Published: June 9, 2019-----Sept. 30, 2020

Katelyn immediately saw some of her colleagues huddled together in the lobby as if discussing something upon going out of the elevator. Upon seeing her, they all looked at her, some with envy in their eyes and some dislike, as for her reaction, she just past them with closed-lip.

Every person that she passed by looked at her, even though she was used to some people, especially men's attention, but not this strange look. Some were also giving her this, "I know what you did face."

"Hi, Katelyn," a slender brunette woman, taller than her by 2 inches and whom she is not familiar with, greeted her as they met in the hallway going to her office.

Katelyn just smiled sweetly in response.

She continued her stride though "CONFUSION" written in bold letters all over her face. Suddenly she halted her steps when it hit in her the reason for her colleague's strange behavior.

It was because of what had happened last Friday, with the party and the happenings during the weekend she had forgotten the topic in their company's chat room.

She stopped walking, and with shoulder drooping and grimacing, she murmured to herself. "So they are talking about her," she then hurriedly went to the restroom to calm her nerves.

Its right timing that it's empty, directly she walked inside the cubicle and just sat down on the top of the bowl.

She has never been a person who wanted the attention of many people, especially if it is a subject of gossip; hence, she does not know how to react to this kind of situation.

She remembered during their lunchtime on that day, a lot of eyes followed her in the cafeteria. But Nicole advised her; just ignore the attention as well as the rumors that will spread because most of her colleagues will not put malice on what had happened.

The reason was simple; their comments in the chat room pointed out that it was only a casual encounter and was too shallow to be a ground of any future entanglement between them.

Tess and Nicole praised her on it. She had accomplished what everyone had not done in a short time, to be known by everyone in the company for not even one month.

At that time, she did not feel any uneasiness as she was with her friends, but now she felt so paranoid about the way they looked at her. She can only borrow the phrase "easier said than done."

Katelyn shuttered just to imagine the horror if they will find out that she is married to him.

She can already imagine those judgmental eyes, following her every move, dissecting every part of her just to know why she was able to catch a big fish. But then she consoles herself; her marriage is in secret. The possibility of anyone knowing is thin, and if ever she had thought of the probability that it will be more than that, it was only wishful thinking.

Staring at the floor, Katelyn remembered what had happened after her moments of being honest to herself and exposing her hankering after him through actions.

He brought the food he had made and served her in a face full of remorse, which made her speechless.

The silence between them that followed had almost made her cry. At that moment, she realized that what had happened was just a mistake for Jared. While for her, it was taking off her shield and exposing herself.

If not for the thought that she must salvage her pride, she had wailed her grievance like a shrew.

Suddenly she heard the opening of the door and footsteps walking past her. It went inside the cubicle next to her, and it was when she realized that she still has worked.

She sniffed and only then realized that thoughts of him had made her so sad because of a drop of tears on the floor. She wiped her face, took a deep breath, and hurriedly went out of her hiding place.

She washes her hand in the faucet while examining her face in the mirror. There was a bit of redness in her eyes, but she can make an excuse and blame it on being irritated by soap. She closed the faucet, took a tissue, and then walked to her office.

In the meantime, Jared went up to his office using his private elevator with Mark. He looked at his assistant, who is busy browsing the tablet in his hand.

"Mr. Steele, the topic of the chat room is now Mrs. Steele," Jared took a look at the tablet that faced him and saw his wife photo while walking in the lobby.

He took the tablet from Mark and read the comments.

Some wrote that she is even more beautiful up close. There is also someone who is asking if she is single. Others commented using emojis of three hearts, fire, and smiling face with three hearts and, of course, that caught all his attention.

He straightened himself and returned the tablet to Mark and then told him in a taut voice. "Check the employees who commented in emojis with heart and review their performance at work and then send them to the HR department."

Jared looked at his assistant when he did not hear any response only to see him, with mouth open but suddenly closed it upon noticing his scowling face. So he further explained what he meant on his command. "If a lot of them don't perform well in their jobs because of spending their time gossiping in unrelated topics that will benefit the company, then dating within the company will be banned."

"Okay, Mr. Steele, I will inform the HR department and the admin of the chat room."

They go out of the elevator with Jared walking directly to his table. On the other hand, Mark went out of his office and walked to the secretaries to instruct them on what he wanted to happen.

He did wonder what possessed him, but upon seeing the comments regarding his wife made him so angry to the extent that he made those orders.

He cannot argue that anyone who sees his wife will comment that she is beautiful; in fact, for him, as the days go by, his wife's beauty mesmerized him.

But when did he start to be this petty? He was not that unreasonable person before. He can understand small and unimportant things. He just ignored his employees gossiping back then in the chat room about a subject unrelated to the company. What is essential is their profit was increasing. It was only later that he became so sensitive in every detail written in there as if expecting this kind of topic to pop out.

Katelyn's presence created disturbances not only on his feelings but also on his thoughts. As a businessman whose mind must always be alert, he cannot be a slave to his emotions.

Katelyn was surprised at what had happened. The speed of the gossip about her was revived early on the day. It was also quickly banished with just one post from the admin.

"Dating will be banned within the company if there will be a decrease in the Employees Performance Index."

Katelyn was able to breathe normally after reading it. It only means that her day will finish without any gossip or strange looks darted on.

Even Tess and Nicole did not mention anything about the gossip. On their lunchtime, they only talked about the food in the cafeteria and the paper works they are working.

It looks as if the scenario of last Friday were all erased in the mind of the people.

After office hours, Katelyn was picking up her bag inside the cabinet of her table when she remembered Nicole's date, and as if their minds are in sync, Nicole appeared in front of her.

"Kate, follow me to the washroom, okay?" Only when she nod did Nicole turned around and walked outside their office armed with two bags.

After five minutes, she walked to the table of Tess, who is already locking her cabinet.

"Tess lets go out together."

Tess looked up and smiled at her and then nod. After Tess checked everything that in her table was locked and arranged, they went out of their office and went to the comfort room.

After an hour, the three of them were going out on the elevator on the fifth floor, Katelyn in a brunette wig and brown contact lens while Nicole in auburn. To the surprise of Katelyn, Tess also came with them.

"I felt that today was the most stressful day in my entire working days here at SGC (abbreviation for Steele Group of Companies)," hand over her chest Nicole blurted out once they were out of their company door.

"Yes, it was a tiring day," Katelyn answered while a tremendous exhilaration of pent-up breath came out of her, and then she looked at Tess, who was smiling happily.

After a few minutes of just relieving themselves of the stress of the day by leaning on the wall, Nicole turned to look at Katelyn and explained. "I asked Tess to go with us yesterday, and I did not tell you because I know you will not go with me once you know I already have a companion."

"You are right," Katelyn wanted to answer, but she just kept quiet.

"I am sorry, Kate. We hide it from you," Tess apologized to her while holding her hands.

What else can Katelyn do upon seeing Tess wincing face? "It is okay, Tess," she answered and then turned to look at Nicole, smiled, and then continued in a teasing voice, "beside Nicole just want to share her guys."

They all laughed together and then started walking to the restaurant where they will meet their dates.

While they are walking, curiosity wins over good manners, Katelyn asked Tess. "What happened to Clyde?"

"Well, I am not interested in him." Upon hearing the disgust in Tess's voice, Katelyn turned to Nicole, who also stopped form walking and turned around to face them.

"After you went home and we were left there in the night club, he started to flirt with the woman who was making advances with Mr. Steele," Nicole explained, and then Katelyn tried to picture out the woman.

"It was Michelle, one of the fashion designers of Mengary Fashion." Tess supplemented while rolling her eyes.

Katelyn remembered the beautiful brunette taller than her by two inches and wore her dress like a second skin. She was also the reason that she had drunk again a glass of wine that made her tipsy.

Imagine flirting with her husband in front of her, but then, of course, she did not know that he is married. So Katelyn forgives her, and out of irritation, she took a glass of wine and drunk her sorrow in it.

"So now, you understand the reason I had invited Tess?" Nicole asked Katelyn that returned her to the present.

"Yes, I understand now," Her breadth of relief as she answered was not noticed by the two as they already resumed walking, and upon seeing them ahead of her, Katelyn followed.

Once inside the restaurant, Nicole told the waiter to usher them to the table reserved by Mr. Johnson. They were guided in the far end of the restaurant in a table for six where two men wearing a jacket, buttoned-up collared shirt paired with a tie sat down.

The blond guy saw them first. He stands up and smiles and the other one followed.

Once they are near the table, Nicole offered her hands to the blond guy, and the introductions began.

That guy turned out to be David Johnson, and the other one with brown hair is Michael Stuart.

Michael is around six feet, while David is shorter by two inches or three. After they had shaken their hands and greeted each other, they all sit down.

Katelyn made sure that she sat in the corner of the table, so the four of them faced one another, the people that needed to know each other. In that way, she can also observe each different reaction.

The waiter took their order, and when he left the table, they were able to talk.

Katelyn found out that they were both partners in an accounting firm. Being friends since their University days, they had decided to work as associates.

Their amiable disposition and being in the same line of profession helped make the conversation lighten up, and the awkwardness of meeting for the first time was quickly shed off.

It was during the main course was being served that Katelyn looked up, and as her position faced the entrance door, her eyes saw a familiar face entering the doorway. She turned to Tess and Nicole and saw the former eyes had also seen who just came. Nicole, on the other hand, was busy flirting with Michael.

It was a good thing that she is in disguise, Blake will recognize her and mention it to Jared, but then she looked at Tess, who is not wearing any costume, and that made her worry. All she can do was to pray that Blake will not recognize Tess as one of her friends.

"Vicky, how long have you been here in the U.S.?" David asked her that distracted Katelyn from worrying about being recognized, and then she answered," Only more than three weeks."

"So, you have not explored New York?"

"Yes, I have not yet."

David eyes light up upon hearing her answer." I can be your tour guide if you want to go sight-seeing."

"Is this guy interested in her? Isn't he supposed to be talking to Tess?" Katelyn thought to herself, but the ringing of her phone saved her from answering David.

She excused herself first to David and then turned around to get her bag at her backside and then turned back again.

She put her bag in her lap before opening it. Once she fished out her phone, Katelyn felt her heart beating faster than average as she saw who her caller is. With trembling hands, she accepts the call.

She took a deep breath to calm herself before she answered. "Hello," Katelyn then looked at David, who is now engaged in a conversation to Tess.

"Where are you?" Upon hearing Jared's voice, she immediately gets up and only answered when she was a meter away from their table.

"I am in a restaurant together with my friends."

"Why it had taken you so long to answer?"

"Well, I have to leave the table first before answering you," she answered; she stopped from walking and looked around to locate the restroom. Once she saw the sign, she continues her stride.

"Which restaurant are you right now?" Katelyn heard the pushing of a chair on his ends as Jared asked her, and it alarmed her at the thought that he will come here and see her in disguise.

He is an intelligent man, just one look at her appearance; he will suspect that something is amiss.

She thinks hard what to do, to lie, or tell her exact location. She looked back at the table where her friends are eating, but before she can answer, she heard Jared's voice with a hint of annoyance.

"Tori, I am just asking the name of the restaurant,"

"I am here at Little Johnny's Restaurant," she finally decided to tell the truth.

"How much time do you still need there?"

Jared knows about her plan to go out with her friends to the mall after work because she told him in the morning while they were in the car going to the office.

He answered her at that time in his most authoritative voice that he too has a lot of work to do and will be late in leaving the office. So, he will pick her up once she finishes.

"About an hour," she answered him, and then her guilty conscience get the best on her, so she asked him, "What food do you want me to bring for you?"

"No need, Mark already ordered our dinner; that is why I called to know if you can eat with us." What he answered became a puzzle for Katelyn.

Inevitably it will cause a big commotion if someone saw her walking inside his office.

Though curious to see its interior, she is not that foolish to be a victim and lured into a trap. As usual, she cannot pinpoint it to him, so she just answered," Thank you."

"Just go out of the mall once I called you, Okay?" Katelyn noticed the tenderness in his voice as he told her. In a glimpse, her heart almost forgets its promise not to be affected by his goodness.

"Hmm...Okay, I will wait for your call, Bye..." she removed the phone from her ear, and while turning it off, she bumped into something firm.

The collision results in the slackening of her grip on the phone, and she heard the sound of it falling.

A hand encircled her waist to stop her from loosening her balance. The surprise of being in the arms of a stranger made her pushed the person away from her.

"I'm sorry, I was just trying to catch you from falling," she heard a man's voice apologized, and when she looked up, it turned out to be Blake.

A different Blake, because the confident man she met last Saturday is now with a redden face, fidgeting and smiling his whole face. But the one good thing, it seems that he doesn't recognize her.

"It's okay, and thank you for supporting me," she answered....and looked down on the floor to where her phone is. Upon seeing it a few steps away from her, toward Blake's back, she walked past him. Pick it up and then directly went to the restroom without looking back at him.

End of Part 10

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