Something Happened...

Chapter 27

The city streets of New York were blanketed in a thick layer of snow, muffling the usual hustle and bustle of the city and casting everything in a soft, ethereal glow. Roman stood at the window of his office, watching the snowflakes swirl lazily in the air, lost in thought.

As the CEO of a successful company, Roman was used to being in control, to having everything go according to plan. But there was something about Bailey, that unsettled him, that stirred emotions he had long since buried deep within.

Bailey was a constant presence in Roman's life, her bright smile and infectious energy a stark contrast to his own brooding demeanour. There was something about her that drew him in, that made him yearn for more.

Lost in his thoughts, Roman was startled when he caught sight of Bailey walking alone on the snowy street below. She was bundled up in a thick coat, her breath forming tiny clouds in the chilly air as she trudged through the snow with her head down. Suddenly he remembered what had happened earlier at the office with Bailey.
Without thinking, Roman grabbed his coat and hurried to catch up with her. Quickly he was on the street. He found her standing at the bus stop, her shoulders hunched against the cold, her cheeks flushed pink from the biting wind.

"Bailey," Roman called out, his voice cutting through the silence of the night. Bailey looked up, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of him.

"Mr. Carter," she said, her voice soft and hesitant. "What are you doing out here?"

Roman was at loss of words. He was standing in front of her before  his brain could think.
He spoke, " You were working late?" He couldn't think of anything  else to say at that moment.

Bailey was puzzled. She replied,
"I had some important deadline."

Roman nodded,  now feeling guilty of throwing a lot on her. "Let me give you a ride," he said suddenly, surprising himself with the offer.

Bailey hesitated, her brow furrowed in uncertainty. "That's fine. I can take the bus. "

Roman shook his head, a determined look in his eyes. "It's not an option."

Bailey was confused and  already cold while waiting for the bus. She knew how dangerous it was to go alone with Roman but she felt too tired to argue or fight. She nodded and fell into step beside him as they made their way to Roman's car. The silence between them was just different, charged with an unspoken tension that neither of them dared to acknowledge.

As they drove through the snowy streets of New York, Roman stole glances at Bailey out of the corner of his eye, his heart pounding in his chest. There was something about her, something that made him feel alive in a way he hadn't in last months.

When they finally arrived at Bailey's apartment building, Roman pulled up to the curb and turned off the engine, Bailey turned to him and spoke,
"Thank you for the ride, Mr. Carter," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Roman nodded, his gaze locked on hers. He just wanted to kiss her that moment, hold her in that cold night, maybe it would make his heart warm he thought. But the overwhelming guilt of being with someone else when his lover Alyssa was no more, was too burdensome.
He quickly averted his gaze and looked forward. Bailey unbuckled her seatbelt and left.

As Bailey disappeared into her apartment building, Roman sat in his car, his mind reeling with the realization that he in-fact, had started to like Bailey. Oh how he hated that feeling! He loved Alyssa and only her! Then why he had such feeling for Bailey! Why?

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Derek sat alone in his dimly lit apartment, his gaze fixed on the photos scattered across the coffee table. They were innocent snapshots of Bailey and Roman sitting in a car, alone, outside her apartment building, their faces alight with shared secrets. But Derek feared something was going on, the betrayal that lurked beneath the surface.

Bailey and Roman had shared a complicated past because of him. Derek had convinced himself that Bailey hated Roman, that their interactions were nothing more than professional courtesy. But as he scrolled through the photos, a sinking feeling gnawed at Derek's gut. There was something more between them, something he couldn't ignore.

With a bitter twist of his lips, Derek reached for his phone, his fingers trembling with rage. He knew what he had to do. He would use these photos to blackmail Bailey, to find what was going on between them. He couldn't bear to see them together any longer, couldn't stand the thought of Bailey in another man's arms.

As he composed his message to sent Bailey, Derek's mind raced with possibilities. He could threaten to expose their affair, to ruin both Bailey and Roman's careers if they didn't comply with his demands. Or he could threaten to send these photos to Ruby, she would go crazy and can actually ruin someone's life. His mind filled with so many things that actually excited him. But no, he wanted Bailey back. He could have wealth like Roman but Bailey was his! He wanted to make sure she remembered it.

With a sense of grim satisfaction, Derek made up his mind and decided to get what he want. His heart pounded in his chest. He knew that once he unleashed the full force of his wrath, there would be no turning back. This was his chance to take control of the situation, to reclaim what was rightfully his.

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The next day at the office, Bailey sat at her desk, her mind was consumed with thoughts of Derek and Roman. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over her ever since Derek had entered her life again. She knew he was not the same guy she fell in love with, he had not only changed but had hurt her way more than she could imagine.

But as she glanced across the room and saw Roman working in his office, a sense of calm washed over her. Surprisingly she felt better, she felt safe in the office, mostly because of Roman. She would have never thought that presence Roman would make her feel better than Derek.

Roman on the other hand, tried to avoid Bailey as much as possible. He didn't even look at the direction of her desk, despite how curious he got about what Bailey was doing at that moment. He could not shake away the fact that he had started to feel something for Bailey, the person who was responsible for Alyssa's death! He hated himself for that.

The more he thought about it, the more angry he got. How could he let himself sway like this?
He was busy in his thought and didn't realise his assistant was calling him out.

"What?" He snapped.
His voice was a little too loud for the office and everyone heard him. A silence fell on the floor.

Stephen, his assistant, got a little closer and whispered something his ear.

"Are you sure?" Roman asked Stephen, while taking a quick look at Bailey with detest.

Stephen spoke nothing but nodded as a yes,

"Ok. Let's go."

Roman quickly got up from his chair and walked out of his office, Stephen was tagging alone.
Bailey unknowingly looked up from his computer to see Roman but his eyes looked different. He looked back at her, but this time, his eyes were filled with  disdain. It was same look Roman had when they met in her bakery. It was the look of the hatred.  Bailey felt her stomach sink at the sight of Roman's expression.  She suddenly realised where she was! She was at Roman's office. Despite whatever happened, he hated her! This realisation made Bailey sad. She knew Roman hated her but why she was sad about it now, puzzled her.