Confrontation
1306 Words
Lizzy’s POV
“Lizzy,” Henrietta sang as she moseyed across with a wide smile on her face. “You won't believe the night I had; it was so….”
“You have no idea the damage that file you handed me caused, Henrietta. None.” I interrupted, my hands shook as I gripped the edge of the breakroom counter.
Henrietta blinked at me, completely oblivious, a soft pout resting on her lips.
“Lizzy, come on! I am going to make it up to you. Why don't we go for that coffee now?” She grinned even wider when I answered.
“I will pass,”
She threw her head back in surprise. “You never reject coffee. What is wrong? Is this about Mark? You both met last night, didn't you?”
“We ended things, or rather…” I dragged in air before explaining. “He ended things with me."
“Oh, Lizzy….” Henrietta whispered. “I am so sorry; I don't even know what to say, but it can still work out, right? I can go with you if you want me to.”
I shook my head. “ No,”
“Fine, why don't you look at the bright side? You got promoted to the CEO’s personal assistant overnight,” she tried to cheer me up.
I shook my head.“You don't even know the mess dropping that file caused me, Henrietta. My life is in tatters.” I explained.
“Look, Lizzy, I didn't mean to mess things up for you, but we can fix this together. I can help, and….”
“Hahaha,” I let out cackles because how was that going to happen?
If only she knew that dropping off that file meant I had come across our boss’s secret identity and that I had to trade my freedom to our boss while trying to save my father's life, she would be singing a different tune.
I couldn't tell her a word, not when the rules of the Silver Blades were clear enough: trespassers end up dead, and blabbermouths probably end up worse.
Inhaling deeply, I turned to her. “Just… don't ask me to do a favor like that again,” I muttered, grabbing my bag when the clock finally hit closing hours.
“Are you going to see Mark?” Henrietta asked as I walked toward the elevator.
“I can come along if you like,” she snapped her bag off the desk, attempting to follow when I tapped on the key taking me downstairs; the elevator door shut before she could step inside.
Mark. Just hearing his name made my stomach twist into painful knots. I had tried reaching him to explain the incident last night, but all my calls had bounced back.
I needed closure. I needed to look him in the eye because right now, he was the only anchor I had left to my old, normal life.
When the elevator opened, I tried to fight my heart thundering against its ribcage as I swept my gaze around for Onyx, who I hadn't seen today.
A whiff of air left my lung before I got into a cab, which took me to Mark's place.
I stood outside the door, my heart hammering. I took a deep breath, my hands running on my skirt to smooth it before my knuckles tapped on the door.
The door swung open. “Mark…” I called out, wanting to explain, when my voice caught in my throat, the words I had rehearsed flew right out.
Linda stood, leaning against the door frame, a smug grin plastered across her face while clothed in Mark’s favorite oversized grey t-shirt, one that I had always worn and now drapes down to her knees.
I swallowed, eyes blurry with tears.
“Lizzy,” she whispered, with arms crossed. “What a surprise. Though, honestly, you’ve got a lot of nerve showing up here after what you did.”
“Linda? What are you doing here?” My voice cracked, with hands clenched.
“Taking care of the man who ought to have been mine from the beginning,” she smiled maliciously.
From behind her, Mark appeared, barely looking me in the eyes at first as he kept his gaze glued to the floor, his shoulders hunched like a coward.
“Mark,” I whispered, “we have to talk. You can't do this. I get that I messed up, but the club… it wasn't what you think. I was forced to go there. My dad…”
“Save it, Lizzy,” Mark interrupted, finally looking up. His eyes were cold, filled with a disgusting mixture of pity and resentment.
“Linda told me everything. She told me about your dad’s relapses, the debts, and the kind of dangerous people you’ve been hanging around. And then I see you at a strip club? You’re a liar, Lizzy. You fooled me all these years while living a double life.”
“She’s lying to you!” I yelled, tears finally stinging the corners of my eyes.
“Mark, we’ve been together for two years! Are you going to throw it all away because of something she mentioned that isn't true? You know me, Mark; I have never done what she told you about. I just got to know about my dad last night.” I explained.
“It’s over, Lizzy,” Mark said flatly before he wrapped an arm around Linda’s waist, pulling her against him. “I have found the one who I ought to have been with from the onset. So don’t come back here.”
Linda scoffed, chuckling loudly.
“Mark.” I took a step forward, trying to get in when he slammed the door in my face.
I swallowed, forcing the lump down my throat as I stared at the door, which had been shut, my vision blurred by hot tears that ran down my cheek before I turned on my heels, stumbling down the apartment stairs and onto the bustling Chicago pavement.
The tears ran down in torrents. It had taken less than a day for my life to fall apart, and even though I hoped it could all be jokes, the tears that stung told me it wasn’t.
I flicked off the tears on my cheek when my breath caught in my throat; my fingers reached into my bag, searching frantically for my inhaler, when an engine purred beside me.
My stomach sank when the passenger-side window rolled down, revealing Onyx.
My hand clenched my bag tightly when his dark eyes locked onto mine.
Onyx sat in the driver's seat, a sharp contrast from the man who I had seen in that gritty, oil-stained leather jacket in his garage. He donned a tailored charcoal grey suit, his hair styled perfectly, and his jawline as he gnashed his teeth had my heart skipping a bit.
He leaned across the console; his gaze lingered on my tear-stained face. His fist tightened around the steering wheel as his lips pulled into a thin line when his voice came in a growl.
“And here I was thinking the instructions I had given to you were explicit enough, Elizabeth,” his lips curled into a smile.
“Your 5-to-9 is mine. And yet, here you are, walking down the street while tearing up for a boy who you shouldn't even shed a tear for.”
I swallowed hard, backing away a step. “I was just… I needed to see him. Explain myself to him and…”
Onyx’s eyes darkened; a predatory flash crossed his face before he pushed the passenger door open from the inside.
“Get in the car, Elizabeth,” he commanded. “Before I get out and make you do so.”
- Writer
