Confrontation

The office was unusually quiet that afternoon, the kind of silence that felt heavy, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath. Emily had just finished responding to an email when her phone buzzed on her desk. She glanced at the screen and saw a message from Catherine: "Meet me in the stairwell. Now." 

The tone was abrupt, almost demanding, and Emily's stomach tightened with unease. She hadn't spoken to Catherine since the incident at the hotel, and the thought of facing her now made her heart race. Still, she knew she couldn't avoid it forever. Taking a deep breath, she stood up, smoothed her skirt, and made her way to the stairwell.

The fluorescent lights in the stairwell buzzed faintly, casting a harsh glow over the concrete steps and metal railings. Catherine was already there, pacing back and forth, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. She turned sharply when Emily pushed the door open, her eyes narrowing as she took in Emily's hesitant expression.

"You," Catherine said, her voice low and accusatory, each word dripping with venom as she stepped closer, her heels clicking sharply against the concrete floor of the dimly lit stairwell. The fluorescent lights above flickered faintly, casting harsh shadows across her face, which was twisted with anger and suspicion. "You're the one who told Ryan about the hotel, aren't you?" Her eyes bore into Emily's, searching for any sign of guilt, any crack in the façade of innocence.

Emily froze, her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing in her ears as she struggled to find her voice. "What are you talking about?" she asked, though her voice wavered, betraying the nerves that were threatening to overwhelm her. She could feel the weight of Catherine's gaze, the intensity of her anger, and it made her stomach churn.

"Don't play dumb with me," Catherine snapped, her voice rising as she stepped closer. Her arms were crossed, her posture tense and aggressive. "You're the only one I told about that night. I was going to tell Ryan myself, but now he knows, and it's because of you. How could you do that? What gave you the right?" Her words were sharp, and Emily flinched.

Emily's thoughts spun—guilt, fear, frustration all crashing together. She had told Ryan about the hotel incident because it was affecting their relationship, because she didn't want to keep something so important from him. But she couldn't tell Catherine about her relationship with Ryan. That secret wasn't something she could share.

Now, under Catherine's angry stare, Emily felt a wave of guilt—but also a spark of defiance. "Catherine, I didn't mean to—" she began, her voice shaking as she tried to explain.

"When did you tell him?" Catherine cut in, her voice louder now, echoing through the stairwell. She stepped closer, eyes narrowing. "What exactly did you say? And what's going on between you and Ryan? Are you two together? Is that why you had to stick your nose in my life?" Her questions came fast, sharp, and Emily felt cornered.

Emily shook her head, her hands trembling as she tried to stay calm. "It's not like that," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just thought he had a right to know." Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard.

"The truth?" Catherine laughed bitterly, the sound cold and harsh. She stepped even closer, anger flashing in her eyes—mixed with something that looked a lot like desperation. "You had no right. This was between me and Ryan. You had no business getting involved." Her voice dropped, low and tense, and Emily could feel her breath as she leaned in, their faces only inches apart.

Emily stepped back, her heart pounding so hard she thought Catherine might hear it. Her back hit the cold wall, and she flinched, her breath catching. "I'm sorry," she said, though the words felt empty. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Sorry doesn't fix this," Catherine snapped, her eyes blazing. She moved closer and jabbed a finger into Emily's chest, making her wince. "You ruined everything. Do you even understand what you've done?" Her voice shook with both anger and pain.

Pressed against the wall, Emily raised her hands, her voice trembling. "Catherine, please. I didn't want this. I just thought—"

"You thought what?" Catherine cut in, louder now, leaning in until her face was inches from Emily's. "Or are you just jealous that I was with Ryan?"

The words hit hard, and for a second, Emily couldn't breathe. The accusation landed like a punch, and a wave of anger, guilt, and fear rushed through her all at once.

Before Emily could respond, Catherine's hand shot out, gripping her arm tightly. Emily gasped, more out of shock than pain, and tried to pull away, but Catherine's grip was like a vice. "Let go of me!" Emily cried, her voice rising in panic.

"Not until you tell me the truth," Catherine snarled, her face inches from Emily's. "What's going on between you and Ryan? Why did you feel the need to destroy my life?"

Emily's eyes filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall. "I'm not trying to destroy your life," she said, her voice trembling but firm. "I just… I just tell him what I heard."

Catherine's grip tightened, and for a moment, Emily thought she might actually hit her. But before Catherine could do anything, the stairwell door flew open with a loud bang, and Ryan stormed in, his face dark with anger.

"Let her go, Catherine," Ryan said, his voice low and dangerous. His presence was commanding, his tall frame filling the doorway of the stairwell as he stepped inside, his eyes locked on Catherine with an intensity that made the air feel heavier. 

Catherine froze, her grip on Emily's arm loosening as she turned to face him. Her expression shifted from anger to something more fragile, almost pleading. "Ryan," she said, her voice unsteady. "This isn't what it looks like. I was just—"

"I don't care what you were doing," Ryan cut in, his voice steady and firm. He stepped between them, calmly but with purpose. Gently, he moved Emily behind him, standing protectively in front of her. "You don't put your hands on her. Or anyone."

His words hit hard, making Catherine flinch. Her face flushed with a mix of shame and anger.

"You don't understand," she snapped, her voice rising but starting to crack. She stepped back, waving her hands as she tried to explain. "She's the one who told you about the hotel. She's the one who ruined everything!" Her voice broke, and for a second, it looked like she might cry—but the anger in her eyes quickly pushed that aside.

Ryan's expression stayed steady as he looked at her. "Even if Emily hadn't told me," he said calmly, "you would have come to me eventually. I would've found out what happened at the hotel, and I would've told you the truth—that it wasn't me. It was James. And I never would've touched you."

His voice stayed even, each word clear and firm. "I don't have feelings for you. I'm not that kind of man. I don't get involved with women I don't care about. And you were never the one."

Catherine's face fell, her anger and confidence slipping away. Her lips trembled, and for a moment, she looked like she wanted to argue—but nothing came out. Her eyes filled with tears, and without a word, she turned and ran past Ryan. The sound of her footsteps echoed down the stairwell, her quiet sobs fading as she disappeared.

Silence filled the space, heavy and still. Emily stood behind Ryan, her hands shaking as she tried to make sense of it all. She stepped closer, her voice soft and uncertain. "Ryan… you were too harsh. Your words really hurt her." She looked up at him, hoping to see some sign His face stayed firm, his jaw tight, unmoved.

"Emily," he said, turning to face her, his voice calm but sure as he gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "I was just being honest. She needed to hear the truth." His eyes softened, the intensity fading into something gentler. "Catherine has been caught up in her own story. It was time for her to see things clearly. I couldn't let her keep blaming you or anyone else. What happened at the hotel wasn't about me, and it never would be."

Emily nodded slowly, though her chest still ached. She knew he was right, but that didn't make it any easier. "I just… I feel bad for her," she whispered. "She looked so hurt."

Ryan sighed and slid his hands down to hold hers. "I know," he said quietly. "But the truth can hurt. Sometimes it's the only way to move forward." He gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "You don't need to carry this. None of it is your fault."

Emily looked up at him, her eyes full of gratitude and something deeper. "Thank you," she said, her voice unsteady. "For being here. For standing up for me."

Ryan gave her a soft, reassuring smile that made her feel safe. "Always," he said, and pulled her into a gentle hug, wrapping his arms around her.