The Language Of Silence

“Who knew burying the truth could be as easy as a signature, if your client was rich enough to buy silence in bulk?” Cheryl thought as she signed the last set of documents waiting for the CEO’s approval. Working late on a Friday might seem strange to most employees, but Cheryl never minded. Everything she had, she’d fought for, and she was so close to the goal she’d dreamed of since her foster home days. Her office was quiet except for the hum of soft music from the old boombox she kept by her desk. Beyond the window, the city glittered with laughter and lights—strangers dancing on the street, couples tangled in kisses. For a moment, she let herself imagine what it would be like to belong to that world instead of only watching it from above. Mr. Dan had given her this chance. He had been more than a boss; he had been the father she never had. Without him, she might have been lost. Without him… there would have been no Leo either. Cheryl smiled faintly, then glanced down again at people dancing, laughing, losing themselves in the night. She pressed closer to the glass, her heart tightening with an unease she couldn’t name, and told herself it was nothing. Soon, she promised, she’d taste that kind of freedom too. She was wrong.