A second chance at love

Chapter2

Annie woke up to the relentless blaring of her alarm clock, her head pounding as the light streamed through the curtains. Disoriented, she blinked, struggling to remember the previous night. The memories flooded back—tears streaming down her face as she watched her ex-husband, Frank, slip a gold ring onto Nimi's finger. It felt like a nightmare she couldn’t wake from.

Tears had fallen freely as she moved sheepishly out of the restaurant, feeling expressionless and lost in thought. Just a month had passed since her divorce, a union arranged by their parents to strengthen the families' ties. Frank had often reminded her of the threat his father imposed: if he didn’t marry her, he would forfeit his inheritance. The weight of that ultimatum had suffocated their love long before it truly began. Now, here was Frank, engaged to Nimi, who had been both his secretary and a friend to Annie during their marriage.

Annie fought back another wave of tears as she stumbled to her feet, noticing the empty bottles strewn across the table, remnants of her desperate attempt to drown her sorrows. Panic gripped her as she glanced at the clock—she was late for work.

With a burst of energy, she dashed to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face to combat the hangover. She quickly brushed her teeth and grabbed the first outfit she could find—business casual that would suffice. There was no time for breakfast; she threw her bag over her shoulder and rushed out the door, her heart racing.

The car sputtered to life, and she sped through the streets, her mind a chaotic whirlwind. She replayed the scene of Frank and Nimi over and over, unable to shake the betrayal. Tears threatened to spill again, but she forced herself to focus on driving, unwilling to let her emotions take control again.

Arriving at the office, she rushed through the entrance, her colleagues casting curious glances her way. She glanced at the clock again; she was nearly twenty minutes late. Heart pounding, she made her way to the conference room, trying to smooth her hair down and appear composed.

As she stepped into the conference room, the chatter subsided, all eyes turning to her. Mr. Joe, her boss, stood at the front, frustration evident on his face. “Annie, you’re late,” he said sharply. “This is unacceptable.”

Annie’s cheeks burned with embarrassment as she stood there, feeling the weight of everyone’s stares. “I’m really sorry, Mr. Joe. I promise it won’t happen again,” she stammered, her voice small.

“See me in my office after the meeting,” he replied curtly, returning to his presentation. Annie sank into an empty chair, trying to focus, but her mind was consumed with thoughts of Frank and Nimi.

After what felt like an eternity, the meeting finally ended. Annie hesitated before heading to Joe’s office, her stomach twisting in knots. She knocked and entered when called.

Joe was seated at his desk, arms crossed, his expression a mix of irritation and concern. “Annie, what’s going on? You’re better than this,” he said, his voice firm but not unkind.

Annie took a deep breath, tears welling up again as she prepared to open up. “I saw my ex-husband last night,” she started, her voice trembling. “He got engaged to his secretary, Nimi. It’s only been a month since our divorce, and it just... it broke me.”

Joe's expression softened, and he gestured for her to sit down. “I’m really sorry to hear that,” he said. “I had no idea you were going through this. You need to take care of yourself.”

Annie nodded, wiping away a tear. “I thought I could handle it, but it hit me harder than I expected. I didn’t mean to let it affect my work.”

“Look, I understand that you’re dealing with a lot, but we need you to be focused here. I can’t have you showing up late and distracted,” Tom said, his tone serious.

“Yes, I understand,” Annie replied, feeling a mixture of relief and shame.

Joe continued, his demeanor shifting slightly. “If you need to talk or need some time off, please let me know. We value you here, and I want to help you through this.”

Annie felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment as she listened to her boss's stern words. She had overslept again, the lingering heartache from Frank's engagement to Nimi disrupting her sleep. Mr. Harris, her boss, was usually kind but punctuality was something he did not compromise on.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Joe Harris. It won't happen again," Annie said, her voice trembling slightly.

Mr. Harris sighed, his expression softening a bit. "I know you've been going through a lot, Annie. Just try to be on time, alright?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you," she replied, grateful for his understanding.

The rest of the day went smoothly. Annie focused on her tasks, burying herself in work to keep her mind off her personal life. By the end of the day, she felt a bit more like herself, the steady rhythm of her job bringing a sense of normalcy.

As the office began to empty out, Mr. Harris approached her desk. His usual authoritative demeanor seemed to soften as he spoke. "Annie, can I have a word with you?"

"Of course, Mr. Harris," she replied, following him into his office.

He closed the door behind them and gestured for her to sit. "Annie, I wanted to apologize if I was too harsh this morning. I understand you're dealing with a lot, and I should have been more considerate."

Annie was taken aback by his sincerity. "It's alright, Mr. Harris. I needed a wake-up call."

He smiled gently. "Call me Joe, please. Outside of work hours, we can drop the formalities."

"Okay, Joe," Annie said, returning his smile.

They spent a few moments talking about work, but the conversation soon shifted to more personal topics. Joe shared a bit about his own life, his recent divorce, and how he coped with the changes. Annie found herself opening up about her struggles with Frank and the betrayal by Nimi.

"I can't believe how much has changed in such a short time," she admitted.

Joe nodded sympathetically. "It's tough, but you're stronger than you realize, Annie. Just take it one day at a time."

As they wrapped up their conversation, Annie felt a sense of calm wash over her. Joe's kindness and understanding had touched her deeply, offering a glimpse of hope and comfort.