MARKIAN WAS my ride home, and by the time I entered my apartment, it was almost midnight. I stripped out of everything, and headed into the shower, washing away a long, confusing night. When I was finished, I grabbed my towel, and dried my skin, while looking at myself in the full-length mirror in my bathroom.
I didn't think that I was unattractive. I just wished that I had enough confidence to feel my best everyday. There was nothing wrong with a few extra pounds, but after dating certain men in my past, they led me to believe that I wasn't good enough unless I had the perfect figure.
I got into bed, and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes. My brain needed to shut down so that I could get some sleep, else I'd be a walking zombie at work the next day.
"MISS MASTERS, you're two o'clock is in the conference room waiting," my assistant, Meggie, opened my office door, and walked in. She handed me a clipboard with the client's details, "don't forget you have a meeting with the partners at three thirty. I hear McConnon is replacing the head of the Chicago office."
"Yeah, him and his big ideas," I looked through the pages, already knowing what the case was about.
"He's sending a partner from here, I hear. I hope it's not you. I'd miss you too much."
"You could always come with me, Meg," I looked up at her. Of course, I was joking. Meggie annoyed me more than she helped me.
She smiled widely, "hopefully, he sends someone like Wong or Jones, you know, the obnoxious bunch."
"He won't send Jones. They're too far up each others asses, so they're incapable of being apart."
"I heard they've been doing it ever since last year's Christmas Party."
Meggie was my go-to person when it came to anyone's business. I sometimes enjoyed indulging in the wonders of other peoples' lives, but some days, I wasn't in the mood. But she was always in the mood, and it became quite annoying to listen to her go on and on about things that I already knew.
Everyone knew that McConnon slept with almost every woman that he could. Well, except for Jones, I assumed. If she thought that she was the only one getting a go at him, she was delusional.
"I'm not in the mood for chit chat, Meg. And I have to deal with this divorce you've ever so gracefully reminded me of."
I took a deep breath and stood, "right, I'll just get back to work."
I hoped that she understood me enough to know that sometimes I didn't want to chat. She reminded me of myself actuallyâI was once like herâdefensive and new to the male dominated business world. But I wasn't that fragile girl anymore, at least not when I was on the clock.
I composed myself, and made my way to the conference room, "Mrs. Lance, it's nice to meet you."
I shook her hand, and sat down on the chair opposite hers, "Alyssa Masters, right?"
"Correct. How are you doing?"
"It's just been one of those days," I couldn't imagine the divorce process being easy.
"That's why I'm here to help. I'm committed to my clients, and whatever they need, even if it's a napkin."
I pulled out a tissue from the box, and handed it to her, "it's been a rough couple of months, but it's just something that I have to deal with," she said.
"I see. Is there anything that you believe I need to know before we get started?"
"I'm not going to share custody of our children. I need full custody, that's all I want."
"And I'll make sure of it."