The room was dark and I sat up, rubbing my eyes with my palms. I looked around and I'm still at his office, I stood up and searched for a switch. I switched on the lights and glanced at my wrist. It's nine-fifteen, nighttime. I slept quite a long today. And Ayden is still not here. I walked slowly to the sofa, took off my outerwear, put it on the sofa and walked to his desk. I sat on his chair and spun it around, facing the huge window. Then I spin it back.
I stared at his computer and fell to the there are few framed photos on the table and I squinted.
I grabbed them and furrowed my brow. The heck? He printed my sleeping photo, and he even framed my ID photo from my resume. How come I didn't realise this! I was blinded by the articles!
"He could have just asked for my photos instead of sneakily taking one." I rested my head on the desk and closed my eyes.
When will he come back?
"When will he come back?" I started to sigh again and stare at the door. One...two...three… I started to count. One to ten. To twenty. To sixty. To a hundred.
Did I count too fast? Where is he? Did he leave already?
I slumped my face on the table and closed my eyes.
When will he come? I'm bored, hungry and miss him already.
"Princess." I opened my eyes with a smile and raised my head up. "Sorry, I'm late right? We have few clients and the last one is just feisty." He dragged himself and slammed his whole body on the sofa. I quickly stood up and approached him and crouched down, patting his head softly. I give him a smooched on his forehead.
"You're doing great, darling. Good job. Even though you promised you would come back at nine, and broke the promise, you still work hard. Good job." he looked at me with a smirk. Ah, he knows I'm being sarcastic.
"Let's go home," he said. He does sound tired.
"Let's!"
He sat up and stretched his body and lifted my body and placed me on his lap and placed his hands on my bare legs, rubbing it up and down.
And my whole body went stiff. I'm nervous.
"Did I said, that you look so gorgeous today? And this skirt has been distracting me for the whole time?" he murmured. His hands started to move and slip under my skirt and he stopped before going further. Did I succeed in making him go crazy because of me? I hide my smile but I think he already saw it.
"Am I?" I asked him, wrapping my hands around him.
"Yes, I've been holding back so hard ever since you sent me a photo, and when I saw you...I felt the urge to touch you. And I'm jealous." he nuzzled on my neck, sniffing my scent. Lucky me, I scrubbed myself in a shower and wore my new perfume and body mist so I wouldn't smell like sweat.
"Did you hear me, baby?" He looked up when I didn't answer him. I stroked his silky and fluffy hair and nodded. "I'm jealous."
"Jealous of what?" I asked him, placing a kiss on his forehead. Yes, tell me what you are jealous of.
He let out a heavy sigh. And pull me closer to him, and I can feel his growing under me. Wow, is he liking it so much? I bite my lips. Hehe, I feel like I won something.
"The waiter at the cafe...I hate it when he looks at you with that dirty look," he whispered as his hands slipped inside my skirt again, crawling until it reached my knickers band. He looked up to me, meeting my eyes, as his pupil was getting darker and darker.
"And?" I dragged my voice, still wrapping my arms around him.
"And...I wish I could pull out his eyeballs but I can't do that, right?" he said with a light laugh.
"He is just doing his job as a waiter."
"Yeah? Well...you're mine and only I can look at you like that," he said, biting his lower lips. "But baby...you are doing great today. It must be hard, right? Anything happens when you're alone?"
"Oh yeah, there is actually. It took about two hours and a half hours to arrive at the mall. I kept taking the wrong turn but I finally arrived. And, the mall is too big, I almost got lost too. And uhh...I bought something for you, I hope you will like it." I muttered. He slipped my hair behind my ears, and gathered them and pushed it behind.
"And?" his lowered gaze down to my neck as he licked his bottom lips. He caresses his fingertip on my neck, making me twitch before him.
"And...it was so nerve-wracking but it's fun."
"Mmm...I'm glad. It's normal to feel like that, I do feel anxious and nerve-wracking too when I'm alone doing an errand. Good job, princess." he laughed lightly. He took a deep breath and furrowed his brow.
"I've noticed that you smell different. I like it." He leaned forward and he lifted my skirt a little, exposing more skin of mine. "And you looked so beautiful today, you are always gorgeous but today...you look alluring."
He said, softly, gently and in a nice way. He cupped my face with a sigh.
"I swear to god I'm so glad and proud of you. You've stopped covering your face. You stop covering your scars, you wear something cute, and you go outside and to the mall at most, and you're having fun. And this is a result of two weeks that I haven't seen you? Damn, baby, I'm proud."
I smiled bashfully. I like the praise.
"And you also tried to use the lift without holding my hand so should we try again, right now."
I nodded. Yes! I can do it! I quickly stood up and grabbed my things. And he smiled proudly and did the same.
"Let's go, shall we." He led the way and opened the door for me. "After you."
I stepped out and anxiety reached me. I forgot that this is his office and why is everyone here?
All eyes are on me.
"Wow...is this the one you're bragging at?" one black guy said, smiling widely. He had a nice smile, I must say that.
"No wonder you got rejected, Nayla." I looked down at my feet, damn. This is awkward. I can hear everything. Who the fuck is Nayla?
"Indeed, she is gorgeous, now out of the way, I and my beautiful angel need to go home now. Good work everyone."
I heard them started cheering and laughing. I smiled at them and they smiled back except the girl called Nayla. Miss Susan send me a tiny little wave and I did the same.
And we walked past them and now we are in front of my challenge.
"Right now princess, I have another challenge for you." I looked at him, listening to his next challenge attentively. "Before you enter the lift, I want you to take a deep breath, and like this evening, if you're anxious, closed your eyes and counted to ten before you get in. But, after you are inside the lift, I want you to open your eyes. Don't close it. Let it wide open."
I frowned at him.
"I know, today is the first day. But I just realised. What if you need to use the lift and I'm not by your side? And you with other men, and you're closing your eyes? What if they took advantage? So that tactic is non-valid. So you need to open your eyes when you're inside. But…" he slipped his hand inside of his pocket and took out a necklace. It's such a simple necklace with a flower pendant. He put it on me without saying much.
"If you get anxious inside the lift and start to feel like you're having a panic attack, instead of closing your eyes, you can play with this necklace instead. And don't forget to breathe. Okay? Understand?"
I nodded, hand already on the pendant.
"Any question?"
"Nope. I'm ready."
He smiled at me and pushed the button, and after a few seconds, the lift opened. He gets in first and presses the open button. I closed my eyes and started to count. Breathe in. Breathe out. And I opened my eyes and stepped inside. And immediately, the chill started to spread all over my body, I scooted toward him, holding the hem of his sleeve.
"Necklace, Maddison. Necklace," he said calmly. I looked at him once before I quickly hold my necklace.
"Don't forget to breathe." Breathe in….breathe out….in….out…
Cold sweat fell from my head to my chin. It feels like time is frozen. As the sound started to fade away, and my neck started to feel like I'm choking. I closed my eyes and opened it again.
Everything is moving too slow right now. And my stomach hurts, and I touched it. It's empty.
And the door's opened and I saw him. He looked shocked but not long enough as he curled his lips and smiled.
'Ah? I was about to visit you, darling.'
I shook my head slowly, closing my eyes tight and grabbed the holder. And the sounds suddenly grew louder and louder and my head started to ring.
"Argh!" I fell to the ground and curled my body. Fuck! Fuck!!!
"Looked at me, Maddison." I shook my head, it's too loud.
"Maddison!"
"Shut up!" I screamed. It's stopped. I gasped for the air desperately. Shut it! Shut it!!!
I flinched when my head was suddenly covered by clothes. It smells like him. And suddenly my whole body was lifted, and I couldn't even scream. I was being carried.
"Sorry, maybe I'm being too much, you're already tired and I'm being an inconsiderate man. Sorry, princess. Please forgive me."
I feel like I'm about to cry. Why does he always apologize for something that he should not? I rested my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around him. I feel safe.
It's supposed to be a happy day, and yet again, I ruined it.
I am a broken piece that can't feel happiness.