HATRED AND TENSION

(The Lounge at the Headquarters of the Zones Group - 11:15 PM)

Roseline had just finished her second cocktail order when Thomas's secretary returned to the lobby to tell her he was ready to see her now.

"Five more minutes and I'd have been out of here," Roseline cussed under her breath before standing to follow the smartly dressed secretary.

She had been waiting for over an hour, with everybody who had passed by staring strangely at her. It was uncomfortable.

She knew it would be, when Thompson, just because his father made a rude comment about her outfit the last time, had forced her to wear a gown that was most suited for parties and heels inches above the length she was most comfortable in.

"But I'd be meeting him at the office. Don't you think this is too flashy?" she had asked him as she stared at the long red sequin dress with the reflective discs attached to every inch of it.

"It doesn't matter," he had replied simply, dismissing her complaint.

Roseline, embarrassed out of her mind, tried to hide behind the mass of hair parted to each side of her face as she walked closely behind the secretary.

There were so many eyes on her, and she wouldn't even blame them. She probably was the shiniest odd thing in the space at that moment.

Her ankle was numb and painful as she dragged the long heels along. It had not healed well yet.

Determined to distract herself from the pain of her injury and the anxiety from being the center of attention, Roseline focused on the secretary walking in front of her.

Observing from her dark polished shoes to her clean, ironed black pants on a fine cotton brown long-sleeved shirt, Roseline searched for the slightest crease but found none.

Shivering from how disturbing that was, she tore her eyes away from the secretary, and they landed on Thompson.

He wore a blank expression as he stared at her silently.

Roseline made to wave, but Thompson's expression made her reconsider, and she rubbed her hands together and smiled at him instead.

She wasn't sure if he reciprocated the smile, as she had to hurry up to the secretary who was about to disappear through a door.

"You can go in," Thomas's secretary spoke, waving a hand to the door before her.

Roseline swallowed hard. Her body suddenly felt tense, and her palms became sweaty, her ankle sore from stress.

It is true she had never been to the Whites' company. Though she knew what the branch in Mayfair looked like prior to her visit, it was only because the television business channels always had something to say about them.

It was only a matter of seconds before she was faced with Thompson's father for a private meeting she couldn't even guess what it would be about.

She thought she would be able to pull it off, whatever it may be, but her breathing became heavier with anxiety as she approached the door.

"Come in. Don't waste my time," Thomas spoke from the inside, causing Roseline to shudder hard.

Inhaling slowly and exhaling sharply, she turned the knob of the door and went in, her composure as tight as possible.

Thomas watched Roseline as she walked into the office, her eyes lit up with admiration as they flickered carefully from one corner to the next.

He could tell that even in her state of being in awe of the touch of delicate masterpiece his interior designer had given his office, she was tense and trying too hard not to show it.

Her shoulders were unnaturally balanced, and her fingers clutched the handbag she carried a little too tightly. Her eyes were sloppy, and her face too serious.

Thinking of a subtle way to make her feel more relaxed, Thomas moved his eyes down to the document he had just finished reviewing, pretending to look through it again.

But it was just his eyes that moved away from Roseline. Somehow, his entire focus was still on her. He would notice if she as little as blinked.

Roseline smirked, glaring hard at him.

She had been waiting at the lounge since like forever, and after walking what seemed like a mile to his office, he left her standing and went back to work.

Thomas could tell her eyes were on him, but he wasn't sure what she was thinking.

All of a sudden, she shifted in her stance, clearing her throat loudly at the same time.

"Hello, sir!" Roseline spoke first.

She might not have noticed, but Thomas had raised his head to look at her the moment she opened her mouth to speak.

"Sit," he said, his eyes still pinned on her.

Thomas watched her take a seat silently, not uttering a word after that.

This is the point where she pulls out a video, maybe, from that night and names her price, but she just sat there silently watching the company's crafted logo on the office tabletop.

"Do I need to push her more?" Thomas thought, adjusting his glasses while still trying to figure out what she might be thinking from the look in her eyes.

But she didn't seem like she wanted to say anything to him.

Her eyes were as clear as glass, void of anything suspicious or threatening, satisfied, uninterested.

Roseline spoke.

"I'm not sure why you wanted to see me, sir."

"You're sneaky. Pretending we haven't met before wouldn't make me forgive your atrocity," Thomas took his chance, poking further.

"Excuse me, sir?" Roseline's eyes widened in shock. It amused Thomas; he had to bite down hard on his tongue to stop himself from smiling.

Shifting on her chair, Roseline looked around, somewhat confused at what she had just heard.

"What do you have to say, Miss?" Thomas pressed further, enjoying the show just fine.

Gasping softly, Roseline spoke, her words fluent and firm.

"Mr. White, my name is Roseline Johnson. I don't think I have wronged anyone in the past to make them hold a valid grudge against me. As a matter of fact, this is just the second time I've met you, and let's say I'm mistaken on that record, I am sure I've never committed any crime against you. I assure you that you have the wrong person."

Speechless at how insanely attractive she appeared as she confidently defended herself, Thomas just looked on.

He didn't mean to get her worked up; he almost apologized.

But now convinced Roseline doesn't remember what happened that night at all—probably because she was drunk when it all happened—Thomas let out a sigh of relief.

"We will see on that, Miss Roseline."

Roseline's lips fell apart helplessly.

"How are things with my son?" Thomas asked, listening keenly to whatever answer she was about to give.

Surprised at the switch from accusing her of something she had no idea about to playing father-in-law-to-be, Roseline breathed out slowly before answering simply.

"We're fine."

Thomas was not sure what to make of the reply, but pushing it a bit further, he spoke.

"I think there's something you need to know."