11

“Pleasure’s all mine.” I reach out and shake it briefly, my cold hands are like ice cubes compared to her warm velvet skin and despite having no reason, I instantly dislike her. There’s nothing obvious standing out, it’s just a feeling.

“Oh, you’re so cold. Do you have indigestion? That can really mess with the circulation in your hands. I have some antacids in my bag if you’d like some.” She smiles widely, soft, sweet, and overly caring, and I shake my head, sensing this is an act to redeem herself to me. I didn’t eat today so my blood sugar is low and has nothing to do with acid if my body temperature is low. I’m so used to it that I don’t notice anymore.

“I…”

“You skipped breakfast, didn’t you? How many times have I told you not to do that?” Jyeon cuts in, his tone aggravated and stern and he eyes me with a furrowed brow before I can speak. Getting up, he marches to his desk and renders me speechless by hitting the intercom.

“Yeah, get us a breakfast box serving for the VP, and coffee with extra sugar and cream. Make it snappy, thanks, Dee.” He calmly commands his assistant and turns to head back our way, and despite myself, it pulls the rug from under my feet, and I don’t know how to feel or react. Like a slap in the face, he bowls me over with the unexpected request. It’s not just the food, but the fact he still remembers how I drink my coffee even though we haven’t shared one in years.

I avoid his eye contact when he comes back, pasting a smile on my face as though this is his everyday loving nature, although I can’t figure out if this is for her benefit or if he genuinely is in the mood to give a shit about me. We play-act the perfect happy couple for anyone that isn’t family so much and this is probably an extension of that. I shouldn’t overthink it.

“You know me too well, Darling.” That is all I can force out without it sounding strained, pushing that fake adoring smile his general way and I catch her lingering look at him as he settles himself back down to his previous position. It’s a flicker of a moment, less than a half-second, but I catch it. The undeniable appreciation and admiration for a handsome man and how his care of his wife melts her heart. It makes me uptight, suddenly suspicious of her motives for showing up here like this, and I focus back on the documents on my lap. Mentally chastising myself for being this stupid and knowing that my insane thoughts lately are starting to become a problem. Maybe it’s because we’ve become more irritable towards one another, colder and crueler of late and I feel like he’s slipping further away.

“I only came to hand you these, we need them processed quickly. I’m awaiting signatures to get the ball rolling. I wasn’t aware Biochem was sending someone so soon when the ink hasn’t been applied to the agreement yet.” I raise a brow her way, and then at him, and wonder how exactly this wench got in here when I was the one dealing with their male liaison only a week ago when digging through their financial projections. I don’t have a clue who she is. They didn’t inform me of a liaison replacement.

“I hate to admit, but I wanted to come and introduce myself face to face. I’m recently recruited to biotech and have been following OLO’s success for several years. I admire what you two have done to your company and how far it’s come in such a short space of time to become an industry leader. I shamelessly came to meet in person my idol who put his company on the number one spot.” She oozes honey with every word and her eyes keep straying to my husband, making it clear that despite saying it’s both of us, it’s him she wanted to meet. Jyeon smiles back, but there’s nothing in it and it doesn’t reach his eyes. Just a mere polite acknowledgment and it makes me feel a little less tetchy and paranoid. If he was enamored by her I think my current state of mind would have me ripping her hair off.

“So, you have a thing for my husband… well, his brain?” It’s an off-the-cuff remark, through a half laugh, steeped in fake jest, and I smile so brightly I pass it off as friendly banter. I catch Jyeon in my linear sight flexing his jaw subtly and signaling he knew it was a catty remark and didn’t like it one bit. Not understanding where this bitchiness has come from when I only just met the woman. His shoulders hunch forward slightly to signal he’s moving to a bad mood because of me.

“You could say that. I could learn a lot from someone Like Jyeon Park, top of his field, and infamous in investment banking …..and of course you, Sohla.” Her response is equally veiled but over-dusted with the same fake humor as mine. Leaving my recognition as an obvious afterthought to point out she caught my meaning.

“My apologies, Miss White. We have a meeting soon, so you can leave all this with me, and I’ll be sure to email you if I have any questions. When we have a definite on the investment decision I’ll reach out to you for a proper meeting. It’s nice to put a face to the name on the emails and hope to be working alongside you very soon.” Jyeon is playing mediator and it’s obvious he’s in no mood for this or me. I can feel his static sizzling in the air and know as soon as she leaves I’ll get his cold shoulder and harsh words.

 He stands up to signal she should go, and I know it’s because I have pissed him off, not her. I cut their brief meeting short and I’m not even sorry. He doesn’t like entertaining when I sour his mood and knock him off his charm game. I’m like a black cloud to him every day. No one else is ever in the wrong beside me, no matter the scenario when it comes to him.

“I’ll look forward to it.” She stands too and I follow, all passing polite handshakes and empty pleasantries as she is escorted out of the room by Jyeon in a hasty manner and he doesn’t give her time to linger for chit chat. I stand my ground and sit back down, with no intention of leaving here, picking up the documents I brought with me, and steeling myself for a showdown when he comes back. I mentally tell myself I did nothing out of order here, even if my gut says otherwise. He’s my husband, I have a right to walk in here anytime I choose and challenge women giving him the eye.