My Ex-Boss Wants Me Back

CHAPTER FOUR

“Why would you even do that, Adrian!” I shrieked as soon as I walked out of the café. My heels felt uncomfortable as I crunched on the gravel-filled ground towards where Adrian's car was parked. Brad walked behind me in lighter paces.

“Calm down, Genesis. You're raising your voice!” Adrian cautioned in a deliberately low voice.

“Don't tell me to calm down! You're spying on me, Adrian!”

“No, no, I wasn't spying on you. I was just making sure you're safe! I've never heard of this Brad dude before, and he seemed so deceitful.”

I gave a mirthless laugh, my voice rising hysterically, “I'm not a freaking child, for goodness’ sake, Adrian! And you aren't my protector!”

“Okay. I'm sorry, okay? My mind just wasn't at rest leaving you with a total stranger.”

“Total stranger? I've known him longer than I've known you, Adrian. He's not a stranger, okay?” I said in exasperation. I saw what his fear was, but he could have just stayed back instead of spying on us from a not-so-hidden space in the parking lot.

“I'm sorry, Genesis.” He apologized.

“It's fine. But really, you shouldn't have. How about the emergency at work?”

“I got Marcus to handle it. It's settled now. Since you're done here, we could head back to the company together, you know.”

“Yes, I'm done here, but no, I'm not going with you. I'll go to the office on my own. I'm not some kind of damsel in distress that needs saving. I'm my own person,” I declared.

“All right, I get it.” He conceded and got into the car, pulling it out of the lot and driving off in anger.

I said a hasty goodbye to Brad and got into my car.

Getting to the company, I made straight for Adrian's office. We had preparations to make for attending the biggest real estate developers' conference in two days, and I wasn't going to let what happened hinder our progress.

I knocked on the door to his office and got a grumpy “Come in” as a response.

“I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you earlier. It was just… it just caught me by surprise.” I said as soon as I got in.

“I'm sorry too. It was really not my intention to invade your privacy. I just wanted to make sure you were safe.”

I gave him a smile and sat on the cushion chairs opposite him. “So, how is the preparation for the conference coming on your emd? Do you need me to do anything else?”

“No, Genesis. You've done just fine. I'll finish everything up and send the slides to your email. All you gotta do is look over it and include any other additional information about the company you think we omitted. The portfolio we submit must be up-to-date. Oh, and I'm including the Hartwick project,” He announced with a smile.

“That's great. The team won't disappoint you, I promise.”

_____

The stares that trailed I and Adrian as we made our way into the hall made me thankful for the extra care I put into picking out my outfit for the conference. It didn't hurt that I took extra care in applying my makeup too.

Company heads and their team leads were expected to be seated by now, so everyone streamed into the conference hall. I said hi to a few familiar faces and Adrian smiled and nodded at the owners of some rival companies.

One of the men he nodded at caught my sight. His gait looked overly familiar, and I knew it was him even before I saw his face clearly.

Clyde Grayson. My Ex-boss and the father of my child.

My skin lost all color, and I became chalk-white. Sweat formed rivulets across my body.

“Are you okay?” Adrian asked, worry etched into the lines of his face.

I jumped reflexively. As soon as I had sighted Clyde, I had stood rigid with fear and resentment, too shocked to move and that had made Adrian worried.

“Are you okay?” He asked again. We were beginning to draw a bit of attention.

“Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Let's go, Adrian.” I answered and we walked on.

I stole another glance at Clyde, walking on the other side of the walkway and our eyes met.

His eyes showed shock and something like… remorse at the same time and I looked away instantly.

Adrian and I were ushered to our seats in the second row of the hall and I watched as Clyde was ushered into a seat two rows behind ours on the other side of the hall. It took every resolve in me to resist the urge to look behind. I could feel his eyes boring holes into the nape of my neck, but I glued my eyes to the head of the person sitting in front of me.

Why was he here in San Francisco?

Why couldn't he stay away from me and stay out of my life?

“You seem a bit tensed, Genesis. Are you okay?” Adrian whispered in my ear.

“Yeah, I'm fine. It's just.. the crowd is making me feel a bit uneasy. I'm okay.” I gave him a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.

“Your former boss is here.” he announced, and I stilled as I wondered if he had caught sight of our little exchange.

“Clyde Grayson, have you seen him?” he said again, like I didn't hear him the first time.

“No, I haven't seen him, Adrian.” I lied.

“Oh, he's just behind us. I–”

“Adrian, can we focus on what this person is saying, please?” I interrupted, rather harshly.

“Oh, okay.” He said with a tinge of hurt in his voice.

“I'm sorry, Adrian. I just don't feel too good.”

“It's okay, let's just listen to the speaker.” He muttered.

Everything went by in a haze as all I could think about was the fact that Clyde was here in San Francisco and I didn't know what he wanted with me. He always did things with a purpose, and I was afraid his purpose here could be to take my son from me.

As the last speaker was applauded off the stage, everyone rose from their seats and formed crowds of fours and fives, speaking to each other about the insightful conference.

Adrian had been approached by the frontliner of a company, and they had walked out to speak.

“Let's talk somewhere more private, Gen.” Clyde whispered in my ears and the anger that I'd managed to subdue for two long years threatened to burst through the surface. How dare he call me Gen!

As soon as our eyes met, my glare turned icy with smoldering resentment. The look in my eyes took him aback, and he added a quick “Please” to his erstwhile command.

To avoid calling attention to us, I stood up and walked briskly towards a deserted garage that I had accidentally parked in on one of the occasions I'd been to this hall.

“How long have you known I was in San Francisco?” I asked in a low, seething voice, wrapping my arms around myself.

“I… I've known for a while now. Gen, Look–” he rubbed the nape of his neck. He looked at me, obviously lost for words.

“Don't look at me like that!”

“Like what?”

“Like THAT! You cannot just waltz back into my life after shattering my heart and staying silent for two long years.”

“Genesis, I'm so sorry. I was really not in the right frame of mind back then. And I didn't want to be with you as the broken man that I was back then. I'm better now, Gen. And I want you back.”

“Yeah, you'll have something to say! But guess what, Clyde? I don't want to hear it!”

“Do you think I liked hurting you, Genesis?”

“Yes, you did. You practically enjoyed it! I was meaningless to you. What we shared was meaningless to you. It was… just a fling as you called it. So don't come around acting like I actually meant more to you.” I answered, my voice quivering with tears. I let them roll off my cheeks unashamed.

“Gen, I was in a bad state back then. The day we left for Rome, I had just found out Ariadne was cheating on me. I really wasn't thinking straight. But, what we shared in those two weeks was more than just a fling, Genesis. I swear to you. I was just so scared. I was scared of just opening up my heart to someone else when I had just gotten hurt so badly. I hated every bit of what I said to you, Gen. I didn't mean any of it. I loved you.. I still love you.” he said huskily. His eyes were so dark I couldn't read his expression.

“Yeah, but you still went back to Ariadne the same day you broke my heart, didn't you?” I whispered, tears streaming down my face.

“I– that was a mistake, Genesis. I can explain it.”

“I don't want to hear it! Stay away from me, Clyde Grayson.” I shrieked, walking away.

“I can't do that, Genesis! I can't stay away from you. Not ever. Especially not now that you're the mother of my child!” He roared and I stopped in my tracks.

What did he just say?

I mustered up courage and walked very slowly back to him. I didn't stop until I was just an inch away from him. I looked up at him, and whispered in a dangerous voice.

“I don't know what you heard or what you think you know, Clyde. But my son is not yours!"