Gossip Girl

Vivian

I looked through the glasses while Patricia and Julia were ecstatic, rambling around inside this special meeting room on the forty-eighth floor and admiring the glossy chandelier hanging above our heads. Marley booked the whole afternoon of this meeting room for us to brainstorm. She wanted the meeting with Nathan Sadoc to be perfect. 

The walls were all soundproof with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the center of this city. Patricia gasped, standing at the wooden fence beside the windows, “Gosh, that’s gorgeous.”

“I think we should start the discussion.” Julia pushed up the bridge of her spectacles and suggested. 

Patricia turned around, her arms crossed. “Discuss what?” she frowned. “None of us know anything about Nathan Sadoc. He’s a mysterious man, married with a mysterious wife, that’s all.” Patricia rolled her eyes, “What do you think, Vivian? Is it possible for us to get his exclusive interview?”

I shook my head. 

Patricia sighed. “Marley is just over-optimistic. I don’t think he will give us the chance easily.”

“But Mr. Cunningham is his father-in-law,” Julia said, “he’s probably going to do it for the sake of him.” She looked at me, hoping to get my admission. 

I didn’t say anything. I had no idea. This was just ridiculous. The key problem was that Nathan had never known my job. Okay, I meant he knew that I worked for DanLes, obviously, but he didn’t know that I was an editor of a dying mag. Why would he know? We hardly talked. 

“Maybe, but I doubt it.” Patricia raised her eyebrow as she loitered over, taking a seat at the table. She gave us a ‘guess what’ expression and said, “But I’ve heard something about Mr. Cunningham’s daughter, our princess in the shadow, and I don’t think he’s happy with this marriage.”

“What?” Julia widened her eyes, curious, “what did I miss? Do you know about this, Vivian?”

I blinked and blinked, my brain swirling. Not sure about what Patricia was going to say, but I had bad feelings, very bad.

“Vivian’s not going to know.” Patricia lifted her chin in complacency, shifting her gaze between Julia and me, “It happened nearly a year ago, you haven’t joined DanLes yet.” 

“So what’s it? Don’t keep us guessing.” Julia urged.  

“Well, a year ago, when our princess graduated, she was accused of bullying her roommate by someone anonymous, and the person posted a video on several social websites. It shows that she took the collar of her poor roommate and slapped right into her face.”

“Oh my gosh.” Julia covered her mouth with a gasp. “She did it?”

Particia shrugged. “Who knows? Only very few people saw the video before it was deleted, and Mr. Cunningham did everything he could to cover the news. I suppose no one has the backup now.”

“Maybe it wasn’t her.” Julia suggested, “Did they catch her front face? Maybe it’s just someone trying to defame our company. We never had her name or profiles; Mr. Cunningham is protective of his daughter.”

“If it wasn’t her, why Mr. Cunningham would desperately block it up.” Patricia puckered her forehead. “Anyway, our princess was spoiled. And the most interesting part of this story is that Nathan Sadoc, the hottest billionaire downtown, was once in love with an ordinary girl…” 

“Oh, I heard about this!” Julia cut in, “But I thought it was just gossip.”

“It’s not! The girl did exist. They met at the university and fell in love at a party. Very romantic. But then. No one knows. She just disappeared.”

“Uh, he must be heartbroken.”

“I guess so,” Patricia said, “and my point is Nathan Sadoc and our princess definitely not married for love.”

“So, you mean, the interview is not going to work,” Julia asked with a deep frown.

“I don’t know.” Patricia pouted, spreading her arms. 

“What do you think, Vivian?” Julia turned to look at me and asked, “Vivian? Vivian? Are you ok? You look pale.”

I remained silent in her conversation. I rubbed my hands under the table, trying to stop perspiration. My heart was pounding in my chest, thundering. I could feel the pulse in my temple, with a racing speed. I didn’t dare to lift my eyes, locking with theirs. I was afraid.

Neither of them would have known who I was, but I was still afraid. Revulsion grew in the pit of my stomach. I jumped from my seat. “Sorry, I need to go to the loo,” I spoke shortly before dashing out of the meeting room. 

Calm. Calm down.

I hustled myself down the hall into the restroom, locking the cubicle door and letting out a deep exhale. 

Just breathe.

I closed my eyes and counted steadily from one to five on each breath, forcing myself to the cool air slowly vibrating through my nose. This was what my therapist told me to do to stop a panic attack. I found it useful, especially at the moments when I was reminded of that incident. I pressed my hand against my chest as the heartbeat gradually calmed down. I should have interrupted the conversation before they dug into the past. But I hadn’t. Maybe I wanted to hear the story from someone else, someone who hadn’t been involved and would probably be able to give a neutral comment. Or maybe, a part of me kept the useless hope that someone would believe in my innocence. I was just stupid. 

As I returned to the meeting room, Julia and Patricia were whispering to each other. And the moment I entered, they stopped and stared at me. 

“What?” I smiled, walking toward the seat like nothing happened. 

Julia and Patricia exchanged a glance before Patricia asked, “Vivian, are you holding anything from us?”

“No,” I said, “why would you think so?”

Patricia narrowed her eyes skeptically and rubbed her chin like a detective. “If we don’t get it wrong, your last name is Cunningham. Is it correct?”

I licked my bottom lip and swallowed, “yes.”

“And you joined DanLes right after graduation?”

“Yes.” I felt my muscle tense up.

Patricia hummed as she glanced at Julia, who nodded slightly at her. She leaned forward with a serious face. “What’s your relation with the Cunningham family then? Do you know his daughter? Are you a relative of them?” 

“No.” I faked a smile, “I wish I were, but I am not. 

“But it’s too suspicious, same surname, and an exceptive admission ” Julia argued, her eyes on me as if trying to see through my soul.

“It is.” I lied.

“I thought you might have some connections, you know.” Patricia slumped her shoulder in dejection. 

The discussion didn’t make any progress as we had difficulties imagining what might hook Nathan Sadoc up for this interview. Patricia said we should hire a stocker to help us dig out his private life. Julia suggested we need to change our topic and focus on the business side of him. Notes were scattered on the table but nothing constructive was written. It was completely dark outside the window when we decided to call it a day.

“I need to get a drink.” Patricia pushed the door open and turned to us, asking, “Anyone join me?

I meant to reject it since I drove, but I was in need of alcohol. My head was aching from prolonged tension. And Julia, departing from her normal prudence, raised her hand, “Sign me up.”

We all knew that if the sales didn’t surge this time, what Marley said would just come true. As much as I hated the idea, I knew an innovative interview with someone like Nathan would save us from the deadlock. And maybe he was right. We did need to talk. We needed to sit down, face to face, putting our grievances, resentments, and demands on the table. We needed to change, if we wanted to continue our marriage until we couldn’t anymore. But before that, I need alcohol. 

“Yeh, let’s go.” I snapped.