An Unexpected Engagement

Chapter 21

I should have known that discreet engagement thing wasn't going to work.

And to think it lasted less than two hours!

Well, it was good while it lasted. By the way, my brief twenty-two years of life were amazing, wasn't it? Surely Steve is going to kill me with a finery of cruelty when he finds out that the entire company is about to find out about our now far-fetched engagement.

I could already see my face in the papers, probably a black and white photo taken on my high school graduation day (why the hell victims of cruel crimes didn't have recent photos? It was something to think about…) and the headline “CEO da DBS flees to the Bahamas after murdering his secret lover by throwing her off the twentieth floor of the building in Canary Wharf.”

"Natasha?" Natasha! “I come back to reality with Hill's screams in my ear. — Jeez, it's white as paper! Are you going to pass out? Haven't had breakfast today?

“Actually, I think I'm going to throw up,” I whisper in a thin voice, feeling very real dizzy.

How could Steve and I be so dumb?

- To vomit? Oh my God, are you pregnant?

'Shut up, Hil! Don't talk shit! Can't you see I'm in shock?

“Oh, of course. You should really be worried about everyone saying your fiance is Steve! She laughs, like it's a big joke. "Sounds like it, right?" Don't worry, I bet no one is buying it!

"Why wouldn't they believe it?" "I'm starting to feel offended."

- Speaks seriously! Everyone knows Steve doesn't get involved with female employees. Do you really think anyone would believe he would get involved fairly with you? If I were to bet on someone, I think Erin, who is all fine, or…

"Steve would never have Erin!"

- Why not? She would certainly love to, already noticed that she drags a tram for him, right?

— She and all the employees of this company! Rachel approaches. — So, you already heard about the gossip, right?

— That Steve is Natasha's fiancé? Benjamin appears holding his cell phone. “Dude, Billy really freaked out betting all that money
in such nonsense!

And now everyone is laughing; not just Rachel, Hill, and Benjamin, but also other employees who, for some bizarre reason, believe Steve being involved with me could only be a joke.

"I think Billy's in real trouble!" Wanda approaches with her cavernous expression. Today she looks scarier than ever, in purple lipstick and a black dress that reaches to her feet. “Steve will order his head on a tray and show it in the cafeteria at lunchtime.

"Do you think Steve will fire him?" Alan approaches.

— Of course you will! Steve hates gossip involving his name! “Rachel is emphatic and right; so much reason that everyone agrees.

"Do you think there will be enough for Natasha too?" Hill asks, looking at me pityingly, probably already imagining my head pairing with Billy's head in the cafeteria. Maybe they even put an apple in my mouth, like those pigs served at exotic dinners.

"Why would I be left over?" It's not her fault! “Alan comes to my rescue.

"Because she's the one causing trouble with this engagement story!" Wanda says, sounding very aware of the gossip about me.

“Steve might not like to see his name involved.

— I think everything would be resolved if Natasha told her fiance's name right away — Rachel suggests and everyone stares at me waiting for my answer that will save my neck and maybe even Billy's.