Aec's hand was still clamped tightly around my waist, and the room felt heavier by the second. The tension thickened as the door swung wider and Diana stepped in. Her heels clicked sharply against the floor as she walked straight toward us her eyes locked on me first, then on the hand gripping me.
"Let her go, Aec," she said in a low, trembling voice.
But Aec didn't move, he just kept his gaze on me like he was cursed or something
Her face hardened. "I said let her go!"
Before I could react, she grabbed me by the arm and yanked me away from him. My body stumbled slightly, and before I could find my balance, I felt a sting on my face!
The sting cracked across my cheek. She slapped me
For a moment, everything went still.
My head turned slightly from the force, and I could feel the sharp burn on my skin. My palm itched instantly, that raw, automatic need to retaliate pulsing through me, I laughed awkwardly, more out of disbelief than amusement.
I would not let her off, I raised my hand, ready to slap her back but before I could, Aec's hand caught my wrist midair.
"Leave my hand, son of a bitch," I spat through gritted teeth, struggling to free myself.
His grip only tightened. It wasn't rough like before, but it was firm enough to keep me still. My whole body shook not from fear, but from the frustration of not being able to hit her back.
Diana was panting, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her eyes were wide, almost wild, and for a second, I wondered if she even realized what she'd just done.
Then I heard Aec's voice cold, commanding, and far too calm for the chaos around us.
"Get out."
My head snapped up at him. The sting on my cheek faded instantly as confusion took over but I quickly tried to overcome it, he always told me to get out in situation's like this but I still satisfied the urge to ask
Wait...what? But he didn't respond
Diana froze. "What?"
He looked right at her. "I said get out."
For a second, no one moved even I stood there, staring at him in disbelief. He wasn't talking to me, he was talking to her.
Diana's voice broke through the silence, sharp and trembling. "I'm not going anywhere! You're not doing this to me, not in front of her, Aec! I'm your wife!"
That word hit the air like a slap of its own.
Before I could even blink, Aec stepped in front of me, pushing me gently but firmly behind him. His hand lingered on my arm protective, almost and for the first time, standing behind him like that, I felt something strange.
I felt safe...
He turned slightly, his voice dropping lower. "My wife," he scoffed, almost mocking the word. "What gave you the audacity to take footage from my house, Diana?"
He started toward her, each step slow and deliberate. I could see her shaking now. Not trembling with anger but shaking with fear.
"Aec, stop this…" she whispered, her voice cracking.
But he didn't stop, his jaw was tight, his expression unreadable. When he got close enough, the look on his face made the room feel smaller.
"You even had the audacity to post it on the office timeline, didn't you?" His tone sharpened. "You ruined someone's name just to make yourself feel powerful. Huh?"
Diana's hands trembled. "I...I didn't..."
"Don't lie," he cut in, voice dropping lower. "You think I wouldn't find out?"
I stood there, staring at the woman who had slapped me. She looked completely different now, she looked fragile, afraid. Her eyes darted nervously between the both of us. I couldn't understand it. Why was she so scared of him?
"Aec, please," she said weakly. "Not in front of her."
Something about the way she said it ...small, defeated, it made my chest twist with something like pity. Well almost...
Almost...
I couldn't help myself seeing her expression, a bitter laugh slipped out. "I wonder who's more crazy between your wife and you."
I didn't mean to say it out loud. It just slipped.
But it was too late cause they both heard.
Diana's mouth fell open, but before she could speak, Aec turned his head slightly toward me. "I've told you, Pookie," he said, calm but pointed, "don't call her that."
My brain froze instantly
Wait. What?
Did he just call me Pookie?
My mouth parted in shock. I didn't know whether to laugh or scream and now the room went dead silent again, the kind of silence that presses against your ears.
"Get out of my office," he said finally, his voice quieter now but it wasn't directed at me.
Diana's face twisted with disbelief. "You can't be serious, Aec! You're... you're defending her?"
He didn't reply. He just stared deadly at her...
Her eyes filled with tears, and then she turned sharply, slamming the door behind her as she stormed out. The echo of it lingered in the air.
I stood there, still trying to process everything.
Aec exhaled and turned back toward me. "Are you fine?"
His tone sounded almost… concerned. But his face stayed as cold as ever.
I scoffed quietly. "You're my boss. Can you stop doing things that make it hard for me to respect you?"
He opened his mouth to respond but the office phone rang.
He grabbed the receiver, pressed it to his ear, and said one simple word: "Yes."
After a few seconds, he hung up. Then, without even looking at me, he said flatly, "Get out, Sharon."
There it was again. His favorite line to use on me
I sighed, hissed under my breath, and turned to leave. "You know, one day, I'll stop listening when you say that."
But he didn't reply.
Unlike Diana, who nearly broke his door earlier, I left it wide open behind me, a small, petty act of rebellion.
The hallway outside felt colder than before. People pretended to work, but their eyes followed me as I walked by. I could feel the whispers crawling across my back like bugs but I didn't care anymore.
They could stare all they wanted i was past humiliation.
When I got back to my desk, the tension hit me like a wall. Angel's glare was sharp enough to cut glass, but I didn't even flinch. I sat down like nothing happened, pulled out a document, and pretended to focus.
Gabriel cleared his throat softly. "Hey, Shar… you okay?"
I looked up at him. His voice was calm, almost gentle.
"There's an extra shirt if you need one," he added, nodding toward the spare on his chair.
A small, tired smile tugged at my lips. "Thanks, Gab."
Before I could go back to my work, Tia chimed in, resting her chin on her palm with that mischievous smirk she always wore. "Not to be rude, Sharon, but I'm kinda envious of you right now."
I turned my head slowly toward her. "What do you mean?"
She leaned forward a little, eyes glinting. "I mean the boss himself just posted on the office platform that anyone caught spreading that rumor will lose their job. Like, instantly fired. So…" she tilted her head teasingly, "is the boss your brother or something?"
Her tone was playful, but her words carried weight.
I blinked, not knowing what to say.
Gabriel nudged her shoulder lightly. "Tia, leave her alone. Just… be careful, Shar, okay?"
I nodded slowly, trying to smile, but my mind was spinning.
Was Aec actually defending me? Or was he just trying to control how bad the scandal looked for the company?
Was this a favor… or another trap?
I didn't know anymore.
I looked at the two of them again and tried to find the right thing to say. But before I could open my mouth, something in the hallway caught my attention.
A shadow then a presence that made my stomach knot.
Standing just beyond the glass partition was a woman. Older, poised, dressed in cream silk and red heels that looked too expensive to belong in this building.
Then her face...
I knew that face.
The same woman I'd seen at Aec's house a month ago. The woman from the day of the accident...
My heart skipped a beat.
What was she doing here?
I wasn't prepared for her... Not healed, she held so much tension on me even though we've only had a one time encounter .
Something I wasn't ready for.