A BIG Boss - Chapter 38

Chapter 38

This man was looking at him from across the table. It seems Harvey’s comment was not welcomed by him.

Mr. West was a dick, that’s who he was. He thinks he’s so superior, a man like him would never allow someone like Harvey to talk to him that way.

“What? Are you trying to teach me a lesson?” Harvey swallowed.

He then turned at Mrs. Stalwart, he was sure she was going to intervene. He was certain she was going to do something as simple as to shake her hand and that this man was going to stop. But when he turned at her, she just turned aside.

She noticed he was looking at her, but she looked away? Why? She knows he needs help, right?! 

“Why are you looking at her? Come on, big guy, you were so bold before. Tell me, why should I be polite to you? Did I hurt your feelings?” A few people chuckled, this guy just turned his moment of courage into another joke.

Harvey should’ve stopped, he should’ve kept quiet, he should’ve just accepted defeat, but this guy was a jerk, and he’s tired of jerks.

“No, my feelings are fine. I was just saying someone POLITE would just tell you when you have a bad idea, not to call you stupid instead.” He said.

A few people there raised an eyebrow, he’s got some nerve. No one spoke as they wanted to know how this would end up.

Harvey was standing, short but he had his chin up. Mr. West was looking at him, with a smirk on his face, so arrogant just shaking his head from side to side.

“You really have a mouth, for someone as TINY as you. Listen, you’re just an assistant, one of many. You’re replazable. If I were you, I’ll shut my mouth. You could be fired for talking that way to your boss, you know? Just friendly advice…” fired? That word did make him quiver a little. But he was not going to let this man win. He was obnoxious.

“Lucky for me, you’re not my boss.” He replied.

“Still going? Wow! Listen, I’m still your superior, you should shut up, now…” He could see a vein popping on this man’s forehead. Harvey was truly pushing his buttons. “You know, as a matter of fact, I think you should leave! Why are you even here? Vera’s smart enough, she doesn’t need you taking notes. I’m sure you must be just a pet of hers, haha. She just drags you wherever she goes, or do you follow?” Once again, everyone laughed.

His lip quivered a bit, a pet? He’s no pet! He’s her special man! But he can’t say that. What can he say? How to come back from that?

smack

Everyone went silent as Mrs. Stalwart’s hand smacked hard over the table. The whole table shook. She was mad, that was obvious, now is this the moment she intervenes? The moment Harvey was waiting for?

Harvey was hoping she’ll jump in at any moment, better late than never, right? Well, this was not going to be convenient to him.

“Enough!” Harvey thought she was going to shut this man up, or maybe get up and slap him on the face for insulting him? He wouldn’t ask for that, but he wouldn’t mind it either.

Then, she turned at him, and her next words made his heart stop. “Harvey, you’re dismissed for the day. You can’t just talk back to a member of the board. Get back to the office and pick your stuff. You’re suspended for the rest of the day. Come back tomorrow, after you’ve thought about what you’ve done.” Him? He was the one getting punished?

His heart sank in his chest. Suspended? He was the one receiving the punishment? A smile was drawn on Mr. West 's  face. “You heard the lady, bye, bye…” he arrogantly said.

Harvey couldn’t believe it, he was looking at her, his heart breaking a little, and then, he simply said: “B-but…”

“Enough! I ordered you to leave! Do you want me to fire you? LEAVE!” Tears were starting to come, so he just turned and ran away, he doesn’t want anyone to see him cry.

He was kicked out? Why? Does he not matter? She told him he was special, who’d talk like that to their special someone? Was he not special then? Was he not loved?

He rushed to the elevator, heading straight to the office. As soon as the doors were closed, as soon as he was alone, tears ran down his cheeks. Why would she do something like that?

Mrs. Stalwart noticed how he was feeling, the tears, she could see his teary eyes, she didn’t like to be mean, but that’s something she had to do.

She can’t allow an assistant of hers to talk that way to someone from the board. He could get fired! So far he hasn’t said that much, she knew how Jeremy was, he was going to push him far enough to fire him and ruin his career. She needed to get him out now! And that’s what she did.

No one can see a special treat with him, no one can notice she acts differently around him. She must be the same cold woman around him as she is with everyone. No love, no favoritism, no nothing. An order, she gave him the expected order and that was it.

She’ll give him an explanation when she gets back home.

“Sorry for that, everyone. I’ll make sure to have a chat with him tomorrow morning.” She declared.

“A chat? Oh my, why not firing him? Are you softening, Vera?” Mr. West said.

“I’m not. He’s just… the less inept of the assistants I’ve had, that’s it. I don’t think his attitude towards you is enough of an excuse to fire him, that’s all.” She declared.

“I hope he doesn’t talk to you as he did with me…” Mr. West added.

“You think he’d still be working for me if he did that? I would’ve personally kicked his ass out of the office myself! The fact that he doesn’t respect you, well, it was predictable.” she smiled.

Mr. West frowned and they just kept going with the meeting. But she was worried, was she too hard on Harvey? Did she raise her tone too much? Was she too stern? She must play her part, she can’t let them know about their relationship, else she might lose him for real. He will understand, right?

—

Suspended? He’s never been suspended. Harvey didn’t even talk back that much, did he? He was just standing for himself, showing he had some backbone! He wouldn’t let anyone disrespect him, not anymore at least.

But that’s not the main problem, that’s not what it hurts. So what if he’s suspended? It’s just one day, he doesn’t care much about a single day’s payment. What drove the tears out of his eyes are the actions his “beloved” showed.

She cared for him, she protected him, she was attentive, she loved him… yeah, right… He fell for all those lies, did she even mean that? Maybe that was the reason why their love was so secret, it’ll be easier to ditch him and give no one a single explanation.

Just as she did today, it seemed so easy for her to kick him out, and she didn’t leave things there, she also kicked him out of the entire office. Her stern tone, the way she spoke at him, just as if she was speaking to anyone, just the same way she did with anyone else. Wasn’t he special? Who’d talk that way to someone they love?

What made it easy was the fact that she didn’t love him. That’s right, maybe he was fool enough to believe her. Perhaps, he was just a toy, and she was going to keep him until she grew tired of him. To leave him hanging, to keep him close, she was possessive, not giving anyone a chance to take him away. Maybe that’s the reason why she wanted to be so close to him? To make sure he had no time alone to think.

Now, he was alone, and walking away. Out of the office, carrying his stuff, lunch and bag. It felt as if he was fired, but he’s not there, not yet.

He walks into the elevator, thinking about where to go. But most importantly, wondering what his next move will be. Lunch? Later, he’s not hungry right now. But, where to go? To “their” place? No, he doesn’t want to be anywhere that reminds him of Vera.

She wanted him to leave? He’ll leave. He needed time to think on what to do. The place, her place, where he thought their love was growing, some sort of love nest, what if that doesn’t mean a thing either? Is he too sentimental? Maybe he’s overreacting?

Rejection’s something he has always felt, but he was used to it. However, no one had ever told him how special he truly was, and to listen to that same someone talking to you the way Vera did. He felt empty, she filled him up with so much love, and it only took her a few words to take it all away.

He needed love at that time, he needed support, protection. She didn’t give him any of that, instead, she stood on the side of that man who insulted him. He understands he might’ve messed up a bit there, but that guy started it! Instead of talking to him, she just kicked him out, no more explanations needed.

He felt so lonely, all eyes were on him as he rushed to the door. But who cares about them? They were all just faces he’ll forget about, and that guy, Mr. West, he was just one of many jerks he’s met. But her, Vera Stalwart, the woman who promised him the moon and the stars, had left him there, in the middle of an empty space. Alone in the cold depths of space, and it gets really lonely up there…

— 

Where can a man like him go? With a heart that’s in such pain, with no love to fill it. He walked out of the building, turned up at the highest part of it, where her office was. He could’ve waited for her right there, she had no need to suspend him for the day. But she did.

Why? Was she tired of him? Didn’t she want to see him? Maybe that’s what this was. She needed a break from him, and that’s what she’ll get.

Harvey tried to dry the tears, but they kept coming. His heart, pounding with pain. His smile, gone as far as his hopes were. She doesn’t need him, her love was fugacious. He’s certain that when she arrives home, she’s just going to kick him away there. Maybe she no longer wants him? No longer loves him?

His heart ached to that thought. He just began to walk away. Where to? Who cares. The only thing he needs is to get away from here, and stay away from her place. “Their” place. He doesn’t have a key, nor a code. Maybe she knew this was not forever, that’s why she didn’t bother to make it easy for him to get in.

He walked, and walked. Downtown? Maybe there's a place he can stop and think about what to do. Maybe he needs a new job, he doesn’t really feel like coming back. If she really cares for him, she’ll call, but if she doesn’t call soon, she most likely doesn’t care for him.

Who has ever cared for him? Well, he thought he had found someone, a person who seemed to give so much love, a love as big as she was, but she could easily take it away.

Maybe it’s time for him to think about life, what was he doing? Did he really think a woman like her would stay with a man like him? How foolish he was, he fell for her trap. And now, she just set him loose. It seems her little toy got broken, and she no longer wants to play with him…