The man went straight to the office of the disgusting animal that was my boss and stayed there for about an hour.
But who was counting? I didn't... I didn't even notice the man passing by! You're welcome!
I was transfixed in the room when he finally left.
And I was breathless of course, I was sure, he was the most handsome man in the whole wide world. When he passed by the hall, he looked me in the eyes through the glass, without showing any kind of reaction, just a dark look and the perfect mouth, which only outlined mood and arrogance.
Damn, too cute! Perfect from head to toe, when he looked at me it seemed to swamp me, but I know he was just staring and not admiring how I was doing to him.
I was just a standard girl sitting in an office chair, and that wouldn't be some movie standard, he wouldn't fall in love with me and find out that I'm the woman of his life.
The look in his eyes, there was something I could never decipher, it was dark and cold, and yet it warmed me inside.
When it finally passed, what had been just seconds became hours in my overactive imagination.
There was no other subject being talked about in the hallway, the women bustling about to find out who that perfect man was. And what erotic tale had he come out of?
It should be a sin for someone to be this gorgeous, effortlessly drawing attention from an entire department. He was discreet, to be sure, or the attention-crazed idiot who headed the team would have told everyone his name by now.
What would his name be? I bet it's some imposing name that would make any young lady wet her panties just thinking about it. Was it a CEO? Any advertisers?
But I couldn't think of anything else... the look in his eyes... I couldn't take that away from me.
And even later, when I was already at my house absorbed in thoughts, I caught myself living that exchange of glances again, I caught myself feeling that heat running through my body more and more times until I finally fell asleep.
And it only mattered now, who was that man?
I spent the night trying to exorcise the vision of that man from my mind and trying to get his eyes off me.
But I relived that scene in my head, once, twice, three, a thousand times.
I couldn't decipher it, couldn't think of anything but him.
A name, just a name to give life to my thoughts.
Nothing more! Absolutely nothing!
The other day arrived and nobody knew who he was, he had already given up, that was the truth.
Without knowing his name, he already drove me crazy, and more than that I couldn't bear it.
“Lauren, I want you in my room”
Christopher said, without even the slightest bit of politeness invading my cubicle.
"It's lunchtime, so I'll owe you, my friend"
“Lauren, that's an order! Did you understand? Order!"
Since it was hard to be an independent woman in this shitty world, I wanted to throw a glass of water in his face, but the rent prevented me from doing that.
I got up unwillingly and dragged myself to Christopher's office. Maybe some more small talk!
“Hey, Christopher, what is so important that you couldn't have told me after lunch?”
“You sent this article to print, yesterday Vicenzo Calegari came here! Nearly took my fucking hide off!
I didn't know what he was talking about, I had never sent that article without the newspaper's consent.
“I didn't do any of that! I swear!"
I said showing my mental confusion, it was not possible that that was happening.
“You charged me to put it in, and then the next day it was in the newspaper?”
I didn't even bother to open the paper, and certainly, if I did I would be happy to see my article! But not. I hadn't sent the story to print! Of that I was sure.
“Christopher I didn't do that! I didn't send the damn thing! It must have gone by mistake!”
“Well, I have no way of fixing this! You are fired!"
“Pack your things and go home!”
He said with that arrogant tone as always.
“You are firing me because someone complained! Surely some criminal called for you to do it?”
“Did you call? I would be happy if you had called! The guy came this far! You did not see?"
My world fell apart, the truth is that I didn't even know what some of the criminals I pointed out in my article looked like. Maybe just the older ones, or better-known ones.
But the head of the scheme? No.
I couldn't believe that the man I had spent the entire night thinking about was part of one of the dirtiest cartels in the world!
I immediately felt my stomach turn! I can't believe I even considered thinking about him, just hearing that last name made me hate myself.
"Okay Christopher, I'll pack it all up and go."
I thought about begging him to stay, but that wouldn't help, even if I humiliated myself, he would never give in. It would be an unnecessary humiliation.
But who had done it? Who could have sent that article? Why would they harm me like that?
As I gathered my things, they played over and over in my head.
“Hi Lauren, can I come in?”
“Ahh no” – I thought at the same moment, Ricardo, an editor full of silly hands, despite being an idiot. I've turned this man down thousands of times, will he try again?
“Yes, Ricardo, I'm on my way out, as you can see.”
“Ah yes, so I fulfilled my goal and today I will be at peace.”
He said smiling with a psycho face.
“What do you mean you accomplished your goal and went crazy?”
I said staring at him
I wouldn't mind smacking him, I swear I wouldn't! He filled me with revulsion, a very fitting situation for that man.
“The article… it was published, wasn't it?”
“Oh my God, was it you? Let's go to Christopher's room now! You will tell him it was you!”
I was outraged, that why couldn't you have sex with me? What a pedantic little man!
“I'm not going anywhere, you proud bitch! You didn't want to publish the article? It's published... I'm just sorry I didn't see your face when Christopher fired you!"
"Why did you do that? Serious?"
I was outraged, I couldn't believe how that garden dwarf had harmed me so much!
“I did it because you're proud, why do you keep showing off here in the halls, refusing to go out with everyone, who do you think you are? Now I put you in your place! You'll have to spread your legs for a few bucks for sure!”
I did what I could, and shoved my hand in that motherfucker's face as soon as he finished the last word.
I took my box and left the room, he was furious of course, but he didn't react, I wouldn't cry in front of anyone, and I wouldn't play that ridiculous role ever. So I could only break down in tears and nervousness as I finally left the building.
I leaned against the first wall I saw, the rainy day helped my desperate narrative, the truth is that I didn't know how I would go on from there. I couldn't go back to my father's house with my head down, I couldn't do that, not then, not after everything he'd said to me.
I had to keep things under wrap until I decided what the fuck I was going to do with my life.
I finally stopped crying, putting together what was left of my dignity, and not knowing what I would do from there.
But I saw him... from afar, but I saw him. Standing still, looking at me, it seemed like a dream, or a nightmare, depending on which prism you look at. He stared at me with that icy, dark look, he didn't smile, he didn't have any reaction, he just stood there staring at me.
I thought about going to him, asking him why he asked for my head, but I didn't have the courage, because I was petrified standing there... Without reacting.
And as he walked towards me, I felt my heart beat near my mouth, so beautiful that I thought I'd check if I was seeing straight and if it wasn't just a figment of my imagination. A well-cut and well-tailored suit, like the one from the day before, dark blue eyes, and the posture of someone who could shoot me in the head and just walk away without even picking up my body.
But I wasn't caring, I was focused on that look and the way he moved his mouth and bit his lips, looking at me and walking towards me.
I never imagined such a drug dealer! Much less dressed like that!
"Hello"
He said in a deep voice
"Hey"
I couldn't say more than that.
“You are Lauren Petro correct?”
He said with a confused look.
"Yes I am"
I spoke with fear
“Warning, stay away from this story, and never go back to the fucking hill to spy, if I catch you there again, you don't make it out alive, understand?”
I said that man getting too close to me, I felt his breath on my face.
“You are the boss then? It was you who asked for my head.”
Said talking too much as usual
“For now it was your job, if it continues you will lose more things. I was going to shoot you in the head, but aren't you hot? you are warned!”
It came out of nowhere, making my legs tremble.
I had messed with more than your average drug dealer, a simple crook. Now I've pissed off a cartel owner.
Why so nosy Lauren?