An honest lie | Kim Taehyung (editing*)

- Change of lead -

XIII

"Damn it!" Jimin cursed under his breath while messing up his hair in frustration.

He had been on it for too many long hours and days, trying to find out any information on Leo Palazzi and his stay in New York. But all in vain, as the only thing he found was that he had worked just as a simple sports journalist. He had already talked to several reporters who worked there and who knew him for a while, but they all said the same thing.

"Oh yeah! I knew him, he worked on sports interviews and magazines.", "Nope, he was pretty busy, didn't talk to him much either so I don't know him well."

On top of that, he had to casually mention him in a normal conversation so that they wouldn't suspect him, nor report back to Leo. And that made his investigation of him even harder.

Nothing... nothing at all.

His head started paining due to too many hours in front of the computer. He let out a groan but decided not to give up. The city adapted a clean and illuminated environment, as it started to get dark outside. All of the other employees were slowly leaving the office to go home, yawning and complaining their way towards the exits.

"Hey, Park!" Penelope called him from the exit of the elevator. "Aren't you leaving?"

The young man kept his orbs locked on his screen, not even glimpsing at her or bothering to answer back.

She rolled her eyes in annoyance and got inside the elevator. The doors closed and she waited to arrive at the bottom floor.

As the elevator departed, it stopped and opened at another floor to let someone else in.

The young woman's eyes widen in anxiety, she strained her back and fixed her posture to seem more professional and neat.

"Good evening sir." She flashed at her boss, who nodded and walked inside with his heavy yet graceful steps.

She kept glancing at him, wondering if she could find the courage to speak, opening and closing her mouth countess of times.

After endless moments of silence, the woman decided to converse. "I was really impressed with your son's interview yesterday."

The man didn't answer back, but just kindly smiled, while keeping his gaze on the doors.

"He seemed quite tired by the end of it though... is he alright?" She reluctantly asked him.

Mr. Palazzi turned towards her with the same grin that didn't reach his eyes. "Oh yes, he's alright."

Penelope shifted her look from him, not being able to handle his intimidating and authoritative aura.

But that didn't stop her inquisitiveness. "You had told me last time that he wasn't on good terms with his girlfriend."

No reaction was expressed from him. Instead, his smile faded into a twitched smirk.

"I'm sure they're not made for each other, or maybe she's not good enough for him."

"My son mustn't lower himself for such women, he has to live up to my standards and his compatibility. He must marry of a higher rank, not some cheap and pretty tramp." He replied all in one go, with a steady tone and a sore smirk.

Penelope got too carried away on dissing the woman, that she failed to get the hint from her boss.

"Of course, she doesn't deserve him either, the way these kinds of women treat their men, using them and leaving them, I'm sure she'll get in trouble one day."