Office Diaries - Chapter 85

He…kissed me…

Still unbelieving, Marian James remained staring at the closed door her boss exited just a few seconds ago.

“He kissed me…” she whispered again in disbelief just as she realized that the telephone hadn’t stopped yet.

Somewhat coming to his senses, she quickly went to pick up the receiver. “Hello?”

“Geez Big Sis, what took you so long to pick up? I was beginning to get worried. Vice Pres said you went home hours ago,” Jay said on the other end.

“Jay Baby! Are you okay now?” she asked worriedly. When she left the hospital, Jay was still unconscious.

“Yes I’m fine— and you haven’t answered my question,” the other retorted pointedly and she chuckled.

“Aww, Jay Baby’s fussing like a wife now eh?” she teased making the other screech.

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH! Bis Sis, don’t ever joke like that with me!” Jay scolded her and she pouted.

“Okay, I’m the wife then,” she countered, making the other screech some more.

“You know what? I had enough. Stay where you are and wait for me. We’ll talk,” the young man said and he didn’t wait for her to answer before he ended the call.

“What’s wrong with him?” Marian asked no one as she placed the receiver back to its cradle. With the call done, the events of the day came rushing back to her and she frowned as she sat.

Liam Kang came to her home, demanding— well, pleading that she stayed.

Marian wanted to. She was in love with her boss more than she ever realized she first was that leaving hurt a lot. Even though when she found out that Liam was going to get married to someone else, (although she really believed their boss was gay and was in love with Jay) she had entertained the thought of remaining by his side, working as his PA so at least she could see him if not have him.

She knew it was an accident. She knew it wasn’t Jay’s fault either. But it made things awkward between the three of them that she wanted to laugh at how pathetic things had become.

Marian was in love with the president. Liam wanted Jay and had proposed to him. But Jay, due to some sick joke of fate was the father of the baby she was carrying.

They’re what you call a love triangle – a sick triangle. If she stayed, she knew not only her— but all of them would be miserable.

But then why? Why did Liam want her to stay so much that he pleaded? Why did the president kiss her?

“I don’t know,” she muttered as she held the side of her head which began to throb.

A few minutes after, Jay arrived looking totally harassed, and Marian who got worried rushed towards him. “Jay Baby, what happ – ”

She wasn’t able to finish her inquiry however as Jay stepped back as he held out a hand to ward her off, not wanting her to get close to him.

“Stop where you are,” he said making her pause and pout.

“Are you angry at me now?” she asked, looking wounded and the secretary quickly spoke.

“Big Sis, don’t look upset. I should be the one looking upset— because I’m upset!”

“Why should you be? You’re not the one who’s pregnant!” She exclaimed, looking totally hurt. “I know this was somehow my fault— but I wasn’t the only one who created this baby. I had help too!”

“That’s right you had help— but not from me,” Jay retorted which made her both confused and offended. Really offended.

“Jay Co— you stupid donut! I already told you that I don’t mind and I don’t blame you. But telling me this? Don’t you think you’re being such an ȧsshole?” she demanded, her voice shaking as her eyes filled with tears. She’s becoming totally sėnsɨtɨvė these days and she hated it.

Jay, on the other hand, was almost in tears himself. “Nooooo,” he cried as he stomped his feet and pulled his hair in exasperation. “Big Sis, I’m telling you this now. I AM NOT THE FATHER OF YOUR BABY,” he bit out each word emphasizing them so she would get his point.

“But that night…” Marian whispered looking totally lost. “That night…”

“That night, when you got drunk, another person came and I left you in his care,” Jay explained, glad that finally, this big sister was listening to him and had stopped jumping to some ridiculous conclusions and insisting on them.

“Come, you need to sit,” he said as he grabbed her hand and ushered her to the couch and he sat on the opposite side, studying her face.

“A-another person?” she asked completely confused. “But I can’t remember…”

Marian closed her eyes, her hand holding the side of her head as she tried to recall that evening. She remembered getting drunk— of wanting to vomit, so she ate some chocolates. She remembered feeling hot then feeling a little pain in her abdomen. After that, however, things began to become blurry. All she remembered was that she lay down on the sofa and Jay turned into Liam in her vision and well…

In her dreams at least.

“I just remembered you suddenly turning into the president but that’s just me hallucinating right?” she asked, laughing pathetically in an attempt to put humor in her haplessness and yet still failed miserably. Her hormones were on the loose and so were her tear glands.

“Oh my God,” she whispered; her beautiful face completely crumpled as she sobbed.

Her hands covered her ashen face. She was confused and scared now. If it was Jay who had fathered her child then she was okay with it somehow. She was already resigned to it. But finding out that it wasn’t the case – that there was someone else— someone unknown who got her pregnant, then it was just too much.

Much too much.

She couldn’t take it.

“Big Sis,” Jay called as he quickly came to Marian’s side.

He could see how broken she was and he couldn’t take that. He felt guilty and worried because she’s pregnant. This was also why he was so patient with her even if she acted like her IQ got buried under ground.

“Don’t cry,” he whispered as he placed his arm around her shoulder. “You were asking me earlier if you were just hallucinating,” he said softly afterwards and she suddenly stopped crying, her huge doe eyes searching his face and she nodded.

Jay smiled then – not a sneer which he usually wore on his face but a genuine smile, a smile so gentle it softened his face. “You were not hallucinating,” he said afterwards making her frown.

“I-I’m not…?” she asked, unsure of what she heard and Jay nodded.

“It wasn’t a hallucination. President Kang was here that night,” he continued and he watched as her eyes widened as the realization hit her. “That’s right. The man who’s been in love with you for a long time – the one who’s been trying to corner you for months – the one who’s been taking you out in the pretense of work, the father of your baby. It’s him – Liam Kang…”

“Oh…” she placed a hand on her mouth then her abdomen as she blinked several times; her heart beat fast. The memories of the dream— of what she thought was her dream came rushing back.

All of those were real? Those really happened?

“B-but why? H-how?”

“He loves you. Our boss has always been in love with you, but as it seems, he has a bad case of nerves when it comes to confessing to you,” Jay told her before he sighed in relief. It was as if a huge load was taken off his back.

“B-but…” Marian was still confused – or looked as if she still was, but then the confusion on her face was changed into that of pain, and Jay’s eyes widened when her mouth opened in a cry.

“What’s wrong?”Jay asked as her hand gripped his shoulder while the other held her abdomen.

“Ahh…” she cried once more. She looked so pale and Jay was so scared that he quickly stood and scooped her up.

“I’m taking you to the hospital!” Jay announced as he ran.

=======

Liam sat behind his desk, nursing a glass of brandy. The ice in the drink had long since melted, making the amber liquid lighter in color than it usually was. After coming to Marian’s apartment, he went back to his office to mull over things. There was something about her that was just not right and it was nagging at him.

Closing his eyes, he remembered how he had boldly kissed her earlier that evening and he touched his lips, recalling how her soft ones felt against his.

Marian felt the same way with him, Liam was sure. When he had looked at her face after their passionate kiss, his love reflected in those huge doe eyes. It was one of the reasons why he had let this night end without saying anything again.

He knew it’s not a good excuse, however. To end their misery, he had to buckle up and speak up. He would do it for sure tomorrow. But…

He was still uncomfortable. If she loved him, why did she decide to leave?

“Why?” he asked audibly as he recalled how she had looked and he frowned. She was paler than usual and he seemed to lose weight. “Is she sick? Is that it?” he wondered out loud. He was just remembering that Marian said that she was resigning due to health reasons and was wondering if that was real when his cell phone rang.

“Yes?” he snapped as soon as he pushed the answer buŧŧon.

He was in no mood to chitchat right now, but he decided to take the call still since it was his secretary, and there was something he’d like to ask his subordinate. Jay and Marian were close after all. If she was not feeling well, his secretary would know.

“President?” Jay spoke with an urgency which made Liam suddenly alert.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his anxiousness reflecting in his voice. Did something happen?

“Well…” The secretary’s voice trailed off and Liam’s panic grew.

Something did happen.

“Is it Marian?” he asked breathily as he stood up, his drink completely forgotten.

“Ehrm yes. I brought him here at the hospital a while ago a— ”

“WHERE?” Liam demanded, cutting Jay off as he crossed the room. He went straight to his car as he talked.

He knew it! Marian was sick, and fear enveloped his heart, making him queasy. He listened as Jay mentioned the name of a nearby hospital but didn’t wait for the other to finish talking, ending the call at once as he got in his car and drove off.

He reached the hospital in no time, running towards the lobby as soon as he parked and saw Jay there by the nurse’s station.

“Boss!” Jay called and he quickly demanded where Marian was.

His secretary gave him her room number, and even if he still seemed to want to tell him something, Liam waved him off. He had no time to listen to him. He needed to see Marian ASAP.

“Marian…” he whispered as he ran towards the said room.