SHARON'S POV
I sat on my couch, phone pressed to my ear, as I filled my best friend Maxie in on the latest development with Ace. "I'm telling you, Max, he's really showing up now after all this time," I said, trying to keep my tone neutral.
Maxie's voice was incredulous on the other end of the line. "No way, Sharon. You're not seriously going to let him dictate what you do, are you? He shows up out of the blue and expects you to drop everything for him?"
I sighed, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me. "It's not that simple, Maxie. Ace and I have a history. He knows me, and I know him. I can handle it."
Maxi snorted. "Handle it? What history? You're not exactly in a position to be handling anything, Sharon. He's the one who's been MIA, and now he's expecting you to just fall in line? No way. You deserve better than that."
I couldn't help but feel a twing of defensiveness. Maxie didn't understand the dynamic between Ace and me. She didn't know the way he made me feel, the way he looked at me. But at the same time, she was right. I did deserve better. I deserved to be treated with respect and kindness.
As I hesitated, Maxie's voice came through the line again. "Sharon, don't let him walk all over you. You deserve so much better than that."
I knew she was right. But as I looked down at my phone and saw the last call ID from Ace, and his text asking me to share my location, I felt a thrill of excitement. Despite everything, a part of me wanted to see him, to know what he wanted.
Ace's message on my phone screen seemed to mock me, I'd refused to tell him my location on call and he texted too "share your location, I'm coming to get you". I felt my heart racing at the thought of seeing him. I looked away, trying to shake off the feeling. What was I doing? I couldn't just let him dictate what I do.
"Hey, I just remembered Maxie, I need to tell you something else." I called out quickly
"Go ahead, what's up?" Maxie replied, her voice curious.
"I had a weird encounter with Victor Langley," I said, recalling the memory. "The day I was terminated from the company, he called me back as I was walking away."
"What did he want?" Maxie asked, her tone intrigued.
"He looked at me awkwardly and said, 'So you're the one stirring up so much trouble in my company,'" I recounted, feeling a shiver run down my spine.
Maxie's voice was incredulous. "What did you say to him?"
"I told him I didn't understand what he was talking about," I replied. "But then he just looked at me disgustingly and got into his car. It was really creepy, he might have heard all those rumor's."
Maxie's tone turned protective. "Sharon, you need to be careful around those people. They're not normal."
I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. "I know, Max. I'll be careful."
We chatted for a bit longer before I finally said goodbye, my mind still reeling from the encounter with Victor Langley. "Thanks for listening, B. I'll talk to you later. I...I think I need to go," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Maxi's voice was firm. "Sharon, about Aec, don't do anything rash. Think about what you want, and don't let him push you into something you're not comfortable with."
I nodded. "I won't, Maxie. Thanks for being there for me."
"Later , girl. Take care," Maxie said before we ended the call.
We said our goodbyes, and I hung up the phone, my mind racing with thoughts of Ace and what I should do next. I looked at my phone, my fingers hovering over the screen. I had already shared my location and I was desperately waiting on him.
I replied to him that I was home, my fingers trembled slightly as I hit send. The minutes ticked by, and I felt a growing sense of anxiety. I sat down on the couch, my eyes fixed on the clock on the wall.
The hours passed slowly, and I found myself checking my phone every few minutes, expecting a message or a call from Ace. But there was nothing. No word, no warning. Just silence.
As the night wore on, my eyelids began to droop, and I felt my head nodding forward. I tried to fight it, but the exhaustion and tension of the day finally caught up with me. I slumped forward, my head resting on the cushion, and fell asleep.
The next thing I knew, I was waking up to the sound of sunlight streaming through the windows. I groggily sat up, rubbing my eyes and looking around the room. I was still on the couch, and my neck was stiff from sleeping in an awkward position.
I reached for my phone, my heart sinking as I saw that there were no messages or calls from Ace. I felt a wave of disappointment wash over me, followed by a growing sense of anger. Had he just stood me up? Was this some kind of game to him, even after her terminated me?
I sat there for a moment, trying to process my emotions and make sense of what had happened. But as I looked around the room, I realized that I was alone. And I had no idea if Ace was even going to show up.
I picked up my phone and navigated to Ace's contact. My fingers hovered over the keyboard as I typed out a text message. "Hey, what's going on? You said you'd come over, but I didn't hear from you. Did something happen?"
I hit send and waited for a response. The minutes ticked by, but my phone remained silent. I tried calling him, but the call went straight to voicemail.
A surge of frustration and disappointment washed over me. I let out a deep breath and muttered under my breath. "Seriously?"
My fingers drummed impatiently on the armrest as I tried to call him again. Still, no answer.
I swore softly, feeling a mix of anger and hurt. "Unbelievable."
Under my breath, I whispered, "You're really something, Ace. You get me to share my location, and then you just ignore me. What game are you playing?"
I stood up from the couch, my mind still preoccupied with the events of the previous night. As I began to head towards the bedroom to get ready for work, a sudden realization hit me. I wasn't going to work. I wasn't going to wake up early, get dressed, and head to the office. Because I didn't have a job to go to.
A wry smile spread across my face as I laughed awkwardly. "Oh, I'm jobless and unemployed now," I said out loud, the words feeling strange on my tongue.
The reality of my situation hit me like a ton of bricks. I had just been terminated from my job, and I had no idea what the future held. I felt a mix of emotions swirling inside me , uncertainty, anxiety, and a hint of freedom.
I stood there for a moment, feeling the weight of my new reality settle in. Then, I shrugged and continued on my way, deciding to make the most of my unexpected break.
"I'll make it count"