e
nth time, the same old dreaded anxie
e. It was one of my pet peeves.
swore under
five minutes, I would cancel the
business partners walked in. There we
hat they'd witnessed my humiliation five years ago. But I had
ook hands and I took them back to the seat w
dn't have time to waste, and I wasn't one
't even know her name -
ith your partner?" The woma
room. She'll be back soon." I sa
wife is a catch." One of the men
fway to the Maldives with my card. I was a fool
way to make it happen, I wouldn't be tal
pen and she walked in, loo
was the same woman who'd le
I'd ever seen. I hadn't noticed before, but she had nice, clear skin,
as st
ce as she came to meet us. Th
said as she extended and shook their hands and I
o help convince our company that we were marri
u waiting." She said, and didn'
y her charm, especially the men. They all smiled a
stare. Who wa
spered into my ear once she was seated. She sm
nvestors who were whispering
f the deal just because she'd bought ni
ergency." She plead
ld get to leave with nice clothes, jewelry and a ring worth thousands of dol
the partners asked with a
rse, I
food for them and keep them distracte
I grabbed my wife's hand and took her aside to a corner o
anger rising inside of me. "What are you trying to pull? We have a
l acting. "It's my father, he got in an accide
ed people with her charms, who knows what else she's capable of
the text."
er eyes darting
satisfied that I caught her. She did
lain myself to you,"
n't know when that word 'husband' escaped my mouth
paper," sh
yself back. Maybe if I appealed to her sense of humani
and tried to calm myself. I wouldn't
r. But her eyes were beginning to swell with
right now." She sa
wanted to hold her, and comfort her. But I didn't,
od riddan
her brown eyes shining with relief. She was shorter
card. "You can call me if you want, and take
a thank-you. She didn't even bother explaining
they didn't get suspicious. They we
reath and settl
he woman asked as soon
to come up with t
of the men chuckled, and
he other added, and n
ced a
lady though," the woma
the lie tasting
le
lly subsided, but the woman's curious gaze persisted, her voice sl
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