CHAPTER 2~ LOSING EVERYTHING

Larisa walked out of the hotel on her shaky legs, her purse which she had found beneath the sheets tucked under her arm as she walked in pure shame out through the exit. She knew she looked like shit, her eyes were red, her hair was a mess. The only thing that looked close to good on her was the red, velvety dress she had found on the bedside table.

It wasn’t hers and she wanted nothing from a man as heartless as Julian, but she had no choice but to wear it right now.

It was a foolish move, but she needed to get to work. She was already late, her boss would now be angrier at her than he always was. Before stepping out of the room, she had bathed her skin until its porcelain color turned to red. She felt violated, ripped open…she felt as though something important had been stolen from her.

But wasn’t that what happened?

Larisa pushed her purse higher beneath her arm as she fanned down a cab, shuffling inside as soon as it stopped. She slammed the door shut behind her, and then leaning against it as it drove off.

“Where to, lady?”

She swallowed her tears. “Take me to…”

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The driver got her to her workplace before she even knew it, and as soon as she paid her fare, she stepped out of the cab and onto the corridors that aligned the building. She sighed as she entered through the entrance, trying her best to remain calm.

She was a mess on the inside, but nobody needed to know that.

Combing her hair back, she bowed her head in greeting to her coworkers and then took a seat at her desk, right before her computer.

“Psst…hey Larisa…Mr. Jackson told me to inform you to meet him in his office as soon as you come.”

Larisa turned to Spencer, one of the few nice people she knew here. “I’ll go now, thank you.”

She shoved her chair back, ignoring the eyes that watched her as she walked towards the boss’s office. She knew what was going to happen. He always did this whenever she did anything wrong.

He’d remind her that she wasn’t essential to this company, that she had contributed nothing to its success, that she was replaceable. She was used to it, however today she felt like listening to him degrade her would utterly break her into pieces.

She knocked on his office door. “May I come in Mr. Jackson?”

“Yes…”

As soon as the approval came from the inside, she twisted at the doorknob, walking into a place she had never found happiness.

“Miss Bronc…”

Even the sound of the door closing on its own behind her frightened Larisa. “Yes, sir?”

“Do you know how angry I was this morning when I came in and didn’t see you?”

“Yes sir, I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry? I wanted coffee Larisa; I wanted a f*cking drink of black coffee so the stress of writing for the whole day wouldn’t catch up to me. But when I came in, the person whose only importance is to deliver it to me wasn’t here to do it. I wasn’t just angry, what I felt was far beyond anger.”

Larisa bowed her head. “I’m sorry sir, I won’t be late again.”

“You don’t have to worry about ever being late again. You’ve never been reliable, miss Bronc. Your stories were replicas of others and even if they weren’t, they were never big enough to reach a high number of clicks. You’re useless and if not for delivering me my morning coffee…I don’t believe I need you here.” He gestured towards the door with a hand. “Pack your things, you’re fired.”

“W-What…?” Larisa’s heart thumped in her chest, her eyes finally watering. “You can’t do this to me, sir! I-I…I’ll work harder…I promise I won’t be late. I’ll even deliver your coffee now…please.”

“There’s no use in begging. My final decision has already been made. Get out, I’ve already found a better replacement for you.” He lifted a sheet of paper, showing her the qualifications on a resume he had on his desk. “She’s fully educated. She had even gone through college unlike some people and she’s an experienced writer. I’ve been looking for a spot to put her and it’s so convenient that you f*cked up on the right day. Out…!”

Larisa gripped her purse, tears dripping down her chin. “Mr. Jackson…please.”

“It’s already done, Miss Bronc…good luck on your hopeless journey and I hope you have a great day ahead.”

Larisa wiped beneath her eyes as she looked at him pleadingly. That was exactly what Julian told her on the phone today, and those words had her defense and confidence crumbling. She wouldn’t win, would she? He had already made up his mind. If she went down on her knees and begged, she’d gain nothing but a deceased pride.

So Larisa walked out of his office, her steps as heavy as her heart as she walked over to her desk. She grabbed a scandal from her drawer and threw everything she had on her desk inside of it.

“Larisa…?”

Larisa turned to Spencer, and it was then that she found that everyone was staring at her, making her feel even smaller than she already did.

“What happened in there…? You’re crying, Larisa.”

Larisa wiped her eyes and smiled. “It’s nothing…goodbye Spencer.”

With that, she started her second walk of shame for the day. Why was this all happening to her? Why was her life such a mess? And why was she so incapable of fixing it?

First, she was almost killed, then she was blackmailed and now she had lost her only source of income. How would she pay her rent that was overdue now? What was going to happen to her?

That company was the only company that hired her as a writer with only high school qualifications. She wasn’t educated enough, so it was almost impossible to get a job anywhere else…

And now…And now…she’d lost it.

Larisa wiped her eyes as she turned down the street. She felt overly embarrassed. If she hadn’t already felt lost, then she was utterly lost now, and she didn’t know what to do.

But despite that, she knew she needed to find another job and quickly. When she got home, she’d do job hunting and write up some applications.

Life had pulled her down many times before. It wasn’t a crime to get back up.

As she tried to feign her strength, Mr. Jackson’s phone rang loudly in the office, making the middle-aged man jump in surprise…surprise and fear.

With trembling hands, he reached for the phone, picking it up and putting it at his ear. “Y-Yes sir…?”

“Is it done?”

“Yes, Mr. Maverick. I’ve fired her, she already left.”

“Good…the cash will be transferred to the account number you sent me.”

“Yes, thank you, sir.”