Sophie ..The morning was cold, but it couldn’t compete with the chillness in Alex’s tone. “So let me get this straight. You are saying Sophie is accusing Timmy of stealing her design.” Alex’s eyes jumped between Mrs. Moore and Timmy. He turned to me. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Warmth broke into his tone.I sat without uttering a word, leaving silence to swallow the meeting room, not because I was terrified but because I was struggling with my pregnancy symptoms. Each time I opened my mouth, the nausea threatened to escape. Each inhale infused me with more fatigue. Mrs. Moore scoffed and leaned back into the chair. “I don’t care whether you get it straight or not, but it is what it is. I was disappointed too. Since you spoke so highly of her. Like she was special.”Alex cut her off. “Let Sophie speak first.” He glared at Mrs. Moore. He turned back to me. “Explain what happened to me.” His tone was like a chameleon—cold to Mrs. Moore and warm to me.Mrs. Moore glowered, an
Alex ..She was not okay, and she was hiding it from me. My eyes roamed over her face. Her eyes were weak, and her tongue ran over dry lips, moisturizing them. It distracted me for a second.“You don’t look good.” I pressed.Sophie’s hands flew to her mouth, and her eyes widened for a fleeting moment. “I am just stressed and tired.” She averted her gaze to the floor. I arched my brows. I had lived with her for three years, and I had never seen her this tired. I had noticed how she’d look alive, full of energy one day, the next day like the life had been drained out of her. Sophie tended to overwork herself, but her work was her fuel; no matter how tired she was or how heavy her eyes were, they would still have life in them. I couldn’t think of only one thing; it was that bloody man. A soft frown was carved on my face, and I gripped her hand.“Alex, I am fine. I am just tired.” The rhythm of her speech was even, and she drew out my name.Although there was a hint of annoyance in he
Sophie..I stared at my face in the mirror; it did look pale, no wonder Alex said all those two days ago. I tilted my face, wondering if I needed to add more makeup.A knock on the door came, and I snapped towards it. “Palma?” “It’s Luca.” His deep voice came from the other side of the door.Opening the door, my eyes fell on Luca, dressed in black silky pajamas. Two buttons down, exposing a sliver of his broad chest.“Good morning.” A soft smile pulled the corner of his lips.“Good morning,” I responded, my fingers playing with the flare of my red skirt.Luca grazed my face with the back of his fingers. “Are you feeling alright?” His tone was low but tight.His touch felt like a gentle breeze brushing against my skin. "Yeah, I am.”Withdrawing his hand from my face, he dipped it in his pocket. “I want to ask you something.”“Okay.”“There’s a dinner party tonight, and I would love it if you could accompany me.” A soft pull tightened my chest as I recalled what happened at the last
Alex..Sophie’s eyes darkened, yet they still outshined the stars hung in the dark sky. My heart hammered as I awaited her response.She pulled away. “I can’t.” She walked out, disappearing into the building, taking my heart along with her.I stood still, the cold air filling my lungs with its chill—if only it could cool off the pain.Benjamin patted me on the shoulders. “Let’s go inside.”I puffed out and walked back into the building. Arriving at the auction hall, Benjamin checked in. After providing his credit card details. He was given a paddle with the number fifty on it. The registration staff turned to me. "Please, sir, your credit card.”Benjamin chipped in. “He’s not participating in the auction, but he has a reserved seat.” “You must be Mr. Dawson.” The registration staff cleared his throat. I flashed a forced smile at him before strutting towards the rows of seats. My eyes darted around the hall, searching for Sophie. The muted conversation faded into the background
Sophie..I remembered the medications on his table when he called in sick, and that’s how I found myself bouncing my foot on the floor of the cab, the thud muffled by the car mat. Once I arrived outside of the bar, I pulled out some cash and handed it to the taxi driver before stepping out. I pulled my beige coat tighter around myself as the breeze wrapped me, squeezing chills into my body.Stepping into the bar, I scanned around. My eyes fell on Alex, sitting in the dimly lit corner of the bar. His appearance was disheveled but undeniably compelling. His hair fell over his head, brushing against his brooding eyes. His shirt, once neat, now opened at the collar, his tie hanging loose. His sleeves rolled up, his long fingers holding a glass of alcohol. He looked good for a dying man.I settled in the seat next to him. “What’s the meaning of the text?” A wide grin—a beautiful one—crawled up his lips. He swirled the glass before taking a gulp. Seeing him in this state was surprisin
Sophie..With my shoes in my hand, I muffled my steps, tiptoeing up the stairs toward the hallways. Benjamin had dropped me off here. The sight of Alex’s medication on the back seat tightened a knot in my stomach, but he had fallen asleep just minutes into the drive, so I couldn’t ask him about it.Arriving at my room, the door was ajar, allowing a sliver of light to filter into the dark hallway. A cushioned sound sliced through the silence. Giving the door a gentle push, the door opened with an almost silent whoosh.“Your door was open when I came, so I decided to drop the painting here.” Luca placed his hand on the large painting frame."Oh, thank you.” My eyes hovered over the painting. The amount spent on the painting made it hard to accept but also made it impossible to reject it.We stood in silence, staring at each other as though we were searching for words in each other. "Uhm, good night. Tomorrow,” Luca said, his eyes darting around the room.I nodded. “Uhm, good night. T
Sophie ..Monday came too soon. I trudged into the hotel. The soft chatters of other workers mingled with the unrelentless buzz of the machines. It was as though the whole of New York City had found its way into the hotel.I stepped into the elevator that would take me to the floor of Alex’s office. I stared at the floor indicator as it ascended, and my pulse hiked. My stomach twisted—maybe out of nervousness or probably excitement; whichever the feeling was, it wasn’t welcomed. When it arrived on the fifth floor, it slid open, and I made my way to his office.I took a deep breath before knocking and opening the door. His seat was empty, and so was his desk. Realizing he hadn’t arrived at work, my pulse returned to normal. My chest tightened. Today I had to go for my antenatal. Now, Alex isn’t around. I would have to meet Mrs. Moore. Ever since Timmy was fired, her hatred for me intensified. She’d always give me impossible deadlines and complicated designs.Dropping the file he had
Alex..And once again, Mr. Watson had successfully dragged me to his office. After leaving the hotel, Mr. Watson informed me that he had found who was selling shares. The tic of the clock punctuated the silence of the room. While I waited for him, my mind wandered to Sophie and why she was behaving strangely today. She seemed angry, and I didn’t know why. I took a deep breath and arranged my tie and cuffed my cufflinks. This morning, I woke up weak and tired. It was a struggle to take a shower, let alone dress up. The door opened, and Mr. Watson's annoying voice filled the office. “I’m sorry. The meeting lasted longer than expected.” He settled into his seat. “So who is selling the shares?” I blurted out. After all, I wasn’t here for a chitchat.“Well, I haven’t found that out yet, but.”My face contorted into a frown. “Then I have no business here.” Interrupting him, I rose to my feet. “But I have something else.” He gestured for me to sit down. “I’m sure you spoke to your mot