Chapter 12

Lauren

It was the following day after the dinner.

Sarah, Leah, and I are currently sitting in the cafeteria having our lunch.

In these past few days, we have become very good friends.

"I think I'm going to quit the job," Leah spoke placing her hand on the chin with a pout.

"What?"

"Why?" Sarah and I asked at the same time

"I don't know? I feel like I'm back in my university time where I just wanted to drop out of the university and just do nothing." Leah spoke with a sour face.

"I thought I was the only one. University is horrible to everyone? I didn't know that." I said munching my fries.

"Everybody must have thought of dropping from college at least once in their life," Leah spoke.

"Who doesn't?" I agreed.

"I didn't want to drop from college," Sarah spoke turning our heads towards her.

"Why?" I and Leah asked at the same time.

"University wasn't that hard for me." Sarah shrugged eating her sandwich.

"I bet you are that one student who is the smartest in the whole university. Right?" Leah asked rolling her eyes.

"Well, you could say that." She shrugged.

Leah and I faced each other with widened eyes.

"Were you in any relationships back in the past?" Leah asked suddenly.

"I did. but he broke up with me in a week" Sarah answered.

"What? Why?"

"No, I'm not saying the reason. Because I'm sure you will make fun of it for the rest of your life." Sarah spoke leaning back into her chair.

"Sarah, we are your friends. We'll never do that." Leah spoke and Sarah looked at us keenly for a second before answering.

"Well, he used to fail his statistics exam all the time, so I thought of teaching him stats to impress him.

"That's a good thing, right? Why would he break up with you over that?" I asked her.

"I used to teach him even when we are on dates." She quickly said in a breath.

What?

Leah remained silent blinking at Sarah before bursting into laughter and eventually, I joined her.

"This is why I didn't want to say the reason." Shaking her head, she glared at us.

"Why would you teach him stats on dates, Sarah. Who would date like that?" Leah spoke trying to control her laughter.

"I thought he would be impressed that I was helping him in passing his subject," Sarah spoke turning red, embarrassed.

"Aw. That was so cute." Leah spoke wriggling her eyebrows at Sarah.

"You could even do a show named 'Stats on dates with Sarah'. How is this?" I asked Leah ignoring Sarah's glare.

"It is perfect." she replied and we both laughed.

"I hate you two," Sarah spoke, but we both ignored her.

"Wait, is that Alex?" Leah said looking behind me.

I turned back to see a man who is about 5'8 or 5'9, dressed in formal wear standing at the entrance looking for someone.

Alex...

Oh.

Sarah's prince charming in the office.

I've met him once in the marketing department.

"Sarah is already blushing." Leah spoke facepalming.

"Wait is he coming towards us?" Leah spoke and I turned back to see he is indeed coming toward us.

"What? No. I've some work. I've to go." Sarah spoke rushing to run away from here.

"Why are you running away. Sit down." Leah glared at her making her sit.

Alex came and stood in front of us and we all greeted each other.

"I have something to talk about, with you. Can you come with me?" Alex spoke to Sarah surprising all of us.

"We have some work-" Sarah started but Leah beat her.

"No, she is free now. You both can go." Sarah glared at her but Alex gave her a big smile.

"Awesome." He said with a big smile looking adorably at Sarah.

Even a child could say he is so in love with her.

You can see the heart-eye emoji on his face when he is looking at Sarah.

"Okay," Sarah said and they both walked away.

"She was waiting forever for him to come and talk to her and when he finally did, she was running away." Leah spoke rolling her eyes.

I nodded at her.

"Wait, I've heard Alex is somewhat weak in finance-related subjects. I hope she doesn't take lectures for him now." I spoke trying to control my laugh but soon Leah and I were laughing hard.

We both continued eating our lunch by chatting and laughing.

***

As we came pretty late last night after dinner at my parents', I didn't have enough sleep.

I leaned on my desk and didn't know when my eyes closed and I dozed off asleep.

I think after quite some time, I felt someone pulling my fingers lightly, frowning I moved slightly in my seat.

When I didn't feel anything, I again tried dozing off to sleep.

When I felt that pull again, I shifted slightly in my chair and heard someone's laugh from ahead.

I suddenly remembered I was in the office and sat straight and looked ahead to see Ryan trying to control his laughter.

Ryan Parker.

I was going to ask him why he is there but felt someone stare at me from the doorway.

I turned towards the stare and saw Ethan leaning at the door, his arms crossed, and his expression hard.

I widened my eyes looking at him and stood abruptly.

"I- I wasn't sleeping. I was just doing some meditation." I answered Ethan quickly.

He would eat me alive if he know I was sleeping at work hours.

Wait-

Eat me?

Ew. Why did that sound so dirty.

Ryan's laugh brought me out of my thoughts.

"Meditation, Lauren. Really? Even a 10-year-old could come up with a better excuse than that." Ryan said standing from the chair.

"Oh, why don't you give me a better excuse then?" I gave him a tight lip smile and he smirked at me in return.

"I would have said I was searching for a pen underneath the table," he said proudly of his answer.

"You think that was better than my excuse," I asked him with a poker face.

"Of course." He said so sure of his answer and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Seriously Ryan, you dragged me here to see her asleep?" Ethan asked looking at Ryan.

"Why would you do that?" I glared at Ryan.

"I just felt like it." he shrugged giving me a big smile.

"You, Ryan are going to be my mortal enemy forever from now." I spoke giving him a tightlipped smile.

"Aw. I'm honored, Lauren." He spoke placing his hand on his chest acting emotionally.

"Can you both stop acting like an 8-year-old at least for once?" Ethan said in a firm tone glaring at us both.

"And Lauren, why are you sleeping during the work hours?" he asked me in a sharp tone.

"I didn't have enough sleep last night. Aren't you sleepy?" I spoke.

I know he is a workaholic, but everyone needs minimum sleep. right?

Ryan widened his eyes and looked at us weirdly at my statement.

"What were you two doing that you both can't go to sleep?" he wriggled his eyes brows at Ethan.

"Shut up, Ryan." Ethan stood straight and cleared his throat.

Ryan laughed looking at us.

"Lauren, did anyone ever tell you, that you sleep like a zombie?" Ryan asked turning towards me.

Seriously?

A zombie?

"I wasn't sleeping." I answered him peeking at Ethan and then added," Wait do zombies even sleep?"

"You don't know the answer for that?" he asked me looking at me like I had grown horns.

"No. Do you know the answer?" I said and he frowned.

"No. how would I know?" he smirked at me and I simply shook my head at him.

He is just like Ethan

Friends for a reason.

Suddenly I remembered a joke about a zombie I'd read on the internet.

Ha. Got you, Ryan.

"Do you know, if a zombie attacks us, you would be safe?" I smirked at him.

"Why?" Ryan frowned at us.

"Because they only attack people who have brains." I smirked as he narrowed his eyes at me.

"Pathetic, Lauren. That wasn't even your joke. I've seen that joke on the internet." I acted offended.

"I didn't cheat. That was my joke." I lied.

"You cheated."

"No."

"Yes."

"No, Ryan."

"Yes, Lauren"

"CHILDREN. STOP NOW." Ethan spoke in a somewhat loud voice shutting our mouths.

I looked at Ethan to see him glaring at me.

What?

Why is he glaring at only me?

He should be mad at Ryan too.

"Lauren, I forgot the file of our today's meeting in the penthouse office. Go with Tom and bring it," he said looking at me.

"Ok." I Simply and him.

"It was placed on the desk. You will just find it easily." He said again.

I nodded at him and after playfully glaring at Ryan, in return received a smirk from him.

I walked out and jumped placing my hand on my chest when I saw a tall bulky figure dressed in all black with black shades, scanning around with a hard expression.

"Who are you?" Listening to my voice he turned towards me and looked down at me.

"Mam, I'm-" But Ryan beat him.

"This is my bodyguard, SpongeBob. haven't you met him at the wedding?" He asked me furrowing his eyebrows.

"I haven't met you properly at the wedding, then how'd I know about your bodyguard."

He nodded at my answer.

"Wait SpongeBob. Is that your name?" I asked looking at the bodyguard.

"No mam. my name-"

"His name is SpongeBob Lauren. Isn't it, spongy" he asked the bodyguard and he reluctantly nodded.

Whatever.

I shook my head at them before taking my phone out and calling Tom to pick me up at the entrance.

***

I entered the penthouse and walked straight to his office.

I opened his office door and his scent engulfed me.

I made my way towards the desk and started searching for the file.

Even after searching the desk thoroughly, I didn't find the file.

I placed my hand on my hip and looked around to see the file anywhere.

I again searched on the desk but found nothing.

I sighed and opened the first drawer.

There are a total of three drawers.

I have found some business papers and nothing else.

I opened the second drawer and searched the files in it. but I didn't find the file I was looking for, I saw a small key at the end but ignored it and closed it.

I tried opening the third drawer, but it was locked.

When it didn't open, I tried it again.

I stood straight ignoring it and tried moving away.

But the urge to open that drawer and what is in it overwhelmed me.

Shut up, Lauren. You can't invade someone's privacy. It is locked for a reason. He might have some confidential papers.

Just get the damn file and leave.

But what could be in?

What secrets does Ethan have?

He looks mysterious but what mystery is he hiding?

Yeah, But if Ethan gets to know about it he will be so mad.

I can't dare it.

But Ethan didn't have to know that.

Curiosity kills the cat, Lauren.

But, Cats have nine lives.

I made up my mind and open the second drawer and took the small key that I saw earlier.

I opened the third drawer slowly and it was empty.

Just empty.

But a small photo frame was placed in the corner and I slowly took it out.

The photo was upside down.

So, I turned it around.

A boy with ocean blue eyes, who looked like eleven or twelve years old was looking at the camera giving the biggest smile anyone could have. His arm was looped around a small figure beside him. A girl with hazel eyes and brown hair was giving a small smile while looking at the camera.

Wait

Is that Ethan?

It is Ethan.

He was the same.

Who is she?

Do I know her?

Is she his family?

But, he doesn't have anyone other than his mother and his grandpa.

Is she his first love?

Or childhood sweetheart or something like that.

I don't think so.

Maybe or maybe not.

I stared at the little girl for a few more minutes but jumped when I heard my phone ring.

I looked at the screen to see it is Ethan.

Oh my god did he find I've seen this picture?

What? use your brain Lauren, how would he now.

I quickly placed the photo back into the drawer and locked it.

I placed the key in the second drawer and moved away from there.

I answered it and was walking towards out but stepped on something.

"Did you find it?" Ethan's voice rang.

I looked down and quickly took a glance at it to see it is the file I'd been searching for.

I quickly took the file from the ground.

"Yes. I did."

"Bring it quick" he said and hung up.

I stared at his desk where I'd seen that picture, before finally walking out.

***

I knocked on his door and he muttered a 'come in.'

"Here," I said giving him the file.

Is this the same Ethan I've seen in the picture?

They both look so similar and so different at the same time.

The Ethan in the picture has the biggest smile like he had no problem on the earth. Whereas the Ethan in front of me treats even a small smile like a crime.

"Are you listening?" he repeated.

"What?" he looked at me suspiciously and I gulped.

Why is he looking at me like that?

"We have a party tomorrow night. I need you to come." He said looking at me.

Of course, as his PA, I have to attend all his meetings and parties.

"Sure Mr. Kingston," I said and tried to walk away but stopped when I heard his voice again.

"Not just like a PA. "he muttered weakly.

What?

Is he going to address me as his wife?

Is he?

"Then, Mr. Kingston?" I asked him although I know his answer.

I waited for him to speak to hear his words and he finally did.

"I need you to attend as Mrs. Kingston."

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