Chapter 2: Forest's POV

'Hey, Forest. Long time no see... I thought we could meet and catch up. How does that sound? Let me know. Looking forward to hearing from you. Charlie' I froze for a few seconds after reading her message. It couldn't be. She couldn't sound so nonchalant five years after shattering my world. And yet, seeing that message would probably end up being the best part of my day. I deleted the message before I did something stupid like respond to her. I deleted it and blocked her on the social media platform she used to reach out - LinkedIn of all things to use. I ignored the dull ache in my chest. It's been five years for goodness sakes. She hasn't said a word to me in five years. I shouldn't be feeling anything after what she did to me. I put all my focus into the back to back meetings I had for the day. Greyson Corporation is in the middle of absorbing our biggest competitor and I need to keep a clear head to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. I am drowning in lawyers who need my go-ahead, engineers who need me to look over the sites we are taking over and governors who need assurance that Greyson Corporation isn't creating a monopoly over the construction, architecture and engineering industries in New York. I am not going to let her mess this up for me. 'Mr Greyson I tried reaching out to you earlier today and haven't received a response yet. When I tried reaching out again, I realised there were some issues with my method of communication, issues that weren't there before. I'd like us to meet. Please let me know when you're available. Kind regards Ms Charlotte Ericsson' It was an email this time. She sent an email using my company email address that she probably found on our website. It was very clear that she knew that I've blocked her on LinkedIn and that she won't be able to contact me that way again. I wasn't sure whether she used a professional tone because she knew my assistants would see this email or because it amused her. Whatever the case might be, I deleted the email and registered her email address as spam so I wouldn't have to deal with her. I attended my meetings and dealt with dozens of people and documents that were more than hundred pages long, but none of it could take my mind off the fact that Charlie finally wanted to see me. When the doors to my office burst open, I immediately knew who it was. Only two people would dare come into my office without knocking- Lauren and Christian. She was filling in for my second assistant so I knew she saw the email and was probably worried, but there was no reason for her to be worried. No reason at all. I will not be replying to that email and I will most certainly not be seeing Charlotte Ericsson ever again. "So?" Lauren folded her arms infront her chest. Her grey-blonde hair even looked a bit frazzled because of this email. It's usually sleek, without a hair out of place. Her conservative navy blue dress that went slightly below her knees was still without a single crease despite the fact that it's 7pm and most people are heading home. "So?" I avoided her light blue eyes. "Lucas!" She raised a brow. "I hope you deleted that email right away. We both know that woman is nothing but trouble." I pursed my lips into a tight line. I haven't seen or heard from Charlotte in five years, but it still irks me when someone says anything bad about her. "I deleted it, Lauren." I replied without looking at her. "I didn't even read the email." I lied. "I deleted it the second I noticed who the sender is." Another lie. "That woman is dead to me." All lies. She sauntered towards my desk and to my surprise, sat on it, a few paces from my laptop. She was much too close for my liking, but given who we were talking about, I guess she feels she needs to get close to make sure I don't do something stupid like meet with the woman who broke me without any remorse. However, I couldn't ignore that ache in my chest that started right after Charlotte's LinkedIn message popped on my screen. It was getting worse and the i***t in me was starting to think that seeing her might not be such a bad idea. "Good!" She put her peach-coloured arm on my shoulder. "It took you two years to get over her and it's already been five years since...since everything happened. Don't let her in, Lucas. There's no telling what she'll do to you this time." I faked a quick smile, nodded my head and tried my best to go on with my work even though her arm was still on my shoulder. She was right. She was absolutely right and yet every fibre in my body was already yearning to see her again. I tried shoving that yearning to the back of my mind, together with all my memories of Charlotte, but it just kept stomping on my chest. It was making that ache in my heart a little worse each time I tried to ignore it. "I know." I tried to focus on what's on my screen. "Like I said, I didn't even read the email." I tried to get up from my chair, but her glare made me sit back down. I could already feel an unnecessary pep talk coming. It's been five years for goodness sakes. Yes, I loved Charlotte, but she's history now. Lauren doesn't need to remind me what I went through just to resemble some level of being okay after what that woman did to me. I know very well that it was her and Christian who made sure I didn't fail my degree after I came back from pleading with Charlotte. They're the ones who took my phone and made sure I stopped trying reach out to her. And Christian stole my car keys so I wouldn't go stalking her anymore instead of attending class. I hate Charlotte. Goodness, I hate her so much...I hate that I still love her so much. However, Christian and Lauren absolutely despise her. They saw firsthand what that woman did to me. They saw how she wrecked me. Mom and Annabelle are the only ones who don't seem as infuriated as the three of us. But then again, mom always thought of Charlotte as her own daughter and Annabelle thought of her as a sister. That's why they refused to be angry at her even after she tried to break me. "You know why she's contacting you, right?" Lauren put a second peach-coloured arm on my shoulder. "Your face is plastered on every magazine, newspaper, e-paper, twitter feed. This is the biggest merger the state has seen so you're everywhere. You're the most eligible bachelor in the city and now she wants a piece of you." I breathed through my irritation and mustered another fake smile. Many women may be that shallow, but not Charlotte. At least I don't think so. I removed both of her hands from my shoulders and finally managed to stand up. By now, it's very clear to me that Charlotte is already in my head. If I lost my resolve, by the end of the night I might find myself replying to that deleted email. "I know all that, Lauren." I headed to the door. "You don't need to say any of this to me. Believe me. I know what that woman is capable of." She smiled and stood up from my desk. "Now", I opened the door to my office, "if you don't mind, I have a whole lot of work to do." I thought she was finally leaving, but she stopped right before getting out of my office. "You've been working yourself to death because of this merger." Her navy blue dress was now crumpled above her knees since she just stood up. I couldn't help but notice how the colour washed out her skin. It made her look pale whereas Charlotte would look stunning in a dress like this. I may not have seen her in five years, but I already know that the dress would be hugging her curves and those luscious breasts of hers. Her curls would be cascading down her shoulders like a vicious waterfall unlike Lauren's grey-blonde hair that looks like it has no life in it. Fuck. I reprimanded myself internally. This is not good. This is really not good. "It's been a while since me and you took Christian out for a drink." Lauren tried saving what was honestly already a lost cause. "He's busy with his final bar exams. I'm sure he'll appreciate a breather." She started tapping on her phone. "I'm going to text him and then we can all go out tonight." This entire exchange was starting to annoy me. It seems it's only where Charlotte is concerned that I don't have the last word. I run what will soon be the biggest Engineering firm in North America and Europe. I never have to repeat myself to anyone and yet here I am, trying to convince my friend that I am perfectly fine and that I won't let Charlotte claw her way back into my life. I took a deep breath and let my annoyance simmer down. If I stay here and work, I will most definitely end up reaching out to Charlotte and I can't let that happen. She's practically one click away. It's too tempting. "Sure." This time I didn't bother mustering a fake smile. It's been a long day and I'm exhausted. *** Drinks turned into dinner and dinner turned into more drinks. What started off as Lauren and Christian merely disapproving of Charlotte having the audacity to contact me, turned into the two of them listing all the reasons why they think she's a terrible person. Christian, like Charlotte, studied to be a lawyer and was finishing up his bar exams so he can go be a junior associate at some fancy lawfirm. He knows more about what's going on with Charlotte than Lauren and I do because he keeps track of all the lawyers to be on the lookout for in New York. "They call her the 'Black Viper'." He slurred his words. "She's grown colder and even more ruthless, Lucas. Most lawyers tremble or just throw in the towel when they hear that Charlotte is on a case. If she's like that with lawyers, then I bet you she's a hundred times worse with normal people." He was drunk, but his anger hadn't dissipated. "She wants in on that merger!" He slammed his beer bottle on the table, almost breaking it. "Greyson Corporation is currently in the middle of the biggest merger of all times. Every lawyers wants in on it! That's why she's suddenly popped up!" Arguing with him at this point was useless. Telling him that Charlotte would never stoop so low wouldn't convince this drunk man. But perhaps he's right. If she could rip out my heart without so much as an explanation, maybe she could do this too. Lauren didn't have as much as Christian to drink. She wasn't draping over the table and rambling about what a terrible person Charlotte is, much to my annoyance. She was looking at me with those grey-blue eyes of hers and looked extremely hopeless and dejected. "You're going to meet with her, aren't you?" She scooted her chair closer to mine while Christian went on and on about how ruthless and cunning Charlotte is. "I need some closure." I looked right into those grey-blue eyes of hers. "I need to know what happened. That's all." She took a deep breath and scooted her chair even closer to mine. This time she even put both her hands on mine before her head slumped against my shoulder. "Everyone who has ever gotten back together with their ex claimed they only wanted to get closure." She gulped down her drink in one go. "Christian and I saw what that woman did to you, Lucas. Just forget her and move on with your life." She looked up at me and I could see tears in those eyes of hers. "Please." She begged again. "Please, Lucas." Her cheecks were flushed. They had some colour in them and her sleek hair had some life in it for some reason. Probably the alcohol. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Christian started chanting. "It's been five years. Just kiss already!" Lauren's eyes were brimming with tears and her soft pink lips were so close to mine that I could feel her hot breath against my mouth. I didn't have any time to think about Christian's chants in the background before Lauren lunged herself at me and collided her lips with mine. I could taste the alcohol on her lips. She and Christian were the ones who drank while I listened to them b***h and moan about the woman I love. I kissed her back, just to see what it would feel like. She's clearly had a thing for me since we met. Why not kiss her? Why not give her what she wants? Before I knew it, she was sitting in my lap, her hands were running through my hair and Christian was cheering like a drunken i***t. The kiss felt strange...like something that shouldn't have happened. I spent the entire day fighting the urge to respond to Charlotte. I fought that ache in my chest and tried to pretend it wasn't there. I tried convincing myself that five years was enough time to stop loving her. However, this kiss...this strange kiss with Lauren, confirmed that I would respond to Charlotte's email before the night is over. Kissing Charlotte never felt that strange and unnatural. There was an awkward tension in the air after I dropped off Christian at his place. Lauren was in the front seat, biting her lips nervously and I was hoping she wouldn't bring up that strange kiss. "You still don't remember me, do you?" Lauren suddenly broke the tension. "What do you mean?" I tried to keep my eyes on the road. She chuckled and fidgeted with her hands some more. "I went to school with you and Charlotte. From first grade all the way until senior year. I was there the whole time." "Why didn't you say anything?" I asked her. I couldn't wait to drop her off and just have this night over and done with. "When we met in our final year back at University, why didn't you tell me?" She looked annoyed. "Because I knew you wouldn't remember me!" She huffed. "I was your friend before Charlotte came into the picture. It may have been for only two years, but WE were the best of friends. Then when we turned nine, a new kid joined us and Lucas Greyson was forever lost to Charlotte Ericsson." I didn't argue with her. I don't even remember much of my life before I turned nine. I don't remember a lot of my friends or birthday parties before then, but I have vivid memories of my life after I met Charlotte. I was hooked the second I saw her. "You know she threatened any girl who even thought of coming close to you?" She looked nervous. "In our senior year, you and I had Mrs Kalowitz for English, remember?" I nodded my head. I remember having Mrs Kalowitz for English in my senior year, but still don't remember Lauren being in my class. "Right before prom, I was going to ask you out. I had written a letter and everything, but..." "But what?" I asked. "Charlotte caught wind of it." She answered shyly. "And then, like she did with plenty of other girls, she threatened me. Told me she would make my life a living hell if I even thought of asking you out... So I backed out." We both remained quiet for a few minutes. I couldn't really understand the purpose of telling me all this. Highschool is a lifetime ago. If this is meant to make me hate Charlotte, it wasn't working. I did the same thing to any guy who even looked in her direction. I beat up plenty of guys who dared to ask her out. She just didn't know any of that. "Why are you telling me all this now?" I tried to hide my annoyance. "In the whole five years that you've been my friend, why haven't you said anything before?" "Because tonight you and I finally kissed." She confessed. "Tonight I was kissed by Lucas Greyson and I don't want Charlotte Ericsson to take that away from me. So..." This time she bit her lip so hard that trickles of blood started sprouting from her pink lips. "So for the seven year old girl who thought she would be your best friend forever, please don't meet with Charlotte." She begged. "She's not worthit."