Page 12 of Distrustful

"Are you okay?" Benjamin asks when Trinidad chokes on her own saliva.

The woman nods, without time to compose herself when Maria arrives in front of them.

"Shall we go in?" Maria asks by way of greeting.

Trinidad nods after looking at Benjamin, who positions himself to one side of the door to wait for her in the hallway. The air between the two women seems charged with invisible electricity as they enter the office.

"How are you? Nice to see you again," Ursula greets her with a handshake, oblivious to the tension floating in the atmosphere.

"Likewise," Trinidad responds, recovered from that disturbing vision with Ursula's right-hand woman.

The three women sit at the same table as the other day and Maria takes out the documents leaving them aside after giving her boss a look. Ursula finds what she has to do very uncomfortable, but she doesn't want to be hearing Maria's reproaches for months if she doesn't do it, and less so if in the end she's right and something goes wrong.

"Before anything, Trinidad," she starts to say and clears her throat.

The businesswoman gives her full attention and frowns when she perceives Ursula's discomfort, who seems unable to find the words.

"Why don't you get to the point?" Trinidad says.

"Alright," Ursula recovers when she confirms that the woman in front of her is like her, one of those who doesn't like beating around the bush. "Maria has been investigating you, something we usually do with anyone we're going to get involved with," she lies to justify her friend's distrust, "and let's say that the little information there is about you is a bit unsettling."

"Unsettling," Trinidad repeats annoyed.

"Not a single social network, not one photo on the internet, not a single public piece of data except your university degree," Maria intervenes, who had been dying to, "admit that it's very strange. What about your previous degrees? Which elementary school did you attend? Where did you work before setting up your company?"

"Enough," Trinidad cuts her off so abruptly that Maria stops breathing again, although this time, she is aware that she does it. "I didn't come here to be subjected to an interrogation nor do I have to explain my life to you or anyone. If you want to sign that contract here and now, we'll sign it, otherwise, I'll walk out that door and find someone else interested or simply forget about the project. You decide, Ursula."

Ursula fixes her gaze on Trinidad and starts to draw a half smile of satisfaction while nodding.

"Give me the contract, Maria," she orders without taking her eyes off Trinidad.

"But Ursula..." the lawyer protests.

"I said give me the contract."

Maria, annoyed, slides the papers across the table until leaving them in front of her boss, who signs them one after another and when she finishes, passes them to Trinidad, who also stamps her signature under Maria's scrutinizing gaze.

"Well, now we have an agreement," Ursula says and accompanies Trinidad to the door. "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."

"It's okay," Trinidad responds, "I understand that you don't trust me, but I have my reasons for doing what I do."

"If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have signed. We'll be in touch, Trinidad."

The businesswoman knows Ursula hasn't lied to her, she can tell because from the beginning she's felt comfortable with her, so she's clear that the one who doesn't trust her is Maria.