The Kiss that Sparked it All

Truth be told, her salary had hit the ceiling; any further raise seemed out of the question. She was already earning more than many a general manager at smaller firms.

Yet, if Lucy could stick close to Nolan, keep steady and true, there was a shot she might be tapped for a department head role elsewhere in the company.

Her performance easily outshone some of those deadbeat managers skimming the surface, and Nolan had been itching to shake things up among his team for a while. But he was so used to having Lucy by his side that her absence would leave shoes too large for any quick replacement.

Dahlia, on the brink of madness, had turned a simple drive into a demolition derby, blowing through stoplights like they were mere suggestions, all set to burn bridges with Regina.

Regina, meanwhile, was buried in her paperwork, pondering when to corner Domingo for another interview. Slipping by unnoticed would be a tough gig after their last fallout.

Domingo had been a tough cookie, streetwise for years, and getting intel from him was no walk in the park. And Regina’s informants? No longer the reliable sources she once held dear. She heaved a sigh heavy with worry.

If only Nolan could lend a hand, this mess would be a cinch. But their relationship was at an impasse, a once-solid friendship turned to stone. She was at a loss for how to face him now.

They’d played house a few times, visiting Nolan’s folks, who were nothing but kind. It was during those moments that she could breathe easy, especially when they had to masquerade as the picture-perfect couple-a charade Regina found herself indulging in more than she cared to admit.

“Regina, you homewrecker! Get out here! You stole my boyfriend! How dare you still parade around like nothing happened?”

Dahlia hadn’t come to exchange pleasantries; she was raising hell at the doorstep.

The lobby was a hive of activity, journalists instinctively reaching for their cameras and recorders-this was hot off the press.

Regina’s entertainment beat was a world away from the commotion, the ruckus failing to reach her office until her boss came barreling in, demanding she deal with the scandal brewing outside.

“What a spectacle! Isn’t New Blossom Press notorious enough for you?” her boss barked. Material © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Puzzled, Regina responded, “Why are you so sure this has anything to do with me? I don’t recall meddling in anyone’s love life.”

“They’re shouting your name in the mud, Regina! You’re the only Regina in the building; how could it not be you? Now get out there and handle this, or don’t bother coming back.” Her boss was laying down the law, and Regina could only nod in reluctant agreement.

“Boss, I swear this isn’t on me. I’ve been chasing stories round the clock, as you well know. How could I have time for someone else’s love drama? Isn’t my life complicated enough?”

Seeing Regina’s distressed face, her boss couldn’t help but crack a smile. “So you do realize you’re a magnet for trouble. Regardless, being the target of this accusation won’t look good for you. Clearing this up means you can focus on your work, right?”

Regina nodded, hurriedly making her way out. But upon laying eyes on the scene, she realized she was facing an all-too-familiar face.

“Dahlia, what on earth are you doing here?”