First

Ready to go to work Linna looked at herself in the mirror, wearing a feminine tuxedo and a red scarpin. But it is one of the few clothes that give her a more empowered view of herself. The best part is waking up early, reading a little novel, doing some treadmill and taking a cold shower. However, when you get ready to go to your company, it makes you feel much happier. I mean, to look in the mirror after all this time and find a woman who owns herself is something insignificant.

She put her hand in her pocket and took a picture, then updated her social networks. She is not the kind of person who posts her entire routine there, but she does like to post pictures of herself and her clothes. At twenty-two she had a totally cliché style and liked it until she was judged in her wedding dress. With the most beautiful wedding dress in the world. Now her style was totally formal, most of her clothes were ensembles, slacks and dress shirts, skirts and shorter blouses, all with the same pattern or the same colors. Shoes? All are heels, the sneakers she has are only for walking.

Linna now never goes out in any outfit.

She also didn't care much about her skin, even though she used to use masks sometimes, now every day she usually uses sunscreen and almost every night she does a routine and dips her face in a bowl of ice. It has turned her oily skin into combination skin, like a miracle.

He closes the windows of his apartment and picks up the keys, to his house, his car, and the presidential office. That is, his living room. He locked the door with his fingerprint and entered the elevator feeling a very pleasant climate. Because she lives on the tenth floor she is used to waiting ten minutes until she gets to the first floor, because the other residents always get in when the elevator stops. But she doesn't mind this either, the people in her building are lovely.

- Good morning, Linna. - said Mrs. Mary smiling, an eighty year old woman full of energy, Linna wishes she could be like that when she is that age. Even if there is still plenty of time to think.

- Good morning Mary, how are you? I heard that your son took you to the academy yesterday. - She smiled without showing her teeth.

- Oh, I am very well dear, Jerry took me yesterday, it was very crowded but I enjoyed it very much. It's different from my walks. - Laughs.

- I see.

In minutes the elevator filled up, as usual she stayed in the back, leaning against the wall, until finally reaching the parking lot. At this time in the morning many people usually leave, so it took a little longer before he was finally on the avenue. Fortunately his home was not far from his company, today his day was all committed, he likes days like this.

What he doesn't like is to do nothing, as he used to do in the past.

Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel he listened to phonk. The sensation he feels when listening to this rhythm is unique, it is a kind of mix between electronic and R&B maybe, it is not even possible to say what exactly it is. Linna likes the vibe it gives, calm and fun, a rhythm that is impossible to stand still. It is what gives her a little extra pep in the morning, and just being able to listen to it in her car makes her even happier.

She spotted her company from afar, ten stories high, all with tinted glass, a beautiful garden in front of it adorning the parking lot even more. It was a pleasure to see those people coming and going so early in the morning, and even better to know that it changes other people's lives. It is something gratifying. He parked in the space with his name on it, grabbed his black handbag, and got out of the car and handed the key to the company's valet.

- Good morning, Mr. Lorent. - He smiled at the attendant.

- Good morning missus. - He waved back. Linna went through the revolving door straight to the reception desk where she met a friend that the job had given her, Stella.

- You look very happy today, I like to see you like this. - Said Stella, pinning her name tag on her white shirt with the building's logo.

- My day is just the way I like it. - She smiled broadly, tapping her fingernails on the black counter with gold marble details.

- Good, because you have an exclusive meeting right now at eight o'clock with the CEO of a company. - He winked.

- I'll go upstairs and get ready. What's it about? - One of the things you usually do is make an agenda for each meeting, and it's most practical when you're face to face with the person.

- He wants to make a proposal for a contract, to socialize with his company. - He checked in his notebook before speaking to his friend.

- Okay, when he arrives send him up. - she ordered, and proceeded to the executive elevator. She put some lip gloss on her mouth, since she didn't use any lipstick, and went into her office. As always, everything remained in place.

The desk in front of the airy windows, with the computer on one side and the notebook on the other. Linna also thought this unnecessary until she understood that with the notebook it is much easier to sign contracts, and the computer to perform the online services and also check the price tables and people. The company's landline phone next to the pencil rack, two armchairs for her clients, and a yellow divan in the back with some magazines spread out for reading. And, of course, his bathroom. Simple, small, but very well used.

She put her purse inside one of the cabinets and sat down, turning on the machine, the contract for partners was physical, so it was in her drawer. Then he just turned around, opened it with one of the keys, and picked up the yellowed sheet cake. She left everything ready on the table, taking about twenty minutes before she put all that paperwork away from her desk. Linna hates disorganization, she always tries to leave everything in its proper place, that's why she only trusts her room to one person, because she knows that she will clean and leave everything exactly as it is. Unfortunately, if a pencil is out of place, she notices.

He stared at the white desk clock, eight forty in the morning, the exact moment there was a knock on his door. She shouted one in, already knowing it must be the man who called the meeting. He typed into the computer entering the registration page, since his partners have to be registered with the company as well. Meanwhile the man closed the only button on his tuxedo and swallowed dryly.

- Good morning, Linna. - That sounded too intimate for her, even if her partners call her by name. She looked away from the computer and faced the man, standing up and taking his hand.

- Good morning, sir... - She doesn't remember seeing the name of the person who had called the meeting, but she just had to stare at that face for more than five seconds to know who it was. He looked different, his hair was huge, slicked back with gel, his face looked much more manly, and his voice... very different.

Yet to her nothing had changed.

- Mr. Robert Scully. - Linna let go of his hand immediately and felt dizzy, she put her hands on her eardrums and denied it with her head.

- Just a minute. - Without waiting for him to respond she followed him into the bathroom, putting her hands on the marble sink and staring at herself in the mirror. - This can't be true," he whispered. - he whispered. - Act like a professional, Linna. That's who you are, don't let the past haunt you, that man doesn't deserve your attention. - Even though she felt like crying, as if everything was coming back to life, she took a deep breath and left the bathroom. - I'm sorry, a mosquito got in my ear. - You made up the silliest excuse. - Sit down.

Robert sat down without taking his eyes off the woman in front of him. So different from ten years ago. She didn't even look the same. Her body was not thinner, she looked much bigger, her hair was short, above her neck, with blond streaks. Her posture seems much stiffer now, yet it makes her look very pretty and those clothes fit her very well. She licked her lips moving her rings before speaking.

- First, I want to apologize for all the chaos I caused. - Linna made an effort to remain serious, or with that fake smile on her face, showing no teeth, just maintaining the pose of not caring. - I was too immature, I didn't know the consequences of things, and I am aware of what I did, and that it was totally wrong. I really regretted what I did that day.

Robert was being sincere, sitting relaxed in his chair, but without showing his nervousness and of course his tension. Because in fact the back of his neck was sweating like never before. He was ashamed. And she? She hated it.

- I don't want to know. You didn't come here to talk about the past, so let's get down to business. - She picked up the papers and slapped them on the table, leaving him totally flabbergasted.

- Of course. - With a large sweaty hand he smoothed his chin, trying to relax.

- I understand that the meeting is for the partnership application. - He stared at him with shallow eyes.

- Yes. My company, I mean, my parents' old company, is in a state of destabilization, I've tried several ways to save it, but I only get into more trouble. I thought that the more partners, the more business would go on, but now I have late checks and a lot of problems within the company. - He sighed in annoyance. - Since his start-up company is being very well spoken of in the city, I did some research and the businesses are the same. I thought about the possibility of proposing to become partners, and thought about a second marriage proposal. This way it would become a controversy, and my company's sales would start to go up again, and little by little I would get rid of a few annoying partners who get on my nerves. - Linna could hardly believe it.

- Are you finished? - he stammered.

- Yes. - Every minute he swallowed his saliva dry, there wasn't even any saliva left.

.

- Are you kidding me? - Linna stood up and punched the table without caring about the pain in the tendons of her fingers. - How dare you show up here after all this time to make me an offer like this? You really are out of character, Robert. I'm not interested in companies about to go bankrupt, and as for marriage, I have no desire to get married. Not even if you were the last man on earth. - She didn't spare her throat, she felt she had to say everything she hadn't said all this time.

He was already waiting for this, it was the stupidest idea yet he knew it was all he had left. His misconduct with the company had made everything go down the drain and his parents had completely ignored him for years, so there was no one to turn to for help except his own company's employees. But they are not very smart.

- I'm sorry, I had no other choice, the no I already had then...

- Then nothing! You should be ashamed to come here and ask me for this. -Robert stared at her well-drawn, gloss-lit lips, losing himself for milliseconds.

- Believe me, I'm very ashamed. - He cringed, staring at his dress shoes and closing his eyes tightly. - I know you still have a lot to say to me, it's okay, I deserve it. I deserve a lot more than just a big mouthful.

- You have ruined my life. Not only did you dump me at the altar, you humiliated me in front of all those people, your girlfriend. I felt like crap on a day that should have been at least joyful. I believed there could be a friendship between us but you expose me in the worst possible way. - She pointed her forefinger at him. Fortunately she was expressing her anger without any tears falling. - Even if I killed you this anger wouldn't end.

Before he dared to say anything three knocks on the door interrupted him, not knowing who it was Linna let herself in feeling her throat hurt and her nostrils flare. Then a child entered.

- Hi mom, Aunt Stella said I could come in. - Oh, of course, Linna had forgotten that her son was coming to the company after his Mandarin course. At once she smiled and went over to him.

- Oh, your aunt is crazy and forgot that I was in a meeting. - She hugged him and then kissed his forehead. - How was the course, Matt?

- Today we had a sign game. We sat in a circle and played a kind of tag. - Linna just loves the way her son explains things, gesturing with his arms and hands.

- That's great, son.

He remembered the man standing there. Robert stared at the child, not believing that he had a son, and a big one at that. He suspected that he was perhaps eight years old because of his height. The boy had a lean body, his features were identical to hers, but his hair was very straight and black, covering his forehead. She noticed his mother giving him a deadly look.

- You can go now, the meeting is over. - Robert stood up, taking slow steps, snapping his fingers.

- But...

- The answer is no, Robert. Now go away.