One for the Money Stephanie Plum 1

"So this is what it came down to?" Anthony remarked and looked at Faith with disgust. As if she was a piece of trash.

I guess I deserve it, Faith thought. It was never meant to be like this. She was never meant to stoop so low as to offer her body to this well-respected and powerful man that was standing in front of her. She was supposed to come to the office, work hard, and leave. The only interaction she was supposed to have with him was at the office when she occasionally brought him coffee and paperwork for him to sign.

But that's not how things turned out to be. Here she was, standing in front of him, asking him to spare her life.

She felt beaten, humiliated by her boss, but she couldn't blame anyone but herself. If she hadn't done what she did. If she hadn't stolen, things would've been much different.

Faith was the oldest of her two sisters and the breadwinner. Her middle sister Jody went out of state for an internship, and her younger sister was still in high school. Their father was suffering from a chronic illness that rendered him paralyzed. She had no choice but to take responsibility and support her family.

She was grateful to find a job as an office clerk at the DeMarco corporation. The pay wasn't outstanding, but it was good enough to feed her family, so she didn't complain.

She didn't meet Anthony DeMarco, the CEO of the company, right away. She only saw glimpses of him which were enough for her to feel flustered.

He was six foot 3 with broad shoulders and a muscular physique. His eyes were an intense shade of blue. So blue it reminded her of the ocean. He had an incredibly handsome face, but he never smiled. She wondered if he ever smiles for the woman he loved. The women in the office whispered about his good looks and serious demeanor, but Faith never participated in their gossip.

What was the point anyway? She wouldn't get a guy like that in a million years. Her features were ordinary. Anthony DeMarco was way out of her league.

His personal assistant Diana called for her one day. Diana was usually friendly with Faith, and they occasionally had lunch together.

"Hey, what's going on?" Faith wanted to know.

"So..this is awkward, but I need a huge favor from you," Diana said.

"From me? What can I do?" Faith asked.

"Well...the thing is, I have a family emergency, so I have to go to Florida for three months. I was supposed to find a temporary replacement for Mr. DeMarco, but things had been so hectic that I couldn't interview anyone properly," Diana said.

"And?" Faith urged her.

"I was thinking. Maybe you can do it?" Diana looked at her expectantly.

"Me?" Faith was shocked at her proposal. This would mean she had to be close to Anthony, and the thought itself was intimidating.

"Yes. Please, Faith? I don't trust anyone else, and Sir is very particular about everything. I know how efficient and organized you are, so you'll catch up in no time," Diana said. "Besides, you'll be getting extra money on your check for three whole months!" she chirped.