"Damn, girl! You look like you haven't slept in months," Portia remarked, dropping a heavy stack of documents onto my desk. "Didn’t you just have a full day off last Friday?"

I glanced at the pile, my fingers lazily skimming the top page. "What does the chief want me to do with these?" I muttered, only half-interested as I flipped through the first few lines.

But then, the title caught my attention: "Exclusive Interview - Tina of Starlight Entertainment." That made me sit up straight, my tiredness instantly forgotten.

Portia raised an eyebrow at my sudden shift in demeanor. "We honestly thought you'd pass on covering this kind of story," she said, sounding slightly surprised. "You know what’s going on with her, right, Lyka?"

I froze for a split second, forcing myself to maintain a neutral expression. My eyes stayed glued to the interview transcript, and I tried to sound casual. "Not really. I just went to the same school as Tina. I was surprised to see her name pop up, that's all."

"Oh, that's right!" Portia gasped. "I totally forgot you went to Wolfheim’s elite academy!"

Working for a famous media outlet had its perks, one of which was the access to obscure information. I’d reached out to an old source, a leaker account with the name LadysButler I’d met early in my career, to arrange an exchange of intel.

Though we didn’t actually meet in person, within five days, I had everything I needed—proof of Tina accepting bribes on her last movie project. Emails, contracts, transaction records. I packaged it all into a tight, damning article that would leave no room for doubt.

As Portia continued talking about the scandal, she casually mentioned that Tina had gone underground, her activities halted, while her agency faced intense backlash. Rumor had it that the police were considering an investigation, stirred by public outrage.

I suppressed a smirk. One target down.

Then, without warning, Portia changed the subject. "Speaking of scandals, don’t you think that ‘SigmaLeaks’ guy is something else? He managed to stir up the entire internet with just one thread in his big return."

My stomach dropped, but I kept my expression neutral, setting the interview papers aside. I forced a laugh. “‘Sigma’ who?”

Portia shot me a look of disbelief. “There’s only one 'SigmaLeaks! The guy’s a legend for exposing celebrities. Seriously, Lyka, how are you a reporter and still so out of the loop? You’re going to lose your edge if you don’t stay current!"

Then, right on cue, the phone on my desk rang. I picked it up, and it was the receptionist.

"Ms. Lyka, could you please come down to the lobby? You really need to stop your fiancé from making us all feel like awkward third wheels every time he shows up with one of those roses."

I glanced at the clock on my computer screen—11:30 AM, perfect timing for lunch. Smiling, I thanked her.

Ralph had finally arrived.

"I'll dive back into the document after lunch!" I said, setting the file in a safe spot inside my cubicle. I stood, grabbed my things, and waved goodbye to Portia before heading out.

--

It had become almost routine for Ralph to show up at my office.

To my colleagues, Ralph was the epitome of a hopeless romantic, determined to wear his heart on his sleeve—even if it meant barging in with grand gestures. He didn’t come by too often, but every now and then, he’d appear with flowers, chocolates, or whisk me away for a lunch date.

At first, the office staff was resistant to his visits. But Ralph’s persistence eventually wore them down, until even the security and receptionist just gave up—on the condition that he stayed confined to the lobby and didn’t venture deeper into the office.

"Hello, my beautiful flower," Ralph greeted me the moment I stepped out of the elevator. He handed me a bouquet of roses, pulling me into a hug and planting a kiss on my cheek. "I’ve missed you so much. Why do you have to live so far from home? When will you finally come back to our house?" His voice was drenched in syrupy affection, making me cringe internally.

My grip tightened around the bouquet. I SO wanted to push him away, but I couldn’t—not when I had to keep up appearances and avoid arousing suspicion. So, I returned his embrace, forcing a smile.

It hit me then, like a slap in the face. This man, time and again, had used these simple, romantic gestures to win me back—to make me forgive him for his mistakes, even in the early days when I first began to suspect his affairs.

"Ms. Lyka," the receptionist interrupted with a hint of amusement, "if you could keep your public displays of affection outside the office, it would be appreciated by everyone."

Before I could respond, Ralph flashed his signature cheerful smile and said, "It's my fault, Mr. Winston. We’ll be leaving now." With that, he guided me toward his car parked just outside the lobby.

As I slipped into the passenger seat, a familiar yet unsettling scent hit me—honeydew mixed with the unmistakable warmth of rum. Tina’s perfume. The realization twisted my stomach. It had been there before, mingling with the roses, but now I could finally place it. That scent had been haunting me every time I got into Ralph's car, a bitter reminder that his affair with Tina had been going on for far too long.

Back then, I hadn’t known it was Tina’s perfume. Or maybe, deep down, I refused to believe that my best friend could be the woman Ralph had been seeing behind my back.

“So, tell me more about that article you were working on," Ralph began casually as he pulled out of the parking lot.

The same conversation, again.

I turned to the window, trying to lose myself in the passing streets and suppress the growing bitterness within me.

"Not much to say." My response came out colder than I intended. I feigned a yawn, hoping to disguise my irritation as sleepiness. "I’ve told you already—my team has been tied up with Wolfheim's major deal with Blue Lake since last week."

Ralph fell silent after that.

This was always how our conversations went whenever he dropped by for one of his “romantic” visits. He’d inevitably circle back to asking for help—whether it was for positive press about Delta Construction, his growing business, or some favorable coverage for Tina’s projects, or Nickel’s ventures.

“Lyka, are you mad at me?”

I glanced at him, trying to keep my voice even. “No. Why would I be? Did you do something wrong?”

“No!” Ralph’s eyes shifted away as he stammered, “I-it’s just...,” he cleared his throat, fumbling for words. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, and I couldn’t help but wonder if you’ve been avoiding me. You didn’t come home after you got back to Blue Lake.”

He paused, stealing a glance in my direction before continuing. “The last time, you were upset because you thought I was seeing someone else. I just didn’t know if you were still holding onto that.”

Lies.

"And before you get the wrong idea, I haven’t been with anyone outside of business meetings," he quickly added, his eyes briefly flicking to me before focusing back on the road.

I didn’t bother to respond. Ralph had a remarkable talent for souring a conversation, didn’t he?

Deciding to play along and shift the topic before he dug any deeper into my personal life, I asked, “So, where are you taking me?”

"Lyka! My girl!" Nickel beamed the moment Ralph and I stepped into the room.

He strode over and pulled me into one of his overly enthusiastic hugs. "What took you two so long? I was about to die of starvation—oof!"

Ralph promptly shoved Nickel away, pushing him back by the head. "We’re here now. Just tell the waiter to bring out the food."

Without waiting for a response, Ralph walked over and settled himself beside Tina, leaving two empty seats next to them. Nickel pouted, muttering something under his breath before signaling to the waiter to bring the dishes.

"Congratulations on the Michelars award, Nickel," I said, forcing a friendly tone. "If you’d told me sooner, I could’ve prepared something for you."

We walked side by side as we made our way to our seats—his next to Tina, mine beside Ralph.

Nickel grinned mischievously. "Well, if you’re serious about doing something for me, how about writing an article to promote my steakhouse?"

My heart skipped a beat, and I had to swallow the surge of anger that threatened to rise.

In the past, I had never recklessly promised to write favorable coverage for anyone—Ralph, Tina, or even Nickel. The few times I did feature them in my articles were purely coincidental, only when my office assigned me pieces that happened to align with their interests.

But now? Knowing Nickel was part of the deception? There was no way.

"You know I can't do that," I replied, keeping my voice steady. "My editor would have my head if I wrote anything without the proper supporting material."

"Oh, but my restaurant's reputation speaks for itself!" Nickel boasted as the waitstaff began serving the dishes. The conversation naturally shifted to the food—the reason his steakhouse had earned the Michelars award.

As the lively discussion carried on, I noticed something odd: Tina had been unusually quiet.

Normally, she’d be right there with Nickel, hyping everything up and making a scene. But today, she sat in silence, her pale complexion standing out against her typically energetic presence. Her short brown hair, now tucked under a cap, and the oversized sunglasses hiding her eyes made it clear—the recent scandals surrounding her were taking their toll.

For a brief moment, I felt a twinge of sympathy. I knew how high-spirited she usually was, and seeing her like this was... unsettling.

But then again: serves her right.

What really caused my discomfort was Ralph’s behavior.

He was sitting far too close to Tina, their hands openly intertwined, without even a hint of discretion. Watching him lean in, slicing her steak and feeding her bite by bite, sent waves of jealousy crashing through me.

Why? What made her so special? He had never treated me like that. Not even during his grand gestures, when he pretended to woo me with sweet words.

And to make matters worse, it was Nickel who picked up on my discomfort. He nudged Tina, drawing both her and Ralph’s attention to me. Their eyes met mine, and for a second, the weight of the situation hung heavy in the air.

"Oh, I’m sorry, Lyka," Tina finally spoke, her voice soft but laced with insincerity. "I’m feeling... a bit unwell. You don’t mind lending Ralph for a while, do you? You know he’s been like a brother I can confide in all these years."

The audacity. To ask that so casually, with not a hint of remorse. Had I really let this go on for so long—allowing them to cling to each other *this* closely, right under my nose?

"Yeah, it’s been tough for Tina," Nickel chimed in, his voice rising with exaggerated concern. "If I ever find out who’s behind SigmaLeak, I swear I’ll tear them to pieces for doing this to her!"

I paused mid-bite, carefully setting down my fork and dabbing my lips with a napkin.

Then, as if on cue, Ralph spoke up, his plea directed straight at me. "Hey, Lyka, can’t you make an exception this time? Couldn’t you write something to help ease Tina’s situation?"

I took a measured sip of water, the tension in the air thickening with every second.

"Guys, I’m not in charge of the topics to write," I replied, keeping my tone steady but firm. "That’s my chief editor’s call. I’ve said it before—I can’t write anything without solid sources, whether it’s good news or bad. Please understand my position."

The atmosphere grew heavier, more uncomfortable. I could feel the pressure mounting, the expectation that I would somehow bend to their demands.

I needed to get out, even just for a moment. But leaving abruptly would raise too many suspicions.

"I’m just going to step out for a minute, use the restroom," I said, standing up calmly.

I wasn’t sure what the three of them thought about my sudden exit, but it didn’t matter. If this was the beginning of my mask slipping in front of them, so be it.

I sat in the restroom for a solid five minutes, regaining my composure and rehearsing an excuse to leave. Once I was sure of what to say, I headed back to the VIP room. But just as I approached the door, I froze, hearing Nickel’s voice booming from inside.

"That Lyka is useless! Does she really think she can just sit here and eat without being useful to us?" His words were punctuated by the sound of a fist slamming on the table.

"Keep your voice down, Nickel," Tina responded, her voice quieter but no less sharp. "As clueless as Lyka can be, she’s loyal to her work—just like she was loyal to us."

"Exactly," Ralph added, his tone smug. "She didn’t even dare confront me about Tina. That’s the only reason I got away with being with her every time."

"But didn’t Tina say she’s starting to get suspicious?" Nickel pressed. "You need to hold up your end of the bargain, Ralph. Lyka’s a reporter for Wolfheim Times now. She’s survived in that industry for a reason—she’s damn good at what she does.

"We can’t afford to lose an asset like her," Tina chimed in. "That’s why we’ve kept her around since graduation—did you forget?"

I couldn’t take it anymore. I pushed the door open with a loud slam, the force of it reverberating through the room!