The Dancing Girl in The Painting ** (Camren)

Chapter 70: Old Picture

Lauren's POV

It was the third day I started full-time as a senior business analyst. I was no longer Camila's mentor. I told her that she could contact me whenever she needed support. I was not her mentor anymore, but I would always support her as someone who started longer at this company and as her girlfriend certainly. My door would always open for her. We did not meet in the morning or the afternoon when she left the office. She only came to the office in the morning and left before or after lunch. She never stayed a full day unless there was an important meeting to attend. I did miss our daily kiss but I got a job to do. I did not want a privilege at work as the CEO's girlfriend.

I knew from the start when we were officially girlfriends that It would be inevitable that people would talk about us, about our relationship. It was both bad or good ones. I knew some people talked badly about our relationship. They said I was climbing the corporate ladder by pretending to fall in love with Camila. I tried my best to shake it off. I would be lying if I said I did not care about their opinion at all or I was not affected by their opinion. I admitted it affected me when I heard it myself. I tried my best to shrug it off but I hoped they would stop talking about it soon.

It was not only me whom they talked bad about. They also gossiped about Camila. They said Camila was using me and made me her puppet to run the company. Some said that she deserved someone better and should have been with a real man, or real woman, not me who was not fall into their clarification. Some others said that Camila was not that gorgeous that I could get someone better. They said I might not fall for her if she was not rich or the boss.

I did not tell Camila about it. It was better that she did not know about it. I did not know how she was going to react if she knew. She might be anxious or she might be thinking to kick their asses. It was good that she did not socialize much as it would be bad if she heard too much. It could be possible that she did not believe that some people talked bad about me as she always said that everyone liked me. It was not true. Some people were just being nice in front of me. Some were just trying to be nice as they needed something from me. I could let it go as long as it was not damaging.

Today was also the third day of the month, It was Camila's birthday. Ally, Hailee, and the executive team had prepared something for her. They invited Mr. Cooper and me to join them for lunch on the CEO floor. It was the second time Camila was going to celebrate her birthday in the company. I was glad that she did not quit until now. I hoped she had seen how much she had improved compared to when she just joined.

Camila was not that person who loved to interacted with many people if it was not necessary. She hated small talks especially when someone had a hidden agenda. She was sensitive. She could sense insincerity quickly. As the CEO she had learned to communicate and talked to people and it had improved a lot. You would not see her discomfort when she was at work. You could only see her confident and bossy attitude that had been recognized by her employees. Some said she was a little bit cold and arrogant. Knowing her, I would say she was alluring.

Narrator's POV

Finished with her meeting, Lauren went upstairs to the CEO floor to join them in celebrating Camila's birthday. They gathered in the executive kitchen waiting for Camila. When Camila walked in, they started singing the song and Camila was standing there and looked around smiling. She looked at them, the food, the cakes and she saw Lauren who winked at her.

"Thank you, guys!" She thanked them after she blew off the candles. Ally gave her the present "Can I open it now?" Camila asked.

"Yes..." some of them said.

She was smiling and curious, "It's so sweet.... thank you." They bought her a big mug and she loved it. It was nothing fancy but she did like it. She holds the mug to her face, "I like it. I will use it starting tomorrow." Camila said. She seldom acted sweet at work, only the people who shared the same floor with her saw her sweet side, Ally, Hailee, and the executive team.