Mistaken Affair

Louise Fernan stared at her monitor, where an email from a happy couple was sitting in her inbox, specifically in her office account.

The attached photo in the email showed an American man in his late forties and a Filipina in her early thirties. The two of them were hugging each other, radiating sweetness that would make anyone envious upon seeing this blissful couple.

“How are things going at your travel agency? We hope you can visit us one of these days, and we will surely take you anywhere you want, Louise. You’ll definitely enjoy it,” Emily Walker had said. Emily had become Louise’s friend ever since Louise helped her obtain a fiancée visa and move to Washington DC, where she now resided with her husband Matthew. They had been married for a year now.

Louise smiled as she looked at the new photos of the couple exploring Orlando, Florida. However, for a brief moment, she felt as if someone else was also gazing at her monitor. When she turned around, she discovered that it was Marcia, one of her staff members at her own travel agency called Travel Queen.

“Hmm... Why don’t you consider taking a vacation for a few days?” Marcia asked before leaving to tidy her own desk.

Two more of her employees had not yet arrived, but it wasn’t time to open the office just yet. There were still ten minutes left, and it was a Wednesday—nothing to rush about.

Louise turned around, raising her eyebrows. “Why would I spend so much? I can take a vacation here in the Philippines. There are beautiful places I haven’t visited yet.”

“Hmm... Didn’t Emily offer to cover all the expenses for you? She’s just waiting for you to say the word, Louise,” remarked Marcia, pointing it out as she continued wiping the desk’s surface with a wet wipe.

Louise snorted, settling back into her swivel chair and surveying her office. The space was only thirty square feet, inclusive of the bathroom and mini kitchen.

She shook her head upon seeing Nicholas enter. He preferred to be called Nicole because he identified as a woman, being gay. Stella followed Nicole into the office, exchanging greetings. Louise smiled at the two before refocusing on Marcia, who had taken a seat in her computer chair and was now turning on her own PC.

“I already took a vacation last year in Baguio, so I don’t need one now, Marcia,” she reminded the older woman.

She glanced at her monitor once again, observing the smiling couple embracing each other and facing the camera. The moment was perfectly timed yet candid. Something poked her heart, but she chose to ignore it.

“Really? Or are you just interested in your lover, Anthony? That’s why you don’t want to leave?” Marcia teased, hitting a sensitive spot.

Louise had a close relationship with all her staff, but when they talked, the conversation inevitably veered towards her love life, which was a sore subject for her.

Louise raised an eyebrow. “I’m not into him, Marcia, and I never will be. I won’t get involved with him, even if my hair turns white,” she declared, shaking her head. She redirected her attention to her inbox, checking other emails.

Anthony was completely off the table. He was not her type at all. Besides, she had no time for men, and above all, her bitter and painful past was etched in her memory. She had experienced love and betrayal, and she was not sure if she would ever allow herself to fall in love again.

Regardless of whether she wanted to admit it or not, she still could not forget the man who had broken her heart. That man...

She closed her brown eyes briefly, trying to shake off his handsome image from her mind. She wanted to erase the memories of how she felt when she was with him—the way he kissed her, the way he made her feel, the way his hands touched her lips and body, and the way they made love...

She swallowed hard and forced herself to focus on her present work. The corners of her eyes started to feel hot, but she refused to cry. It had been three years already. She had grown more mature. She was now twenty-five and no longer that naïve. Two years with him had taught her valuable lessons she would never forget in her entire life! 

“You don’t really like Daddy Anthony, Louise? He’s hot in his own way,” Nicole interjected, popping his head into the doorway while preparing coffee in the mini kitchen.

“No, Nicholas. Anthony knows that, but I’m aware he still hopes for us to be together,” Louise replied, continuing to browse through her other emails.

Despite being close to her staff, none of them had any inkling about her past. She was not ready to share it with anyone, nor did she intend to. She wanted to forget it all, and it was fortunate that none of them could remind her of it. Moreover, she believed it was for the best—her own best interest. She had to admit that to herself, at least.

“He really loves you, Louise, you know? I can sense it,” Marcia remarked. She glanced at Stella, who had remained silent since entering the room. Stella was a woman of few words, seemingly living in her own world. “Right, Stella? Come on, answer me!” Marcia playfully pressed the other woman.

Stella initially glanced at Louise, shrugged her shoulders, and forced a smile. Among the three employees, Stella was the only one who did not bother Louise much. Stella held a deep respect for the professional gap between them as employer and employee. However, for Louise, she considered all of them her friends because they were her constant companions every day. Besides, their ages weren’t too far apart.

Louise shook her head and focused on reading some email inquiries regarding different visas that their clients needed. Meanwhile, Nicole took the initiative to turn the door sign to OPEN, indicating that they had officially begun their work for the day.

The morning was busy, but Louise noticed that Stella would occasionally give her meaningful glances, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back. Perhaps it was because of Marcia and Nicole, who tended to be chatterboxes.

Louise decided not to dwell too much on Stella’s peculiar stares. Besides, their offi