Till Death do us Together

Chapter 27

~Alex~

NYC, eight months later...

I don't know how I got this far.

The past year mushed together to a dull and empty blur. I knew why I came back, but I asked myself why everyday. Hopefully the nightmares would stop, but at what cost?

I knew nobody, lived alone and was wired to do the same thing everyday. Wake up. Go to work. Come back and sleep.

No room for thoughts, no energy for action. I became what I feared most - a robot. But I couldn't leave, not until it felt right.

The elevator doors parted with a whir. I held onto my purse and entered a hallway lined with glass windows, peeking into the offices.

Covering my mouth, I coughed and received dirty glances from the rest of the workers. Snobs.

Thanks to my boss making me get her a coffee during the stupid snow, I was a sneezing, coughing mess. My body ached and I was on the brink of collapsing, but I couldn't miss work. If I didn't pay my rent this month, I'd be on the streets.

This city really wasn't for the weak.

"Morning." My co-worker greeted as she walked alongside me, her blonde hair bouncing with every step. "Have you sent the email to Mr Tyson yet?"

"Nope, no point." I replied, sniffling. "He said we'll be hearing from his lawyers. What an asshole."

My eyes shot wide when I realised what I said. Professional setting, Alex. God, my voice probably reached every room here considering it was as quiet as a grave.

Horizon Hotels was a worldwide hotel chain, and its offices were located in this skyscraper. I'd only been working here for a week, but the people were so prim and proper it made me feel like a savage.

Once I entered the top floor office of my boss, Lydia, her eyes flickered to mine through her specks. "I called you up here ages ago. You're late."

"By one minute, Miss."

She sat back in her desk, the wrinkles on her face deepening as she scowled. "Talking back to me, Vitale? At nine in the morning?" She rubbed her head. "I shouldn't have expected anything more seeing your lack of experience. Did you email Mr Tyson about the conference meeting?"

"Yes, I think we have a lawsuit coming our way."

She rolled her eyes and continued typing on her computer. "About the matter I wanted to discuss. I heard from James you forgot to email him about the date change of the board meeting."

Crap.

"Oh...I did? I'm sorry, I've just been unwell and-"

"Excuses won't make up for your mistake." She snapped, her tone sharpening fast. "Do you know he pulled from the deal just because of your mishap?" She pulled her glasses off and sighed. "I tried to train you as much as I could, but I don't think you have what it takes to work here."

"No." I burst. "I need this job, I'll work hard, please."

When I first came here, I worked as a personal assistant at another corporation until I landed a job here. To work at Horizon Hotels was a big deal, I'd never had a professional job in my life.

Now I was on the verge of losing it.

"Give me another chance, you don't know how much I want to be here." I pleaded. Correction - How much I needed my bills paid.