Sold Out (Camren/Shawmila)

Chapter 1

"Rob.. I n-need to see him." He says before taking a loud cough.

"Your old security guard is on his way right now sir. We called him a while ago and he'll be here at any moment." The young woman responded.

"Why don't you let one of the maids take care of you." The girl suggested. "You need someone to be with you at all times."

"NO." Mike quickly replied, making himself take another loud cough. He cleared his throat. "I only t-trust you, Lauren."

"If it was up to all the miserable people in this ranch, I'd be dead by now and they'd be stealing everything they could so they wouldn't go with their hands empty."

Mike Jauregui is a rich, powerful man, a ranch owner, who has a terrible past, which is now catching up to him on the day of his deathbed. Lauren felt bad for her boss. She knew his words were true. Mostly every employee on the ranch hated the old man. It wouldn't be a surprise that they might celebrate when the time comes when they no longer have to work under his authority.

"Rob told me.. you managed to finish school." He said, changing the subject. He knew talking about his situation made her uncomfortable.

Lauren grinned. "That's right, Mr. Jauregui. It took me a couple years, and lots of work, but I finally got my degree in fine arts."

Lauren had spent the last couple of years in college pursuing her dream in photography. She had an appreciation for it. The idea that she can capture a moment, that could be forgotten and gone forever, but caught on her camera, was simply amazing to her.

"If y-your parents were here.. they would be very p-proud of you Lauren."

She felt uncomfortable talking about her parents in any circumstance. She never spent one moment with them. Her grandfather raised her in a very small living space, it was barely manageable. To Lauren's dis fortune, He passed when she was just 10 years old. That's where Mr. Jauregui took her in and made her his employee and she stayed at the home where the employees slept until having to go to work the next morning. Lauren never really had a family.

"Can I come in?" The door opened and came in the old security guard.

"Of course Big Rob, I'm glad you're here. Mr. Jauregui kept asking for you." Lauren responded, getting her away from her own thoughts. She was thankful to get out of the awkward situation. Why was her boss taking a sudden interest in her?

"Leave me alone with him sweetheart."

Lauren nodded. She headed out and let the two talk on their own.

"Rob, you're the only true friend I-I have, and the only one I trust. I need you to h-help me with something v-very important."

                                     ___

After Lauren left the bedroom for her boss and Rob to be alone, Lauren put her hair onto a ponytail, pulled her sleeves up, and headed outside towards the stables where she groomed one of the horses. She had many duties around the ranch. The ranch was next to the mansion where only one man lived in, her boss. It was a lot of space for just himself, that is when he's not receiving someone in particular every once in a while.

A town car stopped outside of the mansion. Heels came out the door and stepped onto the pavement. A woman, dressed all in black, wearing a sun hat, sunglasses, and a dress you knew was very expensive, came and made her way towards the house.