10
1372 Words
“Watch where you’re going next time.”
Tessa’s voice was sharp enough to cut through the entire hallway.
Elena stared at her in disbelief.
Coffee dripped slowly from both their clothes onto the polished marble floor while two nearby employees awkwardly pretended not to stare.
For a moment, Elena genuinely thought Tessa would apologize.
Instead, Tessa folded her arms tightly across her stained blouse and sighed dramatically.
“You ruined my outfit.”
Elena almost laughed.
“You walked into me.”
Tessa rolled her eyes. “Please. You were obviously distracted.”
The nerve.
The absolute nerve.
Elena tightened her grip on the empty tray before she threw it at her.
“You slept with my boyfriend,” she yelled furiously. “And somehow you still act like I’m the problem.”
Something cold flickered across Tessa’s face.
Then slowly, the guilt disappeared completely.
“Well,” she said quietly, “maybe if you paid more attention to him, he wouldn’t have needed me.”
The words hit like a slap.
Elena froze.
“What did you just say?”
Tessa shrugged carelessly, but there was bitterness hidden in her eyes now.
“You heard me.”
“You know what?” Tessa continued before Elena could respond. “Ryan was lonely, Elena.”
Elena stared at her like she didn’t recognize her anymore.
Lonely?
Ryan?
While she worked overtime and practically lived at the hospital trying to save her brother?
“He came to me,” Tessa said softly now. “Not the other way around.”
Elena felt physically sick.
“You were supposed to be my friend.” Elena said, heartbroken.
“I was.” She replied.
Tessa stepped closer slightly, lowering her voice.
“You were never around anymore. Every time he needed you, you were busy with work or crying about hospital bills or exhausted.” Her lips curved bitterly. “Meanwhile, I was there.”
Every word felt deliberate.
Cruel.
Calculated.
Elena’s chest tightened painfully.
“I listened to him,” Tessa continued. “I stayed up talking to him when you ignored him and he needed someone. I made him feel wanted.”
“Stop talking.” Elena said angrily.
“But it’s true.” Tessa continued.
“I said stop talking.”
Tessa’s eyes hardened suddenly.
“You want the truth? Ryan was tired of always coming second.”
The hallway went silent.
Elena felt something crack violently inside her chest.
Not heartbreak this time.
Rage.
Pure rage.
“You were my best friend,” she whispered shakily.
Tessa’s expression flickered for the briefest second.
But then she lifted her chin stubbornly.
“And I got tired of watching you waste people who loved you.”
Elena laughed softly.
Not because anything was funny.
Because she genuinely couldn’t believe this conversation was real.
“You know what’s terrifying?” she said quietly.
Tessa frowned slightly.
“I used to tell people you were the closest thing I had to a sister.”
That finally made guilt flash across Tessa’s face.
But it disappeared quickly.
Elena shook her head slowly.
“I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
Then before Tessa could respond—
Elena turned and walked away.
Because if she stayed another second, she might completely lose control.
—
Inside the restroom, Elena gripped the edge of the sink tightly while trying to breathe.
Her reflection looked awful.
Coffee stains covered the front of her blouse, her eyes looked exhausted, and her chest still hurt from everything Tessa said.
Ryan was lonely.
The words replayed painfully in her head.
Not because she believed them.
But because some small, broken part of her wondered if she had failed somehow.
Immediately, she hated herself for even thinking that.
“No,” she whispered shakily to her reflection.
Ryan cheated because Ryan wanted to cheat.
Tessa betrayed her because Tessa chose to betray her.
None of that was her fault.
Still…
It hurt.
God, it hurt.
Elena quickly cleaned herself as best as she could and borrowed a blazer from one of the female staff members to cover the stains.
Then she made another coffee.
Black.
No sugar.
Exactly the way Alexander requested.
As she rode the elevator back to the executive floor, anxiety slowly replaced her anger.
Because now she had to face him again.
And she remembered that impossible proposal.
Marry me.
The elevator doors opened softly.
Elena stepped out slowly and walked toward his office.
Her heartbeat quickened the closer she got.
Then finally—
She knocked.
“Come in.”
His calm voice immediately tightened her nerves.
Elena entered carefully.
Alexander sat behind his desk again, sleeves rolled slightly upward while documents lay spread across the table. He looked composed as always.
Untouchable.
His eyes lifted toward her instantly.
Then narrowed slightly.
“What happened to your clothes?”
Elena looked down automatically.
Even with the blazer covering most of it, faint coffee stains were still visible.
“I bumped into someone,” she said quietly.
Alexander’s gaze lingered on her for a moment too long.
Like he knew there was more to the story.
But he didn’t press immediately.
Elena walked forward and placed the coffee carefully on his desk.
“Your coffee.”
Alexander barely looked at it.
Instead, his attention remained completely fixed on her.
“You’ve had a difficult few days.”
The statement caught her off guard.
Something about hearing him acknowledge it almost weakened her emotionally.
But Elena quickly straightened.
“You wanted to see me?” She asked, shifting the atmosphere in the office.
Alexander leaned back slightly in his chair.
“Yes.”
Silence stretched briefly between them.
Then he gestured toward the chair in front of his desk.
“Sit.”
Elena hesitated for a second before slowly sitting down.
Her hands rested nervously in her lap.
Alexander studied her quietly.
The silence around him always felt heavier than normal silence.
Finally, he spoke.
“The reason I asked you here is so we can discuss the marriage contract.”
Her stomach tightened instantly.
She knew it. What else could Alexander possibly call her for?
It was definitely about the absurd contract.
Everything about Alexander suddenly felt colder again.
Elena swallowed hard.
“You were serious.” She asked.
“I don’t joke about business.”
Business.
Of course he saw marriage as business.
She looked down briefly before forcing herself to ask the question that had been haunting her since the proposal.
“But why me?”
Alexander’s expression didn’t change.
“I am required to be married within three months,” he said calmly. “And I have chosen you.”
Elena frowned immediately.
“You have said that. But why did you chose me?”
For the first time, something unreadable flickered across his face.
“The board wants stability after my cousin Liam’s scandal. And my grandfather wants me to ensure that is guaranteed by getting married. I don’t want to commit to an actual marriage. That’s where you come in.”
Elena blinked slowly.
“So this is about your company image and public appearance?”
“Exactly.” Alexander replied.
“If that’s the case, then it’ll be better to go for a more beautiful, sophisticated lady, right? That way, the public appearance will make sense.”
Alexander looked at her for a long stretch of time before speaking.
“Yes. But they will demand commitment from me. That’s what I don’t want. Emotional entanglement. You, on the other hand, will be playing a role that will be of benefit to you and your brother. So, I’m certain you understand that there will be no feelings or emotions in the arrangement.” The honesty in his answer startled her.
There was no pretending.
Just the truth.
He reached for a drawer in his desk and opened it, bringing out a Manila envelope.
He slid it across the table towards Elena.
“What is this?” She asked.
“Open it to find out.” Alexander answered calmly.
Curiosity gets the better of her as she takes the Manila envelope. She opens it and when she sees what was written inside, her jaw dropped.
- Writer
