Somehow Connected

Chapter 1

CONTENT WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS DEPICTIONS OF ASSAULT. READER'S DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

As an office lady who worked in a well known company of a wealthy Japanese merchant, Hazel was exceptional. She always did her job efficiently and achieved everything in her life effortlessly. 

And if that hasn't sufficed your tastes, she had everything that of an angel. In everyone's perspective, she was perfect. Therefore making people unable to avoid her charms. Including her boss. 

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"We've already got our own families. This is totally wrong. What are you on about?" Hazel asked, confused.

"I don't know. My heart beats faster whenever you are around. And I can not seem to take my eyes off of you." He replied.

"I-i'm afraid you are just as confused as I am right now. You already have your own family, and so do I. Besides, it is only you who feels like this. I'll forget all of this ever happened, so please-" She was interrupted when he pulled her close to him.

"Why? Don't you love me? I know you love me too. So, please, give me even just one chance to prove myself to you. I want you, Hazel."

"W-what are you doing?! You may be my boss, but this is too much! I already told you this would not work. I am giving you one last chance by forgetting this ever happened, so please let go. Or I will have no choice but to sue you." Hazel struggled as she forcefully tried to get out of his grip.

"Then do that," He glared at her intensely. "And regret it after."

She looked at him intently, then thought about what can she do to escape. She couldn't believe she got tricked into going to his territory. She wanted to cry for help but knew it was useless. It is already late, and she is sure that no one is working at this hour. The walls in the room are also resistant to sounds, so whatever he will do to her will only be known between them, unless... he will get rid of her after.

"Let's run away together, leave everything, and start anew. Together, let us build a family of our own!" He determinedly said, still keeping a firm hold of his grasp. He reeked of alcohol.

"What?!" She was bewildered, but that was the last straw.

"Mr. Yoshida, I do not have the slightest interest in what kind of delusions you are imagining. But did it ever dawn upon you that it is disturbing to think that you had all these fantasies going on inside your head for who knows how long? And I can not believe it took me this long to realize that the boss I've always looked up to is a bastard and someone who is sick in the head." She looked straight into his eyes.

Then silence ensued in the room and between them. But after a while, Mr. Yoshida started to talk.

"The company was on the verge of bankruptcy then, and I had long since accepted such fate. But then minutes became hours. Hours became days, then days to weeks, and weeks to months.

But it never happened. Instead, the company's performance got a lot better. Until I got curious as to how and why. And that's how I knew, it was thanks to you, my savior." He revealed, leaving her speechless by his revelation.

"That's how my feelings started to grow for you. Until it became something I cannot contain anymore. I wanted to make you mine, but we are both already married. Then I remembered, that's not a problem, isn't it? If we can not take flight from our current lives, how about we'll just keep this a secret? Just between you and me, doesn't that-"

Just then, a sharp blow echoed the whole room, and he realized that he was given a hard slap on his face. He turned to see the person standing in front of him.

"Over my dead body." Hazel firmly said.

He stared at her for a few seconds, then smirked- which scared Hazel.

"It is inevitable. You can only blame yourself for what is about to happen." He then pulled her in for a kiss.

"Stop! What do you think you're-"

"I tried to take it easy with you, we both can attest to that. But you left me with no choice. I want you, Hazel. I want to have you all for myself."

Just as he was about to kiss her again, she struggled to get out of his grasp.

"Let me go! It's not too late yet! I won't tell anyone what happened! Let me go!"

She went on, but it was of no use. He didn't move one bit.

"His name was 'Troy', right?" He asked after a while of dealing with her struggle.

She then stopped and looked at him horrifyingly. At that moment, she felt her knees trembling; she felt weak.

"I heard your husband also got involved in an accident last month. Good thing he lived." He scoffed.

"Please... You can do whatever you want to me, just please... leave my son and my family alone. They have nothing to do with this." She felt her eyes welling up with tears.

"Good,"

And that was how Hazel's almost perfect life went downhill.

---

Guilt.

That was what she mainly felt.

Instead of being disgusted and angry, she felt guilty for keeping it to her family. And now, after what happened, she doesn't know how to face them. Especially after discovering that what had happened to her husband was not an accident, but an attempted murder.

They thought she went on a business trip, and that was what she thought, too, not until...

And now, she is finally home after a week of hell with him. Her son smiling as he was running to hug her was all she could think about; the only thing that kept her sane was her family.

But things only seemed to get worse as time passed...