A feeling of being secure and contentment was shown in Jayde's demeanor once she walked into the building in the morning ready for another tiring day of work. Nich was even surprised himself with a change in his dear friend. "You had amazing didn't you?" Jayde sat in her desk and smiled at him. "Something better." Nich let the topic go since he knew it was and she was just trying to avoid the topic. A couple hours passed, Nich and Jayde were busing going over plans, contracts, just plain paper work. When the secretary knocked on the door and let Jayde know she had a visitor. "Well who is it?" Jayde asked the secretary who looked perplexed. Then in came Hazel, Jayde and Nich both looked at each other confused. Jayde took off her glasses and dismissed Nich and the secretary. Hazel was dressed up and it confused Jayde as to what she is doing in her office. 

"Yes, may I help you?" Jayde looked up at her sister from her office loveseat. Hazel walked around the office looking and touching the furniture. "What a nice office, do I get one too?" Hazel tone of voice was different from the usual, it sounded less delicate and more confident as well as her body talk. 

Jayde was trying to figure out what she wanted but just assumed she was being childish. "Well yes, if you start working."

"Then I guess I'd be getting mine in no time." Hazel turned to look at her sister trying to figure out what she meant. 

"You'll be working?" Jayde asked.

"Yes."

"How?"

"Well I talked to daddy and I'm assigned to the visual merchandise floor, I'll be the leader in the upcoming projects after all I did gradute as a honor student and was the most talented in my class. I know what I'm doing so no need to check up on me sister."  Hazel sat down across from her sister. 

Jayde was surprised as to where she finally got the brains to work. "What about your lover?"

Hazel gulped down the sadness that overcame her when she thought about him. "We broke it off."

Jayde raised her eyebrow as if she was stunned when in reality she was thinking that TOP was awfully fast. She stood up and fixed her suit. "Well then great you finally realized that you belong here, welcome to the company Miss Lee." Jayde extended her hand out waiting for Hazel to shake it, Hazel looked at her sister with uncertainity but eventually stood up and shook her hand. "It's nothing Miss president."  

Jayde walked over to her phone desk asking for Nich to come in.

Nich came in after knocking. "This is Nich..." Jayde intorduced him, Hazel took his hand for a handshake. "...the senior executive vice president, I assume you've seen him before?" Hazel nodded her head, Jayde then directed her attention to her friend. "Nich this is Miss Hazel Lee, she will be the section head at the designing department." Nich gave Jayde an amaused look. "Welcome Miss Lee." "My pleasure." Hazel kept a poker face. "I'll be going then, got a lot on my hands."

After Jaydes sister left she called in Chan to go over paper work with Nich. They soley focused on getting plans organized and the schedule planned for the upcoming week. They always prepare ahead, it's an essential yet sensitive habit needed in their line of work. After spending the whole day going over proposals they called in the night with chinese take out. 

"So what's this thing going on with Hazel suddenly wanting to work? I thought she hated it?" Chan asked confound to the idea. "Well I'm not sure myself, all we know is she walks in Jaydes office wanting to work." Nich comments back. 

Jayde finished looking over some papers and speaks up. "I don't know what got into that child but do me a favor guys and try to help her in anything." She picks up her chopsticks begining to eat. 

"Will do." Nich answers. 

"Don't you find it out of place though?" Chan curiosity starts to kick in. "One day she's ready to get married, next day she makes a fool out of you and now she wants to suddenly work?"

"Would you do me the honors Nich." 

"Will do." He responded back to Jayde and slapped the back of Chan's head. 

"Chan for once would believe in her actions, try to get along with her afterall you will be seeing each other often." 

Chan only rolled his eyes and nodded. 

"Oh and by the way how was LA?" Nich asked Jayde. 

"Well the usual, boring." 

"Did you hear about the death of Marino?" Nich watched Jayde for unusual behavior.

"Who?"

Chan responded to Jayde. "One of the leaders of child traficking in downtown LA, he got killed along with his crew and a couple children."

Jayde had a little itch that maybe Nich believes it was her but like the pro that she is she shook it off. "I heard a little bit but whoever did went overboard with the children." 

"Well someone told me that those children are better off dead then going back to where they belong."

Chan interupted this time. "Jayde, didn't you say that." He crooked his head to the side faking his clueless comment knowing quite well that Jayde did comment on that matter once. 

"Yes, yes I do recall saying that." She responded like nothing. From a third point of view to this conversation one could simple point out all three were playing an indirect game, because  all three best friends made comments that held truth. A truth that can't be spoken outloud or admit to it.

≈♦≈

Friends with benefits would explain the realationship between Jayde and TOP but that was childish title as to what both grown adults would have named it. They would keep on meeting for the lust and excitement in it, maybe a hint of caring was shown but not fully. It was the month after meeting him in the way they do she decided to make it once again clear to him. 

Both were in her apartment done with their deed and she was dressing herself, went out to her balcony and sat there wrapped up in a blanket smoking in the night. TOP had woken up and saw her no where around, he would be lying if he didn't feel some type of fear because he did, what if she had a mental break down like a month ago or worse. He felt shivers and saw the slide doors were open to the balcony he saw her figure and felt relieved. Jayde picked up her phone from her lap and brought it to her ear. TOP's cellphone rang next to him and he picked it up. 

He heard the wind whistle before he spoke, he knew something was wrong. "Yes, Jayde." He stared at her back as if he was looking at her face to face. 

"I'm using you." Jayde's rapsy voice responded. 

TOP sighed and he felt cheated but he had already known. "I know."

"You're okay with me sleeping with other men?"

He felt like she was pushing him away but he didn't want to let go of her. "No, I'm not okay but if that's the only way to get close to you then use me to release your sual frustration." 

She felt a tiny bit bad inside to his frank comment. "Well the door is always open for you to leave, so go but If you stay you aren't going to be the only one in my bed." Of course Jayde was forcing him to go, she wanted him to escape from her. She wants him to isolate himself from her. Jayde's not some dumb girl she's aware of what's she doing and that TOP is a good man, a great man, any women would die to have him what she just can't understand is why...why does he persist on her when shes the worst. This isn't a place for him to enjoy what he's looking for it's far from it. She's a mess with a price, and her months are counted.