Chapter 30

30 Dealing with Aftershocks

When he finally stopped kissing me, I was panting and out of breath. My whole body, especially my face felt hot, I was sure that I was blushing like mad. It was so embarrassing; I just wanted to run away and hide myself inside a small hole in the ground...forever...

Let’s not talk about the ‘no dating in the office’ policy, the big boss just kissed me in broad daylight.

I loud slap rang out, cutting through the silence around us. The slight sting on my palm made me realize that I had just slapped my CEO’s face. Time froze. I wasn’t sure who was more shocked at what had just happened. I blinked rapidly in shock when I realized what I had just done.

What do I do now? Do I apologize or do I just run out of here? I mean, I’m not really the one at fault here. I stood there as I debated my options when Ace spoke up.

“Well, I guess I deserved that. Don’t come up here ever again. This is my space. If you do, you might have to pay with something more than a kiss next time,” Ace stated with a very satisfied grin.

I didn’t need a warning like that. I would never come back up here, nor will I ever be alone with him ever again. He was way up there as the CEO, there wouldn’t be any opportunities for me to interact directly with him in work anyways. Thankfully so.

I need to get away from him...

Without replying to him, I turned around and ran as fast as I could in my heels towards the rooftop exit and back inside the building. What happened just now both with Kyle and Ace was too much for me to handle and process. I just wanted to forget them both right now.

...

.....

I need to stay strong. No matter what happens, the show must go on...or so they say. In this case, the work must go on!

There’s still the second part of the workday left before I was free to go, and I had so much work to do. Wallowing in my grief needed to wait until I got off work. If I can’t succeed in my love life, at least I could try to succeed in my career and my dream job.

I had a few minutes left before I have to head to a meeting, and I decided to use that precious time to call up my best friend.

“Lily...” I began when she answered my call.

“Oh girl, you don’t sound too good. What happened?” Lillian asked, catching on to my troubled mood immediately.

“A few bad things actually...can we go out drinking tonight? Let’s invite Jen as well?” I suggested.

“Sure thing, girl. A brand-new bar just opened up at that new luxury hotel. I saw the ads on it, and I really want to go. So, let’s all go together, ok?” Lillian agreed gleefully.

'

One of the things I loved so much about Lillian was her never ending positive energy and ability to cheer people up. This was something I really needed right now.

“Yes! Let’s go!” I replied happily. Drinking the night away with my friends to forget my troubles would be the best way to end this shitty day.

“Alright, I’ll text you the address and time. I’ll make the booking, you don’t need to worry about a thing,” Lillian assured me in her cheerful voice.

“Thank you. I owe you one,” I thanked her truthfully. I don’t know where I’d be without my friends.

“Have to work now. Bye! See you!” Lillian said before hanging up.

...

Work was finally over for me. It has been a long and emotionally painful day. Work was productive as always, which seemed to be the only thing going right for me right now. I hoped that meeting up with my friends would be the second thing to go right today. I looked around the office that was almost empty since most people have already left work. I did a bit of overtime again today just to wrap a couple of things up so that I was all set for tomorrow and perhaps so that I wouldn’t risk running into Kyle on my way out of the office.

“My back hurts...” I mumbled to myself as I stretched in my chair at my work station.

Turning my head to the side, I tried to stretch out my neck muscles before stretching my arms. My neck and shoulders felt so stiff from both the stress of work and the overall stress of this eventful day. I looked at the small digital clock on my desk which showed that I had under 30 minutes to meet with my friends at the designated place. Perfect timing, I should be able to get there on time.

I took out my pocket mirror and checked my own reflection. I didn’t know that I walked through the office today looking so pale with big dark circles under my eyes. Well, I just got dumped and the CEO caught me dating a colleague. Not that I was dating him anymore since he just broke up with me. I didn’t know which one was worst at the moment or which one I should deal with first. Getting some alcohol into my bloodstream might take priority right now.

I hated my own reflection right now as it stared back at me. Now that I was single, I guess I couldn’t go around looking like this. As they say, your true love could be anywhere so you should always look your best. I certainly didn’t look by best right now; not that I believed that my true love would be waiting for me at the bar that I was heading to tonight.

I grabbed my make up bag and headed to the toilet to apply some make up and fix my hair before I left to see my friends. If nothing else, looking a little more decent and less like a corpse, would lessen the worry of my dear friends.

–To be continued...