An unpleasant night
~*~
Dinner had ended a few minutes ago. Natacha, who was then cleaning the dishes, was displaying a strange behavior. In fact, she had already been wiping the same plate for more than two minutes while showing a completely livid face. Once again, the young woman was present without really being there, her body just doing the same movement automatically. Noticing her strange attitude, Michael slowly approached her and suddenly took her in his arms, which immediately brought her back to reality.
“Babe, are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes I'm good. My mind was just elsewhere.”
To Michael, it was completely understandable that her mind was elsewhere. She must surely be thinking about the series of tests she had to pass in order to get her promotion.
“Tasha, you know I'm here if you ever need to talk about it.”
“I know baby. I know you’re there for me and I’m truly grateful.”
“You don’t have to be. It’s my role to be there for you.”
Unfortunately, despite her fiancé's support, Barnes knew that there were now things she could no longer discuss with him, secrets she had to keep at the cost of her well-being and that of everyone close to her.
Seeing how much Natacha still had to clean, Michael offered to help her. The young woman, however, refused his help, claiming that it was up to her to do so since he had put a lot of effort into their meal. Orzak then found himself insisting, telling her that it would go much faster if they did it together.
“Michael Orzak, this kitchen is not yours alone. It also belongs to me and I have the right to do whatever I want with it. So, you're going to let me clean the dishes and go sit down quietly. Did I make myself understood correctly?” she retorted in a rather authoritarian tone.
This was enough to convince Michael that she didn't need help and he went to sit just behind her in the dining room. While Natacha was actually washing the dishes, the young man told her about a small incident that had taken place at his workplace.
“By the way, I almost forgot to tell you. Something pretty funny happened this morning at the studio.”
“Go ahead, tell me.”
“During one of the photo shoots, one of the models tried to hit on me. Obviously, I told her that I already had someone in my life and I refused her advances.”
“I see, I see. How is this woman called?”
“I...I didn't really ask her her name. You know, I'm just the one who takes the photos. For the models’ names, you would’ve to see that with Jessica.”
“I see, I see. You can at least tell me what she looks like.”
“Natacha!” Michael exclaimed.
“I'm kidding. You don’t have to worry. It's not like I'm going to go to the studio to have a little chat with her. I would never do something like that.”
Michael knew full well that she was quite capable of doing something like that and he feared it would end in an altercation between her and the model.
“As I told you, I refused her advances. So, you don't need to go talk to her.”
“I know you refused her advances, baby. I believe in you. She's the one I don't trust,” she retorted as she was cleaning a knife.
“Anyway, are you almost done with the dishes?”
“I still have some cutlery to clean. Why?”
“Because I would like to spend some quality time with my fiancée, but she is busy cleaning the dishes. If you’d let me help you, you would’ve finished a long time ago.”
“Tell me, Michael, do you want me to stab you? If you want it, tell me so I'll do it right away.”
At this precise moment, Natacha turned towards Michael, which allowed him to see the knife she was holding in her hands.
“I prefer not to. I still have many good years ahead of me,” he replied with a weird smile.
“So, let me do my dishes in peace. I move forward at my own pace.”
“OK, ma'am.”
Things having been clarified between them, the young woman finally returned to take care of the rest of the dishes.
*
About ten minutes later, the Barnes-Orzak couple was lying in front of their television and continuing the TV show they had started the previous Sunday. Once again, the young man was impressed by all the mischief displayed by the protagonist of the story, even going so far as to say that she was the type of person he didn't want to offend. For her part, Natacha, who had her head resting on her man's chest, was not really focused on what was happening in front of her eyes. Her mind was much more focused on the working day that awaited her the next day.
Indeed, with what had recently happened, it was clear to Barnes that things were not going to be the same in her workplace. She now knew what Herman Invictus was really like and wondered if she would be able to carry out her tasks with the same efficiency. Just the fact that she had to be around this man made her want to never set foot at her job again. A decent person would have done this or at least gone and filed a complaint with human resources. Unfortunately, Natacha was certain that if she were to do so, it would have serious repercussions on her and those around her. HR couldn't do anything about her boss, he was theirs too. Therefore, even though she was that kind of person, Barnes was facing a whole different reality, a much more oppressive reality that forced her to remain silent.
Natacha was therefore forced not only to return to the office, but she was also obliged to act as if nothing had happened between her boss and her, which would prove to be a very difficult task. At the same time, a thought crossed her mind. Her work colleague, Harlock, had had a promotion, she had even had several. Did that mean their boss also gave her these kinds of sordid tasks to do? Or was she the only one in this situation? Knowing Tess, Barnes was sure that this sort of thing probably wouldn't bother her.
While the young woman was thinking about what was about to happen next, Michael, who had only been talking to her all this time, noticed that she was not very reactive to what he was saying.
“Babe. Babe!”
“What?! What is happening?” she replied after being brought out of her thoughts.
“It turns out you haven't been with me since a while ago. You're missing a big part of the show.”
“Sorry, baby. My mind was elsewhere.”
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
Michael had an idea of why Natacha's mind was elsewhere. He figured she must be thinking about the series of tests her boss was going to impose on her, something she wouldn't have imagined she'd have this morning when she left their home.
“Look, Tasha, I know it wasn't what you were hoping for when you left the house this morning and I can understand why you're frustrated about that, but a series of tests to pass is not the end. It's more of an opportunity to be seized, the opportunity to prove to a multi-billionaire what you're made of. If there's anyone who can do it, it's you, babe. I believe in you.”
Michael's encouragement was all well and good, but once again, it did the young woman more harm than good. She absolutely did not want to pass this series of tests and even less to prove anything to Herman Invictus. All she wanted was for him to disappear from her life, but unfortunately that wasn't possible.
“Thank you for believing in me, baby.” she said with words filled with bitterness.
“You don't have to thank me for that, Tasha. You're the best.”
After this brief conversation, the young couple returned to watching their television series. They managed to finish two episodes before they finally decide to go to bed.
*
Natacha woke up suddenly in the middle of the night. Sweating profusely, the young woman immediately looked around only to realize that she was next to Michael in their bedroom. She then wanted to cry, but she held back. Barnes didn't want to disturb her fiancé who was sleeping next to her. Looking at him, she couldn't help but feel slightly jealous. He was so peacefully asleep while she was up in the middle of the night, too afraid to close her eyes because of the nightmare she had just had.
The young woman watched her man sleep for a few minutes, thinking how lucky she was to have someone like him in her life. He was very caring and always supported her in all her projects. Plus, he cooked as well as a professional chef and did very well in bed, which was a plus. She was truly a person that many women would dream of having in their lives. This therefore explained why Barnes felt a certain feeling of guilt regarding the behavior she had towards him, regarding the fact that she was not telling him the truth. He absolutely didn't deserve this. Unfortunately, she had no choice. It was much better for everyone if he didn't know what she was really going through.
A few minutes later, Natacha got out of bed, taking care not to wake Michael up, and went into the living room where she sat on their sofa. Curled up, the young woman checked her cell phone only to realize that it was only 3 a.m. and that she only had a few hours left before she had to return to Black Crown and faced this man. Barnes really didn't want to go to work and wondered once again what in heaven she had done to deserve such punishment. How could a simple request for promotion turn into some kind of sexual blackmail? How was it that she had never glimpsed this disturbing side of Mr. Invictus after so many years at his service? Was it because she had always been focused in her work? Or had she unconsciously ignored the signs?
“It's not fair,” she said to herself as a tear ran down her face.
6:30 am
Several hours passed and the clock in the living room now read half past six. Natacha, who had spent the entire night awake mulling over all the times she could have detected Herman Invictus' intentions and examining all the options she had in order to escape his influence, was still sitting on the sofa. She was then extremely exhausted and unfortunately could not go back to sleep. If she did, she was sure to wake up in mid-afternoon, therefore missing her work day. The only things she could do now were take a cold shower, drink a huge amount of caffeine, and hope she could last the entire day on it. So, Barnes got up from the couch and returned to the bedroom. While she was choosing her outfit, the young woman couldn't help but observe her fiancé who was still sleeping peacefully in their bed, the latter having obviously not noticed her absence. She then went to the bathroom where she took a shower so cold that she felt like she was at the North Pole – a very unpleasant experience.
*
At 7 o’clock, as the sun gradually rose, the alarm clock in their room began to ring loudly. The horrible device made noise for several dozen seconds, forcing Michael to ask Natacha to stop it. Seeing that he got no response, the young man suddenly turned towards her only to be greeted by the freshness of a bed that had not been occupied for several hours. Orzak, who was wondering where his fiancée was, hastened to stop their alarm clock. However, as he was about to get off the bed to look for Natacha, the latter came out of the bathroom dressed in her work clothes.
“You got up very early today,” he retorted when he saw her.
“Yes. Since I couldn't sleep anymore, I decided to get ready a little earlier than usual.”
The young man said to himself that she must surely have been thinking about her series of tests all night and that she must be ready to face all the tests from her boss.
“You could’ve woken me up so I could come and keep you company.”
“It was tempting, but I preferred to let you sleep. You looked so peaceful in your sleep.”
While Natacha's back was turned, Michael got off the bed and sneaked up behind her before suddenly taking her in his arms.
“But I would’ve been even more peaceful by your side,” he said before giving her many kisses on the neck.
“Michael, no.”
“It's only 7 o’clock, babe. We have enough time ahead of us.”
“Yes, but I just took a shower.”
“It doesn't matter. You can...have another one with me,” he retorted between two kisses.
Natacha turned around just after, put her arms around her man's neck, and then began to kiss him, thus making him believe that he had succeeded in convincing her. Unfortunately for him, she made him understand that nothing was going to happen between them.
“And don't forget that you promised me to be good boy. You wouldn't want me to cancel your surprise, would you?” she continued.
“It seems that bad boys get punished when they aren’t good.”
“Yes…and we punish them by depriving them of what they love.”
With Natacha's words, it was clear to Michael that he would not get what he wanted. So, he kissed her one last time before releasing her from his embrace.
“Well, I think I'm going to warm up a little bit before going to take a shower.”
Orzak therefore put himself in the push-up position and began his exercise session under the gaze of Natacha who observed him for a few moments before finally leaving their room. The young woman went to make a good cup coffee, something she really needed at that precise moment. She told herself that she was going to cook breakfast as well for herself and Michael, she had enough time to do it.
A few minutes later, when she had almost finished cooking, her fiancé suddenly showed up in the dining room.
“It smells good in here. What are you cooking?” he asked.
“Scrambled eggs with bacon,” Barnes replied before returning to him.
The young woman noticed not only that her man was sweating profusely, but that he was also about to take her in his arms.
“Michael! Michael, don't come near me! Don’t you even dare take another step!”
As if Orzak was suffering from an extremely contagious disease, Natacha categorically refused to let him touch her, even going so far as to point the spatula she was holding in her hand in his direction.
“Come on, babe. I just want a little hug.”
“Don’t come any closer!”
The young people then began to play a game of cat and mouse around the dining room table with on one side Michael who wanted to hug Natacha and the latter who was avoiding him like the plague.
“Michael, you stop this right now!”
“But what did I do? I just want to hug you,” he replied with a smile.
Their little game could have continued for many minutes, but the smell of burning that was now escaping from the pan forced them to put an end to it.
“Look at what you’ve done,” the young woman retorted, rushing towards the stove. “You're the one who's going to eat this.”
“It's not a problem.”
Orzak approached Natacha, this time without intending to hug her, and checked the state of the food.
“It is still consumable.”
“So, take care of that.”
Natacha then handed him the spatula before going to sit at the table and start eating. Shortly after, Michael placed his plate next to her, but did not sit down. However, he told her that he would eat breakfast after taking a shower.
“Yes, go take it. It’ll be better for everyone.”
The young man gave a slight smile at the sarcastic tone of his fiancée. Hence, he spoke to her one last time before heading towards their bathroom.
“Listen, babe, I know things with your boss didn't go the way you hoped and I'm really sorry that it happened that way. I can't imagine how you felt at that moment, but you mustn’t let this situation affect you. You are a fighter...you are the most reckless woman I have ever met and I know that this recklessness you always demonstrate will allow you to overcome the trials of your boss, and obtain this promotion for which you hold so much. I believe in you. You are the best.”
Even though his words were encouraging, Natacha no longer wanted to get this so-called promotion, not if it meant having to make obscenities with her boss behind Michael’s back. Still, she had to keep up appearances, make him believe that her determination was still there.
“You know what, Michael? You're totally right. This isn’t the first time I’ve encountered difficulties in life and it won’t probably be the last. So, I’ll do as you advise me and overcome all the challenges that come my way, no matter their level of difficulty,” she said with great enthusiasm.
“I recognize you there, babe.”
The young man finally went into the bathroom, leaving Natacha all alone. The latter then got rid of all the enthusiasm she had just shown and displayed the state in which she really was, a state which reflected all the emotional distress she was experiencing at that moment.
“I don't want to go,” she thought, looking at her plate.
Barnes unfortunately had no choice. Therefore, she hurried to finish her breakfast before filling her thermos with coffee. She then grabbed her things and headed towards the exit door. This new day of work promised to be worse than the previous one.
To be continued.