My stomach sank as I saw a thread of emails from this morning among a few of the employees. In the thread, they were speculating about Sadie and me. One employee guessed that we were sleeping together. Another guessed that I was paying her for sex. Another guessed that she was blackmailing me into giving her a raise because we were sleeping together. Another guessed that she was pregnant with twins.
With my heart beginning to race, I continued opening the various emails my IT guy had sent me, with more email threads gossiping about Sadie and my relationship. All there for me to see because they had stupidly communicated through our work server, which they knew full well I had access to. Or at least it was in the fine print of their contracts.
I clicked out of all the emails. I had seen enough, and the rumors were just growing more outrageous the more I continued to read. I let out a long sigh and leaned back in my chair, trying to gather my thoughts.
How did they find out about us? We had beensocareful. We timed our arrival times and exit times carefully, so we were never coming in or leaving together. Even at the apartment, we were never seen together. For all they knew, Sadie still lived downstairs, especially since I had taken over her Airbnb payment, so as to not raise questions from other tenants or staff. Here at work, whenever Sadie came into my office, the shades were raised and the door was open. We were always visible to anyone passing by. Our emails to each other were strictly professional. I just didn’t understand.
Everything had been going so great, and now these rumors would destroy it all.
I had to talk to Sadie, but I wasn’t about to call her in here when I knew everyone was watching like hawks. I looked out the door to see her at her desk chatting with Tanya. She seemed oblivious to the emails that had been circulating. She must not know yet.
I strode out of my office, giving Tanya a cool nod, which made her stand up a little straighter. I ignored the fact that she wasn’t where she was supposed to be and addressed Sadie.
“I have an early lunch meeting I need you to join me for.”
“Yes, of course,” said Sadie, playing her part of dutiful assistant.
I walked toward the elevator, barely giving her a chance to gather her things. I could hear the hurried footsteps as she tried to keep up with my long strides. I stepped into the elevator where she caught up with me, hushed whispers following in after us before the doors closed.
“That was odd,” murmured Sadie.
“Theyknow,”I said sharply, hitting the button for the lobby.
“Wait. What?” she asked in surprise.
“They know,” I repeated myself. “They’ve been emailing about us. Speculating. Spreading rumors.”
“What kind of rumors?” asked Sadie worriedly, her green eyes wary.
“The kind that say we are sleeping together and that you’repregnant.” My voice lowered to a whisper on that last word as my eyes wandered over Sadie’s midsection. She wasn’t showing at all. It just looked like maybe she had a big breakfast.
The elevator doors opened and I quickly strode out of them toward the large glass doors to the street where my town car was already waiting. A place of privacy where we could get to the bottom of this. Sadie followed behind me quickly, out the doors, and into the backseat. I closed the privacy partition to the front before turning to her, where she sat wide-eyed.
“Theyknow. And I want to know how,” I said, my eyes narrowing.
“You think this ismyfault?” she asked, her brows raising.
“I haven’t told a soul. So, how else could they have found out?”
“Jeremiah,” she started, reaching for my hand calmly. “My two best friends are the only ones who know, and they wouldneverbetray my trust. Plus, they don’t know anyone at the office. It makes no sense.
“Maybe people just put two and two together. I did have to run to the bathroom a few times. I’ve also been hyperaware of smells lately, especially in the breakroom. I’ve had to excuse myself a few times. Can you believe Tanya brought in egg salad one day?” Her face drained of color at the memory.
I shook my head. “There’s no way anyone has been paying that much attention. Either you told them or your friends did.”
“I can’t believe you would accuse me of saying anything,” she snapped, her cheeks finding color again in her anger. “Or that my friends would. I trust them with my life.”
“Well, I don’t. I don’t know them. Shit, I hardly know you.”
The way Sadie’s face dropped at the last words told me that I had gone too far. I regretted what I said immediately, but was too angry to apologize.
Sadie didn’t even give me a chance to before she said her own pointed words. “You are something else, you know that?” she said sharply. “You act like we haven’t spent the past few months together. Hell, we’ve lived together for the past month. And you don’tknowme?” She laughed, her bitterness dripping.
“Maybe you don’t knowme.But I knowyou.You are a bully. A control freak,” she continued. “You can’t control everyone in your life, whether they’re on your payroll or not. Shit happens. Did you really think people weren’t going to talk? It’s not like we would be able to hide this forever. You have to let it go.”
She was right, and I knew it. I just didn’t think we would have to deal with all of this yet. I thought we had time.
“I think it’s best you don’t come to the ultrasound appointment today,” she murmured softly.
