It's 5 in the afternoon now. Laura is in her own company, sitting in her office staring at nothing in particular.
She's having a hard time believing that Jared did all those only to tell everyone that she's irresponsible.
In the meeting it felt like Laura was back to her high school. In the parking lot. Being shouted at, insulted at and judged.
It took her so many years. To straighten her back without fearing that her neck'll break. To learn to stand up for herself.
Mostly, it took her many years to change herself into a much better version. To be someone who makes her parents hearts swell with pride.
To bring some life into the shell that she was before.
But Jared is Jared after all. He didn't have a problem before to ruin her. He doesn't now. Maybe this is it. This is the reason why he has done all those.
Maybe he only wants to make her miserable just like in the past. He had even brought her dad at the meeting. So that everyone including her dad could know that she's not good enough.
A tear rolls down from Laura's eyes. She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand.
Why can't just people leave her alone? Why do they always have to make her feel like that she's not enough?
But it doesn't matter anymore, does it? She's not a weak teen age girl anymore. She is strong now.
And she's gonna make Jared taste his own medicine. She hadn't said anything before because she wasn't able to.
But now it's not that case. And Jared will understand that in a tad bit hard way.
Laura's train of thoughts stop as someone knocks at the door.
Grace comes inside with Laura's expresso. It's the 6th one so far till now.
'Here is your coffee. You have a video call with Mr. Xiao Nai in a few minutes.' Grace says as she places Laura's coffee in front of Laura.
'Thank you.' Laura says without breaking her gaze on her laptop.
Grace is looking like she wants to say something but then she decides against it and take a seat opposite of Laura.
Laura can feel Grace's gaze on her as she finishes the video call with Mr. Xiao Nai. Although Jared managed the situation still Laura wanted to talk and apologize to Mr. Xiao Nai.
'Is there something you wanna say?' Laura asks Grace after shutting her laptop.
'I'm so sorry.' Grace blurted out.
Laura furrows her eye brows.
'What are you apologizing for?'
'It's all my fault. Because of me you got shouted at the meeting.' Grace says in the most guilty tone.
Laura becomes so dumbstruck at Grace's words that before she can give a reply Grace starts talking again.
'I was the one who was irresponsible. I lack at my work. I neglected my job. I should've checked your emails. I only have access to your emails so that I can notify you if something is important. Yet I didn't.'
This time Laura is fast to give her reply.
'Grace it's not like that. You're overreacting.'
Grace still isn't convinced.
'I'm not. If only I had checked your emails yesterday then none of this would've happened. I'm so ashamed of myself.'
Laura mentally groans. She couldn't even comfort herself and now Grace is the one in need of comfort.
'Grace..'
'Maybe I should resign. You'll get a far better secretary than me. Yes, that's what I'll do. I'll send my resignation letter tomorrow morning.' Grace says by cutting Laura off.
'It's not your fault, damn it!' Laura shouts.
Grace become startled by Laura's shout.
'Huh...'
'It wasn't your fault. Actually nor was it mine.' Laura says.
Now this gets Grace's attention.
'What do you mean?'
Laura gets up from her chair and grabs her overcoat from the chair.
'It's starting to get dark soon. Let's leave. I'll tell you on the way.'
As Laura and Grace gets in the elevator Laura starts answering Grace's earlier question.
'It was all Jared's doing. He was the one who made me distracted by that blasted file. Then changed the date of the meeting with Mr. Xiao Nai without telling me. Then that jerk brought dad in the meeting only so that he could insult me. That arsehole.' Laura continues.
Grace widens her eyes after hearing to Laura.
'Are you serious?' Grace asks.
As Laura nods he head Grace curses under her breath.
'Bloody bastard...'.
But Laura still catches what Grace said and chuckles. Grace blushes when she realises that Laura caught her cursing.
Laura offers Grace a ride and gets in her car.
'But why would he do that? What did he gain by doing all those?' Grace asks.
At this Laura looks at the front and starts her car's engine.
'Satisfaction.'
Laura's answer fades at the roar of her car. But Grace still ables to hear Laura's answer.
As Laura is driving to her house she tells Grace about the argument between her and Jared on the day before yesterday. Swiftly leaving out the information of why she started that argument in the first place.
'So, you're not going to do anything? What if...... What if he does this kind of thing again?' Grace asks in a somewhat panicked tone.
After Laura shuts the engine she turns her face towards Grace and says with a smile,
'Oh I'm gonna do many things. And guess what? I have got the perfect plan.' Laura says the word 'perfect' in a dramatically long way.
...................
One week later
'Hey, Jared!' Laura's cheerful voice is the first thing that greets Jared as he steps out of the elevator.
'Hey!' Jared says with a forced smile.
He walks past Laura and flops on his chair. He has gotten so used to Laura's cheerful behaviour with him in the past week that he doesn't even become surprised by Laura's greetings anymore.
After what he did last week he had imagined 101 reactions that Laura would give.
They were something like- accusing Jared like a mad woman in front of everyone, crying her eyes out, complaing to her dad about Jared, going to a bar drinking like there's no tomorrow, murdering Jared with her eyes whenever they see each other or never talk to Jared again.
He had imagined every possible scenerio that could happen. But never in his wildest dream he ever thought that Laura would be cheerful around him.
Like seriously! That's Laura Williams. The girl who got worked up when Jared invited her to a simple freaking lunch.
And now that same girl talks to him like they are long time buddies. She's so cheerful around him that it's irking him. This isn't the same Laura anymore.
Hours passes by like a blur. It's lunch time now. Jared is going through some files when a shadow forms on his left.
Feeling a presence beside him, Jared looks up and meets with a pair of familiar green eyes.
Laura flashes him a joyous smile.
'Wanna grab lunch with me?'
Jared blinks his eyes twice. Nah, he isn't dreaming.
'Is she planning on poisoning me?' Jared wonders.
Laura is still looking at Jared expecting an answer.
'Sorry, Laura. Not today. I'm quite busy right now.' Jared lies in a somewhat strained voice.
Laura leaves a sigh. As if she's really disappointed that Jared won't go to have lunch with her.
'No prob. Maybe some other day.' Laura says then leaves.
Just as Laura is away from earshot Jared tugs his own hair with an irritated expression on his face.
'Ahhh! What is this girl up to?'
.................
'Three whiskey here.' Robin shouted to the bartender.
'So..' Ben turns towards Jared.
'Is the world rotating inversely today that the great workaholic Jared Parker brought us to a club?'
'Yeah. Normally we have to drag your big ass with us and today you are the one who called us to come here. What's the matter?' Robin asks.
The bartender places three mugs in front of them.
Jared takes a long sip from his drink. Contemplating or not he should tell them the reason.
'It's nothing. I just needed to drink.'
Robin lifts up one eyebrow.
'You don't just need a drink, you know. There has to be something.'
Jared tugs his own hair. Something he's doing a lot lately.
'That chick is messing with my head.'
'Which chick?' Ben asks.
'Laura Williams.' Jared answers.
Ben raises his eyebrows.
'Laura! As in background check chick.'
'Yeah. That's the one.'
'Wait. Isn't she your business partner, "Williams Industries" sole heir ?' Robin asks.
'Yeah. For the past week she's behaving very strange with me.' Jared says.
'Perhaps she has a crush on you. After all it's not unusual for girls to act strange around you.' Robin brushes Jared off.
'Somehow I find it hard to believe.' Jared says.
Jared fills them in on the whole ordeal with Laura for the past month.
'Damn. You shouldn't have done that with that poor girl.' Robin says.
'She's new in this field. Sooner or later she had to face the cruelty that comes with being the CEO of a company and having rivals. The way she's seeing everything colourful, reality is not like that. Maybe she thought that I did all those for my satisfaction. Yes I actually did it for my satisfaction. But it wouldn't benefit me but her in future. She would have learned the reality a bit later and I just taught her a bit earlier.' Jared says.
Robin looks at Jared with fake pride. He slaps Jared's shoulder hard.
'My friend just gave such a great speech. I'm soo proud of you.'
Ben gives a thumbs up to Jared and Jared just shakes his head at his friends.
Soon they finish their drinks and orders tequila.
As Jared is drowning his tequilia he asks Ben the question that's been bothering him for a long time.
'Have you found anything about Laura yet?'
Ben looks at Jared and gives a apological smile. He scratches the back of his neck.
'Sorry man. I've got a case hearing coming up. But I'll search about her after I finish this case.'
Jared dissmisses Ben with his hand.
'No problem. Nail that case first. We'll see about her later.'
Ben nods.
Jared's mind is wondering to that day when he had shouted at Laura. The way her face had paled. He feels a bit guilty.
Her red long hair used to sway whenever she moved. Although she has dyed her hair now. She looks cute in her blonde short hair. But still she looked more beautiful in her natural hair.
Jared is still thinking about Laura when Ben asks a sudden question.
'What kind of girl do you prefer?'
'Redhead.' Jared absent mindedly answers.
'Ooh, redhead huh? I'm pretty sure I can find someone here for you.' Robin says.
He and Ben looks down at the dance floor from the VIP lounge they're sitting in.
After few seconds a girl catches Ben's attention.
'Hey I think I found someone. See that girl over there. Damn, She got a killer body.'
Jared stiffens when he looks at Ben's pointed direction.
'No way.' Jared says.
'Isn't that Sara Delari or something?' Robin asks.
Jared shakes his head, 'Nah, I guess it Lara or something.'
'You mean the supermodel Cara Delre. Didn't you date her for a while?' Ben asks Jared.
'Yeah. Worst mistake of my life. I only casually dated her for two weeks. And she got the thought that we're in a serious relationship. I mean she was great in bed and all. But still she was far too clingy.' Jared says.
'Yeah. I know the feeling. She came after me when you dumped her.' Robin says.
He gives a small shudder and adds,
'Believe me. I still have nightmares when I think about her attempts at seducing me.'
This whole time when Jared and Robin were sharing their misery Ben was rolling in the floor laughing like a maniac, clutching his stomach at his friends so called misery.
As Jared and Robin are about stand up to beat Ben to a pulp he manages to sober up. Not.
Ben manages to stop laughing somehow and asks,
'If she's so clingy as you put it, then how did you get rid of her?'
'When I dumped her, well tried to at least she......Well she didn't leave. I was complaining about her to Alisha one day and then the next thing I know she stops disturbing me. Thank God for that.' Jared says.
Ben furrows his eyebrows.
'Isn't it a bit suspicious that the girl who was so clingy left so suddenly?'
'It doesn't matter nor do I care. She left it's all that matters.' Jared says to Ben.
'O..kay. Let's celebrate for Jared's luck that she got rid of that girl.' Robin slurres. Already a bit drunk.
'I have a meeting tomorrow. So I can......'t drink.' Jared also managed to say in his quite drunken state.
'Then we'll toast for you.' Ben says.
'Cheers.'
..............
Yo!
So another update.
This past week I've been busier than ever before. Just tomorow I have two class tests. On top of this I have piles of homework and assignments. You can only guess how much pressure I'm in. In the midst of this I still try to update so please bear with me.
If you don't like this story and leave then okay. But if you leave because of my irregular updates then I don't know what to say. Just know that your votes and comments are the only things that inspire me these days.
So.....good day or night.
- Arin