"This can't be," Lauren sighed.

"I am sorry, we have done all we could, but," said Samuel, the financial director.

"I betrayed them, I know I could have done so much more. I can't lock the door just like that. There must be something I can do to save the company," Lauren said enthusiastically although she was not feeling like that at all.

"I believe that you will find the solution,"Samuel got up, "call me If u need anything. Good night Lauren."

She murmured good night greetings while holding her head in hands trying to prevent it from exploding because she had a feeling that it can happen any time soon.

As the only child of her parents she inherited everything, including the company, the house, cars and obviously the debts. But the company...she can not give up on that one.

"I will do everything and anything to not fall down, I promise," she said in quite room.

Suddenly her phone buzzed.It was Alex. She rolled her eyes not wanting to confront him now in any possible way.

"Oh, this is going to be a long night. Fuck,"she fixed her hair and make up a bit, throw on jeans and shirt and she ran through the door.

Few drinks with her goofy friend Samantha are going to relax her up a bit.

***

"Hey girl, you got this, I know that. You are smart and intelligent, and as early as tomorrow, I am sure, you will find an exit from that shit."

"Cheers to that," Lauren laughed for the first time that day. Sam could always cheer her up.They were best friends since high school.

"Oh, my god!" Sam screamed on Lauren's ear.

"Sam, you bitch! What?,"Lauren's headache just got worst

"There is the hottest guy I have ever seen in my life and he is looking at you all the freaking time."

"I don't care Sam," Lauren said not interested in any guy right now.

"I swear, you are so boring sometimes.Just look at him, please. Once!"

Lauren listened to her just because she wanted her to stop screaming. As Sam instructed her he was sitting two tables from them and Lauren was facing him with her back. She turned her head as nonchalantly as she could.

Lauren felt the heat rushing to her cheeks, first of all because he looked her right in the eyes at the moment she turned her head and secondly he really was the hottest guy Lauren has ever seen. Although he was sitting, you could clearly see that he was tall, black hair, captivating eyes, sensual lips and all of that was packed in black shirt and black pants hugging his body perfectly.

"Okay, Laurie, that's enough," Sam poked her with her manicured nail trying not to burst into laugh.

Feeling embarrassed Lauren looked at her annoyingly, " Nothing special."

"When talking about nothing special, look who is here,"Sam puts her bitchy face on looking in direction where Alex was standing.

Here we go again. He just can't accept that Lauren doesn't want any relationship with anyone. Alex has been in hunt for Lauren in over four years now. In the beginning It was interesting for Lauren, all that cat and mouse game, but now it is stressing her out. She has bigger problems right now and she doesn't need a man to stress her out even more. No god, but thanks hey!

Alex approached their table.

" I have been calling you all day, Lauren. I see you didn't have time to answer," he looked in Sam's direction quickly and focused again on Lauren, "Can we talk, please, somewhere in private?"

"What a dick," Sam murmured before she picked her bag up.

"It's okay Sam. Stay, I will be back in ten minutes."

Sam sighed and murmured again something, probably about Alex, but she took back her seat at the table.

Alex followed Lauren out when she stopped in front of the entrance.

"Look, Alex. I really do appreciate your attention and all of that but it suffocates me." Lauren knew she was rude to him, but she needed to be honest,"We had great times back then but it's over now. Move on, find yourself someone who is going to love you back, because I can't. I mean I do love you, but as a friend," she corrected herself quickly, because she does love him but in a brotherly kinda way.

"You have someone else, don't you?"

Alex clearly was really angry.

"Listen, I don't owe you any explanation and for my part this conversation is over," she sad equally angry and tried to walk past him but he grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the entrance where no one from the pub could see them. Lauren was now scared, seeing his eyes going wild like never before, it freaked her out.

"Listen, you little whore,"his cold voice filled her body with shiver,"If I ever see you with another man I am going to kill you."

Lauren opened her mouth in disbelief trying to say something but words got stuck in her throat.

He let her hand and than placed a kiss on her forehead and that was what scared Lauren the most. She has never before saw him acting like that.

It was hard for Lauren to go back to the pub and not burst into tears.

When she walked in Sam was at the same spot where Lauren left her. Her face expression went from 'I am bored' to 'What the fuck happened to you' when she saw her. Lauren was visibly shaken by the events that happened in the past fifteen minutes, Sam could clearly see that on her face.

"What happened?What did he do to you," she was furious when Lauren started crying.Sam took her hand trying to comfort her.

"He said that he will kill me If he ever sees me with another man," tears were rolling down her cheeks, she really was scared because she knew the size of his obsession over her.

"Shh, don't cry. He is just bluffing, a pussy can't kill you," Lauren laughed through her tears. Sam gave her a big hug,"Come on, you are sleeping at my place tonight. We are going to watch a movie and eat junk food, you will love that, I know.Let's go."

Lauren knew Sam was worried, bu she didn't want her to see that.

When they arrived at Sam's place, she ordered them some food and Lauren sat to check mails on her phone.

There was one that caught her attention. It was from some Italian furniture company based in USA. While she was reading It she almost jumped. She couldn't believe it. They want to arrange business meeting tomorrow with her. Maybe they are interested in cooperation with them, maybe this is the solution she was looking and hoping for.