“I don’t like my chances, Carmen,” I said, swirling my gin and tonic.
“Be patient. They’re here to network, not for pleasure. You’ll get your turn,” she replied, toying with the toothpick skewering the olives in her martini.
I admired Carmen as she gazed across the room, her long, dark hair falling across her cheek, her cleavage pouting invitingly between the ‘v’ of her blouse, buttoned low.
“You know, we could always go back to your place for a drink. This can wait,” I hinted, hoping Carmen would accept my suggestion.
Carmen looked back to me and smirked.
“Getting cold feet, are we?”
“No, honestly. I just thought it would be nice for the two of us to spend some time together… as friends rather than colleagues.”
“Oh right, as ‘friends’. I doubt it,” she scoffed.
“Hey, I take offense to that. Alright, yes, I find you very attractive, that’s no secret. But I genuinely enjoy your company… when you’re not yelling at me to meet deadlines, that is.”
She scrutinised me for a few moments, and her lips were touched with the faintest smile. She opened her mouth to reply, but something caught her eye and she looked away.
“Here’s your chance, darling,” she said, straightening up and putting her martini glass on a nearby table.
Carmen waved across the room.
Sylvia approached us purposefully, Gary trailing slightly behind her. Her hips swung sexily as her dainty fingers clasped her champagne glass.
“Carmen, so nice to see you,” she greeted us in a soft, but confident voice, mature, but not aged.
Carmen and Sylvia kissed each others’ cheeks. Gary ignored me in favour of glaring disdainfully at Carmen.
“I hope the conference wasn’t too boring,” said Sylvia.
“I managed to stay awake for most of it,” joked Carmen, who seemed to be on quite familiar terms with Mrs. Voynov.
Carmen introduced me to Syliva, and I extended my hand. Sylvia took it, then leaned in to politely press her cheek against mine, saying, “Goodness, there’s no need to be so formal, dear. It’s happy hour.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Voynov. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” I said, enjoying the floral scent of her perfume.
“And you. Carmen has had many good things to say about you. You’re a fabulous asset to the company, from what I hear,” replied Sylvia, smiling brilliantly, the faint lines at the corner of her eyes giving her an air of sophistication.
“Is that so? Well it’s the first I’ve heard of it,” I said, laughing.
“I’m just being careful that you don’t get a swollen head,” quipped Carmen with an obvious double-entendre.
“Well you should know that she’s spoken very highly of you to me. Strange how you don’t seem to take much notice of these things, Gary,” said Sylvia with a side glance at her husband.
“I’ve got bigger things to worry about than individual employee performance. That’s Carmen’s job,” Gary tried to say in a calm manner, but it just came off as patronising.
“It’s everyone’s job to recognise good performance, honey. Just be careful Carmen, I might try to lure him away from your department,” said Sylvia, touching my arm.
Gary rolled his eyes and threw back the rest of his drink. He burped, then shook his empty glass.
“If you’ll excuse me,” he said, turning away and marching towards the bar.
“I’ll excuse myself as well, Sylvia. I’ve just seen Kevin and I need to catch up with him about the annual report. I’ll speak with you later.”
Carmen kissed Sylvia’s cheek and turned to leave, giving me a subtle wink on her way out.
“Please ignore my husband. He seems to have a bee in his bonnet about Carmen and anyone who works under her. He probably resents the fact that Carmen’s done more for the company than he has. Oh, forgive me… enough office politics. What did you think of the conference?”
Sylvia and I made conversation about the conference and the company. I shared some ideas for business and product development for our department, in which she seemed genuinely interested. In fact, we had very similar views about the company and its direction. Sylvia struck me as a strong, intelligent, competent business woman, who knew the value of her people. I found myself admiring and respecting her, and was confused about why she would stay with such a horrible husband.
“Goodness, I’m sorry about all this shop talk, but it’s nice to know we have such an engaged person such as yourself working for us. I don’t often get to exchange ideas outside the board members. It’s refreshing.”
“I’m glad to have had the chance to share my perspective, Mrs. Voynov.”
“Sylvia, please. Would you care for another drink?” she said, turning her body to look for the wait staff.
“Yes please, Sylvia.” I liked the sound of her name as I spoke it.
She flagged a waiter who took our order. I began to think about what I had come there for; what I intended to say to Sylvia. It seemed an impossible thing-I was intending to expose her husband’s infidelity and unlawful behaviour with concrete proof to his wife… whom I had just met! It seemed absurd, unreal. But the thought of Courtney being harassed fueled my purpose. I had to do it. I decided that after another drink or two I would have enough courage to take the plunge.
Our drinks arrived and Sylvia raised her glass.
“To your health and hard work,” she said, smiling.
“And yours.”
We clinked our glasses and drank. As she tipped her head, I admired the pale skin of her neck, her womanly collarbones, and her decolletage. I noticed that her white blouse was also unbuttoned quite low… had she done this as we were speaking? Her breasts made beautiful curved cleavage with the help of her bra, and I felt my balls tingle. I was unsure if Sylvia had seen me admiring her neck and breasts, but if she had she was too polite to draw attention to it.
After a few more minutes of conversation, I decided to take the plunge.
“Um… Sylvia, I have a rather, erm, delicate matter that I’d like to speak to you about, if I may,” I began, almost shaking from nervousness.
“Oh?” she said, a small crease forming between her thin eyebrows.
“Yes. It concerns… your husband,” I said carefully.
Her smile faded and her expression became stern. I immediately backpedaled.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have… it’s not appropriate of me-my apologise,” I stammered badly, feeling like an utter fool.
Sylvia looked around the room, then back at me, still with a threatening undertone.
“No. Not here. Take this,” she said, handing me her business card. “Send me a blank text in a few minutes. I’ll contact you after. Do not speak of this to anyone, do you understand?”
I nodded in acquiescence. She held out her hand for me to shake.
“It was a pleasure meeting you,” she said smiling again, as if nothing had happened.
“The pleasure was all mine,” I said, confused, but managing to smile back.
She turned and approached a group of people with whom she conversed. I entered the number from her business card into my phone and sent the blank text to her and watched as she retrieved her phone from her handbag. She looked at her phone, then spoke with the others, excusing herself and leaving the room. I sipped my drink and stared out the window, wondering what I hoped to accomplish. How would she react? What if I had just ruined my career? I was filled with dread and anxiety, but there was no backing out now.
“That seemed to have gone well,” a voice said beside me.
“I imagine she wants to meet in private to discuss this,” I said to Carmen, feeling shaken.
“Be careful. Don’t get yourself fired. I might actually miss you,” she said, putting her hand on my shoulder.
“And the truth comes out,” I said, smiling, gazing into Carmen’s dark eyes.
Our eye contact was broken when Carmen’s phone rang and she fished into her handbag to retrieve it. Looking at the screen, she paused.
“I have to take this. Gook luck,” she said, then turned quickly and crossed the room, vanishing through the doors to find a quieter location to talk.
I sipped my drink and waited, feeling awkward, shifting nervously. The minutes ticked by and I was beginning to get cold feet when my phone rang in my hand.
“Hello?”
“Meet me in room 2015. Come alone, and do not tell anyone where you are going.”
Then the line disconnected.
I put my phone back in my pocket, drained my glass, and left the room, careful to avoid anyone I might know.
***************************************************
I tapped my foot nervously in the lift on my way to room 2015 to meet Mrs. Voynov, wondering what I had gotten myself into. Of course, it was much too late to back out now. Besides, I had not done anything wrong, I was simply trying to expose Gary’s sexual harassment of Courtney.
I got off on the 20th floor and made my way down the wide corridor to Sylvia’s room. I knocked softly on the door and waited. The lock clicked and the door opened a crack.
“Is anyone in the hallway?” Sylvia’s hushed voice asked.
I looked around.
“No.”
The door opened and Sylvia admitted me into her room. She hooked the ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door handle and closed it quietly. She still wore her suit, her hair still tightly bound in a bun.
The room was large, with modern decor. The entrance hallway had a closet on the right, and a small kitchenette on the left. Beyond, a sunken lounge area with leather couches occupied the left side of the room. To the right was a king size bed, and the far wall had floor-to-ceiling windows peering out over the city. A small buffet table was tucked into the far left corner of the room, and I saw a bottle of champagne sitting on it, chilling in a bucket. The lighting was dim-only a table lamp beside one of the couches illuminated the room.
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