Chapter 17 What Exactly Is This Relationship?

After some time, Curtis found himself questioning whether Sabrina had drifted off to sleep. He didn't want to wake her up, so he consciously tried to be quieter while he worked. By the time his work was done, two hours had slipped away. Slowing down his usual pace for a woman and being mindful not to interrupt her rest were behaviors that were entirely foreign to Curtis in his previous life. This new situation intrigued him, adding an element of curiosity to his experience. Yet, there was a certain charm to it. He likened it to a weary traveler coming home, expecting to find a dark and empty abode. Yet, upon entering, he was greeted with warm lights and the comforting sensation of someone eagerly awaiting his return, ready to share a meal. This fresh wave of contentment and unprecedented joy was a feeling Curtis had never experienced before. A tender smile graced his face as he looked around the dimly lit room, his gaze softening. With a muted click of the lamp, darkness enveloped the room. Guided by the soft glow of his phone, Curtis returned to the couch, sinking into its inviting cushions. In the stillness of the night, Sabrina shifted in her sleep, drifting deeper into her dreams. * When Sabrina arrived at the company in the morning, she couldn't help but notice Nina's increasingly hostile glare. It seemed as though Nina wanted to glare a hole through her on the spot. 'Why is she acting so strangely this early in the day?' Sabrina wondered but decided not to engage with Nina's hostility. She settled down at her work desk, then remembered that she had forgotten to inform Sharon about the desk switch yesterday. The oversight meant that she had to continue enduring Nina's distasteful expressions first thing in the morning. "I never realized how capable you are," Nina said with heavy sarcasm, "to even establish a connection with Victor from the headquarters. I clearly underestimated you. Let me guess, you've been using Aaron all along?" Arching an eyebrow, Sabrina thought back to their dinner last night. Everyone knew about what happened over dinner, but only Sharon and Felicia knew she had had a private word with Victor. Sharon was not one to gossip, so could it have been Felicia? Sabrina did not want to think ill of everyone, so she hesitated to believe Felicia would reveal such information. "Are you wondering how I could possibly know?" Nina smirked, "Someone tipped me off. And don’t assume you're popular here, alright? Many people here don't appreciate you and can't wait to see you f*ck up. Watch your back, Sabrina. One day, you'll fall from your current position and fade into obscurity." Sabrina regarded Nina in silence for a moment, then broke into a chuckle. "Perhaps you're unaware. While I did meet Victor yesterday, he made it quite clear that crossing him would be a mistake for anyone. I wonder how he'd feel about our little conversation today." 'Who ends up in obscurity remains to be seen.' Nina's face paled as she realized that Sabrina's connection with Victor might run deeper than she had assumed. Clearly rattled, she scoffed and returned to her work. However, Sabrina's brief reprieve from Nina was short-lived, as Felicia approached next. "What did you talk about with Victor last night?" Felicia probed, "A promotion, perhaps? Or are you two sneaking around together? That can't be right. You already have a boyfriend, and he's quite a catch. Weren't you two discussing marriage?" Having been close confidantes, Felicia was privy to many aspects of Sabrina's life. Still, Sabrina was taken aback by Felicia's barrage of questions, finding them both peculiar and intrusive. "Did you get confused?" Sabrina countered. "I met Victor for the first time yesterday. He simply advised me to keep our conversation confidential. You're reading too much into it." Sabrina could have shared news of her impending marriage, but there was no need. Revealing that information would complicate the narrative of her relationship with Aaron. "Alright, alright," Felicia sighed in exasperation, "But I was surprised to meet Victor yesterday. The last time I met someone from the headquarters, it wasn't him. So, either I'm mistaken, or there are two top bosses at our headquarters. What do you think?" Felicia pondered the matter seriously. Since her encounter with Victor, she had been wracking her brain but had not come up with any plausible explanations. Sabrina, on the other hand, remained indifferent about the identity of the top boss as long as her salary remained unaffected. "We should continue giving our best at work. Perhaps we'll find out at the company annual meeting," Felicia continued, her determination evident. "I'll find out who our real boss is. I'm sure I wasn't mistaken. It can't be Victor." It was a peculiar kind of rivalry, and Sabrina was baffled by Felicia's fixation on the boss's identity. But she chose to simply listen rather than interrupt. After clearing the air about the previous night, the two resumed their work. As they were engrossed in their tasks, Sharon emerged from her office with a stern expression. She headed straight to Sabrina, tapped the latter on the shoulder, and gestured for her to follow. Uncertain of what awaited her, Sabrina obediently trailed behind. The others shot brief, knowing glances before returning to their work. Being singled out by Sharon usually meant a reprimand as it was rare to receive praise from her. The two women stood at the end of the corridor, where an open window let in gusts of wind, causing Sabrina's hair to tousle wildly. "Take a look at this," Sharon said, producing her phone. "I need you to handle this situation promptly. We can't let this impact the company's operations. If higher-ups find out, both our jobs could be on the line. Do you understand?" She showed Sabrina a photograph taken at the reception. Sabrina's face contorted with anger upon recognizing Aaron, her cheating ex-boyfriend, brazenly standing in their office building. She did not expect him to have the nerve to show up at her company. "Can you handle this?" Sharon pressed on. "If not, I'll have to take drastic measures. If you can, I'll give you half an hour. That should be enough time to address the situation downstairs, right?"