Blair woke up around 8 to her phone vibrating on her mattress. She turned over, careful to not disturb Chuck or her cat, to read the text message. It was from her editor, not Dan, who agreed that a profile on Dan would be great if she was unwilling to include him in the main story. Her editor, however, was thrilled that she got the headliner to agree to an interview. Blair felt her stomach sink with the realization that she would have to see Humphrey again today for the interview, when yesterday it had just been an idea that she planned on blowing off.

Now that she was up, however, she was up. Blair silently snuck out of her bed and grabbed her robe and tip toed downstairs to make coffee. She wasn't sure why she had lied about her relationship with Chuck last night, well maybe not lied but didn't completely tell the truth. Her ring had previously been off as she had gotten a manicure and hated when people touched any of her jewelry especially when it involved cheap lotion from the supermarket and she had forgotten to put it back in. To hold up her hand, however, and let Dan believe that she was divorced… she wasn't sure what came over her.

Blair took a sip of her coffee, black, and went into her office and shut the door. She took out the notes from last night and started to type out her thoughts on what she could include in the story. She had sold that, and lied again, to Dan falsely as well. It wasn't about being a sell out, although she definitely wanted to mention the portion about the uncle and the record company in regards to the headliner, but rather more of a puff piece about the rise of guys and guitars again (was it ever out of style?) and their dominance over top 40 charts. She wasn't sure why she didn't want Dan in it, or why she suggested a side column just for him… it was very unlike her.

She heard a soft rapt of knuckles on her office door and turned around. "Come in," she called, typing her robe tightly against her body.

"You're up early today, Blair." It wasn't a question and Blair met Chuck's pointed tone with silence. "I need to go to the office early and probably won't be back tonight but I wanted to see you before I left."

"You're still in your pajamas, Chuck. Are you planning to go to the office in them?" She raised her eyebrows and turned to her computer.

"No, but I didn't want to bother you twice," he said, and she could hear his footsteps as he walked towards her.

She felt his lips press against the top of her head and cringed. She knew, in fact all of Manhattan knew, that he was staying late at his office to bang his secretary. How entirely cliche, really. The boss and the secretary… what a trope. When she confronted him with it, he didn't deny it, but instead insisted that it was just strengthening his bond with Blair. To be fair, she would argue if anyone brought it up against him to her, he had been much kinder and gentler since the affair started. Was it an affair if it was a topic they just didn't bring up? And maybe that's why she had so openly lied to Humphrey, she wanted retribution. Humiliation could go both ways.

"How sweet," she said, not looking from her screen. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then… although it was such a nice surprise to see my husband in our bed last night when I got home. What a surprise. Happy anniversary to us."

"Oh fuck," Chuck said, and she heard his fist bang the door frame of the office. "I'm sorry, Blair. Work has just been so hectic with the renovation and the new hotel… let me make it up to you this weekend. I have a gift, it's upstairs. Do you want me to get it? It's not wrapped."

Blair finally turned around, "Yes, go get it. And I'll get mine as well."

Chuck fidgeted and she knew she was playing with fire by calling him out on his lie. He was bound to erupt at some point, the affair could only mellow him for so long. "I'll bring it to you before I leave," he said through gritted teeth as he walked out of the office and closed the door. Blair knew it was the last she would see of him today, that there was no gift… in fact it wasn't even their anniversary. How foolish he would feel when he checked with the very secretary he was fucking over the date of their marriage. At least he had no plans to return home that night.

"Have a good day, baby," she called to him and returned to her computer.