جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 110

“He hasn’t spoken to me in a week. I only hear that he’s home by the sounds of the doors opening and closing. He’s denied me going back to work. We don’t see each other anymore. If he’s not in his study or the guest room, he’s at work. Most probably. Well, at this point, I really don’t know.” My shrink reclines back in his armchair. It’s a little after lunch, and the toast I managed to cram down my throat before going here sits uncomfortably in my stomach. I’m attributing the queasiness to my bloated belly. My digestive system has gone haywire and I have not the slightest clue when I can eat properly without puking these days. “You said your friends came over. How did you feel after their visit?” Matthew turned his curious gaze to my trembling hands. I slid them under a throw pillow. Twisting my fingers, I answered him. “They had to force me to shower. It was beyond humiliating. I was so ashamed I got to that point. But… I was also so happy they were there. I don’t know, when they

Austin- Earlier that week - Every fiber of my being was vibrating with anger. In a measured voice I asked Hailey, “Where did you get your information?” “Does it matter?” she slowly sipped her coffee as she closed her laptop. The sun had barely risen but my lawyer was already in her office. I don’t think she left, in the first place. When I stormed at the crack of dawn, we weren’t surprised to see each other. That’s exactly why I’m keeping her. “Coffee?” she offered. “My assistant isn’t here yet but feel free to get yourself a cup.” She pointed to her side. A side table was set up with a steaming brew waiting.She looked at my face when she said that. “Oh, on second thought, never mind.”“Yeah, I’ve had two espressos already.” “You look like shit,” she remarked. I would have felt insulted if we didn’t just share a sweaty class of Muay Thai and boxing last time. “Seriously, what happened to you?” “You’re asking me? You just informed me that my mother was the mastermind behind rele

Something’s different with Austin. He parked himself in the living room one Saturday morning. Aggressively, might I add. He placed his laptop on the couch and it almost bounced off.“Hi,” I said. I reached for a bottle of water from the kitchen and noticed his movements. I was more than surprised that he was home since he’d spent the entirety of his days and nights out of the penthouse the past weeks - much to my chagrin. In my defense, who spends all their time at their lawyer’s office at those ungodly hours? What the hell are they doing?He’s been avoiding me like the plague and now he’s… lounging on the couch? He stared at me intensely. I blinked back at him. “Water?” I asked, raising the bottle. He shook his head, breaking the heavy eye contact. Hm. Weird. Maybe he wasn’t feeling well. Maybe that’s why he had that constipated look on his face. I returned to the room but I couldn’t help but wonder. I grabbed my phone and searched for the name of his lawyer again. Her firm’s we

I came to my senses on the sidewalk of The Guilder Cafe. I would have been mortified for eating dirt out here in public but I didn’t have time to do so. Because I woke up to the sound of Austin and the man who bumped into me having a yelling match a few steps away. I shook my head and tried to regain my composure. I braced my hand on a nearby chair as the world spun around me. But when I heard the sound of breaking bones, that’s when I came to two conclusions: I was too late to break up the fight and Austin’s penchant for violence was back in full force.My vision focused on his bloodied hand as he smashed it on the man’s face, again and again. He wouldn’t let up. The man had no chance. None at all.“Oh my god,” I gasped. Austin’s rage was animalistic. His face turned a shade of angry red, his eyes turned to slits and he was frothing at the mouth. I wouldn’t be surprised if he managed to tear a piece of the man’s face with his bare teeth. I tried to reach the commotion but an emplo

“This is what you wanted, right?” He pressed the button to the 10th floor. “Hm-mhm…” I fidgeted on our way down to his office floor. When did my corporate attire feel so… constricting? I adjusted the collar of my blouse, unbuttoning a few. “I want you to report to me constantly throughout the day,” Austin continued as he typed on his phone. He spared me a glance while the door opened, motioning me to go ahead. I stepped outside and onto the long corridor that led to my workstation. I felt Austin’s presence behind me. Remembering my first days here, instant nostalgia hit me as I examined the paintings lining the walls. The gothic style of the whole place has surprisingly grown on me. I missed this. I didn’t know that I was longing to be back working here this much. I stopped by my desk, Austin nodded at me and entered his office. It was not long until we were back to the office grind. It’s safe to say that today was one of the most stressful ones I’ve encountered so far. Just