Chapter 5: Handles

The clock hit five minutes before five in the afternoon. Usually, I would stay spend an overtime work here in the office but today, after the events that happened, I couldn't even think about doing that. Not today.

Nope.

I needed my beloved bed and a hot chocolate in my Harry Potter up. I needed to be wrapped warmly in my soft blanket and definitely watch some funny movie tonight.

I sighed and gathered my things from my table putting them neatly on my bag.

Wait. My phone.

I looked at the ceiling trying to ease the frustration that slowly crawling up to me again. I would pray hard tonight to make all of these a stupid nightmare. Just knowing that I have to be here again tomorrow and for the other days to come, that's just giving all the headaches that could last me a lifetime.

Exhaling heavily, I grabbed my bag and headed for the door but when I was about to reach for the handle, it moved open hitting me in the process making me stumbling backwards. The impact was so sudden but I managed to regain my balance though I guess I heard light thud against my forehead. I was taken aback and with wide eyes, I came face to chest with my "boss". How did I know it was him given the fact that I haven't seen the face of the culprit who made my nose and forehead hurt like hell?

I could practically smell his cologne and it smelled like him. I was always wonder if he asked people to customize his cologne. It was distinctively him and I hadn't smelled something close to similar.

"A-Are you okay?", his hand flew on my elbow and I raised my head to look at him. His eyes widened in the same shock I held.

The heat coming from his hand nearly corrupted my mind knowing that if I don't move away from him, I would probably lean in for his comfort so I quickly put my arm he was holding out of his reach and slowly nodded.

"Yeah, I'm okay", his expression changed into someone who's calculating me, weighing my words if they were true or not that I just had to look away and cleared my throat to try and sound not too high-pitched like I was when I tried to assure him of my current state of being after being smacked by a door.

"I'm fine really. No big deal, sir"

He stepped inside the office and closed the door, I still felt his eyes on me and it was getting annoying at some point. His footsteps resounding on the marble floor added to the annoyance I felt.

"Going home?", he asked.

"Yes, sir. It's already five in the afternoon and my working hours exactly ends on that exact time, sir" I replied, his face went back to how I first saw him again this morning after some long long years-- expressionless and cold.

"I know that", he went for the papers on his desk and started reading them. It seemed like he had no other plans than to read those damn papers so I turned to my heels and up to leave when he spoke flatly again.

"Not going to get your phone, Miss Alice?", my hand froze on the door handle snapping my head towards him. His was still fixed with the documents.

"May I have it back now, sir?", I tried very hard to make it sound as polite as a church girl. He dived his hand on his inside chest pocket and quietly put my phone on his table. Still. Not. Looking. At me.

I rolled my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose to stop my self from attacking him right there. The audacity of this man really tries my patience I have practiced all these years.

"Get it already because it won't go walking to you and then you can leave", I swear! I really wanted to laugh at that moment and let him hear how sarcastic and mocking it would be but I chose to march to get my phone and have make my lovely way home.

I snatched my phone and quickly walked myself out of his office. I appreciated the air just outside his office as it smelled like freedom.

How dare him! He didn't get the right to act like that, like I was nothing and just a mere worker for him when it was my position to yell at him for the way he acted and demanded invalid things from me!

I stomped across the hallway until I successfully got into the elevator and outside the building. I hailed a cab and told the driver my address. I was finally seated comfortably, I let out an exhausted breath and leaned against the back rest. My phone vibrated from my bag and I fished it out of it just to see a unknown number messaged me, saying--

"I want to say sorry because I know I upset you but I won't say sorry for giving you that rule. Make sure to follow it starting tomorrow and all the other rules I will discuss with you. Follow them or you won't really like the consequences. Be here early in the morning tomorrow.-- S.E."

Really?!

I laughed after reading his message. Those words were definitely him and of course plus the initials.

I laughed so hard that I clutched my stomach with my hands bending down and shaking with my self-fabricated funny laughter.

"A-Are you okay, Ma'am?", the driver asked me and I laughed even more because his question reminded me of his very same query. I was catching my breath when I slowly stopped my laughter. I straightened in my seat and caught the driver's hesitant stare at me through the rear view mirror.

"Just keep your eyes on the road, sir, I'm so much fine", I smiled sweetly and he turned his attention on the road but I could still see him taking glances at me and I knew he wanted to asked me badly if I was losing my sanity already. And if he would really ask me that, I would gladly answer with a yes.

He really have the guts to say those to me. He's sorry and he's not. And more importantly, he was setting more rules with consequences he knew I wouldn't like?! Really?

Well, I would really like to see him try and manipulate me with his stupid rules and watch me defy every single one of them. I would never ever be manipulated by someone like him again. Never again!

Ever!

Now, the real thing is-- "How am I supposed to tell my brother that he's back?", I searched myself for an answer when the cab stopped right in front of my house and saw my brother's car parked quietly on the garage.

Hell will surely be on the loose. And how will I handle it again?