Bright
Night was creeping slowly. An orange hue cast a pattern on the wall, creating an ambience in the room. Stella was seated behind a desk, pulling on a cigarette and puffing some smoke. The orange background enlarged the shadow and made the puff of smoke appear like a cloud engulfing the room. In her hand was a paper she stared with deadly gaze. The front page had a photo of her and a faceless man leaving a room. She can be seen clutching her coat in one hand, purse in the other. The man was closing the door behind them, and thankfully was wearing a hat so his face did not show.
Despite the relief, the photo made it to the front page and her name in the headline, accused of cheating on her husband. The horror clearly kept her late in the office, going over the words typed in the print. The orange in the room slowly dissolved to a crystal blue. Her phone light came on, it was a message. Stella’s gaze shifted with little effort, but a knock pulled her attention to the door. Shortly after, without her response, the door creaked open and a lean man with shallow cheeks walked in. He looked like an actor cast for a specific role. His soft features betrayed a man in his early thirties, but in reality he was a little older than that. In the blueish color, his skin appeared shale and his eyes matched his dark brown hair.
“I appear to have arrived at the wrong time.”
Stella was back staring at the paper before she replied, “Make no matter of it.”
“I spoke to the office assistant, she said you won’t need to do anything at the moment, the manager has you covered.”
Stella kept her gaze fixed on the paper and shrugged, “I wonder, though, why this?”
“Ma’am?” Matthew questioned.
“Why expose me while city representatives haul my ass and my agent acts up?”
“Part of the business, Ma’am. All over the news they are mentioning it. Every other company would be rich from this story alone. City governor asleep with strange man? That would be hell of a headline.”
“Now you’re mocking me.” Mrs. McGray pulled on her cigarette, exhaled a jet of smoke and kept her eyes peeled at the paper. Matthew walked over to the desk and took a seat right next to her. He seemed a little concerned since the last time they spoke. Mrs. McGray did not lose a semblance of her nonchalance.
(to be continued)
