The waiting area was eerily quiet as Kim stepped out of Alexander MacCall's office. It was too quiet, actually. She hadn't expected this—any of it. The way he'd sent everyone home without a second glance, the way he'd hired her without even asking anything beyond a few cold, brutal orders. It felt surreal, like some weird fever dream. She'd walked in expecting rejection, or at least some kind of interrogation, but instead, she got handed a job that felt more like a ticking time bomb.

Should she be relieved she got the job, or terrified? Probably both. The last thing she needed was to be stuck working for a man like Alexander MacCall. Especially considering that he—of all people—was her classmate's father. The connection made her stomach churn. What was she supposed to do, play nice with him? Pretend she didn't know about the stories that floated around the school about his son, Jason? God, this wasn't just a job. This was a mess waiting to happen.

She wasn't stupid. There was no way in hell she was taking that job. Being behind bars was not in her future plans. She'd have to make something up. A little fib to get out of it, maybe. Anything but being tied to a man like him.

The elevator ride felt like it lasted an eternity. The tall man next to her was too absorbed in his phone to even acknowledge her existence, his voice low and harsh as he spoke into the device. Kim leaned against the elevator wall, heels dangling from her hand, her feet aching. Every step she took in those ridiculous shoes had felt like a personal betrayal. 

She glanced at her feet and winced. Could she really work for someone like Alexander MacCall? The kind of man who had that ruthless, cold aura about him? The kind of man who would make her life a living hell for the privilege of having a job at his company? Her mind was made up. She'd tell the guys she didn't get it. Easy.

The elevator doors slid open with a chime, and as the people waiting outside filed in, their eyes instantly dropped to her bare feet. She ignored them, trying to keep her pace cool, unaffected. No one needed to know the turmoil inside her head.

"Hey, Kim! Over here!" Hugo's loud voice broke through the tense silence as he waved from the car parked on the side of the road. Dean, sitting next to him, groaned and rolled his eyes, already regretting Hugo's overly enthusiastic greeting.

"Dude, you're gonna get us caught," Dean grumbled, sounding almost annoyed by Hugo's antics.

Kim didn't let her face betray anything as she made her way toward the car. The twins were in the back, Liam wedged between them, but none of them bothered to glance her way. They were too busy with whatever conversation was happening in their bubble.

"So?" Hugo asked as soon as she slid into the car, practically bouncing in his seat. Dean shot her an expectant look, his brown eyes full of hope. Kim dropped her heels to the floor of the car and considered her options.

"Wait, did you just walk out of the building with your heels in your hand?" Dean asked, disbelief in his voice. He stared at her like she'd just committed the greatest crime of the century.

"My feet were killing me, okay? I had to," Kim shot back, still trying to process what the hell had just happened in that office.

Dean let out a loud, exaggerated groan. "Oh God."

"Let me guess," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm, "you didn't get the job, right?"

Kim hesitated. She was about to tell them she hadn't gotten the job—would tell them she hadn't gotten the job—but then something inside her snapped. The words came out before she could stop them.

"Oh, come on! I just lost my two hundred bucks to Dean!" Hugo blurted out, his voice filled with exaggerated frustration. He threw his hands up in the air like he'd just lost the lottery, shaking his head dramatically.

Kim raised an eyebrow, glancing from Hugo to Dean. "You guys made a bet on this?" she asked, her tone flat with disbelief.

Neither of them answered, but the guilty look on Dean's face spoke volumes. He had nothing to say for himself, and that irritated Kim more than it should've. Really, Dean? She couldn't believe he didn't have a little more faith in her.

Hugo, sensing an opening, leaned forward with a cheeky grin. "Hey, you should've been more confident. My money was on you!"

Kim folded her arms, eyes narrowing as she stared at Dean. "Well, I got the job. He told me to start tomorrow," she said, voice low but sharp, sending a dagger of a look straight at him.

There was a pause, and for a brief moment, the air in the car seemed to freeze. Hugo looked like he'd just been hit by a bus. Dean's mouth fell open, and the twins in the back went silent, waiting for the fallout.

"I guess you owe Hugo some money," Kim added, her voice laced with irritation. The words hit them both like a punch to the gut.

Dean's expression went from stunned to resigned in a flash. Hugo stared at her like she'd just performed some kind of magic trick.

"Wait—what?" Dean sputtered. "You really got it? Seriously?"

Kim rolled her eyes and leaned her head against the window, her expression neutral. "Believe whatever you want," she muttered, trying to ignore the pang of guilt gnawing at her. "I'm hungry."

The twins chimed in at the same time, their voices harmonizing like an annoying jingle, "Me too!"

Dean, still trying to wrap his head around what she'd just said, finally seemed to pull himself together. "Wow, that's great," he said, almost stuttering, but the relief on his face was palpable. He looked genuinely happy for her.

"Hand it over," Hugo demanded, thrusting his hand toward the front of the car with a smirk.

Dean groaned. "Chill, bro, I'll give it to you when we get home."

"I don't trust you," Hugo shot back. "I want it now."

The two of them launched into an absurd argument about trust and money, their voices growing louder and more ridiculous by the second. Kim tuned them out, still lost in the turmoil of her own thoughts.

"Guys!" Kim called, her voice cutting through their bickering. 

"I can't take the job," she said flatly, her words hanging in the air like a confession.

"Why?" Hugo exclaimed, voice rising in disbelief. "It's a great opportunity. I looked this company up. It's one of the best business companies in the world! The CEO is a major player in the business world. Trust me, the pay is good!"

"That's not my problem, Dean," Kim snapped, the edge in her voice sharper than she intended as she faced him head-on.

Hugo, ever the curious one, slid closer, his ears practically buzzing for the details. "What's going on? What's the deal?"

Kim shot him a look that was both annoyed and resigned. "He's Jason MacCall's father."

The words landed like a punch, draining all the color from both their faces. Dean's eyes went wide as he blinked, trying to process it.

"Shit!" Dean swore under his breath, his fingers raking through his messy curls. "You've gotta be kidding me."

Hugo's voice was a low, almost fearful whisper. "As in Jason from school? The Jason who sits behind you in class?"

Kim shot him a glare. "Yes, Hugo. Do I know any other Jason?" Her stomach growled, reminding her that she was hungry, but her nerves were starting to eat her up, too. The last thing she wanted to do was keep explaining this mess.

Dean shook his head, looking like he'd just had the air knocked out of him. "How the hell did you figure out it was his dad?"

Kim exhaled slowly, trying to keep herself together. "He came to the office today... after he got suspended."

"Oh, yeah," Hugo said, suddenly remembering. "He broke the shelf where we keep the trophies. Someone must've really pissed him off. That guy's a total psycho. Seriously, why is he even still in school? He's a walking disaster."

Dean let out another curse, his voice frustrated but also filled with concern. "Did he recognize you?"

"No," Kim answered, her tone flat but with a tinge of uncertainty she couldn't quite shake.

Hugo leaned in, suddenly more serious. "I guess we could wait for the other companies we sent your resume to."

Dean shook his head, the idea of waiting around like that feeling like a lifetime of agony. "Or you could take the job and just avoid Jason when he shows up. I mean, you won't be seeing him every day."

Hugo chimed in, trying to sound optimistic but falling flat. "Yeah, exactly. You'll only see his dad, not him. I don't even think Jason knows you."

Kim's patience was wearing thin, her irritation bubbling up. "Hello? He sits right behind me in class! I borrow his eraser every time!"

Dean and Hugo exchanged glances, both of them trying to mask their discomfort, but they couldn't hide the concern creeping into their eyes.

"He won't suspect a thing," Hugo insisted. "You're just working for his dad. Jason's not going to be at the office every day. You need this job, Kim. You can't just throw it away."

Dean nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you can always leave later once you find something better. But you can't pass this up now."

Kim ran a frustrated hand through her hair, her thoughts a tangled mess. "Seriously? You guys don't get it. This is dangerous. The minute Jason recognizes me, I'm screwed. Behind bars, done for. And if that happens, you're both coming with me."

Hugo grinned mischievously, the glint of his humor barely masking the tension in the car. "What are friends for, right?"

Dean shot him a look, then turned to Kim with a more serious tone. "Relax, nothing's gonna happen. You're overthinking this."

As Dean started the car, the engine roared to life, cutting through the thick air of uncertainty that hung between them.

"So," Dean asked with a playful smile, his nose ring catching the light as he turned to Kim. "Where would you like to eat, Ms. Knight?"

Kim shot him a look of disdain, still annoyed at the bet they'd made earlier and his lack of faith in her. "Lunch is on me," he added, still grinning.

Kim barely looked at him, reaching for her phone instead. The words, "I'm still mad at you," were written all over her face, even if she didn't say them out loud. The tension between them was palpable, but for now, she just needed a minute to breathe—before all of this started to spiral out of control.

"Dude, I hope you're not about to use my money?"

"Fuck off Hugo,"

"Careful, we have kids in the car."

They broke into another argument about who was more of a bad influence on the kids. Kim put in her earbuds and looked away. She was not over the fact her parents dumped them and now she was living a lie that might get her in jail.

                                                                          ((...))((...))((...))

Kim groaned, the blaring alarm dragging her out of a dreamless sleep. She slapped at the pillow, then brushed her hair back in a vain attempt to wake up. Her eyelids felt like lead, but she managed to pry them open—just enough to curse the time.

Before she could even think about lying back down, the door flew open with a violent bang, and she jumped, her heart leaping into her throat.

Hugo strode in like a hurricane, wearing that infuriating grin.

"Arise and shine!" he declared dramatically, flicking the light switch with the precision of a man who'd done this far too many times.

Kim winced, blinking against the sudden brightness. "What the hell, Hugo? You almost gave me a heart attack."

He grinned wider, clearly enjoying her suffering. 

"What time is it? Please, for the love of God, turn that thing off." Kim sat up, dragging a hand through her tangled hair, and leaned back against the headboard. 

Hugo, standing tall beside her, glanced at the clock and shrugged. "A minute past six, actually."

"Seriously? You guys should have set it for 6:30!" Kim groaned, rubbing her eyes.

"Your boss wants you there before seven. We have to beat the traffic." Hugo reached up, turning off the alarm with ease. "You won't get there on time if we leave late."

Kim shot him a look. "At least I'd have an excuse."

"Excuses are for kids," Hugo said, dropping a teasing wink as he started toward the door. "You're an adult now. Time to start doing adult things."

"Says who?" Kim muttered, swinging her legs off the bed and planting her feet on the floor, grimacing as the coldness of the morning hit her.

"I mean you're turning 18 in two weeks, you'll officially be an adult like me and Dean."

"We are still a bunch of kids about to graduate from high school, " she sighed.

Hugo stood in the doorway, grinning like the morning sunshine was his personal friend. "Quit complaining. You went to bed early enough."

Kim didn't even dignify that with a response. "Just leave before I rearrange the bones in your hand."

Hugo stopped mid-step, turning back to her with mock shock. "What kind of girlfriend threatens her boyfriend first thing in the morning?"

Kim rolled her eyes, getting up to head toward the bathroom. "The kind who's been woken up before dawn by her overenthusiastic friend."

When she emerged, dressed in a navy-blue three-piece suit that, while formal, actually hugged her in all the right places, Hugo had made her breakfast—scrambled eggs, toast, and a hot cup of tea. The man knew how to feed her. He might be an annoying early riser, but he had his moments.

"Where's Dean?" she asked, sitting down at the kitchen table, eyeing the plate as if it were the last meal on Earth.

Hugo, pouring tea like he had all the time in the world, shrugged. "Still sleeping. He's not feeling too great."

Kim wasn't sure how their parents felt about them practically living at her house every day, but she couldn't help but wonder how Dean's mom managed to stay so quiet about it. Not once had she asked why her son was always over, or why she was left in charge of babysitting Liam every single day. Maybe she didn't mind, or maybe she just didn't want to get involved. Either way, it didn't sit well with Kim.

Once her first paycheck came through—if it came through—she was determined to hire a babysitter for the kids. She was hopeful that the $30 an hour she'd negotiated for the job would cover it. But in the back of her mind, she couldn't shake the feeling that it might not be enough.

"What? And who's taking me to work, then?" Kim frowned, pushing the plate aside.

Hugo grinned, his eyes sparkling. "Oh, please no," Kim moaned, already knowing the answer.

"You ready?" Hugo asked, holding up the car keys, twirling them around his finger like he was auditioning for a heist movie.

"Nope," Kim said, taking her sweet time with the food, knowing full well that every second she delayed meant a second closer to being late.

"You're gonna be late, Kim. You can eat in the car."

"I hate this," she muttered, stuffing a piece of toast in her mouth and glaring at the clock.

"You'll get used to it," Hugo said as he shoved open the door. "Come on, let's go."

Kim gave him a look that could've melted steel. "I don't see that ever happening. Let's go, before I throw this toast at you."

As she grabbed her bag and headed for the door, she shot a half-hearted glare at Hugo. "Of all days for Dean to be sick, it had to be today."

Hugo chuckled as they both headed to the car. "Hop in," he said, pushing the door open with a little too much enthusiasm.

"I'm not a frog, Hugo." Kim muttered, rolling her eyes, but she slid into the black jeep nonetheless.

"What if I run into Jason today?" Kim said, suddenly more serious as she buckled up.

Hugo's expression didn't change. "Seriously? If I get suspended, the last place I'll be is my dad's office. Relax. You won't see him again. But just in case you do, run. And don't look back."

"You're the last person I'm taking advice from," Kim muttered, crossing her arms.

Hugo feigned hurt, clutching his chest dramatically. "You're doubting my skills? I'm deeply offended."

Kim let out a sharp laugh. "Are people asking questions about me at school?"

"Nope," Hugo said with a wink. "We told them you got transferred to a boarding school."

Kim's eyes widened. "What? A boarding school? Natasha lives just a few blocks from my house! Am I supposed to avoid her now because I'm supposed to be at a boarding school?"

Hugo shrugged nonchalantly, clearly not understanding the issue. "Yeah, just pretend you're hiding from her. It'll help our story."

Kim slapped her hand to her forehead in exasperation. "Oh God," she groaned, sinking back into the seat. "This is such a mess."

Thirty minutes later, Kim was on the edge of losing it.

"Where the hell are we? We've been driving for ages!" She glanced at the dashboard in disbelief, feeling the clock tick louder than ever.

"I'm doing what the sexy lady is saying, chill out. Only half a mile left." Hugo grinned from the driver's seat, his tone annoyingly calm.

"It's a computer, Hugo. The voice is programmed. It's not sexy." She crossed her arms, glaring at him.

"The voice is still sexy," he shot back, clearly amused by his own joke.

Kim rolled her eyes and turned her gaze to the window. The tension in her chest was rising, and not just because of Hugo's ridiculous humor. It was almost seven, and she was late. She could already imagine the look on Alexander's face. "This is going to be a disaster," she muttered under her breath.

"Look, you've got a built-in excuse. Just explain to him." Hugo gave her a half-hearted shrug, clearly unconcerned by her growing anxiety.

"We're talking about Jason's father. His father, Hugo. That man is probably worse than Jason—if that's even possible. Now I get it. The whole madness runs in the family." Kim's voice held a mixture of dread and frustration.

"You'll be fine. Just play it cool. You've got this." Hugo was trying, but his words did little to calm her nerves. She looked out the window as the building finally came into view, her stomach doing flips at the sight.

"We made it. Fifteen minutes past seven. Good luck trying to sweet talk your boss." Hugo pulled up to the curb, putting the car in park.

Kim sighed heavily as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "He's so going to fire me," she muttered, running a hand through her hair.

"I'll wait here, just in case he decides to kick you out. You know the drill—call or text if you're not dead." Hugo winked, but Kim couldn't tell if he was serious or just trying to make her laugh.

"This is the last time you're ever driving me to work." Kim glared at him but couldn't suppress the faint smile that tugged at her lips.

"Dean might still be sick tomorrow, and you don't have a license, so..." He shrugged, clearly unfazed by her threat.

"Stay here," she said, her voice firm, before slamming the door shut.

Her heels clicked loudly as she walked toward the entrance. She tried to keep her head high, but every step in the shoes felt like a punishment. They were sleek and stylish, sure—but they were also sharp, pointy weapons of torture. Her feet were sore already, and she hadn't even reached the elevator yet.

The receptionist flashed her a tight, fake smile, clearly recognizing her from the interview. She quickly looked away, clearly uninterested in offering any sympathy. Kim forced herself to keep moving, brushing past the woman with a tight smile of her own.

The elevator doors opened just in time, and she stepped inside, joining a group of six other people, all far more polished and confident than she felt. They shifted awkwardly to make room for her, but she could feel their eyes on her—most likely because she was the only one in a suit that looked just a little too tight.

Her soles were already protesting, each step making her feel more out of place in this pristine, corporate jungle. By the time the elevator dinged, signaling her floor, she was ready to jump off a cliff—anything to avoid what was coming.

She was the last person off the elevator, and that's when she saw Whitney. The woman's eyes were sharp, her smile loaded with something dark—pity? Mockery? It didn't matter. The look on Whitney's face said it all. You're in deep shit now, sweetie.

Kim forced herself to smile back, but it felt like the kind of smile you make when you're about to step into a lion's den. She swallowed hard and headed toward Alexander's office, palms sweaty, pulse racing. Every click of her heels on the polished floor felt like a countdown to her doom.