The Crimson Affair Chapter 45
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, SEGA and Archie comics does. Sorry for the long update. Thank you so much guys for the support all throughout the chapters. You guys rock!
(Shadow's POV)
"You need to calm yourself down, dear. All that whiskey you've been drinking has gone into your head. You don't seem to be yourself anymore," mother tried to talk some sense into father.
"I said let me fucking talk, Crimson!" father exclaimed that made mother gasp in bewilderment. I rarely hear father curse as he discourages it within our household and these are one of those 'rare' moments when he ultimately broke his own rules.
"Absolutely not! And you've got a lot of nerve cursing in front of Shadow and Papa Rex. It's inappropriate," mother snapped back that made father grit his teeth.
I find it intriguing why mother tries so hard to conceal that and I couldn't help but open my mouth and state an opinion about it.
"It's alright, mother. In all honesty, I would like to hear what father has to say. I think these matters should not be kept from me at all. I need to be enlightened with everything that goes on within this family," I finally found my voice while my mother stared at me in disbelief.
"Shadow! How could you?! Please don't take advantage of your father's current condition," mother spoke to me with a tone that she used to use whenever she scolds me as a child.
This time, I got even more curious with mother's escalating frustration. To be honest, I think mother was far more concerned about me learning all about our family feud rather than father's drunken state being taken advantage of. However, the more I think about it, the more I realize that I have been too impulsive to know the truth. I guess I overdid it.
"I apologize, mother. I didn't mean to probe," I said apologetically. I felt somewhat guilty that I even tried to ask. I only made things worse.
"It's alright, dear. It is understandable that you would be intrigued," Mother was quick to forgive but we were soon distracted with grandfather's chuckles.
"Let them hear this…or would you like me to remind you about your dirty little secret involving that no-good brother of mine?" father interrupted, which instantly made my mother's muzzle turn ashen while I saw a sense of bewilderment from grandfather's expression.
"Interesting…" I heard grandfather mumbling in the corner.
I started to wonder what he meant by that when all of a sudden I felt a gnawing ache in my head. Then memories about my uncle carrying me away from the hospital after that painful hip procedure resurfaced in my head. I could have sworn I remember seeing this in a dream as well. But, I could not remember further.
"Now would you let me talk?" father said once again which somehow made my mother silent.
It seems that there are still a lot of things that I need to learn about my family. My parents were never really open about it and I would appreciate it very much if they would just spill it all out.
I think I'm beginning to understand why mother is hesitant as it may seem unpleasant but trust me, being left out in the dark is far worse than learning about the awful truth.
"I think it will be for the best, duckie," said grandfather as he placed a hand on my mother's shoulder to reassure her. "Your son is old enough to start his own family. Matters like these shouldn't be kept from him at all."
"You know what? You do have a point. Shadow needs to know what an awful parent you are!" father spoke in a loud and slurred voice.
"Likewise," grandfather simply responded that made father grit his teeth. He intensely glared at grandfather with utmost rage as though letting grandfather know that he will not back down.
"You good-for-nothing-"
"Darius, don't even bother!" mother bellowed at father who is on his way on throwing a couple of insulting verbal darts at grandfather.
"You think I'm an awful father? At least my children did not grow up without one!" Father spoke with utmost disdain and hearing those words sparked something within me.
"Correction: You were only there 'with them' but not 'for them'," grandfather retorted calmly that made me flinch. "'Presence' over 'Presents', son."
'Presence over presents.'
Those words reverberated into my head as though I heard them before.
'Where have I heard it?'
I could only recall being in a hospital bed with bandages wrapped around my head. Everything felt like a puzzle that I have to put together in order to make some sense out of it.
Anyhow, that burn was certainly scalding. I could feel father's shame pouring into me as though I was the one being told those things. No wonder father hated talking to him while sober. Grandfather is one savage man and the fact that he doesn't give a damn made me feel even more uneasy getting to know him.
Which made me wonder: How on earth does grandfather even know all about those things after being absent all this time? It felt as though he had an all-seeing eye somewhere around here.
"It's truly ironic how confident you sound when you say those words. We can't sin then drink holy water at the same time, you know?"
"Alright, things are getting quite heated. Why don't we step outside for some fresh air, dear?" mother quickly stood and tried to drag father out of the room but he stayed rooted on the ground despite his wobbly gait.
I looked at my mother and began to wonder how avoidant she gets whenever these matters were raised. Rude as it may sound to suspect her, I started to wonder as well whether she may have anything to do with this little reunion.
Father simply pulled his hand away from mother and walked a few steps away from her.
"You should know how mother has suffered during your absence."
Father then took a deep breath and tried to compose himself but the alcohol proves to be so much stronger than his will.
"She exhausted herself day and night making sure both Terios and I are fed and clothed without thinking about her own well-being while you sip on your tea like there's no tomorrow.!"
(Darius' POV)
Mother was a staff nurse in one of the rural hospitals in the countryside while father was a Marketing and Sales Manager in one of Westopolis' well-known companies. We lived in a small village surrounded by large farms and abundant greenery in the countryside. We were content living simple lives until our family decided to move to the city so we could be closer to our father's workplace.
City life gave us quite the culture shock and on top of that, I was amazed with the diversity between the two places I've lived in. However, moving in the city to be closer to father didn't prove to be effective either as he was not even home most of the time.
Truth to be told, I didn't want my father in the house anyway.
When Terios and I were born, I was often told that I was the smaller, weaker twin and the one who often cried and got sick a lot as opposed to my brother who appeared to be the healthier, more active and happier one.
Frequent hospital trips are nothing new for me and it took a toll on our family's funds which somehow enraged my father thinking that I was draining our income with my 'faulty' immune system.
Looking back at my childhood, I could only assume that my father's peculiar habit of destroying my self-esteem for his own pleasure probably rooted from the times when I gave him a difficult time providing for our needs.
His constant stepping on my pride as well as his painful words kept hitting me like a boxer would with a punching bag. I have to admit that it has affected me growing up and it is one of the reasons why I struggled in socializing and interacting with others except with my best friend, Jules.
The worst part is that he intentionally praises Terios after he degrades me just to get a reaction from me. Because of that, I have always loathed him from head to toe whenever he's in the house.
In all honesty, I wanted him out of my life after all of the harsh things he has said and done to me and that wish finally came true when father and mother got into a huge argument.
Everything else was unclear except for the fact that father had been using the family funds for gambling, drinking and women all along.
We were used to father being away most of the time but later on, we gradually realized that he will no longer be part of us for good when mother was always out working at night and coming home early in the morning. We often find her sleeping on the couch and then waking up later on to cook, take a shower and before we know it, she's gone to her next job. It was a dreadful cycle. .
-Flashback-
My meal has gone cold again as I could not gather the strength to even put food in my mouth as opposed to my brother who seems to be enjoying his meal as usual. My body weight is musch less compared to my brother's and appearance-wise, it is evident when I stand next to him. It's not that I'm ill or suffering from an eating disorder but ever since mother was gone most of the time, it took a toll on me both physically and emotionally.
"Boys, make sure to eat everything on your plate, do your homework before watching TV and go to bed early, okay?," mother spoke as she was scurrying here and there to get her keys, wallet, and her coat. "Mrs. Racoon will be coming over tonight to watch you both until I get home."
I sighed and rolled my eyes while Terios stopped eating eventually.
I was not the probing type but mother seems to be overexerting herself a lot and I couldn't help but wonder about her peculiar work schedule.
Terios looked at me as though trying to tell me something.
'Maybe we should ask' was the closest thing I got from reading his lips but I refused to go along until he decided to take the matter into his hands by giving me a gesture saying that he got this.
"You seem to be working late at night a lot, Mama. Isn't it a bit too much?"
Terios was the first to ask and I'm just waiting what will happen next.
"Now don't you worry, boys. I'm strong enough to handle it. I was granted to become a mother for that reason," mother smiled and placed both of her hands on her hips to give us an image that she can handle anything life throws at her.
Yet again, the makeup and hair products she often uses could not completely hide the dark circles underneath her swollen blue eyes and pale muzzles. On top of that, her once long and vibrant dark quills are now graying on some areas and I could often notice that uncanny distraught look that she usually masks beneath her gentle smile.
"But you are not a robot, Mama. These night shift jobs will take a toll on your health. We don't want you to get ill now that Papa stopped coming home," said Terios, which almost made me drop my fork. I've got to be honest, he came in a bit too blunt.
Mother just gave us a sad yet reassuring smile.
"I'm so sorry, boys, but I need this job so we will always have food on our table," mother responded apologetically as she gently ruffles the fur on our heads.
"We know you work in a diner near Westopolis but what exactly is your second one? You never told us about it," Terios continued to probe that made me feel uneasy. He sure is not backing down.
Mother paused for a bit and I could've sworn she was hesitant to tell until she finally gave up.
"Well...I...I'm a….a part time housekeeper in a….hotel" she stuttered with every word which made both of us wonder why she would feel ashamed of it. There's nothing wrong with being a housekeeper. In fact, I have high respect for people who cleans after the filth left by other people who are too proud to clean themselves.
"There's nothing wrong with that, Mama," I said, feeling relieved at what I heard, "But couldn't you get a much earlier shift?"
Mother gently shook her head in disagreement. "I'm sorry, D. It's the only shift I could deal with to balance with my morning job."
I frowned at her statement seeing that she is definitely overdoing things by agreeing with such a work schedule. It's not fair anymore. She needs a life, too.
"What if we get part time jobs too so we could help you?" I asked and she only gave us a disapproving look.
"No. You and your brother just focus on your school work. Let me handle the grown-up stuff, okay?"
I wasn't satisfied with her answer so I responded back with a frown.
"Do you think….it would've been better if Papa was also helping with the 'grown-up stuff?" I murmured a question but mother was attentive enough to hear it.
"It's alright, D. I can fill Papa's role without any problems," she replied in a reassuring smile.
"Are you sure you could do it alone?" I asked, unsure about the outcomes of these changes but mother only responded with a smile.
"We'll see," she said before finally leaving for work while Terios and I sadly continued eating our dinner without speaking a word.
-End of Flashback-
Mother continued her dreaded lifestyle seeing that it's the only solution to pull us up from the ground after father left us for good.
(Shadow's POV)
"Mother tried her best to fill your role just so we could live normal lives. She was a hard-worker and I respected her deeply for that. On top of it all, she didn't let us feel that we need you in our lives at all."
I could hint a faint smile from father the moment he started talking about grandmother and her drive to bring home the bacon when the supposed breadwinner could not fulfill his part after leaving them.
As much as I want to listen to all of these secrets unfolding, the dreaded tension and the smell of whiskey mixed with the scent of chamomile are making me nauseous. I am so tempted to leave this room right now for my sanity's sake.
Yet again, I don't think that would be wise. One, it will be very rude for my parents and my grandfather and two, there is a strong force that is beckoning me to stay on my spot and figure out how it all ended up to this. The latter seems stronger to compete with the former. In fact, I find it quite interesting to find out about my grandmother's beginnings.
"We didn't need you at all! It's funny to think that it was so simple when you weren't there at all. So why are you here now? Are you going to beg your way back into this family? Because I will not allow that!" my father spoke as though challenging my grandfather to a bloodbath duel but grandfather merely stood and listened. Father's teeth gritted while his bloodshot eyes started in pointy daggers. Seeing him dropping his disciplined stance sure is intimidating that I felt my fur all around my quills rising up.
"What is it that made you so resentful until now? Your father left, big deal, but he is back now and that's all that matters," mother spoke in a frustrated tone..
"And that is what happens when you open your mouth too soon….When mother couldn't make ends meet anymore, you know what she did, right?!" Father clenched his fists as he shook from bursts of anger.
"Darius, you are getting carried away with this!" mother was on the verge of tears that made me even more tense. "Could we end it from here, please? I don't think I could take it any-" mother was again cut off by father's enraged responses.
"Then get the hell out of here! No one is telling you to listen," father quickly responded to mother before turning his attention back to grandfather. "He's the one who should be hearing this!"
"That is enough! And you will stop this at once!" mother stood in front of father and harshly pushed him on the couch. I gasped in surprise at her sudden anguish gesture. It was the first time I saw her become so aggressive and it definitely surprised me.
Father fell on the couch helplessly like a ragdoll. "You are causing a huge ruckus here when it should have been a pleasant evening! Let go of the past for once! For our family's sake!"
An odd feeling gnawed inside me and it's telling me that I should do something before things get a lot more complicated.
Surprisingly, my father did not respond back with an aggressive remark. Instead, he just stared into space as if he is still processing what just happened. He probably got dizzy from both the impact and the alcohol taking over his whole system. I doubt he even comprehended what mother told him.
Mother heaved a heavy sigh and rubbed her temples in exasperation. That gave me a cue that it's time to interrupt this little commotion.
"Mother, let me take father upstairs. It appears that he is helplessly...inebriated," I said as I stood and walked over to his side.
Mother gave me a smile of utmost relief.
"Thank you for being a dear, Shadow. I've had enough with your father's outburst tonight," mother spoke in an exhausted tone as though she had seen and heard enough.
"Was it too much? I'm sorry, Duckie. I didn't mean to cause a ruckus here," grandfather apologetically said.
"Don't be, Papa Rex. Besides, Darius was the one who started it," mother took a seat and quickly drank her tea to the very last drop.
I, on the other hand, tried my best to keep my word and bring my drunk father upstairs which never happened before until now. Usually, it was my mother who always became a casualty of her drinking spree. Right now, I find it really ironic that it was my father, who clearly stated that he knows his limits, became a victim of his poison this time.
Mother drank because of father's unfaithfulness and father drank because he couldn't stand grandfather stepping on his pride. It frightens me how alcohol became my parents' escape when they know they have no chance in solving their own problems anymore.
Well, I wouldn't blame him for needing that poison to escape grandfather's wrath, though. Merely hearing grandfather talk down to father like that had been mentally exhausting. It almost felt like I was the one being attacked.
Right now, I am thankful that I volunteered to escape with my fallen father. That way, I had an excuse to take a breather.
"Come on father," I said, "You need to lie down upstairs."
I walked in front of him, pulled him by the shoulders and attempted to get him on his feet by locking my hands behind him and gently pulling him up to encourage him to use his leg muscles but he was resisting.
"Leave me be…" father tried to push me away. "I can….walk on my own," he said as he tried to stand and began walking on his own despite his compromised balance.
I just shrugged and followed him from behind, making sure he will make it without breaking a bone or so.
As we made our way towards the stairs, father's persistence to walk alone caused him to trip on one of the steps and eventually caused him to drop his smartphone.
"Is everything okay there? Do you need help, Shadow?"I heard mother calling out but I quickly reassured her that I can handle this and immediately went to assist my father back on his feet.
"Damn...who put these stairs here? Did you put these stairs here?" Father looked at me with his alcohol-intoxicated glare which only made me roll my eyes seeing how ridiculous he is now. It was my first time seeing my father breaching his alcohol limit and I could honestly say that I would pretty much prefer if it was my mother instead.
"The stairs were there the whole time, father. It was you who made yourself trip," I said in a matter-of-fact tone as I pulled him up so he could grip on the stair rails to keep him secured then I picked up his phone and placed it on my pocket so I could put it on the bedside table later.
"Hold on to the stair rails, father. I'll walk behind you," I said as I urged him to take a step. "At your own pace, please. There is no need to hurry."
Father somehow complies and tries to go up on the stairs carefully with me trailing behind while I held him on his back to support him.
As we got into the bedroom, I pulled the duvet and recklessly pushed father into the bed intentionally and allowed him to drop down like a lifeless marionette.
"Damn it... What in the world was that for?! Now my head hurts," he only whined in annoyance as he gritted his teeth.
"My apologies…" I flatly said to stress how intentional it was.
'Serves you right for causing your own misery.'
Sadly, I couldn't bring myself to say those words that just reverberated in my head. I have to admit that grandfather gave father's pride a good amount of beating but was I any different when I also take pleasure in seeing him suffer more?
Right now, I decided to place my rage at bay after feeling a sense of guilt. He may be the reason why my mother was an emotional wreck but maybe I am taking mother's side too much to give father a chance.
He may have his reasons for being such a person he is now after what I have witnessed between him and grandfather. Yet again, that does not give him an excuse to become an unfaithful prick.
I was about to speak when he suddenly interrupted the silence.
"Hey….you there…" father called out to me which sent my ear twitching out of curiosity. "Would you like to know what happened next?"
My mouth gaped in shock upon hearing those words. As much as I am curious to know what happened, it somehow feels like I'm betraying my mother for this.
Yet again, is it right to deprive myself of the truth that I have sought just so I could not break my mother's trust?
I took those few minutes of silence as a means of preparing myself for what I am about to hear because I have finally decided that I will not back down this time.
I have to know what happened.
"Go on…." I calmly said as I sat on the foot of the bed.
(Darius' POV)
The whiskey is starting to shut me down. I think I will pass out any time soon but I will not give up. I must tell before I completely black out
I should let you know that it only got worse from where it started.
My heart aches so bad as I remember it but I am somewhat thankful that the alcohol is doing a great job in making the ache much tolerable.
-Flashback-
I walked along the streets of Westopolis alone and allowed myself to be immersed within my own thoughts. I am on my way home later than usual after attending that blasted party hosted by Jules while his parents are away on a business trip.
Got a little adventurous and drank a few bottles of beer, smoked a few sticks, forced to participate on some stupid truth or dare games and now, here I am looking like someone who hasn't taken a bath for weeks as the the scent of alcohol and cigarettes reek all over me. I feel somehow unclean and yet a bit elated at the same time. Besides, this is so much better than being reminded of how broken my home is.
I haven't told my mother about this party, though, and I am expecting to be in trouble when she sees me like this.
Terios is probably home by now and will definitely scold me as well for being secretive of my 'extra curricular' activities.
Still, I always preferred walking alone without my twin brother. No unwanted conversations and most of all, it's just me, myself and my thoughts.
I pondered as I walked in the city of Westopolis. Winter has finally come and this city is constantly changing as the years go by.
Even around this hour and at this season, I am utterly surprised how the city is still bursting with energy.
Winter season in the countryside is more solemn compared to the city. The bustling streets filled with bright lights take over the brightness of the moon, buildings with mesmerizing architecture replace the deciduous trees that appear hauntingly beautiful in the evening, cars coming to and fro emitting nothing but toxic gas. There are also no mountains blanketed with snow visible on site.
Truth to be told, I am still getting used to this artificial city that was merely built to sustain our inner desires for a much comfortable life while sacrificing the real beauty of the world we live in.
Yet again, from time to time, I can't help but wonder how it would feel like being inside one of those sophisticated-looking buildings with an office of my own that has a view of the whole city.
It must be every man's dream to be able to reach the top of the world.
Then I shrugged the thought and laughed at the probabilities of it. Just as it is difficult climbing a mountain, it will be as difficult as being on the top of those buildings and overseeing the world with your own eyes.
All this wishful thinking and here I am already drunk at the age of 14. Being able to own a company is completely ridiculous and downright ambitious.
I suddenly felt a soft drizzle of snow touching my muzzles gently so I instantly pulled my hood over my head and walked on like nothing happened despite the soft drizzle gradually becoming stronger.
I walked on absent-mindedly until I saw two figures running towards a nearby hotel. One of them is a woman wearing a brown coat that looked somehow familiar and the other one is wearing a dark gray suit.
Looking a bit closer, I was bewildered with what I saw: It's my mother and her hand is being held by an ash blonde hedgehog who seems to be carrying a high class status judging from the way he carried himself.
Mother seems too preoccupied with her thoughts while the sophisticated stranger tells his story with extreme enthusiasm.
As they were about to enter the hotel, I decided to gather all of my strength and intervened by blocking their way.
Mother's eyes met mine and I could see how horrified she looked upon recognizing that it was me despite the hood covering a part of my face.
"You know this lad?" he asked and it surprised me the most when mother denied ever knowing me.
"N-no. I-I don't know that boy," she stuttered in her denial and I was bewildered enough to speak upon hearing those words coming from her.
Who is this man and why is mother with him? Most of all, why would she deny ever knowing me?
He then proceeded to look at me with a confused gaze while urging mother to stay behind him.
"I see ...Damn, it is surprising how young these street punks are getting," I saw him sighing as he started to reach for his pocket.
I was about to step back but I was relieved when it was just his wallet.
He then handed me a couple of bills and urged me to take them. "Go buy yourself something. Maybe some clothes and some food," he said but I didn't flinch at all and just glared at him for his ridiculous gesture of buying my respect.
"Oh, not enough?", he then took some more from his pocket and urged me to take the bills again but I just stood on the ground unable to respond. I guess it was both from the shock and anger filling me completely.
"Please, let's just….go inside," said mother as she tried to pull on his arm as though getting impatient to leave but I could tell she's trying to escape from the shame of seeing her own son witnessing her with another man.
The man placed the bills in my pocket then he proceeded to take mother inside the hotel but not before I saw her looking at me with pain in her eyes while muttering the words: 'I'm sorry….'
I stood there completely broken in front of the hotel as the snow finally drenched me from head to toe. My chest tightened, my body shivered uncontrollably and I could not tell anymore if it was from the cold or from the burning sensation inside me. I couldn't breathe. All I could think about is how painful my insides were from getting crushed by an invisible force.
As I got home, I went straight to my room while ignoring my brother's and our babysitter's constant probing why I went home so late and telling me how worried they were especially after seeing how drenched I am.
I couldn't understand what I'm feeling right now but all I could think about is how much I wanted to break down and cry myself to sleep and yet the tears no longer flowed, instead, it was replaced by insatiable anger that not even the depths of hell could contain.
Things have never been the same again afterwards.
-End of Flashback-
(Shadow's POV)
My whole body shook after hearing my father's story and I could have sworn that my heart was racing uncontrollably after feeling his devastation towards it.
"Are you saying that...she eventually sold her own dignity to wealthy men?"
Father rested a hand on his forehead and heaved a heavy sigh. I could still hint an ounce of denial on his part from the way he was hesitant to confirm my assumptions until he slowly nodded.
A deafening silence enveloped us. I was left speechless after learning all about it and it immensely bothered me why my grandmother had to resort in such ways.
"She made us believe that everything was okay...until things went downhill."
Father rolled on his side as though hiding his face from me.
"When social services found out, we were taken away from her. I never saw her again until her death bed…."
I winced upon hearing that. Frankly, I could not imagine myself being taken away from my mother at such a young age.
"I'm sorry to hear that," were all the words I could utter.
"Just thinking about those men having their filthy hands all over her makes me sick," he continued in a weary voice. "They violated her…and it made me feel violated, too."
Mixed emotions suffocate me from trying to say something but I didn't let those feelings hinder me. I was the one who wanted to know about this in the first place.
"How were you able to...live with that?" I tried to probe a bit further.
I saw him tightly closing his eyes as though trying to bear the pain of those memories.
"By harvesting a necessary need: Power...I vowed to myself that I will show those men their rightful places by making them broke and penniless to the extent that they will have to work for me to live...Then they will realize how it would feel like being taken advantage of when you're at your weakest.." father ended his sentence with a weak chuckle.
"And you succeeded…" my voice faded upon realizing what drove him to shatter those around him.
"Apparently I did," his conceited tone despite his groggy voice still showed and I could only roll my eyes in response.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that most of the companies that he stepped on must have been connected with those men that he spoke of. I could only stare in disbelief after hearing the real reason for his motivation in trying to be the best in everything. It is remarkable how vengeance could make you reach impossible limits until you are looking at the world on the top of the pedestal.
"But was it all worth it?" I decided to ask him another query to tap into his conscience.
Another moment of silence deafened my ears until he eventually broke it.
"No," he faintly answered. "My quest for power didn't bring my mother back….it just resurfaced those painful memories I tried so hard to forget…And life somehow had a way of letting me feel every ounce of its payback by taking Maria away and letting me live with the fact that….that…."
Father unexpectedly dozed off after pouring his heart out without even giving me the chance to hear what he wanted me to hear.
'Darn it…what a horrible timing to doze off...'
But he surely was a different man when alcohol took over him. Perhaps this is the side that he never wanted the world to see because he knew how people would take advantage of your weakness and use it against you.
I heaved a heavy sigh and gently took off his shoes as I pulled the duvet on him.
'I guess he won't be up until tomorrow...'
Then I took his phone from my pocket and was about to place it on the bedside table when all of a sudden, I got distracted upon realizing that the screen was not locked. I never tolerated eavesdropping but the message that showed before me was too intriguing for me to ignore.
It was sent from an unknown number but the message said:
'Good evening, sir. It's me, Saff. I would like to thank you again after what happened last night. I am looking forward to seeing you again tomorrow night at the Moonlight Diner.'
I could have sworn that I felt all of my blood rushing all over my face upon seeing that bat girl's name on my father's phone. My temper rose high uncontrollably like water in a kettle that just reached its boiling point.
I am still uneasy with the thought that my personal assistant is secretly being banged by my father in some hotel room or wherever they find appropriate but seeing her impatience only fueled my rage.
'So they even have the audacity to meet someplace to continue their sinful acts. How appalling...'
The audacity of that woman asking for more is downright revolting. As much as I wanted her out of my office, I must keep in mind to keep my adversaries closer to prevent myself getting trapped in their web of infidelity and lies.
But how can I get closer to someone I already find repulsive? This is more difficult than I thought.
A/N: Hello! Sorry for the long updates. Now that my city is in lockdown and could not go to work, I can now continue this story. I hope you all are doing well. This COVID-19 pandemic has been making life difficult for most of us but I would like you to know that we can get through this. Please take care of yourselves and always practice handwashing. ^U^
