You Belong with Me

15

The boardroom was filled with an air of tension as Freen, the CEO of the company, addressed the management team about the recent disturbance in the company's accounts audit. Her eyes were sharp, and her tone was unforgiving.

"Mr. Park, how is it that there are insufficient accounts from the audit team? And why didn't you inform me about this business offer before accepting it? Taking such actions without my permission is unacceptable," Freen said, her voice cutting through the silence in the room.

Mr. Park, the manager in question, gulped nervously, realizing he had been caught red-handed. He started to stutter in an attempt to explain himself. "Mrs. Freen, I believed that this offer from our business partner would benefit our company. I thought it would be advantageous..."

Freen interrupted him, her tone laced with sarcasm. "Beneficial for the company, or beneficial for your pocket?"

The room fell silent as Freen's words hung in the air, leaving Mr. Park speechless. Freen's firm stance on ethics and integrity within her company was well-known, and the accusation of bribery was not something to be taken lightly.

Freen's eyes narrowed, her expression hardened. "Taking bribes is unforgivable in my company," she declared, her voice unwavering. "You are fired, Mr. Park."

The weight of her words settled in the room, and the employees held their breaths, shocked by the severity of the consequences. Freen stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor as she left the room, needing a moment to calm herself down after the confrontation.

Mr. Park, now understanding the gravity of his actions, tried to apologize, but his words fell on deaf ears as Freen walked away, her mind focused on restoring the integrity of her company.

Freen, despite her reputation for being a strong and composed businesswoman, had a unique and closely guarded secret: she suffered from nyctophobia, an intense fear of darkness. Only her mother was aware of this hidden vulnerability. To cope with her fear, Freen had developed an unusual habit - she needed the office building's lamp to be on all night, every night.

One evening, she turned to her secretary, a bewildered but understanding individual, and made an unusual request. "I need the lamp to stay on in the office building throughout the night," she said, her voice calm yet firm.

Her secretary hesitated for a moment, clearly puzzled by his boss's odd request. However, knowing Freen's reputation for being meticulous and uncompromising, he decided not to question her and simply nodded in agreement.

From that night on, the office building remained illuminated well into the early hours, all because of Freen's dark phobia. Few knew of this peculiar habit, but it was a necessity for her. Freen's work often demanded late-night hours, and having the lights on provided her with a semblance of peace and security.

On this particular night, Freen was engrossed in her work, poring over audit reports with unwavering focus. As she had expected, the building's lights remained on, casting a steady glow across her office. It was nearing the wee hours of the morning, and Freen had been working tirelessly for nearly ten hours straight.

Feeling the strain in her back, she stretched herself, momentarily taking a break from her work. She glanced at the clock - it was 4 a.m. Freen's eyes fell on a small container of sleeping pills. The doctor had cautioned her about dependency, but Freen knew the pills were necessary. Without them, her insomnia would torment her, often leading to recurring nightmares.

"I don't want to endure those nightmares again," she thought, her mind haunted by the memories of sleepless nights and terrifying dreams. The fear of darkness was a constant battle, but Freen was determined to keep it at bay, even if it meant depending on sleeping pills to find solace in the night's muted glow.

Becky was jolted awake by the persistent ringing of her phone, her voice laced with sleepiness as she answered, "Hello... who is it?" She was met with an unexpected response, one that immediately made her alert. "Patricia?"

The slip of her real name almost escaped her lips, but she caught herself just in time. Confusion flooded her groggy mind. "Freen? Why are you calling me this early in the morning?" Becky asked, trying to shake off her drowsiness.

"Why do you have to be in my dream and live in my head all day?" Freen's words were laden with frustration, and Becky couldn't help but feel bewildered by her statement. "What should I do, take off your head?" she retorted, her annoyance evident.

"It's 5 in the morning, and I'm sleepy," Becky continued, irritated by the intrusion on her rest.

Freen's voice, however, held a note of desperation. "I can't sleep, and it's your fault for living in my head. I've never experienced this before."

Trying to be helpful, Becky suggested, "Then try drinking some milk or find something to distract yourself."

"I am doing something right now. I'm calling you," Freen admitted, her tone almost pleading.

Becky couldn't suppress her annoyance. "Fine, suit yourself. I'm going back to sleep." She yawned, ready to end the conversation.

"Don't hang up, please. I just need something to distract me. Knowing someone is there with me is more than enough," Freen said, her voice tinged with vulnerability, leaving Becky feeling a mix of empathy and bewilderment.

"Suit yourself. I'm going to sleep now," Becky replied, deciding to let the call continue, despite her annoyance. She could hear the gratitude in Freen's voice as she softly said, "Thank you," before sinking back into the struggle that had interrupted her sleep.

Freen POV

I woke up with a gasp, my heart pounding in my chest like a drum in a thunderstorm. The nightmare had gripped me again, the memory of that horrifying incident replaying in my mind like a nightmare on a loop. The feeling of helplessness, the taste of fear, it was all too real, even in the dark cocoon of my room.

"Please, let me go," I had pleaded, my voice choked with tears, my body bound tightly, my eyes blinded by the fabric that covered them. The kidnappers had laughed, their cruel amusement echoing in the darkness. Their fingers brushed against my wet cheeks, the touch sending shivers down my spine.

"After your parents pay the compensation, we'll let you go," they had said, callous and indifferent to my suffering. I had asked them why, why they were doing this to me when I had done nothing to them. One of them, the one who seemed less ruthless, had revealed the bitter truth.

"It's not me who kidnapped you. I'm just doing my job. Your dad, he's the one who asked me to do this. I don't know why, but it's all for money."

The revelation had hit me like a punch to the gut. My own father, the man who was supposed to protect me, had orchestrated this nightmare. I knew about my parents' strained relationship, my mother's impending divorce, and my father's relentless pursuit of wealth. But this? This was beyond comprehension, beyond the realm of what I had thought my father was capable of.

I woke up in my room, the soft glow of the lamp casting eerie shadows on the walls. I was drenched in sweat, my hands trembling as I tried to calm my racing heart. I needed to distract myself, to escape the clutches of that dreadful memory. Desperation clawed at me as I fumbled for my phone. My fingers found the familiar contact of Becky, and I pressed the call button, knowing that it was the only lifeline I had in that moment.

To my surprise and relief, Becky answered. Her voice, groggy with sleep, was like a soothing melody in the chaos of my mind. I poured out my fear, my confusion to her, desperate for some semblance of comfort. Becky listened, her presence on the other end of the line a lifeline in the darkness.

I begged her to stay on the phone with me, to keep me company, to chase away the nightmares that threatened to consume me once more. And she agreed, her kindness and understanding wrapping around me like a warm blanket. With Becky's calming presence, I found the strength to face the night again, to push back the shadows of my fears, and eventually, I drifted back to sleep, the echoes of her soothing breath was guiding me into a dreamless slumber.

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