The Couple novel Chapter 54

Celia

“Joshua!”

“Joshua? Is it really you?”

“Yes Starlet. It is me.” He said with a big smile on his face. Oh my god, he didn’t grow old a single day. He looks the same, I saw him last and when was that about 3 years ago. He made his way around the table near me.

“You knew I was coming. I mean you know you don’t look surprised, you’re happy, smiling. You knew you didn’t tell me.” I glared as I realised he did not come to see me even after he was in town for sometime and he knew I was in this town. Everyone knew I was moving to this town after my graduation.

“I thought it would be great to surprise you but I think Starlet didn’t like seeing me here.” He made a sad face although I know he isn’t sad.

“Well, it was a good surprise.” He took a step and engulfed me in a big hug. Oh man, this guy is huge.

Joshua is a tall handsome man with dark blonde hair with this cute smooth short boxed beard on his sharp jawline. Oh damn, I always loved his beard. Did this man get strong from the last time we met? He definitely had those muscles a woman can drool on and he was always simply sexy but right now with all those muscles bulging and.visible from this suit, just yummy. Remind me why I never dated this guy before and now I got Chris. Goodbye my chance if I ever had it.

“Ouch, you’re suffocating me.” I mumbled against his chest as I struggled to get some air.

“Oh sorry.” He loosened his grip around me but yet we both were holding each other. “But you know what, I don’t care. I liked suffocating you.” He hugged me back but that was not tight this time.

“Let’s talk business now.” He pulled back and offered me to sit.

“Yeah sure.” This was only now I realised he shifted here and I have to shift back to New York. “Wow, you joined this company and I am leaving.” I laughed at the irony.

“That is what we have to talk about. Actually, it is the reason I called you to meet once. Firstly, I apologize on the behalf of our board of directors and all the staff for what happened and your sufferings. Now, I got some orders from the new owner that everyone who was fired or quit in the previous 5 months should be offered their jobs again to check if they would like to join back.”

What the hell is he talking about? I can join back, well a great deal because I never wanted to leave but oh god my parents. They will never agree to join back.

“According to the order, I have to cancel your resignation and you’re still an employee of this company. But since you already served your notice period before the order was issued, I need to know if you would like to join or still want to leave this company. Listen, I went through your report. I would love to have you on board. If you want we can make an offer as compensation for the emotional damage.”

Between all this talk he whispered “Take the compensation.” which made me laugh. He gave me a big speech where he prepared to apologize and convince me to join back. I would like to tell him I am ready but the issue is my parents.

‘Accept the offer, Heaven.’

‘You knew I will be offered this job again.’

‘Yes. Now accept the offer.’

‘I can’t. You know even if I accept this, my parents won’t.’

‘Heaven, I made all the arrangements to make you stay here. You can’t even accept a job offer for me. Oh Goddess, Heaven I don’t care how you convince your parents you’re staying here and that is final.’ He went silent after raising his voice, kind of like breaking the link.

I heard Joshua clear his throat and bring my attention back to him. “So would you like to join back?”

“I don’t know, I mean, I don’t know if I really want to stay now.”

“Oh Starlet, please don’t say this. I only accepted this offer in this town because I knew you’re going to be here for me.”

“You what?” He got up from his seat and came in front of the table to sit in the visitors chair next to me. He took my hands in his big ones and squeezed the one while rubbing the other.

“Yes, I was given this offer to handle this company and I rejected it until I realised this is the same town you moved to. Please don’t leave me. I know you haven’t joined any other company here and you are moving back with your parents. Let me be the reason you stay.” He pouted. I touched his cute face and nodded.

“Okay.”

“Wonderful” He was about to kiss my hands and get up. I exploded before he started his small celebration.

“But...”

“Oh don’t start this but.”

“But my parents, Pinkie Pony, won't let me stay here.” I interrupted him before he made any other comment. “No, I am not going to try again.”

“I was thinking about talking to them but you keep calling me that I might change my mind.”

“Oh, I didn’t think of that. They don’t know you’re here and you can convince them easily. Of course they trust you more than me.”

“Yes.” I jumped and hugged him with excitement. I will get to stay here and without my parents babysitting me.

“So, now I should leave and you are invited for dinner. Come have some great food and convince my parents, Pinkie Pony.” I kissed him on the cheek and left his office for good.

I practically ran all the way down and hugged my parents. I was jumping and hopping around while I came down. I don’t remember how many I greeted on my way and kissed a few on their cheeks. I don’t mind that I tripped a few times coming here but I was head over heels.

“You okay, darling? You seem extremely happy after quitting.” Mom asked me as I was hugging dad.

“Mom, you won’t believe what happened.” Mom and dad looked at each other and then again at me. “I am offered my job again and I want to join back.”

“Celia, we already told you that you’re not staying here anymore in this town. Go back and reject this job offer.”

“Yes darling. We already looked at a few companies for you back in New York. You can choose any company but you gotta leave this one.”

“I can’t, I don’t want to. Plea...”

“Celia, no arguments. Go back and refuse the offer. We’re leaving tomorrow.” Dad said with a stern look on his face. Oh god, what is it with these men today? Everyone is shouting at me.

“You can refuse the offer yourself at dinner tonight.” I ignored both of them and opened the back door of the car and sat inside without looking at them. “I invited my new boss to dinner.” My parents sighed and got in the car.

On our way back to my apartment, my parents discussed how they will approach my new boss at the dinner and tell him that I am quitting and I am stupid to agree to the offer in the morning. They decided what to cook and a few other things. I didn’t give any input to their discussion as Chris kept poking me with his questions in my head, sometimes he raised his voice again but I kept ignoring his voice in my head.

‘I don’t know how I got that gift to talk to him in my head but trust me girl, he can be annoying sometimes and he is definitely using this for his own benefit. Either going to learn how to keep his voice out of my head for such times or give him a good time so he better not piss me off next time.’

I massaged my head a bit as it hurts with all the yelling around me, inside out.

As soon as we reached the building, I ran off to my apartment. Walking upstairs with my parents when they are angry at me, not a good idea. I had my mind running over a few random things when I entered my room. I turned around and I screamed with a jump.

Yes, no one expects your boyfriend’s brother to be in your room. Not even gay one.

“What the hell are you doing here, Bryan?” I whisper screamed at him. He was taken aback with all my screamings and raised his hands in surrender as he took a few steps towards me.

“No harm, Luna. Alpha sent me to check up on you.” I nodded at him to put his hands down. I heard the front door closing, thankfully my parents didn’t hear me screaming or us talking. I grabbed Bryan’s hand and dragged him to the washroom with me.