LORI

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Lori's POV.

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I froze in a daze as he landed, cupping my mouth with my hand. My eyes brightened, and I spared Cynthia, who was also startled by strange gazes. I couldn't believe my ears. I was going to be assigned as the manager of this exquisite mall.

Cynthia snapped her fingers across my face to snap me out of my thoughts. I swallowed, faking a smile as though I wasn't startled by his offer.

But before I could part my lips to say anything, he cut in. " I will give you three days to think about it."

Just as he landed, he turned around and left with his bodyguards while those girls around him kept turning their heads at him seductively.

"Maybe he likes you," Cynthia suggested, shrugging her shoulders with a grin.

I pouted and spared her ballistic gazes. Cynthia must be very good at Jokes at times. How could a man who I could almost call a devil like me? Though our fixed gazes a few minutes ago made me also think he had an eye on me, it seemed to be a nebulous dream that could never happen. Nonetheless, he's so handsome and cultured.

" I don't think so, Cynthia. Maybe he likes my boldness," I spoke, looking in his direction till he ducked into his car. My gaze followed till he disappeared.

" Or maybe you like him," Cynthia chipped in, her words striking my imagination. I turned at her with a flawless eye, but then she had already turned around, walking back to her work.

I walked up to Cynthia in her assigned room, and hushed whispers of others especially the girls who were flaunting the Mafia sultry vibes- drifted into my ears. But I acted like I didn't care.

Later in the day, I sat quietly in my room, replaying the scene that happened in the shopping mall, and I couldn't help but blush extremely. I couldn't believe I could ever work as a manager in such a beautiful place. It was like a nebulous dream.

I brought out my laptop and placed it on the table. I was so curious to know more about the feared Mafia lord. I typed on my keyboard as fast as possible for his profile and in less than a minute, all his profile surfaced on my laptop.

Mr. Knight Don Colby.

He was truly the most feared Mafia in the whole city. He was terrific like a God and only his name could send shivers down your spine. This article I read about him says no one dares step on his toes and go Scott-free. But guess what? I stepped on his toes and not only did I go free, but also assigned as his manager at one of his biggest malls.

I exhaled sharply and closed my laptop. I rested my head on the bed, reality clouding me till I shut my eyes and drifted to sleep.

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My phone buzzed, jolting me out of my slumber. I sat up on the bed and quickly picked up my phone. Staring at the phone, it was my Ex-boyfriend, Connor, calling. My eyes brightened as I stared at it in hesitation, wiping my face to be sure it was him. Why was he calling me again after I told him not to ever call my phone number again in his entire life?

At first, I shrugged it off, but on his second dial, I picked up his call in annoyance.

" Hey, Lori. Are you such a cheap slut? Just three weeks after our break up you already hooked up with another man," He screamed over the phone.

I hummed, totally lost in what he was talking about. Maybe he mistook me for another, but then why should I explain myself to him after we had already broken up?

" Are you still hovering around me, huh? You're such a shameless pussy, Connor. I hate you," I screamed and threw the phone away. I rested my chin on my hands and sobbed heartily. Hearing his voice hurts again.

Meanwhile, my phone beeped again - a sign that a message had been entered. I stood up and walked reluctantly to the phone and picked it up. My best friend, Cynthia, had just sent me a message.

" Your picture with Mr. Knight Colby is trending on social media, Lori. Pretending to be a good girl just to seduce him is dumb and not perfect. It only makes you look like a cheap slut."

My eyes bulged in surprise as I read this from my phone. Probably, this was what Connor was talking about, too. I collapsed on the bed and wiped off my eyes with my hand maybe it wasn't real, but shifting my gaze on it again, affirmed it. It was real. My best friend, Cynthia, had just sent this to me.

I quickly launched my browser and saw all that she said was true. The pictures of me, grabbing his shirt at the mall had gone viral with millions of clicks and reviews. Some had even entered into my account to call me all sorts of names.

I shoved the phone under the pillow and rolled my eyes in disgust.

Cynthia had been crushing on Mr. Knight as far as I could remember. Even before I met him in person, she used to tell me how she admired him, how she wanted him badly in her panties, and wouldn't give it a second thought if he needed her as one of his escorts. Maybe she had begun to get jealous of me. Perhaps, all his admirers were.

I and Cynthia had grown a solid relationship for some years now. I would not like to plummet our relationship just because of a handsome devil who offered me a Job opportunity in one of his malls.

I stood up quickly and rushed to the bathroom for my bath. I dressed in my crispy gown and wore minor makeup. I decided to visit Cynthia unexpectedly and reject the Job offer. I would distance myself from Mr. Knight. I value our friendship more than letting it slide away. I took a chauffeur to her apartment and walked up to the door. But as I got nearer to the door, unmistakable hushed whispers drifted through the door. On the front of her door was a limited edition pair of shoes, owned by Connor's family.

Connor, my Ex-boyfriend, was here. What was he doing in Cynthia's apartment?

I peeped through the pinhole of her door and my eyes caught Cynthia's arms wrapped around Connor's neck, their lips almost touching.

" She's just a useless low scum. She can't survive without me. That's why I chose you, Cynthia," Connor's voice mocked.

" Mr. Knight is employing her as the manager of the mall I worked in," Cynthia's voice spoke.

" She won't still be able to pay her debt even though she worked as the manager for a year. Meanwhile, that can be a low credit score for her. Mr. Knight would never employ a poor thing like her with such a low credit score. He wouldn't want his mall to be smeared negatively."

I cupped my mouth with my hands, preventing the gasp that slurred on my lips. My eyes blazed in surprise and tears streamed down my face.

I just got a clearer view of what happened three weeks ago. I must have been so gullible around Cynthia. The girl I caught in Connor's room three weeks ago, moaning under him wasn't a stranger. It was Cynthia, my best friend.