Deeper Healing

22| Teach Me

Nikolai Coleman

"Have you gone completely insane, Nikolai?"

I slightly frowned with my composure intact, pretending I wasn't shaken by the possibility of him having eavesdropped on the conversation. That'd be a major plot twist I wasn't prepared for.

"The last time I checked, you didn't think of me as someone with senses, Alexander. I might need you to elaborate," I retorted, clenching my fist around the handle of my briefcase.

He scoffed, unfolding his arms. "Rumour has it you didn't apply," he stated clearly.

A rumour like that not circulating was almost impossible in this office, especially with people's high expectations and my enthusiasm for the post, something that'd made the decision even harder to make. That didn't make me waver, though. I chose to keep my priorities straight.

I turned away from Alex walking forward, expecting him to follow suit if prolonging the conversation was his desire. "I thought you knew me better than that," I started, thinking of ways to make my statements natural and believable to someone like him. "Would I really make such an incredulous decision?"

I stole a glance at him, hoping his facial expression would give away his true feelings. It disappointed, a signature smug look easily becoming unreadable lately plastered on his face. "A rumour of that nature wouldn't spring from nowhere. I trust my source."

I took a small sigh. "And what exactly is your concern, if I may ask?" I asked, stopping in my tracks and taking a swift turn to face him. "Wouldn't that be a win on your part?"

His face contorted with a mixture of disbelief and contempt. "Oh, so now you think I'm incapable of competing against you and winning?"

I adjusted my tie as I felt my neck muscles tightening. His assumptions were seriously getting on my nerves and I fucking hated this dark picture of me he'd suddenly painted in his head. "If that's the narrative you choose to settle for about me even after knowing me for twenty fucking years, Alex because of some unworthy conflict then go for it. At this point, I don't care anymore."

When I tried to end to conversation abruptly and walk away, Alex grabbed me by my arm, dragging me back towards him. "Why did Dad ask you to stay behind then?" he questioned, taking a step forward towards me.

"To give me personal favours and tell me the post is already mine and everyone else applying is just for the selection to be procedural," I spat sarcastically.

"Fuck you, Nikolai," he grunted through gritted teeth, lowering his voice when an employee walked past us, staring at us with an unreadable expression. We both just stared back at him with the same look, and in my mind, I could smell the next rumour in the office from miles away.

Once he'd passed, Alex refocused on me, but this time with a hushed tone. "We both know Benjamin Coleman isn't that type of man."

"Exactly, you asshole," I carped, pushing him back gently by his shoulder. "Say that right back at yourself and stop acting like a child for fuck's sake," I snarled, taking a step closer to him as he took one back, looking at me with widened eyes.

I immediately walked away, uninterested in creating drama in such a public hallway. When I heard his footsteps echoing closely behind mine, I scowled.

After nearly two weeks of ignoring me and going all around the world, he wasn't giving me any breathing space and I wondered why. The even more infuriating part was how he acted like nothing at all had happened between us and he hadn't crushed my feelings into meaningless pieces in a heartbeat.

Since my office came first before his using the route we were on, I chose to test his destination. Once I got to my door, I turned swiftly around with my back to it. He nearly bumped into me as he hadn't been paying attention and his facial expression nearly had me cracking up, forgetting we were fighting.