𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇 | ᴊᴀᴠɪᴇʀ ᴘᴇɴᴀ |

~ 23 ~

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:

It was Monday, and the clock was inching closer to midnight. The office was eerily quiet, with only the sound of my fingers tapping away on the keyboard breaking the silence. Teresa and I were the last ones left at the agency. A new client had brought in a big case, and it was consuming all my time and energy. On top of that, I had to deal with Javier's papers today, which added another layer of stress.

"Madison, are you sure you don't want me to stay a bit longer?," Teresa asked, concern etched on her face as she hovered by my desk.

"Teresa, it's really late. You should go home. I appreciate the help, but you don't need to stay just because of me," I insisted, trying to muster a reassuring smile.

Teresa hesitated but finally relented. "Okay, but if you need anything, just call me, alright?"

"I will, I promise. Thanks for everything," I said, waving her off. Teresa said her goodbyes and left the office, leaving me alone with my thoughts and a mountain of paperwork.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Without looking up, I sighed and said, "Teresa, I told you to leave."

The door opened, and to my surprise, it was Javier. "Mind if I come in?" he asked, a playful smile tugging at his lips.

I nodded, still taken aback. "What are you doing here?"

He held up a couple of white plastic bags. "You didn't answer my calls or texts, so I called Teresa. She told me you were really busy today, so I thought I'd come by and see if I could help."

I shook my head, a mix of frustration and gratitude. "Javier, I appreciate it, but I really don't have time. I have a new client, and it's a big case."

He placed the bags on a small table near the couch, then took out a bottle of beer, opened it, and sat in front of my desk. "Tell me about it," he said, taking a sip and leaning back, ready to listen.

I continued working, typing furiously on my computer and sifting through papers. "It is a complex legal matter involving corporate fraud and required a meticulous review of countless documents," I explained.

"That's big," he took a sip of his beer. "Did you see the papers I signed?" Javier asked, interrupting my train of thought.

"Yes, I did. Thank you for getting them to me today," I replied, barely looking up from my work. "I just can't understand how they can asign this to me, knowing how busy I am, it's always me, they give me this shit documents to complete, then your case, and now this," the stress was mounting with each word I spoke. "I have a lot of paperwork to do, I can't do this much."

Suddenly, I felt a familiar tightness in my chest—a panic attack. My breath quickened, and my hands started to shake.

Javier noticed immediately. He stood up and walked over to my chair, his presence calming me. "Hey, hey, it's okay," he said softly, placing his hands on my shoulders and massaging them gently. The tension began to melt away.

He took my hand and led me to the couch, sitting me down. "You need to calm down. I came to help," he said, his voice soothing.

Returning to my desk, he grabbed my laptop and his beer, bringing them over to the small table. He rummaged through the bags and began setting out food in boxes. "I hope you like Chinese food," he said with a grin.

"It's my favorite," I admitted, a smile tugging at my lips despite the stress.

As he set up the food, I watched him, a warm feeling spreading through me. I had really messed up that day, but Javier was showing me a side of him I hadn't fully appreciated before. He was a good man, just a scared kid who had been hurt and was afraid to show his true self. His touch, his presence—it all had a calming effect on me.

He sat down beside me and asked, "What do you want to drink? I brought a variety—beer, water, some sodas."

"A beer would be good," I said. Javier opened a bottle and handed it to me. I smiled, taking his cheeks in my hands and kissing him softly. "Thank you for coming," I whispered.

Javier smiled back. "Anytime."

We started to eat, talking about the work. Javier offered some tips and suggestions, his insights surprisingly helpful. His casual demeanor and straightforward advice made the daunting tasks seem more manageable.

"You know, you could organize the documents by priority. Focus on the most pressing ones first, then work your way down," he suggested.

"That's actually a good idea," I admitted, feeling a bit more at ease.

"And don't forget to take breaks. You can't function at your best if you're running on empty," he added.

I chuckled. "I'll try to remember that."

As we talked and ate, the tension gradually eased. Javier had a way of making even the most stressful situations feel less overwhelming. We shared stories, laughed, and for a while, I forgot about the pile of work waiting for me.

This moment, this connection, felt like a new beginning—a chance to build something real, something honest. And as we sat there, side by side, I realized that maybe, just maybe, we could make it work.

[To be continued...]