Heyyo! Are you guys enjoying the book? I always appreciate constructive feedback. And I am enjoying how deep Jane and Edmond's relationship has grown since we first began.
Before you guys start reading though please remember that I love you all and I want to tell y'all to brace yourselves. That's all. 😂
Happy reading!😁❤️
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"The targets we aimed at achieving are here. This is what we've got so far..." The sales manager went on and on as Jane zoned out. It was the same thing every month.
Her burner phone rang.
All eyes turned to her and she immediately cut the call.
"So as I was saying..." The manager continued.
Her burner rang again relentlessly.
"Sera, either silence that damn thing or get out of the meeting!" Her now annoyed sales manager yelled.
"Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Sera said frantically as she cut the call once more , put the phone on vibrate and put it in her purse.
As the meeting continued she felt her purse vibrate two...no three times.
3 messages. It must be urgent.
But there was nothing she could do. She had to wait for the meeting to end before she could call Edmond back.
She kept tapping her toe impatiently waiting for the meeting to end.
"...I want better results this month! Now get out!"
That's it. She jumped up from her seat as soon as her manager said those words. She went to the corridor and immediately took out her burner phone and read her messages.
Message 1:
Jane pick up! Pick uppp!!!
Message 2:
Tried calling you twice. I'm leaving the country for work. Can't take my burner. Won't be in touch.
Message 3:
Don't worry about it. I'll be back in a few days. Take care.
What?!
She immediately called him back.
2 rings...5 rings....8 rings...call not answered.
She called him again.
2 rings...5 rings....8 rings...call not answered.
Damnit!
He had probably already left.
A million questions went through her mind.
Where was he going? Why did he suddenly have to leave the country? Why couldn't he be in touch with her? And the biggest one of all...when would he come back?
She decided to text him back so he could see the text when ever he came back.
"Okay. I hope you have a great time. Take care."
She decided to send him another text.
"Do let me know when you get back."
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Three weeks later...
Sera had been a mess. She had tried keeping it together for so long especially for outward appearances but she had failed miserably. Edmond was gone. Gone. Disappeared in thin air.
Not only did she worry about him, she missed him so very much. She didn't realise until he was gone, how dependent she had become on him and how used to his presence she had become. It was like a void had been created in her life that was sucking the energy out of her.
This is how her chat with Edmond currently looked like on her burner:
Day 1
Okay. I hope you have a great time. Take care.
Do let me know when you get back.
Day 3
Hey. Hope you're doing okay. Was bored...
Day 6
I'm wondering what you're upto....
Day 7
Just curious..how many days is a few days? It's usually less than a week. The week got over today. Why didn't you tell me exactly how long you'd be gone for??
Day 8
I heard a really funny joke today....
You know what...never mind.
Day 9
I miss you Edmond. Please come back soon.
Day 13
Seriously Edmond! Where the hell are you??? I waited patiently for soo many days. It's been 13 days already. When are you coming back???
Day 14
Been two weeks now buddy. Do I need to worry about you?
You know I really wanted to go to the courtyard today just hoping that maybe..maybe I'll see you there..
You know what..I'm being dumb. Ignore my last message.
Day 17
Edmond did I do something wrong? Why would you leave me so suddenly without even giving me a proper reason??
Day 18
Are we even friends anymore?
How many weeks of no contact make you a stranger with your best friend?
Day 19
I wish there was some way in which I could find you even if you push me away after that. I just need to know that you're alive and well.
Day 20
Edmond, tomorrow it will be three weeks since I last spoke to you. I don't like being away from you like this.
I know I'm making myself incredibly vulnerable saying all this to you. But at this point I hardly think I care.
I would give anything for a single response from you.
Day 21
3 weeks done.
If you have to come back please oh please let it be today. I can't take it anymore.
Edmond?
You promised me you'd never hurt me.
Just so you know....you're hurting me.
Today was the 21st day since the day he had told her that he was leaving the country. She had texted him an hour back. She had put her head down on her office table, her burner phone lying next to her head, hoping against all hope that he would come back today, or atleast text her.
This was not the first time during the week when she wondered just one thing all over again. Did Edmond leave because he realised that he had feelings for her and felt like he needed to push her out if his life to get rid of them??
She sighed as a tear streaked down her face.
"Sera?!" Her manager yelled.
She immediately sat up, brushed her hair with her fingers, wiped her tears and tried to look as alive as possible as she heard footsteps approaching her cabin.
"Yes sir?" She spoke up when he came into her cabin.
"Woah! What is going on with you? You look dreadful."
She gulped. "You're right, sir. I'm sorry. Please allow me to fix myself up. I'll be back quickly." She spoke as she made to go to the washroom.
"No, stay" he ordered.
She nodded and sat back in her seat.
"Do you have any meetings scheduled today?"
"Yes, sir. There's one actually at 11:..." She glanced at the time and realised that it was well passed noon. "Oh"
"Yeah. 'oh' " Her manager replied. "Your clients had called. I already asked Jessie to take care of it."
"Right." She gulped.
"Look, Sera." He spoke in a quieter voice as he pulled a chair to sit facing her. "I know I'm strict most times, but it's because I have to be. But if there is some personal reason why my sales woman....one of my best in fact"
She half smiled at that
"...is not performing."
Her face fell again but she nodded.
"I need to know what's going on."
She gulped again. "I'll get my head back in the game, sir. I promise. I'm sorry."
"I need more from you than promises, Sera. I'm not leaving here till you tell me what's going on."
She half smiled. "Sir, it's stupid."
"All the more reason to hear it."
She nodded as she hesitantly began to tell him how she had met Edmond and how she had no idea who he was and how much he had taken care of her before and how much she cared about him and how ultimately he had left and broken any form of contact.
She shrugged at the end of it.
"Right" her manager said when she was done. "That phone how you two communicate?" He pointed at the burner phone with his chin.
She nodded.
"Alright look. Here's what you're gonna do: Get rid of it."
"What?!" She exclaimed. "No!"
He nodded. "Sera just listen to reason. If this man cares about you as much as you claim to, I'm without doubt that he will find a way to contact you even without that phone."
She gulped as she realised that it was the truth.
"But in the meantime, that phone along with the hope that he will come back is weighing you down. It's affecting everything that you've ever stood for, the very person that you are."
She nodded. "Okay" she whispered.
"And don't ever go back to that courtyard again either."
She gulped again but nodded.
He nodded too and made to leave but turned at the door. "Sera...I don't normally condone this..." He paused uncertain if he should continue.
She waited patiently.
"...if you still feel...empty...go talk to Derek."
She frowned. "I'm competing with Derek. Why would I go talk to him?"
"He's had a crush on you for a while now. You've been so involved with your masked guy, you've not seen it."
"I...uh..." She couldn't believe her manager was actually saying what he was saying but she still didn't feel it was right. "...I'm not sure if I'm comfortable..."
"I'm just laying your cards on the table for you, Sera. You play them however you want. But get your head back in the game." His strict self was back.
She nodded violently. "Yes sir!"
"Good." He left.
She sighed as she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. She couldn't believe this is what it had come to. But her manager was right. She couldn't ruin her life over this.
She opened her eyes, picked up her burner phone and typed:
Day 21
Edmond, I care about you a lot and I always will. But I don't know if you're ever coming back. And I can't keep waiting around for you to, so I'm getting rid of this phone. I hope that you have a fantastic life ahead and have the very best of everything. Take care. ~Jane.
She hit send, dismantled the phone, threw it in the trash can and left her cabin.
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I'm sorryyyy!!😂🙈 I'm so incredibly sorry you guys. Trust me writing this was so difficult and painful for me! I've been though the same things while writing this, that you guys probably went through while reading.
Where the hell did Edmond go?? Why did he have to go now?!
But anyways... please feel free to lament in the comment section. Also tell me what you thought of the chapter or whatever your feelings are in general.
And please do vote for it even if you didn't like it because remember....I love you all. Thanks! 😂❤️