Conditional Love

Chapter 22

6k words for you to enjoy! This one is dedicated to SilasAggeleMou and she'll know why when she reads it. Thank you everyone for your amazing supporting on this interesting journey. Your comments and votes, and overall love for this story keeps us writing.

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**| Sang's POV |**

8:37 am:

I'm late.

I've never been late before. Only early.

My normal starting time at the office is half past eight and normally, without fail I'm always half an hour early, if not more. Most people don't show up at the office until around nine.

I only have myself to blame to though.

After leaving Nathan shirtless in the conference room I ran home so fast I collapsed through my apartment door and dropped to the floor, my shaky legs unable to hold me up any longer.

When I had finally managed to catch my breath, I showered and cooked myself some pasta, which I didn't eat because I couldn't stomach it, and then paced my apartment like a lost little puppy unable to decide what to do with myself.

I had never felt so lost and confused in all my life.

Spending most of the night unable to gather my thoughts, it meant losing sleep and when I did finally fall asleep the sun had already started rising, that much I remember.

And I forgot to set my alarm.

If it wasn't for my neighbour and one of his on-again-off-again girlfriends shouting and bellowing so loud I heard it through the wall of my bedroom I would most likely still be laid up in bed, sound asleep, lost in my nightmares.

I haven't showered this morning and I'm ninety-nine point nine percent sure I didn't brush my hair. Luckily, through my hasty, jerky, fast movements I managed to dress myself in a pair of slacks, blouse and a matching pair of shoes. My hair I can fix when I get to the office.

Which will be any minute now.

My legs ache and my lungs burn, a sign that I'm not as fit as I was when I was in high school and escaping from my bedroom window every chance I could just for a couple of hours to go exploring.

But that was then and this is now.

I'm unfit, it's as simple as that.

I round the corner and breath a sigh of relief when the familiar building comes into view. My speed slows and I look down, making sure my blouse is still tucked in and the buttons are still done up. Looking at my feet, I raise my hand and wipe at my forehead, elated that I have some perfume in my b—

My thoughts come to a sudden stop as I walk right into a brick wall. I gasp, my foot moving back to steady myself as my hands grasp at anything to help stop my fall. A hand wraps around my upper arm and a sigh of relief leaves me when I realise that I won't be making an embarrassment of myself today.

Honestly, that's the last thing I need.

I look up and flinch when I find myself looking into emotionless grey eyes. "Mr. Blackbourne," I breath, straightening my shoulders and spine, something that seems to be an automatic reaction around him.

My gaze finds his hand, which is wrapped gently around my bicep. His fingers slowly release me as he says, "You should watch where you are going, Miss Sorenson."

Snapping my head back, my eyes find his once more. "Excuse me?"

His eyes narrow and become scrutinizing, moving down my body as he takes in my disheveled, flushed, unkempt state. Then he looks at his watch. "Running late, I assume?"