Run Away

Chapter 1

The cold wind sent chills down Cathy's back. Her neck craned from left to right, searching for a passing taxi. 

When she finally found a yellow cab, she flagged it down and hopped inside. 

"Where at, miss?" The driver asked with a thick accent. 

She handed him a business card that had her work address on the front in bold black print right next to her name. 

The driver whistled. "Must be rich to work there; I hear they pay a hell load of money." He chuckled and started driving. 

"I own the entire company." Cathy Cole stated lamely. 

The driver's eyes grew wide and he readjusted his rear view mirror to get a better look at her. "You're the Catherine Cole?" He eyed her suspiciously. 

"I prefer Cathy, if you don't mind." She replied with just an ounce of annoyance. 

Everyone just assumed that because she owned some great big company that was in every continent that she appreciated being called by her formal name. 

He just nodded and said nothing.

After a few more minutes of silence, he pulled up at the gate to C.C. Styles, New York division.

"That will be fifteen dollars." The driver said warily.

She handed him a fifty and told him to keep the change before climbing out of the taxi and quickly closing the door.

Before entering the building, Cathy snooped around on the security footage to delete the taxi and her.

No sense in giving the media another reason to call her a fraud.

As soon as someone heard her black seven inch heels cracking against the white marble, that person scrambled into all the sections that she had to pass to get to her office.

When her head peeked into section four, everyone went dead silent and were suddenly very interested in their computer screens and whatever else they were working on.

Cathy had to resist the urge to roll her eyes and laugh at her employees. No matter what was said, they all seemed to think she was some intimidating person that would fire you if you spoke to her.

The media probably didn't help either.

After she passed six more sections -- all with the same monotone atmosphere as section four -- she finally reached her office.

"Good morning, Cathy." Cathy's favourite assistant chimed when she saw her boss.

"Good morning to you as well, Eve. Did you remember my latte? Oh and I forgot to ask you yesterday to schedule a meeting with CEO Tera Daniels." Cathy smiled when she saw the look on Eve's face at the onslaught of chores. "I'm in no rush for the meeting, but I would like my latte." As soon as she said it, she looked like the weight of the world was lifted from her shoulders.

"Yes, ma'am. I have your latte on your desk and I'll start working on that meeting schedule." Eve said before hurrying down the hall to the fax room.

Even though she knew it was inevitable, Cathy was dreading the meeting with Tera Daniels. For the past three months, Tera had been feeding the media lies about the work everyone does around here.

It wasn't until last week that Cathy's lawyers had traced it back to her unfaithful CEO. At first, Cathy was ready to bust down the doors to Tera' s office, but she knew that wouldn't get her anywhere, so she took a few days to cool down.

Cathy pushed aside the distraction and logged into her computer.

She had only one unchecked email.

We are pleased to hear that the Indie Clothing Line will be replaced with a Nature Clothing Line of accessories. However, we will need to receive confirmation of this exchange by Catherine Cole, founder and head of CEO. Thank you.

The email was signed by one of their divisions in Europe.

"What the hell?!" Cathy muttered angrily.

She furiously looked to see who the email was shared with and was shocked to see that it read Peter Adams.

Peter had been a loyal and long lasting employee of C.C.  Styles for almost ten years now. How could he do something like that and forget to mention it to her?!

With a sharp exhale of air, she dismissed the situation to focus on the other fashion department.

"Ma'am, you have a visitor." Mary Rosslyn, the secretary, said after she briskly tapped on Cathy's glass doors.

Cathy lifted my head to look at Mary. She was short and pudgy with hair that came to the bottom of her neck. Her skin was wrinkled due to old age and hours basking in the sun in her younger years.

Cathy stood and walked with her down to the front foyer.

There on the bench, sat a man with thinning black hair that surrounded his face with sideburns and a short beard. He was average height and his skin was Caucasian white. He was dressed in a black suit with cuffa, indicating that it was overly expensive and he had expendable money.

"I'm Eddie Foss and my assistant, Sahobi Grant, is outside. I'm here regarding the newest media issue." He declared.

Irritation flickered through Cathy at his last comment.

"I apologize, but I am unaware of this new media issue." Cathy finally said.

"Doesn't introduce herself and shows no respect toward a man of power." He retorts with a sneer.

Cathy glowered at him. "You know who I am and I know your type. I have no respect for what you do behind closed doors to that woman you call assistant." At Cathy's remark, his face goes red.

"Now you listen here --" Cathy cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"No, you listen here. You are the type that gets money and spends it hiring whores, and buying unneseecary items. I have no respect for your habits and unless you truly are here on business, get out. Because no matter how much you offer, I'm not selling any of my colleges to you." She snapped.

"Even Tera Daniels?" He asked, eyeing Cathy with a taunting gleam in his eyes.

"Get out. Security, make sure his security clearance is denied until further notice." Cathy said before turning around and walking away.

She was just so fed up in what everyone those days! How could anyone even...

Her thought was caught off by Eve, running as fast as she dared in her heels, toward her.

"One of the lawyers just called and they told me something that I'm sure you don't want discussed out here." Her words jumble together in her haste to get Cathy out of the open.

Eve led her boss down to the safe room and closed the door behind them.

"What the hell is going on?!" Cathy demanded.

"Someone hired a hit man to have you killed."