A/N: This chapter contains a graphic scene which may make some characters feel uncomfortable. Please be warned.

"All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today."- Pope Paul VI

The press conference was teeming with reporters and cameramen, all excited about having their first one-to-one with the CEO of the prestigious James-Carmichael and Co.

The CEO who had been disgraced.

The skinny young reporter she had assaulted had become somewhat of a hero amongst them and in a period of a week, had gained a hike in his salary and a promotion.

The shutterbugs started clicking as soon as Y. James made an entry, dressed in an elegant two piece blue dress, a black jacket, sunglasses and her classic red lipstick. She always felt the need to cover her face when it came to the media.

She took a seat on the table next to Gordon, her PR team on both sides of them.

Jenna pulled a chair next to her, giving her a reassuring glance. "Don't worry, I've got this," she mouthed

The plan was that she was going to avoid speaking at all and let Jenna answer.

Jenna took the mic and signalled the commencement of the press conference.

The questions began.

"Miss James, is it true that you're about to add designer garments to your next venture?"

"Yes, we are pleased to announce that J-C Co. will be collaborating with Dana Lawrence for a new brand of designer clothing," said Jenna. Dana was another one of her close friends she had met a few years ago. She was one of the most famous fashion designers in the world.

"Miss Yvonne, is it true that you have undergone four rhinoplasties in the last five years?"

Yvonne almost burst out laughing. These people were ridiculous.

Jenna rubbished the claims.

"Is it true that the JC tower in New York is being built in the memory of your late partner, Ronald Carmichael?"

Jenna answered, "Yes, that's true. And you are all cordially invited to the inauguration ceremony on the 8th of August."

So on questions continued, and Yvonne zoned out a little, her mind chasing various deadlines, until a particular question irked her.

"Sources say that you are not attracted to men, is it true?"

Yvonne wasn't one to lose her temper so quickly. She kept her cool, letting Jenna answer.

"That is ridiculous. Miss James is simply too busy to be in the dating scene," spoke Jenna, a hardness to her voice.

"Why have we never seen Miss James with a man?"

"Who was your last boyfriend?"

"Are the sudden bursts of rage a sign of sexual frustration?"

"When was the last time you've been with a man, Miss James?"

Hushed laughter and giggling was heard throughout the hall.

A blush threatened to color her cheeks as she struggled to check her anger. Her hands tightened into fists at her sides, but she couldn't control it. Yvonne had had enough.

"Silence!" She yelled, smashing her fists on the table.

The reporters immediately sobered and became quiet, nervously.

"Miss James is dating someone currently. She likes to keep her personal life private." Said Jenna, quickly before Yvonne could respond.

"How do we know that is the whole truth? We will believe it when we see it." There were murmurs of agreement in the hall.

Yvonne was enraged. "Frankly, I don't give a fu-"

"You will meet him at the inauguration." Jenna cut in. She sent a sharp glance at Yvonne. "Now please excuse us, Miss James has an important meeting to be at."

The whole hall began mumbling loudly. As she got up to leave, Yvonne could already read the headlines they'd have formed for tomorrow's news. What had Jenna done?

"Where am I going to find a boyfriend, Jenna?" Yvonne burst out angrily, as they walked to her car. "The inauguration is in three days. I'm hoping you have a plan."

"Relax Yvonne. I've got this. I know just the guy." Jenna smiled.
**

"Hello?"

"Mr Mac, this is Kyle. I've got the interview. It's in two days. Get ready to give me my job back."

"How in the name of the f-"

Kyle had already cut the call. He was ecstatic. Life was finally turning up for him.

Jenna had called him to tell him that Miss James wished for him to do something for her in exchange for the interview. He was to meet her tomorrow.

He had always imagined what he would say to her when they met.

He lay down on his bed, eyes closed, imagining her in a black dress and red lipstick, walking towards him, calling out his name in her sensuous voice-

"Open the door, @sshole!" Yelled a drunk Greg, banging on the door of his room. Kyle was glad he had bolted it. He remained silent, pretending he was asleep.

"I know you're not sleeping, you lazy f*ck. Open the door, or I'll break it open!" Extra payment for a broken door was the last thing he wanted, so he got up to open the door.

*Graphic scene starts here. If you do not wish to read it, please scroll down till where I mention it ending in bold. You won't have missed much.

Greg's hand reached out and grabbed him by the collar. His blonde hair was mussed, steps sloppy, breath reeking of alcohol. He was drunk.

"Did you think we would let you off so easily?" He asked, his hand tightening his collar, cutting off his air supply. Kyle was tall and thin at six feet, but Greg was a giant. "I have been so nice to you, but you disrespected me, Kyle. Now I have to show you who's the boss here."

Kyle's feet dangled a few centimeters above the ground, struggling to breath. His hands clutched Greg's hands in a vain attempt to loosen his hold.

"Let him go, Greg. He'll choke," said Jim, another one of his roommates. Dan just stood and watched from the back, leaning at the door. They were all big, burly men in their late twenties or early thirties. Ganging up on Kyle, pushing him and hitting him was something they had always enjoyed doing, but this was the first time all three of them had come to beat him up in his own room.

Greg let go of Kyle, throwing him on the floor. Kyle tried to sooth his burning lungs by catching shallow breaths.

He felt a sharp pain in his side as Greg kicked him, blowing air out of his chest. Kyle struggled to get up, but Jim grabbed him again, pushing him down, sending another hard kick to his side. Another kick came flying at his side, emitting a sick, cracking sound.

Kyle lay on the floor, taking blow after blow, being dragged back down whenever he tried to get up.

"Stop!" Moaned Kyle, unable to bear the pain anymore. He had probably broken a rib. "Please stop. I beg you, please."

Greg stopped hitting him. Instead, he turned Kyle around, pushing his chest against the floor. For a moment, nothing happened and Kyle lay there, hoping it had all ended.

Then he felt Greg's hands, spreading his legs apart. "Hold him down, guys," said Greg, his hands on the waist of Kyle's pants. That's when he realized what was going to happen.

"No!" Cried Kyle, struggling desperately as the others held him to the floor, face down, while Greg fumbled with his belt sloppily, pulling his own pants down. He could the hear Greg panting heavily over his shoulder, his foul breath falling on the side of his face, making him feel nauseous.

He had read stories and made jokes about rape. It only happened to women, he thought. It couldn't be happening to him. It couldn't be.

He struggled under Greg's weight, yelling as he managed to pull off his belt. Tears ran down his eyes as he begged at him to stop.

"Look at you, crying like a little b!tch. No amount of begging is going to stop me now," said Greg, his voice slurring, drunk. " I'm going to make you scream. I'm going to show you what a real man is like." The other guys didn't say anything. They simply held him put.

Kyle's legs desperately tried to kick Greg away, only to be spread wider, sending pain shooting up his insides. Greg's hands had now removed his belt, and was pulling his pants down as he struggled to get away.

"No!" A guttural cry burst out of Kyle's throat, sounding more like an animal than human, as Greg's fingers trailed over his bare bottom.

The door bell rang.

"It's the pizza guy," slurred Greg, "Dan, go get it."

As Dan let go of Kyle, he quickly made use of the distraction and pushed Greg off himself.

"Get back here!" Yelled Greg, falling sloppily to the floor, drunk, as Kyle made his way to the front door, pulling up his pants.

"Not so fast," said Dan, standing in front of the door, taking hold of him as he struggled to get past him. Greg go up to a standing position and grabbed Kyle again, pushing his face into the wall.

"You're not going to get away from me," he sneered. His hands began to roam Kyle's body again. If he didn't do anything now, the pizza guy would leave.

So Kyle yelled for help at the top of his voice, hoping it would reach him somehow. The three of them grabbed his mouth, gagging him. This time, he was thrown onto his bed.

Kyle had lost all hope, drowning in his tears as Greg's sweaty body engulfed him again.

"Is anyone there? Is everything okay?" Came a voice from outside. A flicker of hope rose inside Kyle again and he yelled once again, earning him a punch to the nose.

The front door opened and the guys were distracted again. Making a last ditch effort, Kyle landed a punch in Greg's nose, getting up and sprinting to the door, past the confused looking pizza guy.

The guys hollered at him to stop

*Graphic scene ends here.

He ran for as long as he could, not looking back for a long time till he could run no more. He plopped down on a metal bench, breaking down. He had just narrowly escaped being raped. How could this have happened to him? 

He sobbed out loud, curling into a fetal position. His T-shirt had blood drops on it, dripping from his nose. The soft wind blew on his skin, making him feel Greg's fingers running over his body again. He scratched whatever part of his skin had touched Greg's, until it was raw.

A sudden wave of nausea erupted in his body and he hurled the contents of his stomach on the sidewalk. He sat on the bench, crying inconsolably, thinking about where he had gone wrong in life.

He remembered the last time he had met his dad four years ago when he dropped out of the engineering courses he had taken because of his father. It will be your fault when you fail in life, he had said. He had never spoken to him since. He remembered watching his mother crying on the porch when he left him promising to never go back.

His father had been right all along.

He closed his eyes, trying to push all his thoughts away. Enough crying, he told himself, wiping his constantly dripping eyes. He wanted to shut himself up in his room for the rest of his life, wallowing in self pity, but he wouldn't. Tomorrow, he was going to have one chance to make everything right again. And he was not going to lose it.

He could go and collect his few belongings from the apartment in the morning tomorrow, when the guys would be passed out, drunk.

He sat up and pushed his head down the edge of the bench, mentally preparing himself for the interview tomorrow and thought of Yvonne. All other thoughts seemed to melt away.    

A/N: What do you guys think about it so far?
Please don't forget to vote and tell me what you think!