《The CEO's Safe Haven [EDITING SOON!]》65. ♡ Mask ♡
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Stephanie smirked as she took in my surprised and taken back look. I took a few steps back my mind doing a quick flashback to last time when she whispered the words that broke me. She leaned back against the sofa as she crossed her legs in what looked like a playful manner.
I looked back at Noah already finding him give me a look that was hard to decipher. I parted my lips to say something but everything felt like it was in slow motion. Even my blinked seemed to slow down. I licked my lips as I spoke, trying to keep the surprise,
"Y-you called me Mr. King?"
Dammit. Why did I have to stutter in front of her? I bit my lower lip as I anticipated for his response. I noticed how his eyes trailed on my lips before he closed his eyes like he was trying to mask his emotion and like a flick of a switch, it did.
He reopened his eyes, the emerald in his eyes dark; filled with anger and what looked like betrayal. He parted his lips to speak but Stephanie interrupted,
"Did you have fun?"
I look to her and give her a confused look,
"What are you talking about?"
She scoffs as she moves to stand, her height doubling with her black silhouettes,
"Don't try and play innocent. I saw you not long ago"
"I... I don't know what you're talking about"
I say genuinely confused. She shook her head as she took calculated steps towards me. She tutted with her teeth until she stood right in front of me. Her lip curled up as she tilted her head to one side,
"It's funny how easy you change players. One night it's Noah and the next it's someone else"
My heart hammered at her words but she still continued,
"Does it excite you? Having multiple men wrapped around your fingers?"
I give her a ludicrous look. I part my lips to defend myself but couldn't as Noah spoke,
"Steph you can leave"
She gave me a raised eyebrow before plastering a look of hurt on her face. That two-faced twat!
"But babe! You sure you don't want me to stay behind? I can help you relax..."
"I'm fine, leave. Now"
He spoke through his teeth. Stephanie tilted her head back a little and even though I wasn't facing her I knew she was pouting, like it was her last try to stay but he didn't budge instead he threw a harsh look.
She straightened up her posture before she turned back to face me with a smirk plastered on her face. She placed a hand on my shoulder as she spoke,
"If I were you hunny, I'd be looking for another job elsewhere. Noah hates it when the person he has feelings for cheats behind his back"
I give her a look of disbelief before she walks around me and begins to leave. She had her body half in and half out before she commented shamelessly,
"Babe, if you need someone I'm here after all... I am your first love. I'm a call away baby"
And with that she left the room. Now that it was just us both we both held eyes. We were silent for a while before I spoke breaking the silence,
"What was she on about?"
At my question he only fumed, his hands reacting by throwing the contents of his desk. I let out a small scream my hands moving to cover my eyes, my eyes wide open like saucers. A strangled gasp escapes.
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I cautiously move my hands away and give him a look of disbelief. I stare down at the floor and see paper scattered, his laptop sprung open, pens spread out. He stood up from his seat, his arms placed on his desk. He seethed,
"I don't want to see your face anymore. I suggest you pack your stuff and leave. I'll find a replacement"
I blink taken back. I let out a nervous laugh as I spoke, now finally grasping the situation,
"Is this because of Stephanie? Noah, you can't possibly believe what she said right?"
He only sucked in a breath as he stood silent, holding his ground. I blinked once again before he moved away from his desk to now his widow. I watched him as he had his back facing me. He was shutting me out.
I walked towards him as I stood a few steps away from him. I bit my lower lip as I tried to think of anything that I may had done to irritate him but nothing came to mind. I raised my hand to place it on his shoulder but in the back of my mind, it was a red flag so I asked instead,
"I don't understand... what... what did I do wrong? Did I-"
I don't get to finish my sentence as he whips around fast and grips my upper arm tightly, pulling me to him. His hold alone made me wince in pain and I was sure it didn't go unnoticed. I looked up to him and saw his eyes cold and hard.
His jawline was tight as his eyes roam my taken back, worried ones. I become a little distracted as he gritted his teeth, his jawline flexing here and there. He sucked in a deep breath before he breathed out from his nose. He just seethes again,
"I thought you were different but you've just proved that you're like everyone else I've come across."
I felt like my whole body was in slow motion as he spoke. Like he was disgusted, he removed his hold on my arm with a little push. My mind felt fuzzy and I took a few steps back, my whole world spinning.
I flare out my hands for support but since nothing was at reach I ended up falling on my bottom. I let out a quiet moan as I look up seeing him make no effort to help me up. The care, affection and love he once had was like it was wiped.
It didn't hit me. The pain. Instead, it felt like it was waiting... this time patiently, for the right time. Breaking our stare first, I close my eyes and tried to bring my heartbeat down since it was running a marathon. I parted my mouth and spoke ever so quietly,
"You want me pack and leave?"
He scoffed as he looked away. He used his thumb and rubbed his bottom lip like he was thinking. It was a few seconds before he looked back and crouched down to my level and spoke, his words acting like a knife,
"Game"
I blink, my mind still a faze. I felt like my body was slowly and painfully come to a shut down,
"That's all you were. A game"
My world collapsed at his words. I shook my head as I spoke in a broken whisper,
"You're lying"
He clenched his jaw, closed his eyes and looked to the side as he spoke without looking at me,
"You were"
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I place my hands on the ground and lift myself up as I spoke,
"That's bullshit and you know it. A few or so ago you begged me to come back. You broke glasses, you hurt yourself and you ruined your grandfathers party and all you're saying is that I was a game?"
He looked at me with midnight black eyes. My eyes went from left to right, trying to read his eyes. Behind the mask, I knew he was hiding something. Something deep. He tried to mask it so that he wouldn't get hurt,
"You don't know me"
I gave him a determined look as I spoke,
"Are you being for real right now? You're telling that I don't know you? Noah King? My employer and the one who stole my heart? The one who I gave my all too?"
He gave no response. Instead, he walked away from me and headed back to the window. He looked down at the roads as he spoke rhetorically,
"Did you give you;re all too those men too?"
I scrunch my eyes together as I questions?
"Men? What the hell are you on about?"
One second I felt as if my body was shutting down but now I felt the anger rise. He scoffed,
"Outside the company. You, Tanya and those... men"
I combed my hand through my hair. I wanted to pull my hair out of my skull as I gave a dry chuckle. Of course Stephanie was there to witness what happened outside and tell him. She did everything she could to come between us,
"For fuck sakes Noah, you can't seriously say that one simple misunderstanding is going to get in the way between us"
I now felt frustrated and I couldn't do anything about it. It was like I was bipolar. It was one emotion to another. He stood silent for what felt like forever and that's when the last emotion kicked in. The second heartbreak. Pain. Disappointment. I asked the question again,
"You want me pack and leave?"
A simple question required a simple answer but the question I had asked meant a lot more. If he wanted me to go then that was what I was going to do. With a biting lip, I mustered the courage to look at him.
He had his head slightly tilted, as he looked from the corner of his eye. He gave a simple nod, giving his answer. Numbness. That's all I felt. It had gotten to the point were I ran out of emotions but one kept on bugging me.
My heart ached. My eyes stinging from the dryness. In my mind, I wanted to cry but the tears never surfaced. My shoulders became loose, my arms feeling disconnected. I bit my lower lip as I just stared at his back.
If I knew one thing, it was one hundred percent that this time round, the pain would be bigger, harder to come over. It would take over more than a month to move on. This time, I realised it was harder than the first time we fought. I licked my lips as I spoke, mainly to myself,
"I guess it really is goodbye then"
Without saying anything further I gave him one more look, new negative thoughts swarming my mind. Giving Noah one last look, I leave the room and walk into my office. I slowly shut my door and end up leaning against it.
I look around the place, it had been months since I began working here, finally settling in. My eyes scan around the room as hazy flashbacks play. Not wanting to dwell any longer, I walk to my desk and grab my phone, bringing the receiver to my ear.
I was about to press the number for Luke but stop myself. I look at the contents of my desk before placing the phone back down and move around so that I was now stood in front of m desk.
I bite my lip hard to the point where I felt the skin tear, my tongue feeling the metallic taste of metal. I move to grab a pen and a piece of paper and began writing. It doesn't take long, roughly 10 minutes, before I fold the paper in half and write Noah's name on. Underneath I write;
To whoever finds this, please hand this over to Mr King. It's my official resignation letter.
Placing the pen back in the pen pot, I leave the letter on my desk. I let out a shaky sigh before standing up. My legs felt weak but somehow I manage to walk towards the door. I take step, leaving my office quietly.
I give a bittersweet smile as I look around the hallway as more memories fly by. Leaving without a word was something I had never done. I didn't know how they would react. How Luke would react or anyone else in fact. Daisy wasn't at her desk as I walk to the elevator.
Giving the place one last look, I comb a hand through my head, feeling extremely devastated and completely defeated. It hadn't kicked in yet. Breaking up with Noah. For the second time. Nor the fact that I had officially quit my job.
The elevator doors opened and I stepped inside and thought of what I had left to do. I hated the fact that it had to be like this but I couldn't think of any way else. The only hindrance I had was... well... naturally passing Tanya.
It didn't take long to reach the ground floor. I step out, my eyes looking over to the woman herself but I only found myself her looking directly at me. Faking a smile, I walk up to her. She gives me a smile and waits for me to come closer. As I approach her she questions straight away,
"Hey where you off too? Another break granted from lover boss?"
I give a dry chuckle and shake my head,
"No Tan, I just have to step outside for a while. Too much workload to the point where it's giving me a headache. Just want to get some fresh air for a bit before completing it all"
I said with my heart hammering two hundred miles per hour, hoping that she would believe my massive lie that I had just told her. The playful look she had on her face changed as she pouted, leaning over the desk and rubbing my arm soothingly,
"Yeah, go have some fresh air and water. Your face looks a little pale. The breeze right now is perfect. I'll give you a call if Mr King says anything"
I remove her hand from me and she gives me a confused look. I pull out my phone and hand it to her, making her even more confused than she already way,
"Can you hold onto my phone? I'll be back for it. I won't be far. Literally down the road. Noah's..."
I trail off. Even saying his name was hard. I swallowed down the growing lump and spoke,
"Noah's already given what needs to be done for today. He won't be adding anything else for a while"
She shrugs her shoulder before taking the phone out of my hand. I stare at my phone as a thought runs through my mind, I'm so sorry for lying to you Tan. Giving her one last smile, I leave the company without looking back.
As I step outside, the cool breeze slaps my face, making me shiver a little. I look to the left before walking in that direction. I stop at a ATM and take out some money. I then walk to the main intersection before sticking my hand out.
A taxi notices and pulls up alongside the curb. I get in and face the driver. He was an elderly man, probably in his late 40's. He gives me a smile before it falls. He scrunches his eyebrows making him look older and wiser. He questions, trying not to get personal,
"Where do you want to go sweetheart?"
I fiddle with my thumbs as my mind drifts off. He wanted me to leave... I don't realise it but, finally, a tear splashes on the back of my palm. I let out a nervous chuckle as I speak,
"Can we just drive for now? I'll let you know my destination once we're on the road"
The driver nods and joins the traffic without any questions. I suck in a deep breath as I stare out the window. Houses, coffee shops and trees pass by yet my heart felt even more shattered as if it had been run over multiple times. The driver questions again,
"Where to?"
I look at rear-view mirror seeing him look at me. I look back outside as my mind drifts. I was going to do this the first time we broke up because the pain was too much to bare, but I was glad I didn't.
I don't think I can handle the heartache again for the second time. I know that it won't be the same at home with my parents and brother. I mean Luke was my neighbour for crying out loud! I didn't want to stress him either so I thought this was the right thing to do in a hast.
Falling in love with someone huge and influential had it's positives but, it also had it's down falls. Bound to falling in love with Noah was the best thing that had happened to me and I wouldn't have changed a thing. Not even the king, queen or someone with power and wealth would stop me from loving Noah.
Even though it still hadn't kicked in that we were officially over and that I had resigned, the pain lingered... like it was waiting for the right time for me to break down completely. I I was glad that it wasn't now or back at the company. I'm glad that no-one had to witness it like the last time.
What Noah had said back at the office was something I didn't want to believe but it was hard not to when he had turned a blind eye to me. How can you not feel hurt from someone you loved dearly? How could you not be heartbroken?
If leaving was the only solution I had then I wouldn't waste time. No-one had to know. Not my parents. Not Luke. Not Noah himself. Since he wanted me to leave, leaving was what he was going to get. Once and for all.
Coming out of my thoughts, I give the driver one last look and flash him a broken smile. A heavy sigh escapes my lips and I finally say,
"The airport"
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