To Be There
1554 Words
Lauren's POV
When I walked into Owen's office and saw my ex sitting there, I knew that something was wrong. Of all the places he could have come to, my workplace was the last place I expected to see him at.
I should have known better than to think that Owen could give credit where it's due, the man recognizes no one's work but his own.
He didn't have to spell it out but I know what he meant when he left the room, I have heard rumors before that the man would do anything to get what he wants, even if it means doing things that one wouldn't normally do.
I love my job and I enjoy working here but even Owen knows that I won't jeopardize my integrity. I am all for making the firm a success but not at my expense. If Danilo thinks that I am going to allow him to use my job to get what he wants, then he has another thing coming, especially after saying what he said.
" What? Are you crazy?" I said to him.
The man just told me that he wants me back. We have been divorced for five years, we bumped into each other a few days ago and he thinks that he can come here and tell me that he wanted me back.
" Laura, I want you back and I am going to have you back, that you can be sure of," he said to me.
He was so confident and smug, talking to me like he owned me, he was arrogant, just like the man I knew, at least that is what how I remembered him to be.
" The name is Lauren, Mr Caruso, if you are not here for business, then you will have to excuse me," I said to him.
" Fair enough, despite what I said, I am here about a legal problem, I am being sued," he said to me.
" Why are you doing this? I mean you have Owen representing you, the man always works alone because he is good at what he does, why do you want me on this?" I said to him.
" Because you are the best and I only work with the best," he said to me.
" Fine, but you do know that this is a conflict of interest, we were married Danilo, so I can't represent you," I said to him.
" It's hard to believe that we were married seeing that you dropped my name," he said to me.
" Yes Danilo, I dropped your name because I didn't want it, as far as I am concerned, our marriage doesn't exist," I said and stood up.
" Have dinner with me, tonight at eight," he said to me.
" That is never going to happen! Mr Caruso, my assistant will call you when I am ready for our next meeting, I am yet to review your case," I said to him.
I don't want to go anywhere with this man. When we were married, he couldn't even take me out to a hot dog stand and now he wants to have dinner with me in public? How stupid would I be if I agreed to his ridiculous request? Besides all of that, I am in a relationship with someone else.
" You know that I won't give up right? " he said to me.
" I don't care what you do and in case you don't know, I am in a relationship," I said to him.
" You mean that guy you were with Friday night? He is not serious," he said to me.
Danilo was arrogant and so sure of himself. I don't know what he thought was going to happen today, but whatever it is that he thinks is going to happen, it is not going to happen. I don't want this man in my life, I am over him.
" For your information, it is very serious," I said to him.
" I don't see a ring on your finger, like I said it's not serious," he said to me.
" Goodbye Mr Caruso, I will see you at our next meeting," I said and walked out with my head held up high.
Owen was waiting outside for me. I was irritated but I faked a smile when I saw him. It took everything in me not to walk away from this case, I don't want anything that involves that man and if we are going to be working together, I have to keep my feelings to myself and be a professional.
" How did it go?" Owen asked me.
" It went well, we will arrange a strategy meeting as soon as I am done reviewing his case," I said.
" That's good," he said to me.
" yes, please send my assistant to my office, I think she got lost on her way to the canteen," I said and went to my office.
I was surprised to find the door open. I went in and I saw a huge bunch of red roses on my desk. I went to my desk and took the flowers from the table, there was a card attached to it. I opened it, it was from my boyfriend and he wanted to take me out to lunch. I smiled and took out my phone, I called him.
" Hey beautiful," he said to me.
" Hey handsome, I got the flowers, they are beautiful, I love them," I said to him.
" I wanted to apologize, for being quiet the whole weekend, I should have trusted you when you said that nothing was going on between you and that guy," he said to me.
" There is no need to apologize, I also shouldn't have dismissed you like I did, I am sorry," I said to him.
Anthony was not happy about the way Danilo spoke to him. Dani made it look like something was going on between us, I guess I should have told him the truth about Danilo and how we know each other. I want to tell him but I don't think I can. I just want to forget the time in my life when Danilo was part of it. Only if he would let me.
" It's okay, so what do you say about lunch?" he said to me.
" I can't do lunch, I have a lot of work but we can do dinner later on," I said to him.
" That's even better, I will pick you up and seven," he said to me.
" Alright, I will see you later then," I said and hung up the phone.
Lucille finally made it back to the office. She came into my office without knocking, I wasn't surprised by this, she does this all the time, if I want my privacy, I would have to lock myself in here.
" Is the meeting over?" she said and pulled the chair, she sat down. She was smiling.
" Yes the meeting is over, Dan... I mean Mr Caruso has probably left the building," I said to her.
"Actually, he is still with Owen, God he is so handsome and dreamy, is he married? I mean I didn't see a ring on his finger," she said to me.
" I don't know and Mr Caruso is our client, you know that would be inappropriate right?" I said to her.
" A girl can dream, can't she? I mean did you see his watch? The man was wearing a three hundred thousand dollar watch, his cologne, I never thought that I would one day meet Danilo Caruso in person," she said to me.
" So you know about him?" I asked her.
" Yes, the guy owns the most inclusive clubs, I am talking about the real VIP experience. The dance floors and the waiters are always on point, I will say that the booze is a bit on the expensive side but the experience makes it worth it, I read an article in Forbes magazine about him a couple of years ago,
The man is loaded, I mean filthy rich, I heard he was involved with some woman but they broke up, and he hasn't been seen with anyone ever since," she said to me.
" How do you know all of this?" I said to her.
" Research honey, the reason you hired me," she said to me.
" You are right, anyways I think that you will be seeing more of him, well at least until his case is over," I said to her.
" Hmmm, you know something boss lady? You don't seem impressed by this guy, I saw how you looked at him, I also heard you trying to get out of working on his case, what's up?" she said to me.
" Lucille, I have a boyfriend and I only have eyes for him, I am not interested in the likes of Danilo Caruso," I said to her.
" Yes you do, a very romantic boyfriend by the looks of things, these Flowers are beautiful," she said to me and took them.
" Yes Lucille, please get them in water for me," I said to her.
- Writer
