Right Kitty felt anxious. Since returning to the unit from Leah's, the pressure had been eating Kitty. She made it clear, in her head, that she didn't like to be on the receiving end. The idea made her angry, impatient, and itching. Breathing was difficult. "...I need to talk about this, but when and with whom?" The sun sunk. Kitty made it back in time to prepare dinner. Chicken soup, for her confusion, was appealing-so she went to make it. She found some elbows, boiled and strained them by the sink. Seasoned chicken breasts were swimming in tomato paste in the saucepan while Kitty severed the vegetables and individually tossed them in. Slowly her anxiety backed up but was still present in her shaky hands. Trembling hands caress and firmly hold the shaved potatoes- dicing them in fours. The knife kissing the wooden chopping board sounded like a donkey walking on smooth gravel. ~Chop. Chop. Chop. Chop. When Kitty was satisfied with the size, she immediately tossed the
The Games We Play Chapter 1
Prologue Kitty was nervous. She was sitting on one of the long cushioned benches in front of HR. The random sound of keyboards clacking inharmoniously and mouse clicking added to it. Today was her interview at West Enterprises, a relatively new company headed by Alexander West, the owner of a vast five-star hotel and land corporation chain across the country. Kitty didn't know much about him: other than his money, and recently his good looks. Judging from a portrait in HR's waiting area, CEO West is a good-looking late fifty-something-year-old man. Kitty retreated her gawking when she later noticed a CCTV camera refocusing on her. She mused to herself, tucking a black shoulder-length loose strand behind her ear and covering her chest. She thought the older man was there staring back at her behind the lens. A short, forty-something, blond woman poked her head out from behind the open double-door glass frame leading to the work area. "Miss Katherine? Katherine Doe?" "Yes," Kitty sa
The Games We Play Chapter 2
5 Years Later It was 6 am. The alarm's buzzing echoed calmly through the small apartment, but it grew angrier in the bedroom. The inside was still dark; the only light source came from the beeping clock. On the bed, two bodies were under the blankets facing apart from one another. Being nearer to the alarm, Kitty got up first, met the person beside her, brushed his unruly hair from his forehead, and kissed the sleeping person beside her. "Good morning, daddy." "Mommy... Good morning" Ken said-barely awake. Kitty smiled. She got up to stretch, fluffed her pillow, and went into the bathroom to wash the sleep from her eyes. Afterward, she tied her hair, dragged her feet to the living room, and tapped on the hamster's cage. She wasn't pregnant, she wanted to be, but it still hasn't happened yet. They practiced first with a pet. But given that ken's apartment was small, it would be cramped to keep a dog in a small one-bedroom apartment, so they both agreed to have two hamsters they tr
The Games We Play Chapter 3
A Chance Encounter Leah was free, again. It was a weekday; Mr. Cameron's black Charger pulled out from their driveway; he left her there waving with a smile. Leah's husband, Paul, won't be home until six. Margie, their first, and Robin, their last, were later carpooled to elementary school; they won't be in until five. That leaves her alone in a big house. Leah went back inside, locked the doors, and lounged on the sofa while setting an appointment with Keanu. He was free in the afternoon. Satisfied, she then thought of the chores she could accomplish while at home. She stood up, stretched, and turned to the radio. Leah left it on as she cleaned the house, did the laundry, cooked for herself, and planned to whip up a brisket for dinner; she made it a point to finish her routine before eating lunch. Right after her meal, in their stark white marbled kitchen, Her phone buzzed. She looked outside the window, checking if anyone was in close perimeter to the house; there was no one the
The Games We Play Chapter 4
Innocent as a Kitten "What do you mean by that," Kitty asked hesitantly. "Us girls need to stick together in this cruel world," Leah emphasized smiling; Kitty didn't buy it. Her shoulders stiffened, and she crossed her arms, clutching the tote sling on her right arm with her left hand; she felt the older woman's gaze on her. Leah smiled; she felt amused and glanced up and down at the younger woman's profile. She deduced that the young woman was tame. Yes, boringly tame. Leah discreetly judged Kitty's appearance; she wore a dirty white, loose-fitted round collar shirt with the sleeved folded and the hem tucked in a pair of mocha ankle pants. On her feet, she wore a dark blue knitted slip on's with what looked like the top of grey socks sticking out. Under her arm was a black tote bag with what looked like her belongings and the items she bought and stole from the grocery. "Let's say we know each other for a while. Hmmm, let's say we are friends-" "But we just met today." Kitty s
The Games We Play Chapter 5.1
Her Little Secrets "That was your lover!?" Kitty exclaimed. "You're married?" Leah looked around, with her eyes, to see if anyone she knew was around the nearly empty parking lot in front of the store. She sucked in the remaining half of her cig and nodded. "Seventeen years, "She exhaled, smoke exiting her triangular nostrils. She flicked her cigarette butt, scattering the ashes in the wind. Kitty grabbed Leah's forearm; a mix of concern and panic was on her face. She jerked Leah's arm so that the cigarette fell in the cemented lot. She immediately let go of the older woman's arm and took a step back when Leah looked at her offended. "I'm so sorry I did that-but, please. D-don't smoke. It's bad for your health", Kitty said, blushing; the older woman's face softened. "I know it isn't my place to intrude in your life, but what would your family-" Leah smiled, "What they don't know won't hurt them. Besides, it's just a game." "Men aren't the only ones allowed to play, Kitty." Con
The Games We Play Chapter 5.2
Things We Don't Share Amidst the hustle and bustle of city life, among the concrete jungle of establishments and IT companies lie West Enterprises. The towering building that is West Ent. is a dirty-white mass of concrete, glass, and steel. Even though the company is the smallest of its sister companies, it already has a reputable status in other parts of the country. Their office in the tower is divided into G-8 FL, 10-18 FL, and 20-29 FL. The Lobby to the 8th floor or G-8 is where people under HR, Admin, and Customer Relations have their stations. The 10-18th floor or 10-18 FL is for business intelligence, logistics, and supply chain management workers. Near the top, 20-29 FL is where the company inventory or archives and the finance office are. The 9th and 19th floors served as locker rooms, sitting areas, and vast meeting rooms. The 30th floor is off-limits to the regular salary employee. Only the CEO, Keanu West, Ms. Lee, and Mr. Lewis, his secretaries, had business saying on
The Games We Play Chapter 6
The In-Between "Thank God, she answered her damn phone," Leah thought. Kitty just stepped out to answer her phone; Leah suspected that her husband would call at this time. While the young one was outside, she was in signing the civilian logbook at the station. Leah was partly glad the confounded ringing stopped; her head was throbbing. In a minute, Leah had finished writing. Leah checked her watch; it was 4:35 pm. She closed the logbook and handed it to the female officer, who smiled back at her. "Thank you, Mrs. Carlton," the lady cop glanced at her name in the log; Leah smiled. "It worked!" "Officer Miller is in the interrogation room at the moment. Please have a seat over there."She then pointed at one of the vacant metal benches facing each other with the back of her pen. Leah thanked her and sat at the end of the bench, and crossed her legs. With her eyes closed, Leah sat there for a good five minutes. She spent her time tapping her heel on the tiled flooring and rechecked
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The Games We Play Chapter 19
It Felt Right Kitty felt anxious. Since returning to the unit from Leah's, the pressure had been eating Kitty. She made it clear, in her head, that she didn't like to be on the receiving end. The idea made her angry, impatient, and itching. Breathing was difficult. "...I need to talk about this, but when and with whom?" The sun sunk. Kitty made it back in time to prepare dinner. Chicken soup, for her confusion, was appealing-so she went to make it. She found some elbows, boiled and strained them by the sink. Seasoned chicken breasts were swimming in tomato paste in the saucepan while Kitty severed the vegetables and individually tossed them in. Slowly her anxiety backed up but was still present in her shaky hands. Trembling hands caress and firmly hold the shaved potatoes- dicing them in fours. The knife kissing the wooden chopping board sounded like a donkey walking on smooth gravel. ~Chop. Chop. Chop. Chop. When Kitty was satisfied with the size, she immediately tossed the
The Games We Play Chapter 18
In Her Hands Now ~ Ring, Ring, Ring. ~ Ring, Ring, Ring. ~ Ring, Ring, Ring. The dial rang thrice before he answered the phone. Leah felt relieved. She's been Pat's attention for days now. Leah Cameron wasn't too dense to know Patrick Sylas was ignoring her. "Hello, handsome. How've you been?" Leah said coyly. "I'm getting tired of your shit, Leah." He spat. She could tell it was a right to piss him off. "Why, aren't you tired of making me your boy toy yet?" Patrick said. He sat in his seat, typing, swamped with research and raw articles to correct. Her timing always pissed him off. "Ouch! What made you say that?" Leah pretended to be hurt. "I see nothing wrong about calling the man I love at 8 in the morning." "I don't know about you, but I think you shouldn't be hitting on your husband's subordinates," Patrick spat sarcastically. "So much for love." "Boo, you're no fun anymore, Patty," Leah played. "What if I want his subordinate more, hmm?" He said nothing. "You
The Games We Play Chapter 17
Creeping Division As days passed-a void grew between Mr. and Mrs. Lewis in their tiny apartment. It had been a week since Kitty’s mother-in-law told her Ken's secret, and all of Kitty's initiatives were rendered fruitless. At first, she tried opening the topic, which failed, but now, Ken was resistant whenever she expressed her affection. It was pointless talking or hinting alone; her husband kept changing the subject. Kenneth got out of the bath. He stood by the doorway with his pajama pants on, wiping the back of his neck with his towel. "The shower's all yours, dear," Ken said dryly. To Kitty, it did not look like he wanted to talk. Kitty smiled and stood up. Just as she walked past him, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Ken's lip curled up slightly. He didn't flinch or resist but took it as a habit. Her heart stung slightly but hid it from him. She expected his kiss, but Ken didn't kiss back. Not seeing the response she wanted, Kitty left for the bathroom. With a towel in
The Games We Play Chapter 16.2
Twisting Morals “Last night, Secretary Lewis mailed me his concerns.” West sat behind his desk. His big hands cradled a thick cobalt tri-ring binder, the “Employee Ethics Code” from HR archives. Over the grapevine, Lee heard that the mere sight of said binder meant instant termination. She never imagined the day she'd be in a situation like where she was now—seeing that damn thing now. Let alone being judged. Dina did not recall bringing the folder up from the archives floor. West must have sent Lewis. “Fuck,” Lee thought. “I carried over the request to the utility. As of this morning, your desks are now permanently facing.” Secretary Lee felt confused. CEO West did not look as angry as he expressed on the phone earlier. His relaxed angled brows on his handsome face. However, his emerald eyes scanned, stabbing daggers, not towards Dina but through the folder in his hands. He was reviewing the printed text. West's face was complexly cold and stern, yet Dina swore she could
The Games We Play Chapter 16.1
Starts and Ending It was thirty minutes before seven, decent. Leah Cameron twisted the key, offing the engine. She was waiting. Even though she stayed a few houses away from Sylas’s apartment, Leah had to ensure no one saw her. Mrs. Cameron’s been to his place before; she's been there before, but not this early. She had to be careful. The apartment where he stayed was in an active community. Who knows if someone she knew lives in the area? It doesn’t hurt to be cautious. The joggers and dog-walkers were already running laps around the streets before returning home to prepare for work. Leah had her car blend in among the others, sleeping. Right after Paul left the house, Leah scrambled upstairs to get ready. Meticulous, she had the outfit planned for another surprise visit. She even packed food for Pat’s fridge. Subsequently reading the note, Leah's thoughts of Patrick Sylas amplified. She was tickled pink. None of her previous hookups made her feel that. She isn’t the type to bea
The Games We Play Chapter 15.2
Suspicious Thoughts The water stopped. “Why was there a receipt in your archives for revealing underwear?” Paul remembered his tone was aggressive. “I wanted to do something special, but I know how tiring managing Spice can get,” Leah whimpered, lips trembling slightly. “I never got to do it -That’s why I’m sorry I hid it from you, dear.” “You could have told me sooner, love. I’ve been dying to free my schedule,” Paul recalled saying. He was analyzing their conversation in the kitchen minutes ago. Leah, her tone was honest but hid her eyes while in his embrace. His manhood wouldn’t allow it. “Tsk, who is she fooling?” Paul closed his eyes, preventing clear water from getting in. Rubbing both eyes with one hand, he wiped his face, letting the trickles fall on the wet tiles. He finished showering, yet he can't move on from yesterday and this morning’s incidents. He opened the shower's glass door and grabbed his towel from the nearby rack. He proceeded to dry himself on the spot.
The Games We Play Chapter 15.1
Deceitful Indulgence Patrick Sylas loosely jotted something down. He wasn’t sure if it was gibberish or if he was writing what he saw. Whatever he scribbled, it was beyond the purpose of their meeting. Editor Sylas glanced down, his dark brows furrowed. He managed to write something coherent. Annoyed, he ripped the page clean off and folded it twice. Pat stuffed it in between random areas to forget about it. He was lucky. The staff seated in front and on his side were too busy to watch his movements. The mood changed after their meal. Sylas sat cross-legged at the end of the bench. Every staff member was busy brainstorming to the right and in front of the connected bars near him. Each head seemed caught in an individual bubble, all except him. He wasn’t sure if Cameron told them to continue without him, but everyone was engaged. It seemed convenient. No one cocked their heads up to see the three persons inside. Patrick was alone, observing discreetly. A scene played out between Mr
The Games We Play Chapter 14
The Reasons Ding~ The automated bell chimed in the metallic elevator box, and the steel doors opened right after. Keanu dropped the call. He knew well enough to behave while still on the clock. Hopefully, Mrs. Lewis’s number is filed in a throw-away sim if things don’t go according to plan. The phone still on hand, CEO West walked to Sec. Lee’s desk. A warm empty mug sat beside a cleared desk. The blond woman had word docs open on her screen, typing away her boss’s schedule for the next day. The day would have been longer if she had been alone. Luckily tasks were divided, leaving her to take care of half the paperwork. Ms. Lee had her day sorted out. All that remained was the CEO’s schedule. The said schedule has almost ready for printing. When Dina glanced up, she found CEO West walking toward her station. He stopped right in front of her. Dina saved the docs before turning to face him. Based on the time on her screen, the meeting didn’t go so well. If it did, Mr. West wouldn’t b
The Games We Play Chapter 13
Under His Nose "No." "Oh no." "Oh fudge, no!" “You’ve got to be kidding me!” "Think, Kitty, think." Mrs. Lewis stood stiff as a rock. Standing there for a moment, stuck in her internal turmoil, Kitty knew what she needed to do but still figured out the timing. She was also glad John stopped ringing the doorbell. Kitty didn't want to seem rude to Paul; she had just met him and didn't want to make a wrong first impression. If today were only yesterday, Kitty would have barged out the front gate and given John-crazed-stalker-Evans a piece of her mind, but they have people over from Paul's work. Now Kitty was left to think of an excuse to leave abruptly. Kitty was also hoping that Leah would notice too and excuse her, but she was a few feet away in the kitchen. "Kitty, was it?" Kitty jumped after hearing Paul's unexpectedly deep voice. He stood behind her. On instinct, she locked her elbows, turned to face him, and politely smiled. "Yes?" "You enjoying yourself? You look tense.
