Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. - George Lucas, Yoda

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Caden's POV

I'm looking through my closet, trying to find a 'professional' outfit to wear, but surprise, none of them seem good enough.

It's currently 4 am right now, and I couldn't sleep.

You're probably thinking that I should be overjoyed that I finally have a job but no...

The landlord refuses to give us an extension despite my saying that I'll be able to pay by the end of the month. So if I don't get my paycheck today then we're still going to have to move out.

I had told Cole about the job a couple hours after I came home from Sanders Headquarters and he said nothing. Probably refraining from actually admitting that I succeeded in something.

I quickly learned from fishing through my closet that my entire wardrobe consisted of five dresses, all designed by my beautiful mother, ten tops, 4 pairs of jeans, two hoodies, and one sweater. With my two pairs of shoes, my nude flats and musty looking white converse, it's not very much.

In the end, I chose this grayish-green dress with a cinched bodice that hugs my small waist. There's a thin layer of cloth hanging from my breast area that ruffles the dress, deceiving the actual size of my chest. It reaches just above my knees, a small incision on the side of the dress, exposing the slight of my thigh.

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I adorn my outfit with my dirty, nude flats that I tried to wash off with water but to no avail.

Now I'm ready.

Dang it, it's 4:30.

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I greet Agnes who is sitting at the bus stop. "Good morning, Ages."

"Good morning, sweet bean." She gives me a huge grin which I reciprocate. Her fair, thin skin wrinkles around her eyes whenever she smiles, which makes her look absolutely adorable. And I notice a valley of tan colored freckles washing over her nose.

Sorry, I just think old people are so cute. And nice. And wise. I hope I'm like Agnes when I grow up.

I begin to walk away when Agnes calls out to me. "You're not taking the bus, dear?" she asks, concern lacing her voice.

"No, I don't have enough money."

"Oh, that's no problem, I'll cover you." She pulls out two dollars and offers them to me, but I decline.

"Oh no, Agnes, it's fine. I can walk." She shakes her head defiantly and walks toward me, wrapping her hand over mine.

I try to pull away but she has a death grip on me.

Agnes is very strong for her age. Although she may sound frail and fragile, she is quite the opposite. Especially if you get on her bad side.

"You are not walking. End of discussion."

She pries my fingers open and stuffs the two one dollar bills in my palms.

"Now sit."

I comply.

She nestles her head into my shoulder and we sit into a comfortable silence until the bus comes.

"I'm paying you back."

"No, you won't."

"Yes, I will."

"No. You won't."

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When I arrive at Sanders Headquarters, everyone is already there, burying themselves in their computers or speaking to their colleagues.

Jeez, it's barely 6:00 am.

After arriving on the 50th floor, I knock into the Sanders' brothers office.

Don't be nervous, Caden. You got got this.

Yeah, right.

Shut up!

"Ah, you must be the new PA."

Mathew smiles at me and I return, glad to see a kind face. "I'm going to walk you through everything. Your job requirements, how they like their coffee, and where you office will be."

I'm getting an office?!

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Silas's POV

"I cannot believe you hired a fucking criminal as our PA!!" I scream at Sawyer.

God, he really did it with this one. Our company is just barely taking off and Sawyer made the wise decision of offering a fucking stripper as our new PA.

We had agreed on Jackson, but after what happened yesterday, Sawyer soon fired him. He had only been on the job for less than two hours. Poor kid.

Speaking of yesterday, I was completely shocked by her actions.

I mean, the blog has serious encryptions embedded onto their website specifically designed to prevent hackers and yet she was able to take down that disgusting article.

I fired Thomas for not being able to do the same. Our best IT worker in our company who literally went to MIT. Yeah, the dumb fuck kept shaking and stuttering and couldn't even type a command under my piercing gaze.

Whatever. I don't need weak employees in my company.

How did she do it?

Sawyer said she was in a computers program in high school but there's no way a measly little high school computer program can make someone that good.

The girl's mysterious.

I mean, she has a loaded record that forced her to pay $20,000 in bail, probably wiping her entire bank account from what I can see.

She resorts to stripping when she didn't get the PA job and then almost gets raped.

God, thinking about that motherfucker boils my blood.

He was taken to the hospital where he's still 'recovering' over his injuries. We will probably be hearing from the attorney's office soon, if the shit doesn't take a plea deal.

And now I've learned that she can get through some top-not security encryptions and take control over one of the most annoying blogs on the planet.

Yeah, Daily Alert. That's what the blog is called.

The owner is unknown but they are obsessed with finding a scandal wherever they can and I guess someone spotted me being the shit out of the douchebag and leaked it to him.

I was absolutely livid seeing that damn article and took out my anger on my employees. Probably not the best move but who gives a fuck?

I was going to kill someone yesterday morning, and hearing an aggravating knock come out the door made me want to punch a wall.

And then I saw her.

She was wearing an oversized sweater that nearly swallowed her, making her look even smaller. Her face was slightly puffy, a crimson red running along the apples of her cheeks.

I had snatched the jacket out of her hands and closed the door on her, not wanting to see that innocent look in her eyes when her hazelnut eyes locked onto mine.

And then the next thing I know, she takes down the damn article.

Isobel Turner, one of our marketing managers had knocked on the door this time, her hand holding onto the girl's. I could tell she didn't want to be here by the look on her face. I held her eyes onto mine, confused over this girl.

When Ms. Turner told me she was responsible, I felt... Guilty? Hell no! I'm Silas Sanders, I never feel guilty over anything. Especially over some slut who doesn't even know how to walk in a straight line!

I had leaned down to Ms. Turner's level and whispered something incoherent into her ear. By the time I was done, the girl had walked away. Good.

"I'm sorry, what? I didn't get that." Ms. Turner looked very confused but I shrugged. "Nothing, now go do your job."

I close the door and walked toward my desk.

"What happened to the article?" Sage asks.

I look at my computer. "Nothing."

Sawyer pops his head into my view. "Stop fucking lying. Who took it down?"

He faces the front of my desk but my eyes remain on my computer, my mouse hovering over the home page of Daily Alert.

"Answer me, Silas!"

I look up. "It was that slut from last night," I mutter.

His eyes gloss over in surprise and he turns to Sage, who wear the same expression. "Caden Wilson?"

I shrug, not wanting to answer his question.

"We have to repay her," I hear Sawyer declare. He fishes out his phone and begins to press some keys before pocketing it and turning to me.

What?! Why would we do that?? She's just some whore who got lucky and took down a stupid blog. Which, if you look at in perspective, was all her fault. Why the fuck would we repay her?

"No."

Sawyer turns to me, disbelief spreading over his face. "Are you fucking serious with me right now?"

I don't answer.

"Silas, she was literally able to take down a high security blog. I mean, she's probably better than most of our IT department. We have to hire her!"

I face him, anger lashing in my eyes. "Have you forgotten who that girl is?" I growl out. "She's a fucking criminal. A lowlife. A whore who will sell her goddamn body for money. We are not fucking hiring her. End of discussion."

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe she needed that money? Oh, I don't know, because she didn't get the job as our PA in the first place and had no other choice but to 'sell her body' as you so kindly put it, to fucking live!? Silas, can you get it through your thick skull that maybe people resort to unspeakable things because they are fucking desperate?!

He slams his hand on his desk.

Whilst this whole argument is happening, Jackson is standing there like a deer in front of headlights. He turns to Sawyer who is facing him.

"You're fired," he muttered quietly.

From the look of fear on the kid's eyes as Sawyer stared him down told me that Jackson was slightly relieved to be let off from the job.

I probably wouldn't want to work with us either.

All three of us have the patience the length of a fucking pinky and when we're mad, we're LIVID.

"She doesn't have to work in IT." And with that, he steps out of the office and makes his way to the girl standing in front of the elevator. Waiting.

After about an hour of Mathew training the girl, she finally walks in wearing a dress. A fucking dress! Not one of the those professional looking dresses that news anchors wear but this fucking short-ass, disgusting summer dress.

Why the fuck would someone wear that to work?

"Hi, Ms. Wilson," Sawyer says, interrupting my thoughts as my eyes rake over her. I keep my eyes unreadable as I see a sliver of her thigh through an opening on the side of the dress.

"Have you already seen your office?" he asks politely. God, his overly kind voice is annoying the fuck out of me.

He doesn't usually act like this, especially with someone like her.

"Yes, sir. Mr. Sanders." God, she's a nervous wreck. I notice her fingers fidgeting with each other as she gazes at Sawyer.

"Okay, well I will let you know of your tasks later today." He gives a curt nod.

She nods back and then acknowledges Sage sitting at his desk. She then quickly turns to leave, not giving me a single glance.

Oh really?

Is she, dare I say, scared of me?

I let out a deep chuckle, the sight of her leaving in a rushed panic embedded in my brain.

"What's so funny," Sage questions but I ignore him.

I mean, it is only right if I properly introduce myself. What kind of boss would I be if I didn't welcome new employees? Especially ones who go out of their way not to even glance at my direction.

I promptly stand from my seat and make my way to the side of the office where her office is located, an email smirk emblazoned on my lips.

I open the door, not bothering to knock, and see the girl sitting at her desk, her face full of shock. Until she sees me. Then fear sets in her eyes.

Good.

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Caden's POV

He bursts into the office, startling me.

My mind is at blank as he stares down at me with a mischievous smirk stretched on his lips.

What is he doing here?

I intentionally ignored him at his office, not wanting to face his haunting gaze on me. Especially as he scanned my clothes, his face contorting in disgust.

After what feels like a lifetime, he finally dips his head to my eyes, his palms planted on my desk and whispers, "When you speak to me or my brothers, you acknowledge ALL of us. Understood?"

"Yes, sir" I say shakily, my voice coming out more breathy than I intended.

God, what is happening to me?

"Now Ms. Wilson, this is the last time I will be ignored in my own building. It happens again, I will have your ass on the streets faster than the time it takes you to strip off your clothes. And we don't want a repeat of the other night, now do we?"

I almost let out a gasp. Why would he say that?

I nod, not looking at him in the eyes as I feel my orbs cloud, my vision going blurry with tears.

His eyebrows furrow in anger and he grabs my chin and pulls my face toward him. "You look at me when I talk to you!" he commands.

But then he notices the tears in my eyes and his expression soften ever so slightly. But his mask of anger quickly comes back and he pushes my face away.

He leaves me in my office as I let a trickle of tears glide down my face, not caring whether I look like a hot mess.

I pull my legs up to my face and sob silently into my knees, his words echoing in my head.

Why does he have to be so mean?

Oh, but Caden, you know why.

I cry even more, recalling that night. How is hands carelessly roamed my body. How absolutely helpless I felt, until he came. Until he saved me.

Then shoved the events back into my face.

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