Page 38 of Truth Be Told
Apart from energy savings, I think, it adds an air of sophistication and high-tech attitude to the floor. “That’s smart of Cohen.”See?I want to say to her.Despite the formalities when it comes to addressing his staff, I can call him by his first name, too.
“It was.” She flips her hair over her shoulder as we start to walk, me following her lead as we choose the path only she knows. “But that’s nothing new. He’s always thinking about things like that. How to save more energy, how the company can recycle more, how things can be more efficient and cost-effective at the same time. Last year he even brought in a group of professionals to check out the building, to see if it could be fitted with solar power.”
As she talks, her long blonde hair bobs up and down behind her, bouncing against her expensive-looking blazer.
She turns her head back to me. “But I’m sure you already knew all that.”
I pretend to brush off the fact that I didn’t know all that, pretend that it doesn’t hurt a little. What is this? Scarlet is obviously trying to do something here. Cohen and I like each other – that much is certain. But what else is set in stone? Nothing. For all I know, maybe Cohen and Scarlet used to be in a relationship, and this is her way of sticking it to me, of letting me know she still holds some kind of place in his life. Although where she got the idea thatweare in a relationship beats me.
There are other maybes though. Maybe she just wants his money. Or maybe, and I log this one away as most likely, she flat out thinks he’s hot. Whichever it is, Scarlet is obviously invested in him.
We reach the end of the hall before having to continue on after a sharp turn to the right. She stops, so I stop too.
She holds out her arm and points down the hall, then smiles at me. “Just a little further that way. The sixth door on the right. You’ll be able to see him inside his office.” She smiles at me, then drops her arm and walks away, leaving me alone.
I look around. I certainly am completely alone. I don’t remember passing one other person while following Scarlet, and this long, carpeted hall is wide open.
It’s quiet too. No longer are there any sounds of typing or general work, or even the sound of anyone walking. Those were left behind when we ascended in the elevator.
Back where we came from, the elevator makes another sound as it opens on the landing. Scarlet will be gone now, and if I can’t find Cohen for whatever reason, I might be in trouble.
Despite the halls being empty, there are a few people here and there, still at work in their offices even through the lunch hour. I can see their shadows behind their closed doors, hunched over their desks, but they’re all hard at work and totally quiet. I try to be quiet, too, so I don’t disturb them.
When I reach the sixth door, I stop. This is Cohen’s. The outside of the office, like all the others, is covered in a long pane of wall-to-ceiling frosted glass. There’s no name or number anywhere on the front, but then again, those things aren’t listed on any of the doors. This seems to be the kind of place where if you’re this far up here, you don’t need the convenience of labeled offices. You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t know where you were going.
I take a quick listen but I don’t hear anything, so I raise my knuckles to knock. Before I can do that, I stop. Something catches my attention. There’s still no sound, but now there’s movement from behind the frosted glass, and it doesn’t look like Cohen. Well, it does – but not Cohen alone.
I step closer. There are two figures inside; one obviously male, the other female. I can see their blurred outlines through the glass, but from where I’m standing, peeking around the corner of the empty office before theirs, they can’t see me.
I squint, moving my face closer still. I wish I could cup my hand to the glass to get a better look by blocking out the light, but that would probably give me away. When I’m closer, the figures suddenly come together. Cohen takes the woman by the shoulders and presses his face against hers… hismouthagainst hers. Even more to my horror, the woman doesn’t resist. She holds the back of his head as they move in synch. Then Cohen stops. He backs up until he reaches the chair that rests in front of his desk. Barely looking, he sits, and then holds his hand out for her. She takes it, one hand reaching out to his and the other hesitant to leave the desk she was just pressed against. It doesn’t take long for her to envelop him completely though, and before I know it she’s wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing both of her exposed knees onto the chair.
Cohen’s hands explore her, reaching under her skirt, exposing her backside.
I’ve seen enough. My stomach is already in knots and now threatens to bring up that bagel. I immediately regret the decision to eat anything as the nausea rises in the back of my throat. But how could I have seen this coming?
I turn my back to them and clutch the glass of the empty office I’d been hiding next to.
My mind swirls, a rush of heat filling and warming my face. I don’t want to imagine what I must look like right now. No doubt my face is flushed, giving the impression that I’m blushing with shame or embarrassment. And for anyone to think that I’m so innocent as to be embarrassed over a man’s infidelity – can I even call it that, at this point? – enrages me. I’m not embarrassed. I don’t want anyone tothinkI’m embarrassed. I rush out of there, breaking into a run, hoping Cohen and whoever the hell he’s with don’t hear me.
I fly through the hall, my coattail trailing behind me, desperate to get out of here, wanting nothing more than to feel that rush of winter air from people passing through the front doors. That would signal freedom. When I make it to the elevator, I move against the wall and cover my mouth with my hand.
My breath is heaving, more so out of panic and hurt than the short little sprint I just made. It feels really hot in here all of a sudden. I fan at my face.
So this is why Scarlet was being so smart with me. Giving me those condescending looks and acting like she knew something that I didn’t. She was counting on me catching him in the act, and she knew that when I did it would destroy us. She did this on purpose. She set me up. Setusup.
I’m glad, I think as I take a long, calming deep breath in through my nose. I hate the way she did it, but I’m glad that I know the truth. Although I highly doubt I’ll ever be able to get that disturbing picture out of my mind.
I press the elevator’s down arrow over and over as if it will make the thing work faster.
Come on.I need to get out of here. Out of this hall, out of this building, out of this whole damn town. I need to get as far away from his as possible.
Of course, the elevator is taking its sweet time, and just as that fact is registering in my already foggy mind, overcome by shock, a step of footsteps echo from the direction I just fled. They’re heavy footsteps – a man’s – and they’re coming closer. I say a silent prayer that they’re not Cohen’s. I can’t face him. Not like this.
“Stella?” Cohen’s strong voice booms behind me.
Oh no. I blink back tears. “Don’t touch me, Cohen.”
“What are you doing up here?” His voice is confused but light, and he stops a few feet away from me and when he sees my face his tone transforms into something serious. “What’s wrong?”
