The Agency

XLVI. confrontation

TW: Sexual assault

George hung up on her. She didn't even get to ask if there was a live streaming option so she could see Virginie getting tortured in real time.

She shoved her phone back in her purse and headed back into the dining room where Alex was sitting by himself, deep in thought. The other woman was nowhere to be seen. This was the perfect time to talk.

Alex's eyes brightened when he saw her, and her heart was filled with guilt. What could he have done to make anyone want to kill him? He's so precious. "Where were you? You've been gone for so long. I wanted to talk to you about something."

"I wanted to talk to you about something too. Could we go somewhere more private?"

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Sounds serious."

"Yeah, it kind of is."

Alex put his hands up and rose from his chair. "Lead the way."

Stephanie led him into another private dining room except this one was empty and dark. The only light in the room was coming from the windows, spilling into the space in strands. She pulled up two chairs for them. "Please, Alex, sit."

He looked confused but complied with her demands. "All of this seems so formal...what's going on here, Stephanie?"

She sat down in the chair across from him without responding. She stared deep into his eyes and asked, "What's the real deal with Virginie?"

Alex threw up his hands and got up from the chair with a groan. "Not this again, please." They argued a couple of weeks ago about Virginie. I know that those idiots from the Players told her that there was nothing wrong, but I don't believe them. If there's nothing wrong, why is he kissing me less and less? Why does he not want me coming to the office to bring him dinner anymore? Why does he seem so distracted all the time? Something changes but I don't know what. Had he finally given into that stupid bitch? "I told you that nothing is going on between us. Is that all? If so, I'm going to leave." He began to walk out, but Stephanie caught his arm with furious eyes.

"You're not leaving. We're going to sit here and talk about this."

Alex ripped his arm from her grasp. "Talk about what? Talk about how you're obsessed with a woman who has done nothing but be nice to you no matter how much you try to piss her off?" Stephanie looked back at him in shock. "Yes, your methods are that transparent. You continue to try to drag Virginie down because you have this stupid theory that we're sleeping together when we're not!"

"Tell me the truth for once, Alex. What is Virginie really here for? Why do the kidnappers see her as more valuable than you?"

He looked bewildered at the accusation. "Tell you the truth for..." He took a deep breath before speaking again. "So they can use her as a prostitute, duh. Do you not know anything about the huge human trafficking epidemic going on right now? Women like her are what they're looking for."

She hated how he had an answer for everything. She hated even more how he actually made sense. "But why did she sacrifice herself instead of you? How did she know that they would take the bait?"

Alex let out a breathless laugh. "Are you serious? Is it that wild to you that someone else could possibly care about me enough to sacrifice themselves for me without having to fuck me? Glad to know that's how you feel."

She blanched, not sure how to reply. "Alex...that's not what I meant and you know it."

"Then what are you trying to say, Stephanie? Because all you seem to do is blame me for things out of my control and accuse me of sleeping with my intern."