5: Reversed Roles

“SIR, we already found him. I brought him to the warehouse as instructed. What should we do with him now?” Percival asked, his gaze shifting between the unconscious Japanese man, who had a handkerchief covering his eyes and was tied to the chair with thick ropes around his wrists and ankles. He was waiting for a response, but it seemed unlikely from this captive.

“Don’t do anything yet, I’ll deal with the pervert myself, so just make sure he doesn’t get away until I get there. I’m on my way,” Noah took a long drag from his cigarette, savoring the bitter taste before exhaling a cloud of smoke. He then stubbed out the butt in the ashtray, the gentle afternoon breeze ruffled his hair.

“Understood, sir.” his secretary replied, and he simply made a humming noise before hanging up the call. He then returned his phone to his pocket and pulled out a mint candy, placing it in his mouth.

He wasn’t even involved in any gangs or mafia organizations, yet he was acting like one. However, that didn’t bother him because he was willing to do whatever it took to protect the woman, he had rejected years ago.

“You sure are insane,” Noah muttered to himself as he made his way out of the rooftop of his company and headed towards the warehouse where Celene’s harasser was being held captive. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t allow that scumbag to get away with what he had done, and he had to take matters into his own hands because her husband surely wouldn’t do anything to bring justice to the situation.

As he drove, he caught sight of Celene walking to the sidewalk. Her complexion was pale and dark circles under her eyes indicated a lack of sleep. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he saw her condition, but still, he was grateful to see her again sooner than expected. So, without hesitating, he parked the car in front of the cafe she had just entered and got off.

Meanwhile, Celene found herself in a daze as she ordered her regular coffee. It had been three days since her argument with Jarred, and things were still tense between them. Especially after Agnes, had pulled a stunt to make her look like the villain. That evening, she had another heated exchange with her husband, and every time he hurled insults at her, it felt like a sharp knife piercing her heart.

Since then, they haven’t talked to each other unless it was business related. Their interactions were short but harsh, with neither of them willing to apologize first. For the first time in their almost three years of marriage, she didn’t have the desire to make amends and move on. After all, she had been hurt and wronged deeply, enough to question if Jarred still loved her at all.

“Hey,” The sound of a familiar voice and the knock on the table jolted her back to reality. She looked up to find Noah sitting across from her, triggering a sense of Deja vu as she recalled their previous encounters at the restaurant.

“Why are you here?” She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, trying to figure out why he kept appearing wherever she went. First, at the restaurant, then at the bar, and now even at the cafe she visited often.

“I was driving when I saw you,” Noah admitted without trying to deceive or fabricate any excuses. “You looked unwell; what happened after that night? Were you able to make it home safely?”

“Yes,” Celene let out a sigh, feeling the pain in her head from not getting enough rest. She had to stay up all night to read through the newly printed proposals and reports since the original documents were ruined. On top of that, she couldn’t help but be bothered by the bonding between her mother-in-law and Agnes, along with Jarred joining in on their closeness.

Every time they would eat breakfast and dinner together, the three of them would engage in a lively conversation about their shared past while she sat quietly by herself. It was a constant reminder that she didn’t belong, almost as if Agnes was the wife and daughter-in-law instead of her.

It was impossible for her to tell if Jarred’s behavior was a deliberate punishment for her recent disobedience or if he genuinely enjoyed talking to his ex. Regardless, she had to take action before Agnes stole her spot in the household.

“And? Did you tell your husband what happened?” Noah’s question brought up a painful memory for Celene. She hesitated, unsure of how much to share with him. They may have known each other, but they weren’t in the type of relationship where they would confide in each other about their problems. Especially not after what had happened seven years ago.

“Why are you asking?” she responded with a calm and curious tone, before thanking the waiter who brought the coffee and cake she had ordered earlier. “Did my father tell you to spy on me or something?”

“No. You’ve already severed all your connections with your family. Do you honestly think I would be willing to spy on you for them? I am a busy man, Celene.” Noah scoffed, recalling the shock he felt when he heard the news that Celene had rejected their arranged marriage. And in order to prevent it from ever happening, she completely cut ties with her family.

Honestly, he couldn’t deny feeling hurt by her decision, but at the same time, guilty that she had to give up her lavish lifestyle just to avoid marrying him.

“So, did you ever end up telling your husband about what happened to you?” he asked the question again, causing Celene to release a deep breath. She had no desire to share her issue with him because it would make her seem pitiful. Worse, he might even see it as karma for marrying someone else instead of him.

Still, for someone who lost friends, because she distanced herself, she had no one to turn to and share the bottled feelings she had been keeping inside for the past few days. For a moment, she debated whether or not to reveal the full truth to him, but ultimately decided against it.

“Sorry, but I am not obligated to share details about my personal life with you.” she said before pushing the chair back and taking her coffee as she stood up, “You can have the cake, I haven’t touched it yet.”

With that, she walked out and went back to the office, leaving Noah who shook his head as he watched her go. She had built walls around herself, just like he used to have, but somehow, she had broken through them. Now, it’s his turn to break hers.

“This is what happens when you’re a fucking idiot,” Noah let out a deep sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair, filled with regret for all the mistakes he had made in the past. Celene used to chase after him, but now their roles were reversed.

However, Noah refused to give up because he was certain that she would leave her husband eventually. And when that time came, he would stop at nothing to win her heart once again.

When Celene approached the office, she could hear murmurs of voices coming from inside. Her heart then started racing and she felt a knot form in her stomach. Not knowing why, she took a deep breath and entered the room, wondering what was causing all the commotion. Then, she spotted Jarred standing at the front of the crowd with his ex-girlfriend by his side, dressed in professional attire.

“She would be our new assistant manager,” Celene’s grip on her coffee tightened as she heard Jarred introduce Agnes to the employees around them, her eyes widening in shock.

In that moment, it felt as though time stood still for Celene. Her mind went blank as she tried to process the uttered nonsense she had just heard. Why hadn’t her husband mentioned anything about Agnes joining the company?

‘What the hell was happening?’

“Oh! You’re here?” With a jolt, Celene snapped out of her daze and refocused her attention on Jarred. He motioned for her to come closer, and she hesitated, gripping tightly onto the cup of coffee in her hand.

When the employees turned their heads at her, she smiled and shifted into her professional mode before approaching him. As she did, she caught a glimpse of a faint but victorious grin on Agnes’ face, aimed at her. It made Celene want to splash the hot coffee in her face, but she managed to restrain herself when Jarred tapped her shoulder.

“I will entrust Agnes to you, guide her in her tasks, and assign her some work to help her get acclimate to the work environment.”