Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Mark quivered as he paced about in his office after the introduction was over. He tried to understand just what was going on.

He pondered just how Val had made it into Citadel's, that too becoming the managing director. The last time he checked, wasn't she a customer service assistant?

Mark thought even himself, with all the experience he had, couldn't have gone from being a customer service assistant to a managing director within weeks. He knew there had to be a likely story behind it, and he sought to figure it out...

Mark stopped on his pace and perched on the ergonomic desk of natural wooden preface. He tapped his index finger on his temple as he tried to recall a clue from his past interaction with Val.

He knew she majored Business admin in college. Without doubt, it wasn't even about qualifications.

' What then..?'

He rummaged in his memory of years spent together with Val, only to end up clueless. That only meant one thing...

' Something must have happened after we separated' Mark had a thought.

He could still vividly remember how he had returned home from work to find the house empty without the sign of Val that day. He'd panicked and thought she was endangered, until he'd found the letter she wrote to him on the bedside table.

He read the letter and had seen the pictures she had left behind as well. At first he perspired, he had thought to find her and try to apologize as he knew he'd messed up past the point of making excuses. But then, he realized he could finally be free of her and didn't even bother to call nor find her as he just drank himself to sleep.

Of course, Val had been his wife for years after all. And he wouldn't say he didn't hurt nor feel nothing whatsoever after she'd left. But Mark thought it was better they became separated just for the sake of themselves. He knew he wouldn't commit to her alone no matter how much he wished. So it was no use trying to get back together.

Mark used to love her, maybe he still did. Even though the love had faded into something different which he couldn't explain. He felt hurt after letting Val go, and he felt even more pained seeing her now. But at the same time he felt perhaps it was for the better that they had separated and both went their different ways.

Mark had waited for a divorce letter ever since, and he only wished to try and settle things with Val amicably in the divorce, but it never came. To him, that was like Val saying she needed none of his 'bullshit' and was declaring she'd be fine by her own.

Mark knew Val to be an extremely proud being, it was one of the qualities that made him pursue her and put a ring on her when he got the chance.

One thing he never anticipated was for Val to come back this way. It was the least expected result.

' But how?...'

Nothing that Mark knew points to how Val had made her way to the top of the company, nothing at all. He just couldn't find a clue.

Click! clack!

Mark was so deep in his thought that he hadn't heard the knock on his door. It wasn't until he heard the clicks of heels that he was brought out of his thoughts. He shot up his gaze to meet Kaitlyn who had a worried expression on her face.

" What the hell is going on?" Kaitlyn asked in a low tone with a file in hand as she approached Mark.

" Hey?" Mark greeted disinterestedly.

" Don't hey me! what the fuck is she doing here, that too being our boss. You told me she was gone for good!" Kaitlyn challenged as she dumped the file on Mark's desk. She then proceeded to strike a power pose, placing a palm on the desk and another on her waist as she awaited Mark's response. Her light brown eyes glaring intently at Mark.

Mark just shook his head. He obviously had no idea. "Tsk!" Kaitlyn clicked her tongue in annoyance and slammed a palm on the desk.

Just as she turned around to leave, Mark caught her by the wrist. He drew her near and wrapped an arm around her waist as he leaned in for a kiss.

" Mtch! Kltch!"

Pa!

Kaitlyn slapped him for the sudden kiss. She wasn't mad that he kissed her, she was just mad about everything. The fear of losing her job still haunted her...

"Ahem!" Maggie cleared her throat and watched as Mark slowly let go of his hold on his lover's waist. The door was unlocked so she'd let herself in. And she regretted not knocking the moment she came in...

Shouldn't they at least keep their affairs private. They're at work for fuck's sake! What a hypocrite Maggie is...

" Mr Hawkins, the Manager wants a word with you in her office" Despite her inner thoughts, she conveyed the message in a calm tone.

Mark's heart sank and he couldn't help but reason a hundred possibilities as to why Val might have called for him.

' Was she really planning a revenge?'

" Right now" Maggie reasserted when he saw he hesitated.

" O-okay" Mark nodded his head when he heard Maggie say the second time. He gave Kaitlyn a short glance before he left.

As he passed by Maggie, a thought suddenly crossed his mind and he couldn't help but look the COO-Chief operations officer, in the eyes to confirm;

How come Val had Maggie sent to inform Mark of this? The COO was currently the second most important personality in the company. Afterall, she was the CEO's cherished secretary who played the role of COO. Everyone knew this for a fact and thus, they never crossed Maggie. More so, Maggie could have had the receptionist pass this message to him.

Mark had doubts, but he shook his head and proceeded towards Val's office. He might just be overthinking things. Maggie and

Maggie corked her head to the side wondering what that look from Mark was about. She pondered if he'd caught sign of her plans but she shook it off her mind when the sound of his footsteps grew farther.

Instead, she creased her gaze and glared at the woman in the office who seemed frozen like a deer in headslight. Honestly, Maggie didn't understand most of the employees. Everyone of them had a secret affair with the other, mainly for beneficial purpose.

She might sound hypocritical, but she considered herself better than the bunch since she was purely in love with her boss.

But then, it only served to make the responsibility her mistress had placed on her easier.

" I-I was only dropping a fil-"

" Don't stress it. I know about you and him, Kaitlyn." Maggie said and shut the see-through glass door to the office space close behind her.

Kaitlyn lowered her head and just stood speechless for a while as Maggie approached her.

" Listen, I'm here to make you an offer. It's simple really, you either take it or leave it" Maggie stated when she stood near Kaitlyn. The latter lowered her head to hide her frown.

" A-an offer?" Kaitlyn shot her gaze up and asked in a concerned tone as she was even more baffled now.

" Yes, an offer." Maggie nodded in affirmation and walked past Kaitlyn towards the window. She watched the bustle outside, allowing the tension to slowly build.

" You see, I do not only know about your relationship with that disgusting person ..." She said and paused to think.

Maggie hated Mark. She found it hard to recognize what her mistress had found interesting in him to even think of getting laid with him.

Though, she had said it was just a one time thing which she had done to quench her crazy fetish of fucking a hot Macho employee, Maggie still didn't like it. It wasn't like she could complain, but it wasn't like she could stop hating Mark and wishing his whole life came to a crash either.

And now that the chance had shown itself, the bare minimum was the extreme.

" I wanna help you solve all your problems" Maggie turned around to face Kaitlyn with a warm smile which caught the latter's interest...