Love me or hate me it's still an obsession

Chapter 12

A few weeks went by with no words crossing between Effie and Ace. The tension built deeper and deeper every day and everyone working in their vicinity could feel it. Until one day, Ace was offered an opportunity to leave London with Alistair and go to America for a month. He left without any goodbyes, just one day he didn't come into the office and that was that. Rita could see the relationship between Effie and Ace change, seeing them go from bad to good to bad to good and back to bad; she knew he loved her, she hadn't seen him so besotted with anyone before and knew he would do anything to get her back but she had seen a different side to Effie, a heartbroken little girl that Rita knew she had to help nurture to make her a powerful woman for Ace to return to.

"Effie, follow me...", Rita whispered to her as she passed her desk.

The offices had been quieter since Ace and Alistair had left for America, everyone seeming more chilled out without the Wesley brothers around. Steve had barely been in, on some secretive mission of his own, so people had relaxed their work ethic and it had been a lovely atmosphere to work in. Effie got up quickly and caught up with Rita who was power walking in front, "where are we going?" she asked, panting.

Rita didn't say a word as she pushed Effie into a spare office further down the corridor, "sit down", she ordered. Effie did as she was asked, confused as to why they were there. "How are things at home then? Cade around?"

Effie shook her head and looked around her wondering if this was where she was going to find out Rita secretly wanted to kill her. "He's come back to get some more of his stuff, I have no idea what our relationship actually is anymore. Stupid bastard. He actually hit me last month, you know when I was really quiet on that work trip away."

Rita nodded. "I guessed of some sort. Ace asked too. You had a red mark on your cheek..." She looked intensely at Effie, "so, what about Ace? Missing him now that he isn't here?"

She noticed Effie's face stiffen, "no", she quickly replied, giving Rita the exact reaction she needed.

She walked closer to Effie and leant down, putting her hands either side of the chair she was sat on, "really? Because I don't believe you. I know Ace like the back of my hand and I now know you quite well too..."

Effie felt herself relax, her shoulders heaving up and down as she tried to stop herself from crying, "Ace just kinda snuck up on me. I had no way of escaping it...", she whispered, looking at her feet.

Rita crouched down to be in Effie's eyeline, "Effie, the best things always do."

Effie shrugged, twiddling her fingers, "but you know he left. I have no idea when he's back, we're better off apart. All we do is argue all the time. It is either jealousy, or one of us does or says the wrong thing. It just won't work. It is better this way. Yeah I missed him when he first left but I tried to block it out. That didn't work, obviously, so then I let the pain in. It cut me until I was numb; I just sat and let it rip me apart, but then I had to get up, to carry on, taking one deep breath at a time, one day at a time. I cried. I cried for hours... days even. But then one day, the crying just stopped. Yeah, it's hard, I feel a part of me is missing, but I'm alive and I know one day I will be okay. But for now, I just take the fucking long road of being just okay, because I know that if I don't, it will kill me."

Effie got up off the chair, pushing past Rita as she walked towards the door. "Effie, Ace Wesley is bad news. I agree, it will be hard working with him every day when you have such a connection with him, but I promise you are better off without him."

Effie nodded, gripping the door tightly as she wiped a small tear away that had formed in the corner of her eye. She said nothing in return as Rita stood and watched her leave. She hoped Effie's strong independence would charge through anything that was thrown at her and Rita swore to herself she would do anything to support her on the right path, no matter what.