'Love Hurts Pt. 2'

After paying the cabman who had been staring occasionally at me through the rear view mirror, I alighted before the towering mass of Nicholas Corporation. Even though it's been a pretty long time since I came here, I still held the same adoration for the building.

The same intricate designs surrounded the body of the building and there were a few more sculptures that I don't remember seeing.

After deciding I had done enough observing, I entered the main building and walked straight to the receptionist's desk. It was a redhead that welcomed me and although her eyes were on the computer screen before her, I couldn't help but admire her.  I figured she'd be better than her predecessor who hated me with full force even after I resigned.

"Good day Miss Steele, my name is Naomi, how may I help you today?" Naomi asked in a polite voice.

And she does know my name, extra points for her then.

I smiled warmly. "Is Mr. Ross in his office?"

She stopped typing on the keyboard in front of her and raised a brow.

"Do you have any prior appointment with him?" Naomi demanded, but in a patient way.

I sighed. I didn't want to use the boyfriend key but there was no other option left.

"There's no need having an appointment to see my boyfriend, is there?" I beamed at her in my usual airy fashion.

Her eyes opened wide in surprise, but then she composed herself again. Naomi could pose as a good actress with the way she managed her facial expressions.

"I apologize, you may go right up." She gave me an apologetic smile.

I nodded and scribbled my name and signature at the base of the Visitors' Register, then I hurried to the one of the elevators and slipped in just before the doors slid shut after a man. He gave me a friendly nod which earned a small smile from me.

He stopped at the fourth floor while I moved in till the 20th floor. I was beyond bored when the elevator's door opened again.

As I searched for my phone in my purse, I stumbled into a human figure, a very familiar one. Justin.

The frown on his face vanished when he took notice of my me. As usual, his hands were engaged with a laptop and a blue file. His white, polka dotted shirt which was hanging over his blue trousers and a pair of white loafers on his feet. I could see he had decided to change his haircut from his normal innocent one to a wilder one,  funny that Philip hadn't kicked him out yet. Maybe because he and Alice were seeing each other or something like that.

"Hey Justin." I beamed at him.

He gave me a wide grin displaying a perfect white set of teeth. Who even had perfect teeth? But there's nothing braces cannot do.

"Florence! It's been forever since I saw you last." Justin gushed, then he glanced down at the objects in his hands with contempt.

"I would have hugged you, but..."

I nodded in understanding. "It's okay, hugging can come later. I'm so excited to see you."

"And me too. But clearly, you aren't here for me right?" He sulked.

"Unfortunately no." I replied in a regretful manner.

There were so many people I had lost contact with even if they had affected my life positively. I should get to socialize more with people. Tamara would have scolded me for my anti-social habits were she here.

About Justin, there were a lot of things to catch up on  especially about him and Alice. I had no idea if they were still together as Alice did not make any reference to being in a relationship anytime we hang out.

I stuck my fingers into my purse and fished out a pen and a set of sticky notes. Tearing out one note, I wrote my number on and handed it to Justin. "Here's my number, I'll get yours too so that we can hang out sometime."

After exchanging numbers, Justin hurried off saying something about not wanting to be fired by my boyfriend. It didn't count as being rude as I knew how much every worker here dreaded Philip even if he didn't act like a jerk anymore. Because of me. I added.

I heaved when I arrived at his office. Summoning courage, I planted a smile on my face and balled up my fist to knock. Why should I? I'm his girlfriend after all. So I pushed the door open.

The smile on my face dropped when Philip's figure came into view. And no, he wasn't alone. He was at his huge table but by the way he was looking down at his thighs, I understood what was going on. The moaning sounds coming from there and the up and down movement of a mop of blonde hair was all it took to crush my heart, flatten it out and crush it again over and over.

The way Philip sat back in pleasure, not even aware of the fact that a third person was in the room, made me wish a couple of unthinkable things.

"Does that feel good?" A female voice spoke. Her head is still buried between his thighs so I couldn't tell who she is. But a haunch told me she's the P.A Tanya told me about.

"Then come for me." The voice was so sickening sweet, more like a cheap prostitute's. At this, every single inch of restraint I had broke away.

"Seriously?" I blinked away the tears in my eyes as Philip's head snapped in my direction with his lips parted in shock.

"Shit!" He exclaimed.

Yes, shit, that's what you are.

Not wanting to waste any more time in the suffocating office, I fled from the area and located the closest elevator.

Before I could press the tiny button in front of me, a pair of hands held onto me. Angry, I swirled around and slapped Philip really hard on his left cheek. His head whipped to the side due to the force of my slap. I turned to walk away to the next elevator but Philip held the crook of my arm.

"Just hear me out." He pleaded with a sober look on his face.

Clearly, he wanted to talk and I didn't want to listen.

"What do you have to say? Oh I know..." I squirmed out of his grip "...She came in all of a sudden and asked to give me a blow job, I refused but then she already did it... Hell, I don't even know her..." I ended off for Philip. He pressed his lips together in embarrassment.

He opened his mouth to say something. "I didn't mean for this to happen, but you know I'm a man and I have my needs..."

My hand flew up and gave him a hard slap again. "You're a sick bastard."

" I know that, don't walk away from me, Florence." He loped our fingers together but I  recoiled from him.

"Go to hell, you and that bitch in there." I spat and hurried into the elevator, ignoring the look of pain in Philip's face.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my palm when I remembered the profanities I had had uttered.

When I arrived at the receptionist's desk with a wobbly heart, she raised her head and gave me a smile which I didn't bother returning. I signed out on the register and hurried out of the building while my phone vibrated wildly. When I got to the side of the road waiting for a taxi, I retrieved my phone and stared at the missed call. It was from Alice.

There was no need answering her calls because I told her I left my phone at home, and even besides that I was mad at her because of a lot of reasons. The first being that she was the mastermind behind my sister's death and second, she was fully aware of my boyfriend cheating on me judging from her reaction earlier.

What a world! I bit my lips and wiped away the tears pouring down my cheeks.

Mustering confidence, I called the only person I could rely on in times like this. Sebastian.

You didn't see that coming did you?

Poor Florence, what should she do now?

I'm grateful to every single one of you that has been consistent in support of me despite the late updates and all that. Thank you for reading, voting and commenting.

Don't forget to drop your thoughts concerning this chapter and what you think will happen in the next one.

By the way, this book will be coming to an end soon, and by soon I mean in the next two chapters or so.

Have a blissful week, y'all.