I know Christmas is way gone and this story should've been complete already but I'm sorry for my lack of update. Hopefully I'll get it done soon. Thanks for all the reviews. They're well appreciated!

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Early morning after dropping Nicholas to school on Wednesday, Nikita found herself sitting at her kitchen table with two hands across either side of her cheeks deep into thoughts. She was two month behind on payment and her week delay was getting closer. She needed to get sixteen hundred dollars before the week ends or she and her kid will be homeless.

She took a sip of her coffee and sighed. This Christmas holiday is definitely coming as crappy and she doesn't know what else to do. Even if she could get an early pay at the bar, it wouldn't help either. Bryan's a cheap ass boss anyways. There's no way in hell he would even agree to that.

She felt cornered with no options left and all she wanted to do right now was curl up in a ball and cry for days. She so desperately wants not to care anymore but she can't. She has a child to take care of and he's the only person that makes living this shit whole life bearable some days.

She picked up her phone and just stared at the number that had Michael's name written above it as the caller ID for a few minutes. Somehow she feels like she's taking advantage of the guy and he's done nothing but help her countless times and now she was about to do it again. He's been her first and last resort for a few times now.

It took all the strength she got to press the calling button and bringing the phone to her ears. Eventually after a few beeping sounds, she was sent to voicemail.

She gave up and didn't try calling again. He may be busy and if she's lucky enough, he might call her later on.

Nikita took the rest of her coffee to her room and tried to go catch some more sleep. After all, she was working from four thirty to midnight tonight at the bar.

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Sleep had overcome Nikita but it wasn't after a few hours, she woke up from the vibration of her phone on the bed. She quickly removed the sheet from her head and grabbed the phone. No second thoughts were given when she accepted the call.

"Good morning?"

Thank God!

"Good morning." Nikita replied back.

"I'm sorry I was at a meeting when you called." Michael said.

Nikita raised her eyebrows. "At eight o'clock in the morning?" She questioned.

Michael chuckled. "Yeah." He said. "At eight o'clock in the morning."

"I apologize if I stirred any trouble or interruptions?" Nikita said.

"No you didn't." Michael reassured her.

"I'm glad." Nikita replied awkwardly.

There was a very silent pause between the line and Nikita wondered if this call can get any weirder.

"H-How's Nicholas doing?" Michael asked, finally breaking the silence.

Nikita smiled. Nicholas hasn't stop asking or talking about Michael ever since the last time they saw each other and she's sure if the boy was here he'd be all over the place.

"He's doing well." She answered.

"That's good." Michael said. "And what about you? How are you?"

"I-I'm… um?" Nikita stuttered.

"I mean, what can I help you with?" Michael quickly changed the subject. "I'm sure you called for a reason."

'What if I just wanted to hear your voice?' Nikita thought silently.

"Um, yeah." Nikita quickly snapped out of it. "You wouldn't happen to still have that job offer, will you?"

Michael cleared his throat over the phone. "Yes-Yeah, you're interested?"

"You wouldn't even know." Nikita replied.

"I knew you'd come around." Michael said.

Nikita rolled her eyes. "Sure you did." She whispered sarcastically.

Michael chuckled. "Well I'll tell you what." He begin. "Why don't you come by my office today and we can talk about it over lunch or something?" He suggested.

"Lunch would be lovely." Nikita replied single-mindedly.

"Let's say close to two o'clock?" Michael said.

Nikita nodded. "That works." She replied.

"Do you have a pen and a piece of paper with you to take the address?" Michael asked.

"Um-"Nikita jumped off the bed quickly. "Give me a second."

She ran to the kitchen and found a billing envelope on the fridge and a color pencil of Nicholas's.

"Yeah."

She listened carefully as Michael gave her the address. Maybe today something good will happen.

"Got it." Nikita said. "I guess I'll see you at one thirty." She said.

"Looking forward to it." Michael said.

The call ended and for some reasons Nikita felt like screaming of joy. But instead, she just smiled to herself and sighed. She doesn't know what she's walking into but she sure as hell hopes it's a job that will be way better than working at the bar.

Looking as the time was eleven fifty five, she walked back to her bedroom. She needs to go get ready and be on her way out pretty soon.

888

Nikita pulled up in the parking lot of a very large building. She could see cars lined up vertically… very big brands and she wondered what the hell this place was. Taking a breather, she got out of the car after checking to see if her makeup and hair was perfect.

She took the elevator to the first floor where she checked in for her appointment.

"How may I help you?" The young lady behind the desk at the reception asked.

"I have an appointment with Michael?"

There are many Michaels who work at this company but judging from the looks of Nikita, the woman could only guess that it wasn't one of the lower level ones. It was definitely the CEO of this building and she oughta treat Nikita like a queen if she still wants to keep this fabulous job she's got.

"Sure, can I get your name please?" The woman asked.

"It's Nikita." Nikita replied with a smile as she ran her fingers through her long black hair.

"Thank you." The woman replied. "I'll let Mr. Sage know that you're here."

Nikita nodded silently as she watched the woman pick up the cordless phone.

"Would you let Mr. Sage know that his Ms. Nikita will be coming up to his office, please?"

The woman nodded her head and smiled. "Thank you, Allison."

She hung up and looked back at Nikita. "You'll be guided to his office once you're on the fifth floor." She told Nikita.

"Thank you very much." Nikita said.

"No, thank you."

…

As Nikita rode the elevator to the fifth floor, she couldn't help but be curious yet nervous at the same time.

Getting to the fifth floor was no dilemma at all but it's when she stepped out and walked through the automatic glass door that she felt completely lost.

Men in extinguishing suits were everywhere around the place. Women in very high class dresses or two piece suits walking in Louis Vuitton were not to be missed at all. She felt so out of place and couldn't believe her eyes.

This is a freaking enterprise and there's a possibility that she might be employed here. Holy shit!

"May I help you?" A woman's voice snapped her out of her bubble of haze.

"Yes, I have an appointment with Michael Sage?" She said.

"Right this way." The woman smiled at her as she begin to guide her down the hall.

Eyes were on her as she walked down the hall of a few offices. Good god, this place is crazy! Finally she came to a stop at a huge office with a wonderful view outside the windows. It's the biggest office Nikita's ever seen in her whole entire life.

"Mr. Sage?" The woman interrupted the man who was facing the windows in his chair.

He turned around to look at who was addressing him. "What's going on beautiful?" Michael asked.

Nikita rolled her eyes behind the door. Does he call everyone beautiful?

The woman slightly blushed at her boss. "Your one thirty appointment is here."

Michael stood up from his chair and fixed his shirt and loosened his tie. "Send her in please, Allison."

Allison looked back at Nikita and nodded. "Go on in." She told Nikita.

The temperature in the room seemed to have changed the second Nikita's long legs stepped inside Michael's office. She looked so hot rocking a black dress that stopped above her knees with a thin belt around her waist. Her dark hair flew back by the slight breeze of the wind making her look like a goddess.

"Hi." Nikita waved her hands in front of Michael's eyes.

He blinked twice before he was able to stop day dreamin'. "You look- um- dashing."

Nikita smiled. "Gee, you think I look dashing?" She questioned unbelievably "Have you seen the women that works here? They're like a stab of self esteem to me."

Michael chuckled. "I wouldn't say that." He told her as he gestured his hands for her to take a seat. "Please."

Nikita gladly took a seat across his desk. For some reasons she felt like he was at an interview or something.

Or is it an interview?

"Look, when you told me about this job, I didn't know it'd be at a place like this." Nikita begin. "I-I can't work here."

Michael raised his eyebrows. "Why not?" He asked.

"Are you kidding?" Nikita asked. "I don't have experience with those types of things. I mean thanks- but no thanks."

"Whoa, whoa!" Michael put a hand up to stop the panic attack that was going on here. "Sweetheart, it's not like its rocket science." He told her. "Take a deep breath."

Yes, a deep breath. Maybe that's what she needs. She needs to take a deep breath.

"You've got the looks." Michael said.

Nikita rolled her eyes. "Thanks?"

"Can you use a computer?" Michael asked.

"This is the twenty first century, Michael. Of course I can use a computer." Nikita replied.

Michael chuckled again. 'She definitely got the attitude too.' He thought to himself.

"Can you answer the phone?" He asked again.

Nikita nodded. "I think so." She replied.

"Are you good with math?" Michael asked once again.

"Yeah." Nikita said.

Michael looked impressed somehow. He didn't care where she went to school but he'll believe her because she looks smart enough to him. She's not just a pretty face.

"Can you deal with huge numbers and make rational decisions for this company when it's needed?" He asked.

"Absolutely." Nikita replied.

"Can you be nice to people?" Michael asked one last time.

"That's overrated." Nikita said. "But I can try."

Michael shook his head and smiled. "Well I got news for you." He said.

"What?" Nikita asked.

"You're hired." Michael told her. "Welcome to Sage Enterprise."

Nikita was speechless. That's it? No resume needed, no big interviews with difficult questions, no hard time or I'll give you a call and let you know if we're interested in you? That's it? He was just trusting that she could handle whatever job she will be doing in this company.

Literally, that's it!

"W-what?" She asked.

"As a welcome to our company policy," Michael begin as he pulled out what looked like a check book. "We offer our employees a five thousand dollar check in advance for supplies." He told her. "You can use that money for whatever you want. Buy a car, buy clothes… we don't care. It's your money. Do whatever you want with it."

All the word coming out of his mouth sounded unbelievable to Nikita right now. For the first time in her whole entire life she didn't know how to feel about a good situation.

"We're strictly professional and we offer you insurance at any time but we'll get into those papers on Monday when you start." Michael continued as he wrote the check. "This building s'very big so one of our most trusted employees in the building will be giving you a tour and show you how it work around here. Consider Monday be your training day." He said.

Hunh?

"Nikita- hey, Nikita?" Michael called.

When she didn't answer, Michael grew worried and he hurriedly got up from his chair and walked around the desk next to her.

"Hey, you're okay?" He asked as he put a hand on her shoulder.

Nikita tensed up at his touch and finally blinked.

"Do you want something to drink?" Michael asked.

Nikita nodded. "Yes please." She replied in a soft whisper.

"What would you like?" Michael asked.

"Water." Nikita said. "Water will be fine."

Michael pulled the cordless office phone and dialed the secretary's phone extension number.

"Allison, can you do me a favor beautiful?" He asked. "Can you bring a glass of water to my office please?"

"Yes, Mr. Sage." Allison replied.

"Thank you, beautiful."

Nikita's water came and over that one glass of water, she learned so much about how this place runs and what it does in general. Like most enterprises, it deals with overseas contracts, retails, marketing and things that make this world run.

It's by far the biggest job she's ever been hired to do. She doesn't know if this is made for her. She goes from being a bartender for a while to suddenly some type of co-accountant treasurer? That's some scary shit though!

"You'll do great." Michael said. "I believe in you."

"Why am I even hired here?" Nikita asked. "Why do you believe in me?"

"I don't know." Michael replied sincerely. "I saw you that night at the bar and I felt like you deserved more and I know that you'll do everything in your power not to let me down." He told her.

"Why?" Nikita asked again.

"Because even though I don't know you that well, I've already learned one thing about you watching you make drinks for me for two hours a few weeks ago."

Nikita looked confused. "What's that?"

"You didn't know a single thing about those drinks I was asking you to make that night when I had the hundred dollars on the counter but you kept up with me the whole time and you made them and they were the most delicious things I've had." Michael said. "So, this is me, as the CEO of this enterprise, trusting you to help me manage and make this business more successful."

Enough said.

"I'll make sure not to let you down." Nikita told him.

Someone… some stranger she doesn't even know that well but had a weird connection with was trusting her and putting all his faith on her to help his company succeed. This… something like this hasn't ever happen to her.

"I know you won't." Michael said as he pushed the signed check in front of Nikita.

Her hands trembled as she took the check. She looked at it and tried to prevent the tears in her eyes from falling.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Michael smiled. "So I'm starving right now." He said playfully to lighten up the mood in the room.

Nikita chuckled tearfully as she put the check in her purse.

"Surprisingly, me too." She said.

"So what do you say about getting something to eat?" He asked.

"That sounds good." Nikita smiled at him.

"Great." Michael smiled back.

Nikita watched him take his jacket and threw it over his shoulders. He fixed his tie and grabbed his cell phone from the desk.

"Shall we?" He asked as he extended a hand to Nikita.

She took it without any hesitation or whatsoever. "We shall." She said.

They walked to the door together and he opened the door for her.

"After you gorgeous."

This is the start to something new and as nervous as Nikita was, she was excited and now that she's hired to a full time job, it's definitely time to part ways with the bar.

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Well this is it for the chapter. It was a long chapter and I can only hope you guys have enjoyed it. You guys were curious about what job Michael was offering Nikita and I hope that was cleared in this chapter. Now that they'll be working in the same company, we'll see how that's going to work. Anyways, please review and let me know what you guys thought. Until next time, xoxo!