Angela 's POV
Leaving the interview room, my thoughts were fixated on the vacant chair that had stayed empty throughout the entire interview. Who was meant to be in that seat, and why didn't they appear?
The following day, I went back to Vix Hotel feeling more confident than before. Upon entering the impressive entrance, I smiled and greeted the receptionist before signing in.
She greeted Miss Galen politely with a "Good morning."
"I replied with confidence, feeling more comfortable in this familiar setting."
During the day, I met many employees, received a map of the hotel's layout, and was informed about my duties. Although feeling nervous at first, everything appeared to be coming together.
As I was about to leave, the manager came up to me looking very serious.
"Miss Galen ," he spoke in a formal tone, "the person who missed yesterday's meeting is requesting a meeting with you tomorrow morning."
There was a momentary pause in my heartbeat. "Who...who is that?" I inquired with anxiety.
The manager paused before replying. "You will discover the truth in due time," he spoke mysteriously. "Stay ready for any eventuality." Having done that, he departed.
Upon leaving the hotel, I felt a sense of unease in my stomach. What might this signify? Who might this enigmatic person be?
The next day, the manager led me through different hallways and stairs until we arrived at a big wooden door labeled "Meeting Room". I felt my heart pounding as we walked into the room and I noticed multiple individuals sitting at a lengthy table.
However, my focus was quickly redirected towards a single individual positioned at the front of the table - Devin , my ex-partner with whom I had a convoluted past.
"Devin 's voice was deep and harsh as he addressed me, 'Angela .'" "Why are you here?" His piercing stare was fixed on me.
"I will rephrase the following text while using the same language and keeping the word count constant: "I... "I landed a job here," I stumbled, now feeling uneasy under his intense gaze.
Devin 's face was inscrutable as he observed me. He had something to say, but his lips stayed shut.
"Devin , I wanted to tell you..." I began speaking, but he interrupted me with a strong voice.
"I am not present in this location. "You can go back to your office," he said, letting go of my arm and walking away from me.
Experiencing a combination of emotions - including confusion, fear, and enduring love - I exited the room and headed towards my new office.
As I sat down at my desk, fully intent on concentrating on work and suppressing thoughts of Devin , I couldn't shake the curiosity about what the implications of our unexpected meeting were. Can we move beyond our intricate history? Only the passage of time would reveal the answer.
I felt like time was moving slowly as I kept glancing at the clock, hoping for the day to hurry up. However, it was just 2 o'clock in the afternoon, and I still had a lot more to do before I could depart.
Feeling tired and depleted, I decided to excuse myself and go wash my face in the restroom. The icy water jolted me awake while I gazed at myself in the mirror.
Out of nowhere, Georgia 's voice broke into my thoughts while she playfully nudged my arm. "Hello unknown person," she chuckled.
"I responded tiredly," I said, feeling completely drained.
"Can you tell me what's happening with you?" With one eyebrow raised in concern, Georgia inquired. "You've been absent all day."
"I will be okay, don't fret about me," I casually dismissed her query, but she remained unconvinced.
"I'm concerned and I will stay by your side until you share what's troubling you," she declared confidently, with her arms folded and her foot impatiently tapping on the bathroom floor. She looked at me with a pout, waiting for a response.
Understanding that Georgia would continue until she received a response, I eventually gave in. "Sure, sure." "I will inform you," I said with a heavy sigh. She always had a knack for extracting information from me.
"I admitted to seeing Devin in the meeting room this morning before he was escorted out, which is what is causing me distress."
"Goodness, did he also catch sight of you?" Georgia was shocked and gasped, immediately placing her hand over her mouth.
I averted my gaze from her, not making eye contact while I gazed at my reflection in the mirror once more. "Yes, that's correct." "He even had a conversation with me."
"So, what were the topics of your conversation?" Curiously, Georgia inquired.
"He requested that I depart. "I answered, already done with talking about it, that he didn't know I was the person our manager was going to hire." Looking at myself again in the mirror, I departed with Georgia still following me, whispering a curse quietly.
Since it was now midday, I chose to visit the pasta store located nearby. Georgia desired to accompany me, but I required solitude and time for myself.
While making my way down the cobblestone street towards my destination, the Italian decor of the pasta place caught my eye and I couldn't help but appreciate its beauty. What made it particularly enjoyable was the fact that every table felt intimate and separate from the other diners.
I placed my order, then started eating, enjoying each tasty mouthful. Nevertheless, my quiet dinner was disrupted by a young man in his early twenties with blue eyes that stood out as a blonde.
He politely inquired if he could take the seat beside me as all other seats were already occupied.
Slightly irritated by the interruption during my solo lunch, I managed a smile and responded with, "Of course."
"Much appreciated. He told us with a charming smile that our friend will also be joining, but will sit on the opposite side to not bother you.
I internally sighed but maintained my forced grin as he sat down in the chair beside me. "I have no issue," I replied curtly. "I will finish soon regardless."
Afterwards, I sensed it, the shiver in my bones that only occurred when your partner was gazing at you, I felt his existence and caught a whiff of his musky fragrance.
"Let's depart." Devin , talking to the blond guy, kept his eyes on me. I couldn't even make eye contact, I just stared at my pasta, all my appetite had vanished.
"Why bro?" The blonde person inquired, likely with a frown on his face.
Devin insisted, dropping his pasta on the table and walking away, "Let's simply leave." His friend soon came after him.