Bless
BLESS
All night, my mind was consumed with thoughts of our therapy session. Legacy seemed more hurt over the distance I had put between him and the kids than possibly not being Riley's father.
I was so confused. I wasn’t sure if he hated me, loved me, or couldn’t stand the sight of me. He fucked me like he hated that he wanted to, that he couldn’t resist. But I took it all. I took every punishing stroke gladly.
After we were done fucking, I had to pick up the kids, so we didn't talk more before I left his place. Even though we felt hurt and betrayed by each other, we still obviously had an undeniable connection that kept pulling us together since he had returned to Chicago.
My head ached as I tried to figure out what it all meant or what I wanted it to mean. These thoughts swirled in my mind as I parked my car in the lot at work the next morning. I regretted having to go into the building and deal with the tension between me and Monique on top of the stress that I was already dealing with.
After entering the building, I headed towards the time clock.
“,” the receptionist, Anne, stopped me just as I passed her desk.
“Hey, Anne, Good morning.”
Her thin lips pressed into a tight line as she gave me a curt nod. “Morning. Charles would like to see you before you clock in.”
My brows curled tightly as I replied, “Oh… Okay.”
I made an about-face and headed to the head of human resources’ office. It was just a few feet away, so I could see Charles taking a deep breath when he saw me coming his way. My curiosity deepened as I walked into his office. Charles gestured for me to sit down. His serious expression made me even more nervous.
"Good morning, ," Charles started as I sat in the chair across from his desk. "We need to discuss a serious matter that has come to our attention."
I nodded slowly. "Okay."
Charles cleared his throat. "We have received substantial proof of you engaging in activities that are strictly against our company's policy. Specifically, there is video evidence of you consuming alcohol and smoking marijuana during lunch hours and then returning to work under the influence."
My heart dropped. "What? No, that’s not true!" I protested, even though I knew exactly when and where it had happened. Monique and I had drinks during lunch quite often, and we had smoked a pre-roll a few times in the parking lot.
Charles raised a hand to stop me. ", this isn't just hearsay. We have clear video footage of these incidents. It's against company policy to be under the influence of any substances while on the job. This behavior is unacceptable and puts the company at risk."
I knew Monique was behind this. Anger boiled inside me, but I tried to stay calm. "Charles, I can ex—"
"I'm afraid there's nothing to explain. This kind of behavior cannot be tolerated. Effective immediately, we are terminating your employment with the company."
Tears welled up in my eyes. "Charles, please, I need this job."
Charles shook his head with a stern, unsympathetic face. He looked as if he were disgusted with me. "I'm sorry, , but the decision is final. Your actions have violated our company policy, and we cannot overlook that. You will receive your final paycheck along with any accrued benefits."
I stared at him with eyes ballooned in disbelief. This was Monique's doing. She had set me up. The realization hit me hard, but there was nothing I could do at this moment.
“I know that Monique is behind whatever this evidence is that you have,” I seethed, feeling my anger boiling over. “She was drinking and smoking with me too! So, where is she? Why isn’t she in here with me?”
He stared at me without an ounce of sympathy. “That’s none of your concern, .”
I blew a breath filled with rage. Then I stood up, feeling defeated.
"Thank you for your time, ." Charles’ tone had softened slightly. "I wish you the best in your future endeavors."
I nodded, unable to find my voice. As I left the office, my emotions were a whirlwind. Anger, betrayal, and sadness all mixed together, making it hard to breathe. I wanted to whoop Monique’s ass, but right now, I just needed to get out of that building.