Clear

Clear: Chapter 31

Chapter 31: All Good Things Must Come to an End

The elevator ride up with Chris was painfully quiet. Of course, he would be distant with me as we rode to this meeting. He was fine twenty-four hours ago, but maybe it was all a facade to remove the suspicion of what was about to happen to me.

Wishing he would say something, I took a peek to see if opening my mouth would be wise. But fear took over when I found him glaring at his phone. Talking to him was out of the question, and I was sure that he didn't care to acknowledge me until he had to. He was about to lay me off with the boss, and looking me in the face would probably be too awkward.

That's assuming that he respects me... of course he does. Right?

The reflective doors parted, and I questioned everything as I shadowed Chris down the hall of the thirty-third floor. My thoughts were shredding me into pieces. This had been him all day, and I didn't like quiet, brooding Chris. Seconds later, one person that didn't want to talk to me knocked on the door of the other who also felt distance from me was the best too.

On any other occasion, I would have cared what I looked like, but with no-makeup and heavy bags, I appeared as accurate as I felt– drained. There was no sleep to be had when my failure of a career path ran parallel with losing Ezra.

From the slender window, the person I couldn't stop thinking about lifted his attention from the papers on his desk. He only used a few seconds of his time to signal to Chris that we enter before returning to his business.

Not knowing what Ezra was thinking made me feel even more ill on top of an empty stomach. Seeing him revert to the permissive man, I met at the beginning, was almost tragic.

This is what I do. I make everyone find a way to give up on me.

"Ada, you can take a seat," Chris murmured, as he pointed to the chair I was very familiar with.

I swallowed hard, hoping that I wouldn't suddenly vomit. Chris towering beside me was confirming all of my fears as he looked into the face of our boss who did not look pleased.

Ezra.

Chris took a deep breath and forced it out before he lowered his scrutiny on me. My head turned away from Ezra before my eyes did. I was worn out, but dammit I had to accept whatever was about to happen to me like a grown woman.

"Ada," Chris began. "Mr. Leoné wanted to have a meeting with us to discuss your position here at the company."

My lips curled in, and my nostrils flared to the escalating emotional sickness.

My manager took a deep breath before he finished, "Unfortunately, your position is no longer needed here."

Chris's hard stare could have convinced me that he was of Gorgon descent since his words riddled me into stone.

"Oh my God," I whispered, devastated that the little glimmer of hope I had hung onto was snatched by reality.

Chris's eyes shifted uncomfortably to Ezra, who weaved his fingers over his desk. I could see his tongue playing inside of his cheek as the strained air took over.

This is it. This is seriously it.

"So... we would like to offer you a full-time position at Leoné Investments," Chris quietly announced through the silence.

My head sunk, before I grunted, "Huh?"

Chris's bright smile had surfaced before my eyes, and for the first time I didn't reciprocate the delight. It was clear that I hadn't quite comprehended what he said, so this time he asked if I would like to accept the position at Leoné Investments.