"I'm fired?"

"It's nothing personal miss Weber. We are simply taking setbacks and need to let a few people go...your father-"

"My father!" I suddenly burst as my boss.

People in the quiet law firm suddenly stopped what they were doing for a brief moment to stare towards his office. Feeling the discomfort my boss stood from his desk and closed the blind, shielding us from the outside world to protect his humiliation no doubt. It will do nothing for what I would face once I left his office with my new fate handed to me once again.

My boss cleared his throat. "Your father is a good friend of mine and has supported me in this firm for decades. He has recently informed me that you wish to take a different route with your career and that I should support that decision."

"By firing me!" I was beyond upset. "Did he ever tell you about how he kicked me out half-naked and burned my stuff!"

"What happens in your personal life is none of my concern, but I cannot ignore the possible fact of you becoming an unreliable candidate in the future of this firm."

"So you will do whatever my father says to satisfy him. Even though I have been here for eight years, have gotten nothing but praise, pushed myself, and exceeded in every challenge given to me. Is this how good associates are treated."

"I am truly sorry Ms. Weber but the depiction has been made. You may gather your things once your shift has ended today."

"I will not be working my last day, so I'll gather my things now and leave."

"Is that how you wish to end this?" My now-former boss implied. "You should end your last day here with dignity."

"As you said, I'm taking a different route with my career."

I left his office with the last word and no tears in my eyes, not what I was expecting from myself. I was hurt, shamed but more importantly pissed off at the world...at my father. Yes, I was an adult and often got belittled for still living at home with mommy and daddy, but I had my reasons.

Then again, my reasons all revolved around what my father wanted and ordered from the moment I left childhood. To be a man he sure claimed to know so much about what it means to be a woman in the household. From restrictions to having no boyfriends to where I went in life...my father was the one pulling the strengths. I was never taught to be an independent adult but what he wanted my purpose to be. Now I was seeing the abusive power he had over me and what pathetic life he provided.

This was him wanted me to break. Wanting me to run back home and grovel at his feet, to tell him he was right once again and that I was wrong. When he cast me out, I found a new place to live in less than a week and I have never been happier. Now he has taken my job from me, so I'll just find something better and continue to thrive without. No matter how hopeless I may become.

With my head high and my gaze cold, I marched myself to my desk and gathered my personal things. Even helping myself to a few office supplies the firm provided, I figured I deserved that much. Receiving many looks, some pity, some confused, others would quickly glance then look back at their computer screens. Either way, I held no contact with any of them as I carried my workload to the elevator and left that dull hellhole.

Only to pass the security check and witness a maelstrom of rain.

"Just fucking spectacular."

I didn't bring an umbrella today because the weather predicted only twenty percent chance of showers...twenty percent my ass. With a frustrating growl, I covered my things and dashed out into the rain. Large cold droplets exploded on my scalp, drenching me within a matter of seconds. Doing what I can to shield my weak fabricated box from the water I took shelter under the bus stop. I placed it on the bench to reorganize for only a second when someone, a guy, ran by and snatched it out of my grasp.

He must have not timed his plan, snatching my box by its corner he took off. Weakened by the rain and pressured under the thief's sloppy grip, it slung back and my contents scattered along the sidewalk.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now!" I shouted as I ran after my things.

The loser thief, realizing his worthless dickhead move for some gain looked back without stopping and threw the box against the pavement. He took a quick second to snatch up the closest shiny object I had. It was a small golden trinket of a teddy bear hugging a crystal heart. A twelve dollar trinket, which is now broken and not worth anything.

"Dickhead!" I shouted as I gathered what was left of my small treasures of work life. Using my jacket as a bag I shoved papers, notebooks, art stuff, and my electronics while people just walked by. The pouring rain extinguished my anger and all that was left to do was cry. I marched out of the office feeling good about a new beginning on to feel like I had the worst luck in the world.

I felt utterly pathetic.

Then I saw his hand. Reaching for my stapler and hand it to me. Looking up, I didn't care if this stranger saw my swollen red eyes. What I didn't expect was for him to be so...beautiful. He had a wide jawline and his eyes were blue with dirty blonde hair. His black umbrella shielded his near perfect appearance.

"Are you alright miss?"

His accent was English, with a voice that sounded like music. His hand extended to me. holding my things in a messy bundle I took gratefully accepted his kindness.

"I saw what happened."

"I'm sorry," I apologized.

He chuckled. "You were attacked and yet you are apologizing to me?"

"This has just been an awful day...an awful week."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" he was so sweet.

"No...no I was just going to wait for the bus and go home."

"Let me drive you."

"I don't want to bother you."

"It's no trouble at all," he smiled, "Please. You'll catch your death out here."

Completely wilted by his charm, he could be a murderer and I'd be screwed. He wore casual dress pants and a simple blue button-up shirt. A clean-cut guy, those were the worst kind. Holding the umbrella over me he gestured a few feet down the road to his car. A beautiful black Porsche that even looked flawless as raindrops rolled off its hood effortlessly.

A beautiful as this situation was becoming I couldn't ignore the female instincts that I could end up naked, dead in a back ally. So I stopped.

"Um...Mister-"

"O'Neil." he shook my hand. "Riley O'Neil."

"I'm Cora Weber."

"The last thing I wish is to make you feel uncomfortable." It was like he read my every thought, or perhaps he has done this sort of thing before. "All I want is to help out a person in need."

"Do you do this often?"

"Well, I try to...once a day." Riley smiled. "Help a total stranger. It gives me a feeling of self-worth, to know I did some good in the world no matter how small."

His words made a lot of sense to me and I took them to heart. Perhaps it was something I should try as well once I get on my feet and mentally stable. I felt no real threat from this man, I was wet, freezing, and beyond exhausted so early in the day. I caved to his offer as he opened the door for me. Looking down at those nice leather seats, ashamed to be getting them wet, and climbed in.

And Intro to Another character, Riley!

What do you guys think this handsome stranger will become in Cora's new and confusing lifestyle? Do you guys think her father is pushing her too far? and if so, what do you think he will do next?

Wow, I'm at 100 reads and this has only been up for a few days.