Billionaire Bad Boy

CHAPTER ONE

Kate was sipping her coffee in the break room of the law firm she worked at. She was a legal secretary at one of the top law firms in Los Angeles. She was very good at her job, and was getting paid more than some of the associate attorneys at the firm. Today was February 14th. Valentine's Day. For Kate it brought back some memories that she'd rather forget. 

Five years ago on this very day her life changed. In the long run, Kate thinks her life changed for the better, but at the time, she went through hell until she got to the place she was today. Kate took another sip of her coffee. Her thoughts took her back five years ago that night that would change her life. Kate was beyond happy. She was preparing a Valentine's Day dinner for her fiancé. 

However, when he got home from work, she could tell that something was wrong. Sam kept fidgeting and avoiding eye contact with her. Halfway through dinner, he put his fork down, "I am sorry Kate, I can't marry you." These words changed the direction of Kate's life. These words created a woman who was forced to get out of her comfort zone and become a go getter for lack of a better word. Sam, Kate's boyfriend, fiancé and partner of six years at the time, decided that he could not marry her because he was in love with his assistant. 

Usually, Kate wouldn't let things like this break her. She was tough and had too much  pride to ever beg for a man to stay with her. However, Kate and Sam discovered only two weeks ago that they were expecting a child together. This acted as a catalyst for Sam's decision to leave Kate. 

She was brokenhearted and scared. What was she going to do on her own? How would she be able to go through her pregnancy and have her baby? Thanks to Sam, she gave up her school, her friends, and everyone who ever cared for her. Initially Kate did not realize what was happening. Sam would complain that she did not have time for him, and that her friends were causing problems between them. It came to a point where she had to make a decision. She slowly put distance between herself and her friends so that Sam would stop making her life hell on daily basis. In retrospect, she should have left him then and there. However, she invested so much time and energy in her relationship at that point that leaving him was simply not an option anymore. 

"Kate, I know you probably hate me now, but really, it's for the best. I am not ready to become a dad. I won't be very responsible. I think we were kidding ourselves. Seriously, I am doing both of us a favor. Why don't you just get an abortion, and move on with your life." If looks could kill, then Sam would have been dead on the spot. 

"Are you being serious right now? I can't believe the things that come out of your mouth, you selfish prick! I spent six years of my life with you, and this is how you break up with me?" Kate took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, "You know, thank you Sam. You are right. I am so happy that you're breaking up with me now. I would have hated to have my life tied to someone as spineless as you. Have a great life."

This breakup led to Kate going to school while pregnant, doing a number of things and taking on whatever jobs she could find in order to support herself and her future baby. Somehow she got through it all, and there she was, one of the best legal secretaries in town working for a top law firm. She would never tie her life to a man again, never be dependent on one. 

Her break's over. It's time to get back to work. Her boss, Russel Meyer, was one of the partners of the law firm. He was a gracious man who appreciated her work and valued her services. Mr. Meyer was also close to retiring soon, as he was seventy-two years old. As a legal secretary of the law firm, she was working with several attorneys and assisting them. Mr. Meyer was her primary boss, but there were others that were dependent on Kate's abilities to multitask, pay attention to detail, and do everything else that the attorneys did not want to spend their time on doing. They depended on her when it came to knowing all the rules of the many different courts they dealt with, deadlines, filing procedures, scheduling conferences, depositions and much more. Kate loved her job. She worked really hard for it. 

Approaching her desk, Kate saw a handwritten note on it from her boss, KATE PLEASE SEE ME AFTER YOUR BREAK. NEED TO TALK TO YOU. Notes like this one would have given Kate a nightmare at some point, because she would have thought she was being fired. However, she knew that there was no way she was getting fired. After returning a phone call to an important client, Kate knocked on Russel's door. "Come in, Kate, please have a seat."

"Kate, you are a valued employee at this firm, and you know I depend on you for my day to day activities. However, I am retiring soon, and you need to be assigned a new primary attorney to whom you will report."

"I am aware of your retirement plans, Mr. Meyer. I wish you were staying. I love working for you." 

"I love working with you too Kate, but you know, you might actually enjoy working with a another attorney because they are all younger than me, and do things the new, hip way as you young kids say it."

"Do you know who I am going to primarily work with, or it hasn't been decided yet?"

"I have someone in mind. We all want to offer him a partner position in the firm, and we want to make sure he is happy here. You know Max Brenner, right?"

"Him? You want me to work with him?" Of course Kate knew Max Brenner. There was probably no one who worked in the legal field and did not know Max Brenner. The man was a force to be reckoned with as an attorney. However, as a person, Kate wasn't too sure. Rumors were flying around in the firm that Max was a complete womanizer. 

"Yes Kate. You are the best. We want Mr. Brenner to be happy and satisfied in this firm. He is the biggest asset of our firm now, and we want to keep it that way. You are the best legal secretary, and he will appreciate your services. So as of tomorrow, you are officially working for him. You are to clean your desk, and go to him. He has your office ready for you."