Office show - part 3

Mike let out a heavy sigh as the door to the ladies' room closed behind them. But even here, there was no relief. He watched as Kelly rummaged through her bag, pulling out makeup and a wig. Now, however, he noticed her confident smile falter slightly when she glanced up at him. Sarah was clearly a little anxious. Mike couldn't recall ever crossing paths with her before, let alone being this close. For her, this was a risk—she was playing a dangerous game. Because no matter how much everyone pretended that "Tiffany" was the only one present, everyone knew the heir to the company stood in front of her. And that definitely unnerved her, despite her attempts to appear confident.

"Are you serious?" he grumbled, watching as she laid out brushes, an eyeshadow palette, and propped up a mirror. But Kelly tried to ignore his sarcasm. She slowly walked around the restroom, checking the stalls before finally turning to face him.

"Alright," she exhaled, calming herself as she finally stopped in front of him. "Now we can talk properly," she said, though her voice still betrayed a hint of hidden nerves.

Mike frowned, crossing his arms over his chest, feeling the fabric of the blouse tighten uncomfortably on his unfamiliar body. The whole moment seemed absurd to him.

"About what? Why did you bring all this? What kind of circus is this?" he hissed through his teeth, and to his horror, the words came out too thin and almost comical. Sarah couldn't help but smirk, hearing his ridiculously high-pitched tone.

Mike's frown deepened, and he felt blood rush to his face.

"Are you laughing at me?" he breathed out, barely containing his anger, his voice once again betraying him with a squeak, only adding to the ridiculousness of the situation. His glare was sharp, but even that seemed laughable in his current appearance.

"I... I just want to help you look convincing," she said, choosing her words carefully. "You know how your father likes everything to go perfectly according to plan," she added quickly, giving him a swift wink, as if hoping her comment would ease the tension.

"According to plan?" Mike growled, though it sounded more like a petulant whine. Sarah flinched slightly, sensing his frustration. "What plan? To make me look like a secretary in front of the whole office? Is that your plan?" Sarah nervously bit her lip, looking at him but trying to keep her composure.

"I understand how it looks," she said, letting out a quiet sigh, as though she wasn't thrilled with the situation either but couldn't show it. "But your father... he wants you to be able to handle any challenge. And... Mike, be honest. If you can do this, if you can show that you can... step into any role," she said the words slowly, as if fearing his reaction, "you’ll only strengthen your position."

"Step into a role?" Mike repeated sarcastically, gripping the arms of the chair. He looked down at his nails, painted a pale color, which reminded him of just how powerless he was in this situation. "You say that like it's normal," he scoffed bitterly. "This isn't a role, Kelly. It's idiocy."

Sarah paused, looking at him with a touch of sadness. It was clear it wasn't easy for her to watch Mike struggle with his humiliation, but she understood that neither he nor she had a choice.