His Embers' Ashes

It was around 9 o’clock in the evening when Zayden felt some kind of a sore feeling in his back and shoulder... and thankfully, he also just finished what he was doing.

“Ugh... finally!” Zayden dropped the pen that he was using as he inspected his finished design of one of the buildings of their client.

He and his team had been working for almost 12 hours since a rush job order was passed onto them earlier in the morning.

“Coffee, sir?” asked Barry, one of the architects under his team, who just stood up, probably to take a short break.

Zayden shook his head and just smiled at Barry. He’s had enough coffee for today, he thought to himself. Besides, he also did not want to have a hard time sleeping later.

Because his shoulders and his back were still feeling sore, he decided to stand up and stretch out his body for a minute before he finally decided to go to the office of the head architect, Ms. Lori, to make her check the work that he just did.

Thankfully, his work was approved by Ms. Lori, and he felt like the sore feeling in his back and shoulders was all worth it.

As Zayden was slowly walking down the hallway after meeting Ms. Lori, he thought of the love of his life— Ashley. Ashley was his long-time girlfriend, and they had been together since they were college students.

He opened his phone, and Ashley’s smiling face flashed through the phone’s screen. Just with that, Zayden felt as if all his tiredness and stress had suddenly vanished.

Ashley had this special power over him that only she could do— and that was relieving all his tiredness at the end of the long day through her voice, laugh, and smile.

He decided to call her so that he could ask her to have a late dinner with him, but as he did so, he was welcomed by the carrier’s voice saying, “The subscriber cannot be reached; please try again later.” So, he figured he should just send her a text message.

As he took some steps to his desk, he heard some loud gossip from his coworkers.

“Oh my god... so this is what they were talking about in the last few days? This is ‘The Big Announcement’?” He heard one of his co-employees talking.

“I think so...”

“This was the post that they were hinting about at MemoGram? An engagement party?”

“So... who’s Mr. CEO’s lucky girl?”

“I think the host said the lucky girl will be revealed anytime now...”

“What’s with that lucky girl being so mysterious... is she some kind of a big shot?”

“Hmmm... maybe. Maybe Mr. CEO wanted to keep their relationship private and lowkey.”

Uninterested, Zayden decided to just continue walking. As he reached his desk, he heard one of his female coworkers squeal in shock.

“Oh my god! Is... is this Ashley Ellis?!”

Ashley Ellis? The love of my life? He asked himself in his mind.

He decided to ignore it because he assumed that she was probably wrong, so he just continued packing his things so that he could finally go home. But then he heard another co-employees of his say her name once more.

“Yes... I... I think that’s Ashley Ellis.”

“I’m real sure that’s her!”

“Oh my god, Ashley... such a lucky girl! Mr. CEO is the man of every girl’s dream— he’s very handsome, he’s so... so hot- he has six-pack sculpted abs, very broad shoulders, and apart from that, he’s very rich! He even owns this hotel... this very hotel where they are hosting this event!”

“If I’m not mistaken... this is a hotel for big-shot people! This is the Dé Ford Hotel— one meal already costs hundreds of dollars, what more if you stay in a VIP room for days!? Ashley got so lucky! My gosh!” said one of the employees, and she seemed so envious of Ashley.

Zayden shook his head... his brows even furrowed.

That can’t be... Ashley loves me so much. She can’t do this to me, he thought.

Out of curiosity and because he wanted to deny the rumors, he stood up and walked near his coworkers, who were all watching a live stream on MemoGram.

As he set his eyes on the live stream, his heart could not help but feel some kind of a very painful sting. It was as if some dagger was just put right through his heart... and as he felt that, all the memories of him with Ashley came flashing through in his mind— how they were college sweethearts, how they finished college at the same time, and how Ashley helped him reach his dreams... how Ashley helped him to be in this company where he’s currently working at... and even their special moments together.

But then all these good memories were eventually shattered as some of his detailed memories kind of formed like puzzle pieces.

It all kinda makes sense to me now... he thought to himself.

Ashley wanted their relationship private. Ashley never revealed to anyone that they were together... she even did not make him meet her family... not even her friends. She did not want anyone to know that she was the reason why he was hired by this company. Before, all these things for him were very questionable... but now... they all kinda make sense.

But she could not do this... she loves me. I know it... I can see it... I can feel it.

But then he saw in the live stream how Ashley kissed Mr. Kean Alexandrite Ford, the CEO of their company and other multi-million companies, without any hesitation. He saw how Ashley’s eyes looked so in love... how she was so shocked as Mr. Ford knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring.

The dagger in his heart was twisted again and again as Ashley said ‘yes’ to Mr. Ford. His eyes suddenly became filled with tears, and these tears immediately escaped his eyes as soon as Ashley and Mr. Ford kissed passionately.

Is this real? Are you really gonna do this to me, Ashley? My love? He thought as he wiped his eyes and ran out of the office.