I was still frozen on the spot, watching her glide past the office. Every step she took seemed rehearsed and calculated. Her perfume filled the air long after she passed, leaving behind that heavy, expensive scent that only people who owned the world could afford.
She didn't even look my way, but somehow her presence screamed that she already knew who I was, my eyes followed her as she walked toward Aec's office, heels tapping rhythmically across the tiles.
"Hey, Sharon, do you… know her?"
Tia's gentle nudge on my shoulder jolted me back to the present. I turned, blinking as if waking from a trance.
"Huh?" I muttered, realizing I hadn't heard a word she'd said before.
She tilted her head, studying my face. "You've been staring at her like you've seen a ghost."
Before I could answer, Gabriel chimed in from his desk. "Are you sure you're okay? You've been off since morning and I understand , anyone would be... Maybe you should take the rest of the day off."
I managed a small smile for their sake, though my mind was far away, somewhere between that woman's calm, dangerous walk and the image of her disappearing into Aec's office.
"Tia," I said quietly, my eyes still fixed on the hallway, "who is she?"
"Ohhh… you mean her?" Tia's tone immediately turned dramatic as she stretched the word with a teasing smirk.
"Yeah," I said, barely audible.
She leaned closer, lowering her voice like she was about to spill government secrets. "She's the boss's sugar mommy."
My head whipped around so fast it startled her. "His what?"
Tia chuckled, clearly enjoying the reaction. "Well… that's what people call her. The boss's sugar mommy." She even made air quotes. "You know, your rival... if I can say that safely, after that little rumor that flew around about you."
Her words hit me right in the chest. Rival and sugar mommy... I knew she was joking but then
I blinked at her, trying to pretend it didn't sting, but inside I felt a sharp, burning ache, it started in my stomach and spread slowly upward until it reached my throat.
I turned my eyes back toward the glass panels that led to Aec's office, but I couldn't see much from this angle. The blinds were down.
"So what," I asked carefully, forcing a light tone, "she's really his…?"
Tia shrugged. "That's just the nickname people here gave her. The boss doesn't know about it ... probably. It's just like when we used to give teachers nicknames in high school."
She laughed lightly, the sound carefree. Gabriel, on the other hand, groaned and shook his head.
"Tia, you really need to control your mouth one of these days," he muttered, dropping a file onto his desk with a thud.
Tia rolled her eyes at him. "Oh please, Gabriel, don't act holy. Everyone knows the gist. It's not even a secret anymore. Shar's new, she'll hear it sooner or later."
I smiled faintly, playing along. "Guess I might as well get it from the source then."
Tia grinned. "Exactly."
She lowered her voice again and motioned for me to lean closer. "Anyway, she's not actually his sugar mommy, like, not in that way."
That caught my attention and I wanted more
"She's his stepmom," she whispered, eyes darting left and right as if the woman herself might appear again.
My lips parted slightly. "His… stepmom?"
Tia nodded quickly. "Yep. The second wife of Aec's father. Rumor has it, she's loaded and runs a few of the family companies. And between you and me," she dropped her voice even lower "she controls the boss like a remote."
I frowned. "Controls him?"
"Uh-huh. Whenever she's involved in anything, the office turns into a battlefield. So just a word of advice, be extra careful today, Shar. Even though the day's almost over."
I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. Maybe I was relieved that she wasn't some mysterious lover after all. But still, the thought of her having that kind of hold over Aec unsettled me.
Tia straightened up again, clearly satisfied with herself. "Anyway, enough gossip. The office is already on fire today, I better get back to work before I get fired."
She winked and went back to her desk, humming under her breath.
I stayed seated for a moment, her words circling in my head like bees. I didn't know if it was relief or unease I was feeling, but either way, I was exhausted, my head throbbed lightly. I just wanted to go home, curl up in bed, and forget everything from Diana, to Aec, and now his stepmom.
When closing hour finally came, I could've screamed with joy.
Tia, Gabriel, and I left together, chatting casually about random things. I tried my best to stay engaged, but my mind was shipped around.
We reached the office entrance and then I had a wrong encounter
Right in front of the doorway stood Aec and beside him, his step mom and alleged sugar mommy.
"Bad timing," I muttered under my breath.
I tried to walk quietly, hoping to slip past unnoticed. But of course, luck and I were never friends.
"Good evening, Mr. Aec!" Tia greeted brightly.
I mentally groaned. Tia, please...
"And ma'am," Gabriel added politely with a small nod.
The woman turned, her perfectly lined eyes settling on me. A slow smile curved her lips sharp, deliberate, cruel.
"Ohhh," she said, dragging the word with mock surprise. "You're that lady."
Her smile widened, though her eyes burned with disgust. "The one I paid at Aec's house after your… rounds that night, right?"
The air around us went silent instantly.
I felt my chest tighten, heat rushed to my face as the words echoed in my head.
The few workers nearby turned to look, feeding their curiosity sharp as blades.
I swallowed, forcing a smile so tight it almost hurt. "Oh no, ma'am," I said calmly, though my voice trembled slightly. Then I added, careful but cutting, "I don't recall offering services that require your kind of payment. Maybe you mistook me for someone else in your circle."
The smirk on her face faltered just for a second.
"Oh. I see," she replied coldly. "I got it wrong, then."
She turned to Aec. "Let's go."
He hadn't said a single word since. He just stood there, expressionless and unreadable. Not even a glance my way...
They walked out together, her hand brushing his arm as if claiming him, and soon disappeared into a black car waiting outside.
I stood still, watching the car drive away until the taillights vanished, I felt my chest burned with everything I wanted to say but couldn't.
For a wild second, I wanted to run after her to tell her exactly what I thought of her arrogance but I knew better. I didn't have that kind of power.
"Hey, baby."
The familiar voice behind me made me turn, I'd never mistake Zion's voice
Relief washed through me instantly. I didn't realize how much I'd missed hearing that voice until now.
"Hey, Z," I said, smiling softly.
He grinned and pulled me into a light hug. "Well, I'm back to resume my duties, and that's picking you up from work like the gentleman I am."
I rolled my eyes playfully. "You're impossible."
His laughter filled the air, easy and genuine the complete opposite of the tension I'd been drowning in all day.
"Wait, wait," Tia's voice cut in suddenly. "He your boyfriend?"
I turned to see her and Gabriel standing behind me, both of them watching curiously.
"No, Tia," I said quickly, laughing a little. "He's just a friend."
Tia smirked. "Mmm, 'just a friend' looks really cute though."
I shook my head, embarrassed, while Zion chuckled beside me.
"Alright, let's make it official," I said, introducing them. "Zion, this is Tia and Gabriel, my colleagues. Guys, this is Zion."
"Nice to meet you," Gabriel said, shaking his hand politely.
"Same here, man," Zion smiled.
Tia gave a little wave. "Any friend of Shar's is a friend of mine."
The energy between them was light and friendly, and for the first time that day, I felt something close to normal.
Zion dropped me off later that evening, and as I stepped into my apartment, I sighed deeply, all my body ached with exhaustion.
If I could skip work tomorrow, I would but that was wishful thinking.
I collapsed onto my bed, closing my eyes for what I thought would be a quiet night when my phone buzzed beside me, and I groaned before picking it up.
"Girrrrrrl!"
Maxie's voice screeched so loud I pulled the phone away from my ear.
"Oh, not now," I muttered.
"You're all over the news, congratulations honey!" she teased.
"Maxie, don't you dare. This isn't funny."
"Come on, Shar, lighten up! The gossip's wild they're saying alot of things ... Girl, you're living a whole drama series."
"Maxie, seriously..." I started, but then I heard a heavy sound
Clang!
A sharp, metallic sound echoed from the living room.
I sat up immediately, heart skipping.
"What was that?" Maxie's tone changed, suddenly serious.
I froze, listening. I was still trying to comprehend the whole thing when I heard the sound of footsteps, heavy, hurried, coming straight toward my room.
My blood ran cold within seconds
"Max, I think... I think there's someone in my house," I whispered, my voice shaking.
"Sharon, don't play with me" she started to say, but before I could even move, the door burst open.
Three huge men stormed in.
I barely had time to scream before one of them grabbed me, his hand clamped over my mouth, another pressed a cloth against my nose.
The smell was sharp, chemical and suffocating.
I kicked, tried to struggled, tried to scream but everything started to blur. My phone fell from my hand, and I could hear Maxie's voice yelling through it, faint and panicked.
One of the men picked up the phone, muttered something I couldn't hear, and ended the call before throwing it onto the floor.
The edges of my vision darkened and my limbs went weak.
The last thing I felt was my body being lifted off the bed and the sound of the door closing behind us.
Then, nothing.
Darkness swallowed everything...