The Color of Love (Part 4) | 20 October 2024, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2531 | Prompt: lack of credibility

Part 3:

Armed with partial truths, Frederick drew in a long, deep breath. Only Anita could fill in the gaps. Wringing his hands and pacing the living room floor, he paused to push his hack from his forehead, then cupped his head in his hand.

His speech rehearsed; the physical evidence organized; and the laptop opened to the matching dates and times, he thought he was ready for the confrontation. But he forgot the pretense part.

His greeting was noticeably cold. Immediately, Anita knew something was wrong. A master at pretense herself, she followed his lead and pursued small talk about her trip.

"It wasn't until she rounded the corner to her office that she jerked back as immediately she could knew tell her private space had been disturbed. There lay a pile of documents that wasn't there when she left.

He motioned for her to sit at her desk. She complied. He motioned toward the stack of papers. Without a word, she extracted the documents from the envelope and read in silence. Thirty minutes later, she smiled coyly avoiding, but kept silent as he waited.

An excellent speaker and quick thinker, it was unlike her to stammer as she attempted to cast blame on Jackson accusing him of attempting to drive a wedge between them. "I think he's jealous," was her response.

He detected Anita's attempt to deflect with ridiculous accusations of her own, including Jackson's supposed romantic attraction to him. Sensing the conversation she attempted to steer elsewhere was about to backfire, she rose quickly to maneuver around the desk and distract him, but he jerked away and left the apartment.

Frederick returned, demanding answers. "It's over, Anita. I'd appreciate the truth. You owe me that much, seeing how I advanced your career since we married."

"I'm investigating Jackson's company for literary fraud as part of my job."

As if in torment, he jerked away. Who to believe? he pondered before questioning further, "Where's your proof Jackson's business is a fraud used for money laundering?"

Frederick plopped down on the sofa and hung his head down. He sat on the horns of his dilemma, attempting to absorb and make sense of it all.

Now, Part 4

Anita didn't offer any further evidence of Jackson's shady business practices. Instead, sensing Frederick's growing distrust of her, so she moved closer to the sofa.

"Look, I'm dead tired from the red eye. Let's table this discussion for the moment. It's late, and I've missed you terribly. Tomorrow we'll speak. All will be resolved, I promise."

Anita reached for Frederick's hand and pulled him up from the sofa.

She guided him toward her soft, waiting lips. For a short moment, his senses warned him to find an excuse and back away. But a deep lingering kiss melted his resolve. Jumbled thoughts bounced but had no choice but to settle down as she pulled away.

The night sky was lucent with bright city lights.

Anita strolled over to the high-rise window and tugged on the shade. As the room went dark, she stepped into the dim living room lamp. Frederick could see the outline of a bare body as she walked provocatively toward him. Placing her hands around his waist, she gently led him backward, all the while tugging slowly and ensuring his glazed stare took in what awaited him around the corner.

The one place he didn't want to go just yet.

A place where blurred lines converge upon a myriad of crossroads. Where sensual pleasures knew no bounds. Where insanity felt sane. Where reason was temporarily lost in the smoke screen of vapors. Where he knew he'd been twisted and woven for the past five years into a mirror reflection of his former self.

But resisting wasn't an option.

The next morning, Frederick woke satisfied on one end, but more confused on the other.

He rose and exited the bedroom, heading straight for his office. There, he paced a few rounds before making a decision.

"Hello. This is Jackson Hollingsworth." Surprised a hearing Frederick's voice since he'd taken a few days off, he held the line for a long moment.

Forty-five minutes later, Frederick checked in with his assistance before entering Jackson's office. His brows touched as the frown deepened.

Jackson's invitation to sit fell on deaf ears as Frederick strolled up to his desk with a determined look on his face. He was ready though, knowing that Anita had already fed his friend a pack of lies to cover her tracks on top of the expensive caviar she returned with.

But Jackson was ready.

"Is our company legitimate?" Frederick's tone rose slightly higher than he intended.

"Of course it is!" Jackson jerked his head back as if thoroughly offended. "Where is this coming from?"

"Then why would Anita be investigating you?"

"I see. Anita." Jackson paused, then continued.

"Is that the counter twist to her story? Turn around and accuse me. I'll humor you since you've already made up your mind to believe your wife. Our company is as legitimate as the next. Did I cut corners and compromise myself and our business. You bet, in the most professional way possible. And you'd do it also get a foot in that universe."

Frederick withdrew a few steps.

"Man, she's playing you. Remember, she's a professional. If you fall for her pillow talk, you're a bigger fool than when you first married her; over my objection, if your head isn't filled with so many lies you can't think back that far."

Frederick ran his hand through his hair while shaking his head. So, Anita was right, he wanted desperately to believe. He didn't dare tell him about Anita's accusation concerning their personal relationship.

"Look, Frederick. You've got a choice to make. Either believe me and stop her from dragging our company into the ground even further, or we part ways. I'll try to salvage what I can. Good luck. You'll need it because I'll report you both. You, as an accomplice."

Stunned, Frederick shot an angry glance in Jackson's direction.

"You'd do that to our relationship? I stuck with you when the company was just a fledgling publishing house."

Jackson retorted quickly, "I have to think my reputation; even if you won't consider yours. If you want to throw everything you've worked for just to follow that liar and traitor around, then that's your choice. Don't expect me to approve or cover for you. I'm alerting the authorities today."

Frederick opened then shut his mouth quickly, unable to recognize the person in front of him as a friend for nearly a decade.

This time, the door didn't slam. Frederick left as quietly as he arrived. But upon his leaving, it would be the last time he spoke to Jackson. Their partnership was over, he vowed.

[to be continued]

For my theme, I was inspired by and utilized the Hive account@daily.prompt's publishing of 20 october 2024, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2531: lack of credibility.