chapter 18


    “Sorry,” I mumbled. Embarrassed. What hell is wrong with me? I can’t believe, I just touched my


    boss like that. Stepping out of the elevator, I ran to my desk trying to keep my distance. I clearly wasn’t


    in the right headspace. Something in me keeps calling out for them, making me react in ways I


    normally wouldn’t. Tobias walked into his office and Theo his own as well, like nothing happened.


    Maybe I imagined it. Could it really be all in my head?


    The day moved by slowly. I found myself ticking down the minutes, waiting to finish up. I had a


    wicked hangover which wasn’t really helping. I just wanted sleep. Lunch time was approaching, and I


    decided to go and buy my lunch with the twenty dors in my ount, seeing as it looked like I would


    be carpooling to work for a while. I made my way down to the foyer.


    Walking down the street towards the café on the corner, I stopped at the ATM to withdraw what


    was left in my ount. The atm dispersed the twenty dors, the receipt printing out straight after. I


    usually throw the receipt without looking, knowing there is never anything left in it. Though this time it


    caught my eye. My entire pay was in my ount. I got paid weekly, and usually there was nothing left


    by this time of the week. Panicking, I rip out my mobile and ring the hospital, not needing thete


    payment fee, knowing if the payment iste next week, I will literally have not a cent left to my name.


    Dialling the hospital number which I now know off the top of my head, I waited till I managed to get


    a hold of the reception. The voice of a chirpy woman answered. “Mater Hospital, how may I direct your


    call?”


    I told her my predicament and asked her to check my direct debit. I could hear her tapping away at


    herputer.


    “Ma’am your ount has been paid in full. There is no outstanding amount to be paid.”


    “Are you sure? Can you check it again please?”


    I heard her sigh before answering. “This is Imogen Riley, yes? Can you give me your date of birth


    again please?”


    “Yes, the 15th of August 1995.” I heard her type my information in again. “Ma’am, your ount


    has been paid in full and is closed. It is definitely the right ount.”


    “Does it say who paid it?” I had a fairly good idea but didn’t want to jump to conclusions.


    “Kane and Madden Industries.”


    “That son of a bitch.”


    “Excuse me?”


    “No, not you. Thanks for your help.” Hanging up the phone, I was enraged. How dare he peek into


    my finances? They know what they pay me each week, that’s all they need to know. I don’t know if it


    was my embarrassment of them knowing how much debt I was in or the fact they snooped into my


    ounts, maybe It was both. Walking back to work, I was now too angry to even feel like eating. I


    marched right to the elevator, hitting the button repeatedly. Once in the elevator, I hit the button to my


    floor. My anger bubbling. I was so angry I was starting to get tears brimming in my eyes. Yes, I am one


    of those people. I can mask my emotions except when I am angry. My hands were trembling as I


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    clenched my phone in my grip.


    When the bell dinged for my floor, I walked straight out before the doors even fully opened, my


    heels clicking loudly on the marble floors as I got to Tobias office. Grabbing the door, I threw the door


    open.


    “How dare you, how fucking dare you? You have no right to go snooping into my business. I can’t


    believe you would do that.” I know most people would be grateful for what they have done, but in this


    moment, I just seen it as an invasion of privacy. Theo and Tobias jumped up when the door hit into the


    wall and I walked in yelling. Both startled by my sudden outburst. I was startled myself with how high


    my voice came out. My whole body shaking with rage.


    “What are you talking about what’s wrong, Imogen?” Theo’s panicked face filled with confusion.


    “Both of you, that’s what wrong. Meddling in my business. You have no fucking right to do that. I


    am not some fucking charity case” I screamed, bing suddenly breathless with all the yelling.


    Running my fingers through my hair and tugging in anger, I could feel my hairs pulling out from my


    scalp. I have never been so angry before.


    Tobias moved towards me folding his arms across his chest, while Theo just stood there watching


    our stand-off.


    “It was you wasn’t it? Fix it. You fix it now or I’m done. I fucking quit” I said, throwing the ATM


    receipt at him. He caught it with one hand. nced at it, finally registering what the hell I was talking


    about. His chest moving rapidly with his own building anger, which I wasn’t expecting.


    “No, you needed help. If I had of known when your mother first was admitted, I would have


    changed the policies back then, but you didn’t say anything.”


    I huffed annoyed. “You know what? Fuck you. I didn’t ask for your fucking help with any of it. I don’t


    need your fucking help, I am not some broken person you need to fix” My anger had bubbled over, my


    tears running down my cheeks in streams.


    “I never said you are broken, but you are fucking broke, Imogen. I won’t have my fucking MATE


    living in her car and rotting away just because you are too stubborn to ask for fucking help,” he


    screamed.


    “Mate? Mates don’t go meddling in each other’s business. You’re my boss, act like one. Not my


    mate.” Tobias eyes glistened as he got angrier. I felt like his words meant more than friends on some


    deeper level. I don’t know what I mean by it, but the hurt expression in his eyes was enough to tell me I


    had hurt him in some way.


    “Get out…get the fuck out, Imogen. Take the rest of the day off. I can’t look at you right now,” he


    screamed punching his desk. I jumped in fright at his sudden explosive anger, his whole body trembled.


    I noticed arge dent formed where his hand hit, and metal frame even had a crease. Theo jumped into


    action before I could tell them I quit, stood in front of me, and shoved me out the door. Instead of


    waiting for what he had to say, I hit the elevator button. Once again, the elevator was taking too long,


    and I could feel Theo’s gaze on my back. Not liking the feel of his eyes on me, I gave up, waiting and


    walked to the fire exit and decided to take the stairs, running down them as quickly as possible.


    Halfway down my anger diffused, and I suddenly felt like a bitch. Any other boss would have fired


    me on the spot. My pace slowing as my legs grew tired from the sudden exercise. Kicking my shoes


    off, I picked them up and continued my decent. Who’s bright Idea was it to take the stairs? Bloody


    stupid irrational brain, making stupid choices choosing stairs over an elevator. When I reached the


    bottom, I opened the door leading to outside instead of the foyer.


    I walked to the park and sat at one of the bench seats. I put my head in my hands, trying to figure


    out how my life had be some shitshow for world to see. After a few minutes, I decided to go to the


    corner store next to the café. I purchased some dog food, deciding I would see if I could find the stray.


    Walking back to the park, I walked into the bush and looked around calling out, “Here puppy, puppy.”


    No dog appeared. I wish I knew its name. I must look like a right idiot calling out puppy when the thing


    was the size of a small bear. After an hour of trying to find the stray, I walked back to the park, when my


    phone started buzzing. I looked at the screen it was Theo. I decided to ignore it, but it just kept ringing


    after the fourth time, I answered it.