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

Chapter 21 - Autumn

I stand in front of the office bathroom mirror, a bruised face staring back at me. God, I look awful. My hair is all messy and that cheek! If clients show up at the office, they'll probably think I'm a victim of domestic violence. Well, I guess it's not too far from the truth.

Mike had never ever done something like this, he was always kind and relaxed. Why did he change so much? Is it because I discovered his dirty little secret, because he has to live with the consequences now? I have no idea. All I know is that my boss was ready to fight him to protect me.

Stubborn little girl.

Despite the agony I'm feeling, I can't help but smile at these words echoing through my mind. They do something to me, I feel hot flashes rush through my body, making me lightheaded and numb.

What is happening? I can't feel my legs anymore, my arms seem like they are not part of me any longer. The heat is spreading mercilessly, my heart pounds against my ribcage in fury. I need something to hold on to, my feet won't hold me steady much longer, my bones seem to dissolve with every breath that viciously draws oxygen into my lungs. I grab the edge of the sink and try to focus on my mirror image, which now seems to mix with the pale color of the tiles around it. For some reason, I'm not surprised at all, I just acknowledge the fact that my vision is breaking down on me.

Funny, I think. This is probably not just his words doing this to me.

Having come to that conclusion, everything around me slips into darkness.

"Miss Lewis?"

A soft voice reaches my consciousness and slowly pulls it back out of the black hole it had fallen into.

"Miss Lewis, can you hear me?"

Yes, I think, willing that voice to read my thoughts. I can hear you. Everything seems so far away, even my body. It won't obey me at all.

Something warm touches my cheek, heating the numbness of my icy skin.

"Miss Lewis?"

The voice sounds agitated, maybe even scared.

"Miss Lewis!"

Then, the warm sensation is gone and I fall back into the cold of my own body. No, I want to cry out, don't leave. But my mind has lost all its power over its fleshly servant and remains still. I should panic, I should be frightened by its loss but instead, the twilight state holds me firmly in its grip, whispering, All is well, just surrender to me.

"Fuck!"

The rustling of fabric strikes my ear, much too loud.

"I should have taken you to the doctor right away."

There it is again. A gentle touch on my face. I mean to lean into it, soak up the warmth through my pores and let it defrost my paralyzed body, but I can't.

"I'm calling an ambulance, Autumn, just hold on, okay?"

I'm fine, I can hear you. I can feel you. Don't call a doctor, just stay with me for a little while. I'll be okay.

The voice orders an ambulance, oblivious to my attempts of telepathy, and keeps talking to me until several other voices flood my semi-consciousness.

"How long has she been like this?" one of them inquires.

"I don't know," my favorite one of them responds. "I was in a meeting and went checking on her when she didn't return to her desk."

It is then that the force of blackness sucks me back into heavy fog.