Chapter 53 - lashing out on Sierra

The moment Wren Austin made it to her apartment, she hurried to the bathroom, turned on her shower and sat beneath it for endless hours. It was only when she had started to feel the effect of the hot water on her skin that she finally stripped, put a towel around her body and walked into her room.
A few minutes later, she had dressed up and was now standing by the kitchen counter, fixing a cup of coffee for herself. Then, she took it over to the window sit where she took sips and looked out her window.
Her conversation with Calista replayed in her mind. She knew the older woman was right when she said she could leave Craigsburg if she really wanted to. Hunter’s threat didn’t have anything on her. And now, Wren was determined to leave Craigsburg.
He was nothing but a paranoid asshole that has done nothing but made her life a living hell, but Wren decided today was the last. She left his office with the firm determination to get back at him in a way that would bruise his ego.
And she needed to start putting her plan into action.
That night, when Wren Austin went to bed, she had a big smile on her face, because she could picture herself far from Craigsburg.
******
Sierra Eleanor Clifford paced back and forth in Giovanni O’Connell’s office. Her jaws were clenched, her brows furrowed, her skin reddened and she gave Giovanni an intense stare as he spoke into his phone.
Ever since the dinner where she misbehaved, Giovanni had distanced himself from her. It wasn’t just him, Topaz, Unika and nana Denise too. Of course, they didn’t make it obvious per se, but their actions made it clear that she wasn’t wanted anymore.
She had crossed the line, which is why Giovanni was currently on phone with his bosses, demanding that the brunette be taken out of the team and sent back.
Sierra wasn’t pleased. She knew he was mad at her, but she didn’t think he would go to this extent, worse behind her back because she overheard it from Topaz and Unika earlier that morning.
She’d searched for him throughout the mansion to no avail and curiously, she found him in the office already on a call with whom she assumed to be her father.
“I understand your point of view, Sir. But the most complicated part is out of the way. The mayor, the partners in Malaysia are satisfied and all that needs to be done is carry out some feasibility study and that doesn’t require her presence” he spoke as though Sierra’s presence in the room wasn’t a big deal. One could tell Giovanni O’Connell was tensed, because as she spoke, he rubbed the spot between his brows, then picked up the pen that lay on the desk and fidgeted with it.
“Uh, no. I didn’t mean it like that, Mr Durrell” the young man quickly defended but pause to his to the other man’s arguments.
“Sir, if you would just listen to me. I wasn’t saying that because she is a woman, no. There truly isn’t anything for her to do here” the young man defended.
Sierra scoffed. She was in disbelief. She could hardly believe the audacity he had.
“Yes sir, I understand” disappointment could be heard in Giovanni’s voice as he nodded for the last time and hung up the line.
Then, his gaze finally landed on Sierra and for a split second, he seemed surprised, then he rolled his eyes and got up from his chair and began to walk to the door.
Sierra’s mouth was left hanging wide open.
“What the hell Gio?” she called out as the young man walked past her, still, he didn’t let the tone of her voice stop him.
He was upset. Not only at her for having disrespected Wren, but also at his boss for not approving his request.
“You are just going to walk away as if my presence means nothing to you?” she tilted her head as she spoke. Her question didn’t earn a reply from Giovanni who was busy turning the doorknob to walk away.
Sierra’s little hands abruptly pull Giovanni and made him turn. “Answer me, dammit. If you have something to say to me, fucking say it to my face” she yelled.
The young man pushed away her arm. “Fine, I‘ll tell you what I have to say. Your presence here has bamboozled everything I worked hard for. You’re always following me around, I don’t have a single breathing space to do what I want” the words that flew out of Giovanni’s mouth felt like a hammer was being hit on Sierra’s chest.
“You just can’t seem to shut up, and that has caused an irreparable damage and I just want you bloody gone” Giovanni O’Connell’s face was inches away from Sierra's.
The young girl looked into his eyes, then looked away as a pool of tears formed in her eyes. Slowly, the young man backed away, he realized he had been harsh with his words.
“Look Sierra, I’m sorry I hurt you. You need to understand, things between us had gone down the drain and it’s because I appreciate everything you’ve done for me that I decided to end things. But you can’t keep ruining my life simply because I broke up with you, you have to move past it at some point” he added and this time, he tried to comfort her, but Sierra backed away from him and wiped away tears that were now running down her cheeks.
“Don’t touch me” she said and sniffled a breath.
“You are an asshole, Giovanni. Breaking my heart wasn’t enough you have to humiliate me like this?” the brunette questioned in a pained voice.
“Sierra-“ he tried to reach out to her again.
“Don’t fucking touch me! I hate you, Giovanni. I don’t know what I was expecting from someone who can’t even defend the person he claims to love. You claim I have destroyed everything you worked for when in reality, you did that all by that yourself when you didn’t stand up for her. You don’t deserve to be happy and I hope she hurts you just like you're hurting me”
Sierra Eleanor finalized and walked away with more tears running down her cheeks.
Giovanni O’Connell cursed to himself.
He let her words sink in.
Maybe Sierra was right. He fucked things up with Wren and he shouldn't have to pin the blame on someone else.
Now, he'd also fucked things up with her.
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