Ethan
I took a deep breath bringing down my heart rate. I just returned from jogging. I wiped the sweat off my face with a towel when I smelled something. Some burning smell. I quickly rushed to the kitchen to see Lauren struggling to bring down the smoke. She was coughing hard.
"What are you doing?" I asked her looking at her ridiculously.
When she heard my voice, she looked up and her eyes didn't waste checking on me. Her eyes widened and she just gulped staring at me. In a way, I kinda liked her checking me.
When she saw the smirk on my face, she coughed snapping out from her thoughts.
I walked towards her and saw burnt eggs in the dish and saw her trying to cover them up. She glared at me when she saw me snickering.
"Were you trying to burn my house down?" I asked her but she just scoffed at me as the response.
"But seriously, what were you going to cook?" I asked her and she just sighed disappointedly at my question before turning towards me.
"I thought I'd cook some breakfast for us. But it just turned out horrible." She said looking at the burnt eggs.
Her lips turned even more down than before when she looked down and I felt bad looking at her already ruined mood.
"Did you cook before?" I asked her and she just shook her head in response.
"Okay... Do you know how to cook?"
"I've watched enough cooking shows." She answered confidently and I couldn't stop the smile that formed on my face.
She looked confused when she saw me smile.
"How about I'll cook and you just sit down?" I asked her to which she reluctantly nodded.
I just shook my head looking at her expression.
***
We sat at the dining table all dressed up for the day. I looked up and saw her eating the toast and scrambled eggs I made, clearly enjoying the taste.
"So, how is it?" I asked her wiping my mouth with a napkin.
"Not the best I've had. But not bad either." She answered diplomatically.
She looked smitten at her own response. I scoffed at her.
"At least better than burnt eggs." She stopped eating and gave me a fake smile.
"Well, you aren't lucky enough to eat mine." she said but when she realised what she said, she widened her eyes.
"What?" I asked coughing out loud.
"I-I m-mean eat the food I made." She said scratching her forehead and shutting her eyes tightly.
"Okay..." I snickered looking at her red face.
"Don't do it. Don't snicker. It isn't that funny." She gritted her teeth and I just smirked at the response.
She glared at me but continued eating her breakfast.
After completing my breakfast, I stood up taking my phone which I place on the table earlier.
I looked at her to see her breakfast is almost finished.
"Do you want to come with me? I can drop you." I said and she stopped eating. She looked up at me with widened eyes.
"Do you want me to come with you?" she asked me and I shrugged my shoulders.
She stood up giving me a smile.
"Sure." She answered and I nodded.
She stood up and rushed towards her bedroom to get her phone when she sprained her leg and was about to fall.
I quickly caught her in my arms placing my hand on her waist and she opened her tightly closed eyes when she didn't feel any impact. she clutched my shoulder in her hand tight as if her dear life depended on it.
My eyes involuntarily turned to look at her brown eyes. the brown eyes with the same-coloured brown hair complemented her complex so well. And those lips are just cherry on top.
She ran her eyes all over my face, scanning all my features. When I raised my eyebrow, she blinked at me nervously.
"Um. You can leave me now." I was completely lost looking at her till I heard her voice.
"What?" I asked her.
"Leave me." she repeated and I was going to leave her until a sinister thought filled me.
I looked down to see there is a carpet on the ground. It wouldn't hurt much.
"Sure," I said abruptly leaving her and making her fall down on her butt.
She opened her mouth wide in shock and glared at me.
I gave her a smirk when I saw her reaction. She looked like she is murdering me in her mind.
I offered her my hand to help but she plainly rejected it, standing up without any help.
"This is clearly not my day." She said dusting her hand and dress.
"I'll wait for you in the car." I said retracing my hand before leaving her and I could still feel her glare on me behind.
***
I was sitting in the car at the back, waiting for her to come. Tom was standing outside. I saw her coming towards the car. When she approached us, she greeted him.
"Good morning, Tom." He smiled at her in return.
"Good morning, Mrs Kingston."
"Didn't I tell you before to call me Lauren?" She playfully glared at him and he just chuckled.
He opened the door and she entered the car sitting beside me.
Tom started driving the car.
It isn't even two minutes since the car started before, she opened her mouth.
Guess she can't stay longer without talking.
"Just for your information, I'm still mad at you for that thing earlier." She gritted her teeth.
"Do I care?" I asked not even giving her a glance.
"You have to." She exclaimed.
"Ok," I said and she just sighed shaking her head at me, looking out.
She ignored me breathing hard, clearly angry.
After a moment, I saw her still looking out and I sighed.
"Fine, I shouldn't have done that. Are we good now?" I said and she turned towards me.
She stared at me thinking for a second before nodding at me.
Her lips turned into a grin.
"Did you know, this is the first time we are going to the office together. Isn't that weird?" she asked me trying to find the right words.
"Yes, it is weird." I nodded at her.
"This is also the first time everyone is going to see me after that viral video." She said eyes widened.
"So, what if everyone laughs at me now." She exclaimed biting her nails and I rolled my eyes.
"Can you just go back to the 'ignoring me' phase again? Don't talk to me anymore." I said but she completely ignored me.
"Now everyone knows I'm crazy." She whisper-yelled and I just sighed.
The rest of the ride was her complaining and me just listening to her complaints.
***
Just like she said,
All heads turned toward us when we entered the office lobby.
More precisely, they were all staring at Lauren. giving her weird stares.
And I could see Lauren becoming self-conscious.
I stopped walking and glared at everyone and as soon as they all saw my expression, they dropped their heads and resumed their work.
I looked back at Lauren and gestured for her to come toward me.
When she did, I said her to walk in front and I followed after her looking at everyone once again.
Once we are in the elevator, I caught her stealing glances at me.
When I caught her, she just gave me a soft smile.
"Thanks." I cleared my throat not knowing how to respond. I just ignored her looking at my phone and we both exited the elevator when the doors opened.
***
"What happened to that reporter that sneaked into the party?" I asked Mr Coulson who is standing in front of me.
"We sued him for 50 million dollars and he can't appeal in any court." I nodded my head at him.
"Sir, do you know who helped the reporter?" he asked me and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Do you know something, Mr Coulson?" I leaned back in my chair.
"The reporter said that it was Mr Romano who helped him to enter." I shook my head.
"That old man isn't over that coffee-spilling incident. We have to do something of him." I scoffed signing some files.
"Anything else I have to know Mr Coulson?" I asked him and he hesitated before answering me.
"It is actually Mr Christian Hudson who gave us the name of that reporter." I stopped signing papers and looked up.
What?
"Do you think he has any intentions behind it?" I asked him hoping I was incorrect.
"No sir, I think it was just a mere help." I nodded at him and he left after taking the files I'd signed.
Did he help me?
Why would he do that?
I stood up from my chair and walked up to the large glass door thinking about Chris.
I involuntarily looked out to see Lauren sitting at her desk.
I never knew I could see her desk from my office.
A soft smile made its way to my lips when I saw her enjoying eating a bar of dark chocolate.
She closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat enjoying the dark chocolate.
The words she spoke when she is drunk are still fresh in my mind.
***
I glanced at my wristwatch to see it is just six in the evening.
Usually, I wouldn't leave the office this early, but today I tried making an exception.
After shutting down my laptop, I walked out to see Lauren standing up all ready to leave.
"You are finished?" I asked her and she nodded.
"Let's go." I said but she just frowned in return.
"Wait- Are you coming with me?" she asked me as I started walking towards the elevator.
"Yes, do you have any problem with that?" I asked her and she is walking behind me with a lost expression.
"But it's just six." She said and I stopped walking and she nearly crashed into me.
"And?" I exclaimed and she just shrugged.
"You leaving office at six is like me waking up at 5 in the morning, which is not just difficult but is impossible." She said eyes widened and I just shook my head at her.
"But still, why are you leaving this early. Don't tell me you are going clubbing tonight or worse going for any date with a girl?" she wriggled her eyebrows and I just took a deep breath to ignore her silly questions.
"It's my office and my rules. So, I can go anytime and anywhere." She just chuckled at my response and we walked towards the Parking Lot.
Lauren sat beside me in the car after greeting Tom.
"Did you know the weird stares I got from everyone today? I don't know what I would've done without Sarah and Leah." She leaned back and I turned to look at her.
"Why? What happened?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.
"Thank God for my viral video, everyone was snickering and giving me weird stares behind me all day but Leah and Sarah had my back. Not only that, but they also brought me a bar of chocolate to eat at my desk." She said having a proud smile.
"You know, I even treated myself with 2 burgers for my lunch. What did you have for lunch?" she asked and I thought for a second before answering,
"I was busy, I didn't have anything for lunch." I shrugged.
"What? How do you people function without eating anything? Not eating regularly will affect your metabolism and will visibly affect you someday." she said and I found it amusing as I heard her concerned voice.
"I don't have a fifty-year-old grandma, but I'm glad you are there to fill in that position." I said and she widened her eyes.
"Did you just call me grandma?" She glared at me and I just shrugged in response.
"Well, if complaining about unhealthy eating habits makes me grandma, I'm fine with that." she said leaning back in her seat.
I heard Tom's snicker from the front and when Lauren glared at him through the rear-view mirror, he shut up.
When we reached the penthouse, we both got down and I pressed the elevator to our floor button.
After opening the front door, we both walked in when my phone rang.
I answered it when I saw it is Mr Coulson who is calling.
"Yes, Mr Coulson."
"Sir, I need you to check all the details of the product I've emailed you, sir." He said and I didn't realize till now that I've forgot doing that.
"When is the deadline?" I asked him.
"Tomorrow, sir." I muttered an 'ok' before walking towards my office.
I switched on my laptop and verified all the details.
After making some corrections, I sent him the email and hung up.
I removed my suit and hung it on my chair and loosened my tie and leaned back in my chair looking up.
I massaged my neck closing my eyes as my body felt so exhausted.
After a minute, I opened my eyes and leaned forward on my table.
My eyes fell on the drawers and I opened the second drawer and took a key out.
I opened the last drawer to look at the photo I cherish the most.
I took that out and my eyes took the image in and a slightly heavy feeling weighed on my heart.
I looked at the girl standing beside the little me with a big smile on her face.
The beautiful memories of sharing laughs with her echoed in my mind.
As I didn't want to have any unconditional thoughts, for now, I decided to place back the photo back.
I placed the photo upside down in the corner inside and was about to close the drawer when I realized something.
When I opened the drawer earlier, something was not right. Not usual.
I always place the photo upside down not just place it facing the opening.
But when I opened it earlier, it was not upside down like the way I do it every time.
It must mean someone else has opened this drawer.
Who would do such a thing?
It's just Lauren and me staying here.
Nobody else has entered this study, then who would've opened this?
I thought hard for two minutes before something flashed in my mind.
Two days before, I told Lauren to fetch me a file as I forgot to take it with me to the office.
Does that mean Lauren opened it?
But why didn't she say anything?
Lauren...
I balled my fist and stormed out banging the door on my way.
Author's notes
Thanks for reading.
Please Vote, Comment and Share.