Chapter One

I lay awake in bed, still slightly hung over from the night before. After spending the night wooing business associates of my father, the kind of perverse older men that enjoy hitting on much younger women, I needed a drink to forget the slimy feel of hands lingering where they shouldn’t. My best friend Kenzie was more than happy to oblige and now here I am, splitting headache and all. Just as I am about to doze off again the shrill ringtone I have assigned to my father wakes me.

“Ah Victoria, as always the men enjoyed your company last night. They offered me an extra two percent on the price of our fuel!” My fathers excited voice trills down the line.

Internally groaning, I respond “That’s great Dad, but I’m a little busy at the moment. Can I call you back in a few hours?”

“Now Victoria we both know that you have yet to leave your bed this morning. But I guess I can leave you to it. I have another meeting in ten minutes anyway.”

“Bye Dad” I doubt he even heard that as the line goes dead.

Sighing, I reluctantly roll out of bed. The fact he knew I was still here grates on my nerves. It either means I have become predictable or it means he is somehow keeping track of me. For my sanity I choose to believe it is the former. I stand and stretch my arms up over my head. For once I wish Dad would actually let me do something meaningful for the company. I do have a business degree after all.

Shaking my head, I brush my long, blonde hair out of my face. Feeling the grease built up in it I decide upon having a shower. Hopefully it will make me feel human.

Before heading to the bathroom I stop off in my slightly less than modern kitchen and grab some OJ out of my not so quiet fridge to get rid of the cotton mouth I'm suddenly feeling.

Once more on my way to the bathroom, I quickly grab a towel out of the dryer and continue on my way.

Stripping down, I take a quick glance in my mirror to see the extent of the damage done by the alcohol last night. Mascara and eyeliner are smeared around my eyes giving me an appearance similar to a panda. However, the dark colours smudged around my eyes makes the blue really pop. Reaching into the shower cubicle, I turn the water on as hot as it can possibly go. The building I live in is rather old so it becomes hit and miss whether or not the hot water will actually work on any given day. As steam fills the small room, I let out a breath in relief. Steam is always the best sign. Placing my towel on the counter top I step under the running water and my shoulders instantly drop as the water relaxes all my tense muscles. I swear every conversation with my father puts me on edge. I think he only ever sees me as a means to an end. Not as someone worthy of the last name Stratos.

My father had never hidden the fact that he always wished he had had a son. Instead he was stuck with me, a lowly daughter. My father had an overall low opinion of women. How my mother stood him for the ten years they were married will always astound me. But since her death three years ago things have definitely gotten worse. For starters, he stopped funding my creative writing diploma and instead forced me to go to business school. This followed a strict food and exercise regime, of which alcohol was most definitely discouraged. Finally I am now made to attend those demeaning dinners with his business associates and flirt my fathers way into a better deal. But until I turn 25 in just over a year's time there is not a lot I can do. Once that happens my mother's trust and shares in the company fall to me and I will be able to do as I wish. Until then I have to grin and bear it as my father controls the purse strings, and as per the terms of the trust - if he finds me incapable or unworthy in any way, everything will go to him and I can’t let that happen.

As these thoughts run through my mind, I lather shampoo through my hair.Suddenly the water turns cold and I squeal with the shock of it. Quickly rinsing the suds off, I turn off the now frigid water and step out, wrapping the towel around my body.

I really need to find a new place, before this one becomes the death of me.

But this won’t happen until Dad sees my worth. It is the whole reason I still try with him.