Tangled Again With My Ex Husband

It was my wedding anniversary.

Supposedly, wedding anniversaries are the ones where you take your partner for a special treatment, make them feel special, shower them love as an appreciation for the past years of shared love as a couple.

Mine was exactly in that manner. Infact, I had just delightfully left my office to Mr Barnes - my cocky boss, CEO of Barnes Magazine - to inform him about the two days break I intend to take in order to use those time with Davis.

A vacation to Maldives was well planned and organized by Davis and I to spend our fifth year anniversary.

Liv, the first and only child of Mr Barnes had already given me a go-ahead. She claimed her father was a lover of celebrations like that so, he would grant the two-days break in a heartbeat.

When I first started working at Barnes and discovered that Liv, who worked in the same department as I, was the Ceo’s daughter, I wasted no breath to form alliance with her.

In this world, there are three things that keeps you on your feet - money, power and connection.

If you lack all, you are most likely to be at the receiving end of anguish.

So, I had to get smart real quick. However, over the years of my stay in Barnes, I saw beyond making an alliance with Liv.

She was a very warm person and someone I often confided in. And, she always gave the best, effective advice.

Friendship with her kept me sane in Barnes.

So, when she assured me that her father would approve it, I got delighted, positive.

Things were going my way just as I had planned. I was about to have the best time with Davis.

The sole of my black pump heels pinched my toes as I made it towards Mr Barnes office at the top floor.

The heels was three years old and way past it's expiry date on my legs.

But, I planned to replace them, in Maldives. Everything I plan to replace, every shopping I plan to do would be done when I arrive Maldives.

What a great day to be alive!

As I halt before Mr Barnes’ mahogany door to his office, I took a deep breath and knocked gently.

“Come in.” Mr Barnes muffled answer caused me to give the door a gentle push and I let myself in.

Mr Barnes sat behind his mahogany desk that facing the floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the busy city. And, Liv stood beside him.

Could she had helped me deliver the request? Oh, I hope so. It would be of my greatest delight if I get an answer without having to ask any question.

However, something felt wrong. They both had their faces molded in deep frowns.

This worried me.

Had Liv made the request and he already rejected it?

Regardless, I approached them.

So, help me God my perfect break request don't get ruined by whatever is causing the creases on their foreheads.

“I would like to make a request, Mr Barnes.”

Mr Barnes nodded, putting away his glasses to get a proper look at me.

Oh, the cause of their frowns wasn't my two-days break request. Thank goodness!

Mr Barnes had this striking resemblance with his daughter, Liv, that made the air at the back of my neck stand.

Liv took every of her father’s feature, leaving nothing untouched. From his chocolate brown hair, to his sharp jaws, his cupid’s bow-shaped lips, his short angled-shaped brows, his oval-shaped face, his extremely dashing greyish eyes and his creamy skin tone.

It was a complete carbon copy.

To be honest, I envied Liv. I took zero features of my dad. And the only parent I had managed to steal few of her features was a slutty bitch who fled the minute she brought me to the world. So, I am not in the least bit proud of taking those features of hers.

I quickly faced Mr Barnes, maintaining my smile. I should be polite as possible. I must get this break by all means. It was my last chance at spending an alone time with Davis after our distance these past few months.

“If you don't mind, I'd love to request for a two-days break. Actually, Liv said you wouldn't so, I'm asking you, hoping that you wouldn't.”

Jeez! Why do awry statements always choose to slip out of my silly mouth in moments like this?

“Actually, there is a more pressing issue,Miss Ford. I don't think the break would be needed.”

I frowned, catching Liv’s disappointed gaze at me. No, it was more like a pitiful gaze. Like, she did something awful and wants my forgiveness.

What is this goosebumps I feel?

”In few minutes, detectives would bash into the place under a search warrant.”

My jaw dropped. A search warrant? So, the rumors were true?

Few days ago, there were rumors that Mr Barnes had being involved in an embezzling act but, I and every other employees in Barnes chose not to believe, reproaching it afterwards.

Mr Barnes would never get involved in such act, we argued. Ridiculous, we thought!

After the rumor made it to the headlines about four times, it eventually died down and everyone found something else to be their center of focus and discussion.

The news that the police had being given a search warrant to search the company, reaching me just now surely confirmed that; not only the police had being secretly conducting investigation on the case, Mr Barnes might be guilty.

No, he was.

I know the face of someone who is being accused wrongly of something and this isn't it, in the least bit.

So, he was really guilty.

Liz didn't seem surprised too. She knew.

Why was I denied of such truth?

I scoffed in disbelief.

“Listen, Sum,” Liz started, approaching me with that pitiful gaze pinning mine.

Oh, this shouldn't be good.

Whenever Liz wanted something, she would always address me like that. And, they were always situation where I had adhere to her request.

But, something told me that this request was more daring.

What could she need this time? Coupled with that pleading look on her face, I hope it wouldn't be something that would be too much of a favour. I just want to get a break and enjoy my vacation with my husband.

“Dad dealt with them already. He managed to tip off the police.”

Great nation. Great law.

As much as I liked Mr Barnes, embezzlement wasn't a piece of cake crime that should be overlooked just by some silly tip off.

“But, the police said they'd need someone to take the blame.”

Liv continued and my frown deepened.

This had better be not what I think it is.