Chances Of Us

Part 8

Did you ever cross paths with someone you didn't expect to meet again?

I thought that if it ever happened to me, I would feel a little embarrassed about myself. I think instead of greeting him or her, I will probably hide myself.

But at times, we do things out of control. I just know, as I can't get over what just happened at the office earlier.

"Lauren?" Matthew called me.

I can tell from the way he looks at me that he didn't expect to see me. 'Even me, it never crossed my mind that I would meet him again'

But our moment dissipated in a second when Tristan walked closer to me. With that worried look in his eyes, it felt like he snapped me back into reality when he grabbed my shoulder.

"Hey, what happened?" As Tristan tries to call my attention when I can't even take my eyes off the man behind him, I can feel tears on my face as I wipe it with just my hands.

"Nothing, I think something got into my eyes" as I tried to make some excuses, but what Tristan did next was something I didn't expect from him.

When he gently holds my chin up, making me face him as I meet his eyes. He leans closer to me as he tries to check if something has gotten inside my eyes. He was serious; he was not the childish Tristan I know.

'It felt like he really cares about me' when I see how Matthew's eyes darken when he watches Tristan hold my chin.

"I can't see anyth-- " I can see how surprised Tristan was when Matthew took off his hands from my face.

"I already warned you; I do not like it. When you get your hands on what is mine," Matthew said in his cold and serious voice as he held Tristan's arms.

'He changed,' as I can see how furious he looks when he loosens his grip, releasing Tristan's arms.

'Tiing' the elevator breaks the tension between them when it opens the door. his secretary, call him to get in. But his eyes stayed on me, like he wanted to say something.

But Tristan stood in front of me, covering Matthew's sight as he got in the elevator.

It feels like the air has flown on me when I can finally feel how heavy my breath is. Tristan, who is still standing in front of me facing the elevator, had his hands clenched, like he was holding back his anger.

"I didn't expect that you knew my brother, Ms. Lauren," he said, as I could see how his back muscles were tense when he mentioned his brother. He immediately composed himself as he faced me with those playful smiles of his.

I didn't know their whole story, but from what Tristan said to me, I can really tell that they didn't get along well as brothers.

"W-hat? Who?" Riza almost shouted on my face, trying to make me repeat what I just said. I try not to give her any reaction that it didn't affect me anymore as I show her how calm I was when I served her some coffee and a slice of cake on the counter.

I can feel her eyes watching every move I make while she was sitting in front of me. "I said, I met Matthew. He happens to be the new CEO at the company where I work," I repeated myself as I looked at her, eyeing the coffee and cake I served her, saying, 'Give it a try and stop asking.'

She looked at me with those doubtful eyes when I heard the door opening as a man with a bouquet of flowers entered. I smile at him, asking him to take a seat as he puts the flower on the table.

"Can I have an iced Americano, please?" Jonathan said to me with a smile as he took his seat beside Riza's. "One ice Americano, coming up," I said in excitement as I took a glass on the counter.

"Are you evaluating Lauren now?" Jonathan asked as she saw Riza still look at me in those doubtful eyes. She then looked at Jonathan with a questioning look on her face. "Right? Should we check on her, right?" Riza's said, still not moving on the topic of Matthew.

"Who? Matthew!?" Jonathan exclaimed in surprise as Riza told her what happened earlier in the office. "You can't believe it, right?" Riza asked Jonathan as he was still processing everything he heard. He looked at me, and I just shook my head, regretting that I was wrong in telling them.

"That is how you are supposed to react, right?" Riza's look at Jonathan before she gets her eyes on me, like saying on my face, 'How can you be so calm right now? '

I smile at her as I put the glass of iced Americano on the table in front of Jonathan. "It's just all in the past," I blurted out as I got a vase to put the flowers that Jonathan gave us.

It was my favorite, tulips. It looks so gentle and fragile as I put them one by one in the vase. and place it over the counter, where people can easily see it. "I already over him," I added, as I could see how their eyes follow everything I do.

"Look at me! Riza and I will soon open this shop," I say as I look around the shop, which is only waiting until next month before we open it. "And after a month, I will leave my work to focus on our business; I already have that much on my hands right now." I look at them, trying to give assurance in their worried eyes.

"I am fine, okay. Matthew? I am sure I will not be seeing him at the office. He must be busy doing his job, so do I." I said that as I could see how their eyes softened, but still not enough to take away their worry about me.

I just let out a sigh, seeing the two of them still not believing what I said.

'as it makes me worry more, seeing him again after all those years when I tried so hard just to forget everything about him' I can feel the pain in my heart as I remember how my love for him fell apart when he left me, in times where I needed him the most.

'Don't wait for three months; just resign already'
'You should focus now on your business; let's open the shop this month, Lauren'

I still remember the non-stop grant of Riza and Jonathan last night, trying to convince me to stop working and just focus on the business. 'I already consider that case, but thinking about the benefits I will get if I finish my contract makes me want to stay and have a proper turn-over of my job' I was in my deep thought when someone tapped on my desk.

"Mr. Harold is calling you," Camille whispered to me as I looked at Mr.Harold's office and saw him at the front door looking at me. I stand and quickly get into his office, as I can see that he has not been in a good mood since earlier this morning.

He took his seat as he took some documents and put them on his table. I looked at him before checking it out: 'Audit report branch office submitted by Tristan' My eyes automatically saw a lot of mistakes when I read his report.

"Ms.Lauren, am I the one who needs to see those mistakes and correct them?" He asked me in a serious tone. I straightened my body as I apologized for what happened.

"I apologized, Mr.Harold. I will correct it right away and submit it within today," I said, trying to calm him down.

"Should I make you a coffee, Mr.Harold?" I offer him, trying to change the topic. As I can see, his look changed a bit as he nodded at me.

I get a cup at the long table beside his office and open the kettle as I wait for it to boil in just a minute. Everyone knows how to calm Mr. Harold when he is not in a good mood. A cup of coffee can make him forget any mistake we make.