Chapter 1 : Just Friends

"Come on ladies.. Chop Chop! We need to get this order finished by 5pm tonight.." A very happy but stern Carla Connor said as she walked from the kitchen area of the factory into the office of which she now shared with her new fiance and business partner Tony Gordon. Carla and Tony had been business partners for about two years now and they'd been in a relationship for about a year and a half. Tony had popped the question of marrige a couple of months back, nearly a year after Carla and him started their relationship. It was now September 2017 and Carla had been divorced for two and a half years. When Peter left the street back in September 2014, Carla had decided to file for a divorce about a month later. She couldn't wait to start a fresh and change her name back to Connor. Carla and Tony had started their relationship around June 2015. This was after them meeting up and seeing a lot of each other after they met on a business meeting in April 2015. Tony had his own factory up in Scotland but after starting his relationship with Carla and realising that he wasn't getting to see her as much as he wanted to, he decided to sell his shares and move down to Weatherfield. Carla made him her business partner a few weeks later and from then up until now, their business was in fact booming. As things got better and better for both of them, Tony asked Carla to marry him in May 2016 and they were currently planning their wedding. Carla had told Tony all about her past.. About Frank, Liam, Paul and of course about Peter. Peter. The love of her life.. well, she thought so at the time anyway. The man that had managed in a way to make her want a family, when she had never thought about kids in the past. He was her soul mate but now, she was defenitley sure that Tony was the one for her. Carla had also told Tony all about her divorce with Peter and about how she misscarried his baby. Up to this day she still thought about her baby girl. The baby girl she'd never get to hold close.. The baby girl that she never got to dress up in fancy designer clothes and also the baby girl that she would never get to see grow up into a beautiful young woman. Even though she still thought about her in a way every single day, she had to carry on with her life.. Her new life, with the man she loved with all of her heart.

"Remember.." Carla started as she entered the office to find Tony sat behind his desk with a load of paper work in front of him, closing the door behind her.. "You need to cancel your meeting with our accountant tonight.."

"And why on earth would I want to do that then Mrs Connor?.." Tony asked looking up from his paper work and smirking at her.

"You know damn well why Tony.. You and me are going out tonight.. Remember? I hardly get to see you any more. You'd think that you were marrying our accountant and not me.." Carla said with a small giggle, over-exagerating just a tiny bit.

"Oh behave Carla you know that's not true.. I just like to make sure that our business is in a good place that's all.. And with a high maintenance wife to be.. I need all the money I can get.." He said smirking at her as he made his way from behind the desk and towards her, before leaning forward onto her desk and giving her a meaningful kiss on the lips. The kiss soon came to an end and he pulled himself away from her, looking straight into her emerald eyes. "Anyway.. why would I want anyone else when I've got you? You're the love of my life Carla.." he said before turning away and returning to his desk. "And anyway.. I wouldn't even dream of marrying our Accountant!." He said laughing and pulling a face at the fact.

"Come to think of It.. I am a bit greedy aren't I.." Carla said, this time making her way from behind the desk and sitting seductively on the side of his desk lifting her skirt up slightly before continuing.. "After all.. I do get to spend every day with you.." she said winking at him.

"Well.. aren't you lucky then?" He replied winking at her. "Look.." he said looking at his watch, "As we are going out tonight, instead of meeting my accountant tonight, I've rearranged for this afternoon." he said standing up, putting his jacket on and putting his hands on Carla's hips. He looked into her eyes and pulled her towards him. "I'm the luckiest man alive.. do you know that?."

Carla didn't say anything to him. She just smiled, looked into his eyes, his lips then back into his eyes. With this, Tony leaned in and started to kiss her passionately. Their kiss lasted a good few seconds before she pulled away and she said, "Look.. You better get going or we'll never make it out tonight." she said patting his chest.

He smiled at her before giving her one last meaningful kiss on the lips and saying, "Behave.." Before walking out of the office. Carla watched him as he adjusted the collar of his jacket. He was handsome.. and he was her's she thought to herself...

Tony exited the factory and he walked down the steps towards his car. He looked across the road towards the rovers and as he looked, he saw a man jumping out of the taxi. He watched the man making his way towards number one, as he himself made his way slowly towards his car. As he unlocked his car with a button on his key, he saw the door of number one open and saw Ken throwing his arms around his man. It then finally clicked. He knew EXACTLY who this man was and he could already smell trouble on the horizon..