The following day, Elena chose to return to work, not wanting to linger another day in the hospital with Jack showing no signs of improvement. Despite this, she phoned Mrs. Carter to inform her of her visit later in the day. The recent events had been difficult to comprehend, leaving everything feeling surreal. Elena let out a sigh and briskly headed out the door of her office to convene with her team in the conference room. The day ahead promised to be filled with reviewing and forecasting logistics. Walking down the corridor, employees paused and respectfully acknowledged her presence with a brief bow as she passed by.
"Elena, I just got a call from Miss Clover. She asked me to let you know that she won't be in today," Sofia announced, flipping through her notepad. Elena came to a sudden halt, processing the unexpected news.
"What? Today of all days?" Elena exclaimed in disbelief. Sofia nodded, her expression confirming the news.
"She apologized by saying she wasn't feeling well enough to come to work!" Sofia added, which made Elena a little worried about her friend.
"Okay, once we're done here, I want you to send her some get well soon goodies," Elena said with a gentle smile before entering the meeting room. As she walked in, she noticed Erica's poker face, filled with obvious displeasure at her arrival. Elena cleared her throat, choosing to ignore her.
"Good morning, everyone! Let's get started, shall we?" Elena greeted with a bright smile as she took her place at the head of the table. The meeting kicked off with each department head sharing their progress over the past few weeks. Elena was fully engaged in the discussion, ensuring no key points were missed. Despite Erica's attempts to display discontent and disagreement, it only served to confuse those in attendance.
As the meeting came to an end, the group of people started to exit the room, their faces showing signs of exhaustion from the lengthy discussion. Elena smiled at them as she watched them leave, appreciative of their time. Once the others had departed, Elena walked over to the door and closed it, catching Erica off guard as she made her way out.
"Erica, we can't continue to behave like this, especially in front of our employees! What message are you sending them by constantly disagreeing with me?" Elena stated firmly, her eyes locked on her friend's face, trying to gauge her reaction. Erica responded with a scoff and a defiant smirk.
"Do you want me to blindly agree with all of your pathetic strategies like I always do?" Erica retorted without holding back. Elena was taken aback by her friend's attitude, shocked to see this side of Erica that she had never witnessed before.
"Elena, I have tolerated your nonsense, especially when it comes to business! Your ideas and strategies have been nothing short of ridiculous. It's been me who has kept your company afloat with all of these stupid and outrageous demands of yours!"
"I'm exhausted. I'm tired of pretending and not speaking up!" Erica expressed with frustration. Elena gritted her teeth in displeasure, glaring back with a mixture of disappointment and anger.
"How could you be so cruel to say that, Erica? Are my strategies and tactics a joke to you? If you felt this way, why didn't you tell me honestly? Aren't friends supposed to support each other by being truthful?" Elena questioned, her body tense with the weight of the situation.
"Ha, as if you would accept judgment and truths gracefully! You're manipulative, conceited, and selfish, Elena. I feel sorry for you. No amount of beauty or money can mend a broken and mentally unstable person destined for failure!" Erica's words cut deep as she spoke with widened eyes before swiftly leaving the room. Elena gasped in utter dejection at Erica's hurtful remarks, feeling a sharp pain in her chest. The tears she had been holding back streamed down her face uncontrollably as she stood there, feeling alone and deeply wounded.
The rest of the afternoon was filled with melancholy for Elena as she tried to conceal her emotions as best as she could. However, the pain was evident in her eyes, visible to anyone who looked at her.
Driving towards her friend's house, Elena couldn't shake the echoes of Erica's hurtful words from her mind. She shook her head in dismay, lightly tapping her cheek to snap herself out of the negative thoughts. Quickly, she turned on her car's music playlist, the familiar tunes washing over her, and she consciously relaxed her tense muscles as she gripped the steering wheel. With each deep breath she took, her grip on the wheel loosened slightly, allowing a sense of calm to wash over her.
In moments like these, the best therapy now for Elena was a long drive accompanied by music. It helped distract her from the overwhelming emotions swirling within her. After a thirty-minute drive, she finally arrived at her friend's house. Without hesitation, she picked up her phone and dialed Clover's number.
"Clo, open up, I'm at your gate!" Elena said with smiling eyes as she eagerly waited for her friend's response.
"El? Oh...okay!" Clover responded, and within seconds, the gate slid open, allowing Elena's car to enter. Elena grabbed her purse and a bag of ordered food for them to enjoy together.
"El! I'm so happy you're here!" Clover exclaimed as she flung the door open and enveloped Elena in a hug without hesitation. Elena's expression shifted to a puzzled frown as she sensed there was more to her friend's demeanor than just a minor ailment.
"What's the matter, Clo? You feel cold!" Elena exclaimed in realization, noticing the chill emanating from her friend. Clover took a step back, a smile playing on her lips as she gazed into Elena's eyes.
"It's nothing, just a minor flu and headache, really," Clover replied, dismissing Elena's concern. She swiftly took the plastic bag from Elena's hand, trying to divert the conversation.
"Oh, you brought food! I am starving!" Clover exclaimed with excitement, making a beeline for the dining table at the far end of the house. Elena followed suit, taking a seat across from her friend.
"I knew you'd be hungry, especially since you tend to get lazy when you're sick!" Elena said with a grin as she started unpacking the containers of food. Clover chuckled at her friend's comment, and they both dug into the meal, chatting away about various topics. After finishing their meal, Elena assisted in clearing the table, and they danced together to a new song by their favorite artist. Elena twirled around the kitchen, disposing of the remaining food in the garbage and putting the dishes in the sink.
As Clover washed the last of the dishes, she couldn't help but laugh at Elena's carefree antics around the house. Elena danced, twirled, and jumped around, exuding a youthful energy that brought a smile to Clover's face.
"What's gotten into you, El?" Clover chortled at the sight, quickly drying her hands with a cloth. Elena barely paid attention, lost in the music that was loud and pulsating through her entire being. Their eyes met from across the room, sharing a moment of connection amidst the energetic atmosphere.
"I want a drink," Elena muttered, making her way to the liquor cabinet in the living room. Clover sighed and followed Elena at a slow pace.
"El, just one glass of wine if you're heading back home!" Clover admonished playfully, grabbing the bottle of wine from her friend. Elena flashed a sly smile and pursed her lips, clearly unsatisfied by her suggestion.
"Only one? Oh, come on...I can stay here!"
"I just want to drink and not think about anything!" She mumbled, leaning into her friend.
"Please... let's drink... There's no work tomorrow! It's just perfect!" Elena said with shining eyes. But Clover refused as she walked away.
"No! I'm sick, and you want me to drink?! Have you forgotten that?" Clover asked with wide eyes. Elena suddenly realized her mistake and dropped her head in regret for suggesting such a thing.
"Right! I'm sorry," Elena sighed in regret as she slumped down on the couch. Clover noticed the anxiety creeping up on Elena's face, so she sat beside her, taking her hand in a comforting gesture.
"What happened now?" Clover asked, her voice filled with concern. A tear escaped Elena's eye as she turned her gaze towards her friend.
"Erica! That's what happened!" Elena cried softly, closing her eyes in pain. Clover sighed and shook her head in disbelief. Erica's out-of-character behavior was so shocking that it was still difficult to process.
"El, the boy she likes, likes you?" Clover asked, looking at Elena firmly. Elena bit her bottom lip and nodded in response.
"It's strangely hard to answer! I mean, I know he likes me because he admitted it to my face and we have kissed! But I don't know how I feel about him!" Elena confessed with a heavy heart. Clover squeezed Elena's hands in understanding.
"That's okay! The most important thing is to tell him how you feel, just like you're doing with me! I'm sure he will understand," Clover continued, which made Elena reconsider her thoughts about the situation.
"I feel happy and alive whenever I'm with him! He's like the sun shining through my cloudy and stormy days!" Elena expressed with a warm smile.
"And I do feel like I'm attracted to him as well, but there's this side of me that is so unsure and doubtful about leaping into something so unknown and different to me," she said with deep disconcerting emotions. Clover nodded in understanding once again.
"I totally understand what you mean," Clover mumbled with deep sorrow in her eyes, catching Elena's attention.
"It's like you are one hundred percent sure about your feelings whenever you are with him, but as soon as he leaves, you're not so sure about it,"
"You only like him in the moment, but when he's gone or when you're away, you start to feel like it's all inside your head. And that you don't deserve all of that," Clover said, tears welling up in her eyes. Elena was completely stunned by what Clover was saying. It was the first time she heard her say something so deep and intimate about her supposed love for someone.
"Clo? Are you seeing someone?" Elena asked in disbelief as Clover's face turned sour.
"I'm pregnant, El!" Clover suddenly announced, eliciting a gasp of bewilderment and disbelief from Elena.
Looks like Clover is finally sharing her personal struggles with Elena!
Don't forget to vote 😘