Forbidden Deception (Deception)

8

T he past has a weird way of catching up to me. Especially when I have moved on with my life, built new relationships, found myself again after travelling a dark path. And when it will show up, it wrecks everything I have built.

When I find yourself back in the place I stood, after tasting the future I could have had, hopelessness takes root and I might end up wishing for death.

I didn’t know what Aurora meant when she warned me not to fall into the web of my past because I may not be able to get out.

I thought having Remo as a brother would keep me safe, but my demons are knocking on my door.

While I try to focus on my work, I can’t stop thinking about the letter.

A knock sounds at my office door, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“You seem busy. Should I come back later?”

Dragging my eyes away from my screen, I look to my left at the door and see Danyi standing there. I fly out of my seat, and my chair smashes against the wall behind me. I cringe.

“Danyi, how can I help?” I pull my lips into a smile.

Instead of answering, Danyi looks around, her black hair swishing around with her head, eyes scanning over the office that, apart from the change of desk position and the potted plants, it is still the same.

I didn’t want to get too attached to anything, and it reminds me that my time here is temporary.

Getting attached and making friends only leads to heartbreak.

“I was asking if you could help me pick out a campaign design before I submit it to Mr Gustav.”

“Of course. Have you got it with you?”

She nods, walks over to me, and shows me her iPad.

“Here are the two options. I’m thinking this one shows more of the construction aspect with the pictures, but this aligns more with the aesthetic Gustav Industrials wants to show, because it shows the interior of the hotel being built by the ocean. Have you seen it?”

I nod, flicking between two options for the advertising material that will be put up around the area where the hotel is being built.

“I like the second one. It represents what Gustav Industries stands for better and gives an idea of what the hotel will look like; dark, luxurious, unique architecture, glass, greenery.”

Danyi nods, then shuts her iPad and heads out. I wait for her to say something else, but the door shuts behind her, and I am left in silence once more.

My phone pings with a message.

Unknown : Want to grab a drink after work? - Danyi

With my jaw dropped open and a thundering heart, I quickly type my reply with shaky fingers.

Venezia : Yes, of course! Where are you thinking?

Danyi : There is a cute coffee shop down the road. It’s not too far. We can meet in the lobby to go together.

Venezia : Sounds perfect. Meet you there. :)

As I am about to sit down, the door opens again, so I stand up.

This time, it’s Rafael.

“Time for the office overview. Let’s go.” He turns around and heads out, so I rush to fall in step with him.

I was too engrossed in my thoughts this morning to tease or bother him, but the fog is dissenting and I am thinking a bit clearly now, and my mouth has no filter when it comes to annoying this man.

“I feel like I met everyone in this building, and everyone knows me. I think I should accept the fact that I will be staying here for quite some years.”

I look up at Rafael once we are in the elevator, expecting to find him on his phone.

He’s not. He’s looking right at me with a calculated gaze.

“Silence is often a yes.” I shrug, turning towards the doors.

“Seems so,” he says, and when I glance over my shoulder at him again, he is glaring at my hair, but his expression is soon wiped.

“Green doesn’t suit you,” I blurt.

He is, in fact, wearing a dark green suit, a white dress shirt, and matching green tie.

“I didn’t ask for your opinion about my attire, Miss Campbell.”

“You’re going to get it, anyway. How else am I supposed to get you married before I leave? You’re already in your mid-thirties; you aren’t getting any younger.”

“You want to marry me off?”

I nod.

“Are you my mother? Last I checked, she was six feet under the ground.”

“Only her?” I slap a hand on my mouth as soon as the words leave my mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

His lip twitches when I turn around, and his eyes are crinkled in amusement.

“How else did you mean it? Are you trying to kill off my father, too? How cruel can you be?” Shouldering past me, he walks out.

I gape after him.

“You know I didn’t mean it like that. Come on. Don’t be angry at me.” I run after him but slow down once we near the offices of the accounting team.

“You did mean it like that. Why else would you say that? I didn’t expect this from you.”

But I didn’t mean it like that. Why is he insisting I did?

“I promise I didn’t mean it like that. Forgive me for this horrible mistake,” I plead. Not long ago I was the one getting upset, and here I am doing even worse.

I grab Rafael’s sleeve, stopping him in place. He glances down at me. Waiting.

“Sorry?” I try once more, guilt saturating the word.

Rafael doesn’t move nor answer me. He just stands there while people walk around us as we are blocking their way. His eyes flare when they fall to my hold on his sleeve.

I sigh and let him go.

Rafael silently watches over everyone, not speaking. I even spot someone sweating in the corner. Does he not do this usually? Why are they acting like this? Some women are avoiding looking in this direction altogether.

“Why are they behaving like this?” I pinch Rafael’s sleeve once more.

He leans down ever so slightly.

“I don’t do this normally, and when I do, they think I have come to fire people.”

I snort. Rafael shakes his head at me, then strides back towards the elevator. Instead of pressing the next floor, which would be third, he presses fourth.

“You missed a floor.”

“I didn’t. I don’t do it in order to catch everyone by surprise.”

“Oh.”

The fourth floor happens to be a mess, and Rafael hates it. He stands at the front of the open—floor office space, not moving, not talking, nothing.

His jaw tics, and he watches everyone like a hawk, his eyes sharply following their every move.

A guy has his feet up on the desk while he types with his laptop on his lap, a woman next to him has three packets of crisps on her desk, another man is retying his tie. It may not seem like a big deal, but they all look out of order. As soon as they notice Rafael, they will scramble to fix themselves.

“Camilla Clarson, Dave Brown, Celina Alton, Asher Kinston, you are all fired.” Then he turns and leaves.

I look over my shoulder while following Rafael and see the exact people I noticed are the ones who have been fired. Then I remember the company representation clause in the contract about dressing smart and neatly.

Without a second chance, without a second thought. Out. Just like that.

We spend the whole day walking around the building. By the end of it, Rafael has fired thirty people. Rafael truly is harsh when it comes to the image of his company. His strict dress code and his work ethic is what he expects in his staff too.

Once the day comes to end, I am buzzing with excitement and rush out towards the elevator.

The doors close, and once they open back up on the ground floor, I spot a figure waiting for me.

I don’t run in my excitement—can’t let everyone see just how excited I am—but seeing Danyi there, waiting for me with her bag in hand, makes me so giddy that I could literally skip towards her.

I won’t. But I want to.

She looks away from the sliding front doors to the back where the elevators are and spots me.

I wave at her with a smile, and she waves back. Once I am closer to her, she does the unthinkable. Danyi wraps her arms around me. In a hug.

I blink.

“Don’t be too stunned. I promise I’m not mean.” She leans back and grabs my wrist, then pulls me with her.

“I’ll explain at the café.”

Shaking myself out of the trance, I keep up with her pace, glancing at her every now and then in silence, because what is going on? I thought she was quiet and kept to herself? Maybe even a little bit mean, with her cold shoulders, but right now, outside of the office and that hug, it seems all too different.

She’s a whole different person. She even points to the animal shelter I saw on my first day.

“Come on. Stop looking at me like that. I promise I will explain it.” She looks to the side at me, and I just laugh, shaking my head.

“Oh, I want to hear this, for sure.”

Danyi stops suddenly and walks into the cafe on the left. The cold wind is instantly cut off once we are inside. The smell of coffee penetrates my senses and is enough to make my mouth water. The display case before me is filled with delicious pastries and doughnuts.

What catches my eyes catch, though, is the sunflower theme of the cafe. To the right is an arch leading to extra seating space with dark chairs and flooring. Clear vases with bouquets of sunflowers decorate the place, arched windows face the busy street, and warm lighting invites customers to stay in here and enjoy the relaxed vibes.

“This is beautiful. I haven’t walked this far on the street to notice it,” I comment, looking above me at the chandeliers.

“Told you it will be pretty. What do you want to get?” Danyi asks, turning to the cashier.

“I would like a lemonade and a pistachio croissant, and she will have…” She trails off, looking at me.

“Peach iced tea and a maple roll please.”

The blond cashier nods with a small smile, her blue eyes flitting over the screen in front of her.

“That would be fourteen pounds, please.” She looks up.

Danyi has paid before I can even blink. She looks down at me and gives me a stiff smile. “It’s the least I can do after treating you like I did.”

We choose a table and sit, but I am still so wary of her. She looks more carefree, more relaxed, and more comfortable around me than she was before.

“Okay. I know what you are thinking. Why the sudden need to go for a snack after work? But you don’t understand how hard it has been to walk past you every day when all you wanted was a friend at work.” She takes a deep breath, then a frown twists on her face.

“It’s all Mr Gustav’s fault. He didn’t allow anyone to get close to you. He wanted you isolated to see how well you work under pressure and on your own. He does this to everyone, and only when they have passed this test to his exacting standard does he allow everyone to finally drop the act.” She rolls her eyes.

“Talk about being such a workaholic that you isolate your assistant. He’s been like this since I started working here five years ago. Forgive me, please. I have tried to make it up to you by dropping by a few times, but every time, Mr Gustav has shown up, and I just had to walk away.” She rubs at her temples, clearly stressed about it.

“I had a feeling,” I mutter, glancing down at the dark wooden table.

“What?” She snaps her head up.

“I think I kind of knew that he did that because any time someone made eye contact with me, they would look away immediately in alarm, as if they were going to get caught doing something illegal.” I shrug, but Danyi is smiling. “Why are you smiling? This isn’t funny.”

Danyi bursts out laughing, her head falling back.

“Oh, you are so good at this. The ones before you quit because they felt so isolated and fell victim to Mr Gustav’s taunts. Gustav Industries is not a joke. You need to be able to handle Mr Gustav’s anger and pressure to be able to stand amongst his business partners and associates. But forgive me, please?”

I laugh, shaking my head at her.

“I forgive you. I had an inkling, and I’m not stupid enough to believe I’m that unlikeable.” I throw my hair off my shoulder and lift it in an amused shrug coupled with a smirk.

“I got you a gift!” She grins. Grabbing her bag, she pulls out a small white box and places it in front of me.

It’s got a cute white bow on it, too.

“Oh my God! For me?” I gasp, not daring to touch it.

“Yes, open it. I have a feeling you will love it.”

Taking hold of the box, I carefully pull the ribbon, and it falls away. I open the box and smile.

“This is so cute!” It’s a pair of bow earrings.

Danyi grins, leaning forward on the table. “Wear them tomorrow. You will look gorgeous in them.”

“Thank you so much, Danyi. You have no idea what you taking this step with me means to me. It truly has been quite lonely working here.” I snap the box shut, swallowing thickly.

I may have survived, but working alone has taken a toll on me.

We sit together for a long time. Danyi sips her lemonade and chats away, telling me all the juicy gossip around the company. She’s listing who’s good and who’s not, who got married recently, and a little more about Rafael himself.

It seems Rafael has eased off on me, allowing everyone to work as normal around me.

I don’t want to be in the state I was in when I was in boarding school here. This city already feels a bit hostile, and I don’t want to keep silently suffering when it was me who asked to come here by myself.