Violet looked at her, a smug look plastered on her face. No way. She's not going to be subdued or scared of another person again. The blackmailer and Derek were enough.
"Shut the door on your way out" She smirked, and made to walk out. Sasha turned livid at her statement. "Excuse me?"
"Do you need me to repeat that? Shut the door on your way out" She said again, and walked away.
Sasha's eyes turned red and she hissed loudly. She wanted to leave the door open just to make sure it doesn't feel like she's adhering to Violet's orders. But again, that would be so childish and Adrian might not like it.
She banged the door, and got into her car, driving recklessly. She didn't care whether anyone was in the way, or whether she would get hurt in the process, her mind was beclouded with the thought of only one person; Adrian.
Her Adrian. The one she had been crushing on for years. She had been very comfortable and happy, when she was the only female Adrian allowed to go close to him.
"Step by step. I'm the only one in his life. Adrian isn't comfortable with any other but me" She had always said to herself.
"But now? Married? Why!!!" She honked loudly at a car in front of hers, even though there was no cause for that.
"Does Bryan know about this too?" She suddenly thought, then made a U-turn, on her way to Bryan's house.
"Look where you are going" Some drivers shouted at her, but she didn't even hear them, not like she cared anyways.
*
Alexa sighed heavily as she ironed a customer's delicate suit, the scent of fabric softener wafting through the air. "Violet really left," she muttered to herself, a pang of sadness in her voice.
She paused the ironing, her hands momentarily still, as she dug into her purse.
Her fingers closed around a white envelope, the one Violet had left her the day she departed.
Alexa's eyes misted as she recalled the apology letter and the substantial amount of money Violet had included.
"Does our friendship really end here? Is it all about money?" Alexa sniffed, her voice cracking with emotion.
She had been wondering how Violet was doing, but every time Violet called, Alexa hadn't been ready to talk.
The phone rang again, shrill in the silence, and Alexa checked the screen. Her eyes widened as she saw Violet's name flashing.
With a sigh, Alexa dropped the phone onto the table, her gaze drifting back to the ironing board.
As she stared blankly at the suit, the iron grew hotter, its metal soleplate scorching the fabric. Smoke began to curl from beneath the iron, and Alexa remained oblivious, lost in her thoughts.
Bryan's voice cut through the haze, his tone laced with concern. "Alexa!" He rushed toward her, his eyes scanning the scene before him.
The iron, still clutched in Alexa's hand, was now a burning hazard. Bryan swiftly intervened, switching off the sockets and removing the iron plug. The damage, however, was already done. The suit lay ruined, a gaping hole in its center.
Alexa gasped, her eyes snapping back into focus. "I'm dead," she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. "Thanks, Bryan." Her voice cracked as she spoke.
Bryan's expression turned stern. "What were you thinking?" he asked, his voice raised in alarm.
"You could have even hurt yourself, you know that right?" He asked lowering his voice a little.
But the only response he got from Alexa were sniffs. "Why are you crying? Are you hurt? Let me see" He checked her arm, but she shook her head.
"I'm so dead" She muttered. And, Bryan looked at her, confused. He trailed her gaze, and saw that her eyes were focused on the big gash on the clothes.
It was a glistening, tailored suit. Her boss had given it to her in the morning, saying a customer brought it, and she should take good care of it, because it was quite expensive. She had seen a little tag on the neckline, the name 'Olfacto' was written on it.
Olfacto is one of the biggest store in the country, only patronized by the creme de la creme. That was when she knew the suit wasn't 'quite expensive' as her boss had called it. It was very expensive.
And now...and now, she had burnt it. She had done a damage which was unfixable. She's going to lose her job, for sure. Then the owner of the suit, would probably sue her, and the drycleaning store as well.
"Is it because of the clothes? Don't worry, I'm sure the owner won't even mind" He said, trying to convince her to stop worrying, but he knew he wasn't doing a great job at that, as more tears brimmed from Alexa's eyes.
"Of course, he would mind. I'm so doomed—" She was still lamenting, when her boss entered, and she bit her lips hard, trying to cover the burnt part with her hands.
"What's going on here? Why are you crying Alexa?" Her boss asked, and she tried to talk as clear as she could. "Nothing sir. A particle got into my eye"
"Ohh, sorry." He noticed Bryan by her side, and he bowed slightly. "Mr Bryan, I didn't see you there. How have you been, sir?"
"I'm doing well, thanks."
"Are you ready to collect your suit? Alexa should have been done drycleaning them by now? Or isn't that right , Alexa?"
"Sir?" She asked, wondering what suit he's talking about. Bryan didn't give her any suit. The only suit she's with, is the one she just burnt...so—
"I still wonder why a man like you, come all the way here to dryclean. I'm grateful, but I can't seem to always wonder. You are really one of the best, aren't you?" He joked, and Bryan forced a smile.
"It's nothing. Your drycleaning service is one of the best. So,why won't I come all the way here?"
"That gladdens my heart" The man chuckled.
"Don't worry, I'll collect the suit. She's still ironing it" Bryan said to her boss and the man nodded.
"Be fast with it, Alexa. Don't keep him waiting" The man said, and disappeared behind his office.
Bryan slowly turned to Alexa whose gaze was fixated on him, her mouth slightly parted. "You are the owner of this suit?" She asked, and he nodded slowly. Alexa gulped, her gaze dashing from his face to the burnt suit.
"I'm the owner. It's no big deal. Like I said, the owner might not care about the burn. I really don't care. You can just dispose it or something—" He paused, when he noticed how wide Alexa's eyes was.
Why didn't you tell me you are the owner?" Alexa's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, her eyes wide with a mix of surprise and trepidation.
She took a step back, her gaze fixed on Bryan's face, as if searching for answers. "This suit is very expensive." She breathed out the words, her mind reeling with the implications.
As Alexa's gaze locked onto Bryan's, she felt a shiver run down her spine.
There was something about Bryan that seemed mysterious, something that made her wonder what secrets he might be hiding.
Just—Who are you, Mr. Bryan?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The question hung in the air, heavy with anticipation.
Bryan's gaze darkened, his eyes seeming to bore into Alexa's very soul.