Skylar sat down on the porch swing in front of her house,holding romance novel by Nora Robert's titled,The witness, in one hand and a glass of cool lemonade in the other. As interesting as the novel was, her mind was not really in it. In fact,her thoughts have been muddled ever since she returned from Golden Homes.

She had cried her eyes out after that episode with Kaden. And after an hour of crying in her bathroom,she decided right then that she would forget about Kaden and his little Cinderella from downtown. Skylar had determined right then that she would enjoy the rest of her afternoon without any qualms,but that wish was short-lived because,Albert's red Ferrari pulled up at her front gate at that moment,shattering what ever tranquillity was present at that moment.

Skylar got up from the swing just as Albert got the where she was standing. She met his angry grey house with her own sad blue ones. She was in deep trouble and there was no point in running away from the inevitable. Which was the reason why she was standing on the step meeting a stormy grey eyes and not running the other way like she should.

"Albert." She said,when he came to a stop in front of her,well aware of the fact that his hands were clenching and unclenching.

Albert back handed her face with his left palm. Skylar thought she was prepared for his usual punishment, but she was wrong,because she reared back and fell hard on her behind. Hot tears ran down her cheeks and a loud painful groan slipped from her lips when he grabbed her hair and twisted it painfully until her scalp felt as if hot chilli had been dumped on it.

Despite the fact that she had swore to take the pain without any plea,she pleaded. "Please."

"Please?" He squatted until they were eye to eye. "Why did you end your engagement to him? Didn't I tell you make sure that you have that imbecile wrapped around your fingers and make him marry you in three weeks time? What changed,huh?"

"He cheated on me with that downtown slut!" She shouted at him.

"Don't you dare yell back at me." He twisted her hair some more and was satisfied when she whimpered pitifully. "And did I hear you say that he cheated on you? Are you not doing the same, you slut? I think you need me to remind you of the fact that you need to obey my every orders."

"Alberttttttttttttt!" It ended in a scream when he got up and began to drag her into her house with her hair not caring if her whole hair came off in the process.

Albert kicked the door close and almost immediately,he began to kick her viciously. He didn't even pause to see if she was alright. It went on and on and on,until his legs began to develop cramps. He sat down beside her curled up and weeping figure.

He reached out to touch her but withdrew his hand at her pained moan. His heart began to hurt painfully at the sight of her on the floor,looking badly hurt and broken. He loved her with his every heart,but his temper usually get the best of him and as much as he didn't want to hurt her,he always end up doing so.

"Sky?" He reached out to touch her shoulder and was surprised when no sound came from her. Since her back was to him,he shook her shoulder. "Skylar. Sky?"

Still,no sound came from her. Albert grabbed her shoulder to turn her around, his heart skipped at what he saw.

She had fainted and her pulse was already weak.

Shit!

####

Cassie,one apple in hand,sat cross legged on her bed with the file resting on her lap. Her eyes darted to the bedside clock,it read Eleven fifty-five. Beatrice was not in the house, which was quite unusual,since her mother never stayed out beyond the hour of six.

Worry began to nag in the back of her mind at her mother's new found hobby to stay out late and leave her home early . It's been three days now since she set her eyes on her mother and she could not help but worry. Even as she worried about her mother, her mind was on the file resting on her lap. And also the kiss she and Kaden shared in the office.

The kiss!

Warm butterflies made their presence known in the pit of her belly. Her lower part became flooded with warm liquid. Her cheeks became lit with colour when she thought of how she had let him touch her all over. She even let him unbutton her shirt, and he almost unclasp her.... I better not think about that.

She shouldn't even be thinking about him when there's the file and the contract forced upon her.

Biting into her apple,Cassie opened the file and stopped on the third page.

The five year contract between Kaden Mckade C.E.O Golden Homes & Cassandra Milton (manwhore fan) owner of Milton's Flower shop.

Before the reason of this contract can be revealed,there are some rules Miss Milton must abide with:

1. The first and most important one is that,During the contract time,miss Milton is not allowed to date anyone nor is she allowed to get pregnant or even married.

2. Miss Milton must be available at all times.

3. No flirting or even chatting is allowed between Miss Milton and the other workers when ever she comes to Golden Homes.

4. Miss Milton's phone and laptop must be on at all times and if any of them develops a fault,the company would gladly replace them.

5. No client,except the one's assigned to Miss Milton,is allowed to communicate or make appointments with Miss Milton.

6. Lastly, everything in this file must be confidential,no one except Mr Mckade,Miss Milton and their lawyers should know about it.

P.S: if miss Milton fails to abide by the rules listed above,she would have to pay a sum of Fifty Million dollars to Mr Mckade within a week. Failure to pay before the given time would lead into serious consequences.

Cassie felt her jaw go slack. She was in deeper trouble than she thought at first. Fifty million dollars within a week? Even if she sold the flower shop and everything she owned all together, it'll still not cover the required money. All for what anyway?

She opened the next page.

Now to the main reason for the contract:

1. Miss Milton is to supply flowers to Golden Homes,three times within a week. (They must be different types of flower each week).

2. Miss Milton must be in her shop at all time,in case of Emergencies.

3. The contract is between Miss Milton,Golden homes and Lancaster world bank.

Lancaster world bank? No. Freaking. way.

4. Miss Milton must attend all charity gala(since she would be supplying the flowers to the event) with Mr Mckade or Mrs Lancaster, when anyone is hosting one.

To the last part of the contract,which happens to be,

The Payment and Rewards for Miss Milton's Work and Devoted Time.

1. One thousand dollars would be deposited into Miss Milton's account every day.

2. A car and a driver would be assigned to Miss Milton for the deliveries and to take her where ever she wants to go.

3. Within the time of Contract,Miss Milton is to live in one of the Golden Home penthouse located off the I-75,which is between uptown and downtown.

4. At the end of each month, Twenty-four thousand dollars would be deposited into Miss Milton's account.

5. Saturdays and Sundays are the days off for Miss Milton.

6. A trip to Miami, every two weeks with Mr Mckade. (For business reason,of course)

7. Groceries and other necessities would be delivered to the pent house every week.

Note: Once the papers have been signed, the contract has started and there is no backing out until expiration of contract. Re-read the rules, so as not to commit any error. No pardon would be granted once any of the rule is broken.

Sign below if you agree to the terms and conditions of the contract.

Cassie snapped the file close,her half eaten apple, hanging from the corner of her mouth,long forgotten. It was either Mckade was stupid or he had more money than sense altogether.

He was willing to give her all that in exchange for flowers? Was she missing something here? There must be a motive behind this. And deep down in her heart, she knew what he wanted but failed to acknowledge it.

There was nothing wrong in giving someone the benefit of a doubt,is there?

Cassie shoved the file under her bed, when she heard the door bell. The last thing she wanted is her money-thirsty mother stumbling upon the file. It won't be good at all.

She leaped out of bed and ran all the way to the front door at the speed of lightning. Thinking that it was her elusive mother, she yanked the door open. Her apple dropped from her mouth and rolled down the hall,but Cassie didn't even notice.

The person standing on the threshold,looking as if a bus just ran him over, was not her mother.

It was Kaden.

She started to open her mouth to ask what he was doing here,but then she never got the words out.
Why?

Cassie watch him reach out to snag her hand,which was resting on the door knob. A soft gasp escaped her lips when he yanked her against him. Not only that.

He cut off the protest she was about to make with his own lips.