Office Affair (English Version)

Chapter 9

A few days ealier

Angèl POV

I had to smile as I stared curiously at my screen.
Luckily, I was alone in the office, so no one could see me secretly stumbling across Francesca's pictures on the internet.
I liked her.
She was smart and very attractive.
I was proud of her success, I felt somewhat involved in it.
We had developed a friendly friendship over the years. But I was still her ex-boss.
I remembered the many hours we spent working together. I had already noticed back then what a special charisma she had. In my early thirties, I had sometimes found it hard to ignore her charm, but I had always appreciated her too much to risk upsetting her by making a pass at her.
Then as now.

Apart from the fact that I was in my darn 7th year of marriage with Christina.
Marriage with Christina was an up and down. Like a rollercoaster ride, we had our ups and downs. Christina was a woman who loved deeply, but she was characterised by her insecurities. Needed constant reassurance and attention.
If she didn't get it, she made my life hell. Over the years, she had accused me of various affairs, which of course were never true.

I had stopped counting of whom Christina had already suspected. Her jealousy had also been the reason why I hadn't offered Francesca a permanent job. I didn't want to fuel Christina's jealousy any more. She had been terribly jealous of Francesca back then, even though there was a 12-year age difference between us and I only had eyes for Christina.

After the wedding and after Francesca started working at the Statue Event Agency, Christina's behaviour had improved a lot, but in the meantime she was constantly whining in my ears that she finally wanted a family and demanded that I cut back at work. It was best to avoid contact with other women.

I tried to fulfil Christina's wishes as best I could. Even today, I tried to avoid meeting Francesca at parties so as not to make Christina boil with anger at home.
Professional flirting from time to time was fine, but there was a line I shouldn't cross.
Only now and then, after I'd spoken to Francesca on the phone and was alone in the office, did I think about her.
I wondered what it would have been like if she had continued to work here. Her success spoke for itself. She was excellent at what she did.
I saw and liked her posts. This sometimes did not went unnoticed by Christina, but I ignored her jealousy. No matter what I did, Christina was never satisfied.

I couldn't help but grin when I realised that I was taking Francesca out to dinner in a few days. When I'd seen her at our place a few days ago, the invitation to dinner had come over my lips happily. I somehow couldn't lie around her and her direct manner was refreshing.
A small, relaxed dinner between industry colleagues.
Christina could sulk at home all she wanted.
The reservation had already been made.

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Francesca POV

I hadn't spoken to Manuel since the fiasco at the weekend. I completely avoided him at work and didn't even dare to send him a message, even though his name was etched into my contact list.
Mr Sunshine.
The way he was ignoring me, it didn't look like sunshine at all and I should be happy that he was maintaining the professional distance that was somehow impossible for me.
And yet I longed to talk to him, to register the smile that played around his lips whenever he spoke.
I didn't understand it all.
Why did he have this effect on me?
Why was I sitting here staring at the door waiting for him to come through the doorway?
What kind of mess had I got myself into?
How was I supposed to get out of this?
I slumped my shoulders and decided it was better this way.
If he ignored me because he hated me, then nothing could really happen.
The subject was over and would soon be forgotten.
I could devote myself to other things again and it seemed that I would be able to land a new project. But that would have to wait until tomorrow. Today, for once, I would finish work early.