Bound By Contract, Tied By Faith

It was my Freddie, my neighbors cat.

"F****k". I held my chest so tightly, I almost wet myself.

 I bent down, reaching for the small shape brushing against my leg.

"Stop hovering around the elevator, Freddy," I murmured, gently petting him.

Then I stood, my heart still uneasy, and walked straight.

By the time I got to my room, everything felt... quiet.

Too quiet.

The kind of quiet that makes your thoughts louder than they should be.

Less than an hour ago, I was at a party.

Dressed up. Smiling.

Standing beside my boyfriend.

My boyfriend.

I let out a small laugh as I shut the door behind me.

Ex-boyfriend.

It still felt strange in my head. Like I was saying someone else's story.

I leaned against the door for a moment, my heels still on, my body tired, my mind even more tired.

Two years.

Two whole years... and it ended just like that.

No warning. No explanation.

Just...

A door.

A sound.

And the truth waiting behind it.

I pushed myself away from the door slowly and walked inside. My heels clicked softly against the floor, but even that sound felt distant, like it didn't belong to me.

Everything still looked the same.

My couch.

My table.

My bag tossed carelessly on the chair.

Nothing had changed.

But everything had.

I exhaled and walked straight to the bathroom.

I needed to wash the night off me.

The dress suddenly felt too tight. Too revealing. Too much.

I pulled it off slowly, letting it slide down my body and drop to the floor. For a second, I just stood there, staring at it.

That dress...

The same dress he insisted I wear.

The same dress I wasn't comfortable in.

A small, bitter smile crossed my lips.

"Never.... Never again will I let a man, make me wear what I don't want to wear," I muttered softly.

I stepped into the shower and turned the water on.

The cold hit my skin first, then slowly warmed up.

I closed my eyes as the water ran down my face, my shoulders, my back.

And then the thoughts came.

"Why would you do that, Lucas..." I whispered under my breath.

My voice echoed faintly in the bathroom.

"Why?"

I rested my hand against the wall, letting the water run over me.

"Two years... I stayed. I trusted you. I believed you."

My chest tightened slightly.

"You said you loved me..."

The words felt empty now.

"I did everything right... didn't I?"

I let out a small breath.

"I stayed loyal. I stayed patient. I stayed... real."

The water kept running.

"And you still chose her."

That part still didn't make sense.

Not just anyone.

Her.

Serena.

I shook my head slowly, wiping water from my face.

"I must have been blind," I whispered.

Or maybe I just didn't want to see.

After a while, I turned off the shower and stepped out, wrapping a towel around my body.

The air felt cool against my damp skin.

I walked to my room quietly, like I didn't want to disturb something that was already broken.

I sat in front of my mirror.

For a moment, I just stared at myself.

My hair was wet, falling messily around my shoulders. My eyes looked tired. Not from crying-just... tired.

I searched my own face, like I was trying to understand something.

"Where did I get it wrong?" I asked softly.

"Was I too much... or not enough?"

Still nothing.

I let out a small breath and leaned back slightly.

All the memories started playing in my head.

The late-night calls.

The promises.

The "I love yous."

The plans.

Everything.

And now...

Nothing.

Just like that.

I stood up slowly and walked to my wardrobe.

I didn't feel like dressing up. I didn't feel like being anything.

I just wanted to be... comfortable.

I reached for one of my oversized t-shirts-a soft, worn-out one that fell almost to my thighs.

I slipped it on, the fabric loose around my body, simple, easy.

I walked back to the bed and dropped onto it, staring at the ceiling.

A notification appeared on my phone.

Maybe it's him, It was from Maya.

"How's it going? Have you both hookup? But seriously hope you're good?

I signed gently.

"Go to sleep Maya, expect nothing!! Thanks thou I'm good."

I replied.

Silence filled the room again.

Then suddenly...

I laughed.

A soft, quiet laugh.

"I've been such a fool," I murmured.

The words didn't even hurt the way I expected them to.

"I really loved that idiot."

I shook my head slightly.

And that was when I noticed something strange.

I didn't feel like I was breaking.

I wasn't crying.

I wasn't screaming.

I wasn't falling apart.

Instead...

It felt like something had ended.

And something else... was just beginning.

A slow breath left my lips.

Maybe this wasn't the end of me.

Maybe this was the start of something new.

And somehow...

That thought didn't scare me.

My mind drifted again.

But this time...

It wasn't Lucas.

It was him.

The way he stepped out of the car.

The way his voice stayed calm.

The way everything shifted the moment he spoke.

And then...

That moment.

When he came down...

Just to open the door for me.

I turned my head slightly, staring at nothing.

"Who does that?" I whispered softly.

A small smile almost formed... then

disappeared.

Then reality hit me again.

Hard.

My eyes widened slightly.

"What if he recognizes me?"

I sat up a little.

My heart started beating faster again.

"That would be so embarrassing..." I muttered.

Out of all the ways to meet him...

That had to be it?

Not at work.

Not professionally.

But like that?

Hair messy. Dress all over the place. Almost getting attacked on the road.

I covered my face with my hands.

"Oh my God..."

What if he sees me tomorrow?

What if he remembers?

What if he looks at me and just... knows?

"What face am I even going to use?" I whispered.

I fell back on the bed again, staring at the ceiling.

I thought about work. The Nova FM studio. The endless calls. The interviews. The way I had spent two weeks running myself ragged. And now... all of it seemed small compared to what had happened tonight.

I remembered Maya's loud voice, the way she fought for me at the party. Protective. Loyal. So ridiculously outspoken. I couldn't help but laugh softly at her antics.

Sleep didn't come easily.

My thoughts kept moving from one thing to another.

Lucas.

Serena.

The party.

The car.

Him.

Maya.

Everything mixed together until I didn't even know when I finally drifted off.

The next morning came too fast.

I woke up feeling heavy, like my body didn't rest at all.

For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling again.

Then it all came back.

Everything.

I closed my eyes briefly, then forced myself to get up.

Life doesn't pause.

Work was still waiting.

I moved slowly, getting ready. Simple clothes. Nothing loud. Nothing that would draw attention.

I just wanted to pass through the day quietly.

But my mind wouldn't stay quiet.

What if he's there today?

What if I see him?

What if he recognizes me?

My stomach tightened at the thought.

By the time I got to the office building, my heart was already beating faster than normal.

I took a deep breath before stepping inside.

Everything felt normal.

People walking.

Phones ringing.

Voices moving around.

Like nothing had changed.

But for me... everything had.

I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and walked in.

One step.

Then another.

Trying to act normal.

Trying to look normal.

Then.

I saw him.

And my heart stopped.

My knees felt weak, my breath caught, and for a moment, I couldn't even think.

He was just standing there, flipping through papers, completely unaware of me. But my brain... my heart... every part of me knew.

That same calm voice. That same quiet strength.

The CEO. My boss's boss.

And the thought hit me hard.

What was I going to do now?