Her Right Mistake

(32) Audrey

Stilettos clicking on a marbled floor was the sound Audrey grown accustomed to since moving to the city. It sounded more appealing to her ear when she was the one making the sound. High heels are power. And she traded sneakers for power. Her feet weren't always clad in stilettos. She was once a doe-eyed girl who thought her purpose in life was as simple as her best friend Rachel's was. However, the naiveté wears off when childhood faded in the background.

The tapping of her heels halted as she waits for the elevator. She looks down her burgundy heels, smoothing her skirt. Her mother calling every night becomes bearable enough. Comforting her mother becomes easier after every call from Vren. For the first time in a very long time, she doesn't feel entirely alone.

It became a routine. Her mother calls prior to Vren. And then she falls asleep unceremoniously while listening to him ramble on the other line.

Audrey steps in the elevator and pressed the floor to her office. She insisted Vren to abide by the simple nature of dropping someone off. They don't walk them all the way to their office door, especially when both parties have business to run. The doors parted and she stepped out, she faltered when she saw someone she has been successfully fending off in the past few days.

Mark stood from where he was sitting.

She walked on, even when he tailed her like a lost puppy. She thought he would eventually tire of getting constantly snubbed. He turns out to be more determined than she thought. And she's tormented herself enough over the years.

Kylie stood from her seat to greet her. Her smile thawed into a gape when she sees she wasn't alone. She crouched back on her chair and hid behind her computer. Her staff has trailed them with curious glances before turning back into their monitors.

"Audrey." His hand clasped around her elbow.

She swerves around and stared him down.

"Just let me talk to you." His hand resisted to let her go.

"Talk."

He looks around, suddenly uncomfortable.

Her eyebrows shot up, daring him. "You weren't embarrass showing up here uninvited."

"Audrey, you can't brush me off anymore. Don't I deserve to hear your reasons? You're the one who broke off our engagement and left."

Okay, then. They're doing this. "And here I thought you're smart enough to figure it out yourself."

"And I'm supposed to just watch you move on with your promiscuous boyfriend? Have you seen the papers today?" He scoffed.

"Whom I moved on with is none of your business." Although she was confused on the part about the papers, she click the shutters close and resumed with an insolent gaze. She will deal with it later.

His eyes showed torment. "I don't understand, Audrey. We were happy and then you just upped and left."

"Liar. You weren't happy." She shakes her head, skeptical. "And for the record, I didn't up and leave. No, not to hurt you. I left for me."

"I loved you, Audrey." He choked as he ripped himself of his pride and let it puddle around him.

She cut him a menacing glare. "Did you?"

His jaw clenched, inhaling a deep breath. "You hurt me, Audrey."

"Well, you hurt me too," she shot back.

He laughs incredulously. "How? I swore not to hurt you."

"Okay. So, you were keeping that promise when you texted me you couldn't come over to my house and hours later you pulled up at your friend's driveway then she opened the door for you and you kissed her. You stayed the entire night at her house because her parents were away for the weekend." The words rattled between them, dangling like a time bomb. Rachel was with the car with her. And then she offered to drive, knowing she was too wretched to even raise a finger.

Mark flinched. Confusion flashed across his face before remorse took over.

She crossed her arms over chest. "Now, look me in the eye and tell me one more time that you swore not to hurt me."

His lips parted a little in panic. But he was at lost for words.

"That's what I thought," she said, her voice spiteful. She reaches for the knob and slammed her office door shut.

Audrey has had years of practice in crossing emotion out of the equation. It makes problems somehow solvable. She buried anger. She buried hurt. They weren't completely gone. They simply sprouted as stone-cold indifference.

She and Mark had history. She doesn't deny that. There was once a time when she thought they had something real. And she's going to live the happily ever after with him. Hell, she even believed about the stupid forever crap. Mark has broken her heart. But she had piece it back together like she always did before Mark. Audrey has had her share of heartaches. And he weren't the only one who comes to her in hopes of making things right.

She slumps on her swivel chair and flung her bag on the desk. Kylie comes in with her cup of coffee. She was grateful that Kylie had this way of being around right when she needs her. "Kylie I need a copy of today's papers."

"Sure. You'll be okay?" She puts her hands behind her, giving her the view of her white blouse she paired with a retro style high-waist skirt.

Audrey nodded.

"Are you sure?" Kylie bit on her lip.

She just took notice how agitated her assistant was after witnessing the fight she had with Mark. It wasn't her choice to be the audience of a calm to average argument. Audrey wanted to get it over with and she'd rather it was Kylie than her entire room of writers. "I'll be fine."

"Okay. I'll get you the papers." She leaves her office, understanding the urgency of her request.

Audrey waited in agonizingly long minutes for her assistant comes back in. When she did, she hesitantly laid the papers down, having read it herself. She takes in a sip of her coffee that immediately tasted stale as she reads today's papers. A sharp piercing on her chest lingered as she picks up the newspaper. 

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