Back to work

After the series of events, my body started to feel exhausted. Despite feeling weak and drained, I had to go to work to keep earning an income. There was so much on my mind last night that I could barely sleep. Life seemed so complicated and full of obstacles.

I left for work as usual, heading to the office where Mr. August was my boss. Although I wasn't directly in the secretary's department, my work was in a division directly under the CEO's secretary. I just hoped my work would be as smooth as before, back when Mr. August and I didn't interact directly.

Upon arriving at the office, I looked around carefully. I was on guard to avoid running into Mr. August first thing today. Then, I was startled by a coworker greeting me. Her name was Mina, she had shoulder-length hair and was quite attractive. That's why I befriended Mina. "Ellena, are you sick? You look tired and have dark circles under your eyes."

Mina was always attentive to me; she was the only one who noticed my condition. Since working at this office, Mina was closer to me than any other employee. However, I was always aware of the office gossip, thanks to Mina hearing it from many employees. I smiled and tried to look okay. "Just a small issue, Mina. Nothing to worry about."

Mina nodded. "Is it about your boyfriend? Did you have a fight?" Mina knew I had a boyfriend, so this could be a good excuse for my gloomy appearance.

Everyone knew I had a boyfriend, but no one knew who he was. I never shared any details about him. I hoped they wouldn't try to find out on their own, as it would definitely bother me. At this office, I kept my personal status private. I knew they gossiped about others behind their backs, which would disrupt my comfort while working.

"Yes, you know how it is when you have a partner and something small happens. Don't worry, Mina." I tried to cover up my complicated issues. I didn't want anyone to know about my problems, not even Mina, despite our close friendship.

Mina smiled and patted my shoulder gently. I was sure Mina could give me positive energy. "Don't worry, I understand what you're going through. Everything will be fine, the problems between you two will pass soon enough." Fortunately, Mina was understanding enough not to probe further.

I responded to Mina with a nod, so she wouldn't know how complicated my problems were. After our greeting, we went to our desks to start the day's work.

Before I could sit down, Mina spoke up again. "Oh, don't forget, we're having lunch together later. I brought enough food to share with you, Ellena." I looked back and gave her a thumbs up to accept her offer. It was nice that Mina was always kind to me.

I placed my bag on the desk and looked at the pile of documents that needed to be completed. "Let's go, you can do this!" I encouraged myself to avoid looking too lethargic.

As I began, the CEO's secretary approached me with a document that needed immediate attention. "Ellena, prioritize this document. I need it ready by lunchtime to present to our CEO. Don't let it be unfinished by break time."

I smiled and nodded, "Alright, I'll get it done right away." My response prompted her to return to her desk. I prioritized the important document as instructed by the CEO's secretary.

Today I was quite lucky; I hadn't seen Mr. August yet. This was a factor contributing to my comfort and ability to work peacefully. Even though Mr. August wouldn't usually acknowledge me when we met, I couldn't remain calm. His presence made me anxious, especially recalling last night's incident.

Before starting, I needed to read the document before working on it. Then, I began typing on the keyboard, aiming to finish before the two-hour lunch break, as I had promised Mina to eat together in the pantry.

After two hours of work, I completed the document on time and sent it to the CEO's secretary. I hurried to meet Mina, who had just finished her work as well.

"So, you just finished too? Today has been such a busy day for me. There were several documents that needed to be rechecked, which made things a bit challenging." Mina complained about her workload, but I was lucky not to have as many documents today.

Suddenly, as we were about to enter the pantry, I heard Mr. August calling me. "Miss Ellena, come here." An unusual call that drew everyone's attention in the vicinity.

All eyes were on me and Mr. August. Why wouldn't they be? Mr. August had never called me directly like this before. Usually, the CEO's secretary relayed messages or orders from Mr. August to me. Mina looked at me with curiosity; I knew she would question me about this later.

"Me? Mr. August, you're calling me?" My words came out haltingly due to nervousness and fear. The employees often gossiped about Mr. August, and now I, one of those who listened to the rumors, was directly involved with him. This would surely become hot gossip among the staff.

"Why is Mr. August calling you, Ellena?" Mina asked me. I quickly shook my head and whispered, "I don't know, Mina."

I walked towards Mr. August, and when our eyes met, he said, "Follow me." My feet instinctively followed him without further question.

I hesitated as I followed Mr. August until we reached the basement, where he got into his car. For some reason, I automatically got in without being asked, as if my body moved on its own.

"Why are we getting in the car? Where is Mr. August taking me this time?" My mind raced with questions because Mr. August remained silent and didn't speak to me.

I was quite shocked, still processing last night's events. Now I was in the same car with Mr. August. The situation was uncomfortable, especially with many eyes watching us earlier.

My lips were too stiff to ask where he was taking me. Not because I didn't want to, but because I was afraid due to my obligations with Mr. August.

"Could it be that Mr. August is still angry about my behavior yesterday? Or... is he going to do something, like punish me for almost exposing our position at dinner?" My mind was in turmoil, I was confused and didn't know what to do.