Chapter 108 - Everyone Has Their Own Troubles (Part-I)

Chapter - 108

"Chief!" All the ladies cried out in unison. The glass in Karen's hand was now shattered on the floor.

"Ma'am, are you okay?" Hearing the sound of glass breaking, one of the waitresses also came running to their table and asked Karen.

"I am fine," Karen nodded at them. Then she looked at the waitress, "Sorry for this. You can add this to our bill," Karen said as she bent forward and tried to pick up the pieces of glass.

"It's alright, ma'am," the waitress stopped Karen from doing so, "I will do it," the waitress said and walked away from there before coming back with a mob and cleaning up the place.

After everything was done and dusted, Jennifer opened her mouth, "Chief, you have been acting strange since morning. Why don't you call it a day?" Jennifer suggested to Karen, "We can take care of the work for today."

"I also think so". Hearing Jennifer, eventually, everyone else also voiced their opinions agreeing with Jennifer that Karen should leave early.

Karen was overwhelmed by the consideration the ladies showed toward her. She picked up her bag, and swinging it over her shoulder, Karen apologised to the ladies, "Sorry for all the inconvenience I put you guys through today. I will let you guys have your lunch then."

"Don't let this trivial stuff get to you, Chief," Ellaine tried to assure Karen that they don't mind her taking the break once in a while, "Relax all you want for today and come back tomorrow fully charged. You know we can't get by if we don't get scolded by you, hehehe..." Ellaine said as she showed Karen her pumped first as she laughed, followed by others.

Karen smiled, hearing her and then rummaged through her back, looking for something. She pulled out a card and giving it to Jennifer, Karen said, "Take this and enjoy yourself to the fullest. Even after work," giving them the card, Karen walked away.

"I hope she is back to herself by tomorrow," Ellaine said as they watched Karen walk out of the restaurant.

"Yeah, me too". Jennifer nodded.

"Well, since we already have the issue of the bill settled, let's dig in," Amber said. She had been silent all along, concentrating on the food and nothing else, "We also need to plan where are we going after work." Amber said and waved at the waitress to order more.

As the ladies watched Amber devour food with no reservations, they shook their heads in amusement. Both Alex and Amber joined in around the same time, but despite the affection they showered Alex with, it was Amber, who truly became an integral part of their group. She mingled deeply with them with her optimism and humour.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Outside the restaurant,

As soon as Karen stepped out of the establishment, Alex and Margaret standing face to face, were in sight. Karen looked at the glee on Alex's face, something he used to show whenever he was with her. Be it when he unintentionally called her devil or when they went to the same restaurant after her over the top drinking party. They had so many memories together that she didn't even have with her husband. But now, because of a mere incident, there is this invisible wall between them that she can't seem to leap over.

'I hope at least I could find some closure somewhere along the line,' Margaret thought and giving Alex one last long look, she turned around and left.

But unbeknownst to Karen, Margaret was keeping an eye on Karen. When Karen left, Margaret followed her with her gaze until she was out of sight. All this had got Margaret to pondering that she even didn't pay attention to what Alex was saying.

"Hey, are you even listening?" Alex, when saw Margaret looking somewhere far and not responding to him, he asked, giving her a gentle nudge.

"Aahh... absolutely," breaking from her trance, Margaret turned towards Alex with a smile, "So, what is your plan now?" Margaret asked as she once again grabbed hold of his arm and squeezed tight into him. Apart from a few things, this has been a perfect day and a near-perfect date for her.

This time, even Alex didn't try to get his arm out of her grip. Inside, he felt a certain degree of embarrassment in front of his colleagues, nevertheless, he felt giddy in his stomach, and it was not upsetting.

"I think we should start looking into Suzie as well. Now that I know Abir was a victim of some kind of conspiracy against him. I feel like I need to get to the bottom of Suzie's defence as soon as I can," Alex said as the two of them slowly made their way towards his motorbike.

Hearing Alex, Margaret suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" Alex asked when he felt Margaret untangle her arms from his.

"This is as far as I could go with you today. I loved every second of it, well, most of the seconds, but I won't accompany you any longer," Margaret said. There was a sense of regret in her voice, but she had already spared more than enough time she could squeeze out of her day.

"Why?" Alex asked.

"You see, so far, this has been a perfect day for me," Margaret smiled as she put her soft hand on his cheek and gently rubbed her thumb over his cheek, "But I have this thing... Uaa... Ability... Which is hard to explain, but this incredible ability brings disaster to the best things in my life, and I don't want this perfect day to end up like one."

"What do you mean?" Alex asked, concerned and confused over her words.

"It's nothing," with her sweet smile on her face, Margaret didn't explain further, "I have some things to take care of."

"Ohh... It's okay. You have already helped me out a lot today," even though Alex was feeling disheartened, he complied, "Let me take you back to your house. Oh, wait, since you helped me out so much, let me take you wherever you want to go," Alex suggested. He had not thought that Abir's matter would be solved so soon. Now he had enough time on his hand to return the favour and spend some more time with Margaret.

"No... No... No... You don't have to trouble yourself. My ride is already here," Margaret stopped Alex.

"Your ride?" Alex looked around to spot a cab, "Are you going to flag a cab here? You can just tell me where you want to go and I will take you there. Don't think it's going to be trouble for me," Alex said. He thought maybe Margaret didn't want to burden him when he already had so much on his plate.

"No need. Look, my ride is really here," Margaret smiled, seeing Alex all concerned for her. She pointed towards the car that was parked just beside Alex's motorbike.

As Alex looked at the car, the window glass rolled down, and Alex found the man he had seen with Margaret the most sitting in it, "Has he been following us all this time?" Alex asked, looking at the man in the car. He never really liked the man. Maybe he was jealous of that handsome face lurking around Margaret.

"No, I called him when we were having lunch". Margaret said.

"So? Is he going to... like accompany you wherever you are going?" Alex asked, hesitating that he might sound a bit possessive to her.

"Yes, why? Do you feel jealous?" Margaret asked, amused by the look on Alex's face. She still hasn't forgotten about the jealousy Alex showcased over the man outside her house after she had dinner at his place.

"Me jealous? Hah... Why would I be jealous of him?" Alex said, avoiding eye contact with her.

"So you are not bothered at all?" Margaret asked again, "Maybe I am going somewhere nice with him." Margaret said.

"Heh... Not in the least," Alex denied. This time a bit more confident than earlier.

"Well, I will be off then," Margaret turned around to leave. With small steps, she leisurely walked away from Alex to her car. She was confident that with the growing confidence of his, Alex was not going to keep it in his heart any longer.

"Wait," And she was right. She had hardly walked a few meters when Alex called out from behind.

A smile bloomed on her face hearing him. She was right in reading him, "What?" Margaret turned around and asked. She had got her poker face on in front of him.

"Just be safe," Alex said as he walked close to her and stopped in front of her. Then gesturing towards the man in the car, he whispered, "And be a little wary of him."

"Awww... So you were really jealous," Margaret found Alex really cute right now. Impressed by his straightforwardness, Margaret tip-toed and kissed him on his cheek, "This is your reward for being honest."

"What are you doing?" Alex hurriedly looked around, if anyone was watching them, "I am going now," Alex walked past her in a hurry in fluster, but when he saw that man looking at him from the car, he slowed down and giving him a look and rode his motorbike away in confidence.

Amused Margaret, watched Alex ride his motorbike away in speed before making her way towards the car.

"He sure was jealous, and here I thought I was getting on in years," Margaret said as she relaxed in the backseat of the car.

"Are you sure you like him?" The man asked. He didn't show much emotion to Margaret, "I had someone tail him, and he has a lot of women around him."

"Then I have to work hard," Margaret said as she adjusted herself.

"Where do you want me to take you?" The man didn't say anything more about Alex and asked.

"As if you don't know," Margaret smiled.

"I just wanted to confirm," The man said, and the two of them drove off together.

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