saving all my love

eight

"Aren't you a bundle of joy?" Jisoo observes the next day, leaning over Rosie's desk. Jisoo fingers the silk of Rosie's blouse.

Rosie grins at her.

"I take it you've solved your little love problem?"

"Yes and no. It's..."

"Complicated. Yes, I know."

Rosie suppresses the smile that threatens the corners of her mouth. What would Jisoo say if Rosie brazenly told her of her mystery almost-lover? She can't even picture it; Jisoo would no doubt laugh in her face and believe it to be a carefully-constructed joke. She'd never believe that Jennie could ever be attracted to someone like her.

Someone like her.

Her shoulders droop significantly.

As she opens her mouth to deliver a comment that would no doubt distract Jisoo from her line of conversation, the doors to the outer office burst open and Jisoo hops off the edge of Rosie's desk like her ass is on fire.

Jennie is clearly in a dreadful mood. She whips her jacket and bag onto Rosie's desk so fast that papers cascade onto the floor. She utters a terse, commanding "Roseanne" before disappearing into her office.

Rosie flicks scared eyes in Jisoo's direction. Jisoo raises her eyebrows and shoos Rosie as she crouches to pick up the papers that have fallen. "Go," she whispers, "before she bites your head off."

Rosie doesn't need to be told twice. She's out of her chair so fast that she nearly trips over her own feet.

"Close the door," Jennie barks, and Rosie does as she's told.

Rosie says nothing as she stands at attention.

"Sit," snaps Jennie.

Rosie does and watches Jennie.

"It's in the news."

Rosie's eyes widen. "What? But I checked everything this morning..."

"It missed this morning's deadlines. It is, however, splashed across the internet and will no doubt be headline news come tomorrow morning."

Rosie swallows the lump in her throat and realizes she has absolutely no idea what to say.

"It was going to leak; that part was inevitable. I just..." Jennie sighs sharply. "I thought I had more time."

"Should I--"

"Get in touch with my publicist."

Rosie nods vigorously.

Jennie stares off at the wall, the lines around her eyes more pronounced than ever as the tension mounts. "Taehyung finds himself in a very difficult predicament. Sleeping with the wife of a business partner would be disastrous for his reputation and unfortunately for him, I possess a variety of incriminating photographs." Her eyes flash maliciously. "Because of this, I expect the next several months to proceed smoothly. He will give me what I want with minimal argument."

"That's good...right?"

"Roseanne." Jennie's eyes meet hers now, hard and intense. "I will not put my children through another ugly divorce. If anything should upset the upper hand that I have, Taehyung would use it to his advantage. Am I making myself clear?"

"Jennie, I--"

"I mean it, Roseanne. This will not happen. If any of this were to become public knowledge, I will personally see to it that you never work in another publication again."

At this moment, Rosie goes numb. "Wait. You're kidding me, right?"

"I don't kid, Roseanne."

"You honestly..." Rosie blinks back the tears that have surfaced. "Where the hell do you get off thinking that I would..." A tear escapes, and then another. "Screw you, Jennie. Wait -- no -- pardon me. You're too chicken shit for that."