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What notes?I thought sardonically,you literally just drew a red ‘X’ over the clothing that you don’t like, and expected me to understand what you didn’t like about it.
I didn’t say that though. Instead, I just continued to smile as if my life depended on it. “I did, and I hope you are pleased with my new choices of gowns for your upcoming Galas.”
I was three gowns into my presentation when Bells answered the telephone while I was mid-sentence. “Frederick, how good to hear from you. Yes, of course we can talk more about what you mentioned to me at the ballet.”
And just like that, I ceased to exist in the mind of Amelia Bells. With a silent sigh, I busied myself over by my rack of clothing, turning off the screen-share on my tablet so that I could reply to some other client emails while I fiddled with the clothing. I was always uncomfortable when a client didn't give me direction when they took calls. I wasn’t quite sure what to do next, should I have excused myself? Or should I just pretend like I really was just a piece of office furniture?
“Yes, I understand that you like her for your son and his pack, but she’s only nine-years-old, so she has several years until she will be up for matching.” Bells hadn’t said Cherry’s name, but how many nine-year-old omegas lived at the academy? I don’t know what possessed me to do what I did next, but I tapped on the recording app on my tablet and turned it on. My heart was in my throat as I continued to pretend to look through the gowns, while Bells continued with her phone conversation, oblivious to my subterfuge.
“Your son—Tyler is it? Yes, Tyler. He’s turning eighteen this year, yes? So who’s to say that he won’t meet another omega who is closer in age to him...I see. Well, I’m afraid that Cherry is still some years off from even considering an alpha pack.”
The relief I felt at her words was instant. Of course she wouldn’t pair Cherry off right now, she was a little girl! It would be against every omega safety law in California, not to mention that it was against academy policy to try and pre-match omegas. The academy was still in hot water for forcing Eloise to move into Pack Russo’s house before she accepted them as a pack—it had ended well, but that was pure luck on the academy’s part. They were probably being much more careful how they were treating their omegas, especially the younger ones.
My relief was short-lived, however, when Chairwoman Bells’ voice raised an octave as she asked, “How much?”
Instant nausea filled my gut, and it took everything inside of my body not to whirl around and ask her what the fuck she was doing even considering accepting money in exchange for a little girl’s safety.
But I didn’t. My legs were frozen in place, and I just watched the audio continue to record on my tablet, praying that the crappy microphone was picking up her voice.
“...I see. Well I suppose there is no harm in making it a point to have Cherry meet your son and his pack only. It’s always a pleasure talking to you Frederick, uh-huh, yes I will touch base later with the details. Goodbye, now.”
Silence filled the office, and I paused the recording and closed the app.
If there was any time to put your Maddie-face on, it’s right here and right now.I told myself, forcing a bright smile to replace what I was sure was a panicked expression.
“Have you decided which outfits you would like to try on today, ma’am?” I opened the sharing setting and threw the presentation of the gowns back on the screen.
“No, I’ll just take the whole lot. Send my measurements to your tailor. That’ll be all.” With that I was, thankfully, dismissed from the presence of someone who I was quickly coming to see as a monster.
I wheeled the rack back out into the lobby, ignoring Charity’s goodbye wave as I stepped into the elevator.
My mind raced a million miles a minute and my knees shook as I tried to process everything that I had heard. As the elevator descended to the lobby, I suddenly came to a realization:
This was definitely not the first time that Chairwoman Bells had taken a bribe when it came to the omegas at the San Francisco Omega Academy and, if I didn’t do something, it wouldn’t be the last.
