Vera trudged down the road slowly. Her day had been seriously exhausting for her. It seemed like not a day went by, without her walking back home like a zombie. Then she happened to see a cafe, and suddenly craved a lavender latte, the image of which was pasted along with other refreshing drinks. Afterall a glass of lavender latte was sure to relieve some of her stress. She walked in, and went to the counter, looking at the things they offered. "An iced latte please. A lavender latte." She ordered, and waited for her order, while tucking her phone safely into her pockets. She really needed something to get away from the stress. "I'll like a sandwich too." She added. Having a light dinner wouldn't hurt because she knew she was sure to doze off the minute she got on her bed. "It'll be prepared ma'am." The lady at the counter replied to her. At least, some things were going just fine. Their products were getting really good responses, and James was getting better. Longman was going to be shamed in a matter of time. Also, she was finally forgetting the vivid feeling of being tortured by Layla. Sometimes it seemed like a dream… something that couldn't possibly have happened to her. Also, the nightmares she had for days had stopped. She only needed to know how to manage her stress. After getting her drink, she took it, and sat next to the window, sipping on her latte with closed eyes. The coldness spread around her chest, and she felt an odd feeling of calm. It had been a long day. Shortly, a stranger approached her. "Hi." He greeted, and for a while, Vera was stunned into silence. Maybe it was the mesmerizing grey of his eyes that made it seem like she was falling into its lines, or it was the sweep of his long black lashes, as he blinked at her; or the smile that showcased perfect teeth, with slightly pointed canines… Vera didn't know which of them had her staring at him speechlessly. Black hair sat on his head in soft, shiny curls, and the sides of his head were shaved into a low cut. He looked like a gentleman, who had dropped from the sky. Not to mention his voice, which seemed to seep into her veins, and give her tired body a little comfort. His voice wasn't deep like most men, nor was it light for a lady. It had a perfectly even timbre to it. After realizing she had stared too much, Vera took her eyes off abruptly, and cleared her throat slightly, not minding that he had greeted her. "Mind if I sit here?" He asked, and she looked up at him, with a not-so-welcome look. "I believe there are empty chairs." She said, and he flashed a smile her way, sitting in front of her, even though she hadn't permitted him yet. "I know there are other chairs, but I guess I was just attracted to you." He said, and she squinted her eyes, looking at him like he was a pervert. "No, no… don't get me wrong. I mean… you're smart-looking, and moderate. So, I'm new here, and I should be smarter, but I've gotten conned by a few people upon my arrival, so I tend to watch people carefully when approaching them." He said, and a waitress with Vera's sandwich approached them. She dropped it in front of Vera gently, and Vera thanked her. "You were saying?" She asked coldly. "I need your help on directions. Someone like you might be able to help me." "I'm afraid I'll be too busy for that. I can't even think of doing anything else today. I'll be completely honest. I'm not interested in showing anyone the ropes around here. There are lots of decent people around." She said, and bit into her sandwich. If only he knew how stressful her day always was. He saw her in a suit. He ought to know only busy ladies wore suits. "I like your honesty. Can I stay? I'd like to be friends, even if it's just for tonight." He said, and Vera blew air through her lips. "Why would you want to be friends with a stranger?" She asked, wishing he'd just leave. "Maybe because she's pretty? And I like staring at beautiful things? It wouldn't hurt for me to sit here, right? It's just for a few minutes. I'm also being honest like you are." He said, and Vera couldn't help feeling a little weird at being called pretty by someone she deemed pretty himself. She had been rarely called pretty by anyone. She didn't even know if she was pretty. And Layla had been crazy, so she didn't even think Layla was correct in kidnapping her because she was pretty to Kent. "You should be lucky it's just a few minutes." "So… alright. Let's get to know each other. What do you do?" He asked. "Well, I work as a personal assistant." "Wow… you must be really busy." "I'm glad you know. That's why I can't show you around. Even if I had a free day, I still won't show you around." She said, bluntly. "Of course, a free day's a luxury to you. You have to cherish it. This is why I can't ask you on a date, even when I really want to." He said, but she didn't reply. "I'm going to stare at you for a while. Don't mind me, and keep on eating. You look like you're advertising the sandwich." He said, and Vera felt her cheeks eat up. "Don't stare at me. I smack people. Including strangers." She said, and he burst into laughter. "Charming. First girl in L. A to snag my attention so badly. I really like talking to you. You know, other girls fuss over me, and make me feel uncomfortable, but you don't even have the time for that." He said, but Vera kept on eating, feeling her cheeks heat up by the second. "So what do you do?" She asked. "Me? I'm into car dealing." "And you're in L. A for the first time?" She asked. "Yeah, I got a deal with someone here. So what do you do on your weekends?" "Work." "Really? Holidays?" "Work." "On holidays too? Then what if you want to get married?" "Why are you so curious? Do you want to marry me?" She asked sarcastically, and he moved closer, placing his elbows on the table. "I would. You're obviously not a gold digger, and not a lazy woman either. You're hardworking, mysterious, and seem to pick your men well. I think I like you already." He said, and a tiny smile lit Vera's face."Don't go around liking ladies just like that." She advised. "I can afford to get my heart broken by you. It's gonna be worth it." "Worth it?" She scoffed. "Of course, those other women who shop like it's all they have to do are not worth my time. Nothing good can come out of being with them. But… if you want to be friends first, that's totally cool. I like being with people who are like role models. I also love your confident aura." He said, and Vera began to realize things about her through him. She knew she was confident, but never saw it as attractive. She also didn't know someone would find staying with her interesting instead of boring. She and the stranger talked into the night, and Vera found herself easing up to him. "Allow me to walk you home. My woman in ten years to come shouldn't be harassed." He said, and Vera chuckled. "Ten years to come. Well-phrased." She said, and they left the restaurant. "You can just walk me to that stop. I can handle myself fairly well from there." She replied, and they walked together, still talking about business life. Vera would have loved to talk more with him, as he had a positive vibe, but she didn't want him to know her house. He was still a stranger, despite his positive vibes. "Thanks for today." She said, once they got to the stop. "Can I… I… actually, I'd love to have your number. I won't disturb you with calls if you don't want them. Maybe text? We might never see each other again if I leave this way." He said, and Vera gave a sigh, thinking about it. Then at last, she stretched out her hand, and he dropped his phone in it with a charming smile. She tapped in her digits, and handed it back to him. "We're weird, aren't we? We introduced each other, but not our names." He said, and she chuckled. "The name's Vera. You?" "If you're so curious about my name, meet me again." He said, with a mysterious smile, then turned and left. Vera chuckled once more. "Nice tactic." She muttered.As he went, he gave himself a smile that turned quickly into a smirk. Then he scoffed. When it came to deception, Mark was a pro in it.