HATRED (series 2#)

Chapter 8

I walked into the office precisely at 12:45, my heart pounding with nervous anticipation. I approached my boss's door and gave it a gentle knock. Silence. I mustered up the courage to knock again, and this time, he responded.

"Come in," he grumbled, his voice dripping with displeasure.

I entered his office quietly, avoiding direct eye contact, not wanting to witness his reaction to my presence. The tension in the room was palpable.

"When did you stop staring at me, Kylie?" he asked, his tone laced with frustration. "Was it because you have no excuse to explain your behavior from yesterday?"

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts before responding.

"N-no, I actually have something to tell you... It's just that I don't know how to put it into words," I stammered, my voice trembling with anxiety.

"Then tell me!" he asked, his impatience evident.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my eyes widening as I watched Mark's expression shift. The color drained from my face as I struggled to catch my breath.

Confusion and fear washed over me. Was he trying to trap me into speaking without permission so he could fire me? Mark knew how sensitive and emotional I could be. He had to control his anger if he didn't want to lose me forever. I could tell from my own reaction that I was genuinely frightened.

"I-I'll be waiting outside. I'll come back when you're okay to talk," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.

Mark wanted her to know that things had changed, that she didn't have to live in the past anymore. He wanted her to know that she had permission to speak and answer in a way that felt comfortable to for. But not speaking at all would also anger him. It was a delicate balance.

"I didn't mean to do that," he said, his voice softer now as he walked up to me and placed his hands on my shoulders. "You have no idea what kind of situation you put me in yesterday. I thought something really bad had happened to you. You put me in a very complicated position, and not picking up my call made everything worse."

""M-my phone was on silent," my voice filled with regret.

"Why didn't you come and meet me? Why did you leave all of a sudden?" Mark questioned, his frustration evident.

"I wasn't feeling too well, that's why I decided to leave earlier. I'm really sorry for not telling you. I promise it won't happen again," I apologized, hoping he would understand.

"Kylie! I hope you know that you don't have to apologize all the time" Mark exclaimed, his voice filled with a mix of annoyance and curiosity.

"it always calms the situation when the other person isn't on fire," I replied, trying to diffuse the tension.

"You're right. Someone needs to calm down." Mark said, his tone softening.

"So can I go back home now?" I asked, attempting to change the topic.

"Why are you in a hurry? We're heading somewhere. Trust me, it will be fun," Mark suggested, trying to divert my attention.

"Mr. Mark, I actually..." I started to explain, but he interrupted me.

"Shhhhhh... I don't want to hear any of that. Let's go," he said, cutting me off.

He picked up his car keys from the table, grabbed my hand, and we walked out of the office together. As we made our way, I could feel the eyes of the staff on us, some whispering and others simply observing. It made me nervous.

"Don't pay attention to them," Mark reassured me.

"Alright. Where are we going?" I asked, trying to ease the tension."