I am losing control over everything important in my life.
9
Kim
My mind is still foggy when I return to the office the next day. I have already spent too much time thinking about him. About our near kiss. Our near miss. I don’t know how things are going to be between us going forward. Not that things have ever been the picture of good times in the past. Kirk Silvers is a fair boss. I know it’s a privilege to be able to work this closely with one of the most brilliant financial minds in the country. However, I can’t claim that he’s an easy man to work for.
How much worse could it possibly get now?
We both know nothing can happen between us. Two very major things stand in our way. He is my boss and also my best friend’s ex. Besides, I don’t think he is actually interested in me. That man can have any woman he chooses. Why would he choose me?
The best outcome I can hope for is that he completely ignores what transpired last night. Just like I plan to.
I am at the office early, even earlier than I usually am. I don’t want to slip-up in any way today. The floor is practically empty when I step out of the elevator, as it always is at this time of the day. Nobody needs to come in this early in the morning.
However, when I start walking in the direction of my desk, I can see through the glass walls of Kirk’s office that he is already here. Immediately, I start to panic. What about his coffee? His breakfast? His schedule? I don’t have anything prepared!
I rush to my desk, and before I’ve even put my things down, I see a box. It has all my things placed neatly inside. Not that I have many personal belongings around this place.
There’s an envelope sitting on my desk too. It has my name on it.
I glance up at him, and he seems to be deeply focused on his computer screen, giving me the impression that he hasn’t even noticed my presence.
I open the envelope. There’s a check inside. He has paid me in-full for two weeks. But I haven’t worked here for two weeks yet.
The box with my belongings, the check with the money—all of this points in one direction. I know what it means, what he is trying to tell me without having to actually use the words. He is firing me.
He’s not even letting me complete the remaining few days of the agreed-upon term. He wants me gone. This instant.
I’m struggling to remain standing up. I know I shouldn’t cry. It would be a crime to cry here where he can see me. I don’t want him to feel like he has won. He may be powerful, rich, and revered, but that doesn’t mean he can dismiss me whenever he likes.
Despite myself, I feel hot tears rolling down my cheeks. More than anything, I am disappointed in letting him see me cry. But he can’t see me cry; he’s not even looking up at me. He doesn’t care.
I know the sensible thing to do would be to pick up my stuff, take the check, and just walk out of the building before everyone else starts arriving. At least this way, I’ll save some face.
But that is exactly what he wants me to do. He wants me to leave without a peep, and I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.
Sure, he always gets what he wants. He is a man accustomed to having his way. However, I’m not letting him win that easily this time.
I put down the box I have lifted in my arms. I march straight over to his office and push open the door without knocking. Kirk looks up from his computer, and for a moment, there’s an alarmed expression on his face. Clearly, he wasn’t expecting me to just walk in here. He hoped I would slink away without saying anything, and then he wouldn’t have to ever deal with me again.
I hook my hands on my hips and see the way his eyes wash over me. Up and down, over my whole body. Even though I can feel my anger bubbling inside me, I can’t help but feel even more charged up because of the way he’s checking me out. Now is not the time to be sexually aroused by him!
“What is your problem?” I hiss.
Honestly, there’s a part of me that is