Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

106. A White Lie Is Still A Lie

I sat down across from Vicky, with Ryan beside me, and the weight of the moment pressed down on me. My hands instinctively reached for the glass of water in front of me, and I gulped it down all at once, hoping it would quench not just my thirst but also the nervousness gnawing at me. Yet, the tension lingered, thick in the air, making me painfully aware of every glance, every silence.

Ryan leaned back in his chair, a smirk on his face, as he said, "Well, Vicky, apologies for crashing your lunch. But Sarah insisted that I come along. She said she doesn’t feel comfortable meeting someone outside without me."

Vicky’s eyes narrowed, his glare sharp and cutting. "I know how much you love her, Ryan. But could you please stop showing off in front of me?"

The tension at the table spiked, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. I could feel the heat rising between the two of them, and I quickly interjected before things got worse.

"Vicky, don’t mind him," I said, shooting Ryan a look. "He just enjoys ruining a perfectly fine lunch. So, what's the real reason we're here?"

Vicky turned his attention to me, but before he could answer, he glanced at Nitya, offering her a way out. "Nitya, if you’re feeling uncomfortable, you don’t have to stay."

Nitya cut him off before he could finish, her voice calm but distant. "It's fine. I’ll just enjoy the view. Not that there's much of it."

Vicky started explaining how his business had hit a rough patch, but honestly, half of what he said flew right over my head. His words blurred together, sounding complicated, and I wasn’t sure what he expected from me. After explaining for a while, he looked at me hopefully and asked, "Do you have any strategic ideas or maybe a contact at your workplace who could help? I really need some new turnover strategies to get my studio back on track."

I felt a lump in my throat. I didn’t have the faintest idea what he meant. Just then, my phone rang—Krystal. I immediately excused myself, feeling the pressure lifting slightly.

"Krystal, I’m so stuck," I whispered into the phone after stepping outside. "Vicky’s asking for business advice, and I can’t understand a thing he’s saying. What should I do?"

Krystal sighed deeply on the other end. "This is exactly why I warned you not to lie about your experience. You’ve put yourself in a tough spot."

Her words hit hard, but I knew she was right. I was in way over my head. Feeling even more anxious, I ended the call and made my way back to the table, still unsure of how to handle this.

Sitting down, I took a deep breath. "Vicky, I’m still quite new at my job. I don’t have many contacts, and I’m not sure how much help I’ll be able to offer." I said this slowly, hoping it would soften the blow.

Before Vicky could respond, Ryan jumped in with a smirk. "Sarah, are you really an MBA graduate?"

His question caught me off guard, and my heart nearly stopped. I felt like I had just been exposed. "What are you implying?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, though I could feel it waver slightly.

Ryan leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing in mock concern. "All he’s asking for are some basic marketing suggestions. It’s not that difficult, is it? You could talk to your colleagues or your team leader for advice. It wouldn’t take much."

I stared at him, my mind spinning. Team leader? I didn’t even know who that would be. My nerves were on edge, but I forced a smile. "Sure," I said, trying to sound confident. "I’ll talk to someone and see what I can do."

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A week had passed, and Vicky's messages piled up on my phone, unanswered. I had been avoiding the inevitable, lost in my thoughts and unsure of how to confess the truth. Finally, I decided it was time. I sent him a text, asking him to meet at Amreesh’s café.

While I waited, I distracted myself by chatting with Amreesh, but my mind kept drifting back to Vicky and how I’d explain everything.

“Did you wait long?” Vicky’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned and saw him standing beside me. I shook my head and followed him to a table.

As we settled into our chairs, I tried to muster the courage to tell him the truth. "If you don’t mind..." I started but then faltered, my words trailing off. I couldn’t bring myself to admit what I needed to say. It felt like my tongue was stuck, unable to form the words.

Vicky frowned slightly, noticing my hesitation. "What’s the matter, Sarah? Is everything okay?"