I want to thank my awesome beta who edited this amazing chapter even though her life is so busy, she made time. Thanks again!!!

Chapter Ten

Wednesday morning was busy. And I was tired. We had chatted at the Sundial passed eleven and I got home a little after twelve with the downtown traffic. What were people doing out at that hour? Probably that same thing I was, right?

My feet hurt and it was barely even one yet, but the thought of only having another hour to go was keeping me going. Well, that and the fact that I had been in this radiating good mood since last night. I blamed it on the amazing food that I had, but I had a feeling that wasn't totally it.

It was about 2:15 when Edward exited his office dressed in a starched straight grey suit. I caught myself staring and I flushed as I glanced away. It was probably the second time I had seen him all day. Good, because it was difficult to concentrate when he was in the room.

"I'm leaving," he stated passing my desk.

"Okay, have a good day." From what I knew, he was heading out to meet up with his family who had come into town. It was about time for me to head out too, so I began to shut the office down when the elevator dinged and Lauren was stomping toward me. I forced a smile.

"Yes, can I help you?"

She looked at me before she broke out into a smile that no one would describe as sweet, more like sinister.

Have you by any chance seen the Manchester File?" Her voice was airy, as she tried in vain to sound innocent. I sighed.

The file had been on my desk all morning. I was supposed to take it down to her but things had taken a turn for the worst around ten and my desk began to overflow with papers.

"Yeah, I've got it." I stated starting to search beneath a stack of brown envelopes of letters I had to send out in the morning.

Strange. I could have sworn I had seen it here. I began to move things now. Maybe I shoved it to the side by accident. I glanced up at Lauren, and she was still smiling. A shiver spread throughout my body. It gave me the creeps. What in the hell was she smiling at? I turned back to searching for the file that I was beginning to think had sprouted legs and made a run for it.

"You really should clean this up," she stated, a hint of disgust in her voice. I shot her a glare.

"If I remember correctly, it was you and Jessica who dumped these on my desk when I was in the bathroom." She chuckled. God, how I hated that laugh. Like nails scrapping across a black board.

Fifteen minutes later, I was panicking. Lauren had finally left and simply told me that when I found the folder to bring it down to her. I still hadn't found the folder and was beginning to organize things, just to make it easier.

I put all the faxes, all three hundred pages and placed them in the out box for tomorrow morning. I filed the rest of the papers and still no file. My desk was clean and it still hadn't showed up. I glanced at the clock. I still had a little time, so I ran down to see if Angela had seen it. She hadn't and returned with me to help me look.

"Where could it be?" I asked more to myself. I was on all fours searching under my desk in case it had fallen to the floor and had been kicked under. I searched in Mr. Cullen's office and found nothing. Then suddenly I jumped up and turned to clock in his office. 3:46.

Damn! Alice would never forgive me. Not for this. It was so important to her, but I could not leave until I found that paper. We would need it for tomorrow. I decided to call Alice to explain. She didn't answer. I sighed, hoping that she was just too busy to answer and hadn't intentionally ignored my call. I left her a voicemail explaining what was going on, and even though it wasn't any excuse for missing her opening, I didn't have any other option.

It was past six, when Angela and I gave up. The opening would be over by now, but I still hadn't found the folder I was looking for. I had literally visited every department owned by Cullen Corp, yet I had found nothing.

"I'm really sorry, Bella, but we've looked everywhere." Angela stated for the first time since she had started helping me. Nickie was downstairs asking around. I sank back into my chair feeling defeated for the first time in my life.

I would have to call Mr. Cullen and tell him the truth – that it simply disappeared from my desk – not that it would save me from being fired. I would have to leave this job that I had grown to love. I would be back to where I started. Broke and unemployed.

I sighed and leaned forward to pick up the phone. But, just then, the elevator opened and Lauren came strolling over.

"Sorry Bella, it appears that I had it the entire time." She held up the paper for which I been searching the last three hours for. She had the smug smile plastered on her face, and it was then I understood everything. Why she had been smiling as she watched me run around like a chicken with its head cut off. Why she, who needed the file in the first place, hadn't even offered to help seek it out.

She did help because she knew it wasn't there. She knew that I would not find it because she already had it. I had never thought about asking her because I was the one who was supposed to have it. I also realized then at that moment that my temper was out of control.

I flew out of my chair in a fit a rage. I had been played for a fool by this stupid bimbo, and I had let her use me. I stomped over to her with enough fury that I knew that what I what I was going to do next I had no control over. I was going to hit her. I had always had a temper, but I had learned to control it more over the years. Yet, every lesson I had learned had just flown out the window.

"You bitch!" I snarled through a clutched jaw, before I reared back and let my fist jab her right in the nose. I heard Angela gasp as Lauren veered back and slammed into the wall, knocking down a vase as she slipped to the ground. My hand hurt, as I cupped it to my chest, but I felt good. I was breathing like I had run a marathon, but I felt completely liberated. It wasn't the first time I had hit someone and I was sure it wasn't going to be my last. Still it felt great. I had wanted to do that for a long time, I just need the motivation.

"Oh my God," Lauren stated scrambling to her feet, blood rushing from her nose. "You broke my nose." Her voice was even more annoying with the nasally sound.

"Yeah and that will teach you mess with me again." She stared at me for a moment, and I thought she was going to lunge at me, but instead she dashed to the elevator leaving the file behind. Thank God it was free of blood. I bent over and retrieved it, flinching at the pain in my hand.

"Bella, you are my new hero," Angela stated, still staring awestruck at me. " I can't believe you just did that."

I shrugged, but I was still shaking from the adrenaline overload. Now that this issue was handled, I had to take care of something else.

Alice didn't look pleased to see me, but after fifteen minutes of pleading she finally opened her door.

"Hi," I muttered. She didn't answer, but just walked back into her living room. I took the open door as an invitation and let myself in. She was hurt. That much was written on her face. I didn't know where to begin but the beginning was always the best. I needed to apologize. Over and over again, if that was what it took.

" I'm so sorry." She didn't even acknowledge me as she stared at her television. I moved a little closer and she hugged her knees to chest. I slipped my jacket and purse to the floor as I seated myself next to her.

"There's no excuse that I can give to make up for this Alice, I know, but I am really sorry." Still silence. If only I could let her know how hard I tried to be there for her, but there wasn't any way I could do that. I sighed back against the couch, and chuckled to myself at the Lauren's reaction after I hit her. I chuckled again. It was exactly what she deserved, but I would be interested to see what lies she told Mr. Cullen in the morning.

"What's so funny?" Alice's voice was quiet and it shocked me to hear it. I was happy nonetheless. At least she was speaking.

"I hit Lauren today," I announced. She giggled despite herself.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think I broke her nose too." We began to laugh together and it felt good to know I hadn't lost her.

"Why did you hit her?" she asked and explained to her the story.

"I would have given anything to have seen that. Wow, Bella!"

"Yeah, I know." I answered breathless.

"Well, I guess I have to forgive you now," she stated, still giggling to herself. I smiled.

"Thanks."

She looked at me out of the corner of her eyes, her dark hair pulled away from her face.

"I'll just have to fine a another way-" She stopped.

"Find another way for what?"

She only laughed to herself at joke that was only funny to her.

What had I missed today?

I didn't bother to ask any questions, instead I let her forgive me in her own way.

Dressed in a purple long-sleeved shirt, a black high-waisted pencil skirt and four-inch heels, I walked into the office ready to face the consequences for my actions yesterday. I didn't regret what I did because both Angela and I knew that Lauren deserved it, but that behavior belonged in high school, not a multi-billion dollar company reception waiting area.

I was alone, as I usually was first thing in the morning, and I went along with my normal tasks. I printed the morning reports, then carefully placed all the files, documents and contracts that Mr. Cullen would need for his meeting this morning on his desk. They were all there. I double-checked. I began brewing his coffee just the way he liked it and waited.

I sat behind my desk concentrating hard on the e-mails I had received overnight trying to decipher which ones I could answer myself and which ones I would have to forward to my boss. I never heard the elevator open or the bell. Neither did I hear the muffled footsteps making their way towards me.

"Morning," I snapped open to see my boss standing over my desk with a smile that had me staring for a moment. Not long enough for him to notice, but enough to see myself flying across the desk and jumping on him like some animal in heat. I blinked, realizing that I had to get laid soon. The lack of sex was making me think about my boss in an inappropriate manner. I made a mental note.

I returned his smile, "Good Morning."

He maneuvered his way around my desk to his office in a beautiful manner.

"Are you ready for our meeting?" It was a moment before I realized he was speaking to me and I was on my feet.

"Yes, I've already laid out the necessary documents on your desk." I flew to the coffee stand and poured a cup, thankful that it was still steaming. I wondered what such expensive coffee tasted like, probably like liquid gold. And as if reading his mind, his voice came.

"Go a head and pour yourself a cup, I need to speak with you." I froze instantly, my back still to him. This was it. I was really a goner. It was nice while it lasted. At least I would be fired over a steaming cup of 80 dollar caffeine.

I did as he instructed and poured a cup for myself before making my way over to his desk where I handed his cup to him and took a seat.

"How was your day yesterday? You had that thing with your friend, right?" I fluttered my eyelashes in surprise. He had remembered. I stopped myself. Of course, he had remembered. It was only yesterday that it was supposed to have happened. No thanks to Lauren.

I nodded. "I didn't go." I answered truthfully.

"Was it canceled?" he asked so casually. I stared at him baffled to be honest. Have you no idea what happened yesterday? I thought to myself, not realizing that I was verbalizing my thoughts aloud.

"No, what happened?" He looked at me questioningly, as I began to chew on my bottom lip.

"Nothing really," I started, trying mentally to find a way to explain yesterday evening, but he interrupted me.

"By the way, have you seen Lauren?"

"No," I answered, not quite lying as I hadn't seen her, today at least.

"I ran into her on the way up," he relaxed back into his chair, coffee in hand. "I almost didn't recognize her. Her entire face is black and blue. Apparently she hit her nose and broke it opening a cabinet."

Liar, I fumed, not sure if I was happy or angry that she hadn't told him the truth. I wondered what he would think of me then. He already knew I was the world's biggest klutz but he had no idea I was so hot tempered. Still, I was surprised that she hadn't spilled the truth. She could get me fired if she wanted too. Why she hadn't squealed? What was she waited for?

"That's too bad, she really needs to be more careful," I replied, but a smile formed. Mr. Cullen didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah, well let's get down to business."

I spent the rest of the week making it up to Alice, though I thought that she was taking it a little far. She had me clean her apartment, and it was no easy task given the sheer size of the place. She made me into her own human mannequin. She even had me make dinner every night until Saturday when I was officially relinquished from my punishment. And despite the fact that I was tired by the weekend, I was happy that I still had my best friend.

Sorry this one took so long as well, but what can I say. Just be glad I got it up at all. Work was tiring this week and it was hard finding the time to push out a decent chapter. I hope you enjoyed it because I had fun writing. Those of you who want more of Lauren, the wars not over yet... Review Please!!!