Chapter 04
872 Words
Elena’s POV
"Explain this to me, Elena. Did a freshman intern draw this?" Meredith's voice sliced through the whole office for what felt like the hundredth time that week. She jabbed a manicured finger practically into my skull, like maybe enough pressure would rearrange whatever was broken inside my head. "This client is a grown man, not a toddler! Are you actually incapable of following a brief, or do you just enjoy embarrassing me?"
My throat tightened around words I was too proud to let out. Breathe, Elena. Keep your eyes down before you say something you can't take back.
"I followed exactly what you told me, Ms. Meredith. You said he wanted something playful and relaxed, so I"
"Playful?! This looks like a kindergarten mural! I'd rather resign than hand this to a client!" She snapped her fingers in my face. "Fix it, or I'm withholding your pay for this project entirely."
Something inside me finally snapped after two nights without sleep chasing her impossible deadline. I knocked her hand away and met her glare head-on. "You don't get to threaten my paycheck, Ms. Meredith. I worked myself sick trying to interpret instructions that made no sense to begin with, and now you're punishing me for it?"
The whole floor had gone quiet, heads turning to watch the show unfold.
She let out this sharp, mocking laugh. "Excuse me? You're raising your voice at me? I run this department!"
"You run it badly, then. You've never once owned this company, and you don't get to decide whether I earned my salary. I put everything into this."
"Elena, please, just breathe" Chloe grabbed my wrist, trying to steer me toward the exit before things escalated further, but I was already past the point of caring.
I was done swallowing this woman's cruelty like it was part of the job description.
"No, Chloe, she needs to hear this. She thinks talent excuses treating people like garbage!"
"Did you just call me garbage?" Meredith's nostrils flared as she stormed closer. "Apologize this instant or you're fired."
"Save yourself the effort, Meredith I quit. You've underpaid me for months anyway." I grabbed my bag and laptop and walked straight out, not waiting for her response.
"Elena, wait up!" Chloe chased after me into the hallway.
"Don't even try talking me into apologizing. I meant every word." I kept walking, my thoughts spiraling too fast to slow down.
"Relax, I'm not defending her! That woman's clearly bitter about something, probably still single at forty and taking it out on the rest of us." That actually got a small laugh out of me despite everything. "Come on, let's hit a bar. Shift's basically over anyway."
"Not tonight, Chloe. I just want to go home and crash." I exhaled, exhausted down to my bones.
"It's been forever since you've let loose with me! You've been buried in work for weeks. Just this once, please?"
Neon light spilled everywhere red bleeding into blue, blue bleeding into green while bass thumped hard enough to rattle my ribs and the whole room reeked of spilled liquor. Everyone at The Booze moved like they'd forgotten the outside world existed, shot glasses raised high, voices cracking into half-drunk screams.
"Isn't this exactly what you needed?!" Chloe dragged me toward an oversized sofa near the back. It was barely nine, and half my old coworkers were already scattered around the room, several of them cheering when they spotted me, clearly having heard about my exit interview with Meredith.
"I'll grab us drinks at the counter," I told Chloe before slipping away from the group.
I made a beeline for the bar, no hesitation left in me.
Time to actually forget tonight ever happened.
"Vodka, the whole bottle," I told the bartender. The second it landed in front of me, I claimed a stool and started pouring.
I wasn't the type to drink like this, but tonight demanded it every ounce of frustration in my chest needed somewhere to go.
"You might want to slow down. That stuff hits harder than you think." A deep, unfamiliar voice reached me from the stool beside mine. I turned, vision already softening at the edges, and found myself staring at a face that seemed almost unfair to look at, dark brunette hair, eyes the color of deep ocean water, a sharp nose, a mouth built for trouble. Drunk or not, I knew gorgeous when it sat down next to me. "You're drunk," he added, matter-of-fact.
I just laughed, shaking my head slow and deliberate. "Have you been staring at me this whole time?" He gave a small nod. "Relax, mister, I can handle myself." I reached for another shot, but his hand caught mine before the glass could reach my lips. His jaw tightened, brows knitting together, and somehow the irritation on his face only made him more attractive. "Aw, look at you, all worried about little old me." I leaned in closer, fingertip trailing along his jaw, my eyes dragging slowly from his chest up to meet his. I watched his throat move when he swallowed.
God, this man was unfairly hot.
"So, stranger," I murmured, "how about you and me get out of here tonight?”
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