Workplace Drama: My Ex is in Charge

Part 8 Echoes of Unfinished Business

As Emma stepped out of the office, her pace faltered briefly. She'd been turned down. Just now. But it didn't matter. She wasn't upset. It wasn't personal—it was simply that she hadn't completed the mission the Queen had assigned her. She'd just have to try again.

With this thought in mind, Emma quickly returned to her office and dove into work. Mondays were always the busiest day of the week. Not only did she have to tackle the tasks from the morning meeting, Owen had just handed her a new assignment. She needed to schedule the training session, arrange the time and location, send out the notice, prepare the PowerPoint slides, and make sure the conference room was booked.

Emma stayed busy the entire morning. When Grace came by to invite her to lunch, Emma didn't even look up. "I'm skipping lunch—trying to lose weight."
As if she needed to lose any weight.

Grace rolled her eyes, but she knew better. Emma wasn't avoiding food, just avoiding wasting time. The cafeteria on the third floor was always packed at lunchtime. And after eating there for years, even the best food had gotten old. Grace ended up stopping by a convenience store behind the office building and brought her back a sandwich.

Emma took a few bites before putting it down—other departments had dumped a pile of documents on her desk marked "urgent." So, like the diligent worker she was, Emma bowed her head and got back to it.

By the time she finally lifted her head from the computer, the workday was over. She reached up and massaged her aching neck, feeling like a lifeless mushroom, rooted to her chair. While rubbing her neck, her phone chimed with a message. It was Sam, asking if she had time for dinner tonight since he was leaving in a couple of days.

Emma had covered the bill during their last date because Sam had to rush back to the hospital. She figured he was probably feeling guilty and wanted to treat her before he left. And honestly, she could use a break, so she decided to clock out on time for once.

Replying with a simple "Sure," Emma began to tidy up her desk and shut down her computer. By the time she grabbed her bag, Sam had already sent her the restaurant location—it was close to the office, just a ten-minute walk. On her way out, Emma stopped by the restroom, but as she passed the mirror, she paused.

The reflection showed a woman in business attire, her face a little oily after a long day in front of a computer, with slightly messy hair that gave off a bit of a disheveled look. Emma frowned and went back to her office to grab her bag, deciding she'd better stop by home first. At the very least, she could change outfits out of respect for her dinner companion.

It was rush hour, and the elevators were packed. After waiting for several groups, Emma finally pulled out her phone and started scrolling through her messages. Her department's WhatsApp group was used for casual communication, but all important files were sent through email, so she flicked back and forth between the apps.

When the elevator finally arrived, someone had to nudge her as she was busy toggling between apps. She put her phone away and stepped inside, just as Owen was stepping out of another elevator across the hall. They didn't run into each other, but as Owen turned his head, he caught a glimpse of her. It was just for a second before he looked away, like it had been a completely incidental glance.

Someone was speaking to Owen as they exited the elevator with him, "Alright, see you in a bit, I'll send you the address."

Owen nodded, his face expressionless. "Okay."

He finished the conversation and walked toward the department's main office. Most people had already left by then. Owen glanced over at the clean, empty desk before him and turned to leave when a familiar voice caught his attention.