❛𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒... ❜ | 𝟏𝟖+

𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉ℯ𝓇 𝒻ℴ𝓇𝓉𝓎 ℴ𝓃ℯ | ℯ𝓍𝓅ℴ𝓈ℯ𝒹

Sam's POV:
It's a weird feeling for me: being able to hold Anna's hand in public and allowing people to acknowledge our relationship because of it, and  not being worried in the slightest that anyone else is going to notice and expose our affair. No fucking need to worry any more, is there? And that's all thanks to Taylor. Part of me knows that even if we weren't exposed already, someone with a camera in the entiret of New York would have caught something incriminating against us - whether it's us kissing goodbye after spending the night at each other's apartments, or catching stolen glances in the corridor at work. In the chaotic madness of the aftermath of the exposure, Anna needs comforting as she's in a nerve-wrenching mood, anxiety spiriting her soul for the upcoming meeting. In all the long months i've known this divine woman, i've never seen her this flustered before, the sight weirdly unknown to me. "It's okay, my love. Everything will work out." "They've obviously called a board meeting because they've seen what was posted on the website, Sam... you'll be made to step down as CEO, i'll be blacklisted in the science world forever, and we'll both be left with nothing... i knew this was a bad idea." there's no way i can let Anna keep thinking like this, because i'm afraid that if she does, she'll see sense and decide against her thankful decision to stay with me, which will tear us up for the umpteenth time in the last week. I close the space between us, taking both of my hands to hold her beautiful, red flustered face in, swiping my delicate thumb across her sharp apple cheekbones. "Look into my eyes, Anna..." she drags her Jade spheres from the dour-coloured floor, which are used to add to her look of despair, before forcing them to gaze into mine, with a concerned wrinkled cross between her eye brows. My mud-coloured pupils calmingly stare deeply into hers, as i attempt to console her by once again stroking her cheeks and offering her a kind smile. "Everything, will be okay... we have each other now... i'd choose you over a job any day. That's the easiest decision i've ever made, okay?" my words seem to install a small amount of relaxation into her, however it wasn't enough to wish the wrinkled line away, but just the right amount to put a small smile on her face. "I know, Sammy... i know how much you love me... i just wish we didn't have to become jobless because of it." i can't help but think to myself... why should we both loose our jobs because of this vendetta Taylor has against us? Why should we give her the satisfaction of knowing that she won this battle? I know that to see the smug look on her face as she ruins our careers, tears them to absolute shreds, would make me sick to my stomach. I can't accept that. I refuse to accept that. I know what i have to do. Callan exits the conference room, opening it half way to poke his head out, "We're ready for you, ladies." he heads back inside, and i turn to Anna hopefully. "Remember... i love you." "I love you too." my lips sweetly kiss Anna's, a kiss that will eventually be the last one we take before our futures as scientists are determined.

Me and Anna walk hand-in-hand, our heads raised high as we enter the room with an immense amount of confidence that doesn't seem to end... to find Taylor sitting alongside each and every board member, a smirk hanging on her face. What the fuck is this? My expression hardens as i keep it focused on the one human being who has made my Anna feel so terrified, feel so anxious, so scared for the near future. How fucking dare she... "What is she doing here?" "Because, Samantha, she is the one who has all of this 'supposed' evidence about yours and Ms Schuyler's relationship. Please, both of you, have a seat." Anna looks to me with a weakened look, every nerve in her body on edge, easily noticeable by the sorrowful look in her eyes. I squeeze her hand three times, as a silent 'i love you', and gently whisper into her ear, "We've got this." i sit her next to me, before doing the same myself, placing my hand on her thigh to install a sense of security in her. If there's anything i've learned about Anna it's that when she's feeling her most vulnerable, physical contact from the one she loves most is something she craves. Just one of the things on the very long list that i love about her dearly. "As i'm sure you two are aware, Ms Grant posted an announcement on the Dalton Enterprise's website claiming that you two are having an affair." Callan begins, before turning his gaze toward Taylor with an angry scowl on his face, "Which was an incredibly stupid thing to do, Ms Grant." Taylor's face scrambles up, as if she's looking for the right words to say, or the right emotion to feel. "I- i-" "If any investors or interviewees saw that post, they'd think twice about coming to work this us, and i wouldn't blame them. It's a good thing we took down the post before any real damage was done. Not to mention how vulnerable you made these two women by exposing them." i know that in a short amount of time, the attention will turn back on us, and we'll be grilled about every damn moment we've spent together since we met, so i soak up the scenery before me, especially the worried look on Taylor's face, as if she's about to piss herself. "I think an apology for these two women is due." clearing her throat of anything she might accidentally say out of anger, Taylor turns to us with a strained-as-hell look on her face, preparing to speak the words she most desperately does not want to say. "I'm... sorry if i cause you any distress, ladies." she speaks in the fastest way possible, pushing the words out as quickly as they'll go. Still staring at her, i lean back in my chair, a bored look on my face. "Whatever." as much as i enjoyed watching the green vein almost pop to a fault in her reddened forehead, i know with a minimal amount of investigation that she didn't mean a word she spoke of that apology. Not one bit. "Thank you. Now then, what evidence do you have Ms Grant?" pushing forward a black and rather thick portfolio, Taylor shows Callan and the rest of the board members her so-called 'evidence' of our affair, which is also piquing my own interest as well. "As you can see, this is all pretty self-explanatory. It's obvious what they've been doing behind everyone's backs for months now." flicking through the pages which are thickened with promise, their eyes bug out of their skulls at certain select pictures, tensing up at whatever they see. Me and Anna elected seats at the other end of the large conference room table, which i'm beginning to regret as i'm conscious of the incriminating detail that damn booklet holds about us both. "Yes, yes it is." as the portfolio is passed around to allow each board member to see, i stand up, "May we see that, please?" the smug smirk once again obtained, Taylor hands me the black plastic book. The first picture we notice as we open it up, is a photo of me and Anna in a darkened alleyway, our mouths on each other as well as our hands...