Chapter 457 A New Start

“Thank you for your time. We’ll try our best to answer your questions at the end,” Ace wrapped up quite professionally.

The reporters bombarded them with questions, but I wasn’t interested to listen anymore beyond that point. It was enough for me that the announcement had been made. Finally, their fake relationship was over for real. Just like that, it was over as if had never happened in the first place. I still thought that it was ridiculous that they had to announce their relationship and also the end of it in press conferences like that but that was just how things had to be.

I spent the rest of the day listening to the reactions of my colleagues and what they thought about Ace and Elizabeth’s break up. That was when I found out for myself just how many supporters they had. The majority of the people felt disappointed about their sudden break up. Employees that were originally from Jessen’s and Hill’s took the change much harder than those from Chase Creatives. Naturally, that was because with their breakup, they felt like Ace didn’t have a connection to the company anymore in anyway.

“It’s just so sad..”

“I agree. Also, it’s so sudden.”

“He also just quit as the CEO and now it’s like he’s really gone..”

These kinds of comments echoed all around me wherever I went in the company on that day. The way that everyone around me seemed to miss Ace in one way or another made me start to miss him too. Even though I knew that it wouldn’t feel the same without Ace working in the same company and in the same office, I didn’t think that I would feel so empty inside like this now that it really hit me that he was gone. Of course, since he was still my boyfriend, I could see him and talk to him, but it still didn’t feel the same.

Since the end of Project Alpha, I didn’t have the chance to work with Ace directly except for when I played the role of his personal secretary. Then when everything started getting busy regarding the merger, I saw less and less of him in the office. However, I still felt secure just knowing that he was still there and working in the same company.

The way everyone complained about the lack of his presence and also influence on the company, made me realize that things have really changed, and it was very likely that even more changes were on the way. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling inside but the sense of emptiness that welled up in my chest like a void refused to go away. It felt like I was suddenly lost, and it started to scare me more than a little.

“Don’t worry so much. You might not be used to working with her as the CEO yet but let me tell you that Elizabeth is extremely good at what she does and she’s very responsible and reliable,” an employee from Chase Creative said with a bright smile.

“I’m sure that she is..” another man replied.

“Yes, we’re not saying that she’s not a good CEO or anything like that. It’s just that..things won’t be the same..” another woman chimed in with a regretful sigh.

I silently listened to my colleagues chatting about it without making any comments of my own. She was definitely right when she said that nothing would be the same. Nothing would be the same for me without Ace working here.

“Sorry, I’m going to step out for a bit..” I said to quickly excuse myself.

Suddenly, I felt like I didn’t have good control over my emotions. The sudden sadness that bubbled inside of me made my chest feel tight and I could feel my tears stinging the back of my eyes. I was scared that I might start crying randomly right in front of my colleagues if I stayed any longer to listen to their sentimental talk and discussion about the current situation.

I took out my phone but all I could do was stare at Ace’s name on the screen as I hesitated to give him a call. What was I supposed to tell him even if I gave him a call? It wasn’t like I could just come out and tell him that I miss him so much at work and that I was so sad and terrified and unused to the fact that he was no longer here with me.

..

**Two months later**

“You should have moved in way earlier..” Ace said before letting out a sigh.

I was sure that by that point he had gotten sick and tired of my stubbornness. Despite having agreed to move in with him once before, I changed my mind after he started dating Elizabeth even if it was just for show simply because I didn’t want to invite trouble. Even after they announced their breakup to the world, I was still hesitant about moving in to live with Ace at his place.

“It could have been troubling if people found out that we started dating soon after your breakup and that I had already moved in with you,” I pointed out.

“You really do worry about everything,” he complained as he shook his head from side to side.

“I’m sorry but I didn’t want to deal with any more rumors..” I apologized.

“Well, it’s good enough for me that you’ve finally moved in,” Ace said with a smile.

“Thanks for helping me with the move. I honestly didn’t know that I had so much stuff,” I said as I stared at the packed boxes that now stacked up in the middle of Ace’s living room.

It did not occur to me that moving into his place would require so much effort. Ace helped out and he even hired some movers to help us pack and move everything as well. I thought that I hadn’t purchased much of anything over the years since I started working but apparently that wasn’t true at all. On top of that, throwing things out turned out to be a nightmare for me because I found it so difficult to let anything go.

--To be continued..

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