Eliana Brown
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I was certain most people were delighted when their business trip was cut short, but not me, because not only did I have to arrive home early in the morning, I still had to go to work because it was a Monday. I couldn't even dare take the day off because it would determine my future.
However, I carried on with a smile on my face even if I was very sleepy and could crash at any moment. The only thing keeping me awake was the constant chatter in my ear. I had accompanied the assistant manager on this trip, and boy, was she talkative.
None of that mattered, though. I was going to get promoted at work, and that kept me going. My friends and I had made plans already. After today, I wouldn't be just a sales associate. I would take over the position of the woman beside me.
It was her last day at work. I didn't know what she planned for her life after this, but I didn't dare ask. Knowing her, she would say everything, including the details I didn't want to know.
I was more than delighted when the cab came to a stop in front of my apartment complex. I smiled at the woman beside me. "I'll be on my way. See you when I see you."
She laughed. "Good luck, Eliana. You'll need it."
My smile turned to a grin. The fact that she believed in me made me confident in myself. "Bye." I was more enthusiastic after she wished me luck, and the smile stayed on my face as I exited the cab and went to the trunk to get my suitcase. It was already bright out, which meant I had to rush to shower and get ready for work.
Releasing a breath, I walked inside the building, not surprised to see that the elevator was out of service as usual. I worked two days per week, and by now, I was used to climbing the stairs.
I made my way up the stairs, humming a familiar tune. I was exhausted from work, but I was in high spirits. Getting a promotion meant getting better pay. Bills were beginning to pile up ever since my boyfriend quit his job.
I couldn't even blame him for quitting. He was being bullied at work, and he complained about it every single day. I expected it to happen. I just didn't expect it to happen when it did. I thought he was going to hold out for a while until he got a new job.
I let out a relieved sigh when I was finally on our floor. Dragging my legs, I reached the front door in no time. By now, he'd still be sleeping. Since he lost his job, he'd been sleeping for longer hours, only waking up after I was off to work.
When I opened the front door, I was surprised to hear noises inside, specifically from the kitchen, especially because his keychain wasn't in the key holder I'd bought a few months ago. It was supposed to let me know if he was back home or not, and it was cute since our key holders were halves of a home, but he thought it was stupid and didn't take it seriously.
"Don't worry about her." I heard Harry say and made my way to the kitchen. For once, he was awake as early as seven. "I'll take care of her."
He must be on the phone. I stayed quiet, not wanting to interrupt his conversation, and walked into the kitchen.
I came to an abrupt stop when I realized it wasn't just Harry in there. There was another person, a woman, dressed in just a shirt. The shirt was familiar. I got it for him on his last birthday, but another girl was wearing it.
Too preoccupied with each other, they didn't hear me come in. I closed my eyes briefly. Maybe I was seeing things out of exhaustion, but when I opened them again, the girl was still behind the stove, and Harry was still behind her with his hands wrapped around her.