Corrupted Constructs

Chapter 28

After that angry phone call from Alexandria Evergreen, Clarke again doesn't hear from the brunette in weeks.

Her new personal assistant still comes by every morning and Clarke only tells her good morning like every other customer while avoiding eye contact.

There are a few rare occasions in which Lexa stops by for maybe fifteen minutes, but she doesn't say a word to Clarke. She doesn't even look in her direction nor does she acknowledge her existence. The blonde may as well be invisible.

At first, Clarke tried saying hello to her in a friendly manner. Then, once it had become clear that wouldn't get a reply, she'd gone for the generic 'welcome in' like she did all her customers, but even that hadn't gained any reaction, so now she would usually just look at her for a few seconds with sad, but hopeful eyes before continuing whatever she was doing at the time.

The only times she personally heard from Alexandria, or more like about Alexandria were whenever new articles or blog posts were published about the woman.

Even though she was aware it cut her all the way to her soul every time she even as much as thought about the stunning CEO, she still had set up Google alerts for her name.

Usually, the articles were about how well Lexa's company was doing or about a new project they were working on.

There had also been an article about Lexa's new assistant and how they were probably dating. And that one had stung, but it was clearly pulled out of thin air and completely inaccurate, so Clarke had been able to move past that one rather quickly.

But not this one. This one was earth shatteringly and devastatingly painful.

Clarke is glad to be at home and already sitting down when the latest article on Lexa pops up on her phone because she is sure she would have fallen over, her arms and legs going numb.

'Alexandria Evergreen, CEO of Trikru Inc. spotted cozying up to former partner Costia Bruno. Are the two lovebirds back together?'

It's as if all of the air gets sucked from her lungs. Her phone tumbles to the ground.

It had taken Lexa two months to move on, which was rather quickly in many people's opinion, but she had. And Clarke had never felt pain like this before.

The blonde picks up her phone, not caring about the small crack that's now in the screen and with trembling hands she unlocks the screen again as sobs wrack through her body.

She reads and rereads the title five times through blurry eyes before she even allows herself to move on to the large image below it.

Lexa in a gorgeous black dress sitting next to Costia, in a just as stunning silver dress. Costia's hand resting on Lexa's upper thigh. Lexa's face nuzzled into Costia's neck.

Clarke stares at the picture for many minutes and it starts moving in front of her eyes. She starts imagining everything that may have led up to them being captured in this position, and everything that may have transpired afterwards.

And the blonde isn't even sure if she wants to know what's in the actual article at this point, but she had become a glutton for punishing herself, believing she deserved all the pain she got and worse for betraying and hurting Alexandria the way she had.

The article itself doesn't contain as much useful information and it is rather short, but it still takes Clarke forever to get through. It's difficult to read when tears are clouding your vision, and your breath is coming out in ragged gasps after all.

In the article, it's described how the two went to a fundraiser together. How they had shown up arm in arm, and how witnesses claim they were seen getting really comfortable and familiar with each other all evening, and afterwards, they had gotten in the same car, Lexa holding open the door for Costia and holding her hand as she stepped into the vehicle.