Not Anymore

Shocked

Where the f**k have you been? a sharp female voice tore through his ears, drawing his attention as he finally made his way to his final destination. Chris raised his eyes to a charming woman seated on the other side of the large, lavishly built office.

Her dark hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, framing a face that was both striking and fierce. Her green eyes glinted with annoyance, cutting through the sleek interior of the office like a knife. Chris could sense the tension in the room, almost palpable, as if the air itself was charged with their unresolved conflict.

He took a breath, trying to gather his thoughts, but the weight of her gaze made it difficult to focus. I run into some trouble, he stammered, the excuse feeling thin against the backdrop of her frustration. He stepped closer nervously adjusting his tie, trying to make sense of the whirlwind that brought him here.

Trouble? Do you know how long I have been waiting here for you! she shot back, leaning

Forward in her chair, her posture exuding both power and impatience, the frustration evident in her voice.

Chris swallowed hard, the tension in his throat matching the tension in the air.

"I am sorry, ma'am, I won't do it again," he said, his head lowered.

Humph! She huffed as she glared at him, the disgust in her eyes burning wild.

Chris walked forward and placed the two cups of coffee on the table.

Once again, I am truly sorry for the delay. I, he stared, but she cut him off.

Just stop it; I don’t need to hear your excuses anymore. She looked away.

“Okay ma am,” he said, finally pulling two food dishes from the paper bag.

Can't you find something decent to wrap that in? She asked.

“i…”

“Forget it.” She kissed her teeth, the sound a backdrop to the tension in the room.

If Chris had looked well, he could have noticed one of the buttons on her shirt was undone, her cleavage clearly visible.

"Ah!" she moaned.

What was that?" he asked naively, looking up at her.

“No… nothing, just…” she paused, searching for her words.

"Just get out of here," she said.

“Okay ma'am, enjoy your coffee, he bowed his head, but then….

“Wait a minute?

His gaze lingered on a spot under the table directly above the woman's exposed thighs.

He saw something that made his blood run cold. He was frozen at a point as if he had seen a ghost.

“oh shit.”

A voice sounded out.

“Who… what…how?” he couldn't even articulate a sensible conclusion.

“It's… it's not what you think.” She began.

Chris watched as the silhouette of a man slowly lifted his head from between her legs.

The man with a smirk lifted himself up as she snapped his legs together and shamefully glared at Chris.

“It's not what you think," he said, but the man cut her off.

Miss Walters just dropped something under the table, so I volunteered to get it.

Him for her," the man said, walking around the table.

Nice to finally meet you, Mr. Eaton. I heard so much about how you have taken care of

Miss Walters, these years, he said, extending his hand out wide.

Uh! Okay,

Chris finally broke from his shock and nodded.

"It's good things, I guess," he said, shaking the man's hand.

“I am Marlin Ko, by the way. Do you remember me back in college? The man asked.

As soon as the words registered in his mind, Chris's eyes went wide, and his breath quickened. The gravity of the revelation crashed over him like a tidal wave, leaving him momentarily paralyzed. His eyes unconsciously shifted to the woman seated in front of him, and he stared at her in disbelief, his mouth falling open as if searching for the right words but finding none.

She met his gaze with an intensity that made his heart race even faster.

As he stared at her, a whirlwind of emotions washed over Chris, tightening his chest and forcing the breath from his lungs. His expression shifted from disbelief to an overwhelming mixture of shock and recognition. His brows knitted tightly together, and the color drained from his face as memories flooded back, fragments of laughter, shared secrets, and moments that had once felt, so vibrant now surged like a tidal wave.

His eyes were wide with astonishment as he recalled who was standing in front of him. Each recollection hit it like a sledgehammer, relentless and heavy, as the realization of what had unfolded between them began to sink in.

Chris's jaw tightened, and he felt a tremor in his hands. He tightened the grip and still held onto the man's hands and disbelief clouded his sight, especially when he noticed her nonchalant reaction.

Marlin Ko? He repeated, the words bouncing in his mouth.

She frowned and stood, adjusting her wrinkled clothing.

Chris watched her stand and walk around the large table as he released the man's hand.

"Marlin just came back," she said as she stepped closer and stood beside him.

He just got back? After all these years, he just pops by, and you are now the happiest woman in town? He asked, his voice strained.

What is with you today, Chris? She asked, her tone condescending.

"I don't pay you to ask questions above my personal life. Leave my office," she pointed out.

At the door.

Chris sniffed, something complicated in his eyes, as he nodded.

"Okay, ma'am, I apologize for how I might have overstepped," he said, bowed, and swiveled around.

See you later, Mister Eaton.” Marlin waved him off.

Chris didn't react. He simply walked away, his mind racing with thoughts he could hardly process. Did I see that right? Were those two? The question hung in the air, heavy with disbelief, as he replayed the scene in her mind over and over again.

Once he locked the door behind him, he could still feel the pulse of confusion thrumming through him. He couldn't shake the precarious position he had found the two in.

As he stepped into the hallway, he glanced back, but the moment was already slipping away into the past.

Inside the large office, the woman turned her gaze towards the door for a moment, her brow furrowed in thought. Then, with a soft shake of her head, she looked up at the man beside her, a playful smile creeping across her lips. It was as if the weight of the encounter outside had dissipated, replaced by a more personal connection.

"Come help me adjust my dress," she said, her voice laced with a hint of mischief. The corners of the man's mouth lifted into a smirk, as if he understood exactly what she meant. In one fluid motion, he scooped her up with ease, lifting her onto the table as though she weighed nothing at all.

He stepped closer, a mischievous glint in her eyes as he scooped her up and placed his on the large table. As he did so, their laughter mingled in the air, a stark contrast to Chris's tumultuous thoughts. The atmosphere in the room shifted, filled with an electric energy that neither seemed eager to defuse.

At that moment, outside of Chris's bewilderment, the world shrank down to just the two of them, entwined in a playful dance of coy and secrets, unaware of the ripple effects their actions might have on others' lives.