premonition

The day was about to be over, but there was no sign of Catherine. From the past months, I was sure, the second most punctual person except me was the aloofy CEO itself. Every day, in big strides, she would pass through my office's door full of swagger

 "Hmm, it seems the system is right, something must have happened to her, otherwise, she would have never missed coming to her company."

Not thinking much, I started my daily routine.

Writing new chapters on my computer like crazy and taking some online commissions.

Checking my phone, I realised there was another message on my anonymous business account, it was from my biggest client, Roger.

[Roger- Hello, here are the attached document files, please edit them and add some interesting points regarding the banking sector! Same old rules! $2000 is already deposited in your provided bank.]

I also started typing back.

[Me- Roger, just out of curiosity, What is the name of the CEO of the company you work for?]

Maybe I was lucky or the other person was sitting idle, I instantly got his reply,

[Roger- Hmm, well…..we should always keep our private lives separate from online lives, but since we had a long cooperation, I don't mind telling you- Her name is Catherine, although she looks good, her personality is very cold and eccentric. She is the type you don't wanna mess with.]

 [Roger- Wait…..if by chance, you are thinking of pursuing her, I have bad news- She already found a new boyfriend yesterday, a small-time rookie, don't know if her eyes were blind or she went to graze grass that she chose such a trash.]

Reading Roger's words, I felt a complex emotion, with my downcast mood, I didn't bother replying any further.

"So I am eating my own company inside-out?"

 "I wonder what face Roger would make when he realized the person he was calling trash had been me all along!"

Dismissing the surging thoughts in my mind, I yet again dedicated myself to work.

Just Earn enough when you are young, only then can you live worry-free in old age.

In the evening, after finishing my work as I got up from my seat and left the company, I could still feel the lingering gaze of those annoying company employees.

Helplessly, I just ignored it, sooner or later, I need to get used to it anyhow.

.....

Back at my apartment building, for some reason my heartbeat started fluctuating, at first I ignored it, but when I took the elevator to my floor even my left eye started blinking more like some bad superstition.

Feeling a bad premonition, I took a deep breath.

 'How bad things can be?'

 'I have already come this far, What's more there to fear?'

Brushing off the rising insecurities in my heart, I boldly opened the door of the elevator.

But the moment I walked out and entered the narrow hallway, I saw a small crowd making a commotion.

 "You stupid girl, you are almost in your 30s, if you don't marry now, then when will you?....When your hairs turn grey and you become an old cow?"

To my surprise, an old woman was beating Catherine mercilessly.

 "Yeah, you always keep on rejecting the guys we introduce, giving one excuse or another….do you think life is like a fairy tale, Where you can keep waiting for your Prince Charming?"

An old uncle was also busy scolding harshly.

 "I am telling you, today, we will definitely drag you back to our home, we have found a new rich second generation who seems interested in you."

The old woman was ready to hit Catherine one more time, but the next words of this aloof CEO almost made me puke.

 "Mom, I am telling you! I have already found a suitable boyfriend. He is scared of such daring parents like you who have a powerful identity so I had always been scared to introduce him to you."

Like finding a last hope, Catherine desperately shouted.

"Oh, so you are saying you rented this little apartment just to secretly be close to him?"

Her mom, with a pair of unbelievable eyes, blurted out.

 "Yes, that's right!"

 "Absolutely right!"

 Clinging to her last saving lifeline, Catherine tried her best to cling to her lies.

 "Bullshit! As your mother, don't I know, What type of daughter I gave birth to? Don't try to mislead us with fake lies, we are not little kids!"

Catherine's mother roared loudly, I almost felt my ears deafened from the impact.

I immediately felt wrong.

Amidst this explosive family drama, I shouldn't be here. 

This place suddenly felt too wrong.

To avoid any unforeseen trouble, I sneakily turned around and started walking the same way I came from the elevator.

But it was at that moment the dangerous accident happened.

From the corner of her eyes, Catherine who was crying loudly caught Cheq's fleeting figure.

 "Cheq, Stop!"

 Mustering all her strength to make her voice reverberate all the other way across the other end, Catherine started running towards me.

 'Shit is it her eyes or light bulbs? How could she notice me just when I was about to run!'

Understanding the crisis in my head, I dared not turn back and instead increased the pace of my steps.