The Slap That End 18 Years novel Chapter 11

**Inside the Fading Emerald Shadows Quiet Storms by Livia T. Rynn**

**Chapter 11**

In the days that followed, Yvonne’s departure from the company became a quiet yet palpable shift in the office dynamics. Whispers circulated like wildfire, each rumor more exaggerated than the last, with the most prominent one being that Joseph had ended their relationship.

After that fateful turn of events, Joseph transformed into a figure I could scarcely recognize. He became an ever-present shadow in my life, his silent support weaving itself into the fabric of my daily routine.

Every morning, without fail, I would find a steaming cup of milk and a slice of bread waiting for me on my desk, the aroma filling the air with a comforting warmth that eased the chill of the early hours.

During lunchtime, he would reserve the most secluded corner of the cafeteria, a place where we could share a meal away from prying eyes and the clamor of our coworkers.

And at the end of each workday, I could feel his footsteps trailing behind me, maintaining a respectful distance of about thirty feet, as if he were both there and not there—a constant reminder of the bond we once shared.

Finally, I could no longer contain my frustration. I confronted him one evening on the stairwell landing, the fading light casting long shadows across his face.

“What are you trying to achieve?” I asked, my voice steady yet laced with confusion.

The evening light streamed through the window, illuminating the weary lines etched on his face, revealing the burden he carried.

He still wore the cufflinks I had gifted him for his eighteenth birthday, a token of my affection that I had saved for months to afford. The sight of them stirred a mix of nostalgia and regret within me.

“I just…” he faltered, his throat constricting as he swallowed hard. “I just needed to pay you back. For everything.”

“Don’t,” I interrupted, my tone firm. “Staying away from me is the only payment I want. Joseph, please, don’t make me look down on you.”

*****

In the depths of my heart, I made the decision to leave my job, but I chose to keep it a secret.

On my final day, I shared a quiet farewell lunch with a few colleagues who had become dear to me over the years.

Joseph was the last to learn about my departure for grad school abroad, and I couldn’t quite fathom how the news reached him. But as I drove away, he sprinted after the car, his figure growing smaller with each passing moment until he was nothing more than a memory.

Through the rearview mirror, I watched him run—the proud boy I once knew now reduced to a shadow of his former self, his spirit seemingly shattered.

The trees blurred by as he faded into the distance, his white shirt flapping in the wind like a bird desperately seeking its lost freedom.

“Lucy…” I could see his lips forming my name, but the roar of the engine drowned it out, leaving only silence in its wake.

My mother glanced at me, her concern palpable, but I merely shook my head, unwilling to share the turmoil brewing inside me.

In the rearview mirror, his figure shrank until he vanished beneath the trees at the corner, leaving behind a haunting emptiness.

As the plane ascended into the sky, I opened the window shade. At thirty thousand feet, the sun shone brightly, a stark contrast to the heaviness in my heart.

Occasionally, I would hear whispers about Joseph—each story a thread weaving into the fabric of his new life.

My friends informed me that he had turned to heavy drinking, often finding himself in bar fights, a stark departure from the boy I once knew. They joked about his rapid succession of relationships, likening them to the fleeting nature of a fresh shirt.

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