MASON

Dangerous Love

Episode one

Lauren

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"Calm down," my roommate, Beth said as she watched me pace back and forth in our living room.

I had been pacing for thirty minutes right now, nervous and anxious.

"You're going to ace that interview," she added with an encouraging smile.

I spared her a glance. "It's not a normal interview!" I ran my hand through my hair in frustration.

"Are you going to be interviewed by God?" Her question made me look at her like she was insane. Well, clearly she was insane if she was saying such a thing. She couldn't know how I was feeling about this interview.

Everything depended on it.

"No, but I'm going to be interviewed by the most powerful man," I reminded her.

Mason Greenwood was one of the most powerful men in the world, but he was the most powerful man in England.

No one really liked to admit it, but he was even more powerful than the Queen.

At such a young age, he had acquired more money than anyone. He had built several corporations all around the world that had about one thousand workers. He was feared all over the country because he was cold and terrifying.

Mason Greenwood was the man who laughed in the face of death. He lived by his own rules. I had heard men cowered over his intense look, and by that, I meant men with great power. I had also heard that he could make anyone disappear and never to be found again.

That thought enough terrified me.

"Why didn't you choose somewhere else to work?" Beth asked. "Rumours says that what happens behind the door is terrifying. I've also heard that his cold look enough could crack a stone, and the earth shook with his anger."

"I wouldn't mind seeing that," I answered, trying to lighten up the situation I had put myself in.

"That sight would ruin you for sure." She sounded so sure.

I lifted my chin. "It would feel intriguing though."

"Yeah," she agreed with a nod, then presumed to smile amusingly. "But you'll feel otherwise if his eyes roast you."

I wanted to laugh at that, but I was too nervous about tomorrow. I had no idea where Beth got these rumors from, although I had to agree that his eyes were terrifying, I didn't think he could roast anyone with it.

People can be so dramatic sometimes.

"Psh," I dismissed the possibility. "That is just a rumor, Beth."

She held my gaze. "Rumours sometimes are true." I struggled against the urge to squirm under her gaze. "I've heard that he treats everyone like his enemies...even his employees."

That made my nerves flutter. Treating his employees like his enemies? How did that even work? I couldn't tell if she was being truthful or not.

I shot a narrow-eyed glance at her. "He is that crazed, I know."

"All the more reason you should consider working somewhere else." She clutched my hands in hers, then released me to cross her arms over her chest.

"How sure are you that I am even going to get the job?" A lot of people wanted to work at Campbell Industry and a lot of people were going to be interviewed. Only one of us would be able to get the job, and I seriously doubt that I would be the one. Some of the girls were only after him, not the job.

"0 percent sure." Beth laughed, earning a glare from me. "I can't see any good working there. That place is nothing but terrifying. It's filled with nothing but control and darkness. Mason Campbell makes it cold and forbidden."

"No place is forbidden and unwelcoming," I said, drawing the pillow closer against my chest. "But they say the place cries echoes of roars."

"You know," Beth looked back at me, her emerald gaze piercing. "I'd love to be there tomorrow just to see you cower in fear at his presence," she ended with a laugh.

"Shut up." I grinned, throwing the pillow at her. "I'm not going to cower. I'm not afraid."

She raised a challenging eyebrow. "Oh really? You've never been in his presence before. You don't know how that would feel like."

"Nervous and a whole lot of uncomfortableness," I thought, biting my lip. "If I come home crying, you shouldn't even be surprised."

"I will keep the tissue ready."

"Bitch, you wish." I glared playfully at her.

Her smile faded and she looked serious at me.

"You're going to do fine in the interview, Lauren. Your resume is great. I'm sure you'll be picked among the hundreds of people."

I smiled weakly. "I hope so."

I really did, because it was the only job that paid well.

I would be able to pay my dad's medical bills and for his treatment. I would be able to do so much more with the money. But dad's medical treatment was the only thing that worried me.

He had a stage four cancer which had been a blow when he told me the first time. He was the only person I had left after my mum left us when I was ten. It still hurts when I think about it. Dad had to go through so much to raise me and it was my turn to take care of him.

*

Morning came sooner than I had expected. I had been up since six am, getting ready. The interview was seven-thirty and I wanted to be there by seven.

I groaned as I crawled out of bed and tottered drowsily to the bathroom.

I washed my face, and the benefits proved just as fleeting, and no less groggy, I brushed my teeth before taking a shower.

It took me ten minutes to get ready.

I straightened my spine and smoothed my worn-out grey skirt that reached my knees. My light blue blouse was tucked inside my skirt. My cheeks were rosy, setting off a sparkle to my hazel eyes. The orbs slanted slightly upward and were thickly fringed with lashes.

I tied my brown hair into a ponytail, not a single strand had loosened. I hoped I looked sophisticated enough for the interview. I didn't like wearing makeup, so I went ahead with my natural look. I had only applied nude lipstick and that was about it.

I wore the old black heels that I had bought two years ago.

Knowing Beth would still be sleeping, I left her a note before grabbing my bag, leaving our flat.

London was really cold, and because all my coats were really worn out, I wasn't able to wear any. I wanted to look good, I didn't want to be looked down upon.

I took a taxi and when I told him where he would take me, he looked shocked. He asked me again where he would take me, and I told him the address.

"Are you sure that is where you want to go, ma'am?" he asked, unsure of himself.

"Yes," I said, growing annoyed. He didn't say anything afterward, but I would occasionally catch him looking at me through the rearview mirror as if he couldn't believe I was going to such a place.

He stopped the car across from Greenwood Industry, and when I was about to ask him why he wouldn't drop me off near the building, he said, "Sorry, ma'am, but no taxi is allowed near the building. I have to drop you off here."

My mouth shaped into an 'O', shaking my head in disbelief.

I walked out and readjusted my blouse. If anyone could stop and observe me, they would see nervousness oozing off of me.

Greenwood Industry stared down at me. It was a huge building that had about sixty floors. It was large, wide and intimidating.

I carefully strode past a security guard at the entrance and into the building. I was met with a lot of people that were strolling around in their expensive, neat clothes and I felt self-conscious of what I was wearing.

They seemed to be on edge like they were holding the entire world in their shoulders.

I went directly up to the receptionist nervously. She was a redhead woman, dressed elegantly in a blue dress. Even her hair seemed to be perfectly done. Her face was covered in the minimum amount of makeup. Her hazel eyes sized me up, her expression pure distaste.

"The coffee shop is down the street, ma'am," she said, and I hinted a slight Italian accent.

"What?" I asked, confused.

She stared at me as if I was a dimwit. "Isn't that where you want to go?"

"No. I'm here for an interview."

She raised her perfect eyebrow, her mouth curving upright. "Oh?" Sizing me up again, she clicked her tongue before meeting my gaze again.

I wanted to punch her face. She didn't think I belong here. How dare she!

The receptionist inhaled dramatically before plastering a fake smile. "Twentieth floor. Take a left and you'll find yourself among the lot that are here for the interview."

My lips twitched. Was she insinuating that they were a lot of people for the interview and I had zero chance of getting it? Twat.

"Thanks," I gritted out.

"Good...." She stared up and down at me again, her face turning upside down. "....luck."I was feeling a bit miffed, but I tried to calm myself down and made my way to the elevator.

I waited a few seconds before it slid open and I quickly rushed inside. Before it slid close, I heard a commotion.

A woman was being dragged out by a security guard and she was crying. Clearly, she was having a mental breakdown.

"No!" she shouted. "You can't do this to me! I have worked here for three years!" I watched as she tried to struggle against the security guard. "I'm loyal! You can't do this to me!"

The elevator closed, blocking the cries and screams of the woman.

My heartbeat accelerated. I felt sorry for the woman.

Whatever she had done, she didn't deserve to be treated like this. She had worked for three years! She deserved some little respect at least.

My back hit the wall and I closed my eyes. Was this such a good idea after all? But this was the only place with a good salary.

I was doing this for dad, I shouldn't be thinking twice about working here. Working here?! You don't even have the job yet, and you don't even know if you'd be the lucky one.

Tightening my eyes, I hoped this interview would be a success. I couldn't afford to mess it up.

Dad's life was on the line here. You can't, Lauren. You will do great if you'd just calm down and believe in yourself. Yes, I know I would ace that interview.

"Aren't you going to get off?" I was startled by a man's voice beside me.

I realized that I had reached the twentieth floor and I mumbled a quick apology to the older man in a grey suit and stepped out.

The entire left was this huge window and I stared at the amazing view of London. My phone in my bag was itching to come out and snap a picture. Before that could happen, I reminded myself why I was here in the first place.

I followed the instructions the receptionist told me and true to her words, they were a lot of people. They were so much that I wasn't even able to see the end of them.

And they all wore nice clothes.

A group of girls spared a glance at me and I heard them laugh a little. What was on my face?! I wanted to ask.

Looking up, I noticed that they hadn't stopped looking my way and wasn't subtle about it. I looked away angrily.

Just because they were looking sexier than me and were dressed in nicer clothes didn't mean I should be treated this way.

I pushed my way through tons of bodies, trying to find a place to sit. I spotted one at the end of the room and made my way to it.

But before I could sit, a man beat me to it. He shrugged his shoulders at me and I glared.

I turned to go back to where I was, and before I knew it, I was being pushed by bodies towards different directions.

I found myself being pushed toward a silver door and inside it. The door shut automatically.

I panicked when it wouldn't budge at all. I tried again, but the same thing happened. It just wouldn't budge.

Bloody hell!

I turned around to see where I was, and I found myself in a long-dimmed hallway, and an elevator was at the end of it.

I heaved a sigh of relief. A way out.

It slid open when I pushed the button, and I quickly hurried inside.

I went to press the twenty-first button, but I only found one button with a Greenwood logo on it.

My face screwed up. Deciding that it would be best to go there rather than stay here with no way out, I pushed the button with the logo.

My heart started to race for some reason, and I found my hands shaking slightly.

I felt like there was a presence of something powerful and terrifying.

What the hell was wrong with me?

Why do I feel so scared?

~~~~

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