The confrontation
1520 Words
Lauren's heart skipped a beat at his question but staring at his face only reminded her that this man was no longer her husband.
" Why?" She c****d her head to the side with a straight face. " I don't need to report my whereabouts to you. Who are you to ask me that?"
His face fell when he suddenly remembered how foolish he had acted just yesterday. She must've been too mad at him that she slept somewhere else.
" I'm sorry," he threaded his fingers through his hair, embarrassed by his sudden outburst. He just couldn't stop himself. Now that she had signed the papers, it was obvious she wanted nothing to do with him.
He no longer had any hold over this woman. "You don't have to move out. You can take the house as compensation," he offered, trying his best to match the understanding smile on his face.
He wouldn't be so wicked as to chase her out after knowing her situation. They've been together for so long and ever since she was eighteen, they've lived together.
It's been ten whole years. He knew she had nowhere else to go and no one to rely on. She had only ever relied on him and he wasn't going to be a monster now that she needed him the most.
She had been rejected by her stepmother a long time ago and the two just never got along. She couldn't possibly go there after their divorce.
" I hope you'll take it. I really want you to be comfortable and-"
" Okay," she agreed to his surprise. " I'll take it." She didn't have anywhere to go anyways, why pretend? "But clean up your things and make sure to leave as soon as possible. I refuse to share a house with a cheating scum-- oh wait, ex husband now. That changes a lot."
Jayden was frozen in shock, he wasn't expecting her to agree so suddenly. "S-Sure. Uhm... What was it you came for again-"
Lauren hid the letter behind her back, "Nothing. I just wanted to make sure you got the papers." She spun on her heels and walked away.
It was a good thing she didn't just slam the resignation letter in his face. Now that she got herself a house, she would need serious money maintaining and taking care of it, plus she had herself to feed.
What was she thinking, resigning with no other source of income?
Lauren sighed and shook her head at herself. She was this close to acting foolish and letting her emotions ruin her chance of having good income.
Jayden squeezed his hand as he watched her leave, feeling annoyed by her indifference towards their marriage coming to an end. Was this really how she felt? She couldn't wait to get rid of him. This wasn't the woman who looked as if she was heartbroken yesterday.
Was all that just an act to fool him?
Lauren was far too gone by the time such thoughts crossed his mind. She was getting settled in her seat and sighing so loudly to attract attention.
She leaned back on her chair to take a breather, believing she's had enough drama in less than twenty four hours.
Her husband cheating, a one stand, a divorce-- at this point, she could as well handle anything life had to throw at her.
She looked around her desk and realised she still didn't have any work to do. She had already turned in her design manuscript yesterday. Now she just had to wait for feedback.
It was going to be approved anyway. She knew the way of the company and how they liked their designs. She had never had her manuscript rejected so she was rest assured.
" Is she wearing lipstick?"
" She's obviously trying to seduce the vice president once more. Everyone knows he has always admired Sophia. She's just trying to look different now."
If they paid so much attention to their work like they did to her life, Lauren was certain they would all have a raise.
She recognized them as Sophia's goons. These ladies would kiss Sophia's ass any day and anytime just to gain her favour and all for what? Lauren could never understand it.
They didn't like her because she wasn't the kind of vice president wife they wanted. They wanted her to be boastful of her husband's-- ex husband's wealth and position. What was wrong with being humble like a normal person?
" I'm sure she got kicked out anyways," they giggled behind her back.
" So we don't have to respect her anymore, do we?"
Lauren rolled her eyes, "Like you ever did," she muttered under her breath as she looked around for what to do.
"Lauren!"
She jerked at the sudden yell and silence fell in the office as she looked to the door where her supervisor stormed in with blaring eyes.
Everyone knew Mrs. Smith was always out to nit-pick on the next unfortunate one but Lauren never thought she would be at the receiving end of that attitude some day.
" What the hell is this?" She slammed the manuscript on her desk and Lauren picked it up after recovering from her shock.
" What do you mean?" She asked with a frown on her face. "These are my designs-"
" Yeah, no s**t! Imagine the shock on my face when I found out who they were from. Do you know how problematic this is-"
" No," Lauren kept her face straight, still sitting. " Tell me then, because this isn't the first time I'm submitting a manuscript." It wasn't just her attitude that pissed Lauren off, it was the fact that she knew nothing was wrong with her design.
She had double checked and even tripled it before sending it out. There was no correction even needed to be made.
" Don't think you can do s**t and get away with it just because the vice president is your husband-"
" I don't know what you're talking about, Mrs. Smith but are you implying that Mr. Jayden Williams is partial when it comes to his company?" Lauren tilted her head, putting the supervisor in a difficult spot.
" You're not calling our vice president incompetent, are you?"
Mrs. Smith was almost thrown off balance by Lauren's accusations and that stare was uncomfortable and starting to piss her off.
" What's going on here?" Sophia walked in on the scene, looking between Mrs. Smith and Lauren with a scowl on her face. " This is a company, not some pub outside-" she said in Lauren's direction. " And please refrain from addressing the vice president as incompetent-"
" Did you hear me say that?" Lauren wondered. " Please help me ask my supervisor here what the issue with my manuscript is."
" I'd rather take this to Mr. Jayden himself," Mrs. Smith said. " I have nothing to say to her."
" Hmm, right this way then," Sophia led the way to Jayden's office and presented the situation.
If there was anything Lauren knew Jayden for, it was that he was fair in his dealings and wouldn't just speak thoughtlessly-
" Hm, I see your point, Mrs. Smith. Lauren, you'll work on this again and turn it in by midnight-"
" What?" She stared at him in shock. He had a frown on his face as he held her gaze.
" Is there a problem?" His tone was cold and distant and for some reasons, it was as if he was holding a grudge.
She wasn't too far from the truth as Jayden still couldn't process that she would just let their marriage go down the drain without a fight.
" No, none at all," She forced through her teeth, seething with anger. She should've just turned in her resignation letter and looked for another job before thinking about the consequences.
No matter how she looked at him, Jayden was straying further and farther away from the man she had loved all her life.
" Thank you for your fair judgement, sir," Sophia said with a smile in her voice, pleased that Lauren didn't seem to have his favour anymore.
She turned to leave, giving him a last look of disappointment before she pulled the door open and bumped into a man's chest.
His hand went round her waist to keep her steady, "Are you alright?" His voice swept in like a calming breeze but also came with familiarity.
He let her go when she nodded and she lifted her eyes to her saviour-- her breath was caught in her throat when she held his familiar gaze and she froze up in shock.
" Good thing you're here. I was passing by when I heard the commotion from the department," Leo said as he stepped forward, leaving her to recover from her shock.
" What brings you here?" Jayden asked.
"Well, I couldn't help but overhear that one of our best had her manuscript rejected. Please tell me, what's wrong with the design draft?”
- Writer
