AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sure, whatever you say.”
“I really do have to go.” I pressed two fingers to my temples and rubbed in slow, circular motions. “I’ll see you soon.”
Before she could respond, I hung up and tucked the USB into the pocket of my jeans. I picked my phone up off the nightstand and dialed Bernard’s number. When he didn’t pick up, I messaged him and ducked into the laundry room. With a grunt, I loaded the wash, switched the machine on, and hurried outside. I kept checking my phone during the elevator ride down.
Outside, the afternoon sun was high in the sky, set against a backdrop of clear blue skies. I glanced down both sides of the street before setting off at an even pace in the direction of the bus stop. There, I chose a seat near the front and brought my head to rest against the window. I got off the bus two blocks away from the office, my hands on the straps of my purse the entire time.
In the lobby, I greeted the man and woman seated behind the desk.
Offering polite smiles of recognition, they waved back.
Once I stepped onto the elevator, I studied my appearance in the reflection and grimaced. Using my fingers, I combed through my hair and then ran my fingers along the front of my button-down shirt. With a grimace, I tugged on my jeans and clasped my hands behind my back. Once the doors pinged open, I stepped onto the floor with my head held high.
A few curious glances were thrown my way.
Since Bernard was a private person, he hadn’t shared our news with the rest of the company. As far as we were concerned, it was better if they only saw me as his housekeeper, at least until we had a better understanding of who and what we were to each other. Given Bernard’s power and influence, I also believed it was better if Ron was kept out of the spotlight.
At least until he was older.
Adapting to a new environment was hard enough, and I didn’t want to add whispers and gossip to the list of things Ron had to contend with. With that in mind, I strode in the direction of Bernard’s office, shoes squeaking steadily against the hardwood floors. Once I reached Mary’s desk, situated outside his office, I stopped and gave her a bright smile. She looked up from the computer and did a double-take when she recognized me.
“Rachel, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?”
“Hi, Mary.” I tucked my hair behind my ears and gave her a small smile. “Yeah, everything’s fine. Mr. Shaw forgot a USBstick at home. It looked important, so I thought it would bring it by.”
Mary nodded and leaned back in her chair. “Why don’t you sit down? He’s in a meeting, so I’ll let him know as soon as he’s done.”
With one last smile in her direction, I took a seat on one of the plush leather chairs lined up against the wall. As soon as I did, I took the USB stick out of my pocket and turned it over and over, bright fluorescent light glistening off of it. With a sigh, I leaned back against the chair and stared straight ahead.
Bright sunlight poured in through the open windows and gave the entire floor, with cubicles on either side, a warm, ethereal glow. In the background, I heard the conversation rise and fall, punctuated by the occasional ringing of a phone. Everyone was dressed in suits and expensive-looking shoes, making me feel out of place.
I resisted the urge to tug on the hem of my shirt.
A group of women walked past me and stopped in front of Mary’s desk. After exchanging a few words with her, one of them peered through the glass and looked over at the others with a smirk. I frowned, folded my hands in my lap, and ignored them.
“I can’t believe she’s actually here.” The tall blonde tossed her hair over her shoulders and folded her arms over her chest. “I heard she was in town, but I didn’t think she would actually come here.”
“Why not?”
The four of them inched closer to each other, but it was the blonde who stood up straighter, her knowing smile making knots form in the center of my stomach. “Carla Oswald used to be engaged to the president of the company. Didn’t you know that?”
All three of them gasped and exchanged surprised looks.
“Yeah, rumor has it that they were planning the wedding and everything. They were all over the tabloids,” the blonde continued, her smile growing wider and more pronounced. “But then they suddenly called it off.”
“What do you mean they called it off? What happened?”
The blonde gave a delicate shrug. “I don’t know. There were all sorts of rumors about her cheating and him ignoring her, but no one knows for sure. All anyone knows is that a few weeks later, she left to do her master’s abroad and hasn’t been back since.”
“How long has it been?”
“A few years,” the blonde replied, with a quick look over her shoulders. “She’s probably here to win him back. They did make a good couple. He’d be an idiot to let her go a second time.”
All four of them spoke over each other while my heart hammered against my ears. I swallowed past the dryness in my throat, but it didn’t work. One of them glanced my way, and sweat formed on the inside of my palms. A lump rose in the back of my throat when all four of them walked away, heels clicking steadily behind them. Abruptly, I rose to my feet and wandered over to Mary’s desk.
Through the glass window, I saw her sitting across from Bernard, red hair curled around a smooth, heart-shaped face. When she threw her head back and laughed, something hard settled in the pit of my stomach. I swallowed and tried to look away, but I couldn’t.
She was beautiful.
