Tim was staring blankly at the ceiling. He still feels hot after having a good look at his wife's bosom. He decided that he cannot give in 100% to Lissy's second request. He will refuse or sway conversation concerning her but he will never lie about his wife.
Pregnancy and babies are sensitive topic for Pam he does not want to be entangled with Lissy.
The following day Tim still initiated a morning call with Pam. It's 6am local time so it's 9am in Sydney. He just brushed his teeth but has not washed, he had messy hair.
"Why did you wake up too early? Pam was wearing a chiffon sleeve less cream blouse. Her hair is fixed into bun. She must be in the office already.
"I dreamed holding on to those buns I saw last night. I miss you."
"You are missing my two friends not me! Rest more."
"No I want to talk to you. I figured it out last night. Do you have anything coming up in next 10 to 20 minutes?
She quickly replied, "None... I do have lunch meeting though."
"Alright I think you need to know about Lissy. I will get straight to the point. She is pregnant with Chinese guy and she seems to be running away from him."
"So what does it have to do with you?" She immediately followed up "with us?"
Tim's face was about to dim, the follow up was the saving grace. "The reason why she messaged me is to see me which we did yesterday at my office."
Pam was listening intently to Tim. "She told me about her ordeal and she had 2 requests. The first one I agreed, the other one I told her I need to talk to you before deciding."
Pam felt warm, so when Tim said he will decide on things considering her feelings he meant it.
"First she wants to work again in Meridian, I see no issue with that. I don't own the company I don't need to put my fingers on that."
"It's reasonable, why would you object on such request." Pam understands this.
"Hold your horses, the other one is, she requests that I keep her single motherhood a secret and play dumb when someone asks."
Pam immediately responded, "does she think you are gossip king or kiss and tell?"
"My Queen don't be on a rush the request look simple but just to let you know, everyone in the office thinks I married her. Naturally people assume I am the father of the baby in her womb."
Pam was silent for a while. She even requested Tim not to disclose their relationship as she does not want people to think that there was conflict of interest during her project.
"It means I will neither admit nor accept if people ask me about her or ask question associating her with me."
"Does she still love you? Is she trying to get back together with you?"
"I don't know? There is no such possibilities. Anyway I decided that I will not offer any information or veer away any discussion about it however I cannot lie if someone asks me about our marriage or you. That is the only thing I can do for her. I am only willing to do this because she told me she was raped by that guy."
Pam was shocked and was only able to recover after a minute. "Why did she not report it? Or filed a case?"
"The guys seems to be a influential in Shanghai, she is also worried she will be on the news. So she decided to return."
"I don't mind Tim. As long as she does not do you or us harm. I am fine with it. I can only think of this as a way of helping a struggling single mom." Pam felt bad about her. She appeared to be a tender and fine lady. How can this happen to her?
Days passed and nothing extra ordinary happened. Tim learned that Lissy has started working back at Meridian. She was heading planning and strategy group as she cannot so her usually work of traveling and doing sales pitch to executives. Tim did not confirm agreement to Lissy's second request. He decided that he will wait for her to ask, although no one dared to talk to him about her.
One lunch, Tim was caught of up with so many meetings until it's already 12nn. He was about to ask his assistant to get him soup and sandwich downstairs when someone knocked on his door.
Lissy entered with a food paper bag. Tim only realized this when she was unboxing the food.
"Please don't get me wrong I only brought you lunch because I learned from your assistant that you had morning full of meetings. I thought of bringing you lunch to thank you."
"There is no need for this, I did not do anything." This was partly true, he never offered any information. He is likewise not asked any personal question particularly his married life.
"Nevertheless I take your silence as granting my requests." One of the reasons why he brought him lunch is to confirm this.
"I spoke to my wife the day after we talked as it's very late for he that same day." Lissy's gut feel is that the wife is non existent but Tim will obviously not admit. Seems that little moves like this is perfect for her plan.
"She is fine with it but I am not. So unless I am asked directly about my wife and my married life I will not say anything. But I don't want to lie."
"I am good with that, thank you for making the effort to talk to her." Deep inside Lissy's suspicion of a non existent wife grew.
After lunch Tim decided to head straight to an outside meeting. He went out of his office together with Lissy and took the elevator. Everything seems to be normal. People were busy with their head focused on work but their eyes were trailing the path that Lissy and Tim passed through.
When they entered the elevator, only then the small conversation erupted.
"They look lovely together."
"How good is it to be pregnant with a Tim's baby."
"They are very professional! They have always been discreet. Who knows they are actually lovey doves couple."
"Such a perfect pair!"
Lissy knew this kind of conversation is bound to happen based on group chat conversations. A harmless act of bringing Tim lunch will create ripples of information based on what people assumed and see. Office gossips that works to her advantage.
Maybe later on he would have to give up the 'wife' she got somewhere.