Wicked Angel

"Relax...I'm just teasing you. Before I joined your father's company I had many jobs. I've worked the lowest of the low, and you'd be surprised to know how people treat someone, depending on the position they hold."

"You're saying you've had worse treatment? Not to sound naïve, but I can't imagine that in this day and age..."

Lily raised an eyebrow in response.

"Well...maybe that was naive to say." he said uncomfortably.

"I guess it's difficult to relate, especially when someone is in your position. But I've had customers scream at me when I worked retail. Even had pennies thrown at me on a few occasion, for some stupid reason or another. I've seen managers who don't care about their duties, and rely on their lower employees to fall on the sword for the mistakes they've made. Trust me, humiliation is something one gets used to, especially if you're a woman of color, or any common employee for that matter. Unfortunately, most of the time it wouldn't do any good to react to it. So I just brush it off, and keep it moving. I won't be distracted from my goals. Take the team for instance. Jon treats them like they're idiots, and beneath him. Sorry to say, but he's probably the only idiot there."

"I know, and I'm sorry about the way he treats everyone, especially you. I hope you don't take it too personally. He really meant to destroy my ideas through you."

"It's alright. I think we're doing the right thing. That's why I brought the problem to you, instead of him. You would have taken action, while he wouldn't. I believe we're put into certain positions for a reason, and we should do what we can with the power we have. And...I don't think you're naïve for wanting to protect people from harm...even though your father might patronize you for it."

Jace smiled. "No need to try to make me feel better. I know that I haven't lived a difficult life, so my complaints can't compare to those of most people."

"When have I ever sugar-coated anything?" she asked "I really meant it. Even if they don't agree with us now, we've put our concerns out there. I'm certain they already know, but have kept it hush-hush...or even decided to ignore it until it became a bigger issue."

"That's what I don't get! Why wait for the problem to get much bigger?" he asked, and combed his fingers through his dark waves.

"Usually, I wouldn't have said a thing, and just left it all to you."

"So...why did you use your voice? Especially knowing that they would have dismissed everything you said."

"Oh, two reasons." she said lightheartedly. "Number one, I care about this project more than any I've ever worked on, and two..."

Swiftly, she reached for her handbag, and pulled out a tiny clear bottle from inside. Jace's eyes narrowed, trying to better recognize its contents. It only took a second to see that she held up an empty shot bottle of vodka. He began to laugh, and she laughed with him.

This accounted for why she so boldly accused the board of not being able to relate, or sympathize with women's health. Jace had thought that it was rather uncharacteristic of her to make such a claim, however she still spoke the truth. Lily had said what he never had the guts to say, and his respect for her had grown since then. He wished that her boldness could be transplanted into him. Not even the courage derived from drinking had ever convinced him to speak so candidly.

"So you spiked your coffee? Shit, I wish you'd done the same to mine. I might have shut Jon and my dad up, right then and there." he said, vocalizing his lack of bravery.

He felt even more comfortable with her now. He had always assumed such a proper demeanor around his colleagues, but there was this charm about Lily that made him feel connected to her. He could easily meld into her world, and be accepted there. Not for his position, or the size of his wallet, but for the person that he was beneath the pricey suits.

"I never do this, but I wanted to back you up." she confessed. "Sometimes I do get nervous...especially for you."

"But why?" he frowned. "You shouldn't be afraid for me Lily. I'm not in any danger."

"I know, but you have a bigger voice than I do...as the company's heir." and she said the latter part with an emphasis that Jace couldn't ignore.

"I think that theory was just proven wrong. You have a presence about you that made Jon look like a fool. And anyway, he'll most likely take the chair as President when my dad retires."

"I doubt that. You're a good man, and also more deserving of the title. I look at you and I see someone born to manage and oversee the more important operations. No doubt you feel overwhelmed by your brother's tenacity, but everyone respects you the most. Without the little people pulling the strings, this corporation wouldn't exist, and they all see you as a leader. I think that counts for a lot. When the time comes, I think your father will have more sense than to just leave everything in your brother's hands. Maybe Jon knows this too, and he envies you for it."

"Why should he? He has my father's eyes and ears. I'm no more than just a reminder of my mother."

Lily grew quiet for a moment, and she gave him a pitying look.

"What is it?" he frowned.

"You've never said this much about your personal life in front of me."

"I trust you." he said with a smile.

"Enough to tell me such personal things." she asked worriedly.

"It's no secret. Everyone knows about our family dynamic."

"True...but no one's ever heard it directly from the mouth of an Avery."

"Well I hope that you find some consolation in my little confession. Real friends are hard to find."

"I do." she smiled.

Chapter Two

Dinner had been delightful, and after a few glasses of champagne and humorous conversation, Jace regained his appetite. They enjoyed a second course of Roast Leg of Lamb, and later Cold Orange Soufflé for dessert. The delectable meal had enhanced their evening, and they ended up dining late into the evening. When the hour proved too late to let Lily find her way home alone, Jace offered to drive her back.

She lived only a few miles out of his way, and he didn't mind. Consequently, it took him nearly an hour to return home. Despite the weather, their drive had been a pleasant one, and neither of them worried about the meeting anymore. They expected that they could try again after the spring, before any new ideas went up before the board.

It only occurred to him that Siu would be waiting up for him when he reached his apartment. The lights to his floor were turned on, revealing that she had come in with the spare keys. He had no idea if he would see her tonight. She did have her own apartment, but spoke of wanting to move in with him. Jace didn't know if the offer still stood, but he would find out eventually.

There was no doubt that she would ask where he had been, and of course he would tell her everything. This hadn't been his first dinner out with Lily, and he had nothing to hide. Upon entering the apartment, he hoped that she would console him after his rough day. Before he could tell his story however, she approached him with her arms crossed, and an angry scowl upon her face. Nevertheless he went to her, and kissed her on the cheek.

"We need to talk." she said, still glowering at him with angry eyes.

Jace sighed, and shook his head. "Can't this wait Siu. I've had a long day, and I just want to go to bed."

He was reminded that he had given her a hard time for the very same thing, so he humored her for the moment.

"No, it can't wait." she continued. "I've been quiet long enough, and there are some things you need to know."

"So, this is it huh? You're finally going to tell me the truth? Took you long enough." Jace muttered. "I wanted to work things out with you, but I knew something was going on. Now after weeks of doubt, I don't even think I want to know why, or who it was that changed you."

"You don't want to know? I'm not the one who did anything wrong! That was you!" she said with attitude.

"Excuse me?" he frowned incredulously.

"Don't pretend like you haven't been messing around on me Jace." she screeched at him.

"What the hell are you talking about? If I'm not at work, I'm with you!"

"If you're not at work, or with me, you're with Lily!" she corrected.

"And? She's my Project Manager! What the hell are you saying?"

"Everyone in the building is talking about you two spending time together. You have lunch together, go to bars, and have dinner with her almost every night."

"She's my colleague Siu! Don't make things out to be what they're not."

"Colleague my ass! You're probably sleeping with her, and you had the audacity to try touching me last night. I gave you a chance not wanting to believe it, but everything's been confirmed. What do you see in her that you'd turn your back on me?"

"Siu, who the hell is filling your head up with these lies? I've been faithful to you." he retorted; his tone angry and loud.

"It's over Jace. I'm not going to argue, or bother with your lies. I deserve better!"

"You can't be serious! Do I look like I'd cheat on you? You know me for God's sake!"

"I thought I did, but I'm not so sure anymore. I'm the daughter of Andrew Sato dammit! Do you know what it's like to be the laughing stock of the whole company? My father believed in us as a couple. He even wanted to back our engagement."

"Listen to me. This is crazy. Why would I...when would I have the time to cheat on you?"

"I know how you guys in the big leagues work! Having families at home, then fucking it all up because you can't keep your dick in your pants!"

Angered beyond control, he spat out, "Just because your father did it to your mom, that doesn't mean I'm the same!"

The memories connected with the statement scalded her; he saw it in her expression. In afterthought, he realized that he shouldn't have said it. Siu looked like she would cry, but held the tears back. Feeling a great deal of remorse, he reached out to her, but she shoved him away. He wanted to hug and kiss her, only to prove that he was not the kind of man she most recently thought him to be. But her expression said that it was too late to make amends.

"Fuck you!" she shrieked at him. "I'm leaving you, and don't expect me to come back. I don't know what happened to you, but I know that I was wrong to trust you."

Her words chilled him to the core, but what could he say? Her mind was set, and there was no taking back what he had said. In utter desperation, and to make her see sense, he said something that he shouldn't have. Maybe he thought the statement would convince her of his fidelity, but he had fucked up, and in the worst way. She threw on her red pea coat, and bolted out the door with a tear stained face. He too felt like he would cry, and wanted to go after her, but he was paralyzed.

He suddenly felt queasy, and wished that he had someone to talk to. Only his mother came to mind. He wanted to tell her what was wrong, because she always made everything better. But she was gone, and he would never hear her comforting words ever again. Talking to his father was out of the question because he cared about no one, other than himself and Jon. Forcing back his anguish, he staggered to the bathroom, feeling more alone than ever before.

Two weeks later...

Jace sat at one of the tables, observing the attendees of the office party. This was the only time of the year when the underlings of Avery & Soler Enterprises were shown their worth. Had he been in his father's position, he would have held one of these more often. They surely had the funds to reward their employees, however Walter might have seen this as a waste, with Jon riding his coattails.

The party was elegant and catered to perfection. As expected, everything was done with pomp, in the name of the Avery family. One of the company lounges, big enough to hold two hundred people, was transformed into what looked like a hotel foyer. The ivory walls were the only plain thing about the room. Long dining tables set with Lilac tablecloths and bouquets of pink magnolias held elegant hors d'oeuvres of many colors and textures, countless bottles of expensive champagnes, and glistening flute glasses. In fact, Jace thought that the setup quite resembled a wedding banquet, however this was not a place of romance. It might have been if Siu was here, but he had come alone.

The employees who attended were only those who occupied the 62nd and 65th floor. Harboring over a thousand employees in the tower alone, these annual events were managed separately, depending on the branch or department. This one, the last of the planned events, celebrated the hard work of all the customer service agents, secretaries and supervisors who worked beneath Jace, and Jonathan. For the meantime, everyone seemed content and enjoyed the fine cuisine. He however, was justifiably in a bad mood.

Jon's presence, as well as the constant reminders of Siu's accusations floating around in his head, argued against any kind of enjoyment. He had called her many times to apologize, but she would not talk to him. He left message after message, but not once did she return his calls.

Not knowing the finer details of his personal life, Lily had coaxed him into attending. Being accused of cheating was enough for him to just stay at home in bed, but he didn't want to be alone. He would have spent the time beating himself up for how he had handled the fight.

For the first hour he stuck it out, and only sipped on a few glasses of champagne; all the while keeping to himself, and remaining at the far end of the room. He was in no mood to be social, and hoped that no one would take notice of him.

Too tired to bear the festivities any longer, he retreated back to his office, and observed the party through the window blinds. Although he hadn't wanted solitude, he couldn't feign happiness either. He had hoped that Siu would show up, and they would reconcile on the spot, but she had chosen to stay away. Lily, the supposed object of his affection, had been occupied most of the night as well; with Jon. She spent the better part of the first hour chatting with him, and Jace couldn't believe what he was seeing.

She was with his damned brother...and laughing with him for God's sake! Laughing with the man who had humiliated her! He wondered what her agenda was. Or was it that Jon wanted to keep torturing him? If anything, it lent to his irritability even more. She deserved better conversation than what that asshole had to offer.

"At least she looks happy." he thought sadly, as he continued to observe her amusement in his brother's company.

At that very moment, as a combination of loneliness and hurt coursed through him, he realized that he missed Lily. Because of the argument, and wanting to avoid any further rumors, he had kept his distance. He wanted to pretend that he wasn't attached to her, but in fact, he definitely was. So much so that probably the whole office did see it; along with whomever had been whispering in Siu's ear.

He could never cheat on her. Deception was never his style, and he was more offended by the fact that she believed that he was capable of such a thing. And Lily...she wasn't his type. Yet, maybe his absence and lack of enthusiasm had pushed her away from him, and into the arms of Jon. But how else could he have handled this? There was no other way.

As he thought the words, and watched his brother's arm cling to her shoulder, some new emotion arose. At first he couldn't put his finger on it, but once the words, "She's mine, not yours!" surfaced in his thoughts, he realized that he was indeed jealous. It infuriated him to see her with Jon, and he didn't quite know what that meant. His heart sank as he realized that maybe he did have feelings for Lily; however small.

Jon was dressed in one of his best designer suits and nearly all the women had eyes for him, yet he seemed to dote on Lily. This made Jace feel sick and worrisome. He felt like a meager pawn in this little game. In an attempt to redeem himself, he imagined Siu in Jon's embrace. The thought did not anger him as it should have, and he was mortified. Tearing himself away from the blinds, he walked towards his desk and computer screen, hoping for some distraction to alleviate his guilt.

He had no idea where to go from here. It was true that he hadn't cheated on Siu, yet he wasn't completely guiltless. He had unconsciously felt more for Lily than he realized, and for the first time he was inclined to agree with his perceived persona. Maybe he was naïve, and out of touch with the reality of things.

Suddenly, there was a soft rap on the door, and he was immediately shaken out of his thoughts.

"Who is it?" he asked over the intercom.

His door had an electronic lock. One which he usually kept engaged, in case he didn't feel like being bothered, especially by Jon.

"It's me!" a feminine voice responded. Lily had come to seek him out.

He deactivated the lock, and she came in. She held a tiny white plate with a slice of iced marbled cake in one hand, and a filled glass of champagne in the other.

"Why are you playing the hermit? You should come out." she said, as the door shut behind her.

Tonight, her hair was pulled back into a tight pony-tail, and she wore a studded, black tunic with ankle-length leggings. The slimming outfit suited her figure perfectly. Jace had tried not to admire the curves of her hips which seemed to flare out from the rest of her figure, but there it all was.

He had also taken notice of the graceful way in which she moved towards him, and above all, how he felt when she was near. Lily was a breath of fresh air. Her presence seemed to always chase away his melancholy. Now with the help of this recent disaster, he was no longer oblivious to her body, or her feminine charms.

"Still brooding huh?" she asked sympathetically.

"I wasn't brooding." he replied defensively. "I just wanted a little peace and quiet."

His tone made him feel sick. He sounded like a whiny brat who had been sulking in a room all alone, because he couldn't have his way.

"Then why didn't you just stay home?" she asked.

"I don't want to be at home right now."

"Does this have to do with the meeting? Because if it does, it's not as bad as you're making it out to be. In fact, I had a little chat with your brother."

"Yes, I saw. Why were you letting him all over you like that?" he blurted out.

She had frowned at his response, but then a tiny smile crept into the corners of her mouth. Realizing the tiny blunder, his own face grew hot with embarrassment, and he avoided her gaze as she set the plate down in front of him.

"Do I detect a bit of jealousy?" she smirked.

"No...I...I just don't think that he has good intentions, that's all." he stammered.

"Well, it's cute of you to worry about me, but you have nothing to worry about. I'm a big girl, I can handle him." she said persuasively. "Have some dessert. Maybe you'll feel better."

"So what were you guys talking about anyway?" he asked, evading her offering.

"You, and the new campaign. He's decided to reconsider, and he wants to take another look at the details."

"Really?" Jace asked doubtfully. "And he's willing to do this when?"

"Tomorrow, if you're up to it. He requested that I explain it to him more thoroughly."

"Uh huh...and he wants to do this with you, alone? He doesn't want me there?"

"Oh, don't make it sound so sinister. I want you there, but considering how you two get along, he wanted you to sit this one out. I've asked some of our core team members to come in tomorrow for a small meeting. Once Jon gives his okay, we can make plans to get the ball rolling after the holidays."

Something about this didn't make sense. Why did Jon not want him to be there? Of course he was more than confident in Lily's ability to bring the presentation to life, but in a less formal atmosphere, he would be able to keep his brother in check. Also, he was most certain that he had already made a thorough presentation before the board. What else was there to know? To say the least, all of this was disquieting.