The Engagement | COMPLETED

TWENTY-ONE.

NATHAN.

"Amanda get me my coffee!"

Few minutes later, she came in strutting, coffee in hand. I took a sip, furrowed my eyebrows and gave the cup back to her.

"I said, get me my coffee. This isn't my coffee."

"Sir, that is the third time this hour that you asked."

Oh. Was it? Wasn't this the first time I asked for my drink?

"I'm sorry sir. Maybe you would like to tell me how you like your coffee done?" Amanda asked nicely, though you could tell she was fed-up from my demands.

I took the cup back, placed it in front of me and sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize."

A half smile formed on her face. "I'm sorry I'm not Alex."

I looked up at my now full-time PA, her eyes sympathetic.

She was probably looking at how my appearance mirrored someone who was in dire need of help. No longer clean-shaven, my hair looked like a cat had decided to eat it and spit it back out.

My clothes were only ironed because Aunty May ironed them for me, but gone were the ties and blazer. The office had been turned upside down with the piles of papers stacked onto the table.

Documents were sent to me instead of me going out for meetings. Even my own staff started avoiding me. I could almost hear them gossiping through the walls.

One look at me and you would know I was going down hill. Everything had spun out of control. I had lost my center of gravity.

I lost Alex.

Who could I blame? Alex almost died because of me.

If my mother hadn't decide to have a change of heart and tell me where he was, he might have already been six feet under.

Thankfully the drug dealers were apprehended and she was being sent back to rehab.

Even though I saved him, it didn't sit quite well with Alex's parents that he was abducted. They ordered for the contract to be called-off, and took Alex back home the second he discharged.

I didn't even get to see him.

It's been close to 2 months since then. Or was it longer? I'm not too sure myself. The last sight I got of him was him lying on the hospital bed, all bandaged, face bruised and swollen.

My heart ached seeing him like that. His parents were right. It was because of me that this happened. I brought this upon him.

People have come and go all my life. They never lingered around long enough to stay. It was only time before Alex left me too. So, now was probably the time for him to make his exit.

I had prepared my heart for him to leave. Though I didn't expect it to happen this way, why does it hurt so bad?

Why does my heart feel like it has been ripped apart?

"Sir!"

"Yes?" Why was she shouting?

"I've been calling out to you for the past 5 minutes. Stop staring into space like that, it's scaring me."

I rubbed my hands across my face that felt like sandpaper due to me being unbothered to keep up with shaving. "Sorry, my bad. What do you need?"

"I don't need anything," she pointed out. "But you clearly need a break."

I leaned back into my chair and let out a deep breath. "No, I'm fine."

"Well, clearly you're not." Amanda clinked the her heels together and stood upright, straighter than before if that was even possible.

"You're pushing off important meetings and deals, only signing them if you need to. You're no longer looking out for possible ventures. You look like a person who lost literally everything in the world and I can't let this go on any longer. Just take a minute to see your own reflection! You're so unkempt, lost a truckload of weight and your eyes mimic that of a panda's."

My eyes were wide open as I stared at her, jaw-dropped. This was the first time she has ever talked to me like that.

"Either you do something about whatever is going on between the two of you, or suck it up and move on!"

I was dumbstruck. The usually quiet and rule-abiding Amanda was giving me the wake-up call I needed.

What should I do?

"Miss, you can't go in there!" There was a commotion happening right outside my office, the footsteps seemed to be headed this way.

"Miss!" Someone in the office called out, just before the doors to my office came flying open. A woman marched in with the aura of a warrior. Her eyes on fire.

"Nathan Chia! What the fuck have you been doing?" She pointed her finger at me, still marching in, her eyes full of rage.

Amanda was too intimidated and stood frozen, I was in shock, there were people yelling to call security in the back.

"Wait," I took a good look at the crazy lady. "You're Vanessa."

"Damn right I am!" She stopped in her tracks, right in front of my table and folded her arms. I waved off the people who were trying to get the guards.

"Why are you here?" asking even though the reason was clear as day.

"Because of Alex, duh! Like I said, what the fuck have you been doing?"

I slouched back into my chair, looking at anywhere but at her. "I don't know."

She slammed the table with both her hands. "Let me tell your fucking ass what you don't know. Alex is a mess because of you. A phone call is all he needs, but a certain someone decides to go missing-in-action. Poor Alex has been waiting by the phone like an idiot!"

"Why didn't he just come and find Nathan instead?" Amanda questioned.

"He was basically under house arrest due to his injuries and his parents being over-protective. Though, he's actually fine now," Vanessa answered in a much calmer tone towards Amanda.

"I- I just can't. It's because of me that he ended up like that."

"If it's anyone's fault, it's that bitch's fault. You know that."

"But-"

"Get that stupid mindset out of your head and get him back, you fuckhead. Get both you and him out of this mess I won't have to deal with his midnight cries any longer. Anyway," she tucked her locks behind her ears. "I didn't come here without a plan."

I raised my eyebrow. "A plan?"

"Let me be your fairy godmother and end your miseries shall we?"

——————

(1098 words)

A/N: I've had a rough week. We finally decided to let most of the country work from home so we have been busy preparing for the upcoming weeks. Hopefully everything is okay on your side of the world.

Nathan seriously needs to clear his head and realize that Alex is not going anywhere. He needs to stop torturing himself like that.

Any comments? Please let me know!

See you all in the next part for the big plan that Vanessa came up with!

Stay safe everyone 💕

P.S I proof-read this the minute I woke up, hopefully I didn't miss anything! Let me know if there are mistakes 🤣