As they pored over the financial reports and marketing strategies, Audrey's mind kept drifting back to the photo on Miguel's desk. A photo she had never seen before. The image of a woman, radiant and elegant, with Miguel's arm casually draped around her shoulders, gnawed at her thoughts. Who was she, and why did Miguel keep this part of his life hidden? Audrey tried to push the thoughts aside, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand, but the unease clung to her like a shadow.
Miguel was uncharacteristically quiet today, his usual charm dulled, as if a weight pressed on him. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, a subtle sign of the tension simmering beneath his composed exterior. Audrey couldn't help but wonder what was going on. Was it something she had done? Or was the problem much deeper?
"So, what do you think?" Miguel's voice cut through the silence, snapping her back to the present. His tone was measured, but there was an edge to it, a hint of desperation. "Do you think we can make this work?"
Audrey hesitated, her mind still clouded with doubts. She wanted to say yes, to reassure him that everything would be fine, but something about the way he was acting made her second-guess herself. There was a dissonance between the man she knew and the one sitting across from her now.
"I think we need to crunch some more numbers," she said finally, choosing her words carefully. "But I have a feeling we're missing something."
Miguel nodded, his expression tightening. "I agree. Let's keep digging."
As they continued to work, Audrey couldn't shake the feeling that Miguel was keeping something from her. It was as if there was a wall between them, one that hadn't been there before. She felt the distance growing with every passing moment, a cold barrier that made her chest ache. The questions she had been trying to ignore were now louder than ever, demanding answers.
Finally, she decided she couldn't keep silent any longer. "Miguel," she began, her voice trembling slightly, "can I ask you something?"
He looked up, his eyes meeting hers with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. "What is it, Audrey?"
Audrey took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say. "Who is she?" she asked, nodding towards the photo.
For a moment, Miguel's expression was unreadable, but then a flicker of guilt crossed his face. It was subtle, but Audrey caught it. "Oh, that's just... a friend," he said, his voice too quick, too rehearsed.
But Audrey knew better. She could see the truth in his eyes, the way they avoided hers, the way his posture tensed. "Why are you lying to me, Miguel?" she asked, her voice firm but laced with the hurt she was trying so hard to conceal.
Miguel sighed, his shoulders slumping as he rubbed his temples. "It's complicated, Audrey. I didn't want to deceive you, I swear. I know I told you I like you, and I meant every word, but this situation is really complicated."
"Complicated?" Audrey repeated, her heart twisting at the word. "You're engaged to her, aren't you?"
Miguel's silence was answer enough. He nodded, looking down at the table, as if he couldn't bear to see the disappointment in her eyes. "Yes, I am. But like I said, it's complicated."
Audrey felt a sharp pang of betrayal, like a knife twisting in her chest. She had rejected his advances, told herself she wasn't interested, but seeing him with another woman—knowing he was engaged—cut deeper than she expected. A part of her hated how much it hurt, how much she still cared.
"Explain," she demanded, her voice cold, colder than she had ever intended. She hated how defensive she sounded, but she couldn't stop herself.
Miguel took a deep breath, as if gathering the strength to reveal his truth. "I was pressured into the engagement by my family. They want me to settle down, and Betty is... convenient."
"Convenient?" Audrey's voice was incredulous, laced with disbelief. "Her name is Betty, and she's convenient?"
Miguel nodded, his face contorted with guilt. "Yes. She's from a good family, she's everything my parents want for me, and she's willing to go along with the arrangement. But my heart..." He paused, as if struggling to find the right words. "My heart yearns for something else, someone else."
Audrey felt a wave of disgust and pity wash over her. "You're using her," she accused, her voice trembling with anger and a sadness she didn't want to acknowledge.
Miguel looked down, his face ashen. "I know it's not right, Audrey. But I don't know how to get out of it."
Audrey stood up, her heart heavy, her mind a whirl of conflicting emotions. "I don't know if I can work with you anymore, Miguel," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, but the finality in her words was unmistakable.
Miguel's head snapped up, panic flashing in his eyes. "Audrey, please... don't go."
But Audrey was already moving towards the door, leaving Miguel and the tangled mess of his secrets behind. Each step she took felt like an act of defiance against the pull she felt toward him, a pull she didn't fully understand. As she reached the entrance, a sense of unease settled in her stomach, twisting her insides. She had told herself she wasn't interested in Miguel, had convinced herself she didn't care, but the sight of him with another woman—his fiancée, no less—had cut her deeper than she ever thought possible.
Just as she reached for the door, she heard his voice behind her, urgent and pleading. "Audrey, wait!"
She turned to see Miguel rushing towards her, his eyes filled with a mixture of desperation and regret. "What's wrong?" she asked, trying to mask the vulnerability in her voice as she attempted to brush past him.
But Miguel caught her arm, his grip firm but gentle, a touch that sent an unwanted shiver down her spine. "I need to talk to you," he said, his voice low, almost a whisper, as if he feared being overheard.
Audrey hesitated, her mind screaming at her to walk away, but her heart... her heart was betraying her. Against her better judgment, she nodded and followed him to the side of the building, out of the prying eyes and the rain that had begun to fall.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, the tension between them palpable.
Miguel looked at her, his eyes searching hers as if trying to find the words that would make everything right. "I know things have been awkward between us since... since everything happened. But I want you to know that I really value our partnership, Audrey. I don't want this... this complication to come between us."
Audrey raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. "You mean your engagement to Betty?" she asked, her tone sharper than she intended.
Miguel nodded, his eyes darting away, unable to hold her gaze. "Yes. I know it's sudden, and it complicates things between us. But... it's complicated, Audrey. I don't expect you to understand."
A flicker of annoyance sparked in Audrey's chest at his evasiveness, but she pushed it down. "I don't need to understand, Miguel. We're just business partners, remember?" she said, her voice cold, though the words felt like a lie.
But Miguel's expression told a different story. "Audrey, I... I care about you. As a friend, at least. And I don't want to lose that."
Audrey's heart skipped a beat at his words, a small, traitorous part of her yearning to believe him, to trust in the connection they had once shared. But she quickly buried the feeling, pushing it down where it couldn't hurt her.
"I appreciate that, Miguel," she said, her tone cool and detached. "But let's just focus on the project, okay?"