chapter 6
They both look concerned. Did I do something rming? They were just arguing, or did I imagine
that too, what were they arguing about, why couldn’t I remember anymore? They look like their normal
selves. I stand there just as confused as they are. Tobias breaks the silence. His voice forcing me out
of my own head.
“Imogen…Imogen what’s wrong? Are you hurt?” He seems to sniff the air lightly for a second. I tilt
my head observing them. They look between themselves. The room starts to warp and spin, I see
Tobias shove past Theo reaching for me. My muscles feel so heavy. Oh no I know what this is, I am
having a panic attack. Shit. I try to breathe, but my body gives up functioning and I can’t catch my
breath. The next thing I see is darkness.
Coming to… I groggily lift myself onto my elbows but am forced down by Theo’s hand on my
shoulder. “Woah therey back down for a bit.” I stare, confused. I amying on the brown leather
lounge in Tobias’s office. I can see him sitting on the edge of his desk, his arms folded across his chest
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making him appear even more intimidating than usual. Concern etched on his face as he stares back.
Theo on the other hand is sitting beside where Iy on the lounge rubbing my legs. Shit, I did
something embarrassing, I know it.
“What happened?” I ask,pletely confused; I try to think of thest thing I remember. But only
remember eavesdropping on a conversation between Tobias and Theo about… Then not being able to
breathe, and then darkness.
“You fainted, justy down for a bit and here drink this,” says Tobias, walking back over with a
ss of water in his hand. I sit up and lean against the armrest. Reaching out I grip the ice-cold ss
of water, my fingertips brushing Tobias. He rips his hand away like I burnt him before moving back to
his desk.
After a few minutes, a knock sounds on the door. Tobias tells them to enter, and a leggy blonde
woman steps into the office with a few Styrofoam food cartons in her hand. It smelt like Chinese food.
The blonde woman peered around the room, unsure of what to do. Her light blue eyes dart to each of
us frantically until she sees Theo and she freezes.
She was incredibly attractive; she had a white suit pants on and a zer with a ck singlet top.
“Just leave it on the desk, Merida,” Theo spoke quietly. Merida jumped slightly but obeyed before
quickly darting back out of the room, which had grown incredibly tense. What had I just witnessed?
Why did she seem so scared? And more importantly, how long had I been out? Looking at the clock
that hung above the door, I noticed the time. 3:15 PM … my eyes bulged out of my head. I have been
out for hours. Jumping to my feet, I quickly made my way to the door. Shit, I was supposed to have the
Merger files ready by 4 PM. Just as I opened the door, a hand shoved it shut, the lock clicking into
ce. I felt heat seep into my back. I instinctively froze at the abrupt harshness of the door being
mmed in my face.
“Sit back down, Imogen.” His voice was demanding. A cold shiver ran up my spine at his hot
breath tickling the back of my neck.
“I have to get the Merger documents for your meeting,” I tried to argue back. My voice came out
shaky, I could hear the fear in my own voice. But why was I suddenly scared of my boss?
Leaning into me, his front pressed into my back. Lowering his head to my ear, he whispered, “I
said sit back down.” I turned towards the room only to be met with Tobias’ harsh gaze staring down at
me. I shrunk under his gaze and took a step back hitting the door, suddenly feeling extremely small
beside him. Who was I kidding? I was small beside him regardless, but right now I felt tiny and weak.
His eyes softened when they met mine. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He spoke gently.
Reaching up, he ced a loose hair back behind my ear before stepping away, motioning for me to sit
back next to Theo. I quickly obeyed.
Theo gripped my knee softly before letting go.
“Don’t worry about him, he is a bit tense. We also cancelled the meeting. It’s not till Tomorrow
morning now,” Theo reassured me. I nodded in understanding, but all I wanted to do was get out of this
room. I can’t believe I slept all day on my boss’s couch. How embarrassing. God, I hope I didn’t talk in
my sleep or fart. Oh my god, what if I did? I suddenly wished the floor would open up and swallow me.
“Here!” said Tobias, dropping the Styrofoam food carton in front of me before cing another in
front of Theo. I went to tell them I was fine but was cut off with Tobias’ deadly re.
“It wasn’t a choice, Imogen... Eat” Each word was full of authority, but it also sounded like he was
daring me to disobey him.
I did as I was told. I could have sworn I saw Tobias smirk at me obeying his demands like a child.
Could this be any more awkward and embarrassing? But the food was good, and I was starving.
Maybe that’s why I fainted between being busted eavesdropping and not eating properly for months,
maybe I overwhelmed myself.
When I had finished eating the fried rice and satay chicken, I sat quietly, waiting to be dismissed
from his office, but it never came. Instead, Theo picked up the empty food containers and disposed of
them. Tobias walked over to the cab next to the window and pulled out three sses, pouring a
brown liquid that kind of resembled whiskey. Turning around, he handed me one. Theo walked over
and picked up his own, downing it in one mouthful. I watched Theo leave the room quietly, leaving me
with Tobias. I suddenly wanted him toe back, I turned staring at the door. My hands started to
be sweaty.
Tobias felt less intimidating with Theo in the room. Turning around to face the room and adjusting
my sitting position on the lounge, I noticed Tobias watching me over his ss. I fiddled with the cup
between my fingers. Bringing his drink to his lips, he downed every drop of it. I smelt my drink before
scrounging my nose up, it smelt sweeter than vodka. Nothing was as harsh as vodka or tequ.
Bringing the ss to my lips, I downed it in one mouthful. It was sweet and smooth tasting. It burned a
bit but not like some of the bottles of liquor I had stored in my boot, especially the cheaper bottles mum
liked to drink.
Standing up, I went to ce the ss down when Tobias grabbed it and refilled it before passing it
back to me. I raised an eyebrow at him, but I epted the ss. Theo returned, the door lock clicking
softly behind him.
In his hands he was clutching some boxes of paperwork. “We are being audited, so we need all
these files sorted and all contracts arranged by dates. Getfortable, it is going to be a long night.”
Tobias spoke clearly. I looked at the four boxes Theo carried in, knowing it wasn’t even half of them.
Downing the ss of whiskey, I sat on the floor and started pulling files from the boxes.
Halfway through the night, someone ordered more food and brought coffees up to us. I am not
sure when they had time to order anything, as I never saw them pick up their phones once to order
anything, but I was d. We had worked well into the night and I was exhausted. When it came time to
close the building up at 9PM, Tobias looked up at the security guard who had stepped in the office to let
us know he was about to lock up.
“You guys go. There isn’t much left, and I will get it done and head off soon.” Tobias and Theo
looked unsure but eventually agreed to leave. They gave me a set of keys to get out of the building as
well as the security code to set the rms on my way out.
When I finished thest box, I stacked them neatly on top of each other before checking the time, it
was 2 am. I only had 3 files sitting out. Gettingfy on the lounge, I dragged them in front of me. My
eyes were starting to hurt, and all the words were starting to blur into one. My fingers felt numb from
scouring the pages.