LOGINIsla was left alone with her thoughts, every thing that happened in the office came flooding back to her. Then she forced herself to continue eating.
"Ma'am, are you alright?" A waiter who was passing asked."I'm fine." Sher replied but she was screaming internally that she wasn't.How would I face him? Should I bring it up? Or should I tell him it was a mistake?? Her boss sure held grudges.. he wouldn't let it slide. All these and many other thoughts were running tMonday came faster than usual excluding the part where she was rolling on her bed thinking about how she was supposed to get $5000.Maybe Darian Blackwell had notuced her mood and decided not to pry, or something. Either ways, it was good for her."Dorothy Curien" he said. "You'll have lunch with her today." Isla only nodded and dropped the files she came with in his desk going back as she came in.By half past eleven, the elevator chimed. Dorothy Curien came in with bouquet making her way straight to Isla's office.She opens the door and Isla looked up from her laptop standing up when she saw her. She flashed her a smile."Ms. Curien, you're here early.""Ofcourse." She smiled as she handed over the bouquet to her giving her a hug."Didn't want him to keep you here without lunch." She added turning to the direction of his door at the other end of the floor."Thank you for the flowers, you didn't have to." Isla said looking at the flowers. They were white peonies. They looked really
She walked away like she had somewhere important to be.Darian knew better. He had watched the security guards appear behind her not five minutes ago, had seen the precise moment Isla decided that dignity was the only currency she had left in that situation and spent every last bit of it walking away straight-backed and unbothered.She had nowhere to be that much he knew, or he might have been wrong. But she walked as if she owned the destination.He watched her until the crowd took her. Until the city, indifferent and relentless, folded her into itself and she disappeared completely. Ryan was saying something beside her, gesturing with his hands the way he always did, and Isla wasn't responding. Just walking. Sunglasses on. Spine straight.Gone.Darian turned back.Victoria was already watching him.He said nothing. Simply adjusted the button on his jacket and gestured toward the restaurant entrance. She fell into step beside him without comment, heels precise against the pavement, h
Isla sat on the edge of her bed for a long moment before she picked up her phone.The apartment was quiet around her. Eliza had retreated back to the kitchen, tactful enough to give her space without being asked.She found her mother's contact and pressed call.It rang three times.Her mother picked up on the fourth."Isla."Just her name. That was all. But her mother's voice carried something in it that Isla recognized immediately. The sound of someone holding themselves together through sheer practice."Mum." Isla leaned forward slightly, elbow on her knee. "Eliza said you called. What happened?"A small exhale on the other end."I didn't want to worry you.""Mum.""I know, I know." A pause. "It's Tobi."Isla's chest tightened. "What about him? What's wrong with Tobi?""He came down with a fever three days ago. We have him antipyretics.""Mom..." Isla drawled. "You should have taken him to the hospital.""I know, I just thought it would pass on its own, you know how he is, he never
"We should go," Isla repeated."We should?" Ryan asked, blinking with feigned confusion Isla was already walking.Ryan scrambled to catch up, falling into step beside her with considerably less dignity than he would probably like to admit. For a moment he said nothing. Just kept pace with her, hands in his pockets, stealing glances at her profile every few seconds like she was a weather system he was trying to predict.Isla stared straight ahead her sunglasses firmly in place definitely not thinking about her boss and his girlfriend back there.She could feel his eyes on her."What?" she finally snapped, when she couldn't bear it a second longer."Nothing." Ryan looked forward immediately."That wasn't nothing. You were staring.""I wasn't staring.""Ryan.""I was glancing," he corrected seriously. "There's a difference."Isla exhaled through her nose and kept walking.The street was busy around them. People moving in every direction, bags swinging, conversations bleeding into each o
A chest. Very hard chest.Isla felt it beneath her palms before she even processed the fact that she had walked straight into an actual human being.Slowly, almost fearfully, she tilted her head upward.Blue eyes met hers instantly. Cold, sharp, and calm.And attached to those blue eyes was a lazy smirk she was struggling to get used to. Mr Blackwell never smiled.Isla’s soul briefly left her body."Mr. Blackwell…" she said weakly. "What are you doing here?"The smirk deepened.Darian Blackwell looked unfairly good standing in front of a luxury store like he personally owned half the city. Dark tailored suit. Expensive watch. Hands casually tucked into his pockets like he didn’t have a single problem in the world.Meanwhile, Isla had just been escorted out of a building ten seconds ago.His gaze slid past her shoulder.Directly toward the security guards still standing near the entrance.Isla felt heat rush into her face so quickly it was almost violent."Oh, that?" she said quickly,
The uneven sound of Isla's footsteps, distracted Ryan from changing the channels with the remote. "Can't you walk like a normal human being for once?" Ryan asked as he turned to see her entering the living room."If I could just find half a pair of my sneakers," She looked at him. "Then I'll be normal."Ryan looked at her—apart from the flowery gown and the handbag she carried, she seemed almost mad. One foot wore half a pair of sneakers, while the other was completely bare."You're going to be the death of me." He complained his gaze returning to the TV, where the news was playing.Isla rolled her eyes as ashe made her way to the TV completely blocking Ryan's view."What now?" Ryan frowned."I'm looking for my shoes remember??" She raised an eyebrow."What relationship does your shoe have..."Got it!!!" Isla exclaimed.Ryan resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Common, let's go shall
"Sir, if you could just leave..." A security man who was attempting to perhaps be polite said. "I'm not.." Ryan said unshakenly.The security's face changed slightly, if it was disappointment, Ryan didn't care."If you could just..." He tried again."I've told you who I'm here to see," Ryan said p
"Ms. Mercer!!!" Someone called. A junior staff probably.Could they just rest and let her be?? She thought as she continued walking towards the elevator pretending as it she didn't hear anything."Ms. Mercer!!" The voice called again. It was closer this time. Annoying, even.She turned coming face
She woke up to the stream of sunlight through her thin pink cotton. She opened her eyes then closed them immediately."God damnit" she cursed.She opened her eyes again. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the light.She wondered why her cotton was open. "Elizaaaaa!!!!" She yelled. Always finding ways to a
Ryan had the door open before she reached it."Eighteen hours," he said, not as a question. Not even acknowledging, the driver who was sitting in the driver's seat."Ryan...""Eighteen hours, Isla. I called you four times.""My phone was on silent, I was working...""Working." He said the word like







