"It's lunchtime Tyler, I am very hungry today", Becca said while clearing her desk before heading to the cafeteria.
"Yeah, I will be there shortly. I just need to tidy up some things quickly, it wouldn't take much time", he replied.
"I will keep a seat next to me, you owe me dinner if you don't show up", Becca replied as she left the office.
"I knew you will be late", Becca said as Tyler walked in ten minutes to the end of the break.
"Yeah, the job took longer than I expected. At least, I am here and not owing anyone dinner", Tyler replied as he smiled.
Becca rolled her eyes before pushing the food pack she got for Tyler to him.
"You are such a darling, I knew you would have brought me lunch even if I didn't come here", Tyler said as he gently opened the pack.
"Just the way I love it", he said after seeing what was inside but Becca didn't respond and Tyler could tell that she was pissed.
"Eat up and stop talking. We have a two hours briefing after lunch with the manager, you need lots of energy to survive his troubles and complain", she replied.
"Have you seen Ella?", Tyler asked as he turned his head around again while eating.
"Do you have a crush on her? Just tell her how much you love her and get fired, she is your superior", Becca replied.
"Don't tell me you are jealous", Tyler said as he looked around again.
"Did you say jealous? No, I am not", she replied.
"She is not here, where could she be?", Tyler asked.
"You should call her or check her office if you are very concerned about her. That reminds me, I overheard some of our colleagues saying they caught her flirting with the manager earlier. Probably, she felt shy to come here after all the drama. I guess they are hiding something", she replied.
"Flirt with the manager, what rubbish!", Tyler responded angrily and got out of the seat immediately. Becca followed him because she didn't understand where the sudden anger came from.
"What could be the problem with Tyler?", she asked herself while trying to catch up with him.
He rushed to Ella's office and was mad to find the manager there.
"Ella, what's all this I am hearing", she screamed at her.
The manager went to the door to check the sign on it before saying anything.
"Mr. Tyler, did you miss the sign on the door or did you choose to ignore it?", he asked.
"With all due respect, sir. I don't like it when...".
"Will you keep shut and get out of my office", Ella interrupted Tyler and he left the office angrily.
"What's happening?", Becca tried talking to him immediately after he got out of Ella's office but he didn't reply.
Tyler went straight to his office to take the documents he needed for the briefing and went to the boardroom immediately.
He sat there and his anger made the effort of the air conditioner futile. He was sweating profusely and Becca just couldn't figure out why he was overreacting.
Ella and the manager walked in together and Tyler's anger kept boiling more.
"I don't know what going on in your mind but you really need to be on your best behaviour, I don't want to lose my job", Becca whispered to Tyler.
The briefing started and Tyler was clearly not himself all through everything.
It ended and at closing, he barely said goodbye to Becca.
Tyler went to Ella's residence first and waited patiently for her. He got out of his car as she drove into the compound.
"Flirting with the manager, is that what you do now", Tyler shouted at her immediately after she got out of the car.
"What do you mean, you almost exposed us today. Are you out of your mind?", She screamed back at him.
"You think I won't know, everyone saw you and him in the garage today. When he lifted you from behind and held you tight with his hand wrapped around your waist", Tyler replied.
"You see, I didn't want us to work together initially because it is against the company policy but I couldn't watch you live without a job. You are impatient and selfish, my job is on the line if the company knows that the head of operations employed her fiancé in the company and just because of a scuttlebutt going around, you lost control over yourself. You have just spent a year and can't control yourself anymore, this is not the first or second time you have accused me of having an affair with someone at work and I won't take this anymore", she replied and walked out on him.
"You can't walk out on me, I am your fiance and I deserve some respect and answer", he said angrily.
Ella was quick to get into her apartment so she shut the door and prevented him from entering.
"I have never cheated on you and won't. It is just work and nothing more. About the rumour, I was chewing gum and it choked me, the manager was just in time to prevent me from choking to death", she said as she sat behind the door shedding tears already.
In the end, Tyler went back to his place after Ella didn't allow him in.
Days passed and Tyler wouldn't stop stalking her at work, she didn't pick up his call or reply text. He threatened to expose their relationship if she doesn't open up about what was going on between her and the manager.
He became unproductive at work and the only thing that still kept him in work was Ella. She always interceded for him until he did the worse.
On a fateful Monday morning, Tyler got to the office and saw Ella with the manager having a chat.
"Good morning, the adulterous woman and the wife snatcher", he said as he walked past them.
""What do you mean by that?"*, the manager asked immediately.
"You heard me, use your head. Ella is my fiancee, we are engaged for over a year now and you can't take her away from me", Tyler replied.
The manager was shocked and he turned to Ella who was in tears already.
""It's not what you think sir, I can explain everything"*, she said with a trembling voice.
"I don't need an explanation, I am disappointed in you", the manager replied and walked away.
"Are you happy now, everything is work relationship but you wouldn't listen. You accused me of having an affair with every male that work has made me close to", Ella said to Tyler and followed the manager.
On that day, they were both handed a termination of appointment letter.
Tyler didn't feel remorseful and still insisted that Ella was a cheat.
"I knew this day would come after the first time you accused me of having an affair at work exactly a week after you started working. I have been doing everything possible so that you can get a better position in the headquarters and I was close. The briefing you did the other day was an assessment but you couldn't compose yourself because of jealousy and you lost the available slot to Becca. I am scared of our future and can't continue like this, I wish happiness in life", Tyler screamed as he finished reading Ella's message.
He was filled with regrets but it was too late for him to seek forgiveness. Ella travelled for a while just to cut connection with him and every effort to find her failed.
A few months after, Ella got a mail from the company. They reviewed her apology letter and because of her enormous contribution to the company's growth, she got her job again.
Tyler moved on even though his conscience haunted him day and night, he always wished he didn't allow jealousy and lack of trust to get the best of him.