CHAPTER 1


    "Leslie, hurry up!" screamed my best friend Beth. She doesn''t understand how crucial it is for me to


    actually look presentable at work, while a messy bun will suffice for an employee in the finance


    department at Harrison Inc. like herself.


    I slicked my brown hair into a professional bun and took one look in the mirror before exiting the


    bathroom. My grey dress looked nd, boring and predictable, but that was my attire every day. I


    looked professional at the least and that''s all that mattered.


    Beth was standing impatiently in the front doorway, adding a dramatic effect by tapping her foot. She


    had her trademark messy bun, but she still looked gorgeous.


    As always.


    "I swear if it takes you this long to get ready here, I can''t imagine how long it took you at your old


    ce."


    I chuckled half-heartedly. She was right; I did take forever to get ready, but only because I''m in front of


    cameras and press almost every day, talking about someone else''s life.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    I''ve been living with Beth for a couple of weeks now. After I was kicked out of the apartment I was living


    infortably with my former boyfriend...by him himself. He had to make room for his new girlfriend, a


    woman that I used to trust.


    I should have believed everyone at Harrison Inc. when they said he was a slimy bastard. He''s awyer,


    Garret''s formerwyer when they were going through that investment scandal, a decade older than me


    and loaded with cash. I should have known it was too good to be true.


    But I''ve moved on. I''m focused on my job and have blocked out any desires for a love life. Men are all


    the same anyway.


    I grabbed my phone and purse off of the coffee table and walked to the door. My phone was buzzing


    with calls and missed emails from various magazines that wanted an interview with Garret, or wanted


    some questions answered that were not going to be answered either way.


    As we walked down the hallway towards the elevator, Beth deemed it appropriate to talk about


    Gustavo, the janitor that she is having a "scandalous affair" with. Beth''s definition of a scandal is


    completely different from mine. I kept trying to exin to her that Gustavo sneaking snacks from the


    vending machine to you for free is not a scandalous love affair, but she ispletely insr to the


    words thate out of my mouth.


    Blondes.


    "So, Gustavo unlocked the vending machine again for me yesterday,” She said excitedly as we walked


    into the elevator. I nced at her once, with a judgmental look in my eyes.


    "Let me guess, was its Cheetos or Pop tarts? Because Pop tarts would mean that your affair has gone


    to a higher level.” She nudged me yfully and Iughed. The first time I trulyughed in a while.


    "Seriously, Les! This is scandalous. I can hear the gossip now: Beth and Gustavo''s secret affair. A


    janitor and a woman in financing. I would be shunned, ashamed. The very sound of it is so exciting,”


    She pressed the elevator button for the garage, smiling at the thought of her and Gustavo. I rolled my


    eyes and left her with her amusing thoughts.


    I could feel Beth''s stare as I was waiting for the elevator door to open. I looked up to find a slight grin


    on her face.


    "What is it now?" I asked.


    "You know, Caleb seems to really like you from what I''ve heard. I mean he''s pretty cute, Les."


    I sighed loudly before the elevator doors opened and walked ahead of Beth, so I wouldn''t have to hear


    about Caleb anymore.


    Caleb works in Human Resources and was technically the one who got me the job here. Even though


    Garret interviewed me himself, Caleb looked at my resume and called me in. I suppose he thinks I owe


    him a favor for what he did, but he''s wrong, because the favor he has in mind is nothing near giving


    him a couple of dors for lunch.


    I power walked towards Beth''s Honda Civic and waited for her to open the door. She jogged


    impressively in her stiletto heels and reached me, almost out of breath.


    "Seriously...Les?" She asked between breaths.


    "You were the one who wasining about me beingte."


    "But we both know that''s not the reason you ran from me,” She said, digging through her gigantic purse


    for her car keys.


    "And may I remind you that we are taking my car. You can easily hop in yours."


    "Yes, but carpooling is easier," I argued "and plus, I''m paying for gas remember?"


    Once she opened the doors we climbed in and sat in silence. She had been pestering me to get back


    on the dating train ever since my former boyfriend kicked me out. I kept trying to tell her that I don''t


    need a man right now, and that I''m perfectly fine with being independent. She never listens.


    "Les, I really think that getting back into a rtionship will make you forget about Hudson. You used to


    be so happy and now you''re a depressed, over worked mess."


    I sighed. Even though she was insulting me she was right, but I wasn''t ready for a rtionship. Maybe


    in a few months but not now.


    By my silence Beth knew that I didn''t want to talk about it anymore, and she put the keys into the


    ignition. Once the car was on she pulled out of the garage and drove down the busy L.A. street.


    "I need my daily dose of Seacrest,” She said, turning on the radio to KIIS FM. Right when itnded on


    the station, the gossip they were speaking about caught my attention for the first time since our daily


    car rides to work.


    "So, we have some surprising news for you guys, today. You know Garret Harrison''s son, Sebastian


    Harrison, right?" A woman speaker said. Everyone in the studio agreed, adding in funnyments


    about my boss'' reckless son.


    "So apparently, he was spotted leaving a hotel two nights ago, with the Italian super model Maria


    Lombardi. She was obviously intoxicated and was barely able to walk,” The people in the studio gave


    off "oohs" and "what?" at the news.


    "Was it the Harrison hotel?" A man asked jokingly. Everyone in the studioughed in response.


    "Wow, I can''t believe he''s rted to that old raisin tight-wad, Garret,” Beth said as she turned the


    corner.


    "Garret isn''t a tight-wad, and he doesn''t look like a raisin."


    Bethughed at my defense. "He''s old, Leslie. I can''t understand how Sebastian is rted to Garret. I


    mean you''ve seen Sebastian? He''s gorgeous!"


    I scoffed. I have seen Sebastian before, but it was only for a second, and he ended up saying a rude


    remark to Garret which immediately changed my outlook on him. Lucky for me, the second time he


    visited Harrison Inc. I was out sick. He ended up bringing a swarm of paparazzi with him, and the


    security guards were outnumbered. It was a hectic mess.


    "Beth, I have seen him before. He''s my boss'' son. And I don''t want to see him anymore, considering


    he''s rude and inconsiderate. But he''s supposed to visit next week again, some important business


    dealing with Garret, I''m not sure. I''ll just have to suck it up."


    Pulling up to Harrison Inc., a big group of cars and people were in the streets. Mostly big ck SUV''s.


    Beth honked her horn at the car in front of us, having trouble maneuvering around all of the people.


    "What the hell?" I said. I rolled down the window and looked outside at the huge group of people


    standing around holding cameras.


    "Paparazzi?" Beth asked.


    "Yeah, but I don''t know why I wasn''t informed of this,” I checked my phone and went through my


    emails, but nothing. I started to panic. I''m the fucking publicist and I''m not aware of any of this.


    Once we entered the parking garage I jumped out the car and ran to the elevator, dialing my assistant,


    Darcy in the process.


    "Leslie, I''m so sorry I forgot to tell you,” Darcy said.


    I slowed my pace to a steady jog once I entered the room that contained the elevators to the lobby.


    "Tell me what, Darcy? What the hell are all of these paparazzi doing on the street?" I said as I walked


    into the elevator. Before Darcy could answer, my phone hung up due to theck of signal.


    "Dammit!" I yelled.


    "What happened?" Beth asked.


    "My phone hung up; I don''t have signal in here."


    I was now extremely apprehensive. I checked my email over and over, but nothing was about what was


    going on. Either that or it wasn''t refreshing itself due to the signal.


    The elevator doors opened, and a few people entered while Beth left to go meet with Gustavo.


    Typical.


    I pressed the button for the top floor countless times, even though it wouldn''t make the elevator go


    faster. Around the 9th floor everyone was out, and I still had a few floors to go. Before the doors could


    close a hand stopped them from doing so. When they re-opened, a man walked in with a woman next


    to him, glued to her phone.