"Good work, everyone, and get home safely."
As soon as it was time, I packed my things and came out to my department. Everyone was still working, but as they heard me, they started to see each other's faces before Zoey spoke.
"You are leaving?"
"Yes, something came up, so I had to leave early today."
Alina asked to leave early today. I didn't know why, but it would be better if we both went home together. So I agreed—though I didn't know if she asked me or ordered me.
"Wait, I am coming with you... I too made plans tonight."
As she said that, only then did I realize that she too was with her bag.
"Sure."
First, it was only me and Alina—director and CEO—and now the chief manager too? It appeared the office would soon be empty today.
I looked back at the employees, who were still glancing at each other and, from time to time, at me and Zoey.
"I heard you didn't bring your car today."
Zoey said as she started to walk towards the elevator.
How did everyone know that I didn't bring my car today? I was surprised when Alina told me, but she may have a reason to find that out, but what about whoever Zoey heard from?
"How'd you know that?"
"You came from the main door instead of the elevator."
Right, it made sense since no one has seen me walking in from the front door before today.
We stepped into the elevator, and Zoey pressed on the panel.
"You still live at your apartment...I'll drop you off."
Since I didn't bring my car, I had no reason to go to the parking lot. Thinking that, I pressed for the ground floor while also declining Zoey's offer. There was no way I wanted her to find out where I was going.
"No, you don't need to do that. I am actually heading in a different direction, so you go ahead."
I secretly sighed in relief that it was Zoey. She abhorred the idea of invading others' personal places, unlike someone I know, and like that, she didn't ask twice—no, she didn't even ask about my plan, and neither did I.
"Sure."
Soon, the elevator stopped at the ground floor, and with a heavy step, I stepped outside. I guess I needed to pay the bathroom a visit again.
"See you tomorrow then."
We said goodbye to each other, and I went to the bathroom, and exactly after fifteen minutes, I again headed to the elevator.
She should be gone by now, right?
Arriving at the basement, it didn't take me long to find Alina's sedan. I approached her vehicle and tapped on the window to open the door.
And after she unlocked the door, I didn't even get myself to sit down before she spoke.
"You're here, Darling!"
I froze and looked at her for a second, and then inside her car. There was no one in sight.
She was at it again. Taking a tired sigh, I sat down. I couldn't help but remember that time when I met with her uncle as I heard her. But what was she getting at this time? It appeared she had grown a habit of doing that, but maybe it was because she thought I was not used to it.
Anyway, my face must have had a weird look as I looked at her, because she chuckled and stepped on the gas.
"You don't like this word, it seems."
And like that, she was back to her usual self, so I couldn't even tell if what happened at the office actually happened or not.
Was she pretending again? Just to make a mess of my mind? If she did, then she absolutely succeeded at that.
Damn it, I didn't like her one bit. Frustrated at her calmness, I said it just to mess with her.
"No, I just don't like it from your mouth."
Though it was true that I didn't want her to call me by that.
"You..."
She laughed as she glanced at me. That laugh reminded me of that time when I told her I was disgusted by her. It appeared she gave that laugh when she was angry—or at least annoyed?
"...there will be nothing left of my heart after we're done, at this rate."
She continued laughing without stopping. My brows furrowed as I watched her.
Her heart? What did she mean by that? I wanted to ask what she meant by that, but we were going to meet my mother, and I didn't want any awk—any more awkwardness between us. Or maybe I was afraid of her answer. I didn't know why, though.
My chest started to ache at that thought, and my face started to darken, but before I could, Alina suddenly said.
"So, you don't like me calling you darling—then what?"
Since now we were already on the main road, she could now freely turn her head towards me for a moment. So she did that and also pointed to the digital dashboard of her car, where the map was displaying.
"What do you want me to call you?"
She didn't need to speak out loud, as I understood her perfectly and began marking the location of my apartment.
"Andrea."
I replied in a flat tone. If I had to be honest, then I was actually very nervous because I was taking her to my mother for the first time after the wedding.
Second, I felt this pain in my chest for many reasons, and one of them was deceiving my own mother.
Why? Because I didn't want her to see me in this state, this pathetic state.
And the last thing, I was afraid of the person beside me. If she were to blackmail me for what I did, I would still be satisfied, but all she did was get into my head.
I swallowed with little difficulty and answered Alina, who paused for a moment before continuing.
"And what are you going to call me? President? ...or ma'am, maybe?"
There was no amusement in her tone, and it felt like she was genuinely serious about the performance she was going to put on. Was that because she needed perfection?
I didn't speak—no, I didn't know how to answer her and just glanced outside the window, completely ignoring her.
The view outside kept changing, and whenever I thought of concentrating on something, I realized it was already left behind.
So, I didn't know which one to focus on, and I just closed my eyes.
This was what I was doing the whole time, at least for the last several days, I guess.
"Honey, babe, sweetheart, darling…there are too many words, you know."
Her voice again fell into my ears. Despite me ignoring her, she kept talking—maybe she just thought I was thinking about her question? I didn't know, but I didn't ignore her this time.
"I am not like that. I don't use th..."
My voice cut off in between as a strange memory flashed in my mind. The memory that I thought was very precious to me, and while laughing at myself, I completed my sentence.
"...those words to anyone."
Not anymore.
Suddenly she took a sharp turn that wasn't following my apartment's route—only then did I look at the road as I woke up from my thoughts.
"Even if you don't, your wife is an exception. What would your mother think?"
She had her brows knitted at the center as she glanced at me from the corner of her eyes, and it felt like a scolding more than a suggestion.
Anyway, how casually she spoke the word "wife" also bothered me. But I couldn't say that out loud because she actually reminded me of myself back then.
"That's the wrong way."
Seeing me changing the topic, she scoffed but still answered me.
"I need to pick something up."
I just stared at her before turning my head towards the window again. This time, I didn't even do anything, but she misunderstood God knows what.
"What? You don't want me to come empty-handed when I meet with your mother for the first time after our wedding, right?"
I didn't even say anything. But then I was reminded how I had lied to my mother about her attending a meeting yesterday, and it also appeared that she didn't know my mother thought we were living together.
"Before we go, you need to know something...."
As she drove to wherever she was going to buy the things, I explained everything she needed to know, and when I was finished, Alina smiled in amusement.
"Oh, now I definitely need to bring something, since I was coming after a meeting from another city."
She then stopped the car and messaged someone.
"If not for her, then at least for you."
The place she stopped was a shopping mall, the biggest one in the city. I was dumbfounded when I saw that.
She wasn't thinking of shopping now, but was she? It would take forever to do shopping, and we didn't have time, but then, a man came to her window with many bags, and someone had to accompany him to carry all the bags.
"Put it in a back seat."
She lowered her side window and said that to the man who was about to greet her, but after listening to her, he did what she had said.
I looked at the back with widened eyes. The seat at the back, which was empty, now was packed with many shopping bags of different sizes.
What was she thinking?
"That's too much."
Actually. So much that it felt like she had been planning on moving in with me. She...didn't, right?
"Are you sure?"
She replied as she watched those bags as if checking or marking them, and when she was done, she smiled at me.
"Then make sure to call me by one of those names."