9 Years Later

Chapter 25 - Cursed

HER

           I ALMOST DID NOT GO BACK TO WORK.  I am afraid I will see him in the office but I have to finalize the hotel design including the materials that need to be used before I leave.  Yes, I already filed for an indefinite leave and sent an email to Mr. Archer over the weekend after my decision to go back home. 

            When I came back to work, Mr. Archer immediately talked me out of it as we have multiple projects on the line.  But eventually, he understood that I really needed a break since I have never filed for a long vacation since I started on his company.  He knows I am a workaholic.  He is probably afraid that I am burned out already from too much work.  He made sure though that I will attend his birthday party this week before I leave. 

           "Hi Bes, working bright and early?"  Carla entered my office without knocking.  She knows I don't eat breakfast so she brought me some bagels and cream cheese.  I just got back from my meeting with Mr. Archer. 

             "I am trying to finish everything before I turn over the hotel project to you. Mr. Archer already knows and he wanted you to oversee the project when I'm gone."  Carla nodded and sat down on the chair in front of my desk.  She knew everything that happened over the weekend including my plan to go home.  It was like a crying contest when I poured my heart out to her after we got back from the beach.  It was catharsis on my part.

              "You are sure about this, Bes?  Is this really the right thing to do, to run away again?  I know we talked about it over the weekend but you guys need to communicate.  You are grown adults and you cannot make assumptions until you ask him on what he feels about you.  I am trying again if I can talk some sense to you.  I can feel it Alecx, he still wants you."  Carla said frustrated.

             "So, you want me to go ask Tristan and if he says he loves me, tell him to leave Sam?  Do I look that pathetic to you?  I already feel ashamed for what I did that night.  I don't want to steal him from anybody.  I will not go down that low.  And besides, you saw how Sam was. Even though we don't know her that well, she seems to be a genuinely nice person.  I can't do that to her."  I said painfully.

             "Ok, ok! I rest my case. No more advice from me! My lips are sealed. Well, for what it's worth, at least you tasted heaven again."  She made a joke to lighten the mood and giggled.  I glared at her for her vulgar remark.  I crumpled a paper and threw it at her. She laughed and was able to dodge it.

             "By the way, I already got my plane ticket. I will leave the day after Mr. Archer's party.  Mom and Paul will be surprised. The prodigal daughter is back! Hey, you are going to bring me to the airport, ok?" I said to her.

             "Yes, boss! By the way, who is your date in the party?  Did you already text Raffy?  Jake already said yes to me."  Carla said.

            "Yup. I texted him. He just replied that he will come with me.  We will have a double date.  By the way, nobody knows yet that I am leaving soon.  You can let them know once I am gone but do not tell them where I went.  I do not want never ending questions thrown at me." 

             "You are so secretive! Aye, aye Ma'am! Go eat your breakfast, let me get out of here, back to work". Carla said while doing a salute and headed out to her office.

Within the next couple of days, I buried myself at work and finished the hotel and coffee shop project. I stayed in my office most of the time, afraid I might bump into him if I go outside. But it's good Carla told me that he was out this week to attend to his other projects on the nearby state. Probably, he also wants to honor my request for him to stay away from me. Or maybe, he really does not want to see me anymore now that Sam is back.

It still hurts every time I think about it. He will get married soon. There will never be an "us." I wonder when will this painful feeling go away. Or will it ever go away? Maybe this is my curse. This is my karma for leaving him behind. I will be miserable forever. This sucks.