Chapter Three

"What are you doing? Am I paying you to waste time and the company's resources? I need the advert draft now."

Hazel glanced up at the skinny brunette glowering at her. Martina Bartons had never displayed any other emotion than haughty disapproval towards her. It seemed as if whenever Hazel was in a room, Martina's only expression was a sour one. That is if the Vice President of Avail Advertising Co., Charles Avail, wasn't in the room. Whenever he was within fawning distance, Martina was a creature of with only gracious smiles and perfect manners for all.

She reminded Hazel of the many older, stiff women her mother had associated with. They all looked at life with scales in their eyes. If whatever they were presented with was not the exact replica of what they presumed to be standards, then it was something to be scuffed at and scorned.

And that reminded Hazel of Lionel. A sobering thought.

"I gave them to Charles nearly half an hour ago. I'm waiting for his approval." Hazel answered looking back at the computer screen.

In that same half an hour she had been trying to do some research on George Industries. So far she had only managed to stare at the Google home page with its flickering cursor symbol mocking her.

Martina's face seemed to swell with indignant horror, "You don't report to Charles; he has bigger fish to fry than some freelancer trying to sell doodles. Do not over step your boundaries, child."

"So, since I report to you, is it that you have nothing more to do than handle 'some freelancer'?" Hazel didn't spare her a glance, saying in the flattest tone she could manage, "Charles came to your office for a report on it, dear, but you were in the restroom; powdering your nose. Our important V.P had to come straight to the freelancer for something as trivial as 'doodles'."

Hazel could feel the other woman's glare leaching into her back. Heck, she could practically feel razor sharp knifes stabbing into her. A shiver ran the length of her spine but she held her ground, choosing to type in Lionel George in the search bar to give herself something to focus on other than all the bile, curses and ill wishes she was being washed in by her supervising officer.

"Why would he come to you when he could call my cell?" Martina demanded, more to herself than the Hazel, stomping off in the general direction of the man in question.

Hazel continued to stare at the computer as the browser changed from the home page to show all the hits on her search.

"Come on Hazel, it's not like he'll find out..." she muttered under her breath, keeping the pointer hovering over the second hit on the page. It was an article from a seemingly reputable business journal.

'The-Woes-of-George-Industries-and-the-failing-...' It read.

Just as Hazel was about to throw away caution and click on the link, her cell rang. She picked up the battered old thing, not bothering to check the caller ID before she flipped it open to answer, "Yes... Oh, Charles... Okay... That's good... I'll make the changes and send it over by tomorrow then... Yes, I hope to see you some other time... Goodbye then."

When she ended the call, Hazel glanced up in time to see an irate Martina stomping into what she knew to be the finance department.

When Hazel got out into the hot August sun, she took a second appreciate all the things she had grown familiar with in the bustling part of Chicago she traversed over the years. She noted, once again, that her life as she knew it would be over if she decided to 'help'. There would be no long walk from her apartment to the bus stop nearly three blocks away, no Martina to entertain her on her infrequent trips to Avail Advertising Co. and obviously no studio apartment. She couldn't imagine a big shot living in an old apartment building with rusty stairs and an ever out of order elevator. No, she seriously couldn't see the mysterious Mr. Steel's son, whoever he was, walking up five flights of creaky stairs in this heat with no air conditioner.

And Hazel, however stupid and unusual it seemed, truly love the oddities of her apartment building.

Not that she had made up her mind about it all. Such an undertaking would take courage and more than a streak of crazy. Hazel saw naught but negatives to the situation. But some positives were starting to... Pop up.

For one, she wouldn't have to worry about being able to purchase painting supplies if she were to use Mr. Steel like a bank. And perhaps with billionaire links, she could get showing in galleries. Then with an increase in exposure, and hopefully sales, she wouldn't even need to depend on Mr. Steel's money. She would consider him a startup loan. A loan she would be undoubtedly saddled with for much longer than necessary but a lucrative venture none the less.

A major negative that kept popping up and reminding her why it was crazy in the first place was that it was possible – no likely – that he was some kind of prick who need an attitude adjustment. She would be tempted kill him; and she probably would.

A positive; as she had no plans for love or children, he could have as many mistresses as he wished. And he certainly would, as he would not be getting anything from her. That would leave her worry free as no one would try to set her up with anyone. It would be a match made in... well perhaps not heaven but very close.

A negative; he could very well be a jerk who would want to treat her like the extension of his business that she would be. If there was one thing Hazel was over it was men trying to tell her what to do; consummate the marriage, share a bed, be a stress reliever and having children. She had no plans to do any of those and he would learn that she was nobody's puppet sooner rather than later.

Sex and relationships were especially taboo for her. He would never get that from her.

In all her life she had been involved with only three guys. The first had been a friend turned crush who she went out with two times in high school. That had ended quickly after an awkward kiss after the second date. Then there was the not-relationship with Flin Frank. The last had been a stint with someone that she met one and a half years after moving to Chicago. Josh Davis had been a charmer who lived on the wrong side of the law who had a personality the furthest it could possibly be from both Flin and her father as they would come. He had been as straight forward as the knife he carried and she appreciated that. That major fail was not due to differing relationship goals, but moral goals that sent him and his maniac brother to prison.

It was her relationship with Flin that had really made a foundation for the relationship complex she had, and the one with Josh that had sealed it. According to Flin, the three weeks of flirting, hand touching, coffee dates and late night conversations had been nothing and she had too much into him being friendly. That was what he had said after though. Before he had been all hearts, convincing her that she should chase after what she wanted. And on the night of the party, when she saw how much both of their hard work had paid off, she had wanted him. So she allowed herself to be swept away by the currents. Hazel had thought it was right to give her virginity to Flin Frank because in her naive eyes, he was the one. Back then she had convinced herself that he loved her, but now she knew otherwise.

And besides, with him, she did not have to chase. He had been all too eager to take everything, but with no plans to give anything in return. She was scarred for life when it came to sex because of that night. Everything had been going well. Flin was excited and exceptionally touchy feely. Hazel had been slightly tipsy but enough in her senses to know what she was doing. When the party had been in full swing, one thing had led to another and before she knew it Flin had pulled her to the unused bathroom at the back of the building and was kissing her delirious. She soon told him that she loved him, then articles of clothing went flying as he took that for the invitation he had been waiting for. Soon enough, before she could warn him about her state, he had plunged in, taking away every bit of her innocence all at once. She had felt as if she had been shot from within.

"So" grunt "Tight!" he had growled, pulling his lips over her skin whilst his hips continued to wreak havoc on her. There had been nothing gentle, loving, kind or enjoyable about the experience. She had felt dirty to be used against the bathroom stall.

When he was spent, he kissed her briefly and said, "That meant the world to me."

At her confused look he added, "You meant the world to me."

For those words, she lied to herself. She smiled and kissed him, telling herself that she was not in pain and that she had enjoyed there intimate connection.

She spent the next few days had in bed, soar and aching; with no one to talk to and a father breathing down his law done her back with no consideration for what she wanted.

After everything was said and done, she had gotten an HIV test because the fool had not used protection, and she being a bigger idiot, had not stopped him. Then she made sure that she wasn't pregnant. After those were out of the way, she moved to Chicago for school and worked her ass off to continue on her own.

And now, to save her devil spawn sister, useless and puppet mother and unfeeling father, she had to pack up her life again and face the horrible memories awaiting her back... Home.

"Why am I doing this?" Hazel questioned aloud, looking up at the bright sky. "I must have lost my mind."

*****FORCED*****

Issa triple update .

Love,