All Chapters of Once won't hurt : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Ken The ride was smooth, but my thoughts weren’t—they were jumbled. I had disappeared again, quietly. I was beginning to like it; I called it a short break from work. In two weeks, the list of candidates would be out. It was a process I had already discussed with my directors. The digital world was evolving fast. Two months ago, we had dropped lots of incompetent employees, and honestly, we needed sharp minds—hence the training across our external bodies. I remembered when the list of affiliated companies was sent to me, forty-three in number. Gigs was the twenty-seventh on that list, in Ohio. I had heard a few things about the place, and now it was time to explore. The urge for a break was heavy after surviving a month of endless deals and meetings. I needed silence. So, I came to Ohio for my break. I let my mind drift, enjoying the peace. The coming weeks would be tight. I had much to put in place for the vetting of new employees. The road was free, so I arrived at the hotel ear

Ken In my office, I smiled as I replayed the scene from minutes ago in my mind. The words I told her echoed again. I had said I was just caring, that I’d do it for anyone. A big, fat lie. I cared for my employees, yes—but that was financial, giving them a better working environment. It stopped there. With Mira, it was different. I cared about her feelings, her mood, her thoughts. Just now, her eyes had held a flicker of panic—or maybe nerves—as she looked at the heap on her desk and then at me. Obviously, someone had sent those gifts: a frame, a bouquet, and perfumes. I had nearly drowned when I saw them. If she wasn’t seeing anyone yet, someone certainly wanted her. But she wasn’t even the slightest bit happy about the gifts. Mira… I had studied her enough to recognize the walls she built around herself. Her fiery attitude only implied she was guarding something. I called her tough, but I didn’t mean it—I only wanted to rattle her. And from the way she paused when I sighed, I knew

Mira The splitting headache lingered till I got home. I was spent, exhausted without doing much. All I did was attend to a pending design and cry my eyes out on his lap. The memories taunted me. Heat crept to my cheeks remembering how shameless I had been. I was embarrassed at myself. I unlocked my door, dragged my feet to the sofa, and threw my bag somewhere I hoped to remember. I didn’t mean to be emotional today. Sarah had purposely squeezed herself between two tables, a part only a fool would take—but it was intentional. She needed an excuse to pour the drink on me. Weeks ago in my office, I had returned her insult, and today she bared her claws publicly. I had to applaud her boldness, but the challenge has been accepted. She will regret working in the same space as me. Of all the things I had to think of—my sister’s fast-approaching wedding, my fear of facing my family, Laura’s love life, my own ambitions—my mind was stuck on Ken. His scent calmed me, flooding my senses. I gre

Mira Finally, the long-awaited week arrived. The employees selected for the training would be announced soon. I was sure it would be Thursday or Friday—no one could work with the pressure if the names came out earlier. What if I got selected? Yes, everyone knew how devoted I was, how diligent, but I wasn’t certain. At first, I had disregarded the opportunity. Bernard could pick whomever he pleased; I hadn’t seen any signs that he had his eyes on me. We spoke, but always about work—nothing more. Thinking about it made my heart race. Such an opportunity was rare. It was my dream to work somewhere bigger, and Voughan was the highest anyone could aspire to. Then it struck me like lightning—Lizzy’s wedding. My heart skipped. None of them had called me since they delivered the date. They hadn’t bothered to update me with the process. How would I face them? Should I go home first or straight to the venue? I was utterly confused. I just wanted it to come and go, too awkward to bear. I had

Mira It had been a week since I was enlisted for Voughan’s training. A dream come true — I still basked in the euphoria, relieved every time I remembered hearing my name. It was a messy mixture of joy, nerves and disbelief. I’d always wanted a bigger, tougher game: a place of endless possibilities, where I could learn from experts and use the best equipment. I never saw this coming. Seeing Clara’s face that day — the anger as she left, the confusion — said everything. She’d expected it; it felt planned. She had given hints before he appeared. I could tell they’d schemed. What a joke of a company. Bernard… that was who he was: ready to throw others under the bus for someone else’s sake. Now I saw him for who he really was. It hurt me, I had been loyal, respectful and diligent, and he would rather chose Clara over me? Maybe she’d been rejected by Voughan and I’d slipped onto the list, but I was happy nonetheless. I called Laura and she was over the moon. She insisted we celebrate in a