A Chilling Encounter
Chapter Two
A Chilling Encounter
I walk out of Peter's office, my stomach tight. I'd gone in excitedly, ready to celebrate his birthday, but all I feel now is confusion, I don't understand what is going on anymore. What just happened? Was Peter's cool demeanor some sort of shock or embarrassment at my presence? My heartbeat quickens with questions of one undesirable sort after another.
As I walk through the sleek hallways of his office, I try to brush off the whispers and curious glances from his employees. Some give hesitant smiles; most look at me with that knowing glance, as if they share a secret I’m not privy to. I keep telling myself he’s busy; maybe he’s just stressed about work. After all, he did say he had a big presentation today.
But it’s not until I reach the lobby that I find her: the statuesque, shining blonde who greeted me when I came in—Veronica Sinclair. She stands at the center of a cluster of employees, their laughter spilling off of them like confetti. They hang on her every word, their expressions full of admiration. Discomfort hits me, and I feel so small, invisible in this world I thought I belonged to.
Who is she, who can this be?
The question repeats in my head as I feel an incredible urge to approach them. Before I can think it over, I find myself doing just that. “Excuse me,” I say, forcing a contrived smile that barely reaches my eyes. “I missed your name back there.”
Veronica turns around, her sharp blue eyes taking over me. “I’m Veronica Sinclair,” she replies smiling, extending a perfectly manicured hand. “I handle strategic partnerships here.”
“Nice to meet you,” I managed to get out, though my voice sounds strained. “I’m Peter’s wife,your boss's wife, I am Emma.”
A flicker of surprise crosses her face, but it’s gone in an instant, replaced by a practiced smile. “Oh, yes. I’ve heard so much about you, you are welcome.” Her tone is light, but I detect a subtle challenge in her eyes, as if she’s weighing me up.
In an instant, the air seems to thicken with what is left unsaid. I force myself to ask, “So you two are close with Peter?”
Veronica’s smile widens, just a bit too luminous. “We work closely together. He is an impressive leader, a good boss. The board respects him a lot… and so do I.”
Her words hang in the air like a loaded gun. There’s an underlying message here that I can’t quite grasp, some sort of connection between them that sends a shiver down my spine. My mind races, scrabbling for something to anchor me.
“Right,” I say, my voice shaking a little. “I’m glad he has such a strong team.” But it feels hollow as it leaves my lips, the unease deepening.
With each step back I take in an effort to collect myself, I feel increasingly like an outsider. They all look to Veronica for what one should be doing: proudly standing beside Peter, not me.
Reluctantly, I know it’s time to go. The drive home is a blur as my mind races with thoughts of Peter and Veronica. What kind of life has he built in the office without me? What does she know that I don’t, is there something else about the girl called Veronica that I need to know?
That night, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. My heart races with frustration mixed with feelings of betrayal. Why didn’t he tell me about her?Is he hiding anything from me?, I wonder if Peter could be hiding anything from me about his work or his working team. Questions swirl through my brain like a tempest, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on me.
I know I can’t let this go. I feel an overwhelming urge to dig deeper into Peter’s life, to understand what’s really going on. I have this nagging suspicion that something is drastically wrong, the girl is suspicious, she is not just a working team, and I refuse to let it stay hidden in the dark.
Tomorrow, I will confront this mystery, I will find out what's going on tomorrow. I will learn about my husband and his “other life.” Whatever it takes, I will find out who Veronica really is and what role she plays in Peter’s world. Is she just a work partnership or something else.
The thought fills me with fire. I will reclaim my place and my identity. No more hiding in the dark, I must find out what is going on in the office, I will give it what it takes to find out what is going on in the office, I can't let this go, I wouldn't let go of this.