The phone was sleek and cold in his hands.
He looked at Mae distrustfully. He shouldn't accept this. But he needed it. Ortega hated how torn he was.
What's the catch? He wanted to ask, but knew that would ruin the mood. He was too tired to deal with any more mood swings from his boss. His eyes narrowed, searching hers for anything genuine his stubborn heart wanted to believe still existed in this woman. He couldn't read what stared back. So he said,
"I'll be honest with you. I was… angry. Really angry with your behaviour. You… you used me. You lied to me. You drugged me. I… I don't trust this." He gestured to the gift. "Why even do all this? Why me?"
Mae gripped her forearm, looking at her feet as her lips drew into a thin, wobbly line.
Then she looked at his soft eyes. Conflicting emotions warred in hers and her lips quivered like she was trying to suppress something. She opened her mouth, then closed it, seeming to have thought better. She looked elsewhere.
Ortega's patience was wearing thin and it took all his willpower not to explode and put pressure on her. His fist clenched and he stretched his arm out to her.
"I can't accept this."
Mae's mouth hung open. She was too stunned to collect the new phone from him, so Ortega just stepped forward and placed it on the counter.
Mae's fists clenched. "It's… yours."
"Mae. Did you really think I'd be happy to accept a parting gift from you after what you just did?"
"I… I thought it would be nice. I just wanted to do something nice for you."
"What you did, Mae, isn't normal," Ortega ground out. "I met you just a week ago."
Then he exhaled. "I appreciate the gesture though. You can do a promo with it or put it up for sale."
Mae's teeth gritted as she simmered, looking like she might just implode. Ortega didn't want to see that.
He walked up to her and said coldly,
"Now. The keys." His palm was already open to her.
Mae met his serious gaze and held it for a while. Ortega's jaw ticked.
"Don't make me force you," he said. "You'll hate me."
Her frustration evaporated into a teasing smile.
Damnit!
Ortega exploded into action, sensing predatory Mae was back. He reached for her purse and a tug-of-war started.
Ortega won.
He stumbled back a bit from the force he used, causing Mae to fall on her butt, empty-handed.
She cried out in pain. Ortega ignored her and rummaged through the purse. He found the key soon enough and tossed her purse back to her. It fell into her lap.
He showed her the small bundle of money before tucking it into his back pocket.
"I'm taking this in place of your gift," he said. "Thanks."
Mae didn't even try to get up from the floor.
Ortega gave her his back as he unlocked the door, tuning out the angry curses Mae hurled at him and doing his best not to retaliate verbally.
His eyes went dark and the whole of him was on the verge of erupting dangerously. He needed to get out of here before he did something he'd entirely regret.
"You asshole! I showed you nothing but love and this is how you treat me?! You think you're high and mighty now, huh, that you can just walk out on me? I'll tell you one truth! The women at XFashion will treat you worse than I ever did. They're against men like you! I'm the only one who can accept you for what you are!"
"Shut up!" Ortega boomed.
Silence.
His expression and stance were cold and vicious as he stared her down. "You don't know me, so you can't say that. You can't!"
He heaved, then wiped the spittle off his lip.
"Your act is fucking dumb, Mae. I see through it," he stated. The temperature seemed to drop steadily as he eyed her up and down in revulsion. Then he took a step back and shook his head. He showed her the key and placed it on the floor.
"Clean yourself up." He straightened. "Your brother arrives any minute."
Then he left.
Mae was by herself on the floor, eyes glassy and blank. The loneliness in the store was a weight strangling her already-turmoiled chest.
She sniffed. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. Her fists slowly balled on her lap and her shoulders began to shake.
"FUCK. YOUUUU!"
***
Suppressed, simmering anger kept Ortega awake on the way home. How dare that bitch fucking insult me? Ortega couldn't let go of the rage even after his apartment door closed behind him. He wanted to kick something but tamped down the urge and sat on the edge of his bed.
His face buried in his hands as he inhaled and exhaled slowly. His hands uncovered his face, now blank with resignation.
He stood up and hurriedly undressed.
"Psychobitch," he murmured.
He had a satisfying bath and fell back on his bed refreshed. His violent mood wonderfully diminished as he brought out all the money he'd earned this week and counted it. His face was a map of calculation as he split the bills. He hadn't completely covered rent, but it was considerable progress. He set aside the money he was to pay Mr. Yugo with, then his feeding, and then… a new outfit for work.
When he was done, he stood up and tapped his pockets, wondering where he'd kept that card.
He went to his wardrobe and rummaged through his trouser pockets, then pulled out the company ID card Laura had given him.
He examined it closely, noting the fancy font and his stone-faced portrait in high resolution.
Then the air twitched as letters materialized in front of his eyes.
A system notification.
{Quest completed! Congrats on managing without getting destroyed. And you even broke a heart along the way. You sinner.}
{Allocating rewards…}