I woke up in the middle of the night covered in sweat and my own tears. I can't take it anymore! The dream. It felt so real! Why didn't I take my sleeping pills when I went to bed? Why?

I sat up in bed, the darkness blinding me. For a moment, I couldn't see a thing. I didn't do anything, just stared in the dark. Why didn't I save her? That's the question that kept on ringing in my head, keeping me awake at night.

Getting tired of just staring at nothing, I felt for the night lamp and switched it on. The sudden light made me squint my eyes. I checked the time on my phone to see that it was 04:00. I had three hours left before going to work. What am I going to do the whole time?

I got out of bed and walked to the door that was connected to the balcony. I opened it, air swooshing right through my face and nipping at my exposed skin. I had only my boxers on, but I didn't care about the cold. All I cared about was getting fresh air. I stared over the city, looking at the beauty that the streetlights made with their bright colors.

I felt heavy. Maybe it was because of the dream. I just felt useless and that my life had no meaning. I haven't felt like this in a while. I wanted to skip work today and just lay in bed, swimming in my disturbing thoughts. It was easy to get lost in them, especially when they were very toxic to my mental health.

I didn't know how long I was standing on the balcony, but when the sun was beginning to rise, I knew that it was my time to get ready for work. So, I dragged my feet and a half-awake mind back to my bedroom, then the bathroom. I prepared myself like I always did in the morning. When I had finished showering, I stared at my face in the mirror. My eyes were red and puffy, hair dampened down by the water. I looked pale and lifeless today. It was like I was staring at another person. The person that stared back at me was not me. I felt distant. I felt like I was borrowing someone else's body.

Letting out a pain-filled sigh, I went to open the cabinet and took out a bottle of anti-depressants. I popped open the lid and took out four pills. I went to the washbasin and opened the tap. Swallowing the pills with the water was a difficult task for me. I didn't want to take them. Sometimes I loathed them because they reminded me of what I am, of who I've become. I have become a pathetic animal that couldn’t save the people that meant the world to him. I had become a failure that could not move on from the past and had to get help from pills to function. How pathetic.

After going through my morning routine, I was done at 06:30. I only had thirty minutes to eat breakfast and drive to work. I felt demotivated today and I didn’t think I'd get any work done. And then the thing with the CEO. Man, that was a disaster on its own. I still couldn't believe it. I saw him with my own naked eyes, yet it's a hard pill to swallow.

When I finished eating breakfast, I grabbed my briefcase, car keys, wallet and cellphone and headed out of the apartment complex. I drove to work in a half state of mind. I think my medication is no longer working because I still felt glum. Even worse.

When I arrived at work, Melissa was not there yet. I passed her table and proceeded into my office. That's strange because there was never a day that I came before her.

For the first time in forever, my office felt like mine. Maybe it's because I'm feeling off today. It had grey walls and a mahogany table that had my chair and two others in the front. The large glass wall behind my table was always covered with a curtain because I couldn't stand looking out of it. The scene outside was too colorful for me. I had no personal belongings that decorated my table, or even a picture of my family. The cupboard on the right of my table blended in on the wall because of its grey color. All that was filled in there were papers, reports and files that were important to keep.

I sat down on my chair and opened my briefcase to take out my laptop. When I checked the time, it was 07:10 and still Melissa hadn't come barging into my office to greet me. I opened a file that had a project I'm working on and flipped through it, scanning to see any mistakes that I've made. I was too engrossed in what I was doing that I didn't look up when the door opened.

"You came late today. Are you okay?" I asked Melissa, still underlining the words on the paper. There were grammatical errors on the report. I don't know how I missed it because I triple checked it last week.

"No. I’m fine sweety," the deep voice that tried to imitate a female’s voice replied. I hastily looking up and swallowed a scream that was threatening to escape.

There on my door, was Chance Hughs, the new CEO! And he had his arms crossed over his chest whilst leaning against my door. A smirk was decorating his face. I'm sure I was gaping at him. I snapped my mouth closed and masked my emotions.

"Good morning, Mr. Hughs. How can I help you?" I asked, my voice going down the professional route.

He raised a perfectly sculpted brow and walked towards my table, his eyes moving around my office as if judging it. He came to a stop in front of my table and sat down.

"So, I remember you saying I should have bodyguards next time I see you. Was that a threat, Mr. Jones?"

I swallowed my nerves and shook my head, letting a fake smile show.

"Not at all, Mr. Hughs. That was just a misunderstanding on your part. I mean, you did crash into me, after all."

Am I crazy? Do I want to be fired?

His sharp jaw tensed a little, before going back to normal and smiling.

"A nice office you've got here. But it would've been much better if you could remove the blinds and let the sunshine in. It is rather a splendid day, you know."

He was taunting me. I could see it in his eyes. Today they were emerald, not the dark green I saw yesterday.

"Is there anything in particular you wanted from me, Sir?" The word 'Sir' left a bitter taste in my mouth.

"Nothing in particular. I was just going to invite you to go eat lunch with me as a peace offering. Just to show how truly sorry I am for crashing into you and calling you all those vile names. I want us to start on a clean slate."

I was flabbergasted. This must be a sick joke, right? He had a mischievous glint in his eyes that was making me worried.

"Thank you for the offer, Sir. But I'm fine eating in my office and your apology is accepted," I said.

His eyes hardened for a bit as he stood up. He glared at me hatefully and said, "That was not a request, Mr. Jones. I was telling you. Make sure that you come to Revouire Café at lunch. I'll meet you there."

And then he walked out of my office, leaving me drowning in my own fury. What an ass!