CHAPTER 51: “YOU ABSOLUTE— STUPID— EMOTIONALLY CONSTIPATED— COWARD.”

[Reid Enterprise]

The glass door to Reid Enterprise hissed open as Evelyn marched inside like a storm wrapped in silk. Her heels struck the marble floor with a clipped, furious rhythm with every step fueled by two weeks of unanswered questions, sleepless nights and a phone that refused to ring.

She stopped in front of the lobby and looked around. She was looking for Lucas.

She had called him from her car and had asked him to meet him at the lobby. Luckily Lucas was in the building for some work so she asked him to escort her to where Alexander was.

"Excuse me ma’am," One of the receptionists approached her. "Are you here to meet someone?"

Before Evelyn could answer, Lucas stepped out of the elevator.

"She is with me—" he said. "Thanks Gemma."

Gemma smiled and continued with her work, leaving them alone.

"Evelyn—" he blinked. "Why do you look like you are about to murder someone?"

"Where is he?" she demanded with her breath shaky with frustration.

Lucas sobered instantly. "Alexander should be in his office.."

"Take me to him."

"Evelyn, I think you should calm down first." With how angry she looked, Lucas was worried that things would become worse if she met Alexander.

"Lucas, I am hanging by the thread here," she snapped, " So take me to him."

Lucas didn’t argue again after seeing the tremble in her voice. He quietly escorted her towards the elevator.

....

When they arrived outside Alexander’s office, Carl quickly came out of his office as soon as they saw them.

"Mr. Hale, Ms. Carter—" Carl greeted them. "Is there something I can help you both with?"

"Is he inside?" Evelyn asked and as soon as he nodded, she started walking towards the door.

"But ma’am—"

"Let it be Carl," Lucas stopped him. "You don’t want to mess with a woman, especially when she is that mad."

"No, sir—" Carl panicked. "Boss is in a meeting."

"What?" Lucas widened his eyes in shock.

But before he could warn her, Evelyn pushed the door open so hard it slammed into the stopper.

And the room fell silent.

Six finance associates and their assistant stared at her, startled.

Alexander turned slowly and the moment he saw her, his expression faltered.

It was just a flicker but she saw it.

With her hands balled into a fist, Evelyn marched straight up to him.

"Two weeks?" she burst out, her voice echoing sharply against the glass walls. "You left for two weeks without a single call? A text? Anything?"

The employees exchanged horrified looks.

Alexander opened his mouth but she cut him off with a trembling, furious laugh.

"No. Don’t even try to talk." She jabbed a finger at his chest. "I tried calling, I tried texting and I waited. I didn’t sleep and I tore myself apart thinking I somehow hurt you—"

Her voice wavered, betraying the first crack in her anger.

"And the whole time," she whispered harshly, "you were just gone."

He stared at her quietly with her jaw tight, as if every word was a blow he couldn’t dodge.

Evelyn grabbed the nearest file off the table and threw it at him.

The room gasped.

"You absolute— stupid— emotionally constipated— coward."

Alexander blinked at the file now lying at his feet.

Lucas, outside the door, whispered, "Oh shit," to himself.

And Carl was just standing there like he had seen a ghost. His eyes were wide open in shock. He could see his entire life flash in front of him.

Evelyn’s chest heaved and then her voice dropped to something quieter, shakier and so much more painful.

"I came to your office that morning because I wanted to talk. I wanted to explain and I wanted to tell you I—" Her voice broke and she swallowed hard.

"I realized I had feelings for you," she whispered. "And I wanted to tell you that but you didn’t even give me a chance."

Alexander inhaled sharply. His eyes darkened with regret, with guilt and with something raw. But he didn’t dare interrupt her.

"You left," she said with her voice trembling with pain. "You left like I meant nothing. Like I was just noise."

Tears pooled in her eyes but didn’t fall. "And now you’re back acting like nothing happened?"

She threw her bag on his chest. "Do you have any idea how much that hurt?"

The room was frozen and the silence felt too heavy.

Finally, Alexander spoke. "Leave us."

His team practically sprinted out without even looking back. Some of them even left their laptops behind.

Only when the doors were shut did Evelyn realize what she had done.

Her breath hitched. "Oh god— she whispered. "Your entire staff heard me. I yelled at you— I threw a file at you—"

She covered her face with both hands, mortified.

Alexander stepped closer.

"Evelyn."

She shook her head. "Don’t. Please, I am already humiliated—"

She had embarrassed herself not only in front of Alexander but his entire team. She was so close to digging a hole and hiding in it.

"Evelyn—" he repeated as he reached out.

His fingers brushed her wrists as he slowly pulled her hands away from her face.

Her breath caught when she looked at him.

She could see the exhaustion in his face and the dark circles proved that he hadn’t been sleeping so well.

And her heart ached for him. He was also suffering like she had for the past two weeks.

"Are you done? Or do you want to say something? Or maybe—" His lips curled upwards as he continued, "You wish to throw something else at me?"

When she shook her head, he continued, "I didn’t leave because I didn’t care,I left because I didn’t want to bother you.."

Her throat tightened. "That is not an excuse. You were not bothering you."

"I thought I did but—" He took another step closer. "I guess I was wrong."

Her back brushed the edge of the glass wall.

Their breaths mingled and his hands hovered near her face but he didn’t touch her.

"You said you have feelings for me," he whispered. "Say it again."

She inhaled sharply, blinking up at him. "I—" she fumbled.

Saying it when she was crazy mad was definitely easier.

"Say it, Evelyn."

His forehead dipped toward hers slowly as his fingers brushed the side of her cheek. .

Her breath hitched and her lips parting against her will. He was incredibly close, so close that she could feel his breath on her nose.

And then their noses brushed, sending jolts to every nerve in her body.

He then grabbed her chin and whispered, "I want to hear it again."

.....