5

Lola managed to set up an appointment quickly. I arrive on Tuesday afternoon at the company run by Theo. It's a new building, in the industrial style, concrete and lots of windows. I saw the walls take shape during construction every time I passed on the ring road to meet clients. I am lucky to have been able to obtain offices on the edge of the city center and not to work in such an unwelcoming place.

My two employees still don't know anything about my financial situation. Claudine, who has worked with me almost from the beginning, caught me crying on Friday evening just before leaving. I admitted to her that my ex had complicated my life just before leaving me. She comforted me and tried to reassure me. I smiled and thanked him without having dared to tell him about the catastrophic situation of the company.

Once my car is parked, I walk through the sliding glass doors and walk over to the receptionist to announce my arrival. She is a young woman, maximum twenty-two years old, dark-haired, made up, styled and dressed with class. I feel frumpy with my jeans, my wool sweater and my hair tied in a ponytail hastily.

I clear my throat to let him know I'm there.

"Hello," I started the conversation.

She looks up and I meet her cold gaze.

- What can I do for you ? she asks me.

— I have an appointment with Théo Séguin to discuss a contract. My name is Alison Durand, I informed her.

- I will check if you are expected.

I feel like I got fired. I prefer not to say anything and wait for her to finish looking in her computer. With less heat than a robot, the receptionist tells me:

— Your name is not noted. I cannot grant you access to the premises.

- I did not know that the job of receptionist required training as a security guard, I told him a little annoyed. I'm not going to ask you to check your file again, I tell him in the same tone.

I take my phone out of my bag before walking away a few steps but staying close to the reception so she can hear me.

"Lola?" Hi, how are you ? I have a little problem. As you know, I have an appointment with your brother and according to the receptionist, I can't come back because I'm not expected.

"She has to mind her own business, that one," complains my friend. If she wants to extend her contract, she will have to stay in her place. Stay here, I'm coming, she told me.

I turn around to face the receptionist and give her a big smile before saying:

- Everything is arranged! You should escalate the problem with the file. This is problematic for business!

She looks like she swallowed a snake. She felt, despite the hypocrisy of my answer, the spade I had just sent her. She lowers her head, not forgetting to glare at me just before.

Noises of stiletto heels are heard. Turning my head, I see my friend approaching. She is dressed to the nines and I still feel out of place in these places. She opens her arms in front of me and hugs me against her before giving me a kiss.

- Lily darling! I was waiting for you impatiently! Theo is driving me crazy, I hesitated to use my secret technique, she tells me with a wink.

I think back to the pattern she drew in the coffee foam and giggle like a teenager. I put my arm through his.

- I would have wanted you if you had done before I arrived. I would have liked to see her reaction, I tell her before turning to the girl at the reception and wishing her hypocritically. Have a nice day, madam.

She glares at me again, not daring to reply in front of Lola, and nods to me. Lola leads me through the corridors where she introduces me to the various departments. When we arrive in her office, she invites me to take a seat in one of the two leather armchairs. I look around the room and see family photos near his computer screen. I am then interested in the two doors in the background. She tells me that this is her brother's office and that of her partner. She tells me that the receptionist has been teasing her brother since he arrived and that I'm not the only person to have mysteriously disappeared from the file. She then asks me how I'm doing and I tell her about my complaint.

Theo and Jules leave when I finish my story. My friend's brother comes over to say hello. I stand up and kiss him. I blush slightly without realizing it, I am particularly sensitive to his charisma. His partner asks him:

"Are we going to your office?"

Theo nods and we follow him into the room in question. Lola gestures for me to sit next to her on one of the designer chairs which is placed around a table of the same style. Jules looks at me coldly before glancing at my friend. She stares back at him with the same visible annoyance. I take this opportunity to observe the one who injured Lola at the start of the company. He is tall, blond, his cheeks covered with a well-trimmed beard. He has beautiful blue eyes. I understand that he cracked my friend at first but for now he only shows me his icy side. He takes the floor

I won't be staying long but I wanted to say a few words to you. I don't trust you. I can't stop Theo from paying you with his money. If we judge your work for us to be up to standard, the remaining sum will be paid by the company.

— It's good Jules, you've repeated it to me enough times for me to understand, Theo points out to him.

I notice that this discussion is a source of tension between them. I decide to intervene to temporize the atmosphere.

“I don't want to do anything other than my job. I created my business and I refuse to let it sink but I will never do anything illegal to save it. If my financial problems bother you, I can give you the contact details of the lawyer who is following me so that he can explain to you.

— Appearing on Theo's arm is a job for you? Are you an escort? he asks me in order to hurt me.

— Theo is Lola's brother, with whom I was like the fingers of a hand before the death of their parents. If I can help him, I'm happy, I answered without disassembling myself.

He laughs at my answer, his hostility hurts me more than I dare admit. Lola turns to me.

- You know that my proposal to lend you the forty thousand euros still stands, she said, shaking my hands in hers.

'You're not going to lend such a sum to someone you haven't seen for more than fifteen years,' Jules gets angry. Are you stupid or what?

- Between helping a friend in whom I have total confidence and listening to the advice of an asshole who made me see mountains and wonders when he had just announced his engagement, I prefer the friend, Lola throws at her .

Jules' face turned red. Theo intervenes to calm things down.

- That's enough ! Keep your arguments outside the company! If you want to bang on it, do it somewhere else! Jules, I'm not naive either, I investigated Alison. Lola, you know I don't want you touching part of your heritage like that.

His speech eases tensions. His partner slips away just after. My friend looks at her brother and asks him:

"Why did you inquire about Lili?"

I answer on behalf of the person concerned.

- It's normal that he inquires. I don't blame him, I would surely have done the same thing in his place.

Theo thanks me with a smile, his sister doesn't reply.

- I would like us to settle this evening story first before we talk about business. How are you? he asks me.

I nod my head in approval and he speaks again.

- We are invited Saturday of next week to a party in the Paris region. I would like you to come with me. I will take this opportunity to issue invitations to the inauguration of our new premises. Could you arrange to come Friday night with us there?

- I have nothing planned the weekend that you tell me. By cons I do not know how I should be dressed for this kind of evening. I don't even know if I can afford the necessary clothes. I don't think the little cocktail dress that was used at my cousin's wedding is enough.

— Lola gets dresses lent for these occasions. We can try to see with the creator, he informs me.

- If you take a picture of yourself and you post it on social networks, it can be arranged, my friend reassures me. For the make-up, a pro comes to swallow my facade, you will benefit from it.

"In that case, I'm willing," I replied. I hope I don't shame you by spilling a drink or something.

'Don't worry, I'll tell you who you can do it on,' Lola said to me with her mischievous look that hollowed out her dimples.

I smile and his joke then Theo tells his sister to see with me later for the formalities. Once it's out, Theo explains to me what he wants my business to do for his. He tells me that the contract will arrive within the week. I leave them with regret but relieved to be able to have a cash flow quickly