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Strangers

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Chapter 2: Strangers (Christian's POV)

"Welcome to The Bookmark, how may I help you, sir?" 

"Natalie Davidson's office. Where is it?" I asked, lifting a brow. 

"Do you have an appointment to see Ms. Natalie?"

"Nina!" someone scolded from a distance. My eyes followed the voice and landed upon a woman, who I could only assume was Natalie Davidson. She made her way over to me and extended a hand. "I'm Natalie. You're Mr. Christian Lukov, I assume." 

"I am," I nodded once, shaking her hand. 

"It's nice to meet you," she smiled, "we can head up to my office for the meeting. Please excuse my staff, not everyone was aware you'd be here today. I hear you don't like the limelight." 

I fell into step beside her silently as she gestured for me to follow her. "I don't believe my business is one that requires too much of the limelight, Ms. Davidson," I replied. 

"Very true, Mr. Lukov," she laughed softly. "Thank you for dropping by today, I appreciate it. I thought it would be better if we met ourselves instead of through an agent from your company. It's better for appearances, wouldn't you agree?" 

"Occasionally," I replied, both of us stepping into the elevator that began ascending to the top floor. "I hear you're interested in relocating," I said, glancing at my watch. 

"I am. Hopefully, as soon as possible. It's become rather difficult to manage our firm within the small space we have in this building." 

"What are you searching for instead?" I looked at her. 

She turned to me. "A whole building." 

I lifted a brow. "For a publishing firm?" 

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Lukov, but it was you who got my brother that building for New Beginnings, wasn't it?" 

"I'm afraid I can't disclose information about clients, Ms. Davidson," I responded. 

She nodded, watching me with eyes that narrowed a sliver. "Understood." 

I take it we won't be liking each other very much. 

The elevator opened with a ding and I followed her out, taking a look around as I did. The office was terribly boring with plain white walls and typical white cabinets and shelves stationed against the walls. The main room was like every other office room with desks scattered around and employees shuffling around, panicking. 

"I see you've already told your employees to start packing," I mused. 

"Well, I'm determined to strike a deal with you, sir," she smiled at me over her shoulder before stopping at the first door to the left and strolling in. "Would you like anything? Tea or coffee?" 

"No," I answered, taking the seat across from her. 

She nodded once in response and glanced at the clock once. "If you'll excuse me, I'll call my assistant in and once she's here, we can start the meeting." She picked up the landline and held down on the number one. After a moment, she mumbled through gritted teeth, "Get here quick." She put the phone down moments later and cleared her throat, smiling at me once again and chuckling awkwardly. "It was actually Pierce who recommended that I approach you for real estate. He said working with you went rather smoothly for him." 

"It certainly did. Mr. Pierce didn't have high demands as long as his main requirements were met. Working with him was rather easy," I agreed, ignoring the feeling that working with her wouldn't be half as easy. 

There were two soft knocks on the door after which Natalie called out, "Come in!" 

I looked to the door, leaning back in my seat, and watched as a girl walked in, closing the door quietly behind her. I knew it before she turned around and faced us. 

Must have been the red hair that gave it away. 

Her eyes met mine and the smile she'd pulled on to greet me slowly began to slip and my heart stopped for a moment, my breath hitching and my body growing rigid. 

It's her. 

"Jules, this is Mr. Christian Lukov, the CEO of Lukov Empires and Estates. Mr. Lukov, this is Jules Declan, my assistant," Natalie introduced us but Jules wasn't someone I needed to be introduced to like this. I knew her. I knew her very well... 

Her eyes moved around, looking at everything but me as she stepped forward, taking in a sharp breath before looking at me once more. 

I stood up for the sake of being civil and held out a hand. "It's nice to meet you, Ms. Declan." 

She held my gaze and shook my hand, "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Lukov." 

"Christian! Christian Christian!" 

I huffed as I made it out of my room and stumbled towards the whining coming from my front door, almost stubbing my toe against the doorframe as I reached and unlocked the door, ruffling my hair and rubbing my eyes, wincing as I turned on the lights. I pulled the door open which was definitely the wrong decision. 

"Whoa!" Audrey laughed, stumbling forward, drunk laughter bubbling out of her. 

"I'm going to fucking kill you," said the unfamiliar face. 

My eyes snapped over to her new friend. "Aren't you a gem?" I asked sarcastically, watching this new friend leaning against the doorframe, and watching the two idiots in front of me. 

"Oh, you bet I am," she laughed dryly and pushed Audrey onto me. 

I dodged her as she stumbled into my apartment, barely catching herself on the kitchen counter before whining and stomping to the couch, collapsing on it. I glanced at her over my shoulder once before facing her friend. 

She groaned loudly and then put a hand against the wall, catching her breath. She lifted her eyebrows, nodding at me in greeting. "Hi, I'm Jules. Your sister's friend." She held out a hand. 

"Jules...? I don't know that name." 

"I doubt you know any, your sister has a lot of friends." She wiggled her fingers and I still didn't shake her hand. 

"Yes, but not many that bring her over to my apartment when she gets wasted at a college party." 

She rolled her eyes. "I couldn't just leave her there or put her in a cab. She can't even walk straight." With a groan, she pulled her hand back down. "Well, I just came to drop her off. See you around, Christian." Wordlessly, she adjusted her purse and turned the other way to walk back down the hall. 

I stuck my head out, watching her in confusion. "How do you know my name?" 

She stopped and swiveled back around, making her way over to me again. "Your sister told me," she answered, tilting her chin back to meet my gaze. 

"How do you know Audrey?" 

"We have the same classes. Most of them." 

"Why don't you take her to her apartment instead?" 

She laughed, "Audrey lost her keys." 

"So? That's not my problem." 

"She's your sister," Jules scoffed. 

"She's your best friend," I emphasized and shrugged my shoulders. 

Her eyes narrowed on me. "Look, my patience is wearing thin tonight, so why don't you drop her off if you want to. I've got to get home." 

"Take her with you." 

She stared at me in disbelief. "No. We were at a party nearby and the only thing she could mumble out was your name and the fact that you're her brother. I'm not taking her all the way back with me." 

"Some friend you are," I mumbled, watching her. 

She snorted, "Some brother you are." 

"Oh, I knew it!" I looked over my shoulder as Audrey stumbled back over, standing beside us and taking both our arms. "I just knew you would hate each other," she whined. "This is why you never knew the other person existed," she added, laughing maniacally. She dropped Jules's arm and hugged mine. "Can't you let me stay with you?" Her wide eyes blinked as she stuck her bottom lip out in a plea. 

"Get the fuck off of me," I said calmly. 

In response, she huffed and did as I said. "Screw you, Christian," Audrey scoffed and stomped back, falling into the couch. 

"Just let her stay," Jules said. "She'll leave tomorrow anyway." 

"No, she won't," I snickered, "Audrey likes to crash here. A lot. It's why I don't let her but thanks to you, I'm stuck with her." 

"Well, brotherly duty calls, doesn't it?" 

"No, it doesn't." 

She shook her head and rolled her eyes, spinning to leave again but as she stumbled a bit, her purse hit the doorframe and slipped off her shoulder, landing upside down on the floor, all her belongings pouring out. "Damn it," she sighed to herself and glanced up at me. "Can you just... get that?" 

My eyes raked over her, taking in the short and fitted velvet emerald green dress. When I didn't move, she let out a sharp breath through her nose and adjusted her dress, pulling at it, trying to make it longer before she crouched down, but I beat her to it, squatting down and retrieving her items, tucking them back into the purse. 

That's precisely what I was doing when I discovered her student ID. I blinked once, twice, reading her name. Standing back up, I returned her purse but held onto her ID and when she reached for it, I pulled away. "Juliette Evangeline Declan," I said, "Alex Declan's sister?" 

She frowned and snatched the card back, shoving it into her purse. "How do you know my brother?" 

I chuckled dryly, "I didn't know Alex had a sister." Looking at her face, I figured she was trying to remember if she'd ever heard my name out of her brother's mouth, but chances were, she hadn't. Unless he was cursing me out. "Stay away from Audrey," I said. 

"What?" she asked in confusion. "She's my friend, why would I—" 

"She doesn't need friends like you." 

"Friends like me?" she laughed. "What? The kind that drops her home when she's wasted instead of leaving her with some random guy who'd been following her all night?" 

I resisted a groan in frustration. "Just stay away from her." 

"I think Audrey can choose her own friends." 

"Yeah well, I think she can't. As far as I know, you're just another stranger." 

"Strangers wouldn't be so nice, don't you think?" 

"Strangers should stay strangers, that's what I think," I replied, shrugging my shoulders. 

"I don't like you," she said suddenly, her eyes narrowing once again. 

"Feeling's mutual. Now leave." 

She backed away, scoffing softly, muttering, "Dick." 

"I heard that," I called out after her. 

"Good," she replied without turning to look at me. "You were meant to. Dick!" 

"Jules?" 

I blinked, facing Natalie as she spoke while I sat in my seat while Jules stood still, staring at me. "Is... something wrong?" she asked Jules. 

"No," she mumbled quietly. 

"Then sit down," Natalie said sharply, glaring at her. 

I sat still and refused to react or even glance at her as she hesitantly pulled out the seat beside mine and sat in it. 

"Shall we start the meeting?" Natalie asked. 

"Yes," I nodded once. "Let's start the meeting."

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Chapter 2

What do we think of Mr. Christian over here??

I'll be updating once more tonight too

next ch: remember