PROLOGUE
‘Okay….’ Dawn tried to regain her balance. He had stared at her for so long, she felt lost in his beautiful blue eyes, but something hurt her; he seemed not to care about her new look.
‘You really like him’ Vince’s voice crept on her.
‘I don’t know, maybe I am stupid. Maybe I should just forget this job’ she pouted. She wondered if that was the only reason that brought Henry to her house.
‘Well, I think he likes you too. I could see it in his eyes’ Vince had observed the way Henry had stared at Dawn; one of admiration and wonder.
‘Why? I doubt it, I won’t work there anymore’ she shrugged.
‘Well, you need the money. You can keep your feelings aside, but if you must keep this new look of yours, you need money Brunette. Money makes a woman glow’ he pecked her softly.
‘I need to go home now, we’ll continue tomorrow’ Vince said.
‘What about these? What do I do with these’? she lifted the clothes up.
‘To get Henry, wear them’ he winked.
***
***
CHAPTER ONE
The howl of the wind was gentle; rain trickled on the busy street, Alistair, Colorado Springs. The skies had gathered and formed a thick blackness which made the heavens to cry. Spring had approached and she wasn’t leaving anytime soon.
She stood in the middle of the busy street, lost and confused; her mother had been gone for a week now and she was left alone to face the cruelness of the world. Her father was an alcoholic and she knew nothing much about him, the only parent figure she had was her mother and she was gone now.
‘Get out of the way girl, a heavy rain is coming’ a man screamed at her and she quickly rushed out of the road.
Dawn Manhattan was now an orphan, with her mother gone, she needed to take care of herself; it wasn’t such a novel thing to her. Her mother had battled with cancer of the blood for a long time before giving up, and during those times she’d been the one working and paying the bills.
She grew up fending for herself and her mother, working her ass of as a bartender, librarian, housekeeper e.t.c. She was prepared to do anything provided it was honest, one of the things her late mother had taught her.
Tuesdays were beautiful, nothing as formal like mean old Monday; she had read an advert in the paper that Lancaster Soft wares, a software creation and selling Company was hiring; that had kicked her spirits off as she was already worn out working as a librarian. The job was boring, you could imagine spending a whole day in a dusty old library with books with ancient looking designs as your only company and pay that could get you something like Coffee and doughnuts.
‘I can do this; I need to do this’ she inhaled deeply as she reached the entrance of the enormous building.
She had no friends, her whole life had been centered on her mother, she was alone now; whenever she was getting interviewed for a new job, her mother would be there to whisper words of encouragement; words that would lift her inferiority complex.
‘I’m Ugly Ma, nobody could ever pick me’ Dawn would whisper as she stared at the mirror.
‘Nobody is ugly baby girl, we all just need money’ her mother would say and they’d burst out laughing.
‘Who you looking for’? she stopped at the security check point, it was obvious she didn’t belong to Lancaster Softwares.
‘Good morning, I am Dawn Manhattan, I’m here for the job’ she stuttered as the blonde middle aged man stared right at her, why was he so unfriendly?
‘What job?’ he frowned and focused on her face.
‘The post of a Personal assistant’ she shifted nervously, why was he looking at her like that?
‘What are you up to buddy’? a younger man joined him in the glass cubicle.
‘I don’t know, Brunette here says she came here for a job, heard of that’? the older man asked.
‘A job? No way, what’s she here for anyway’? the younger man asked.
‘Personal assistant’
‘No way, the boss isn’t tired of shagging Samantha yet, where did you get that from’? the younger man winked at her.
‘Reach-out Daily’ Dawn dipped a hand into her shaggy brown bag and presented the paper to the men.
‘Oh darling, these papers lie a lot, I don’t really think we’ll need a personal assistant here, You can be on your way now’ he squeezed the paper and threw it into a trash bin next to him.
‘How could you do that? You should’ve given it back’ Dawn felt hurt, why were people so mean?
‘Do you mind getting out of here Miss Ugly Clothes’? the older man teased and they burst out laughing.
‘My clothes aren’t ugly’ blood tweaked her cheeks.
‘Yes they are, go get a fashion designer’ the younger man winked and the laughter increased.
She had never felt so embarrassed in her twenty four years on earth, tears blurred her eyes as she stared at the two men; tiny droplets fell on her yellow Jacket and stained her green boots. She just couldn’t leave, she didn’t have the courage to walk away, so she stood there and cried.
‘Brunette is such a softy’ the older man mimicked her and the sniggering increased.
***
The Lancaster Mansion was a three storey building; well embellished balusters, a large flower garden where roses grew wildly, magnolias blossomed and a beautiful pool of blue water rested in the middle. Tall Palms were planted all over the mansion and their leaves provided shade whenever the sun chose to run mad.
‘Good morning father’ Lisa rushed with her buttons as she neared the dining table.
‘Morning honey, where are your brothers’? her father asked.
‘Here I am’ Troy joined them at the table.
‘Where’s Henry’? the man rested his eyes on his younger son.
‘I don’t know, maybe he’s still sleeping’ Troy shrugged.
‘Or had a rough night’ Lisa’s eyes twinkled mischievously.
Henry Lancaster, their half brother and C.E.O of Lancaster Soft wares was the eldest son of Peter Lancaster; Henry’s mother had dumped him with Peter when he was just a baby, for her lover, the man she cheated on with his dad.
‘If you’re bent on gossiping about me, you should do so with grace’ Henry stepped out of his room and joined the trio.
‘Well then, breakfast is ready’ Angie his stepmother smiled charmingly and walked in with a tray that contained their breakfast.
‘Sorry Angie, we don’t have time for this, there’s an important meeting at the Company, we’ll have lunch at the office’ he worked on his tie.
‘Oh Henry, at least eat something, besides Lisa and Troy may be hungry’ she pawed at her step son.
‘We are not hungry, we’ll be fine’ his siblings hurried out of the dining.
‘Do you always have to be this moody and domineering’? Peter clicked his tongue.
‘Maybe I am following your footsteps’ Henry snarled at his dad.
He was a fireball, his temper was quick and he had so much resentment in his heart; first his mother had abandoned him for her stupid lover and his father had practically forced him to take over the company.
He had always wanted to be a painter but the man threatened to disinherit him if he refused to get schooled at Harvard; he had been young and had no choice, who could stand against a tyrant like Peter Lancaster?
‘It’s too early for you two’ Angie stepped into the situation.
‘He started it, he should stay out of my business’ Henry grumbled and walked out on them.
‘I don’t know what to do with him, I’ve tried everything but his hatred for me grows by the day’ Peter was getting frustrated.
He’d ignored Henry’s nonchalant behavior towards him as a child, he’d hoped his first son would come around one day, but as the years grew, he had lost hope in earning Henry’s love.
‘I am sorry darling, I wish I could help’ she rubbed his hands.
‘He hates me, for his mother, for forcing the company on him but I only did what I thought was best’
‘It’s okay dear, all Henry needs is love. Once he finds the right person, he’d be healed’ Angie kissed her husband.
‘So what do you suggest I do’? he peered at her confused.
‘Let’s put a little fire up his ass’ she winked, she had a plan and was quite sure would work on her step son.
***
‘Do you always have to be that angry Henry? You ruined breakfast’ his younger brother ignited the car engine.
‘I never told you guys to leave your food’ he shrugged.
‘Well, if we didn’t agree to join you in your little hunger strike episode, you’d drive off without us’ Lisa chipped in.
‘We Lancasters are very rich, you could’ve used another car’ Henry replied.
‘And miss our driving pleasure? Hell no’ Troy winked at his elder bro.
‘Good thing you know this. I am not in a good mood, woke up on the wrong side of bed’ Henry blurted out.
He loved his siblings, Lisa and Troy were his friends and he cherished them very much. He was quite open with them, though they still feared him, everyone feared that dark part of him and he knew this; he used that to exercise control over the workers in the company.
‘What happened? Wasn’t the sex good’? Lisa rolled her eyes.
Though her brother was cold hearted and impassive, he had a penchant for the finer things of life, things like beautiful, voluptuous blonde women and he wasn’t ashamed about that weakness.
‘Lisa!’ Troy called her name.
‘No, she is right, I sacked Samantha, the sex wasn’t good enough’ he replied.
‘Oh no Henry, that would be the fourth personal Assistant you’d be sacking, haven’t you heard? Mixing business and pleasure doesn’t go well at all’ Troy snorted.
‘Well, you know your job Lisa, find me a new personal assistant’ he said that in a commanding tone.
‘So you’ll sleep with her and sack her after a month? No way, I am tired of your immaturity’ she clicked her tongue.‘Seriously? Why do you make your elder bro the devil, I am not Lucifer honey, most times these girls seduce me, they cannot resist my hotness’ he wore the face of an angel.
‘And my sweet bro here finds it very hard to say “No”, especially when she is hot’ Troy joined.
‘Funny. I am not getting you any personal assistant, I’ll play that part till you’re ready to change. You’re thirty two Henry, should be getting married to a nice woman, have a bunch of kids, make father proud’ she advised.
‘Thanks baby, but I don’t plan to get married ever. So you better get me an assistant else I’ll sack you’ his voice dropped to a deadly tone, humor wasn’t in it.
‘Sack me? Lancaster is family business, I am a full blooded Lancaster’ she fired back.
‘And I am still your boss’ he replied.
‘Fine! I’ll get you an assistant. A personal assistant you want, a Personal assistant you shall get’ she hissed loudly.
She had something mischievous up her sleeves, she’ll get a man as a personal assistant, that would get him more pissed.
‘What the hell is going on here?’ Troy watched the struggle between a poorly dressed brunette and the security men.
‘Let’s go find out’ Henry muttered.
‘Is it just me? Or are those clothes plain ugly, who dresses like that’? Lisa was amazed one could be so poor at choosing colors.
‘What’s going on here’? Henry’s sharp voice brought the struggle to an end.
‘Good morning sir, Brunette here says she came for a job interview, what’s the post again buddy’? the older man asked his partner who was shivering like he’d seen a ghost; Henry Lancaster naturally inspired fear in people.
‘Um, Personal driver…’ he stuttered.
‘Personal assistant’ he quickly corrected himself.
Dawn was stuck; her eyes focused on the handsome man in the car. He was blonde with tanned skin; a sea of blue eyes, a sharp nose and a pair of sensuous lips. He was every bit adorable, his eyes were his most arresting figure, they reminded her of the men she saw on the cover of Magazines.
‘Interesting, what’s your name young lady’? Lisa jumped out of the car, this is the kind of assistant Henry deserved for threatening her.
‘Get back in the car Lisa’ Henry commanded coolly, what the hell was she doing? He couldn’t imagine being in an office with the human scarecrow that gaped at him. Hadn’t she seen a man before? Her gaze unsettled him and he pulled on his sunshades.
‘It isn’t sunny bro, why the shades’? Troy teased, he’d been watching the scene closely.
‘Mind your damn business’ Henry scowled.
‘Dawn Manhattan, I assure you ma’am, I am very experienced, I have worked as a librarian, housekeeper’ she dug a hand into her purse and fetched the envelop that contained her Curriculum Vitae.
‘Wow, nice resume Dawn, you know what? You have the job’ Lisa patted her on the shoulder.
‘Really? Thank you very much’ Dawn couldn’t control her excitement; she hugged Lisa tightly and released her after she recovered from the shock of getting a job at such a huge company.
‘You’re welcome, meet me inside, let me brief you’ Lisa smiled politely and returned to the car.
‘What do you think you have done Lisa?’ Henry slid off the shades and faced her.
‘I just got the boss a new personal assistant. Touché!’ she winked.
***
