Submitting to Her(78)

Winston the security guard flagged me through the turnstile as usual, giving me that knowing look of warm recognition that had always suggested to me that he knew all the reasons for me being there at that hour, although there was no way he could.

Then I was in the elevator, my finger hovering over the usual button for the third floor and our sales department, moving up to the button bearing the number eight.

On the way up, I felt thankful that other than Winston, the building seemed deserted. I would be able to discuss my situation with our chief executive, then gather my belongings and vacate the premises without having to run into colleagues requiring detailed explanations.

I felt a little numb to the pain of losing Zoey, perhaps because my nerves were jangling so much ahead of my meeting with the CEO. I tried to calm myself with the attitude that things couldn't get much worse. I was about to lose my job, having already lost the only woman I'd ever loved. At least I had my health.

I knocked, and heard the familiar order: "Come."

My heart was in my mouth as I opened the door and slipped inside to find the radiant Ms Jenkinson once again sitting regally in her office chair, looking impeccable in a sharp suit despite the early hour. She must have arrived at the office well before me - did she sleep here in some secret apartment?

"Aiden Jones," she said as I approached her. "What are we going to do with you?"

I felt so gloomy as I came to a halt in front of her desk, the air of disappointment so thick around me.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am," I said. "I honestly thought I could handle it."

Ms Jenkinson gazed at me, and I felt more exposed than ever, despite having previously been entirely naked before her. I guess the last time, I had Zoey here to deflect some of her attention. Here, I was on my own.

"I've already heard how you handled it, Aiden," she said in a surprisingly gentle tone.

"I… I wasn't thinking…" I stammered, then tried to pull myself together. God. I wasn't trying to save my job now - I didn't need to offer her a sob story. Some good references might be nice, but this wasn't time for groveling. A little more firmly, I said: "I thought if I tried to show her that he was not worthy of her, she'd end it with him."

Ms Jenkinson looked at me a moment, taking in the cuts and bruises that now sprawled all over my face.

After a long pause, she said: "Zoey had a long, difficult history with Brandon, I'm afraid. He's a really nasty piece of work - but unfortunately, she fell for him hard when they were at college."

I nodded. There wasn't anything I could really say.

Ms Jenkinson went on: "When she was my intern, I recognized real talent in her - talent to make a difference at this company, if only she could grasp the bull by the horns and embrace her leadership abilities. But Brandon always did remain a thorn in her side. I tried hard to get rid of him, too."

Our chief executive pulled herself up out of her seat and now walked around to me.

"You know," she said, "the last few weeks and months, Zoey has really changed."

"Yes, Ma'am. She has."

The blonde woman stood in front of me, and now looked up into my face, raising her hands to gently hold my head in her fingers, so she could tilt it back and examine my wounds in the light.

"What you have to realize, Aiden, is that she didn't do it alone," our CEO said. "She took control of you - but you showed her how to take control, you validated her control."

"I… I suppose so," I said.

She nodded, removed her hands from my face. "Not too serious, thankfully," she said of my bruising, and even laughed, "Makes you look quite the action hero."

I smiled.

She said seriously: "I want to thank you for what you've done, Aiden. She wouldn't have made the progress she had without you."

Without warning, I felt a colossal sadness take hold of my heart, so that tears began to well up in my eyes that I struggled to keep back. What an amazing young woman I'd lost. How would I ever live without her in my life?

I said: "I only wish I could have kept her away from Brandon."

Ms Jenkinson stroked my cheek tenderly. She said: "I think you did what you could. You've forced her to make a choice. She has to make it - it can't be you making it for her. That would undermine her whole leadership position. But you understood that when you stood there and took a beating."

I shrugged, feeling a little vindication, though still fighting to keep back the tears. I didn't want to look like an idiot in front of this impressive woman.

"I want to help you, Aiden," she said. "After everything you've done for me - all the help you've given me in getting through to our Zoey."