Chapter 22

Helena’s POV

For a moment there, time stilled. I felt the drop of sweat slowly rolling down the side of my face.

My fingers remain wrapped around his wrist, burning from the heat that erupted through his skin.

For a second, I couldn’t move.

I didn’t even understand what I had just done.

My breath hung somewhere in my chest as my eyes slowly lifted from his hand… to his face.

Barron Hale was staring at me, not in the cold, burning way I had expected. But he was staring at me with his eyes wide.

I could tell he didn't see that coming.

His brows had drawn together slightly now and his gaze flickered between my hand gripping his wrist and my face, like he was trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

He couldn’t believe it, and honestly, neither could I.

What was I doing? Well, the simple answer was that I was holding my boss.

But not just holding him, I was standing between him and what he wanted.

My grip loosened slightly, but I didn’t pull away immediately.

Not yet.

“I…” My voice came out softer than I expected, then I swallowed and straightened slightly. “I’m just following orders, Mr. Hale,” I added softly.

His gaze snapped fully to my eyes now. “What are you talking about?” He asked as he pulled his hand out of mine.

I nodded and straightened myself immediately, subconsciously straightening my dress too.

It was the closest thing to a physical contact I had ever had with him.

“You told me to finish it,” I said with my tone regaining its professional edge. “You told me to finish the assignment, so I’m finishing it,” I added.

There was a long pause as neither of us said a word.

His jaw tightened slightly. “That doesn’t mean you should ignore basic logic,” he replied.

“And it doesn’t mean I should be dismissed either,” I said before I could stop myself. “Sir,” I added almost mockingly.

I felt the words hanging between us as Barron just stared at me with his jaw muscles flexing on repeat.

Maybe I was being too bold, but I was tired of being kicked around.

He narrowed his eyes at me, pulling my attention back. “You think that’s what happened?” He asked.

And I hesitated for a fraction of a second, before replying. “Yes,” I muttered much weaker than I intended.

A hint of surprise flashed across his features again before he masked it quickly, placing his dead flat posture again.

“You left your work,” he said with his tone sharpening again. “Without any explanation.”

“I tried to explain, I sent Tessy earlier,” I defended.

“You didn’t try hard enough,” he said bluntly and my chest tightened.

“That’s not fair,” I muttered.

“Fair?” He echoed after me, almost i. “This is work, Helena. Not a place for—”

“For what?” I cut in softly.

He stopped, and for the first time since this whole thing started, he didn’t look to have a response soon.

I exhaled slowly with my fingers curling slightly at my sides as he went about a minute without saying a word.

“The bottom line is that you didn't show up,” he finally said and a chuckle escaped my lips.

“Okay then, I've shown up,” I said, my voice quieter now but steadier. “I came back and I’m doing the work, sir.”

“That was expected,” he replied automatically.

And a small, humorless breath slipped past my lips. “Of course it was,” I replied, nearly rolling my eyes.

Something in my tone must have reached him, cause his expression shifted again.

“You don’t get praised for doing what you’re supposed to do,” he added, but there was less bite to it now.

“I’m not asking for praise,” I replied.

“Then what are you asking for?” He asked with a brow raised as his fingers tapped on my desk.

The question hit me, and for a moment, I didn’t know how to answer. Cause the truth wasn’t simple, it wasn’t something I could say outright.

Not without saying too much.

My gaze dropped briefly to the desk before lifting back to him.

“I’m asking to be heard,” I said finally.

He grimaced, staring at me without another word.

Then his expression didn’t change immediately.

“I listened,” he finally said after the short moment.

“No,” I shook my head gently. “You just kept accusing me,” I replied. “That’s not the same, Mr. Hale.”

His jaw locked and I feared it would pup. The air between us thickened again.

“You think I don’t take this seriously?” He asked, his tone lower now.

“I think you decided what I am before I could show you otherwise,” I replied.

His eyes locked onto mine as my thoughts seemed to see through them. “And what are you trying to show me?” He asked and I took a step back.

That question, that's the question I had been expecting all along.

But I hesitated, then looked away briefly before returning and meeting his gaze again.

“That I’m not careless,” I said. “That I don’t just walk away from things I struggled to get.”

That I don’t just abandon what matters, I thought but couldn't find it in me to say it.

For a moment, he didn’t say anything, and neither did I.

Then, his expression hardened all of a sudden, like whatever had almost surfaced was pushed back down early.

“You’re going beyond your limits,” he muttered under his breath.

“And you’re not listening,” I shot back. “Sir.’

That did it.

His expression locked immediately as his finger drummed on the desk harder than before.

“Fine,” he said sharply. “Do whatever you want,” he announced, and just like that, he turned and walked out through the door.

I stood still as the sound of the door closing echoed louder than it should have.

I remained standing there, frozen in place as my heart beat ever so fast.

My chest rose and fell heavily. What… just happened?

My gaze drifted slowly to my hand, the same hand that had held him.

That had stopped him, that had crossed a line I was never supposed to cross.

A heavy breath left me slowly even as I heard his car starting and zooming away.

The silence pressed into me again and I found myself replaying everything from the beginning.

Every word.

Every look.

Every shift.

“I’m asking to be heard…”

Even my own voice echoed faintly in my head.

My shoulders dropped slightly as I tapped my fingers weakly over my desk.

“I will do what I want,” I whispered under my breath.

And with that, I sat back down, turned to my system, and resumed working.

Barron’s POV

I was way beyond the speed limit. I knew, but didn’t slow down.

My grip tightened on the steering wheel as the city lights flashed past me.

What was that? What the actual fuck was that?

My jaw clenched as the thoughts flooded my mind. 

I should have gone home from my office, there was no reason to have gone to her office.

None.

But yet, I did.

I exhaled sharply, but didn't loosen my grip over the steering wheel.

Why?

Her face flashed in my mind, the way she looked at me back there.

She wasn’t scared, maybe wasn't too respectful or apologetic.

But, she was grounded, rooted in what she believed in.

My grip faltered slightly, then I tightened it again.

No. That wasn’t the problem, the problem was… I couldn't get myself.

Why did her absence get to me in the first place? It wasn't the first time someone was absent from work.

Hell, last month I found out how often people skipped work daily.

But in her case? It felt wrong to let it slide 

I scoffed under my breath, shaking my head slightly. It shouldn’t have mattered. It didn’t matter.

She’s an employee, and that’s all.

I went a few more minutes without thinking about it till her voice suddenly entered my head.

“I’m asking to be heard.”

My fingers tightened again as her voice invaded my thoughts.

“You decided what I am before I could show you otherwise.”

I exhaled slowly as the anger started to thin. Had I been too harsh on her?

My gaze remained on the road, but my thoughts were no longer there.

They were back in that office, in that particular moment with Helena.

She didn’t raise her voice at me.

She didn’t argue recklessly.

She didn’t necessarily disrespect me.

She just… stood her ground.

My jaw ticked off as I realized that all I did was try to shut her down.

Again and again, over and over and over.

I leaned back slightly into the seat as my foot eased on the gas a bit.

This isn’t how I work, this isn’t how I handle things.

I had to set things straight.