Autumn - In Love With My Boss (An Office Romance)| Completed

Chapter 43 - Autumn

The food looks amazing, but with that elderly woman in her Chanel wardrobe shooting dirty glances at me every time I look up from my plate, I can't bring myself to eat one bite.

James's uncle, on the other hand, is incredibly nice.

"So, you two work together?" he wants to know, chewing a piece of steak.

I'm not sure if James wants me to tell, so I remain quiet and let him talk.

"Yes." He nods. "Yes, we do. She is my assistant, actually."

"Really."

That wasn't a question but rather a hateful statement by Mrs. Marlow.

"So you're now going after office staff."

"Mary!" David reprimands her.

"What?" She shrugs her shoulders innocently. "Is it not right, James?"

He growls. "Aunt Mary. Her position in the company is absolutely irrelevant."

"Hah," the hateful shrew laughs bitterly. "As long as her position is kneeling under your desk, isn't it?"

That's it. I've had enough of this. I stand and throw the napkin I had draped over my lap on the table.

James does the same.

"What the fuck is the matter with you?" he hisses at his aunt.

Everyone is suddenly up, speaking wildly at the same time. Everyone but Aunt Mary, who leans back in her chair and smiles victoriously.

I glare at that white-haired witch and say calmly but firmly, "I'm not your nephew's office whore."

With her arms folded in front of her chest, her voice gets so frosty that every word she hauls at me freezes over and leaves burn marks on my soul.

"Could have fooled me. No offense, Sweetie, but you're not the first and surely not the last. Right, James? Tell her about the others. How many have you had? Five, I believe? Six? It's so hard to keep track."

What? I turn to look at him.

James, say something. Anything. Please.

Why is he so quiet?

My mind is willing him to talk, I silently scream at him. Say something! Talk! Set this straight, James! But he doesn't. Instead, he just looks down at the table, then at me, then at the table again.

No. It isn't true. It can't be.

The silence is killing me. I have trouble breathing. I need to get out of here or I'm going to suffocate.

"Excuse me," I mumble into David's direction, grab my purse that is hanging over my chair, and then I flee the scene. Wouldn't you?

Outside, I run. I don't care about the cold, about the snow, I don't care that I left my jacket with those people. I just run. I need to get as far away from that place as possible.

Tears running down my face, I finally reach a somewhat frequented street. Luck must be on my side for once, since it doesn't even take me one minute to spot a cab and secure myself a ride home.

The door shuts behind me and I collapse onto the floor, sobbing so heavily I'm almost beginning to hyperventilate. The love of my life, the man of my dreams. All a lie. He made me believe it wasn't just an affair. Well, to be fair, he never said it wasn't. And that he introduced me as his girlfriend was probably just to look good in front of his family.

What did his aunt say? There have been five or six?

What does it matter. I'm just one of many.

I think I'm getting sick.

Somehow, I manage to maneuver my numb body into the bathroom, where I heave myself over the rim of the toilet and empty my stomach in heavy convulsions.

It won't stop. Which is a good thing, at least it prevents me from thinking; from hurting.

"Autumn?" I hear the cause of all of this through my apartment door, followed by a hesitant knock.

I don't react. Well, even if I could, I wouldn't. I don't want to see him.

"Autumn?" he tries again, a little louder this time.

"Go away," I gag into the bowl, pretty sure he did not hear a word.

"Autumn, please!" His voice seems desperate. "Please open so I can explain."

"Go." Again, my body is shaken by spastic waves.

"Autumn, are you there? Please, let us talk."

I'm so exhausted that I can't support my body anymore and tip over to the side. There, snug on my blue bathroom rug, I stare at the ceiling, listening to my boss's pleas for a little while longer, before I slip into a dreamless, coma-like state.