Chapter 32

GRACE’S POV

It wasn't lunchtime yet. Julia has lied. Perhaps she just needed an excuse to leave the office, which was nonsensical anyway, because she came right back in. 

The office didn’t return to normal immediately after Lana and Victoria's reunion, and Grey's departure. 

It couldn’t, very much couldn't. It felt like something had shifted, like a glass had shattered and even though the pieces were swept away, you could still hear the shattering sound of it breaking if you listened closely enough.

No one said anything. Not even Craig, considering he always had something to say. And that was saying something.

I leaned back slightly in my chair, exhaling slowly, only just realizing I had been holding my breath through most of that entire exchange. My fingers still tingled faintly, goosebumps lingering on my skin like a reminder that I had just witnessed something extremely monumental, and phenomenal.

“You people can go back to work now,” Lana said, already turning to her laptop like she hadn’t just verbally destroyed a human being five minutes ago.

Victoria chuckled softly as she returned to her seat. “You say that like anyone can actually focus after that event.”

“I can,” Lana replied simply, convincing me that she could.

Craig snorted. “Of course you can. You’re terrifying.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Lana said, cocking her head slightly.

“It wasn’t,” Craig muttered, but there was no bark in it.

Julia finally stepped fully into the office again, closing the door behind her like she was sealing off the chaos from the rest of the building.

She hesitated for a moment before walking back to her desk, her movements slower this time. Careful. Thoughtful.

I watched her sit down, her shoulders slumped, and for the first time since I’d met her, she looked unsure. It was clear she was blaming herself for Grey's destruction. I didn't blame her, and I was sure no one else blamed her. 

“You’re still thinking about it,” I said to her, quietly.

She glanced at me. “Can you blame me?”

I shook my head. “No, not really.”

There was a long second of silence at first.

“He deserved it.”

We both turned to the direction of the sound. Victoria sat, unblinkingly, like she hadn't just made a controversial statement. She sounded calm, and firm, a final verdict kind of thing.

Julia blinked. “That bad?” she asked. 

Victoria leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs. “Worse. We’ve all just been tolerating him because it was easier than dealing with him. You all know I'm saying the truth.”

Lana didn’t look up, but she said. “Silence is encouragement.”

Those words sat in the room, larger than an elephant.

Craig let out a low whistle. “Well. I guess I’ve been encouraging nonsense my whole life.”

“You have, honestly. Change,” Lana replied.

I couldn’t help myself as I laughed. 

And just like that, the tension eased. Not completely, but enough for one to be able to breathe again.

About an hour later, things had mostly returned to normal. The usual typing, phone calls, occasionally frustrating sighs. All except Grey, our arrogant and destroyed Grey. 

He hadn't returned, his chair was vacant and screamed, silently, for its arrogant owner. I wondered if he would come back, or if Lana's words chased him away.

“Do you think he’ll come back?” I asked, before I could stop myself.

However, I soon realised what a big mistake it was, because all three of them looked at me simultaneously.

I raised my hands slightly. “What? It’s a valid question.” It really was, no one could deny that. 

Victoria cocked her head. “You sound very concerned for just a valid question.”

“I’m curious,” I corrected quickly, which only made me sound like I was defending myself and didn't want them to know the truth.

Craig smirked. “Ah, of course. Curiosity, the cousin of concern.”

I rolled my eyes so hard I was scared it would reach the far back os my head. “Not everything is that deep.”

Lana finally looked up from her laptop. “He’ll come back,” she said, sounding certain.

Julia frowned slightly. “You don’t think he’ll quit? After all that?”

Lana shook her head once. “People like Grey don’t quit. Not when there’s something to lose especially.”

“The money,” Craig added, sounding like he was in a lecture room and wanted to back the lecturer up. 

“The lifestyle,” Victoria said, raising a finger in the air.

“The illusion,” Lana finished, silencing everyone.

That word lingered in the air, sounding truer than ever. Because why else would he be the way he was if not for the fact that he was delusional? He wasn't in check with the real world and it was sad to see. It just showed that money could blind a person.

By lunchtime, the office drama had spread, much more than Lana and Victoria's fight and reunion. They were tagging it, “Lana versus Grey: Realist or game brain” 

Personally, the tagline was absolutely genius and amazing. I don't know who came up with that, I wouldn't normally care, but because it was so good, I was willing to give the person a handshake to thank the person for such greatness. 

It was very funny, because as much as the news spread, people tried to be as subtle as they could about it. They were whispering, even though everyone knew. People walked past our office slower than usual.

And once, just once, I caught someone peeking in before quickly walking away. 

Craig noticed too.

“Oh, we’re famous now,” he said, grinning, hands together in amazement.

“Infamous, that's it,” Victoria corrected calmly.

“Same thing,” he shrugged, abjectly refusing the correction.

Julia groaned from her seat, I looked at her. 

“I hate this, it's all my fault.” She said, putting her hands over her face. 

Lana snorted and replied, “I mean, yes.”

“Lana!” I scolded, horrified. 

Victoria chuckled. “Honestly, if she hadn't spoken about how freedom mattered in the workplace and that alcohol should be allowed, perhaps good ole Grey would be here, arrogant.”

On cue, good ole Grey walked in.