Breaking Point
1106 Words
Night didn’t just fall gently; It slammed into the city, swallowing the last traces of daylight and leaving the office covered in artificial brightness that only made everything feel colder.
The glass walls reflected my image back to me, my rumpled blouse and tired eyes.
I was still searching, again.
I retraced my steps like a ritual, from desk to drawer to cabinet to shelf to table and even the trash bin that had already been emptied twice.
My fingers shook as I opened the last drawer again but it was empty.
A sharp breath tore out of my chest, my vision blurred for a second, and I had to grip the desk to steady myself.
“No… no, no,” I whispered.
Behind me, I heard Aria sigh softly, she had stopped panicking hours ago, and now she is worried about me.
“Ma’am,” she said gently, dropping the formal tone. “We’ve checked everywhere.”
I spun to face her. “Then we haven’t checked properly.”
Her lips parted, then closed again. She chose her words carefully. “It’s almost night, you have been standing since afternoon and Leo is still with the nanny.”
The mention of my son felt like a knife twisting slowly in my chest.
Leo.
I imagined him waiting, looking at the door and asking why mummy was late again.
The guilt crept in, so deep. I remember I promised him that I wouldn't be late today
“I can’t go home without it,” I said hoarsely. “You don’t understand what this means.”
Aria stepped closer. “I do ma'am but staying here won’t change anything if it’s not in this office.”
I shook my head violently. “It has to be here, I wouldn’t be careless… not with something like this.”
But even as I said it, doubt whispered in my ear.
What if you were tired?
What if you were distracted?
What if you made a mistake?
The thought made my stomach churn.
Aria placed a hand on my arm.
“Please ma, go home, rest a little and search for it. If the document isn’t there, we’ll come back early tomorrow.”
Rest? The word sounded foreign.
“I left Leo in his nanny’s care,” I murmured. “I told myself it was just for a few days just until the project ends and now this.”
“Miss Ava,” Aria said softly, “you’re not thinking straight anymore.”
That hurt because it was true.
I swallowed hard and nodded. “Okay. I’ll check at home.”
I grabbed my bag and stood up sluggishly.
As I headed toward the door, my heart felt like it was beating too fast for my body to keep up.
Then the door opened. I froze.
Ethan walked in like a storm I hadn’t prepared for and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.
He looked different, his tie loosened, sleeves rolled up and his hair was slightly disheveled as if he’d come straight from work himself. His eyes landed on me and something unreadable flickered across his face.
“What are you doing here?” I snapped.
Aria stiffened immediately, sensing the shift in the air.
“I came to see you,” Ethan said calmly.
“Well, you should not have,” I shot back. “This is my office.”
“I waited downstairs,” he replied. “They said you were still working.”
“That doesn’t give you permission to walk in here.”
Aria cleared her throat awkwardly. “Ma’am… I’ll step outside.”
I didn’t stop her. The door closed, leaving Ethan and I alone with all the things we never finished saying.
I tightened my grip on my bag. “You need to leave.”
He studied my face, his gaze lingering longer than I liked. “You look like you haven’t slept for days.”
“That is not your problem.”
“You are fidgeting, Ava.”
I laughed bitterly. “Congratulations. You still know how to observe.”.
He took a step closer. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s a lie.”
I felt something snap inside me. “I said get out, Ethan.”
He didn’t move. “You’re in trouble.”
A very hot and sharp anger flared inside of me.
“You don’t get to come here and act like you care.”
“I do care.”
“Well, stop,” I said harshly. “Stop pretending, I don’t need you rescuing me.”
“I’m not trying to rescue you.”
“Yes, you are,” I snapped. “You always do this! You show up when things are falling apart, when I’m vulnerable and you think that gives you a place in my life again.”
His jaw tightened. “That is not fair.”
“Neither is my life right now!” My voice cracked and I hate myself for it.
“What is it with you?*
“Nothing, I am fine.”
“No, you are not, you look so terrified,” he said softly. “I can see it.”
Tears burned my eyes. “Please leave.”
“I can't, not in this state.”
“Ethan for the last time, leave!!”
He took a step back, like he finally understood he was crossing a line.
“I didn’t come to hurt you.”
“Well, you are,” I whispered. “Because I don’t have space for you right now. I barely have space to breathe.”
For a long moment, he didn’t move, then he nodded.
“Alright,” he said quietly. “But if you need help, real help, don’t shut me out.”
“I won’t need help,” I lied.
He left without another word.
The door clicked shut and the silence that followed felt heavier than any argument.
My legs gave way and I sank into the chair, pressing my hands to my face as a sob finally escaped.
I was scared. I have never been in such a situation, of being seen as incompetent because of a project, I am always conscious of everything I do about my job to avoid any query and now everything is just unraveling at once.
I stood abruptly, wiping my face. I checked the time, it was too late.
I grabbed my bag and headed out. Tomorrow was coming whether I was ready or not and whatever awaited me, I would face it, even if my hands were still shaking
- Writer
