When a curse is broken

9. Unlikable crowds

Chapter 9. Unlikable crowds

To everyone who has come so far in this book, thank you wholeheartedly for staying with me this far.

And don't leave just now, because things are just starting to get crazyyyy

I have a question, what is in your opinion the best thing about the book so far?

I won't ask the worst one just yet, because it might make me sad. So let's leave that question for a future chapter.

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A slow song was playing in the background while the chatter filled the giant hall. People wearing tuxedos and women in beautiful dresses were smiling to each other, some talking about the weather and some discussing the next big thing to conclude a great deal.

Marlyn gulped, she felt totally out of place. Yet she fixed her plain dress shirt and straightened her gray pants. She cringed not finding any other woman in pants, then cooled her expression; confidence was everything, anyway, she was there to take notes or keep up with any whim of Ben, not competing in a fashion show.

"Benjamin! It's such a pleasure to have you here!" A lady with a very high pitched voice approached them, she linked her arm with Benjamin's arm and whisked him away in the crowd.

Marlyn stood perplexed. She hated the party already. With a pained heart she followed them while keeping a safe distance and searching for the instruction email Amanda had sent her to know if she could just ditch them for non-business affairs. But in bold letters it was written that everything was business until the boss himself dismissed her. Marlyn huffed and got her little notes diary out, if everything was work, Marlyn would treat it as such!

Half an hour later, Marlyn was sitting on the dining table and staring with a grim expression at the woman who was shamelessly sitting too close to Ben while he talked to some business men. His hand would sometimes reach the clingy brunette, sometimes touching her hand or her hair.

Marlyn finally closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"What do you think, Ms. Moony?"

"I think my opinion is completely irrelevant in the matter," Marlyn pointedly stared at the gentleman who had dared to try to make her have a conversation. "Please, excuse me," she took her purse and walked away without a glance to Ben. On her way, her hand knocked on the glass Benjamin was holding. He rose from his seat cursing. All the liquid had fallen on his expensive shirt.

Pity it's only water, Marlyn thought.

"Oh my god, I'm SO sorry!" Marlyn screeched.

"I'm so so sorry, sir!" Marlyn said again and reached for some tissue papers which she splattered on his shirt in what was supposed to be an attempt to clean the dampness, instead the tissue only worsened the situation by clinging in bits to his shirt.

Benjamin glared at her, fisting her hands to get them away from his poor poor shirt.

Marlyn almost chuckled, she wondered if he knew that the accident was not so an accident.

"It's fine," he finally gritted out, trying to get the stuck paper away.

"You sure? Let me grab some more paper," Marlyn was adamant on annoying him to death, no one got away by messing with a mer- Marlyn's breath hitched. Her eyes suddenly clouded with sadness.

Without another word or glance at the troubled man, or the audience who was watching them like hawks, she walked away like an empty shell.

Marlyn locked the bathroom door behind her.