Charity Night (english)

8

I look at Zachery for a long time without saying anything, but I think he can read my mind anyway. That's why he always gives me such disparaging looks, trying to figure out how I'm going to react next.

"Mr. Hyde, please, say what you want to say to me." I beg him, because I can hardly stand his intense stares anymore. "I still don't understand why you can't manage to use my first name. I've got it for you Already offered several times, right?"

"Somehow I still don't think it's right because you're my boss and wouldn't it be totally inappropriate if we were on first name terms? Don't you think?" I ask him, even though I already know the answer to my question.

"Charlotte, I think you should really finish this. We've slept together more than twice and done completely different things... so the first name thing should really work itself out." His piercing gaze makes me cringe internally and I turn my back to him when he closes again speaking begins.

"I actually thought we could work things out here, but you're just being so stubborn at the moment and not really responding to me either way. I've never met a woman like you and I actually wanted to find out more about you, but I think I'll just go back to the hotel. You can contact me when you finally come to your senses. In any case, the whole conversation doesn't make any sense."

Since I still don't turn towards him, I hear him sigh and take quick steps away from me and shortly afterwards the front door of my apartment closes. The silence in which I am left is oppressive, but I also know that I can blame myself for this.

To be honest, I haven't felt as alone in a long time as I did at the exact moment when he walked away from me step by step to go to his hotel. It's a strange feeling that's spreading through me and I haven't felt it for a long time. Probably just not long enough...

I walk leadenly to my kitchen counter and grab a bottle of wine, which I place unceremoniously to my lips and let the cool liquid trickle down my throat.

Silent tears leave my tired eyes and leave wet trails on my cheeks. I keep sobbing and can hardly calm down. In situations like these, I wish that I hadn't been so careless with my friendships and that I now had someone who would come to me straight away with a carton of ice cream without any ifs or buts and we could watch the cheesiest romantic films in history together.

But even in this case, my career was increasingly important to me and I lost the few friends I had as a result.

My sister is the only one I can talk to about such topics, but if I'm being honest, she's not my first choice in this case. I know exactly what she would say to me: You finally have to dare to do something... Just get involved and see what happens... You can't defend yourself against love forever... It's not everyone Men are assholes like your ex-boyfriend...

And she's probably right, but that's exactly why I can't include her in this. She just knows exactly how to manipulate me and I end up standing at her door broken-hearted again and then I would probably blame her for forcing me to give in to my feelings and desires.

I must have fallen asleep because at some point in the morning I wake up on my sofa because my cell phone rings and I mechanically reach for it and answer it.

"Mrs. Love, where are you? Mr. Hyde is very upset that they aren't there yet. That's not like them at all..." Nadine, the receptionist, starts babbling. "Oh God, Nadine, what time is it? I think I overslept! I'll be there soon..." "I'll send them a car, then it will go faster." "Thank you, you are an angel!"

I quickly press the red receiver and take a look in the mirror, but what awaits me there is absolutely unpresentable... My mascara hangs on my cheekbones and my hairstyle looks more like a bird's nest than a bun.

Without wasting much time, I run into the bathroom, slip out of my costume and wipe the remaining make-up from my face. I open my hair and shake it once so that it falls in soft waves over my shoulders and at the same time I put on the fresh, dark blue skirt, the white blouse and the matching blazer again. Finally, I grab my trench coat and my handbag and quickly slam the door behind me.

The car that Nadine gave me is already in front of the house and I jump straight into the back seat. On the way to work I'm so nervous that my hands are ice cold and shaking like crazy.

How am I supposed to face Zachery?

When I get into the elevator that is supposed to take me to our floor, my nervousness is so advanced that I feel like I'm about to lose consciousness. I start to sweat and am almost ready to just go back downstairs and never show up here again, but giving up has never been my style and so I grit my teeth and step into the bare rooms.

Unfortunately, I had already forgotten that the door between our offices has been made of glass since yesterday and when I enter my room my little heart almost stops. Hopefully he doesn't see me scurrying to my desk and doesn't feel like seeing me today.

Unfortunately my prayer is not answered and as soon as I sit on my chair the intercom crackles and his rough, warm voice almost makes my blood freeze in my veins. "Charlotte, I would like to speak to you briefly in my office!" Just the way he says it leaves no doubt that he is in a really bad mood and that there will be no escape for me.

Slowly and vigilantly I walk towards the door that separates our rooms and open it silently. Zac sits in his large leather chair with his back to me, staring out the window at the city spread out before him.

"I don't tolerate lateness at my company and especially not at my assistant's!" his voice cuts through the silence and I wince because he sounds so harsh. Not at all like usual... But I know for a fact that I... can confidently attribute the blame for this to themselves.