CHAPTER 8
1399 Words
Brett met Lauren as dinner arrived, embracing her immediately upon seeing her.
Lauren reciprocated with a tap on his back, though she sensed his tight grip and wondered if his recent breakup with Kori was weighing on him.
"So, how was the reunion last night?" Brett inquired.
Lauren sighed, subtly moving away from him. "I couldn't bring myself to tell my old friends I needed money."
"Because you thought they'd judge you? You know our classmates and schoolmates, Lauren. They're too pretentious."
"I can't blame them. They're not accustomed to the kind of problems I'm facing now. All I knew during high school was studying, arriving at school in a fancy car, and being envied for coming from a wealthy family. Who would have thought I'd reach a point where I'd struggle to pay off debts? But they were still my friends."
His expression softened as he noticed her eyes glistening. "I'm sorry."
Lauren turned away, the words from the powder room conversation still haunting her. She hadn't anticipated that people would only value her when she was wealthy.
Back then, she could invite classmates to her home, donate money for group activities, and treat them to shopping sprees or fast-food outings.
However, as Brett had mentioned, she felt judged by them. The women scrutinized her, even dissecting her past breakup with Finn. How naïve she had been to believe she had real friends. She had confided only in Jessica the previous night. Yet, she couldn't ascertain Jessica's genuine feelings toward her.
Brett held her hand. "Lauren… I… I have a proposition for you."
She gazed at him, feeling a sudden surge of nervousness as their eyes locked.
"What is it?" she asked cautiously.
He mustered every ounce of courage before continuing. "Will you marry me?"
***
Lauren's resolve must be considerable to persist in visiting the NEX Tower along the renowned avenue where Burnham Airline's office, owned by Finn's family, is situated. Despite her apprehension about the outcome, she continues to show up at his office.
According to Jessica, Finn now resides in his own place. He no longer stays at the Burnham residence, prompting Lauren to visit his workplace instead.
Upon arrival, the receptionist inquired, "Do you have an appointment with Boss Finn, Ma'am?"
"I don't have an appointment, but my matter is urgent. Please inform him," Lauren replied.
The receptionist placed a call, "Yes, Ma'am... She's Miss Lauren Escarrer... Uhm..." After a brief pause, she continued, "She emphasized the urgency of her concern... Alright."
Regrettably, the receptionist informed Lauren, "Miss Escarrer, I'm sorry, but our boss has a full schedule today."
Disheartened by this initial setback, Lauren left, only to return the next day. However, her subsequent visits yielded the same excuse, even on her third and fourth attempts.
"Miss Escarrer, o-our boss is still swamped today," the receptionist stuttered, her gaze avoiding Lauren's.
The receptionist felt a mixture of shame and pity as she confronted Lauren after her repeated lies. Enduring the long traffic to return to the office daily with no results weighed heavily on her.
Lauren sighed, "I'll remain here in the lobby," she declared. "I'll wait until he finishes all his meetings."
Without waiting for a response, Lauren settled onto the couch opposite the receptionist's desk, determined to stay.
The receptionist's eyes widened in surprise. "But, Ma'am—"
"I'll be fine," Lauren insisted. "He'll have to face me eventually. And really, I don't need much of his time anyway."
She knew Finn was avoiding her; she had spotted him entering the building earlier. So, she resolved to wait, her mind wandering back to a recent conversation with her friend Brett, who had expressed a desire to marry her.
"Lauren, please consider this carefully. My family cares deeply for you, and yours knows me well. You've always seen me as your closest friend. I never intend to harm you, and I'm fully prepared to alleviate your family's financial burdens. I'm committed to providing you with everything you desire. Let's unite in marriage."
"But Brett, we don't share romantic feelings for each other. Marrying you wouldn't be fair to either of us. Your offer to clear my family's debts— it's too much. What could you possibly gain from me? I have nothing substantial to offer. Marriage isn't a simple transaction."
"But why did you agree to marry Finn then?" Brett's question was laced with pain.
Their last conversation left them both feeling worse than before. Lauren's agreement to marry Finn was rooted in love, her deep affection for him. But her relationship with Brett was different—she cherished him like a sibling. Entering into a marriage without genuine love could only lead to misery and hurt, something she wanted to avoid at all costs.
Lunchtime passed without any sign of Finn. Lauren remained seated on the couch as all the other employees left to dine out, her stomach rumbling with hunger. The afternoon dragged on, yet Finn failed to appear.
Each passing moment only intensified Lauren's sense of hurt. It was evident that Finn had no desire to see her. Was his resentment toward her truly so significant? His current demeanor felt like a world away from the man she once cherished.
"Miss Escarrer, why don't you have dinner first?" the receptionist called her.
Lauren shook her head. "Your boss might come out if I leave, so I'll just wait for him."
The receptionist couldn't resist offering her a small pack of biscuits and bottled water. "Take this. Why are you so stubborn? You should just go home."
"My purpose here is important. Thank you for this. I'll still wait for your boss."
She ate what was given to her and felt relieved for a moment. It was half past six in the evening when a new woman called her name. She appeared to be relatively young.
"Miss Escarrer?" the woman said, peeking through the wall blocking Burnham Airline's office.
Lauren stood up.
"You may now come in."
***
In the meeting room on the same floor, Finn fixated his gaze on the woman whose image had been captured by the CCTV footage in the lobby area. Why was she so stubborn? She seemed restless throughout, her agitation evident even in her reluctance to break for lunch or water.
Finn glanced at Lauren, convinced that the woman remained opportunistic to the core. Despite returning to the city, she seemed intent on leveraging Brett for marriage. Frustration surged within him, prompting an abrupt table slam that startled everyone in the meeting, drawing their attention simultaneously.
"Boss?" The sudden attention of everyone in the meeting snapped Finn back to reality.
"Is there a problem, Finn?" The vice president, leading the meeting, inquired, his higher rank prompting Finn's swift apology.
"Nothing, boss. I'm sorry," Finn replied, his tone chastened.
"It's alright. I imagine everyone's fatigued; it's late. Let's adjourn for now," the vice president suggested.
With a nod, Finn rose from his seat and exited the room, his assistant trailing behind.
"Send the visitor to my office," he instructed.
"Yes, Boss," came the prompt reply.
As he made his way to his office, Finn furrowed his brows in frustration, loosening the constricting tie around his neck. Lauren's influence still managed to unsettle him. He poured himself a glass of wine, hoping it would calm his nerves.
What exactly did Lauren want from him?
As he stood by his window, sipping alcohol, the door swung open. His gaze shifted in its direction, locking with the eyes of a woman who had departed six years ago. His tension escalated, prompting him to drain the contents of his glass swiftly.
Even after all this time, her presence still profoundly affected him.
Meanwhile, Lauren found herself figuring out where to settle among the couches in Finn's office.
"I'll give you five minutes. No need to choose a seat," Finn declared abruptly.
The woman hesitated, clearing her throat before speaking. "I-I came here because..."
"Because of what? Tell me now so we're not wasting time," Finn interjected, his tone sharp.
Swallowing nervously, Lauren edged closer, her trembling betraying her fear in the face of Finn's cold demeanor.
"I-I came here to sell this ring to you," she finally managed to say.
Finn's grip on his glass tightened, a rush of blood seeming to flood his head as he caught sight of her engagement ring adorned with a pink diamond.
- Writer
