CHAPTER 32

I stayed up most of the night because I was busy thinking about why I did that. I know I was just worried about him. I saw the blood running down his face that time and it took over my mind in a span of five minutes and made me go up to his office and tend his wounds.

I regret doing that. I regret being the first one to come to him. The last thing that I want to have with Zach right now is connection. I don't want any connection with him anymore because I have other priorities in mind and I never really came back to connect with him in the first place. I didn't want this and in fact, it was something that I was avoiding.

And it was just embarrassing that I just came into his office when he didn't really need my help. It would just make him know how much I was worried for him at that time and I don't want him to think anything more than that.

I came to the office as early as I could. After sleeping late last night, five minutes before the call time was the best that I could do.

What happened yesterday left a huge mess at the building's entrance. I got to see how much damage the people had left to Zach's building. The glass was wrecked and the displays were all destroyed. there were still wooden placards everywhere. The place was isolated from the employees so we had to get in from another entrance which was the entrance to the parking lot.

I was hoping that I wouldn't see Zach in the area and I was glad that I didn't. I don't what to see him after what happened the other day though it was my fault because I was the one who came to his office.

I didn't want myself to get close to him when I came back and yet I was the one who came up to his office.

Everybody in the office was talking about what happened the other day when I came into the office. "Where have you been yesterday?" Lydia asked me when she saw me coming to take my seat. "You suddenly disappeared,"

"I got mixed in the crowd and I got really scared so when I got the chance to get out, I did," I lied. It was the best that I could to not get suspicious. "I'm sorry for leaving you,"

"You got to get out? The exits were closed, right?" Carol interrupted,

I stopped and gulped. "Oh, I didn't come home yet, I went up," I lied again.

"Oh, I see," she answered.

I felt relieved that they had bought my excuses. I opened my computer and started working on my tasks for today. The day went smoothly. That was what I had thought at first until 2 pm came and someone knocked on our office.

We were all looking at who was knocking on the door. Someone stood up to see who it is and it was someone in a blue cap and a brown apron and a white long-sleeved shirt. It was someone from the cafe. "Good afternoon, is Xhyrah Jimenez working in this office?" the guy asked and I was shocked to hear my name.

"It's me," I said and raised my hand for him to see me. 'W-what is it?" I asked him without knowing any idea why he came and asked for me.

"Someone sent cakes and coffees from the cafe downstairs," he said and pulled out his cart that was hiding behind the door. The employee opened the door wider for him to come in. There were 4 boxes of cake and a lot of iced coffees. My eyes widened when I saw those and already realized who sent them. "He left a note for you too, ma'am," he said with a smile. He? Did he order to send all of this himself? I looked at the person and tried to see if he knows something about me and Zach but he looked away and proceeded on putting the drink out of his cart onto the table.

I looked at the note he gave me and opened it. I looked around and saw Lydia and Carol looking at me intently. I already know what they were thinking. I took a peek at the note.

"Thanks for yesterday,"

-Z.

I knew it.

I immediately closed it and hid the note to keep it out of Lydia and Carol's reach. "Was that your boyfriend?" Lydia asked as she stand up from her seat.

"No," I said immediately.

"Then who was this guy?' she asked me while narrowing her eyes,

"Nothing, I helped him yesterday and that's all," I said trying to keep the conversation about him short.

"Help with what?" Carol asked.

"Something," I answered because I don't know what to say.

"Like?"

I sighed and looked at both of them, "Just get your drinks already, stop asking about it," I said and sat back on my seat. I don't even know if I would get my drink too.

I hope this will be the last one because I don't want him to send more in the next few days. I am not even sure if he had ordered them himself because if he did, I would get suspicious in no time. I don't want to reveal anything about my past relationship with Zach to everybody in this building especially everybody in this office. I just want to work as normally as possible.

In the end, I took a drink and a piece of cake with me to my table and ate it while I continue doing my work. A few moments later, Leslie went out of her office and was surprised to see the cakes on the table. "So, who's birthday was it?' she asked everyone.

"No, Xhyrah's boyfriend treated everyone," one of my workmates teased and they all agreed and started teasing.

"No, he wasn't," I said. My voice was drowned by the teasing and I felt like trying to deny is very useless so I just sighed and gave Leslie a look to tell her that everything they were saying wasn't true.

"He wasn't her boyfriend," she said using a tone that asks everybody if what I was saying was true but they all denied it and continued saying that he was my boyfriend. "He wasn't your boyfriend?' she turned to me as she grab the knife to cut the cake. "Who was he? your husband I guess?"

"Not!" I said trying to keep my voice higher than the teasing.

"Xhyrah, you were married?" Lydia asked and I shook my head immediately.

I was but we got divorced so, "No," I denied.

I dealt with the teasings for a few more minutes before Leslie came back to her office and told everyone to continue their work before the call of time.

I sighed and continued with mine. I finished it just on time and it is time to go home. Carol and Lydia said that they would be going out together because they still had work left so I decided to just go home by myself.

I was holding my bag on my right shoulder as I press the elevator down. When the door opened, I met Zach's eyes.

I tried not to get surprised and gulped before going in. I was wondering why the hell was the elevator empty. There should've been more employees going down because it was already called off time.

It was very awkward when I got in and the door has closed. All I did was do my best not to look at him. I planned on staying quiet but I don't think there'd be harm caused if I thank him earlier. "Thank you for the drinks and cake by the way," I said still refusing to look at him.

"I bought them to thank you but you're welcome," he answered. his voice could still give my body shivers whenever he talks to me. Talking to him right now just makes me regret what happened yesterday even more.

"How's your wound?" I asked. I thought it'd be awkward being quiet after that.

"It's fine, I got my doctor to check it yesterday," he answered.

I didn't expect God to become very good to me that he sent a person to come in and press the elevator on the 6th floor for us to stop talking and move away from each other to give space for that person in the elevator.

We didn't talk anymore after that and I can hear the person being wary of his presence inside the elevator. We almost walked out at the same time if I didn't walk slower. He got out of the building first and then I went and looked for my driver outside the building.

I came home and saw Ali going into the house too. "Hey," I called him though he was already looking at me because he noticed my ride stopping just right after his.

"Hey," he called me back and raised his hand and put it on my back as we walk into the house together. We haven't talked for days because we were both busy with work.

"How are you?" I asked him,

"I heard about yesterday," he said. I stopped and looked at him.

"What about yesterday?" I asked him right away.

"The commotion at Zach's building," he said and I was relieved. I thought he knew I went to his office to help him with his wounds. It was so dumb that I was worried that he might know about it though it was just me, Zach, and his loyal employees at that time.

"Y-yeah," I said and we continued walking inside, "He was hit," I told him,

"I know, there were pictures of him online," he said, "Everybody was talking about him earlier,"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, you were there?" he asked me.

"Y-yeah," I was hesitant to tell him because he might ask me things and could lead him to know that I had an interaction with Zach yesterday.

"You saw how he was hit?"

"No, I just saw him bleeding," I answered and went away from him to get water from the kitchen.

"Hmm,' he hummed. He watched me as I put water on my glass as put both of his elbows on the counter. "So, how's work?" he asked me. I looked at him as I was drinking from the glass and he has a different look on his face.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I put the glass in the sink.

"How's work?" he repeated his question.

"Fine, of course, " I said. He went silent for a few moments as I look for something inside the fridge.

"Do you meet him in the building?" he asked. I know he wanted to ask about him.

"Yeah," I answered pretending as if it was not a big deal though I really want to tell him about the feeling of meeting him in the building.

"And?" he asks. he wanted me to tell him everything.

"I met him in the entrance, in the elevator, and at the lobby, why?"

I wanted to know why he was suddenly asking about how I was doing with Zach.

"I was just asking how you were doing around him," he said.

"I'm doing fine," though sometimes, I feel like I just want to mix into the wall.

"I see, that's good," he said. "Doesn't the other employees recognize you as his ex-wife?" he asked.

I stopped and realized it only right now. I have been walking around the lobby many times but yet not a single would know about me. When I was pretty sure the articles were posted and has seen by a lot. Did he remove it? no, my face was blurred I think?

"No," I answered and started thinking about it.

We talked about more things for a few minutes and proceeded on going into each other's room. I went into the bathroom right away and what I hate the most about a bath is overthinking.

How did I wonder about it just now? I should've wondered about it since I got into that office. There is no way that they had forgotten about it.

I went out of the bathroom earlier and took my phone. I wasn't dressed yet. I was only wearing a robe around my body as I sit on my bed and opened my browser.

I search about Zach's status, his marriage life, his marriage, his wife, and Zach's girlfriend but I could only see his past relationship online which made me a bit annoyed and nothing more. I don't know where those articles are. I was certain that articles were published and my---- my name wasn't published but only the fact that I was my parent's daughter. My face wasn't out either.

So that was why. And the fact that I don't see the articles anymore means he had them all deleted.

I immediately went and searched for any news about him getting divorced.

Zachari Alfonso divorce

but nothing matches my searches. Does this mean everyone who knew about our marriage still hasn't found out that we've separated already? So they still think he was still married until now? Did he publish an article and deleted it again? Should I ask him if everybody still thinks that we were still married?

Why didn't he put anything about it online? everybody would still be thinking of him as a married man right now.