Replay Of Shades

09

CHASE

It was only 4am, but I was already awake and working on my iPad while sitting on the couch in my room with my legs crossed out before me. I had been on it since 2am when I had woken up and couldn't get back to sleep.

However, once it was a few minutes after five, I saved all that was necessary and turned it off so I could get ready for work.

Needing a little stretch of my body as well, I had risen up from the couch to do that. Meanwhile, before I could get to that, my phone buzzed with a text notification.

I picked it up from the top of the glass table to check. It was a message from Sophie.

I'll be flying to New York today so we can talk better.

I was going to ignore her text since there was no way she could mean that, but again, knowing that was something she most definitely could do, I replied back with;

Do not get on the plane. There's nothing to talk about.

Sophie was definitely going overboard with wanting to come here after I had made it clear to her that she was better off with someone else who would love her the way she deserved to be loved.

I had no idea what she was thinking to want to do that, when she didn't even have an idea of where I was staying here or even the name of my dad's company and as far as I was concerned, I have no intention whatsoever of giving her any information concerning that.

I believed my reply to her text should be enough warning for her. She would most definitely have no choice but to return to Paris at the end of the day if at all she refused to take my advice in the first place.

I eventually turned off my phone to head to the bathroom, but I hadn't exited the sitting area yet when my phone started ringing. It was my secretary calling.

"Yes," I answered.

"Boss, please don't be mad at me for what I'm about to tell you." He had said.

Wondering what he was talking about, I instantly demanded in a hard tone, "Henry, what did you do?!"

"Uh... I might have told Sophie the name of your dad's company." He confessed.

"Are you kidding me right now? I remember giving you clear instructions concerning that, didn't I?"

"I swear it was just that. She cried and pleaded with me so much that I had no choice but to tell her." He quickly defended.

"This had better not repeat itself again next time or else." I threatened.

He knew what I meant by that.

"I promise that this will be the last time it happens, boss."

Angered, I hung up and threw my phone back onto the table. "Shit!" I hissed in frustration.

⚘

It was already noontime when we returned from the only meeting for today.

Before I left the company with Enid for the meeting, I was in a sour mood concerning the fact that Sophie might actually come like she said she would but I hadn't failed to notice the slight change in Enid's mood as well.

At a point, I was propelled to ask her what was wrong, but she had refused to tell me because I also didn't tell her the reason why I was in a sour mood when she had asked.

On entering the company's building, it hadn't taken me long to notice the average height lady who was standing over there at the reception and was speaking with the lady there.

She happened to have looked towards our direction just then. She went ahead to say something to the receptionist before finally leaving there and began approaching us.

As she walked, her slim, even-toned legs were on display due to the high slit of the deep red free chiffon dress she was donned in while the light brown curls framing her oval face bounced every now and then on top of her head.

"Who is that?" Enid said from beside me but more to herself, having taken notice of her as well.

"That's Sophie, my ex." I told her, and her eyes had widened in surprise.

The clicking of her black heels across the tiled floor weren't hard to hear anymore as she continued to near us.

She met us halfway.

I really wished I didn't have to deal with her at all, but not when she was already here.

"Chase," She called on reaching us, and I had walked out of there immediately, not wanting to hear whatever she had to say to me.

I knew I must have hurt her feelings by doing that, but at least I was sure that would make her come back to her senses and return to Paris.

"Hi. I'm Enid, Chase's sister." I heard Enid introducing herself to her as I walked away.

By the time I reached my office, I was fuming with anger.

There was a knock at the door of my office a few minutes later, and whoever it was had pushed the door open to enter.

Turning away slowly from the floor-to-ceiling window before which I was standing, I realized it was Enid.

She had shut the door behind her but didn't leave standing there, "She left already,"

"Alright," I replied.

"Why don't you want to speak to her, though?"

"Because I have nothing to say to her?" My anger was beginning to surface again.

"You're the reason why she came here all the way from Paris, you know that, right?"

"I warned her not to?" I left where I was standing to go and sit at my desk.

"Well, she's not planning to return to Paris if you don't agree to meet and talk." She told me.

"I don't care."

"Please meet up with her, even if it's just once." She begged.

"Why are you so bent on wanting me to see her?"

"It's just... She seems to be a very nice person."

I knew there was no denying that.

"I'll think about it."

"Thank you." She said, turning to leave, but she seemed to have changed her mind as she had turned to face me again and had asked, "Why did you guys even break up?"

I didn't say anything.

"Right." She drew in a sharp breath. "It's none of my business."

"She deserves someone better." I suddenly wanted to tell her the truth.

"Describe better?"

"Someone who would return her feelings."

"Oh. Okay, now, I'm just realising her coming here must have been the reason for your sour mood,"

Seizing the opportunity, I probed, "Can you tell me now also the reason why your mood had been a little off since this morning as well?" I knew she probably had no choice but to tell me now.