Un-Tying the Knot {h.s.}

Chapter 41

I'm incredibly disconcerted when I walk into Harry's unusually sterile office on Monday morning. His office is typically in a constant state of mania, music wafting through the air, Hannah chatting loudly on the phone, or even the two of them cracking jokes while yelling between rooms. I've not once come in here when some loud noise wasn't coming from somewhere.

But today, it's completely silent.

The bright, sunny rays in the lobby cast quite an ironic glow, given the heartbroken melancholy that's permeating the atmosphere. Harry's office door, normally open, is closed — and Hannah has in earbuds. She pops them out when she sees me approaching, offering up a sober smile.

"Hey," I whisper. I'm not sure why I'm whispering, but it somehow feels natural given the overwhelmingly tense vibe. "He in?"

She nods, pausing before picking up the phone receiver to call him. This is even more strange, given she would normally just lean back and scream at him through the door jam.

"Olivia's here to see you." Hannah waits a moment to listen to his response before she pulls the receiver to her chest. "What's it's regarding?"

I bite my bottom lip, my heart pinching at the rejection. "Uh...I just, uh — I wanted to give him something," I offer quietly, looking down at the items in my hands, fingers curling around the edges of a box.

Hannah pulls the receiver back to her mouth. "She just wants to give you something..." She listens intently as she watches me play with the string on the package out of nervousness, but she interrupts both of us to cut to the point. "I'm just going to send her back..."

I silently thank her after she hangs up the phone, but I don't move yet. Instead, I eye the door apprehensively — not quite sure what I'll find on the other side.

"Is he...?" I trail, not even sure what question I want to ask.

"He's been here all weekend," she offers, pity in her voice — but her eyes shine, as if she's been waiting all damn day to tell someone the juicy details of his sordid morning. "Eleanor was here when I got in," she offers, letting out a puff of air. "I've never heard anyone yell like that before. Not even Eleanor."

"Harry yelled at her?" I ask in disbelief, staring at the door nervously. Hannah nodded enthusiastically.

I had secretly wondered why Eleanor had been so quiet this morning when I got in. I figured that after the weekend's events, she would be in super bitch mode — unable to be pleased and a genuine monster who lost it at any minor offense. Not that her behavior was much different on any other day, but I certainly expected her to be more intense given how pissed she was at Harry.

But that wasn't how this morning went. I was pleasantly surprised to see the newest assistant effortlessly deflecting calls, simply letting people know that Eleanor was in a meeting. When I had gotten to my desk, the rest of the girls had been whispering conspiratorially, gossiping about the weekend I'm sure, but they stopped immediately when they saw me. Their silent hushes raised my eyebrow, but I paid them no mind. I'm not here to make friends. I didn't hear from Eleanor the rest of the morning, her door remained shut until she breezed out for lunch with nary a goodbye or a look in my direction.

All of it was strange. Eerily so. Normally, I would bare the brunt of the fallout from a situation with Harry. But I was left unscathed, which made me nervous for when the rest of the shoe would drop. I had never seen Eleanor like this.

"I didn't hear much, but I did hear him ask if she even loved him," she groaned. "Talk about toxic relationship. They're like Sansa and Joffrey — except Eleanor's the Joffrey. Come to think of it, you're kind of the Tyrion," she giggles.