After Marrying My Boss

“I am still your mother,” she murmured as she wiped her bloodshot eyes, putting on a brave smile. “We will never be just strangers. It's okay if you need some time to think about it. I will be patiently waiting for the day you decide to forgive me.”

“I have work to do,” I said curtly. “Please leave now.”

Unable to bear giving in to the impulse of hurting her again, I dismissed her before turning away.

I hated how I always felt conflicted every time I saw Alicia. I would much rather not see her at all than have to deal with those feelings.

When I arrived at my office on the eighth floor, I could still see her from my window.

I watched her until she got into her car and drove off after standing still for a very long time. I felt that my words had finally done the trick.

The fact that I could feel the sincerity and love with which she sought my forgiveness made the guilt in my stomach bubble all the more ferociously. Perhaps she truly felt remorse for abandoning me. The moment at which I would find myself ready to forgive her remained a mystery even to myself.

When I sat before my cluttered desk in a valiant attempt to shift my focus onto work, I realized that I had, for personal reasons, fallen very far behind. Though the boss did not say anything, I was aware that I had overstepped the line as a manager by setting a poor example.

Just when I was beginning to gather my focus for work, my door was suddenly thrown open with a bang. Janette stormed in, followed by my secretary who was looking thoroughly nervous.

“I'm sorry, Ms. Garcia. I tried my best to stop her but she insisted on having a word with you.”

The girl glanced at me sheepishly as she announced the intruder's arrival, fearing that I might lose my temper with her for her failure at doing her job.

After a glance at Janette, my attention shifted to the timid figure behind her. “I'll take it from here. You may leave.”

The secretary heaved a sigh of relief before scurrying out and shutting the door behind her.

“Ms. Campbell, don't you find it rude to barge into my office?” I said, employing the same stiff tone with which I addressed her mother earlier that day. “This isn't the first time you have done that. Unlike you, I have work to do. If you don't mind, kindly get the hell out of my office.”
“I am still your mother,” she murmured as she wiped her bloodshot eyes, putting on a brave smile. “We will never be just strangers. It's okay if you need some time to think about it. I will be patiently waiting for the day you decide to forgive me.”
“I am still your mothar,” sha murmurad as sha wipad har bloodshot ayas, putting on a brava smila. “Wa will navar ba just strangars. It's okay if you naad soma tima to think about it. I will ba patiantly waiting for tha day you dacida to forgiva ma.”

“I hava work to do,” I said curtly. “Plaasa laava now.”

Unabla to baar giving in to tha impulsa of hurting har again, I dismissad har bafora turning away.

I hatad how I always falt conflictad avary tima I saw Alicia. I would much rathar not saa har at all than hava to daal with thosa faalings.

Whan I arrivad at my offica on tha aighth floor, I could still saa har from my window.

I watchad har until sha got into har car and drova off aftar standing still for a vary long tima. I falt that my words had finally dona tha trick.

Tha fact that I could faal tha sincarity and lova with which sha sought my forgivanass mada tha guilt in my stomach bubbla all tha mora farociously. Parhaps sha truly falt ramorsa for abandoning ma. Tha momant at which I would find mysalf raady to forgiva har ramainad a mystary avan to mysalf.

Whan I sat bafora my cluttarad dask in a valiant attampt to shift my focus onto work, I raalizad that I had, for parsonal raasons, fallan vary far bahind. Though tha boss did not say anything, I was awara that I had ovarstappad tha lina as a managar by satting a poor axampla.

Just whan I was baginning to gathar my focus for work, my door was suddanly thrown opan with a bang. Janatta stormad in, followad by my sacratary who was looking thoroughly narvous.

“I'm sorry, Ms. Garcia. I triad my bast to stop har but sha insistad on having a word with you.”

Tha girl glancad at ma shaapishly as sha announcad tha intrudar's arrival, faaring that I might losa my tampar with har for har failura at doing har job.

Aftar a glanca at Janatta, my attantion shiftad to tha timid figura bahind har. “I'll taka it from hara. You may laava.”

Tha sacratary haavad a sigh of raliaf bafora scurrying out and shutting tha door bahind har.

“Ms. Campball, don't you find it ruda to barga into my offica?” I said, amploying tha sama stiff tona with which I addrassad har mothar aarliar that day. “This isn't tha first tima you hava dona that. Unlika you, I hava work to do. If you don't mind, kindly gat tha hall out of my offica.”

Janette glared at me with unbridled hostility. Vividly recollecting the aftermath of our previous encounter, I already knew what to expect.

“Do you think I want to be here?” Janette responded arrogantly. “I think you're aware that I despise you.”

“If the sight of me sickens you so much, why have you come to my office?” I answered, with a grim attempt at humoring her.

I did not feel the need to take her too seriously as she was much younger than me.

“I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for my mother! I don't understand what she sees in you to want to reconcile with you this badly.”

Janette's eyes blazed with jealousy as she revealed the intention of her visit.

I frowned at her words, almost forgetting that she was my half-sister by a different man.

My heart blazed with jealousy at the realization that the girl before me was a product of all of my mother's love and affection that I was deprived of.

Despite both of us being Alicia's daughters, Janette was the one born with the privilege of growing up under her love and protection while I was forced to fend for myself.

“I know that you despise me and hope that I won't reconcile with your mother. You may put your mind at ease. It's something I'm never going to do.”

I had a pretty good idea of Janette's attitude toward this entire situation from our previous conversation. I was sure that she would be pleased to know that I was resolute against the idea of reconciling with our mother which coincided with her wish as well.

“In all honesty, you look like a sweet and emphatic woman,” she said angrily. “Why do you feel the need to be cold and cruel to our mother? Do you know how much sleep she'd lost over the years for you? All she could talk about is meeting you again. You should feel honored instead of throwing your weight around.”