Noel

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe

I continued on running on my treadmill. I knew I was overexerting myself. I should stop. My muscles were screaming out in pain. My calves were burning down and sweat pouring down my body. I was pretty sure that my lungs were getting ready to a stage a coup and walk out on me. I kept on pushing, pounding my feet down harder against the running deck. I needed to stop but why would I? I was loving the pain, this overexertion over my body, it made me feel alive. I didn't felt like the dead man I am without her. I craved the pain. Sometimes I wondered who I punished the most- me or the treadmill. I knew the treadmill wasn't a person yet sometimes I thought of it that way. Each slap of my foot was a mark, each pounding mile was the pushing of my designated person's limits. As CFO, senior vice president, and heir apparent of Dalianis Enterprise I couldn't give up on life. My timer blared reminding it was time to get ready. A company didn't progress in this cut-throat world of business with their CFO being late and not working well. I had spent last three years learning the ins and outs of every company in Dalianis Enterprises portfolio. I knew everything, the extent of our investments, the margin on returns, CEOs, their assistants. I had pushed myself into work more and more.

I slowed to a stop, reducing my pace slowly. As much as I would have loved for me to kill myself in such a way. I needed to live to find my way back to Cheryl and hers to me. Life wasn't easy without her but every day I breathed for her, for the love I had for her and in the hopes of us. Showering and getting ready for office was an easy and a monotonous task. I dressed in best but didn't felt to be the best. My eyes caught off my blazer from the previous day. It was a horrific beginning of the day. I hated to be in the close proximity of woman unknown to me. I was set bound to not wait for the manic woman yelling for me to stop the lift. I didn't have any desire to share my personal space with anyone but Cheryl. I had every intention of finding that girl just so I could make teach her a thing or two about being professional. She had a lesson to learn.

I'd texted, my driver, to be outside the building to be outside of the building at seven o'clock. Traffic was beginning and leaving early could surely save me time on the ten-mile drive. I had asked the head of my security, Alex, to find that girl and to take her to my office as soon as she shows up. Mistakes and being late was not in my books. Being early was a necessity if she wanted to keep her job in my firm.

I looked at my schedule for the day as I rode the elevator, nothing new other than work. My usual Audi was parked outside with Kale waiting for me. He was a man on time, never a second late. Kale met me at the backseat door opening the door for me.

"Mr. Alex said to inform you that half of the work is done, the rest will be done as she arrives. He has already reached the office." I nodded in acknowledgment as I sat. Alex never disappointed me. He met me at the entrance as we reached the office letting me know that she will be in my office. I got started on my meetings as the day proceeded. I had told my secretary to inform me when Alex arrives and she informed while I was half way done with the meeting. I told her to make the girl wait in the lobby as I finish with the meeting. Half an hour later as I walked out biding the people goodbye. I saw her sitting on a couch going through a magazine, not a gleam of nervousness on her face. She was confident and I was going to break it. I just wanted to see her fall and I didn't know why?

"Send her in and bring the bill too," I quietly told my secretary. I got settled in my seat and waited for her to come. Seconds later there was a knock on my door. My secretary came being followed by that girl. She handed me two files, one was the bill for my suit and second was that girls details.

Alison Collins that was her.

"So you are the boss?" She asked not a hint of hesitance in her voice.

"No, I am an impostor. I was allowed to sit here just for fun." This girl ticked me off and I hated her guts. She didn't cower from the power I had.

"Wow, you have really got a good sense of humor. You look great in that suit, by the way, it brings out your physique well." She shut herself up and stared at me. "Well, I am really sorry about yesterday. It was just that my day started on the wrong foot." She explained while her blue eyes checked me out shamelessly. It pissed me off more. "I hope this isn't what I have being called here for today."

"Unfortunately that is what you have been called for. I won't ask you to sit it would be a just waste of time." I could see my words setting inside her mind.

"It was just an accident!" She frowned at me.

"That is where you are wrong Miss Collins," I said with a sarcastic smile. "I just don't believe in accidents, I don't think anything is an accident. What happened yesterday was a proof of you being careless and inattentive." her plum lips pressed into a thin line.

"I was just running late and I said sorry. I think that counts. It really wasn't my intention to disturb you or tear out the pocket of your blazer. It was an accident for go sake. It was my first day!" I looked at the bill for a new suit as she spoke.

"Apology not accepted and furthermore you were late. I really don't have time to entertain people who are not serious about their job and you are one of those people. Even today you were late by five minutes. I would say it is your carelessness that you are trying to name as an accident." She was flabbergasted, confused and a hint of fear glimmered in those blue eyes of hers.

"Everyone in my department is late if you want to point your finger at me and call me careless I think you should look at your other employees who have been here for more days than I have been. I am new here and it surely takes time to adjust. I need time like everyone did." her palms hit over my table as she fumed in anger. I picked the phone and called for my secretary Karen.

"Yes, sir?" Karen asked coming inside.

"Do me a favor and send a notice to all the departments of Dalianis Enterprises that everyone will report ten minutes earlier than their reporting time and if they don't they can look for jobs somewhere else. The notice becomes effective immediately, Dalianis Enterprise does not require workers who are careless and not serious towards their job." My eyes met the upset wide blue ones. I bets if people knew the cause behind the new notice she would be eaten alive. Closing the manila folder I pushed it towards the direction of Miss Collins.

"Open it up, Miss Collins." She did as it was asked. Her eyes snapped to mine and then back tot he folder. I won't say that I didn't find the expression that was on Miss Collins face comical.

"This is a bill for the exact suit that you ruined. You are going to that particular shop, pay the amount and drop it with Karen, my secretary by the end of this week. If you are unable to do so I will be very much happy to hand you over your letter of termination myself. I hope you will not be able to because I don't employ lethargic people in my company." Saying that I turned towards my Pc, analyzing the market charts.

"This is absurd. It was an accident and you are making me buy you a suit worth 500$. That is too much for a suit. You can just have it easily mended but you have to be this stick shoved up your ass and you are so high and almighty that you would rather not have it done." I paid no heed to her words. She was a bitch and they bark.

"You are a fucking asshole and an egoistic bastard. I didn't know why the hell I thought you were fucking sexy." Miss Collin needed a filter over her mouth.

"Karen show, Miss Collin out and see to it that the suit gets delivered by the end of the week," I spoke with my eyes glued to my screen.

"Let's go," I heard Karen say and soon the steps of walking out.

"You are a first class fucking asshole. I hope you choke on what you talk," She yelled making me snap my eyes at her.

"I am glad you know it, Miss Collins. I hope we don't meet again because I hate woman like you." That was my last words to her as Karen dragged her out of my office.

Engrossing myself in work for the rest of the day I looked for ways to invest the money into more profitable ventures. Hours passed and so did the meetings set for the day. My competitors were catching up to Dalianis. Greeley's was one of the main competitors and I handed them well but the budding Preston's Inc. was being a bone in the neck. He had taken away my everything but I wasn't letting him take this from me. Looking at the time I came to knew it was eight in the evening. Kale had dropped off my car keys in my office. He always picked me up in the morning but in evenings it was only me. It was my time to lose myself in the memories in the past, in her.

I drove as fast as I could to her street. I pulled into the parking space on the street, not far away from her house, zipping into my usual spot and looked out the window. Her house was lit up with lights, not a room left in dark. He was home I concluded. I couldn't see her anywhere. My eyes wandered to the windows of her house in the hopes of seeing her. My phone pinged with the arrival of a message.

Unknown: I'm going to kill you!

I frowned at the message. Who was this? Before I could understand the booming sound and shards of glass flew in front of me. I covered my face with my hands.

"You motherfucker!" He yelled with a baseball in his hand. The front mirror of my car was gone and all remained was tiny shards of it. Richard, he stood there, with his brown eyes burning with anguish. Dropping the bat he unlocked my door and dragged me out of my seat by my collar. I pushed him away as soon as I was out and on my feet.

"How dare you come here?" He screamed breaking the silence of the street. He lurched at me, punching me in my guts. I groaned in pain but stop the another set of punches midway. I took a shot and punched him straight in the nose. He was the man who took it all away. Richard Preston. I never liked the fucker. Blood was instant over his face he groaned for a second before trying to kick me."We have a fucking restraining order against you asshole. I am going to kill you," I stepped back and prevented myself from his kicks. This mother fucker can't keep me away from her and neither can any order. He was going to kill me bullshit I will do it before. I lurched at him and punched him in the guts, kicked him. Pushing him down on the street I was going to kick him when I heard her.

"Richard!" She screamed with worry as she ran towards us. I turned my face to look at her. Worry etched her face but looking at me anger took over her. I felt a kick on my legs and losing my balance I fall flat on my face. Richard jumped over me and turned me to face him. He punched in my face. The pain was overwhelming, it was pure agony.

"Richard!" Cheryl screamed again.

"Stay where the hell you are Cheryl! I am going to teach this fucker a lesson. How dare he come here? Do you know he has been coming here for weeks, I am going to kill him, He just doesn't understand that you are not his wife!" He screamed hitting me in the face again.

"Don't stoop to his level, Richard!" She yelled. "Get off him, you are better than him." Richard's attention shifted to her word and seeing it as my opportunity I pushed him off me and on his back. I was going to give him the taste of his medicine. I punched him but before I could deliver the next her words made my heart bleed.

"Haven't you done enough Noel? Haven't you destroyed and killed me enough? Weren't you satisfied with the pain I had suffered, that is why you have come here to destroy my life again?" she raged out. Her words hit me hard. I pushed away Richard and stood up from him. I lost the anger inside me seeing the pain in her eyes. Even she made my heart bleed with her words, scar me with them. I couldn't see pain and tears in her eyes. I loved her to my death. I stepped towards her while Richard groaned in pain.

"Cheryl, I just wanted to-"

"Stay the hell away from me!" She screamed. "Don't you dare come near me. How could you bear to face me, Noel? How dare you come here, show me your face, and fight my husband?I told you that fucking day that we were no more a couple. You know I can't even bear the sight of a monster like you. After all, you had done you come here and disrupt my life like this!" She lashed out her words reopening the wounds of the past. It didn't matter to me I will accept everything she gave me even if it was just pain. Tears welled in my eyes from the agony I suffered.

"Cheryl, I have told you I didn't do it," I said to her, I tried to tell her again. I always did in the hopes she believed me.

"How can you say that Noel?" Angry tears rolled down her cheeks. "I saw the scars with my own eyes. I saw it on her and I saw those fucking marks on you. How can you even lie to me about this! I am not a fool goddamnit. I am not like her who would believe you. You both are just trying to save your asses by denying the truth but I know you did it. I know your temper, Noel. I know it ever since you beat Adam in high school for making a pass at me. I have faith in the fact that you did it!" She screamed every accusation of her tearing me apart. Why couldn't she believe in me for once? Was our love that week that she couldn't place her trust in me? I knew I had a temper but no I could never hurt anyone, not like that.

"I didn't do it goddamnit! I could have never done it Cheryl I swear on my own life, my parents, and that on our love. I would have never done that to her!" I pleaded for her to see sense. My heart was being stabbed with each of her words.

"I don't fucking care about it Noel! I believe that you did it wanna know why? Because you were mad, you were mad at me and drunk. You wanted to hurt me for not listening to you, for not taking your side. So you took it out on her, you physically abused my sister and I believe it!! I saw red marks over your body! She might have fought you but a drunken you abused her, hit her just because you were fucking mad at me and couldn't hit me. You took it out on her and that is why I wish to never see you again Noel!! I don't know what the fuck you come here for Noel I hate you!! I would want to fucking see you in jail or better even dead. You are a fucking monster who lives freely among the civilized. Your parents might have saved you from that heinous crime but I assure you, Noel now I will destroy you! I will fucking destroy you, criminal. I will do it myself !" I stood there with tears rolling down my cheeks. My soul shrewd, heart crushed into pieces. The pain I suffered was bearable. I choked as I sobbed. I was shattered, heart broken. I was envelopes by a blanket of pain an misery. The flicker of hope for our to exist was shattering, vanishing. There was so much hatred in her soul for me that looking in her eyes killed me more and more. Her words ravaged me, crucified me. How could love be so cruel? How could words from your loved one tear you apart?

"Get away from my wife!" Richard pushed me away and I stumbled back. He enveloped her in his arms and calmed her, spoke words to stop her from crying.

"I promise to destroy you, Noel. Get the hell away from our sight!" He roared. "You are not wanted by us! She hates a monster like you! Go away from here!!" Cheryl didn't looked at me but cried her heart out.

"I am here for you baby. I am here to protect you from him, I am always going to be here," saying that he kissed her in front of me. It killed me. Every cell of my body died and I felt this ache inside of me that begged for me to die. I wanted to drown myself. How can love do this? With a desire to drown I walked towards my car. The shards of glass didn't break me as much as the pain of seeing them kissing, of her hating me. I wanted to die, die a thousand deaths.

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Hope you all liked it my friends!

Next chapter will be most probably Noel too.

Did you feel the pain Noel did?

I hope you did.

The picture is starting to get clear.

What did you think about :-

Noel

Cheryl

Richard

Ally/Alison?

Let me know your views. I promised an update so I delivered :)

Love you all!1