Bakit 'Di Na Lang Totohanin? (ALDUB-inspired)

Nineteen

DISCLAIMER: — see first chapter —

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my fourth draft for this chapter, hopefully after watching today's (01.09.16) KS episode my muse decides to grace me with its wonderful presence and help me figure out HOW to write this chapter...any suggestions/ideas you wonderful readers you want to share with me that might help feed my muse's creative juices?

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

XIX.

Omnipresent POV

IT'S BEEN OVER A WEEK SINCE MAINE moved two floors up. During that time so much has changed that everyone began to keep their distance from Alden as much as possible. Even Vivianne, who was the first to rejoice when Maine left their department, was having some qualms approaching Alden even if it was work-related stuff she needed to discuss with him.

Vivianne had the misfortune of receiving the brunt of Alden's ire when she took too long to get the proofs sent to one of his regular clients who wanted to see the proof for their latest ad campaign ASAP. He was livid after he got off the phone with his very upset client demanding where the proofs were; for the first time since Alden started working at the company he raised his voice and actually bellowed out Vivianne's name.

Time stood still and everyone on their floor stopped what they were doing and stared at the usually quiet, reserved and very easy-going Alden stalk down the hall from his office cubicle to where Vivianne's desk was. Although he didn't use any profanity when he spoke to her, his tone and glare alone was enough to let everyone know he wasn't in any mood to be trifled with. And Vivianne's poise was shattered the moment she became the recipient of Alden's obvious ire. Since Maine was no longer around to pass the blame on, she had to face the music alone because none of her cohorts took the blame for her.

After that incident that day every assistant steered clear off Alden's radar until he has cooled off. Jules was the only person he wasn't snapping at so every assistant who was too chicken to approach Alden gave Jules any project Alden was handling to look after. Danny was the other person who wasn't afraid to approach Alden and the only one aside from Jules that he doesn't snarl at.

"Mainit pa rin ba ulo mo?" Jules asked after dropping off a couple more proofs for Alden to look at. It was late Friday afternoon and the office was pretty much abuzz with last-minute activities before the weekend.

"Mainit?" he echoed, a frown creasing his forehead as he looked at her.

Jules cocked a brow at him and hitched her hip on the side of his desk. "You've been biting everyone's heads off all week," she reminded him.

"They deserve it," Alden snorted and returned his focus back on his paperwork.

Jules placed her hand on top of the paper he was reading and pushed it down on his desk. Alden didn't like that she interrupted him like that, but before he could snap at her Jules intercepted it by saying, "I get it when you blew up on Vivianne 'coz it was entirely her fault for dilly-dallying, but every other outburst of yours this week was very out of character for you."

"Your point?"

Jules' brow rose an inch higher as she straightened up where she sat and crossed her arms over her midriff. "Where's all this anger coming from? Even Sam and Ryan are avoiding you," she pointed out.

Maiinis sana si Alden sa pagtatanong ni Jules, pero na-realize din niya na merong point ang co-worker niya. His attitude all week was borderline unacceptable. He became the one person he told himself he would never become: an ass of a co-worker.