AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Veronica!
What was she doing here?
My manager and Veronica looked up as I entered the room. I could see the hidden anger in her eyes as I stood near his desk, awaiting instructions.
“Beatrix, this is Veronica Price. She’s considering an ad campaign with us and would like some mock-ups. She specifically asked for someone fresh and new, so I thought we could give you a trial run on this one. Do you think you can handle it?”
I knew I had no option apart from agreeing. I wasn’t going to let my personal life get in the way of my career development. I knew that Noah would agree. Gritting my teeth, I nodded.
“Sure, I’d be happy to.”
“Great,” Richard stood up from behind his desk, “There’s an empty meeting room across the corridor you can use. I’ll have Monica block it out for the afternoon. Let me know if there is anything I can help with.”
Veronica gracefully stood up from the chair, shaking Richard’s hand firmly. It was like watching a snake wrap around its prey. I tried to shake the negative thoughts I had surrounding her. I knew I had to look at her as a client and maintain an aura of professionalism. It was going to be hard.
“Miss Price, if you would follow me to the meeting room?”
I led the way through the corridor to the room that Richard was referring to. Holding the door opened, I let the woman pass by me. A strong waft of perfume trailed after her, intense and demanding like its bearer. Yet again, Veronica was in impossibly high heels and a silky mini dress that just barely brushed over her mid-thigh. No wonder Richard had seemed so happy to have her in his office. Closing the door behind her, I went to sit at the table.
“I know what you’re up to.”
My eyes widened as Veronica whipped around to face me, hands on hips. Her glare was murderous, and I knew that I had made a mistake by accepting to work with her. It was at this point I knew she had no intention to hire our design company. She was here for me.
“May I ask what you’re referring to?” I asked, trying to take the high ground.
“You know damn well what I’m talking about,” Veronica spit, “Noah. There’s no way a man like that would ever fall for someone of your stature. What game are you playing? Did you open your legs for him the moment he looked at you? Is that what it is? Are you just a cheap slut?”
My mouth dropped open. I was utterly at a loss for words. I knew she was bitter about my relationship with Noah, but I never thought she would hold this depth of resentment. I hadn’t done anything to her. And yet, here she was verbally abusing me in the middle of my workplace. If she continued to shout, I knew that she would draw attention.
Calmy, I managed to speak, “Noah and I met on our daily commute to work. We sometimes get on the same train, and things hit off from there. I can tell you now that the feelings we have for one another are pure and nothing like you’re suggesting. Furthermore, it has nothing to do with you.”
Veronica cackled before taking a step towards me, “You’re a bigger idiot than I thought. Can’t you see he’s just dating you to make me jealous? It’s me he wants. Why would Noah ever want a worthless intern at a shabby design company when he could have a high-up financial advisor from an international bank? Just think about this logically – he’s handsome, rich, and intelligent. I’m gorgeous, luxurious, and successful. It was as though we were made for one another. You can’t honestly think that anything would work out long-term for the both of you.”
I didn’t want to believe what she was saying. I didn’t want to think that Noah was using me just to make Veronica jealous. It was ludicrous… right? But she still had some valid points. Why would anyone like him ever pick someone like me? I was a nobody at school, and now I’m an unpaid intern in the city. As far as I could tell, I had nothing going for me. He was so incredible and amazingly perfect, and I was just… me. Those memories of my childhood bullying came flooding back to me, being pushed into a corner and told I was worthless. I was never a popular kid, so why would I suddenly land one of the city’s most eligible bachelors? Did any of it make sense? Had I been fooling myself all along?
My uncertainty must have shown on my face as Veronica’s smile widened. Her teeth reminded me of the sharks I had seen at the aquarium. I knew she was circling me. She smelled blood and was going in for the kill.
“You know it, and I know it. You’ll never be good enough for him. It’s time for you to give up this little charade and admit defeat. He’s been toying with you and, although it’s cruel, he’s done what he set out to do. I’m admittedly jealous. But I know he’ll come back to me soon enough. You were a distraction in a little game. Know your place.”
I was now holding back my tears. Every word she uttered felt like a knife twisting in my heart. It was undeniably painful, and all I wanted to do at that moment was crawl up in a ball and make myself as little as possible. I wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer with her here.
Veronica inched forward, jabbing me in the chest with one of her pointed fingernails, “Have I made myself clear, Miss Nestor?”
Angered, I slapped her hand away. The sound of the contact echoed through the empty room. She looked shocked for a second before pure contempt washed over her features.
“You’re going to regret ever laying a finger on me,” she screeched, “Mark my words. And, if I ever see you around Noah again, I’ll make sure you regret it. You’ll never be a part of his world. The sooner you realize it, the better.”
She shoulder-barged me as she strode past, throwing the door open, so it crashed into the wall as she left the room. I hadn’t realized I’d been holding my breath until she had gone. My breath was shaky as I closed the door behind her before sinking onto the floor, my head held between my hands. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I silently cried. It didn’t seem possible that someone as caring as Noah could behave the way she described but at the same time, why would he pick me? I felt like a gawky teenager all over again, being belittled by the pretty popular girls. I don’t know how long I was on the floor. I heard a knocking on the door, and I stood up quickly, wiping the tears away. Opening the door, Richard was standing there, his mouth a rigid line of disappointment.
“I guess the meeting didn’t go well.”
TEN
~ Noah ~
Why hadn’t she called?
It had been over a week, and I still hadn’t heard from Bea. I don’t know what had happened or where she had gone. She wasn’t taking our usual train, and she wasn’t answering my texts or calls. It was as though she had dropped off the face of the planet.
