AN: I am so happy about your positive response and thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed. I am some chapters ahead so I can update somewhat regularly. Here is the second chapter of my story.

Sincerely

Mydarkside975

Chapter Two: Roses and Wine

Elena

After some yoga and three packs of ice-cream, the girls were lounging in their tiny living room covered in fluffy blankets, each of them holding a glass of wine while listening to Bonnie tell them about one of her patients. He was a homeless man who apparently collapsed from heart failure in the middle of the street and no one cared to go and help him until some police officers, patrolling the area found him and drove him to the ER. He was dead by the time they got there.

"They probably thought he was drunk," Caroline said dejectedly taking a sip from her glass.

"I'd bet if it was some guy in a suit collapsing in the middle of the street everyone around would run to the rescue," Bonnie said bitterly.

"If the rich guys in the world shared some of their money, the man would not have been homeless and people would not have assumed he was drunk," Elena added. The somber atmosphere surrounded them as they sat in silence each of them in their own thoughts.

"You know what? This was supposed to be a fun girls' night, so stop with the serious topics and let's do some girl talk." Caroline wiggled her eyebrows and smiled mischievously.

Bonnie and Elena welcomed the change of topic and recognized Caroline's attempt to make them ask her about her relationship with her boyfriend, Tyler. She was the only one of them currently in a relationship so girl talk was practically code for Caroline gushing about Tyler. They of course fulfilled their duties as best friends and asked her about her relationship and she was happy to fill them in on all the details.

Tyler was a photographer working at the same online magazine as Caroline and Elena who had both graduated with a degree in journalism though they leaned towards different branches. Caroline had gotten a job first at the magazine in the fashion section and when eventually there was an opening at the news section, she helped Elena get an interview. Elena got the job and now they were working together, trying to make a name for themselves in the world of journalism. It was easier said than done as the competition was hard and even in their tiny magazine people were doing everything they could to get the best news and get their work published.

"You know, Tyler said he knows someone who could get us into one of those crazy Salvatore parties," Caroline said, pulling Elena back from her thoughts.

The whole city was talking about those hush-hush-parties hosted by one of the Salvatore brothers at the mansion he inherited from his late mother. The mansion was in the Hamptons but whenever there was a party, everyone who was someone in the city would be there. The whole thing was draped in mystery. It was like anyone who set foot inside the mansion had to sign a non-disclosure agreement and of course it was the most wanted news and every journalist in town was trying to get a peek inside.

"You're kidding! I thought journalists were banned from those parties," Elena said trying not to get too excited.

"They are, but we can get in there as servants. The guy he knows works for a catering company that serves the Salvatore parties and they need more people."

"But if they found out we're journalists wouldn't he be in trouble because he recommended us?"

"That's okay; he's leaving for Europe next week, so the party on Friday is the last one he'll be serving at."

"That's crazy, Care. This opportunity could make our careers."

"I know which is why I told Tyler that I'll do it. So are you in?"

"Of course I'm in… This is amazing!" Elena was nearly jumping up and down on her seat from her excitement. This was it. If she wrote a good article about the Salvatore party, she could finally put her name on the map and then she would be able to do some real work.

"Who is that Salvatore-guy anyway?" Bonnie said finally tired of being left out of the conversation.

"Oh my God… Bonnie! Do you even live in this city?" Caroline exclaimed then she started telling her the story of the eldest Salvatore brother, every now and then confirming some of the details with Elena before she went on with the story.

The Salvatore family was one of the most well known in New York City. They owned half the city through their company, Salvatore and Co. Giuseppe Salvatore inherited the company from his father in the early eighties. He dedicated himself to his work, making his father's baby the number one real estate and construction company in the city.

He was so invested in his work that he refused to get married until he met the world renowned actress Charlie Graham. She was a beauty with her dark locks contrasting her pale complexion but her most mesmerizing feature was her expressive blue eyes that spellbound her audience, watching her on the big screen but also everyone who met her in real life. Giuseppe was no exception; he fell in love with her instantly but what surprised people the most was, that she fell in love with him too, even though she had always been described by her peers as a wild soul who could never giver herself to one person. They got married and had two children, two boys; Damon and Stefan Salvatore.

Damon was the eldest son and the spitting image of his mother complete with the raven hair, light complexion and blue eyes. His younger brother Stefan looked more like his father with brown hair and kind green eyes. They were two golden boys born into a golden family and practically treated like royalty. Their faces were always in the magazines with little arrows pointing out pieces of their clothes that one could buy in that shop or the other.

Not so many years later Charlie was on set filming her latest movie when a terrible accident happened. Part of the set she was working on collapsed and she fell four floors and died before the ambulance could arrive.

Soon thereafter, the boys were shipped to boarding school and Giuseppe submerged himself into his work and no one heard any more about them aside from the occasional contract signings or building openings.

Five years ago, Damon Salvatore resurfaced freshly graduated from college with an Ivy League business degree and a brand new job in his father's company. The city went wild over the ridiculously handsome Salvatore and he seemed to be basking in his celebrity status. His face was everywhere both in the tabloids and the legitimate magazines, every day with a new girl on his arm. From models and actresses to recognized businesswomen, he seemed to have all of them wrapped around his finger.

He went on like that for years until someday he was spotted with the same girl for more than one day. She was an up-and-coming actress named Katherine Pierce and people started speculating if history was repeating itself and she was the one to make the famous Damon Salvatore settle down. They kept dating for three months with the paparazzi following them wherever they went then all of a sudden, they disappeared. There was some speculation for a while that they had eloped to get married on some private island or that they started a new life somewhere in Europe where they were not constantly hounded by the paparazzi and before long, people moved on to other, more compelling stories.

That was close to three years ago.

A couple of months ago the rumors of the Salvatore parties started and people were intrigued by the secrecy. No one had yet seen Damon Salvatore and there certainly were no new pictures. The only thing people knew for sure was that he hosted those parties and that they were "crazy".

"Wow, that guy sounds horrible," Bonnie said when Caroline finally finished talking.

"Who cares about the guy? This is the most wanted news in the city. When Rebekah finds out we got the inside gossip on the whole thing, she's going to go mad with jealousy," Caroline stated. She was in a constant competition with their colleague Rebekah who on her part made it her priority to get anything, Caroline set her sights on, for herself, even the Louboutins, Caroline worked her ass off for months to afford.

"This is our opportunity, Bonnie. If we do this right, we can kick our careers off and finally be able to do the work we really like," Elena explained and drank the last drop of wine from her glass.

"Well, good luck with your secret mission, girls. But I'm going to head to bed now. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," the other two answered before they washed their glasses and went to bed too.

AN: Thanks for reading. Please tell me what you think.