Wilted Roses

Chapter # 5

Raizel

“Make sure to keep an eye on this new, If she does anything fire both her and Janessa immediately.” I ordered, drinking my coke, ordering Herd, tired of different girls always doing this and I am bearing with all this beacasue of Mother, she is the one who makes Janessa do all this stupid stuff but one more distraction and they both are out.

I am so fed up by her constant nagging. This is the last ounce of my patience.

"Yes Sir. We will keep an eye out. " He nodded. I hummed and was about to leave for my cabin, trying to avoid any further interactions but contemplating my surroundings and caught Faye staring at me with an inscrutable expression I couldn’t fathom.

"What's her deal?" I asked myself, taking a sip of my drink as she broke the gaze and turned to James.

Shrugging my shoulders, disregarding her tensive look as nothing, I left for my cabin.

Time passed in the blink of an eye and it’s been a month since Faye was working for me and I can’t believe that Janessa finally did a good job, I finally have a PA and not a source of disturbance who would try to seduce me.

“Here’s your coffee, Sir.” Faye said, placing the cup on the table. “Thanks. And yeah, Faye, Give this to Wan.” I said, not looking up from my file. “Sure.” She smiled faintly, taking the file and leaving. Finally, I could focus on work. Faye is a hardworking girl, dedicated to her work but sometimes I don’t understand. I find her staring at me and not with a strange or tempting emotion but an explicitly grievous one burning in a fiery fire. I don’t know why.

“Leave it, at least she is not being a nuisance.” I muttered, going back to my work.

But soon enough, due to exhaustion and a neck pain, I decided to stop for a moment and take a survey around my empire and I started off from her cabin. Glancing, I saw her working on a file, humming to herself, handsfree plugged in, working.

Usually I don't prefer this but as long as she is not making a mistake, it's fine. For this moment she looks so carefree… She noticed me looking at her and got up immediately, taking out the handsfree, almost nervous at my abrupt presence.

"Ah, Sir. Do you need something? You can call me why you bothered coming?" She said politely, curling her lips upward. So shiny eyes. I thought and cleared my throat, putting my hands in my pockets, I looked away, "No. Uh... I am taking a survey, you continue." I said, looking away and left, continuing to walk around.

I returned back and noticed her staring at her hands. There is surely something buried in her chest but it was clear she wouldn't take it out and it’s none of my business. Her gloom has no connection with me, it’s not my concern. I thought and sighing, I went back to my cabin and continued to work till late.

Since the place I call home, Is an empty shell with no equanimity or sleep, I prefer staying here rather than going back to a nightmare.

I finished my work around midnight and grabbed my stuff to leave and go back to my hautnings to be afraid all night, to spend another night in extreme distress… once again.

As I was leaving, I passed through the bus station and saw Faye sitting there, staring into the devoid. Stopping my car nearby, I called her, "Faye!"

"Sir?” She was taken aback to see me there.” “You're leaving that late?" She asked, coming closer, surprised to see me here. "Yeah... What about you? What are you doing here out late?" I asked. "I missed my bus. There's still time for the next one." She replied, tugging her hairs behind her ears.

"I can drop you home... if you want." I offered. "Um... I certainly don't want to wait another hour." She mumbled, holding her chin and smiled, "Sure." She said and sat, telling me her address as we drove off.

Leaning back, we didn't exchange any words while she kept looking out of the window. I am not the type of a person who talks first but I was intrigued by the ocean of mysteries and oddly familiar gloom in her eyes and ended up calling her,

"Faye.." I called her with my eyes affixed on the road. "Yes, Sir?" She asked softly, not looking back at me.

"Have we met before?" I asked casually but she was taken aback, flabbergasted and frightened but that look didn't last for a second and she sighed, "No. How can a commoner like me ever meet you?" She asked, curling her lips upward.

"Who knows... at one point, we might have." I shrugged, it was an unknowing serenity residing in her eyes I cannot grasp and this fear. What was it?

"I don't think so." She mumbled, lowering her gaze to her hands.

"I see." I hummed and continued the drive but after a prolonged comfortable silence, I spoke up again. "By the way, I am glad Janessa finally found a perfect person." I don't know why I initiated a conversation again but now I did. "I say, what defines a perfect person?" She asked, finally lifting her head to me.

"To some hard work, to others appearance." She shrugged, blinking her empty eyes. "To me it's hard work. Glad to have someone who actually works and now gawks." Although I have seen you staring at me countless times but it's like none. I said, tapping my finger on her steering wheel, taking a turn.

"I am here to work. Besides, I know where I belong. What will I gain by doing this?" She responded nonchalantly, not putting much cognition into my words, “Yeah… I don’t like distractions at work either.” I replied, nearing her place.

“Besides, Janessa told me what happened to the previous ones, I certainly don’t want to lose my job.” She smiled coldly as I stopped outside her apartment. "Glad to hear." I hummed, curling my lips upward but not in a smile.

"Thanks for the lift, Sir." She said sweetly and was about to leave but I called her, "Faye." Her trance halted, glancing at me, "Yes, Sir?"

Lifting my dire orbs, I began to say, "Just a reminder." Taking a pause, I finished my sentence in a serious resonance before leaving her, "I notice everything." And with this, I left her and went to my place to spend another night in the shades of nothingness and aghast.

Laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling, taking my sleeping pills, I closed my eyes to fall into the darkness and prevent the horrors chasing me whenever I am alone.

The next day, I was at work and Faye came, “Thank you for last night, Sir.” She smiled, putting my coffee down. “No problem, I would have done the same for anyone.” I hummed, using my laptop, working on a special project.

“But since you did it for me, I made this to express my gratitude.” She smiled offering me a lunchbox. Ripping my eyes from the screen, I turned to her, arching a brow, “For me?” I asked in disbelief. “Yes. Since you have to eat breakfast in the morning, I made some pancakes for you." A cute smile adorned her features as I stared at her in disbelief, unsure how to react as I don't remember when was the last time someone gave me something. "Um.. thanks, I guess." I mumbled, tilting my head.

"Can I taste it?" I asked, opening the box, it smells great. I only indulge in food whenever Mother makes it for me. "Of course, I made it for you." She chuckled nervously, shaking her head. Shrugging, I took a bite, it was savory, better than the bland food I eat here.

"It's great." I hummed. "Glad to hear." She smiled. "Thanks for the food." I gave her a faint smile and nodded a little. She was about to leave but I spoke up, “I love honey with pancakes, you know.” I said, taking another bite, eyes once again chained to my screen and saying what never crossed my mind before,

“But, aren’t you allergic to it?” I asked casually, taking another bite but my sentence stilled both of us. “How… do you know?” She asked, trailing off in disbelief. Eyes widened and I don’t know how I can say something I have no idea about.

“Y-You are?” I asked, stuttering, unaware how it escaped my lips. “I am… but no one knows.” She whispered, taking a step back, putting the clipboard near her chest. "I... had no idea." I whispered, my whole being was stopped, trying to apprehend what happened. "But you just said-"

"I was referring to someone." I said coldly, trying to conceal the awkward, "Oh..."

"It wasn't you. You may leave now." I said strictly, going back to work. "Yes, Sir." She nodded and left. After she left, I cursed under my breath, "What the hell did I just do?" I asked, pulling my hair in frustration. "What if she begins to think I am a stalker or something? What if she told everyone I said what no one knows?" I asked myself in utter distress and as much of an overthinking and sensitive person I am. I cursed myself yet I cannot understand amid this stress that how can I know about something I was never told?

What the hell just happened?