Chapter 1 Office party. Ugly duckling of the firm

* Best CEO ever, Mark Molt!!! *

*clap, clap, clap*

Everyone applauded as Mark stood in the centre of the law firm. He smiled from ear to ear, showing of his deep dimples. He was every girls dream guy, but he was also a married man with kids. The ultimate party animal. With hair so black and sleek and a well chiseled face, he could be called God's gift to women. His eyes so blue like the deepest ocean and lips that invited you in, woman had to fight the urge that he is a happily married man. The only motivation they had to remind them was the white gold band on his ring finger. He sipped his whiskey that his best friend, Charlie handed him as he looked around the room. Everyone was stunning, including the ugly duckling of the firm, Jessica Brown.

As a joke, they gave her a gift box to hand him. She walked through the crowd stumbling in her heels. This was not her usual get up. She usually had her hair up in a messy bun, formal baggy pants, long bulky sweaters and pumos but today she looked like a minx.

As she reached closer towards him, a foot stuck out and she stumbled across the floor almost throwing herself at him.

Mark expertly grabbed her in his arms as her hair brushed his face. Jessica looked up at him, embarrassed. Her white cheeks now red as a tomato. The gift she was carrying dropped onto the floor and opened up revealing a leopard print male thong and handcuffs.

Everyone roared in laughter as Charlie picked up the items in the air for everyone to see. Mark knew this was a joke. His office staff always preyed on the weak and unfortunately for the last 6 months it was Jessica.

Jessica looked at the items and then at Mark, a single tear slipped her eye as she dashed to the bathroom stumbling along the way.

Before she reached the bathroom, the heel on ther red stiletto gave in and she fell onto the hard tiled floor.

* crack*

Her ankle twisted and she laid sprawled on the floor. The pain radiated up her calf as she tried to sit up.

A large set of hands picked her up swiftly and placed her on a nearby chair. She looked into the deep blue eyes of her saviour. His face was in a frown," why on earth would you be wearing a shoe you can't walk in, let alone run in?".

Jessica stared at him blankly, she was in so much pain her brain could not process the words coming out of his mouth. He straightened her leg.

"Ouch", Jessica cried.

Mark ran his hand over her ankle and asked her to wiggle her toes, " seems like nothing is broken, just a minor sprain".

He called Charlie and asked him to take her to the hospital and thereafter to her home to rest.

" Please recover, your health is important" Mark said as he turned around and headed back to the party.

Jessica's heart warmed at his concern which was short lived. Charlie steadied her on her feet and swung her arm around his neck forcing her to hop on her right leg to the elevator. He was annoyed. He would be missing the party because of this ugly fugly duckling.

He took her to the Emergency room at Winston private hospital. " What's yout husbands number", he asked rolling his eyes. Jessica called out the numbers as he dailed.

After two rings the call was picked up.

" Hello, is this Mr Brown?, it's Jessica's managing supervisor at work. Please can you fetch your wife from Winston private hospital, she has a sprained ankle".

" And so what must I do, she shouldn't have even been at that party in the first damn place. After hours, shaking her damn ass at work while I'm watching our daughter............. It's not my problem" Simon Brown shouted through the phone before hanging up.

Jessica could tell by the look on Charlie's face that the conversation did not go well. She knew her husband was a good for damn nothing, but that was her everyday life. Charlie looked at her with pity, " guess I will be dropping you at home fugly".

Jessica hung her head in shame. This was her third job in one year. She always tried to hide her situation but it always became the reason behind her resignations, which were one too many.

She felt she could never make it on her own as a single parent so she just stayed with him. She played with her fingers for as she decided to submit her resignation.

Charlie waited in the waiting area as the doctor tended to her swollen foot, gently wrapping it in a crepe bandage and giving her a pethedine injection.

The nurse called Charlie in,"Sir, your wife has just been given a strong painkiller and may be disoriented and drowsy for a while. She requires lots of bed rest. You can take her home".

Charlie did not correct the nurse," He is definitely not her husband" he thought to himself. He looked at her drowsy face and his heart sank just thinking about her situation.

He wanted to help. She maybe the office ugly duckling, but she is a person after all. His conscious got the better of him. As he drove her home he wracked his brains trying to think of ways to help her.

After twenty long silent minutes he pulled into her driveway. It was a rund down building. His face was wrinkled with worry, as he looked at the shabby blocks of flats. This was a nice area ane this building stuck out like a sore thumb.

He gently lifted a sleepy Jessica and carried her to her apartment.

After the conversation he had with Simon, he knew that this would not go well. He stood at the door gathering his courage. This was not what he signed up for.