ˢʷᵉᵉᵗ ʳᵉˡⁱᵉᶠ, ᶜᵃˡˡᵘᵐ ᵗᵘʳⁿᵉʳ

23

23 - tabloids you've done it again

THE IVY
los angeles, california
may 29, 2024
wednesday
10am

i took a deep breath as i approached the outdoor patio of the restaurant. i could already see jacob and his lawyer waiting. my palms felt sweaty and my heart pounded in my chest. this was going to be a long meeting.

i walked over and made my presence known. jacob looked up and acknowledged me with a nod. the lawyer beside him gave me a polite smile. i took a seat opposite them, trying to steel my nerves.

"hello," i said softly.

"good morning," jacob greeted me in a detached tone, his face neutral. the lawyer next to him remained silent, his eyes fixed on me.

i placed my bag down and smoothed out my clothes, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible. "how are you two this morning?" i asked, making small talk as tension settled in the air.

"we're fine." jacob replied bluntly, his tone short and to the point. the lawyer beside him simply nodded in agreement. it was clear that they were focusing purely on the task at hand.

i nodded, sensing the lack of desire for idle chit chat. "okay," i said, before clearing my throat. "let's get right to business then." the lawyer spoke up, taking his cue to begin.

"yes," jacob chimed in, sitting up slightly in his chair. "let's get this over with." his words stung, but i tried not to show any reaction.

the lawyer went on to explain some legal jargon that i honestly didn't understand fully. something about assets, liabilities, and agreements. i tried my best to follow along, nodding along when needed.

jacob occasionally spoke up, adding his thoughts and opinions. i could tell that tensions were building within him, his temper starting to boil over. but he kept it somewhat contained, though his irritation was barely concealed.

the meeting dragged on for what felt like hours. each passing moment was filled with legal talk and uneasy silence. i did my best to remain composed despite the growing tension in the air.

at one point, jacob and his lawyer became engaged in a heated exchange. they argued over a specific clause in the agreement for a few minutes. i could see jacob's frustration growing with each passing second.

eventually, the arguing died down but the tension remained. the lawyer jotted down some notes before clearing his throat. "i believe that's everything for now. we'll be in touch in the next few days." he said, beginning to collect his things.

i nodded, feeling both relieved and drained as the meeting came to an end. the lawyer stood up, saying a short goodbye before walking away, leaving just me and jacob.

jacob stayed seated, his eyes fixed on me, his expression unreadable. i held his gaze, waiting for him to speak. the silence between us felt heavy and strained. i looked at him before taking a huge gulp of my water.

jacob leaned back in his seat, still not breaking eye contact with me. "you look well." he finally said, his voice somewhat softer than before.

i smiled softly. "i am well." i said with a nod.

jacob nodded slowly, his expression remaining stoic. "that's good." he said shortly. i could see his mind working, as if he was contemplating his next words carefully, or perhaps holding back his true thoughts.

the silence between us thickened again. i fidgeted with the glass of water in front of me, unsure of what to say. jacob's gaze was still unwavering, as if he was trying to read me. i then got up and shot him a smile. "i should get going."