Like every working-class woman, I hated Mondays. I envied anyone who got a rush from the drama that came with this particular day of the week because I despised it a lot.
The only thing appreciable about it was the cup of coffee I got from a café down the street from my office. It was simply the best, and there was no way in hell I was going to make an hour's drive here just for coffee.
The events of yesterday left me with a hangover, which I was currently nursing, and the events of yesterday were almost a blur, like every classic Saturday night.
I inhaled the rich smell of coffee and breathed out. Today is going to be a good day, according to the inspirational quote Nina, my assistant, put up on the window.
"Good morning, Miss Backlay. I have been waiting for you," Nina said, the loud sound of her heels clinking on the ground as she walked towards me, her tablet already on and a notepad in the other hand.
"Can I have like five minutes of zen before we start?" I said, popping my straw into my cup of coffee.
"Unfortunately, no, you can't. There has been recent development..." Nina started.
"There's always a recent development, Nina," I grumbled under my breath. "I just need five..." I began to complain.
"Brad cheated on you, and it's all over the news." Nina announced, stopping the straw midway into my mouth.
Today isn't going to be a good day after all.
"There were multiple footages from a nightclub yesterday; it surfaced this morning. I have reached out to all the organizations responsible for the articles, and they are taking them down at the moment," Nina said.
"Let me see some of the footage," I said, still shocked. I mean, I knew Brad was going to fool around someday, but I didn't know it was going to be on a nationwide scale.
Nina brought her tablet closer and started a video titled "Brad Conswink, son of Julian Conswink, the current commissioner of revenue, caught in a scandal."
As the video played, I quickly recognized the surroundings of the club from the night before. Brad was getting his dick sucked by a lady whose face was blurred out in the video. I mentally gagged.
The video continued on and on, past when he took her against the wall of the bar. This was his little childish way of getting back at me, I suppose.
I remembered the way he grabbed me last night and was suddenly very, very grateful that he had made a fool out of himself like this; in fact, I was bubbling with excitement.
"I could barely make it through that video, my God," Nina said dramatically, waving her arms around.
The rest of the articles were made up of the same content, some showing pictures of Brad and me.
The rest were by religious moralists and feminists talking about how to raise male children right and some feminists crying more than the bereaved, as usual.
"Put a call to the commissioner immediately," I said, taking a sip of my coffee and humming.
"I know you are a matcha girlie, but you gotta try this coffee. I am telling you, an absolute ten outta ten," I said, taking another sip of my coffee.
"You don't seem very bothered," Nina said, and I took a pause from my coffee to look at her.
"Of course I am, devastated actually," I said, sipping my coffee and turning to go into my office to avoid further interrogations.
Nina was my mom's assistant and a very good friend to the family, hence the reason for the informality. Nina is my friend, and she was a healthy support system for me after the passing of my mom and helped me form this foundation after I cut my dad off.
"You aren't acting like someone who just witnessed her boyfriend in a scandal," Nina said, following me into my office and folding her arms across her chest.
"What do you want me to do, cry?" I asked, arranging the files on my desk.
"Of course, be angry, yell, scream, shout—threaten to cut his dick off!" I raised my brow at the last statement, and she rolled her eyes.
"The point is, you are suspiciously calm, and you are obviously hiding something," Nina said.
I hadn't told Nina about the deal I had with the commissioner, and it was like this with most politicians I dealt with—absolute confidentiality.
It wasn't something personal targeted towards Nina alone; I generally didn't trust anyone at all. These were big and powerful men; I couldn't take my chances.
Besides, Brad was charged with assault. I didn't want to give Nina a reason to worry. Once I showed her a TikTok video of three homeless cats she had cried Soo hard and adopted three of them the next day. Trust me the world is definitely a better place without giving Nina Johnson a reason to worry.
"We weren't even that serious," I said with a shrug.
"I questioned your relationship with him very much. It seemed rather... odd," Nina replied, and I folded my arms across my chest.
"The article about us being sweethearts seemed to think otherwise," I said.
"Journalists love to over-exaggerate; anyone with eyes could see you guys weren't compatible. There was just something about that Brad guy. I could feel it," Nina said, clicking her tongue as if the name Brad left a bitter taste in her mouth.
"Brad is an absolute sweetheart when you get to see the real him. That's what makes this all so devastating," I said, suddenly sniffling.
"Finally, some tears!" Nina exclaimed, rushing over to me, and I internally rolled my eyes. I knew fully well that if I didn't give Nina the reaction she wanted from me, she wouldn't leave me alone.
Nina held me, patting my back as I fake cried.
"You deserved better," Nina said, patting my back, running it in a circular motion. I kind of felt bad for deceiving her like this.
Nina was right I deserved better. Fake boyfriend or not Brad had no right to do what he did yesterday both grabbing me and cheating on me while our deal was still on.
"Anytime you feel something, let it out. I don't want it to be like last time," she said, a lump forming in my throat suddenly.
She was talking about what had happened to me after my mom had died, and I blinked back an actual tear forcing the memories to the back of my mind. It's all in the last now.
"Promise me," she said, and I nodded against her shoulder. Nina pulled away, smoothing her dress.
"Now wipe those fake tears off; you are a horrible actress."