CHAPTER SIX — Love? Angel you can't be serious
This morning, the aura Angel was emitting was filled with ' I'm pissed so don't piss me more!'
Angel didn't even remember how she got dressed, only the sound of her heart pounding as she marched into the glass doors of Forrest Enterprises. Heads turned as she strode through the reception, her heels striking the tiled floor like a warning.
"Good morning, Miss O'Hara, let me tell Mr Forrest that you're here," the secretary stammered, but Angel barely heard her. She pushed open the door to Simeon's office without knocking.
He was standing by the window, phone in hand, looking every inch the charming executive he pretended to be. His expression shifted the moment he saw her.
"Angel baby? What's wrong?"
She threw the brown package onto his desk. The photos scattered across the smooth surface, him and the blonde, the kiss, the house, everything was on full display as it Spiller all over the table.
"Tell me this isn't real," she said, her voice trembling.
Simeon sighed, straightening his cufflinks. "Where did you get these?"
"That's all you have to say?" she snapped. "You've been lying to me, Simeon! All this time, you said you loved me, that the kids and I were safe with you"
He cut her off with a dry laugh. "Love? Angel, you can't be serious."
Her heart dropped. "What?"
"You think this was about love?" he said coolly, walking around the desk. "You had what I wanted and was convenient. So I gave you a job, a male figure, some dignity after your little sob story. Don't act like I owe you something more."
Her breath caught. "So everything, every word, every promise, was a lie?, you Arrogant bastard!, You made a fool out of me"
He smiled thinly. "Don't look so shocked. You should be thanking me. I was doing you a favor, taking interest in a woman with two kids and no future."
Angel flinched as if struck. "Don't you dare talk about my children."
"Why not?" he said, his tone rising. "You parade around pretending to be this saintly mother, but we both know what you really wanted, Security. and I offered that. But you were too proud, too cold. You never even let me touch you properly."
Tears burned her eyes. "You are a fucking dork ."
He leaned closer, his voice dripping with disdain. "And you never made it easy to try. Always holding back like you were some untouched virgin. You think any man wants that kind of burden?"
Her hand trembled as she pulled off the ring and slammed it onto the desk. "We're done."
Simeon's smile vanished. "Be careful, Angel. You'll regret this."
"I already do."
He folded his arms. "You do realize you've just lost your job, right? I was the one keeping you in that position. Without me, you're nothing in this company."
She met his gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. "Then I guess I'll start over. Again."
And with that, she turned and walked out before he could see the tears spill down her cheeks.
---
Outside, the wind was colder than before.
Her hands shook as she gripped the steering wheel, driving home through blurred traffic. The city lights flickered past her like ghosts.
By the time she reached the house, the twins' school bus was pulling up.
Mara and Malik ran toward her, their laughter filling the air. Angel forced a smile, swallowing the lump in her throat as she hugged them tightly.
"Hey, my loves. How was school?"
"Good!" Malik grinned, showing off a paper crown he'd made. Mara tugged her sleeve, "Mummy, you look sad."
Angel brushed a strand of hair from her face. "No, baby. Mummy's just tired."
Inside, she fixed dinner, helped with homework, tucked them in. Her body moved on autopilot, smile, serve, clean, hold.
But when the house finally went quiet, and their little breaths filled the dark, she sank to the floor of her room.
The silence hit her like a wave.
Everything she'd built, the job, the engagement, the hope, gone in a single afternoon.
Her sobs came quietly at first, then harder, until she pressed her hands to her mouth, afraid the kids might hear.
She had done everything right, hadn't she? Tried to rebuild, to be strong, to give them a normal life. But somehow, life kept punishing her for daring to dream.
The door creaked softly.
"Mummy?"
Mara stood there in her pajamas, sleepy-eyed. Malik trailed behind, clutching his toy truck.
Angel blinked fast, forcing a smile. "Hey, angels. Why are you awake?"
"You were crying," Mara whispered. "Did someone make you sad?"
Angel pulled them close, hugging both children against her chest, breathing in their warmth. "No, baby. Mummy's fine. Everything's fine."
But as their small hands clung to her, she knew she wasn't.
Not yet.
Not until she found a way to start again, this time, for herself.