Through Ash and Dust (ROTB)

Chapter 18

Standing before her was the man who was once her boss, and who she thought was her friend. Saphira never thought that she would see him again. In fact, she hoped she would never see him again. But despite how big New York is, it is still small enough for people to run into each other. And it seemed to be the case now. But Saphira saw that Arthur looked different. His brown hair was messy, there was darkness under his eyes, his clothes seemed to not be washed or ironed and he was holding a bottle in his hand. She could smell the alcohol from him, but she hoped he was not blackout drunk, as she did not need him to do anything physically to her.

"Arthur...um..." Saphira looked over his body curiously as she observed his pitiful state. "I see you have been doing it quite tough. Um...look..." She could see the man was looking at her with an angry and sad expression. "I don't know why you came over to me, but..."

"You look horrible." She blinked in surprise, but then she remembered that she was underweight. "I had no idea this would have affected you this way too. And it's all Claudia's fault." He shook his head and frowned at Saphira. "Can't you see that my life is falling apart? You sued me! My ex was able to almost squeeze everything out of me. I hope you are happy."

She frowned at him as he began ranting at her about how his life is falling apart. "Are you seriously going to blame me for how your life is right now?" He grimaced and he looked away from her. "None of this is my fault, Arthur. You made your choice, and these are the consequences. And what about me?" He looked back at her as she gestured to myself. "I haven't been sleeping or eating properly for the last few weeks. I am almost all skin and bones right now. It's a struggle to force myself to eat, and I have no one to support me."

Arthur softened his expression as he listened to her as he knew she was right. "I'm sorry, Saphira. You are right, it was my choice. Claudia had been on thin ice regarding her employment at the company, and then she came to me on the Monday telling me what you did to her." She frowned deeper at him as he told her what happened. "I didn't believe her at first, as you called Nicholas and me first. But...she was rather convincing. I should have realized it was all an act."

"Yes, you should have!" Saphira snapped at him. "You have always known Claudia to be that way, Arthur. It was no secret in the office she was always a drama queen and an actress. And you decided to believe her fake tears over my real pain."

"I'm sorry, Saphira. But I come to you because I need your help." She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Ever since the news got involved with what happened with Claudia and you, the international connections backed out of the deal. The business clients that we worked with for years all pulled away." And none of that is her business anymore. "Look, business improved after I hired you. Taking in a runaway actually made my business boom and..."

"Woah, woah, woah!" Saphira interrupted abruptly. "What the hell does that mean, Arthur?" The man widened his eyes for a moment and looked away. "Wait...did you hire me because you knew it would make your company look good? Was I nothing more than a business tool to you?"

Arthur did not respond to her as he realized he had said too much. "Listen, you got millions from me in the court settlement. I'm not asking you to give it back. I am asking you to come back. I have already lost most of my employees, and I am on the verge of losing it all. I need your help."

Saphira was glaring at the man. She was hurt that she now knew the truth. "You have some nerve to come up to me like this, and beg me to help you, Arthur. After everything you did to me, and now the truth finally comes out about why you wanted to help me. You didn't do it because you wanted to. You did it for yourself. I can't believe I wasted the last few years working for such a vile human like you."

Arthur rolled his eyes at her and frowned. "Oh, come on. Are you seriously going to show how ungrateful you are, you little brat?!" She stepped back from him as his growing anger was making her nervous. "I gave you a job, a home and I even allowed you to graduate high school in the middle of all that. And you were about to become a manager in my company. You would have been doing something important for the company, and you would have been rich. Are you seriously going to tell me that was a waste?"