Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 25039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
And I get it, I really do, but...it doesn't make things hurt any less.
But thank God, oh thank God.
Thank God I know I'm not alone.
Because every time I start thinking there are still good people in this world, I end up disappointed.
And without God in my life, I know it would only be a matter of time before my disappointment turns into hopelessness and despair.
Fear not, Heaven. Fear not. You always have Him.
And it's these words I end up clinging to for the next four years, as word of Mr. Hale's dislike of me spreads like wildfire, and I end up becoming an outcast once more.
Present Time
FUCK. FUCK. FUCK.
Hale couldn't stop swearing even as he switched his laptop on and keyed in his password to gain access to the company's security network. A few more clicks, and he was now able to replay his encounter with her earlier.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
He watched himself walk out on her. An act that should've given him pleasure but all it did now was make him want to run after her.
And beg for her fucking forgiveness.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
It had been four fucking years, dammit.
Four! Damn! Years!
His insanely unhealthy obsession with Heaven Gaines should have died a long time ago. But instead it had steadily grown worse. Until it had taken shape and form, a monster that lived inside of him and raged endlessly to be fed.
But no way would he let that fucking happen.
Not when what the monster hungered for was her.
And that was why he was reduced into this.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Shame was no match for the need that burned through his body. He hated himself for being sick like this, but he couldn't help it.
His gaze stayed on her face as he gripped himself.
Pleasured himself.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
But even when he was fully spent, it still wasn't enough.
Why couldn't he stop thinking about her?
Why couldn't he stop hurting her?
Why, dammit? Why?
Hale stalked into his office's en-suite, a spacious marbled enclave that also came equipped with its own shower. He turned the knob completely to one side, but the blazing-hot water wasn't enough to wash away his wrath and bitterness.
Four fucking years.
It was long enough even for Hale to admit that there was a possibility he had gotten certain things wrong about Heaven. He had even hired a private detective to look into her past, but the latter's conclusions had been no fucking help.
I'm sorry, Mr. Hale. But there simply isn't enough evidence to prove or disprove her involvement in Henry Nash's crime. Maybe she knew. Maybe she didn't.
The only way for him to know the truth, in other words, was to ask her.
But as to whether he had the capacity to determine if she was lying to him or not...
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
He used to take pride in his ability to see through people's guises. He used to be really fucking good at knowing who was faking things. Heaven, however, proved to be the sole exception, but why that was, he had yet to figure out.
Was Heaven a she-devil designed specifically to torment him?
Or was she his one and only chance to break away from the past and start anew?
Heaven
I TAKE ONE LOOK AT my friend's face and know right away that news of my latest encounter with Mr. Hale has already gained traction.
I used to hope people would eventually tire of seeing our boss hate on me, but nope.
With the sole exception of Chickie, everyone else still seems to relish each and every instance the billionaire took the time to demonstrate just how much my presence displeases him.
And while his reaction to me can certainly be depressing...
I'd like to think it's another reason why I can still hope.
Because the more you hate, the more you love.
Right?
Chickie bangs her tray against the table, and everyone in the staff cafeteria jumps involuntarily in their seat, myself included.
"He's so mean!"
More banging sounds follow as she slides into the chair opposite mine.
"And so unbelievably childish!"
Chickie starts tearing off the wrapping paper of her sandwich like it's a contract she desperately wants to get out of.
"Calm down," I say soothingly. "Everything's fine—-"
"No, it's not. Everything is not fine at all," she counters angrily before biting into her sandwich. "And it's certainly not fair—-"
"Mr. Hale has been nothing but nice to you," I remind my friend. "So it's not fair either for you to be mad at him—-"
"But you're my friend—-"
"While Mr. Hale is both our boss, and neither of us cares to lose our jobs."
Chickie takes another angry bite of her sandwich instead of answering.
"Do we?"
The other girl expels her breath in a sigh. "How can you be so nice about this?"
"Because I understand where he's coming from."
"I wish he'd just try and see where you're coming from, too," Chickie mutters under her breath. "You've been working here for years. How can he still not see that you're nothing like all those horrible articles online make you up to be?"