Dark Allure

The Office Confrontation

I sat stiffly in the leather chair, arms crossed tightly over my chest. Across from me, Christian mirrored my posture, his jaw set in a stubborn line. The air between us was thick with tension, each avoiding the other's gaze.

Alberta's office was a testament to her no-nonsense demeanor: bare walls, a single bookshelf crammed with manuals and regulations, and a large oak desk that she currently sat behind, her sharp eyes darting between the two of us. Stan stood to her right, his arms folded, eyes wary. He knew better than anyone how quickly things could escalate between Christian and me. And the amount of fights he had to break up between us.

Ava stood to Christian's left, confusion etched on her face. She had no idea what had led to this confrontation, only that she had been called in as a witness to what felt like a time bomb waiting to explode.

"So," Alberta began, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife, "I understand there's been some... revelations recently. Rose, Christian, you two have something you need to address."

My eyes flashed with anger. I still couldn't believe Christian had kept such a huge secret from me. "You think?" I snapped, voice dripping with sarcasm. "How long were you planning to keep it from me, Christian? Forever?"

Christian's gaze finally met mine, his eyes cold. "It's not like you made it easy to tell you anything, Rose. You're always so busy with your own drama, I figured it wasn't worth the trouble."

"Not worth the trouble? You're my brother, Christian! How could you not think that was important enough to tell me? And people say that I'm psycho."

"Enough!" Alberta's voice cut through the mess. She leaned forward, her hands clasped on the desk. "This isn't helping anyone. We need to talk about this calmly."

Stan stepped forward, placing a hand on Alberta's shoulder. "Let's all take a deep breath. Rose, Christian, you both have valid points, but we need to work through this without tearing each other apart."

Ava cleared her throat tentatively. "Um, can someone explain to me what's going on? I'm kind of lost here."

Stan sighed and nodded. "Ava, Rose recently found out they're siblings. It's... been a bit of a shock for her."

"Oh," Ava said softly, her eyes widening. "I had no idea. That must be really hard for you guys."

My glare softened slightly at Ava's genuine concern, but my anger at Christian still simmered beneath the surface. "Yeah, well, it's not easy finding out your whole life was a lie," I muttered.

Christian rolled his eyes. "You're acting like I'm the bad guy here.  What was I supposed to do? Just walk up to you and say, 'Hey, guess what? We're related?'"

I stood up abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Yes, that's exactly what you should have done! Instead, you just kept it to yourself, like it didn't matter!"

Christian stood up as well, his face flushed with frustration. "It's not that simple, Rose! You're always so caught up in your problems, that you never notice what's going on around you!"

"Sit. Down." Alberta's voice was ice cold, and both Christian and I froze. "This is not the place for a shouting match."

I took a deep breath and sat back down, though my body remained tense. Christian reluctantly did the same, still glowering at me.

"Look," Stan said gently, "this is new for everyone. Rose, you feel betrayed because this information was kept from you. Christian, you're frustrated because you didn't know how to tell her. But fighting won't solve anything."

I bit my lip, my anger giving way to a deep sadness. "I just... I don't understand why you didn't trust me, Christian. We're supposed to be family."

Christian's expression softened slightly. "I was scared, okay? Things aren't that simple, Rose. Our secret coming to light can put us in danger."

Ava reached out and placed a hand on my arm. "Maybe this is just something you guys need time to process. It's a lot to take in."

Alberta nodded. "Ava's right. This isn't something that's going to be resolved in one conversation. But you both need to start somewhere. Maybe try to see things from each other's perspectives."

I looked at Christian, my anger melting into a mix of hurt and confusion. "I want to understand, Christian. I really do. But you have to help me. You have to talk to me."

Christian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. And I'm sorry, Rose. I should have told you sooner. I was just... I didn't know how. Even now, I can't tell you everything."

Stan smiled slightly, sensing a breakthrough. "That's a start. You both need to be honest with each other. This is new for both of you, and it's okay to be scared and confused."

"Okay. I'll try." I said hesitantly.

Christian nodded. "Yeah, me too."

Alberta leaned back in her chair, her stern expression softening. "Good. Now, why don't you two take some time to talk? Really talk. Without yelling."

Stan nodded in agreement. "And if you need us, we're here. But you have to work through this together."

Christian and I exchanged a glance, stubborn lines crossing his face again as he crossed his arms. He threw his head back and glanced at the window. 

"Yeah, no." He said at the same time I said, "No thanks."

Alberta rolled her eyes and Stan rubbed his eyes. "Is it so hard just to get along?" Alberta snapped, her patience wearing off. She suddenly stood up. "Just, get out." She sighed tiredly. "And Rose, get some blood. You look too pale."