"I keep praying that you'll be stupid enough to ask for another reassignment, Greyson! I swear to God when I heard I was going to work with Charlotte Ericsson, I was so happy I called my mom. I never call my mom."
Marcus has clearly had one too many to drink.
I've been working with Charlotte for like a month and a half now, but he still refuses to let me forget that once upon a time I asked to be reassigned. In fact, everyone likes reminding me of that. It's become some sort of running joke amongst the junior associates.
"Come on, Marcus." Ritika started to giggle after drinking more than the usual couple of glasses of wine. "We all know you just want to work with Charlotte because you have a huge crush on her and before you deny it, we've all seen the way you look at her. You don't even try to hide it."
Everyone erupted in laughter while a bartender brought us more drinks.
Marcus may stare at Charlotte, but he's not the only one who stares. She's beautiful, dresses impeccably well, wears perfume that makes everyone do a double take and her body is ... something.
Only a blind man wouldn't stare at Charlotte.
"Okay, okay, okay." He held up his hands defensively. "I will admit, I am attracted to Charlotte Ericsson."
"Called it!" Ritika screamed out and Marcus slapped her hands away when she pointed at him.
"I'm attracted to her brain!" He lied through his teeth. "The woman just finished the biggest merger this country has ever seen and then right off the bat she's delving into one of the biggest corporate scandals of the century. Seventy percent of the country's, hospitals, doctors, pharmacies and medication are controlled by one family. Who the fuck knew that? I'll tell you who - Charlotte fucking Ericsson."
He slammed his beer bottle on the brown wooden table and got way too close to my face. "If you had gotten reassigned, I could have been the one working on the Mitchell scandal! Please, Christian!" He suddenly went on his knees on the filthy bar floor. "Ask to be reassigned again. Working on a case like this means I'll meet politicians, Whitehouse personnel, people who literally run this country. I'm not a Greyson. I will never get an opportunity like that. You probably go golfing with these people!"
A couple of the other guys and I forced him to get up and take a seat in the dark-lit booth in the bar.
Ritika was already giving me a knowing look after only hanging out with our colleagues for two hours. She and I had to get back to work, but the woman looks a bit drunk.
Our department is kind of known as the department that never sleeps.
Every other department has two senior associates, two junior associates, a partner or maybe even a few partners and a few paralegals and secretaries. Our department is very different and our team is smaller because Charlotte only made partner a few months ago. So, it means there's whole lot of work to go around.
Danica is the official secretary who handles appointments, calls and all admin-related things. Rachel and Noah are assistants, but they're also paralegals. They're meticulous and work fast, but there are quite a few things they're not allowed to do because they're not attorneys. That leaves me, Ritika and Charlotte to shoulder a massive amount of work.
I even find myself wishing Jona would come join us sooner rather than later.
We work. Charlotte works - I don't think Charlotte ever stops working. The whole teams works and sometimes it feels like we never stop.
Charlotte was literally in hospital a week ago and she came in to work that very same Monday after she spent the weekend in hospital. She and Lucas assured me it was nothing serious, but even I know someone who spent the weekend in hospital shouldn't be going to work the next Monday.
Ritika and I have tried explaining it to the others what working in our team is like, but it's hard to find the right words.
There's a certain high and rush of adrenaline we get from all that reading, research, drafting and arguing amongst one another. It's like we have access to the juiciest gossip in the country and we get paid to uncover even more gossip.
And of course, we get to watch Charlotte in action. That's probably the best part of it all. We get to watch a master in action.
"You're about to start whining again, Marcus." I started getting out of the uncomfortable booth. "But Ritika and I can't stay to hear you beg me to switch places with you yet again. We have to get back to work!"
I grabbed Ritika's hand while she waved goodbye to everyone who was booing us for leaving so soon.
"I think I drank a bit too much." She giggled while I held the door open for her.
The bar we went to was a fifteen minute walk from the office and juniors from every major law firm nearby go there. The senior associates go to The Associates Lounge. Apparently that place is much more sophisticated than the dark lit crowded bar we just stepped out of.
"We'll walk it off." I chuckled and made sure not to walk too fast so she could keep up.
It was a cool night with a gentle night breeze. The streets were buzzing, lights were littering the city and Ritika was twirling around like she was in a field of flowers. Her bright yellow dress was twirling in the wind with her and her long shiny black hair was dancing along with her and bouncing off her slender shoulders with each twirl.
My focus was on making sure she didn't twirl right into the street and get hit by a car.
"Christian, I'm sorry about what happened the last time we woke. I was upset because you and Lucas have cut me out of your lives despite years of friendship. Couple that with the disciplinary hearing, it kind of made me go nuts. I know you said you've been really busy with work, but I'm hoping we can meet up sometime.
I'm fine now. I promise. And I can learn to live with the fact that you're working for Charlotte. I still think she did it to turn you against me and it's clearly working, but I won't say anything about it anymore.
Please call me so we can talk.
Much love
Lauren"
I hardly had time to close the message before Ritika tripped and almost fell right before I caught her by the waist. Anyone looking at us would think we were caught in the middle of a dance and I was holding her waist to plant a kiss on her soft pink lips.
The wind kept blowing her hair across her face, making her giggle even more.
In a lot if ways ... she reminds me quite a lot of Charlotte.
"You can let go now, Romeo." She hicupped.
"Right." I chuckled and brought her to her feet.
"Was it Lauren again?"
"Yea." I sighed. "It was a text this time."
She leaned her head against the side of my shoulder as we continued down the sidewalk.
I've only known Ritika for a little over a month, but sometimes it feels like I've known her for years. We're cooped up together so much that I think we're forced to be friends. We spent our days, nights and weekends together. When you spend that much time with someone, there's no way you won't get close.
So, naturally, when Lauren called me after she collapsed at Greyson Corporation, I received the phone call while I was with Ritika.
Apperantly Lauren had a panic attack right before her hearing was meant to start. Melissa told me that a few minutes before that hearing, Lauren tried to break into Lucas' office while he was in there with Charlotte. Lucas, I guess enraged, demanded that Lauren be thrown out of the building.
She was eventually allowed back inside so she could attend the hearing. However, she couldn't make it because she collapsed in the elevator before the hearing could start.
The hearing had to be postponed by a week.
"I think she's into you." She almost tripped again. "She calls and texts you everyday. You've gone to visit her in the hospital and you told her how busy you are with work, but she is constantly begging for your or your brother's attention. In fact, I'm pretty sure both you and your brother have gotten it on with that girl."
I looked at her tiny face with utter shock and she burst out in laughter.
I can't tell whether or not she's serious. I just hope other people don't think I have feelings for Lauren. She's obsessed with Lucas. Plus, the two Greyson brothers falling for the same woman is a scandal that I know a lot of sick people would like to read about.
I'd rather die than have someone think Lucas and I have fallen for the same person.
"I'm joking." She stopped walking and burped loud enough for a few people to stop and stare at us. "I'm so sorry!" She laughed again. "That wasn't very lady like of me!"
I shook my head and wrapped an arm around her waist so she wouldn't lose balance. She never drinks more than one glass of wine and she's never gotten drunk before. Something is wrong.
"I'm sorry, Christian." She stopped laughing. "I know you don't have feelings for her, but I also know that working on a case that's essentially going to put her and her entire family in jail is eating away at you. And I know you need to talk to someone about it. Charlotte is understanding. If you tell her you feel uncomfortable-"
"Ri, I'm fine." I smiled at her. "It was awkward at first to work on this case. I'll admit that, but I love the work we do and I love our team. I'm not going to let you guys handle my work load just because I used to be friends with Lauren. I don't feel uncomfortable."
"Used to be friends?" She raised a brow at me.
I just continued walking.
I contemplated whether I should explain things to her, but truth is I'm still trying to understand things myself.
My friendship with Lauren depended on me being at her evey beck and call. I always felt like I had to drop everything to come rescue her. If I had class and she was feeling down, I'd skip class so I could spend time with her and make her feel better. If I had a study session with my study group, I'd choose not to go so I could go scold Lucas for bringing Charlotte to his place while Lauren was there.
I didn't mind doing most of the things I did for her. I actually liked it. She made me feel needed. Plus, I felt like I owed her because of everything she did for Lucas.
However, somewhere along the way, I stopped living my life because I wanted to be Lauren's friend.
I took the easiest classes so that I'd have enough time to hang out with her. I didn't bother trying to be the president of so many clubs on campus because the workload would take me away from Lauren.
As much as I hate to admit it, Charlotte was right about Lauren rubbing off on me.
I stopped working hard the closer I got to her. She was barely trying to make something of herself and she still got to live the good life. When I saw that, I realised I also didn't have to try so hard. I used my friendship with her as an excuse to do the bare minimum because my family name and money will still open doors for me that most people can only dream of.
"It's complicated." I decided to tread lightly on the topic. "I think Lauren has a few things she needs to sort through on her own. Me being close to her right now is not going to help her; especially if I'm still working with Charlotte. She'll try to talk me out of working here and I'll probably do something really dumb like quit."
She pushed me jokingly or at least tried to, but it had no effect on me. She's too drunk right now.
"You can't quit!" She said sternly. "Do you know how jealous all the girls are that I'm working with Christian Greyson? I'm getting paid to send them pictures of you and give them things you supposedly touched and threw away. You're my ticket to paying off my student loans."
I laughed and shook my head.
I think this girl is a better friend than Lauren.
Our friendship is not about her needing me and using me like a lifeline. It's more about us leaning on each other and working our butts off.
However, I don't like entertaining such a thought. Lauren has been in my life for five years. She helped Lucas when I had no idea how to. I'd be a jerk to abandon her when she needs me most.
Now that I really think about it, I've been terrible to her. I'll call her. Tonight. I'll call her tonight as soon as I get back to the the office.
"You know", Ri tried getting her hair out of her face, "my sister knew Lauren Mitchell. They went to school together."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yup!" She nodded. "Sanj was clumsy, hilarious and she lived to make my parents happy. And just so you know, making parents who are VERY traditional happy, isn't an easy feat."
She tried to laugh it off, but her laughter wasn't quite as genuine as it was just a few minutes ago.
"Anyway, I was young when this all happened, but the story goes that my sister was in the school cafeteria. She saw Lauren sitting all by herself and then poured milk on her head just to tease her. Lauren ran out of the cafeteria crying while my sister and her friends laughed at her."
"It was all lies!" She snapped quickly. "My sister was the kindest person ever and she was a scholarship student at the time. She would never do such a thing to anyone; let alone someone as rich as Lauren."
"I believe you." I tried reassuring her.
I could tell she was trying to defend herself against what she thinks I'm thinking, but I'm honestly just interested in hearing her story. She told me her sister died when she was only sixteen years old. Her sister was nineteen at the time.
The fact that she lived to be older than her sister still bothers Ritika.
"Thanks." She said softly. "That actually means a lot to me, Christian."
We only took a few more steps before she pointed at a coffee shop and dragged me by the arm to go inside.
She's obviously still tipsy so coffee is not a bad idea.
"You still want to tell me about your sister?"
We were standing in line and she seemed to have forgotten about our conversation from just a few minutes ago. I didn't want to push her, but I was also curious to hear how the story goes.
She knows all about me, Lucas and Belle. She knows about the dynamics between the three of us, and yet I don't know much about her and her siblings.
I know all about her parents, but she doesn't say much about her siblings.
"Oh yeah", she smiled, "I had to find out most of these things on my own. My parents and my brother refused to talk to me about it because I was so young when it all happened. But anyways, after that incident, a bunch of guys started claiming they slept with my sister and a few of them even said she got pregnant and had a few abortions."
"Again", she said a bit angrily, "none of it was true. Sanj already had a fiancé picked out by my parents for when she finished school, and she was happy about it. That girl lived to make my parents happy. She would NEVER, EVER do the things they accused her of. She denied everything and my parents stood by her and her fiancé even stood by her, but then-"
She took a nervous breath and bit her bottom lip.
"It's okay, Ri." I grabbed our two coffees. "You don't have to talk about it."
"I want to." She bit her lip even harder. "Today is my sister's death anniversary. I know that Lauren is your friend, but you're my friend too so I can talk about my sister, right?"
"Of course." I handed her her coffee.
Her getting drunk on a work day makes a lot more sense now.
"Well, a bunch of medical reports started surfacing, all of them claiming that my sister had abortions. That's when all hell broke loose. Sanj's wedding was called off, her fiancé and his family sued my parents for emotional distraught, friends and extended family started harassing us and posting the most disgusting things about us online. Then...then my parents disowned her. My brother and I begged them to reconsider, but they had had enough. They kicked her out of the house."
"My brother got Sanj an apartment, but he was at Uni and barely had any money so it wasn't the best looking apartment. He would go see her, but I only saw her like once every two months when he snuck me out."
We were about to cross the street, but she stopped and stared at the night life infront of us.
"Seven years ago today," she smiled sadly, "my brother found our sister in her apartment. She hanged herself."
I dropped my coffee.
"I'm so sorry, Ri." I hugged her slender body immediately. "I'm so so sorry."
Her head fell on my shoulder and I could feel tears hitting my shirt while we held one another.
"It's okay." She started shaking her head. "It was a long time ago."
"No, it's not okay." I hugged her still. "It's not okay, Ri."
Those words seemed to have shaken something inside her loose. She started crying instead of only tearing up. I could hear her sobs and muffled sniffles and I could feel her tears staining my shirt.
"She was so young, Christian." She cried some more. "And I know you won't believe me, but Sanj would never do the things those people accused her of. My brother and I are the rebellious ones. That girl lived to make mom and dad happy."
"I believe you, Ri." I stroked her hair and back. "I promise you, I believe you."
She chuckled into my shoulder and pushed me gently to let me know I could let go, but I really didn't want to so I still held her untill her body relaxed into mine.
"My family was a mess." She took a few tissues out of her bag and started to clean up her face. "We were all a mess, but it hit my brother the hardest. He saw her body. He's the one who had to tell us that Sanj was gone."
She tried creating more distance between us as we walked, but I closed it quickly.
She was feeling vulnerable and that can never be a bad thing. She didn't need to create any distance between the two of us.
I snaked my fingers into hers while we walked and she smiled at me.
"My brother became a recluse after Sanj's death." She still continued with her gentle smile. "He refused to leave his room or speak to mom and dad. Two or three years after Sanj's death, he cut off the entire family. He blocked our calls, changed his address, blocked our emails and deleted all his social media accounts. Till this day, I still have no idea where my brother is."
She began crying again and took out more tissues out of her bag while people stared at us.
"I used to be the youngest of three." She let her bag fall to the ground, "but now I'm an only child, and I blame Lauren Mitchell."