Chapter 5
1169 Words
Clarissa stared at her computer screen with vacant eyes. The same spreadsheet had been open for thirty minutes, but not a single number had registered in her mind.
Her thoughts were hollow.
Two days since that meeting. Two days of exquisite torture.
Every elevator chime made her heart race. Every footstep in the corridor convinced her it was David approaching.
"Clarissa?" Maya's voice startled her back to reality. "That's the second time I've called your name."
"Sorry." Clarissa rubbed her face. "I'm just a little tired."
Maya set a cup of coffee on her desk. "You look like you haven't slept in days. The first week is always rough, but don't push yourself too hard."
Clarissa managed a thin smile as she accepted the coffee.
If only Maya knew. What was keeping her awake wasn't the workload—it was the ghost of a man she'd once wounded, now returned as her superior.
"Maya," Clarissa said quietly, "what's Mr. William like as a boss?"
Maya perched on the edge of the desk. "In the year I've been here, I've never seen Mr. William relax around anyone. Always formal."
"Never?"
"Never. Some say he's a cold-hearted perfectionist. Others think he's purely business-focused, uninterested in personal relationships." Maya shrugged. "But he's brilliant and fair. Do good work, he'll recognize it. If you don't..."
Maya left the sentence hanging. Clarissa could fill in the blanks.
---
By ten in the morning, Clarissa couldn't bear the uncertainty any longer. She had to know—was David truly oblivious to their past, or was this all an elaborate performance?
She took the elevator to the twenty-sixth floor, to the executive pantry. Usually deserted at this hour. But Clarissa knew David always made his own coffee around this time.
Sure enough, a familiar tall figure stood with his back to her at the espresso machine. Immaculate black suit, hair perfectly styled.
Even from behind, his presence commanded attention.
David waited for the espresso to finish, phone in his left hand. Clarissa could see his profile—strong jaw, proportioned nose, lips pressed in a tight line.
So different from the David she once knew.
Clarissa drew a deep breath. This was her chance.
"Good morning, Mr. William," she said brightly.
David didn't turn immediately. He finished reading, pocketed his phone, and collected his cup. Only then did he face her.
Their eyes met.
Those dark brown eyes that had once brimmed with hope now held nothing but cold indifference. As if Clarissa were a complete stranger.
"Ms. Clarissa." David nodded once. His voice was deep and formal. "Good morning."
"It's Clarissa," she emphasized her name, hoping for some flicker of recognition. "I'm excited to be working with you at TechNova Corp."
David studied her for several seconds without expression. Then he nodded again—coldly.
"Ensure your performance meets this company's standards, Ms. Clarissa." His tone carried the weight of a threat. "TechNova Corp has no tolerance for mediocrity."
The words hit like a slap. Not because of their content, but the way David delivered them. As if he doubted her very competence.
"Of course, sir." Clarissa kept her voice steady. "I'll give my best."
David offered no response. He took a sip of espresso and prepared to leave. But as he passed Clarissa, his steps faltered for just a moment.
Clarissa held her breath, hoping he might say something. Anything that would reveal he remembered.
Instead, David fixed her with that same cold stare. Those eyes assessed her without a trace of emotion.
"Oh, and Ms. Clarissa," he said without fully turning back, "at TechNova Corp, we value professionalism above all else. Personal approaches won't get you far here."
The message was crystal clear. David knew exactly who she was, but chose to treat her like a stranger. Worse—like dust beneath his feet.
Without waiting for a response, David walked away. Leaving Clarissa shattered and alone.
---
Minutes later, Sandra entered to find Clarissa still standing in the same spot.
"Clarissa? Are you okay?" Sandra's voice carried concern.
"I'm... fine," Clarissa searched for words, but her throat felt parched. "I just ran into Mr. William."
"Ah." Sandra understood immediately. "Awkward first interaction? Mr. William is formal with everyone, especially new employees. Don't take it personally."
"Formal," Clarissa repeated.
"Extremely formal. Even with those of us who've been here for years, he maintains professional distance. That's just his way." Sandra poured herself coffee. "Honestly, he seemed colder than usual today. Probably pressure from the board of directors."
Colder than usual. Confirmation of Clarissa's suspicions. David was deliberately being extra frigid with her. This wasn't professional conduct—this was calculated punishment.
"Sandra," Clarissa's voice trembled slightly, "has Mr. William ever talked about his background? Before TechNova Corp?"
Sandra shook her head. "Never. He's incredibly mysterious. All we know comes from public records—self-made entrepreneur, graduated summa c*m laude from ITB, continued his education abroad, then suddenly emerged with a startup that became an instant success. Personal life? Zero information."
ITB. Clarissa's mind raced. David had also studied at ITB—the same program as hers. Too much of a coincidence.
"Why do you ask?" Sandra looked curious.
"Nothing." Clarissa shook her head quickly. "Just wondering."
---
That afternoon, Clarissa couldn't eat. That night, she couldn't sleep.
She lay in her small apartment bedroom, staring at the ceiling with burning eyes and a shattered heart.
"David," she whispered into the darkness. A name she hadn't spoken in years now felt foreign yet heavy on her tongue. "David... why are you doing this?"
She closed her eyes, haunted by memories of the past. David with his thick glasses and awkward smile, confessing his love in front of everyone that day.
Herself, laughing cruelly and rejecting him with words that cut deep. David's face crumbling but still trying to smile as if the pain didn't matter.
Those words echoed back now like a curse returning to strike her. Words she'd thrown carelessly then now felt like her own damnation.
Now David—who once lacked style, whom she had dismissed—had become the most powerful and attractive man she'd ever encountered. While she—who had once felt superior—now struggled to maintain her dignity before him.
The most brutal irony of her life.
"Is this karma, David?" she whispered again, her voice breaking. "Is this how you're paying me back for the heartbreak I caused years ago? Is this your revenge?"
Only the silence of the night answered, accompanied by tears that began to fall. Salt tears that burned her cheeks.
Because for the first time, Clarissa realized there was something more painful than losing wealth and status. Something more devastating than starting life over from nothing.
It was the realization that someone you'd once wounded now had the power to exact revenge—and was doing so in the most elegant and crushing way possible.
By pretending you had never existed at all.
By treating you as nothing more than dust.
- Writer
