His Lovable Klutz (Completed)

Segment Twenty-nine.

♥ The Painful Truth ♥

      Stefan sat in his office, scrolling through his laptop with his bandaged hand resting on the desk. His fingers moved over the keyboard with a practiced efficiency, but his mind seemed elsewhere. The sterile smell of antiseptic from his bandages mingled with the scent of fresh coffee on his desk, creating a somewhat jarring  that reflected his current state of mind.

      Susan stood in front of his desk, her iPad in hand, going over his schedule for the week. She was all business, as usual, her tone professional and direct.

      "You have a meeting with Mr. Dunlop this afternoon at 3 p.m," she said, tapping the screen of her iPad with a manicured finger. "And on Thursday evening, there's an invitation to a party at Mr. Jabari's mansion. The invitation specifies that attendees must bring a partner, no gender specified."

      Stefan frowned, his discomfort evident as he listened. "If Mr. Jabari weren't such an important business partner, I wouldn't even consider going," he muttered, leaning back in his chair with a sigh. "I can't stand those kinds of gatherings. They're all just an excuse for people to flaunt their wealth and pretend to care about things they don't."

      Susan nodded, understanding his distaste for such events. "Understood, sir."

      After a moment, Stefan looked up at her. "Get yourself a dinner dress. You'll be attending the party with me."

      Susan hesitated, glancing down at her iPad. "I'm sorry, Mr. Reynolds, but I won't be able to attend the party with you. I have a family matter that requires my attention that evening."

      Stefan studied her for a second, then nodded. "Alright. Take care of your business, Susan. I'll manage."

      Susan gave him a small smile of appreciation. "Thank you, sir," she said before turning and leaving the office.

      As soon as she was gone, Stefan leaned back in his chair, exhaling deeply. The thought of the party and the necessity of finding another partner annoyed him, but it was just another part of the job. After a moment of contemplation, he decided to give Tenzin a call.

      The phone rang a couple of times before Tenzin's familiar voice came through. "Hey, Stefan, what's up?"

      "Tenzin, are you in town?" Stefan asked, getting straight to the point.

      "Actually, no," Tenzin replied. "I'm out of town on a business trip, meeting with a client. Why?"

      Stefan sighed, his hopes of avoiding the awkwardness of attending the party with a stranger slipping away. "There's a party at Mr. Jabari's mansion this Thursday, and I need to bring a partner. Thought maybe you'd want to come along."

      "Ah, I would've, man," Tenzin said, sounding genuinely regretful. "But I won't be back until next week. Maybe ask someone else? Hey, what about Susan?."

      "She's got a business to attend to."

      "Shoot! So sorry, man. I'm sure you'll find someone."

      "Yeah, maybe," Stefan replied, though he sounded less than enthusiastic. "Thanks anyway, Tenzin. Safe travels."

      "Thanks, Stefan. Good luck with the party. Talk soon."

      Stefan ended the call, tossing his phone onto the desk with a frustrated sigh. He leaned back into his chair, staring at the ceiling as he pondered his options.

      Before he could decide on anything, his phone rang again, the sound jolting him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the screen, his expression darkening when he saw the name: Amanda.