A New Me

 "I don't feel like coming to work today." I let out a small whimper in front of the wardrobe and took out the work clothes I would wear today.

 

I was still in a bad mood from the heartbreak, so I wasn't sure I could focus on my work without being distracted. But I didn't want to be judged as unprofessional because, after all, the work in the office was my responsibility. I had to go to work anyway.

 

After I moved around lazily, I finished putting on my clothes. I brushed my hair and curled the bottom part, then put on the makeup I usually don't wear because Martin said he prefers my plain face. He doesn't like to see me dressed up like most women.

 

 

I got up from the chair in front of my dressing table and opened my shoe cabinet. I looked at a pair of shiny colored shoes. I liked those shoes. But because Martin didn't like styles that attracted too much attention from people, I could only keep them in the closet even though I had bought them. My heart ached every time I opened the shoe cabinet and had to choose another pair of shoes because I didn't want Martin to get angry and think I didn't follow his words.

 

 

Looking back, I was foolish.

I obeyed everything Martin said because I thought he was sincere with me, and I loved him. But Martin did the opposite. He was selfish by not listening to what I said as his partner, while he demanded a lot from me.

 

Today, I made sure from head to toe I wore what I couldn't wear, even though I liked it because Martin forbade me. Starting from my makeup, which is more colorful, of course not thick but more showing my charm boldly. Then I paired a white satin shirt with a tight black below-the-knee skirt that had a slit on the left side that reached down to my lower thigh.

 

 

I could imagine Martin's face when he saw my appearance. He would have screamed and taken me away to change. But that would never happen because I wasn't planning to please him or get his attention the way I wanted to.

 

I walked out of my room, and just as I opened the door, I met Asher, who was near the stairs. I tried to hide my surprise by controlling my facial expression. I didn't want to look awkward or avoid him, that wouldn't be cool at all, considering I was the one who provoked his actions and acted boldly back then, so if I acted awkwardly right now, it was too late and wrong.

 

I know Asher is looking me up and down with his alluring eyes. The voice inside me is screaming that Asher's eyes are so beautiful, alluring, and mesmerizing, and he never fails to look sexy from how he looks.

 

"You look beautiful, Daphne." He complimented in his deep, heart-stirring voice.

 

I was quite pleased and almost smiled, but I restrained myself and relaxed with a glance at him. "Thank you, Asher, for your compliment," I said casually.

 

Asher smiled slightly, his signature smile that many women admired. "Let's go together." He invited me to wait.

 

"No." I showed him the keys in my hand. "I'll drive my car."

 

Asher nodded. "Alright then, see you at the office." Asher walked away from there.

 

I held the urn in my hand tightly, my legs feeling weak until I leaned my body against the display cabinet. My heart was still beating noisily when dealing with Asher, and my mind was also uncontrollable when I saw his gaze and body. It was clear that I was not fine and in a normal state when dealing with Asher after the kissing incident yesterday.

 

"Ah, I'm going crazy," I said as I left the house.

 

I drove my little Cooper to the office this morning. The roads held me up five minutes longer than usual. I parked my vehicle in the parking lot of the building outside. As I got out and walked into the office, someone grabbed my hand and made me turn around to see who it was.

When I realized who was holding my hand, my face turned sour. I looked at the man flatly and tried to pull my hand away from him. "What are you doing?" I asked him.

 

He looked pitiable in front of me. If it was the old me, I would have felt pity seeing that look, but the current me was not affected. "I came to explain what happened yesterday, Daphne." His tone sounded remorseful, but I'm sure he didn't regret his actions.

 

I snorted, looking at him while folding my arms, not wanting him to try to grab my hand again. I didn't want to be held by him again. "Do you think there's anything else you can explain, huh?"

 

I was about to move, but again, she blocked me. Of course, I avoided her. Even when I unintentionally felt like I stepped on feces, it made me feel bad all day. "Get out of the way." I gave him an order in annoyance.

 

"Daphne, yesterday was a misunderstanding. Let me first explain." She insisted.

 

The expression on my face hardened. I couldn't believe he was so unreasonable to say that what he did was a misunderstanding. "Misunderstanding, you said." I pointed at my eyes. "I saw you riding Caroline, my close friend, and you say it was a misunderstanding?" his mindset amazes me.

 

"I know.... I know," he denied in frustration. "I may have gone too far, but I was just doing it for a stress release. You know men need that kind of thing. But the only woman I love is you, Daphne. Me and I were just an emotional release." He tried to touch me, but I distanced myself from him.

 

Martin is such a jerk that he's worse than garbage!

"Then you should be with her because, from that day on, our relationship is over." I looked at him sharply and firmly.

 

Martin looked a little surprised by my attitude, but he returned to his annoying demeanor. "But we're getting married soon. You can't behave like this, Daphne---"

 

"Getting married?" I couldn't believe I heard him say that. I wanted to defend his head and see if his brain was a human brain. How could he be so unreasonable? "Do you think, after what happened I still want to marry you? You're out of your mind." I left her immediately, not caring when she tried to follow me. I quickly closed the elevator door so she couldn't get in.

 

 

Inside the elevator, I squeezed my hands tightly, my eyes were swimming, and my breathing was ragged. My chest felt like it was going to explode with emotion. "That stupid loser, he makes me angry!" I cursed at him. Then, as I glanced at the changing floor numbers, I repeatedly took deep breaths to calm myself down until, finally, when the elevator doors opened, I seemed calm.

 

I exited the elevator and met a few people who smiled at me. "Oh, Daphne, you look a little different today." My office mate smiled meaningfully with her ignorant face. I knew she was teasing me. "You look prettier, although you're usually pretty, too. So what's going on?"

 

I shrugged. "Mood swings, new day, new beginnings maybe." I gave her a mixed answer, and she smiled as she left with the cup in her hand while I walked away while talking to her.

 

I looked at my phone screen, which got a message just after I sat at my desk. It was from Asher, so I opened it.

 

It said, "Are you okay, Daphne?"

 

I was stunned for a few moments. My efforts to hold my atmosphere suddenly collapsed and muted itself. His sudden question made me feel strangely relieved. I then immediately replied to his message. "Yes, I'm fine. I was able to get through today well. You take it easy." I typed and sent the message to him.

 

Asher quickly replied to my message. "Alright then, but if you need anything, let me know I'll do it."

 

Asher owns the company I work for while I'm his employee. What Asher would do for me is, of course, give me permission to take a day off or lighten his work if I'm in a bad mood, but I don't want to take advantage of that and get special treatment just because I know him.

 

I replied, 'Yes." Briefly, I put down my cell phone. As I placed it on the table, I stared uncomfortably at the many photos of Martin plastered on my desk.

 

I snorted softly in annoyance, then pulled and removed all the photos from there and threw them into the trash can below me. Seeing what I was doing, my coworker sitting next to me stared at me.

 

She then came closer and got a better look. "What are you doing? You threw them away. Aren't you guys getting married soon?" She looked at me in confusion after checking.

 

I snorted. "He cheated on me. Why would I marry him?" The woman was flabbergasted and laughed while shaking her head. "I'm not going to marry that kind of trashy guy. I can get a better guy."

 

She nodded her head. "Of course, you can do that. Don't get hung up on that kind of trashy guy. Millions of men are better than him. You can choose them." She encouraged me. I smiled at him, feeling relieved that there was someone who cursed Martin with me.