Office Affair

By Katherine Ly

                  Disillusioned, with hope fading from her eyes she stood on the balcony looking down at the party below by the pool area.  She had thought Jeff to be different.  He had seemed so genuine and real.  Jeff with his smiles, the way he carried himself with such control, his hard exterior mixed with his warm personality, his ambition and determination to strive for more despite having it all and being heir to the Stanton printing fortune.  He looked wonderful and her heart leaped everytime she saw him, with his dark blond hair and hazel eyes, his surfer body and boyish charm.  Was that why she was so blind to that hard and calculating look in his eyes?  Maybe it's his family, maybe he's trying to prove something to everyone not knowing he is fine the way he is.  Oh stop making excuses for him, a tiny voice of hers argued.  It was an ill-fated match even in the beginning...he is but a prince reigning over his huge business empire and that of his family, and she is but a clerk in an office at one of the many businesses he owns.

                 One day he had noticed her and their secret affair began.  He often mentioned that they had to be discreet and he couldn't afford the media to find out about them.  But she had held out hope that it wasn't just a brief affair and maybe, one day, he wouldn't care about going public.

                 The music continued loudly downstairs yet she was lost in her own thoughts, her own world.   Why had she lied to herself and convinced herself to believe that she would belong here eventually, given some time and maybe his love?  Did he love her?  With Jeff slowly pulling away and becoming more distant maybe she'd been fooling herself.   Now she could see clearly that it could never be.  Jeff was by the pool sipping win and engaged in an intense conversation with Marco Marellini, a weathy Italian real estate developer.  Earlier she had spotted Jeff with his date, an Argentinian model hanging onto his arm and he had barely acknowledged her or glance her way the entire night.  Yet it was he who had persuaded her to attend this christmas party but what was her role here?  She--obviously a nobody and here with no one.  She felt so suffocated downstairs that finding the balcony to hide and the view it afforded was a godsend. 

                Privacy that is until she saw Marco look up and directly at her.  He started making his way towards her.  In a few minutes he was behind her on the balcony.  He did not speak for a moment yet she could feel his presence and sense him, like a prey sensing impending danger.  The hair on her neck stood on end.

               "Kate, you seemed so lonely up here, why don't you go down and join the party?"  He said to her back.

               "Marco, don't mock me.  You know I don't belong here.  I don't even know why I'd agreed to come in the first place."  Anger radiated through her body.  How dare he point out the obvious.

                "I told Jeff that it's inconsiderate of him to invite you and bring Brenda.  I was thinking that you could come work for me.  I have need of an Executive Assistant, since Peggy is taking off for a couple of months due to her mother's advanced illness."  He stood next to her, shoulder touching shoulder.

                 "Maybe.  I was thinking of either moving away or applying for a new job somewhere else.  I don't want to work in the same office as Jeff anymore.  I don't think he'll notice me gone."  She tried to hold back the tears and knew now was not the time to let loose.

                 "Kate, don't do this."  Marco's hand rested on her upper arm and he gently pulled her towards him and hugged her to his body.  It was comforting to be near him and he is a good friend so there's nothing more to it.  She had gotten to know Marco through Jeff since the two of them are good friends and she was often around the both of them.  Marco with his dark wavy locks and soft brown eyes, dimples, lean and well-built, and inch over six feet in height was very reserved.  Unlike Jeff, who craved the spotlight and attention, Marco was content to stay in the background and he was steady and calm even in the middle of a tough situation.  The two of them were opposites and both of them fit like a glove in any social gathering, but each were unique in their own way.

<< Previous    [1]  2    Next >>