The evening stars

Mamma mia!

Sophie stood by the door, feeling a slight tension throughout her body. She couldn't get out of her head what had just happened. She urgently needed to discuss this with someone, and there was no better person than Nigel for such a conversation. He could always cheer her up and understand what was going on. She found him in the studio, where he was, as usual, immersed in editing photos.

— Hi, — Sophie said quickly, looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. — We need to talk urgently. This is important.

Nigel immediately noticed her anxious face. He set the laptop aside and looked at her intently.

— Are you okay? — he asked, his voice becoming slightly more serious.

— It seems not, — Sophie admitted, biting her lip.

Nigel frowned.

— Alright, let's go to your office, there are too many people here.

They quickly headed to Sophie's office, and as soon as the door closed behind them, she turned on her laptop, instinctively trying to distract herself from her worries.

— What happened? — Nigel finally asked, leaning closer to her, his voice full of concern.

Sophie took a deep breath, realizing that she needed to tell everything.

— Mr. Rossi... he just kissed me, — she whispered, as softly as she could, as if she were afraid the walls would betray her.

Nigel stared wide-eyed, and then, clutching his head, covered his mouth with his hand.

— Mamma mia! — he exclaimed, feigning drama, but then immediately became serious. — How did this happen? Well, I mean... he didn't just suddenly kiss you out of nowhere, right?

Sophie shook her head, her hands nervously fidgeting with the edges of the table.

— It was... not so easy to explain. Everything happened so quickly, — she paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. — This is all wrong, Nigel. I just... I don't know what to do.

— Damn it... — Nigel ran his hand through his hair, pondering the situation. — What about Alex? You were talking to him recently, right?

Sophie tensed even more, recalling her recent conversation with Alex.

— I... I took a break from the relationship with him, — she confessed, her voice trembling with emotion. "I told him that I can't continue until he resolves all the issues with the divorce."

Nigel let out a quiet whistle, nodding sympathetically.

— Well, I suppose Alex wasn't thrilled about this turn of events.

— Yes, he turned off the ringer, — Sophie sighed bitterly. — I'm not happy about it either, but I just can't live in this constant stress anymore. Everything that happens in his life pulls me down.

— I understand, dear, — Nigel said softly, leaning closer to her to comfort her. — That's a lot for one person.

— And what about Steven? — he asked after a brief pause. — What are you going to do?

Sophie shook her head, her thoughts were tangled.

— I have no idea. He kissed me... and then just told me to go to work, as if nothing had happened. As if this is a normal situation for him. — She sighed, nervously tapping her fingers on the table. — What do you even know about his personal life? Maybe he has someone?

Nigel shrugged.

— Well, I know that he came from Italy; his last name quite clearly confirms that, — he smirked, but immediately became serious. — But I can't say anything about his personal life. He doesn't really share such things.

— Well, that's informative, — Sophie replied with a hint of irony, resting her head on her hand.

— Hey, I'm not a scout, I'm just his colleague! — Nigel snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. — If you're so curious, you can ask him yourself. But personally, I have no desire to pry into his personal affairs.

Sophie closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, trying to calm her thoughts.

— I am just... shocked by what happened. I needed to tell someone. Sorry to have distracted you.

Nigel looked at her with understanding and a slight smile.

— It's nothing serious, darling. You need to vent, that's okay. But if you want my advice — be careful with Steven. He can be charming, but I feel that there's something hidden behind it.

Sophie nodded, but her thoughts were far away. She couldn't fully grasp what this would mean for her and her relationship with Alex.

— Alright, it's time for me to work too, — she said, checking her email on the laptop, trying to distract herself from her anxious thoughts.

Nigel nodded and left, leaving her alone in the office. Sophie took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts.

Sophie sat at her desk, feeling the waves of thoughts about the events with Mr. Rossi and the conversation with Nigel wash over her. To distract herself in any way possible, she decided to throw herself into work. Sophie took Mr. Rossi's calendar and started to create a schedule of meetings for the following week, checked every email and responded to all inquiries, and made reservations at restaurants for the upcoming business lunches. The work was progressing quickly, but it did not bring the relief she had hoped for.