UNRAVELED
"You're fired."
The echo of the CEO's voice rang in her ears long after the words had been spoken. Alexandra Thompson, a woman in her late twenties with ambition carved into her very bones, stood frozen, her heart sinking. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Fired? After everything she had sacrificed?
Alex had given her all to make the company thrive, working long hours, skipping vacations, and pushing herself to the limit as a department manager. But one mistake,one poorly timed personal emergency had just cost her everything. The previous day, she'd rushed out of the office to visit her fiancé's family, hoping to finally gain their approval. It had been her only chance to prove herself to them. But things had not gone her way.
Not only had she been rejected by his cold, dismissive parents, she had unknowingly left behind a critical task at work. A huge client proposal had come in at the last minute, and her team,without proper guidance had left it in the hands of a new intern. The outcome? The deal fell through. The client pulled out. Millions lost.
She'd lost two of the most important things in her life while chasing one.
She stood in front of the CEO, her heart pounding, her throat tight with regret.
"Sir, please," she pleaded, her voice trembling, "I had an emergency. I wouldn't have left if it wasn't something I couldn't postpone. I didn't know about the new contract, I..."
He cut her off sharply, his face red with anger.
"You left a task meant for your entire team to a newbie, Alex. A newbie! And what did he do? He botched the whole deal! Do you have any idea how much we lost? I could have made billions! But you chose your little emergency over your job. I don't care what your excuse is. Just leave before I call security."
His words hit her like a slap. She stood speechless, her mind blank. After a few seconds, she numbly picked up her belongings, packing them into a box with trembling fingers. Her colleagues avoided her gaze, some offering sympathetic looks, others quietly whispering among themselves. No one dared to speak to her directly.
The walk from the office to her apartment felt like a journey through a fog. As she stepped onto the sidewalk, the skies opened and the rain poured down in torrents, soaking her within seconds. But she didn't run. She didn't even bother to cover herself. Her mind was a storm of its own. She walked with her head down, her body heavy with disappointment.
Once home, she dropped the box by the door and headed straight for the bathroom. The hot shower became her hiding place, a place where her tears could flow freely without judgment. She stood under the stream of water for nearly an hour, trying to wash away the pain, but no amount of hot water could soothe the ache in her chest.
Dressed in fresh clothes and curled up on her couch, she stared blankly at the ceiling, her thoughts racing. What do I do now? How do I survive without a job? How do I explain this to my parents?
A sudden knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts.
Startled, she wiped her face and slowly made her way to the door. When she opened it, the sight of her fiancé, Billy, standing there brought a fresh wave of tears.
"Why are you crying?" he asked gently, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her.
"I went to your office today," he continued, "thought we could grab lunch. They said you left early. Are you still upset about what happened with my family?"
He pulled back slightly, raising her chin so their eyes met.
"What's wrong, babe? Talk to me."
She allowed herself to be guided to the couch, her fingers intertwined with his. The words came out in a whisper.
"I lost my job."
Billy's face changed. "What? Why?"
"It's because of yesterday. I didn't realize we had a major proposal to work on. My team didn't know how to handle it without me, and the contract was canceled. The CEO blamed me. He fired me." Her voice cracked on the last word.
Billy was silent. His hand rubbed her back as she cried.
"I'm here for you," he finally said. "You'll get a new job. I'll support you through this. As for my family, they don't control my life. I love you. That's what matters."
His words were comforting, but there was something in his tone,an odd detachment that she couldn't quite place. Still, her emotions were too raw to analyze it. She cried herself to sleep in his arms.
When Alex woke up later that evening, the apartment was quiet. Billy was gone. She sat up slowly, her body aching from the stress. She checked her phone but no missed calls, no texts. She called Billy, but he didn't answer. She tried again. Still nothing.
She felt alone. Isolated. Her best friend, Mia, lived nearly 150 kilometers away and wouldn't be able to show up at such short notice. Her family had always been distant, emotionally and geographically. Billy had always been her safe place. Her home.
So she made a decision. She would go to his place. She needed him right now, more than ever.
The rain had stopped, and the streets were silent as she walked the short distance to his house. The cool night air nipped at her skin, but she didn't care. She just needed to see him. As she neared his street, she noticed that the lights in his living room were on. She felt slightly relieved.
But as she got closer, something strange hit her ears,soft moans. Muffled sounds. Then a louder squeak. The kind of sound she couldn't mistake. Her heart dropped.
"No," she whispered to herself, shaking her head. "No. He wouldn't."
But the sounds only grew louder as she approached his bedroom window. Her hands trembled as she turned the doorknob and stepped inside the house. She didn't knock. She didn't hesitate.
The moment she opened the bedroom door, her world shattered.
"Babe!" she screamed.
There, tangled in his sheets, was Billy—half-naked and a woman she had never seen before, locked in a position too intimate to misinterpret. They froze at the sound of her voice, horror painted across their faces.
She stumbled back, gasping, her heart pounding in her ears. She turned to run, but Billy was quick. He followed her, grabbing her arm before she could open the front door.
"Babe, I'm sorry!" he shouted, his tone more annoyed than regretful.
"What are you sorry for?" she snapped, yanking her arm away. "What does she have that I don't? Was she the reason you didn't defend me to your parents? Is this why you left me alone while I was falling apart?"
"I said I'm sorry," he muttered. "Besides… it was my first time."
Her jaw dropped.
"Your first time? That's your excuse? I just caught you having sex with a stranger, and all you can say is that?"
Billy shrugged. "I already apologized. What else do you want me to say?"
Alex stared at him, disgusted.
"You're unbelievable. I've been loyal. I loved you. I defended you to everyone. And now, when I needed you most, you left me and… and did this?"
"I didn't plan it," he said with a sigh.
"It just happened."
She laughed bitterly, wiping a tear from her cheek.
"Right. It just happened."
That was it. She saw the truth in his eyes—he wasn't sorry. Not truly. He didn't value her. Everything they had meant nothing to him.
Without another word, she turned and walked away. Back into the cold night. Back to her apartment. She cried the entire way home, and cried even more once she was inside. Her world had completely unraveled. First her job, then her dignity, and now her relationship.
She cried until she had no tears left.
The next morning, the sun peeked through the window, casting warm light across the room. With puffy eyes and a heavy heart, Alex slowly gathered herself. She had no strength, but she needed to move. She packed a small bag and decided to take a walk, just to clear her head. Maybe she'd find clarity. Maybe just a moment of peace.
As she trudged through the street, her backpack slung over her shoulder, she barely noticed the people around her.
"Can I help you, young lady?" a deep voice asked from behind.
Startled, she turned around, shielding her eyes from the sudden burst of sunlight. The sun glared into her face, and she raised her hand to block it. But once she adjusted her gaze…
The figure was gone.
She blinked. Looked around. The street was empty. Just a couple of parked cars, some trees swaying gently in the breeze. But no one was there.
"Who could that be?" she muttered to herself, confused.
Shrugging off the chill that suddenly crept up her spine, she bent to lift her bag from the ground and that's when she felt it.
A touch.
Gentle but firm, right on her shoulder.
She gasped.