A Taste Of His Control

Chapter Three

Lillian barged into my office, breaking the suffocating silence. "The document you asked for is ready," she announced, her voice high.

She paused mid-step, her eyes locking onto my face. The paperwork in her hand lowered as her gaze instantly softened. "What happened?" she asked quietly.

I didn't need a mirror to know my eyes were puffy and red. It was obvious I had been crying. I took a deep breath, trying to get rid of the tight knot in my throat. "I... I broke up with Josh."

Lillian went entirely still. For a split second, I could see a triumphant smile fighting to creep onto her lips, but she fiercely bit it back, rearranging her face into an expression of sympathy. "I'm so hap...sorry to hear that!"

She hurried to my side, pulling me into a tight, warm embrace. I wasn't going to lie to myself;

I desperately needed that hug.

"Why so suddenly?" she asked gently, pulling back just enough to look at me with genuine curiosity.

"He told me to meet him just so he could curse at me," I said, the sadness in my chest suddenly turning into a hot pool of anger. "He called me a bad omen, Lillian. He said that I brought him rotten luck, and he even had the nerve to accuse my father of destroying his career. Can you believe that?"

"What an absolute jerk!" Lillian hissed, her eyes flashing. "How dare he try to blame you for his own failures in life?"

"He reduced the years we shared as friends, and our entire one-year relationship to nothing"

"Honestly, I don't know why you put up with him in the first place," Lillian said, shaking her head. "He always sounded so jealous of you, and he was way too sharp-tongued. He always acted like the entire world revolved around his big head."

A small chuckle escaped my lips at her small rant. "He wasn't always like that.'

"No need to defend him anymore, Annie. You broke up with him, remember?"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry," I said, laughing softly.

Staring past her shoulder, my eyes darted toward the massive arrangement of peonies resting on the corner of my desk. A strange, quiet calm washed over me. I realized then that the tears I had cried at the café weren't

entirely from heartbreak; they were from the sheer exhaustion of trying to hold together a ghost.

The truth was, I had stopped believing in Josh months ago. I had spent countless sleepless nights overthinking his distant texts, his subtle insults, and the way he made me feel like I wasn't good enough.

Deep down, I had accepted the end of our relationship a long time ago. I just wasn't ready to admit it. I needed Josh to look me in the eye and show me his worst self for me to finally wake up. His cruelty today was just the final push I needed to realize I was already free.

"So..." Lillian's voice broke through my thoughts, dragging me back to the present.

"How are we going to celebrate?"

I knitted my brows together in confusion.

"Celebrate what?"

"Your freedom, of course!" she squealed, clapping her hands together. "You are officially back on the market, girl!"

"TIl pass," I sighed, leaning back in my chair.

"Come on, don't be a total bummer. It's going to be so much fun," she practically sang, leaning over my desk with a pleading look.

I rolled my eyes. "Sure it will."

One truth about Lillian was that her definition of fun never, under any circumstances, aligned with mine.

"Please?" She pouted, dropping her hands to her knees as if she were about to get on the floor and beg.

I let out a long sigh, seeing right through her dramatic display. "Be completely honest with me. This isn't really about comforting me, is it? You just need a wingwoman to follow you somewhere."

Lillian's eyes practically popped out of her head. "Don't say it like that! It makes me sound so incredibly selfish."

"I knew it, I said, giving her my full, deadpan attention. "Spill it. What's actually going on?"

A deep blush flooded her cheeks. "The guy I told you about. Ethan."

"Ethan? The one from your gym?"

"Yes, she confirmed, her voice dropping to an excited whisper. "He invited me to go clubbing with him tonight."

"Clubbing? Hell no." I shook my head immediately. "My dad will literally kill me if he finds out. Plus, dancing in a crowded, sweaty room full of strangers sounds like a very boring activity!"

Lillian crossed her arms, entirely unimpressed. "Says the girl who voluntarily dedicated three whole days to a hiking trip in the wilderness!'

"That was different. That was fun."

"Whatever floats your boat, Annie. But I'm begging you!"

"I'm not going"

"Fine," Lillian huffed, tossing her head back dramatically. "If you don't come with me, then I will turn in my resignation letter tomorrow, and you'll have to find another assistant who puts up with your attitude!"

I gestured toward the door smoothly. "Alright.

You can turn in your resignation letter by five!"

"What? You aren't even going to beg me to stay? What kind of heartless boss are you?"

"The kind that doesn't care about cheap blackmail."

"Fine! You won't come? Then I'll just go all by myself." She stomped her foot against the carpet and turned on her heel, marching toward the door.

I waited in silence, counting the seconds until her hand finally gripped the doorknob.

"What time should I get ready?" I asked

Lillian turned around slowly, a massive smirk spreading across her face. "Ten o'clock will be perfect."

"Alright, get out of my office." I told her.

I hadn't relented because I suddenly wanted to party. I did it because a cold knot of worry was forming in my stomach. Lillian had absolutely no concept of how to behave in public once she started drinking, and I didn't trust this mystery man, Ethan, enough to leave her unescorted. I had only ever heard of him in her endless rants, so I had no idea what his intentions were.

I just hoped I wouldn't die of boredom before midnight.