22. Drakar

“Don’t… Don’t follow me.”

Sally’s voice echoes in my thoughts, her words digging into my chest like a knife between the ribs. Despite the fact that days have passed and we’re now back home, the tremble in her tone still haunts me – even as I sit in my home office with the irrefutable evidence of Director Shields’ criminal activities glowing from my computer screen.

The investigator I hired did his job well. Everything is here, just waiting to expose Shields for who he really is. It’s what I’ve wanted to do all along, and yet my fingers hesitate over the call button as the number for the police sits in the dial queue.

It’s time to end this.

The dull ring of the phone fills the stiff silence in my office.

“Mr. Tvojan,” the familiar voice of an officer greets. “I’ve been expecting your call.”

The phone call is methodical as I reveal the evidence I’ve compiled against Shields, explaining his attempts to sabotage the company and the countless illegal dealings. The wheels of justice begin to turn as the police move to apprehend the director but, left in the aftermath, my thoughts consume me.

What am I supposed to do now? The original purpose of my marriage to Sally has been fulfilled. Shields’ downfall has secured my position in the company and taken care of any immediate danger to my reputation.

The silence in the room is deafening, and I find myself drawn to the window, my gaze wandering to the garden where Sally is hosting her friends for an afternoon barbecue.

The sound of their laughter carries through the open window, and I can”t help but feel a pang of envy. I”ve never been one for social gatherings, but there”s something about Sally”s energy that makes me long to join them. She looks radiant, her eyes sparkling with life, and I can”t help but wonder what it would be like to truly be a part of her world.

I watch as Sally moves gracefully among her friends, laughing and smiling as she hands out drinks and plates of food. She looks so happy, so carefree, and it”s all I can do to stop myself from going outside and joining her.

But I can”t. I”ve made my choices, and I have to live with the consequences. I”ve used Sally to get what I wanted, and now that it”s over, I can”t just expect her to forgive me and move on. I”ve hurt her, and I don”t deserve her forgiveness.

Gazing at her through the window, I can”t help but feel a sense of longing. I want to talk to her, to apologize, to make things right. But I know that I can”t. I”ve burned that bridge, and there”s no going back.

As I listen to her conversation from afar, I can”t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Her friends seem so close and so comfortable with each other. I can”t help but feel like an outsider looking in.

”So, Sally, how”s married life treating you?” one of her friends asks, and I feel my heart clench in my chest.

”It”s… good,” Sally says, her voice hesitant. ”We”re still getting to know each other, but it”s been a fun adventure so far.”

”I bet it has,” her friend says with a laugh. ”I still can”t believe you two got married so suddenly.”

Sally”s smile falters for a moment, but she quickly recovers.

”Yeah, it was a bit unexpected,” she says. ”But when you know, you know, right?”

I feel a pang of guilt as I listen to her words. I know that our arrangement is a secret and that she can”t tell her friends the truth. But it still hurts to hear her pretend that we”re in love when I know that we”re not.

”Well, I”m happy for you guys,” her friend says, giving her a hug. ”You make a great couple.”

Sally smiles, but I can see the sadness in her eyes. And I know that I”m the one who put it there.

With a heavy heart, I turn away from the window and return to my desk. I have work to do, and I can”t afford to be distracted by thoughts of what could have been. I force myself to focus on the task at hand, determined to move forward and put the past behind me.

Over the next few days, I find myself avoiding Sally as much as possible. I tell myself it”s for the best, and that I need to keep my distance to protect myself. But deep down, I know that I”m just afraid. Afraid of the feelings that have been growing inside me and the possibility that they might not be reciprocated.

I throw myself into my work, spending long hours in my office, pouring over reports and financial statements. I tell myself that I”m doing it for the good of the company, but really, I”m just trying to distract myself from the turmoil that”s been building inside me.

But no matter how hard I try, I can”t escape the memories of Sally”s laughter, her energy, and her warmth. She”s everywhere I go, her presence a constant reminder of what I”ve been denying myself.

“You’re being ridiculous,” I mutter, yanking my suit jacket on before fiddling with my tie. “It’s no different from a business arrangement. You both knew what you were getting into.”

Sally”s reflection appears in the mirror next to mine as she emerges from the bathroom, and I feel a sudden tightness in my chest as I take in her appearance. She”s wearing a beautiful floral dress that accentuates her curves, and her hair is styled in loose waves that cascade down her shoulders. She looks stunning, and I can”t help but feel a pang of desire.

I try to focus on my reflection in the mirror, on the task of tying my tie, but it”s no use. My eyes keep drifting back to Sally, taking in every detail of her appearance.

She catches my gaze in the mirror and gives me a small smile, and I feel my heart skip a beat. I quickly look away, afraid of what she might see in my eyes.

”You look nice,” I say gruffly, trying to keep my voice even.

”Thanks,” she says, her voice soft. ”You do, too.”

I can feel the tension building between us, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. I know that I need to say something, to address the elephant in the room, but I don”t know where to start.

But then I remember the words I just muttered to myself, and the guilt sets in. I don”t deserve her. She deserves someone who will treat her with kindness and respect, not someone who sees her as nothing more than a means to an end.

Sally doesn”t say anything as she steps closer to me, her fingers deftly adjusting my tie. I watch her in the mirror, feeling a strange mix of emotions. Part of me wants to push her away, to tell her that I don”t deserve her help. But another part of me wants to pull her closer, to bury my face in her hair and breathe in her scent.

”There,” she says softly, stepping back and admiring her handiwork. ”You look perfect.”

I swallow hard, trying to push down the wave of emotions that threatens to overwhelm me.

”Thanks,” I say gruffly, turning to face her. ”I should get going.”

Sally nods, her expression suddenly unreadable.

“So should I,” she says, walking out of the room without another word.

I watch her go, feeling a strange emptiness settle in my chest. I know that I should let her go, that it”s the right thing to do. But I can”t shake the feeling that I”m making a mistake.

As Sally turns to leave, I can”t help but take in every detail of her appearance. Her floral dress hugs her figure in all the right places, the soft fabric swaying as she moves. Her hair cascades down her shoulders in loose waves, the golden highlights catching the light. And her makeup is subtle but perfect, accentuating her high cheekbones and warm brown eyes.

She carries herself with a grace and confidence that I can”t help but admire. But there”s also a vulnerability to her, a softness that makes me want to protect her.

I watch as she walks out of the room, her hips swaying gently with each step. And I feel a strange ache in my chest, a longing that I can”t quite put into words.

The truth is, I”ve grown to care for Sally more than I ever thought possible. She”s become more than just a means to an end, more than just a pawn in my game against Director Shields. She”s become someone I genuinely care about, someone I want to protect and cherish.

But I know that I can”t have it both ways. I can”t use her to take down Shields and then expect her to forgive me and move on. It”s not fair to her, and it”s not the kind of person I want to be.

“I’m fucking pathetic,” I grumble, slamming the car door and starting the engine.

With a heavy heart, I make my way to the office, trying to push thoughts of Sally out of my mind. But it”s no use. She”s everywhere I look, her laughter echoing in my ears, her scent lingering in the air.