Chapter 36- Deceived
Archie and Afsah turned their heads towards him and separated from each other.
"I have a lot of work to do. I've wasted so much time here but now that you're settled and managed to get you dream job, I feel like I'm not a necessity."
Archie's words muddled to bitterness inside her mouth. The realization that what she felt for him was everything but what he felt for her questioned her self-respect hit her like a bowling ball. She suddenly felt stupid, as if she had no worth in his mind as anything more than hardly a friend.
"If that's what you want…" She replied abruptly, letting the coldness ooze through her words.
…
She backed up from Afsah without making eye contact and left the room, grabbing Augustin on her way.
~
She sat in the driver's seat of the jeep and scooted from the mansion entrance, Augustin watching from the veranda.
The drive was painful, sitting alone in a seat which had been Afsah's, but her pride reeled her back into perspective. Of course he did. How could she trust him? She hardly knows him… yet why does it feel as though a sword had been plunged into her chest?
The lights had turned green but the moron in front seemed to be stargazing in the morning. On a normal day she wouldn't but today she clenched down on the horn, angrily and impatiently until every bird had escaped from the trees around in search for peace.
Her sudden temper startled her as she thought over it.
'What have I done to myself…'
~
Upon reaching the firm, she was greeted with a pleased Mr Christopher at the entrance.
"I like this Saree better than the one yesterday." He said playfully.
Archie's glare nearly tore through his eyes, which couldn't believe the anger hidden behind that innocent, calm, collected face.
He watched, dumbfounded as she walked past him without a chuckle to his seemingly harmless joke.
Christopher knew something was up as he followed her trail, leading into his office.
He takes a seat before her at his desk and folded his arms.
"Didn't see your boyfriend today…" He said subtly looking up at her as he sorted his documents into files.
"You won't be anymore." She said, very casually.
He was stunned but rather pleased with the news, continuing to fiddle through the papers.
"Well then, I'll show you your office." Christopher replied, gleefully.
~
The office she was given was better than what she had expected. 2 walls covered from head to toe with glass, revealing the busy morning city beneath. A very comfortable leather office chair behind a large L shaped desk which was already decorated with her essentials and a large metal file holder to hold her future cases. A small chandelier dangled from the tall ceiling and reflected against the white marble floor.
She was pleased but the thought of the morning overlapped what was meant to be the reaction to the start of her dream life which she had sacrificed way too much for.
Christopher took his leave, leaving Archie staring at her feet, overwhelmed and conflicted. She would have called Afsah to celebrate but with that not an option anymore, she dialed her father's number.
"Architha? How are you…"
"I'm great. Today I start as a lawyer. I'm standing in my office."
There was silence at the other end of the line before he started to breath heavily.
"Tanvi!, Tanvi!, come here!"
His voice melted in pride and happiness of his daughter
Archie could hear muffled noises on the other side before she hears her sisters voice.
"Hello?"
"Hi."
"Congratulations on your job. I didn't think you'd get there so fast."
"Thanks."
… Silence
"Okay so I'll give the phone back to father?"
"That would be helpful"
She let her anger from the morning out on Tanvi, who she was already not very fond of. There weren't nights where she could sleep without thinking of the times she had with her sister, but she was deceived without return, and life was taking a new step forward she thought was only realistic under her father's wings.
Just as she heard her father starting to speak, her office room opened from behind her and there stood Za'Niyah.