Mrs. Moore

Office Gossip

“Degrading? Do you know what you’re talking about, Xander Moore?” Natalie thought this man was laughable, unbelievable, even.

“I know you can’t accept me being with Wendy for now, but you’re still young. You will find someone who will love you. And even though I am your brother-in-law now, Natalie... I will never hurt you.” Xander said.

He paused when he called himself her brother-in-law. A moment later, he looked at her hesitantly, and he noticed that she had gotten prettier since her return.

“Well, thanks for your concern then.” She sneered before adding “But please don’t show up in front of me ever again.”

Even though she couldn’t let go of her love for him for now, the woman would not allow herself to be weak in front of him.

“Why must you do this, Natalie? Please can’t you just let all this go? Let me go? It’s over between us, I love Wendy a lot.”

“Alright, alright, I get it. You reallllllyy love Wendy. What do you want me to do then? And since you don’t like me finding trouble with you, let me be very clear if I haven’t been so far, I don’t like you prancing around like a carousel either.” She jeered in return

“See the problem here is that I took a step back, but you didn’t. I’m a sensible person. I understand that life is made up of little concessions and compromises but that doesn’t mean I’ll let you both walk all over me.” Natalie couldn’t understand what he was thinking.

'What makes him think I can get along with them as if nothing happened after they hurt me so deeply? Do they think I’m Mother Mary or something?'

“Do you know about how much Wendy has to suffer at home just because of your stubbornness? Wendy and I love each other, but your grandfather won’t bless us! This is all because of you, Natalie! Don’t you feel the least bit guilty towards her?”

“Guilty? Hah! We aren’t in some court Xander, so drop the judge-act. You aren’t fit for it.. you clown. Also tell me again why should I feel guilty when both of you are in the wrong? Now please leave my line of sight immediately.” Natalie roared.

“Natalie!” Xander looked at her incredulously. He couldn’t imagine the docile woman who agreed to everything he said all these years and thought about him all the time would turn out this way.

“You.. You disappoint me! And to think I promised Wendy that you wouldn’t hurt us because you’re her sister. I was wrong about you, so wrong.”

“Damn right you are, Xander Moore. Did you leave your brain at home today? What woman would forgive a man who cheated on her as well as the wh0re who took him away?.. How dare you ask me to be nice to you two? I am not a saint, and I am not someone whom you can bully easily, you prick! And get this right. I’m the one who was wrong about you. I must have been blind to fall for an asshole like you back then, so f*ck off. Now!”

Natalie thought she would go crazy if she kept up with this conversation with him.

Xander was shocked to hear her cuss at him and Wendy so openly. He could feel his blood boiling and when he thought back to how this conversation got to this point he yelled back “Why must you do this, Natalie? Is it because of that man? Who was he? The man who sent you back? What did he say to you to make you so unreasonable?”

Natalie kept mum and refused to answer him.

Xander grabbed hold of Nataie and shook her, “It’s only been a day.”

He couldn’t accept Natalie treating him this way, so he thought the man in the black car had brainwashed her into acting this way. “You weren’t this kind of woman back then.”, he added with astonishment clear in his eyes.

“So what kind of woman was I.. Huh? The kind who listens to you, calls you ‘master’? The kind that meows at your every beck and call, all day like a cat? The kind who follows you around like a Golden Retriever in obedience class?” She asked, jerking his hands away from herself. The mere thought of his touch was revolting to her.

“Even you yourself said that our relationship needed some trials and tribulations to strengthen it. You were the one who convinced me that the company needed better skilled management, so YOU sent me overseas. You didn’t even let me call you often while I was away..” Natalie suddenly came to a realization hearing herself

“Have you been scheming all this since then, Mr. Moore? Hmmm? Was sending me overseas some sort of plan for you to get together with Wendy in my absence? Was this all along what you wanted?”

Like being shocked with electric current, Xander quickly got defensive and yelled “Are you aware of what you’re saying? How could you think of Wendy and I this way? It’s not because we…”

“Enough! I don’t want to hear anything else from you. Do you even know how I spent the last month and a half working my ass off just so I can come back in time to be with you? But now your presence itself bothers me, Xander. Just get out of here right now. I don’t want my last impression of you to be completely ruined,” Natalie said as she pushed Xander away and glared at him.

“Don’t bother me anymore.” Saying that, Natalie took out her keys and walked swiftly towards her apartment. She opened the door and ran in. She felt like being around Xander for even a second longer would drive her crazy.

Xander continued to gaze at Natalie’s back, he couldn’t understand why she was making such a big deal out of it all. He couldn’t comprehend why she was acting so unlike herself. Even if they couldn’t be lovers, surely their admiration for each other still remained.

He felt that as long as Natalie had even an ounce of feelings for him, she would understand how he felt and grant his and Wendy’s wish to return home, especially since Wendy had once saved her life.

He had previously assumed that after she had calmed down, he could compensate her in some way. Then their relationship would stay untroublesome. Natalie would still be the caring, magnanimous and understanding woman she always was.

But now, everything has changed. It must have been because of that man in the car, otherwise there was definitely no way Natalie would treat him like this.

On the other hand Natalie merely felt drained. The talk she just had with Xander Moore made her question her sanity.

This was the man whom she fell in love with, he was the man she came running to.

……

After remaining inside her home throughout the weekend, Natalie picked herself up and headed to work.

She believed, no matter what happened in one’s life, it had to go on.. Hence she certainly couldn’t neglect her work.

But clearly, Natalie had overestimated herself and underestimated everyone else’s abilities.

The moment Natalie entered the lobby of the office, many people began pointing fingers at her and whispering. “That’s her! How shameless can she be to steal her own sister’s fiancé?”

“Yeah! I heard her sister even once saved her life.”

“Oh god! How could someone be so treacherous?”

“Are you even surprised? Her character was never that good to begin with, I’m guessing you guys don’t know about this, since you are new but her very first few months here she landed such a high position being a fresh graduate and do you know how many women have been fired during this time?”

“…”

In an instant, Natalie’s sharp glare landed on those few women. Due to either Natalie’s overly intimidating aura or her position in the company, those women quickly lowered their heads and scrammed.

But they still muttered before running off, “How can someone be so proud of being a homewrecker? We can’t even speak the truth now?”

Natalie had to take several deep breaths to calm down. Her heart felt extremely bitter as she looked at those women walking away. She knew from the start that she’d face something like this when she came to work, but knowing it and experiencing it were two very different things.

Natalie shook her head and turned to leave.

“Ms. Smith,” the receptionist, called out to Natalie. She glanced at Natalie rather awkwardly and said, “Almost everyone in the company is talking about this, you’ll have to be prepared Ms. Smith!”

“Thanks for the reminder.” She still had to get through this mess on her own no matter what.

Natalie suddenly asked the receptionist, “Do you trust me?”

“Ms. Smith, I don’t believe you’re that kind of person. Besides…” She had also seen Natalie and Xander together. The two were definitely lovers back then.

“Thank you! Alright, I’ll be heading up now. Carry on with your work..” Natalie was grateful towards anyone who believed her.