One

THREE MONTHS AGO

Hailey woke up with a start as she heard the sound of her alarm. She was so excited she couldn't control herself.

Getting out of the bed she hurried into the bathroom and took a shower then dressed up in one of her favorite dresses.

She had purchased the cloth from a local merchant last week in preparation for today. She pulled her curtains revealing the sun rays and allowed it to soak up her skin.

She was dressed in a silky red gown that hugged her curves exposing her cleavage a little. She hurried out of her room, her excitement threatening to double her over as she bumped into her best friend and roommate.

“Hailey!” her friend exclaimed, startled.

“Oh, Ciara. I didn't know that you were in the way,” she apologized.

“It’s okay. I guess you're in a hurry,” Ciara nodded, smoothing her skirts.

“Yeah. I'm hurrying to get to work on time,” she replied.

Ciara frowned. “Work? What’s going on? Since when are you so excited to go to work?”

Hailey chuckled. “Since I'm getting my big promotion today!”

Ciara squealed happily. “Wow! You go girl!! I’m so happy for you.”

Hailey giggled as she practically skipped out of her house and made it in time to catch the bus but seeing as today was a special day, she took a taxi straight to work.

She arrived at the office and noticed the busy atmosphere. She exchanged a few pleasantries and then hurried to the boardroom.

She was surprised when she saw her colleagues in the boardroom the meeting was already in full swing.

“I’m sorry I'm late, Miss. Whitmore,” she apologized to her boss.

The slim woman stared at her and then gave her a small smile.

“It’s fine, darling. You're not late.”

Hailey was over the moon in joy. She had been working in this newspaper office for six years now and she has finally gotten her big break.

She could vividly recall the joy on her boss’s face when she gave her the writings on the exclusive of the businessman and how she was so excited to publish it.

That was the story of the century and she had promised her that she would finally get her long-overdue promotion today.

“Thank you, Miss. Whitmore,” she smiled then made to sit down but her boss stepped in the way.

Hailey raised an eyebrow and the woman finally snapped.

Her brown eyes glared at her so hard she felt the woman wanted to incinerate her with her gaze.

“Miss. Whitmore?” she called unsurely.

“You’re fired, Hailey!” the woman snapped.

Hailey blinked like she wasn't hearing properly then stared at her and chuckled.

“This is a prank, right?”

When she noticed the tense atmosphere and the looks everyone was giving they were all avoiding eye contact except her boss who didn't back down as she glared at her.

“I assure you, Miss. Parker no one is in the mood for your jokes!”

Hailey stared at the woman in shock. She didn't look like she was joking, true to her words. But why would she fire her?

“But Miss. Whitmore, why would you fire me? I just gave you the story of the century and you promised you were going to give me my deserved promotion,” she cried.

Her boss scoffed. “You gave me a fake story!”

Hailey’s eyes widened in confusion as she stared at her even more surprised.

This day keeps getting more lovely, she mused sadly.

“I gave you an exclusive story, Miss. Whitmore. My source is genuine,” she replied.

“Genuine my ass!” Miss. Whitmore snapped, “You got played, dumbass.”

“Calm down and explain to me what exactly is going on,” Hailey said quietly.

“My office, Miss. Parker!” her boss snapped.

Hailey scurried after her as she tried to keep up in her heels. She wasn't one for dressing up too much at work but she had thought today would be a special day so why not.

But now, she wasn't so sure anymore.

She entered the office and her boss indicated she should close the door, which Hailey did immediately.

“Miss. Whitmore, I assure you I don't know what you're talking about,” Hailey began.

Miss. Whitmore gave her one look that silenced her. “You were played by Channel 5. They gave you the wrong information and now we’re being sued for ten million dollars for libel and slander.”

Hailey gasped. She didn't want to believe it as she shook her head furiously. It couldn't be true.

Miss. Whitmore stared at her, almost with pity but it vanished immediately and she wondered if she might have imagined it.

She turned on the television and the news played on it. It had accurate information including some information she had discovered herself.

She couldn’t believe that selfish jerk would do this to her!

“I always warned you not to mix business with pleasure but you wouldn't listen,” Miss. Whitmore sneered.

“Miss. Whitmore, you can't fire me. I've invested a lot in this company,” she pleaded.

“You should have thought of that before allowing your boyfriend to screw you over!” her boss countered.

Hailey shook her head, biting her inner cheeks. She had taken money from her savings to buy her dress and take a taxi. She had done some impulsive spending because she was sure with a new post a salary increase would come, then she could finally move out and get her dream house.

But now all her dreams were going down the drain and there was nothing she could do to stop it from crashing.

“Miss. Whitmore, please. There has to be something I can do,” she cried.

“You can always pay the ten million dollars and have your job back,” her boss said.

Hailey shuddered. She was deep in loans from her student loans and some other overdraft she had collected from the bank when she graduated. She couldn't afford ten million dollars.

“I don't have such money,” she said quietly.

“This is New York, baby. The earlier you learn to stand on your own the better for you,” her boss advised then stood up to go.

She handed her the termination letter and Hailey felt like her world was crashing not just her finances now.

“Please, Miss. Whitmore. Give me another chance. I can get you another story,” she pleaded.

Her boss glared at her. “I still have to pay off the ten million dollars debt you've acquired for me. The least you can do is leave this premises and never come back!”

Hailey shook her head. “No, please I can't lose this job. You have to help me. There's gotta be something I can do.”

Suddenly a smile blossomed on her boss's face and she prayed that the heavens had heard her cry too.

“Actually, there is something you can do,” Miss. Whitmore smirked.

“Anything. I'll do anything.”

“You can write a paper on this,” she stated.

Hailey blinked as she stared at the document her boss had pushed into her hands.

“You know I don't write this kind of story,” she groaned.

“Well, you do now.”

Hailey smiled, she still looked clueless but pretended to understand perfectly well.

“I’ll get my sources to work on it right now.”

Her boss shook her head furiously. “I need an exclusive!”

Hailey blinked. “What? But that's almost an impossible task.”

Her boss gave her a bone-chilling smile. “Now that's the fun of it. Get to work darling or get lost!”