All Chapters of BEHIND OFFICE DOORS: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

"Di-Diana?" Jerry stumbled, his face going white, his lips quivering, like he might pass out right there. Although he was overjoyed to see her again, the moment wasn't perfect. His relationship with Laura was at last beginning to improve. "Yes, Jerry! It's me!” Diana sobbed as she rushed directly to him, sweeping past Laura. She flung herself into his arms, clutching him as if she were terrified he might disappear if she released him. Laura tried to take in what was happening while standing motionless with her mouth slightly wide. Her chest tightened with uneasiness at the sudden drama playing out in front of her. "Diana?" Laura's mind raced, she raised her hand slightly, almost as if to point, then let it fall by her side and muttered. "I - I looked all over for you!”. "What made you leave like that?". "Diana, I missed you!" Jerry closed his eyes and gave her a hug in return, his voice brimming with emotion. "What's happening?" Laura put her hands on her waist and mov

Jerry stumbled, his voice cutting through the heavy tension in the room, "I - I… um, Laura, I'm sorry." He quickly retreated from Laura's hold while averting his eyes. Not just yet. He couldn't look into her sharp eyes. They were in charge of him and constantly made him feel insignificant, exposed, and unprepared. Laura struggled to maintain her composure while she stumbled over her words. With a voice full of feelings she was unable to control, she asked, "Um, what are you doing here?"."Please give me a chance, Laura”. Jerry murmured, "Let's talk," in an imploring tone as he gingerly extended his hand to take hers. He could sense her anger radiating from her, and he proceeded cautiously, caught between his need to make amends and his dread of being rejected. Laura noted the twitch of his hand as their gazes locked. She paused, uncertain whether to draw away or remain motionless. Something deep inside her was awakened by that brief interaction. Her determination softened as the r

Laura wanted desperately to stifle Fred's inflated ego, even only once. She had grown weary of losing every argument to his uncivilized haughtiness. She inhaled deeply, braced herself, and clenched her hands before answering calmly and purposefully. Fred, nobody is envious. Could we just have dinner and head to bed?.Jerry's eyes got bigger. He knew Laura who usually stormed off in tears, defeated, but this was not her. Her calm answer confused him. Laura resisted the need to cry or become angry for the first time. Even though Fred had previously made fun of him and Diana, Jerry couldn't help but respect her newfound fortitude.Laura's eyes changed to Jerry's, showing something fresh, acceptance, instead of rage or surrender. She had no more energy for pointless disputes as she started to understand the tension dynamics of Fred Walker's household. As they ate in reluctant silence, a thick hush fell over the room. Helen whispered softly from the door of the dining room, "Goodnight,

With his hands slipping into his pockets, the Sheriff moved with purpose toward Rose, his eyes unwavering and steady. The deep hush was broken by his strong yet low voice. "I'm really disappointed in you," he replied quietly, the calm tone hardly concealing the rage inside. Slowly, as though driven by some unseen power, Rose turned. She breathed unevenly, her hands shaking as she clasped her fingers together. She avoided looking, trying to regain her balance. "You pretended not to recognize me even though you knew I was Linda's father. Why?” With his arms folded across his chest and his eyes narrowed, he demanded a response in a sharp voice.Rose closed her eyes for a second and let out a long breath. "I apologize, sir," she said in a guilty tone. "I wasn't prepared to discuss Linda and myself. All that took place was horrific. I'm not proud of it, and I stayed away from anything that reminded me of those times. The sheriff examined her closely, evaluating the authenticity of her s

Laura felt as though a million irreparable pieces had been blasted from her universe. Mr. Tim, who had always seemed to understand her and with whom she had felt safe, now spoke to her as if he were a complete stranger. Although she wanted to be upset, she was unable to place the blame on him. All he was doing was what he thought was required to safeguard his company and its expansion. Nevertheless, Laura was unable to control her emotions as the pain of his words persisted. As she sobbed hysterically, they poured freely down her cheeks, heavy and hot. Feeling stuck, she had to decide between two unfeasible options: staying at her low-paying job as a waitress at the cafe or accepting the secretarial post at the clothes firm which she hadn't even applied for, but now desperately needed.She had little choice because of her mother's deteriorating health. Her only way to pay for the medical care her mother needed was to work as a secretary, which paid more. But she was troubled by the u