My Boss Is Secretly A Softie - Chapter 45

Chapter 45: A Huanted Exorcist
“Should be like this…” Elara mumbled, circling a writing on her book.

With a sigh, she stretched her body before she stood up from her chair, and closing her book, she went to the kitchen.

A smile appeared on her face at the refreshing feeling that came from the can of chilled coke. But then it stiffened before distorting into a frown.

She fucked up.

This realization had her sighing once more in an attempt to suppress the inner roar that came from within. She let a ghost screw her over. Elara was dead and gone yet she…

Why did she let her possess her again?

“It’s all because of Terrence…,” she rubbed her forehead in exhaustion. If he hadn’t suddenly decided to pursue a prospective romance with her then… Everything would be easier. Was it so hard to remain friends?

Even worse, she couldn’t reject him.

She made her way to the kitchen as the thoughts overwhelmed her. As friends, it was easier to hide any slip, but as lovers, how possible was that?

It wasn’t that she couldn’t trust herself. She was in control after all, but what if one day she couldn’t anymore? Terrence was the last person she wanted that side shown to.

And just as she was at the right part crushing everything, fixing it all… John came. The real ghost of Elara or more accurately— a harbinger.

“And my reaction is evidence that I truly can lose control of my ghost,” She grimaced, “How could I, of all people, explode like that?”

Maybe it was because she was guilty as charged. Who was she? Maybe not fully Sarah but not Elara— definitely not Elara.

She blew at the half-filled spoonful before tasting it. A bit salty. Just like he liked it.

It was fine. This mess could be salvaged. It should be… her eyes widened at her thoughts. And then they softened and she found herself laughing.

Of course, it was salvageable. If had she managed to overcome that year, was there anything that could prove difficult for her? Probably, but it wasn’t like it would stop her.

The best way to get rid of a ghost was to exorcise it. It stuck to John now and kept tempting her, but she would deal with that. This should be the last of Elara. And probably the only evidence of her would be from the regretful mentions of Terra.

She was a bit anxious but was eager to make it work. For herself, Elara had to be completely erased. And even more for Terrence.

***

“Welcome,” Elara greeted the poker-faced male with a grin, “I made breakfast.”

The next set of actions was just as she had envisioned it. Easing up her anxiety a bit.

“So how do you like the meal?”

John finished the first spoonful before scooping another one into his mouth with a deep concentration.

“…”

She was thoroughly ignored. Well fine, she also expected that. At least he seemed to be enjoying the meal. She respected his wishes and kept silent throughout. And only after they were done did she ask, “So?”

John lightly glanced at her, “Good.”

Her eyes beamed and a flash of smile flashed across her face.

“I’ll take care of this, then~.”

By the time she was done washing dishes, cleaning the table, and drying out the rag while trying to suppress her chaotic feelings, John had made himself at home, swiping through the TV channels.

“…”

Guess her worries were for naught. She sat a bit farther from him, awkwardly, before clearing her throat.

“John?” He didn’t respond.

“John?” Yet again he snubbed her. Elara smiled. Something was rising within her, and it wasn’t kindness.

“If you won’t answer me, I’ll just go in and do whatever.”

There was still no reply, and in order not to ruin the convictions she tried so hard to build up, she gave up and left for her room. Rather, she wanted to only for a certain somebody, begging to be chucked off a bridge, finally spoke.

“Wait.”

She paused.

“What is it?”

… Can she really not choke him?

***

Luckily, she didn’t, or else this would have gone from having a reasonable discussion to calling a certain three-digit line.

“So that’s it,” Elara concluded with a stiff smile.

Frankly speaking, having the man watch her without a single change in expression was nerve-wracking. She usually wasn’t anxious when associating with others no matter what, but this time she was desperate, more desperate than she had ever been, and despite not showing it outside, she alone knew just how much she wanted to howl.

“Why should I?”

She flinched, as expected. One point to her for getting that as well— although she would have preferred to be wrong on this one.

John stared at her sharply in a bid to see through her calm expression. He hated it. She was always calm, in whatever situation, whatever time, and in everything she did, a calmness near psychopathy, as he liked to refer to it. It infuriated him, and he wanted to destroy it.

“Don’t you wanna?” Elara’s cool voice snapped him out.

“What?”

‘!!’

He panicked. He shouldn’t have said that. He really shouldn’t have said that.

Elara smiled sweetly, “Punish me for my crimes? There is no better way than tearing apart me and my boss.”

***

He agreed. Worst mistake of his life. But he had been too shocked. How could she see something so drastic easily? From what he could tell, she seemed to love her boss. Or did she?

Once again, he failed. He still couldn’t comprehend the woman who broke him. And he probably never would, unless she wanted him to. Elara would forever play him like a fiddle.

“I’ll have two please!” Elara ordered eagerly. Her eyes moved to the figure underneath the tree on a bench before she averted her gaze.

Truthfully, she was guilty. Maybe because of her tough attitude that hid it, but the truth was that John was her first friend. It hurt her to do what she did so she decided to cruelly shut off all feelings— guilt, longing, everything. Even right now she was being selfish. Her reasons for cozying up couldn’t be less selfless, but deep down she hoped— maybe there was hope for them.

She sighed, they better be. She had to shift all her calls and messages with angel to midnight like some criminal. Of course, she had lied about staying away from Terrence. What a joke.

This made her feel even guiltier. How come, despite being less terrible than that year, this situation seemed even more problematic? She sighed again; she had been doing a lot of sighing today.

Sitting under the tree while staring blankly into space, John was so lost in his thoughts that when Elara came back, he nearly fell over in surprise. Luckily, Elera seemed to not have noticed or maybe she was trying to be nice by completely ignoring it.

“I brought your favorite ice cream,” She cooed, “Apple flavor.”

He ignored her until he felt a tap on his shoulders. His curiosity got the best of him, and with a turn, a spoonful was shoved into his mouth.

It melted. The silky feeling and coldness bring sweet relief. He couldn’t bring himself to hate and like an idiot, he admitted, “It’s good.”

“I knew you would like it!”

His eyes were glued to the beaming lady. Carefree, sweet, and fun. Yet with an undeniable craftiness that hid itself under the guise of sweetness. This was the one she had shown him before.

The one that easily captured his heart and played him like a game. He was no fool. He could tell. She knew he could tell. They both could tell. She was playing him again. For her selfish reason. And yet he couldn’t help but fall for her trickery once more.

Except this time was the last chance. Because despite it all, something— something incredibly foolish in him wanted to believe that this time would be different.

Who was she? She was Elara. She just didn’t know this. But she would figure it out eventually. After all, you can only run so far from the truth.

He stood up, leaving Elara who was also eating an apple-flavored ice cream trail after him, “Let’s go to the casino next.”

“You got it, boss!”

***

The steady clanking of boots, followed by a more hurried one, filled the passage as the blonde-haired male in a suit with cold grey eyes made his way across while a babbling male followed.

“Sir, please reconsider, we can…,”

Terrence merely continued walking, and on reaching his destination, glanced at his panicked tail.

“Talk to my assistant.”

“Sir!”

[Bam!]

The door was shut. He had been brutally rejected. He really should have followed through with the instructions. His causal attitude had cost him.

The man sighed before bending over to pick up his documents, which had fallen in his shock, before trailing away sadly.

Hopefully, his assistant would reconsider. Though this seemed like an already losing battle.