Val was still getting acquainted with her new office when she heard a knock on the door to her office. She turned her gaze from the files she was looking into, towards the door and awaited to see who it was as the door knob turned.
Her expression grew blank when Mark walked in her office and Val visibly scoffed.
Mark saw this but just stood by the door after closing it behind him. He stared at the tip of his shoes for a long while, unsure of what to do or say.
He wouldn’t say he had ever dreamed to be in this situation in any of his worst nightmares. There was nothing he could say nor do to right his wrongs. He only had the decency to not look Val in the face.
Yes, He’d done really wrong to Val, and as such he should be happy that she’s at least doing well in life. However, if he was being realistic he hated whatever this was.
“ Honey-“
“ Don’t even dare!” Val raised a finger to warn. “ Don’t even think about it” Val stated word for word in a trembling tone, obviously seething with anger.
'How dare he? After all he'd done? How could he act like that when he didn’t even call nor try to find her after she left him? '
Val was done with this disgusting being, and couldn’t even believe she had stayed devoted in a marriage for years with the freak. The bare thought made her burn in fury and wish she could turn back the hands of time. Just to say no to that foolish proposal he'd made to her at that themed park.
' Of course, I should have known.... Trying to apologize wouldn’t work'
Mark took the cue and lowered his head in silence.
“I’ve only called you here for a reason, Mr Mark Hawkins” Val coldly informed a while after. She didn’t even offer him to sit and talk. she was at least glad he at least had enough decency to not take the initiative of doing so as that would make her totally lose it. This was her office now, and she was his boss!
“ The reason being simply to urge you to desist from trying to rely on our past relationship to relate with me at work, or anywhere else. We're past that, okay?" Val tried as much as she could to be professional with her words, but the fury in her tone was evident.
" Really, Va-"
" Please. Just please, don't make me do things that I'll regret right now, Mr Mark!" Val retorted with a dangerous glance. She hated that he spoke to her in that tone, couldn't he just be a lesser bastard than he is for a second?
" I'm Miss Valerie, and I'd appreciate if you address to me that way from now on" Val added.
Mark creased his gaze and stared at Val for a long while in silence before he said " One thing before that..."
" How did you do all of this?" Mark asked looking around with his hands stretched out.
Contrary to feeling offended and lashing out at Mark for blatantly showing that he was only mad that she became his superior and never really meant to apologize, Val flashed a grin and though she wanted to say what crossed her mind at the moment so badly, she knew for the sake of Bob she shouldn't...
And so she reverted her countenance back to a professional one and shook her head as she said. " I'm not obliged to answer that am I?"
" If anything, I'm looking forward to work with you from now on Assistant Manager..." She said stressing Mark's official title.
"Now, please shut the door behind you as you leave. I have a lot of work to do as you can see" Val stated and started to look into the files scattered about on her work desk to arrange them.
Mark just stood unsure of how to act as his emotions were in turmoil. This was perhaps his worst nightmare and worse was, he had no premonition it was coming. All of this hit him so hard that he had nothing to grip on as he fell into despair fast.
All he could think to do was just exactly as Val had urged; to leave. He turned around and left the office still in a stupefied daze with his head heavy with envy and rage.
"Hah!" Val watched as Mark shut the door behind him and couldn't help but let out a deep sigh. What just happened?
She couldn't believe she'd just handled everything that way. All these while, facing Mark had been something she pondered and although she had so much to say, her only purpose was to make him hurt and despair. Of course there were lots more of things she wanted to say to him, but the way she had actually spoken to him was a lot more better than she thought. Proof of this was the expression Mark had on his face as he left. Val herself couldn't believe she had just seen that look on Mark's face. It was such a delight that she broke into a mad laughter.
" hahahah!" She couldn't believe just how cool she was with it. She quickly picked her phone and dialed a number on it. The phone rang a few minute before a calm voice of a man resounded from the other side.
" Hey, Val"
" Bob, I did it! I got Mark real hard, haha!" Val couldn't control herself from blurting out. This whole might seem like a childish retaliation of a sort and immature to a point, but in truth, Val wasn't someone who hid away from her feelings. She relinquished in them if anything.
" How was it?" Bob obviously didn't know what else to say. Normally, a person would be sad after such an experience but here was Val.
" Can't you tell I'm excited?" Val pouted.
" Hahaha! I know, I'm just surprised you're, so, so happy about it" Bob chuckled as he spoke.
" Of course, I am. Mm, how are preparations on your side?" Val unknowingly switched the topic sensing a little bit of distress in Bob's tone.
" Going smooth, I believe by the time the proceeding comes up, I'll be ready" Bob responded in a serious tone. " However, there's a slight problem" Bob said the last part in a grim tone that had Val alerted.
" What's that?" she asked with a frown that expressed her concern.
" Well, I'm not certain if Courtney will fall for our little trick. And I'm afraid I'll have to ask that guy's help as well..." Mark said slightly apologetic.
" I don't really mind if we use him. As long as you can prevent what's coming and I can get what you promised" Val stated without the slightest bit of hesitation.
Silence reigned over and Val could tell Bob was smiling bitterly at her words.
" Anyway, I might need to stop conversing with you this way soon as there's no telling what Courtney could do. I hope you understand?" Bob spoke a while after.
" Yeah, not at all. Attorney Chris right?" Val asked.
"Haha! We think the same, Val." Bob chuckled. " later then"
" Bob..." Val called out before he would cut the call.
" Hmm?"
" Thank you!" Val said in a low honest tone. Really he had no one but him to thank for all of this. Without him, she didn't even know the kind of life she'd be living at the moment. Maybe she would have turned out a drug freak, or some street slut.
" No Val, thank you." Bob said in return in a sincere tone which caught Val off guard. " I have to go now" He said and cut the call.
Val put down the phone without even knowing she had a sweet smile on her face. She slowly turned her chair to face the window and stared at the view of the outside world. She looked down at her belly for once and the smile on her face became gloomy.
Nonetheless, she shook her head and returned to sort the papers. She didn't need to do any of it but anyway, she needed to keep her mind busy at the moment.
...