The Accidental Heart
She simply reached across the marble island, her index finger pointing directly at the tiny, vibrant smudge of green clinging to Vivian's thumb.
Vivian looked down. The moment her eyes landed on the paint, her breath caught completely.
The immaculate, unflappable composure she had spent her entire life perfecting shattered in a microsecond.
A deep, furious crimson flush rushed up her neck, blooming violently across her cheeks as she realized she had been caught red-handed.
She abruptly set the mug down, pulling her hand back defensively and hiding her thumb inside her palm.
"It is an industrial contaminant," Vivian stammered, her voice cracking slightly, completely losing its smooth executiv