To Color Your Life

Emily ran her keycard over the lock on the large metal door and froze in anticipation of a miracle.

After a few seconds of darkness, the corridor was filled with soft lights running along the walls like fireflies. They grew brighter and brighter until they turned into huge balls of colorful fireworks.

She felt like it was New Year, and she was at the epicenter of the most spectacular light show in the world.

"Unbelievable," the girl whispered in amazement. If she sees this every time before entering the department, she will agree to do any low-skilled job here after her one month of work ends up, just to be able to walk along this corridor once a day.

"Congratulations on your victory, my lady. Have a great day at work," a mesmerizing baritone wedged into the flashes of lights.

Emily stumbled in surprise and nearly fell. Damn, I completely forgot that there was another person on duty!

"G-good morning, uh, Ben?" the girl greeted, looking at a tall guy in a snow-white tuxedo.

"Oh, I didn't expect you to know me. You're new, Miss Hayes, right?" the man bared the same snow-white teeth and grunted contentedly.

"Yes, I went through several issues of the magazine yesterday," Emily replied. It would be hard not to recognize one of the magazine's top male team models when he was featured on every other cover. For the hot macho look, this guy Ben was the perfect match.

She didn't even want to imagine how many female fans he might have on his Instagram page. Probably no less than... well, you-know-who.

"And in the morning I read your article that made so much fuss around the office. I haven't laughed like that for a long time," the man clicked his tongue, "The first day in the department and has already shaken Gregor's authority! I'm afraid to imagine what will happen next," Ben winked and looked slyly at the girl as if they had a secret for only two.

"And what will happen next?" Emily tensed with a strange apprehension. The guy was clearly hinting at something, but what?

"You know better," he chuckled, "Okay, go. You cannot stay in the corridor for more than ten minutes."

"Seriously?"

"Pfft, of course! Otherwise, half of the women's department would be late for work every day! You like to take selfies, and here every morning there is a new show!"

Emily didn't really understand how these two things were connected. However, she also did not understand the passion for photographing a mirror in an elevator, a toilet, or a plate of food. Ah, especially doing the duck face! Why did the girls like to roll their lips? Looking like a fish or a duck has become some kind of modern fetish or trend, or what?

The girl shrugged. Not more than ten minutes - ok, no problem! And what is there to do for more than ten minutes?

"Do you have to stand here all day?" she asked before leaving the corridor, clicking the key on the second door.

"Nope, half an hour and that's it. Then I've got the filming with the Demon."

"With whom?"

"With Catherine Joyce. Aka Demon," Ben explained, "If you go to her photo session, you will understand."

"Why all of a sudden would I go there? I'm an editor," such a thought struck Emily as absurd.

"Well, after today's boss's Instagram post, I wouldn't be so sure about that," the man smiled enigmatically and gave the girl an appraising look.

Emily now even less wanted to know what he was so sure or not sure about. She pushed the department door open and hurried to her desk.

Hopefully, today is a day without passionate romance, she wished. Silence, peace, and the absence of strangers in sight are the perfect combination for an editor's work.

The tasks for the day were highlighted in her schedule.

"Oh, I like it better already," she smiled. Editing three finished articles seemed like a trivial task.

"Emy, hello! Why are you so early? Planning is only in half an hour," the blonde appeared in front of the girl's table, showing off a shiny tight-fitting skirt.

No, in fact, she did not show it, just her curves were so attractive that even Emily looked at them. Catherine Joyce should have gone to models, not photographers!

"Ah, Kat. I decided to get started faster so I wouldn't be late in the evening." Emily gestured at the to-do list on the glider.

"Yes, for you, this is a piece of cake, baby," Catherine winked, "Come on, help me get the chocolate bar. You are good at it."

What is she talking about? Hinting at what happened yesterday?

Emily jumped out of her chair and followed her colleague, looking around. Luckily for her, the other employees were busy with their own business and paid no attention to them.

"Listen, Kat, about yesterday," she said quietly, "Well, when you found me with the boss on the floor. Don't think anything like that. It's just an accident."

"What did I think?" Joyce grinned and pressed a button on the vending machine. The chocolate she had chosen fell into the dispensing compartment without any problems! Why couldn't it be the same yesterday?!

Catherine bent down, took out a bar with two chocolate sticks inside, unwrapped it, and handed half of it to Emily, "Look, I understand perfectly well that you don't have any special relationship with our boss."

Emily sighed and gratefully accepted the unplanned dessert. Well, at least someone has logic! A very valuable quality these days!

The image of Catherine in the eyes of the girl added a couple of dozen points. An angel, not a human being!

"But…"

Not! No need for any but! Please!

"But this is for now."

Emily seemed to have jumped to conclusions.

"Kat, everything only seemed to you. It's not what you think," Hayes muttered. She had enough relationship with her boss at her previous job. There was not the slightest desire to repeat this experience. Especially when your boss is a high-flier!

"Oh, stop it! Not what you think, not what you think...," Joyce mimicked her, looking sarcastically at the embarrassed girl, "How do you know what I think? I'm talking about Evans targeting you. And, it looks like he is serious. I mean, you may not have had anything, but you will definitely have in the future."

Emily was taken aback. She seemed to understand the work of logic differently. Since her conclusions were different from those of Catherine. There was definitely nothing between her and Justin Evans! Or was there? Or will there be?

Ugh, damn it! She herself did not know what to think.

"Hmm, I don't know. I think Mr. Evans is behaving quite professionally. I did not notice any suspicious actions from him."

Yeah, lie more. Especially to yourself.

"You did not notice?" Catherine was amazed, "All Instagram noticed, but she did not."

"It's just a photo. Even my face is gone. Anyone could be in my place," said Emily.

Joyce swayed her hips and, like a sly fox, clung to the girl and whispered right in her ear, "Darling, you were looking in the wrong direction. The look of a man can deceive, but the buddy in his pants is always sincere."

"W-what?" The mention of someone's (the one-whose-name-we-won't-name) buddy in pants made Emily's throat dry. "What do you mean?"

The face of Justin Evans within a radius of half a meter was already making her shiver, what can we say about imagining his... well, you know.

"These relaxed fit jeans hide the intentions of a man. The boss wore loose pants yesterday. So the photo clearly shows how much he is aiming at you," Katherine continued her assault on Emily's composure, "Check it out yourself."

The blonde's scarlet lips curved into a provocative smile.

Emily swallowed. Is that what everyone noticed? Was Ben hinting at that in the hallway?

Hayes pulled her phone out of her pocket with trembling fingers and tapped the Instagram icon. Going to the dentist now felt like child's play compared to the horror she felt now.

She found Evans' last post and clicked on the photo.

"There's nothing like that," she muttered, "Regular pants."

"You zoom in and take a closer look," Katherine murmured.

Emily zoomed in on the photo and began to carefully examine a certain point on the boss's body, below the waist.

But no matter how much she tried, she did not notice anything suspicious.

Awareness of her own actions poured over her like boiling water. She turned her head and stared at the blonde, whose eyes were already filled with tears from a hard-pressed laugh.

Catherine burst into wild laughter that could be heard even beyond the wall.

Emily did not know what she wanted more: to kill the beauty on the spot or to cry from her own stupidity.

What did she just do? That's correct! She carefully examined her boss's groin with the most serious look! Emily Hayes, your brain dried out overnight?!

Lord, how will she now look the man in the eye!

"Ahaha, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," Kat wiped her eyes and tried to hold back her laughing giggles.

No, this lady is not an angel. She's a real demon! The demon of the highest level!

"Do you at least understand that I almost had a heart attack?!"

"Sorry. You were so alarmed, I couldn't help it," the blonde patted Emily on the shoulder. "If you were so worried about yesterday's trifle, what would happen if Evans decides to break up with you?"

"He will break up with me?"

Stop. Emily, what the hell are you talking about?

"In no way can he break with me. We are not even in the relationship," the girl immediately retreated.

"Well, it's up to you to decide," Catherine shrugged, "Just in case, I won't be the one whose shoulder you'll cry on. However you may invite me to the wedding," concluded the blonde, chewing on the rest of the chocolate.

"You're kidding," Emily sighed. There was such a mess in her head now that it was impossible to keep the conversation going.

At that moment, a large screen on one of the walls lit up. The boss's satisfied face exuded an excellent mood and a full supply of strength.

"Hello, Pharaoh! Congratulations on the new release! Girls are great! Boys - take an example from them. Have a productive day everyone!"

The screen went out as quickly as it lit up.

"What was it?" Emily asked.

"Oh, it was a planning meeting. Evans is as short and laconic as ever," Catherine yawned. It doesn't seem like the boss's advice gave her the motivation to work.

Planning meeting? Work meeting? And it's all? Emily understood now why no one even raised their heads to look at the screen.

The screen lit up again.

This time, everyone stared at the display in bewilderment.

"Hmm, this is something new," Catherine was as surprised as her colleagues.

"Forgot to say," Justin Evans paused as if he was about to announce something grand, "Miss Hayes, come up to my office, please. Now."

When the screen went out, everyone present simultaneously turned their heads towards Emily.

She smiled tightly and shrugged.

How do I know what this madman wants?! She really wanted to scream back.

"There's nothing between you two, you were saying? Aha-aha," Catherine grinned and walked towards her office, hip-swaying.

Emily looked around for something heavy.

It seems that someone was asking for a serious thrashing.