Chapter 7
1059 Words
Jenna's POV
I came off a call with Stella, still wondering why she’d called so late. At first, I feared something had happened—Stella rarely called at this hour. Today had already been draining for her, with the stress of Ryan’s investors and the long day at the office.
But then, she had said something… something that left me stunned. My mind raced, and my stomach churned. I knew Ryan and I weren’t officially together yet, but… he had been so intimate with me—making out, touching, flirting—over and over. Could it be that he had been playing me all this time?
I grabbed my phone and immediately called an Uber. I needed to end this gnawing anxiety to get to the bottom of things.
In less than five minutes, the Uber arrived. I rushed toward F.C.G., trying to calm my beating heart.
"Do you mind waiting a bit longer? I’ll pay you for it," I asked the driver.
"Alright, ma’am. I’ll park outside the entrance," he said.
I nodded, taking a deep breath before stepping inside.
"Ms. Jensen, what brings you here at this hour?" one of the guards asked.
"I forgot my laptop. It’s urgent for tomorrow," I replied, keeping my voice steady.
He opened the gate, My eyes immediately found Ryan’s truck, and my heart sank. I hurried in, my heels clicking on the polished floor. Something told me I wasn’t going to like what I was about to see.
I rushed to the elevator, praying I was wrong. But as I approached his office, a sound stopped me cold: a woman moaning.
My chest tightened, my throat dry. I wasn’t prepared for the scene that awaited me.
Inside his office, Ryan was sprawled in his chair, hands on a blonde woman’s body, lost in their mutual pleasure. Neither of them noticed me—until Ryan shifted her position on the table. Only then did his eyes land on me.
He scrambled to pull up his trousers, but it was too late. My shock quickly turned to anger and hurt, and I turned on my heel, unable to listen to any excuses.
I left the building without looking back, the sound of his calls to my name fading as I entered the Uber. I told the driver to take me to Cindy’s apartment.
Once there, I let myself break down completely. Cindy held me tightly as the tears fell.
"What happened?" she asked gently.
I told her everything—from Stella’s confusing call to the sight of Ryan with someone else. She held me tighter.
"It’s going to be okay, Jenna," she whispered. "At least now, you know exactly where you stand. You’re not at Crossroads anymore."
The next day, I called in sick. Cindy wanted to stay with me, but I insisted she shouldn’t risk losing her job or confront Ryan , she could atleast just drop me off at home before she went for work . After all, Ryan and I weren’t together.
Ryan called and texted relentlessly, but I blocked his number for the day. I needed space to think, to rest, to remind myself that no one—especially him—would make me feel small again.
It was 7pm , I overslept and was awakened by a knock at my door. It was Cindy.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked, holding McDonald’s in one hand.
"Better, thank you," I murmured, letting her set the food down.
"People at work were worried. Ryan asked about you," she said, as if reading my thoughts.
"I told everyone you were sick, just like you asked."
"Thank you, Cindy," I said, tears threatening again.
"You’ll find someone worthy of your love," she said firmly. "It’s not Ryan—and that’s okay. Call me if you need anything," she said, hugging me one last time before leaving.
The following morning, Cindy and I arrived at F.C.G. early. Stella greeted us, I asked about her ice cream and chocolates just to lighten the mood.
"They survived, thank God!" she laughed.
I smiled faintly, mentally vowing not to let Ryan ruin my day. I headed to my office and focused on updating the gaming programs.
Once done, I went to Ryan’s office for approval.
I knocked softly.
"Come in," his deep, Texan-accented voice called.
"Good morning, Mr. Markfields," I said, keeping my voice even.
"Jenna," he said, stepping toward me, hands reaching out.
"I went to your apartment yesterday… I’m sorry. Can we please talk tonight? I can pick you up at eight."
I froze.
"Mr. Markfields," I said firmly, stepping back.
"We were never in a relationship. I’m here only for your approval on the updates. That’s it."
"Please, Jenna. Let me explain. Let me fix us," he pleaded.
"There is nothing to fix," I said, my voice calm but firm. "You are my boss. I want professionalism. I came for approval—nothing more. Will you approve these updates, or shall I leave them for later?"
"Please, Jenna…" he begged.
"Later," I said, turning on my heel and leaving his office.
I focused on my work until lunchtime, when Cindy and Patrick invited me out. Patrick turned out to be funnier than I’d imagined; Cindy’s influence brought out his charm.
After lunch, I returned to my office to find a note on my desk:
"At least let me take you home, Jenna — .Ryan"
I crumpled it and threw it in the bin. I wasn’t going to be played—not again.
Later, I got home from work , I cooked a comforting dinner for myself: mac and cheese with spicy chicken.
A knock at the door startled me.
"Coming!" I called, opening the door to find Ryan.
"Ryan, what the hell are you doing here?" I demanded.
"I just want to talk to you," he said.
"There’s nothing to talk about. We were never dating. I still have feelings for you, but that doesn’t change the fact that what you did yesterday crossed every line. You are my boss, and I expect respect and professionalism between us from now on. If you want anything else, take it elsewhere," I said, locking the door behind him.
Finally, I sat down and enjoyed my meal in peace, reminding myself that my worth was not defined by anyone else—not even Ryan.
- Writer
