Chapter 4: More Like A Man

"Oh geez, just as I thought...You look like crap. Like you've been married 25 years to that woman."

"Oh come on, Vicky isn't so bad"

"Hey, don't forget I've dealt with her in the past."

"For like, 3 seconds maybe!"

Graham always liked making fun of Gary when he'd speak of his history with Victoria. Years before Graham ever hooked up with Victoria, Gary and her shared a class in university. He tried asking her out and she rejected him in a way no man had been rejected before. From that point forward, Gary was never too obvious when he would try to get a girl and was also a serial dater.

"Yeah, yeah, you're my hero for getting the girl, but I could've predicted this outcome. She's a bitch, just can't help it, can't fight it."

"She's a strong woman, big difference."

"I've known strong women that didn't have even half her attitude. She's bringing it to another level. She believes she's better than everyone else and that probably includes you. Wake up! You should be celebrating now that she's gone. I'm gonna start working to bringing out the player in you. He has to be hiding somewhere in there."

Graham was very different from Gary; he didn't enjoy casual encounters very much. He didn't even want to get over Victoria for the moment and yet part of him was considering Gary's view. Victoria wasn't the nicest person he knew, far from it. Her selfishness contrasted with his generosity. She could be rude, cruel, and heartless. Even when conducting business; Graham wasn't half as vicious as Vicky would sometimes be with just anyone who would get in her way or even not.

"What if I'm a little angry...Not at her, mostly at myself...well maybe her also."

"I'd say we're getting somewhere, Graham, let's turn you more into a man. I'm thinking night out in a classy club, sexy ladies all around, all you need to get your mind off things. Only the best, for you."

"That's not me and you know it. Thanks for the offer but I'll pass. An anger management class will be more indicated for all that's boiling inside me for the moment."

"Hey, she's just a phone call away, I can dial."

Gary laughed, he was getting a kick out of the situation, maybe Victoria Lane would finally get what was coming to her and maybe, just maybe Graham would wake up and act more like a man.

"So, what will it be? You call Victoria to tell her what you really think of her or you call that sexy friend of yours, your secretary?"

"Alice? You find her sexy? I've never even considered her as anything more than a friend and, of course, a trusty employee."

"Enough of this, you need to get in touch with your masculine side. We're talking about Alice here! That sexy brunette you get to work with everyday. This will sound crude, but how could you not notice her ass in those tight black pants she wears every once in a while? I don't come by your office often and with one visit, I noticed. She's very "girl next door" but in a sexy kind of way. She brings it to a new level."

"Gary, you sound like a predator, you stay away from her."

They both laughed.

"She wouldn't want me anyways, she only has eyes for you. Now you listen to me, write this day down because it is the day when you finally forget about Victoria. Almost every girl out there wants you, I'd kill to be in your shoes so please, make the best out of it. You're calling Alice; we're picking her up in the limo in an hour. Tonight is the night."

Once he had his mind set on something, it was impossible to stop him and Graham knew better. He'd tag along and find any excuse to leave as soon as he could. He had a bad feeling about the outcome of the night.

Fifth Chapter: December 4th--- A Night Out

Anything goes

Chapter 3: Breaking The News

Mandy tried hard not to laugh. Keshia was totally shocked.

"You mean, the house, this house, is all yours for a year? "

"Yes it is, Keshia, weren’t you listening? Graham needs a backbone. I’m with you on this one, Victoria! Enjoy it, a year goes by fast. You don’t want to have to get back to him because you couldn’t find a suitable replacement. "

Victoria and Mandy both laughed, Keshia didn’t. Her best friends couldn’t be more different. Well, she couldn’t be. She was basically the group’s brain, the grounded one. Sure she had a wild side or else she’d never be able to keep up with the girls, but she was generally nice and well intentioned.

"I can’t bad-mouth Graham, he’s always been nice to you, Victoria. I still don’t understand why you’d break up with him. Let alone take advantage of him like that."

"Listen, Keshia, you are such a nice girl. Unfortunately, like I’ve been telling you forever, nice people get walked on. I will not be walked over and certainly don’t want a man who will be. I am NOT interested in wearing the pants in a relationship. This is how it felt with Graham.

You know I like man with power, to me, Graham was barely a man. The same furious energy he puts in his work when negotiating, he doesn’t apply in life. What attracted me to him: his energy and power, so sexy. But instead of dating a “real man”, one with raw and vibrant masculinity, I was dating a teddy bear. Graham is a lot of things but definitely not the guy for me. "

"I still think you should have given this more thought. I’m sure he’s so nice for fear of losing you. His mother left when he was very young, a part of him probably feels that he’s responsible and that’s why he acts like that, I’m pretty sure he believes that in order to keep a woman around, he has to be nice, dedicated, patient and whatever other qualities he demonstrated while he was with you. Vicky, he’s perfect! "

Victoria and Mandy exchanged a look before bursting out in laughs.

"Wow, Keshy, honey, maybe you should start dating him. Vicky had her reasons to leave him and we should respect that. Of course she totally lacks class and dumped him like a pile of shit, but she won’t change. I’m with her on this one, maybe you think Graham is perfect, but he is not in her eyes, not in mine either. An angry man, can be so sexy, I totally feel for Vicky. Too nice equals not so sexy. "

"Speaking of sexy men, I could use one drooling over me right now. Graham rejecting me kind of hurt my ego. Especially when, for a second, I actually got a glimpse of the kind of man he could be. So get the phones girls, I wanna party with some sexy men tonight. "

" Vicky, you’ll never change. "

Saying that, Keshia hoped for maybe the millionth time, she’d be wrong. Sure Graham was always accommodating, never got mad in three years of relationship. Even when he caught Victoria in what totally seemed like a situation where she cheated. Always calm and rational, nice and patient. That was the only way to be if you wanted to deal with Victoria anyways.

" I just hope you won’t live to regret it. "

" Regret what? "

" Leaving Graham. "

" Ok, enough of this Keshy! Girls, grab your phones and start dialing! "

Mandy hated wasting time; she was a girl of action. She couldn’t understand why Keshia wouldn’t let go. Sure, she liked Graham; they all did but why dwell on Vicky leaving him? She also wanted to avoid Vicky getting pissed, which might have happened if she hadn’t cut Keshia’s non-sense. Another crazy night of dance and booze should fix it all. In a flash, she had sent out a dozen SMS, and made a few phone calls. They definitely wouldn’t be partying alone. Especially now that they were all single.

" Let’s make a toast, girls: To us being hot and single. "

Now that was a toast! Mandy’s style. The night would be great, a thought they all shared.

Fourth chapter: November 27th---More Like A Man

Introduction of Gary, Graham's best friend
Graham's point of view...

Chapter 2: Life Goes On

Alice smiled when Victoria walked passed her. She couldn't stand her. That girl thought she was irresistible and acted like everyone else was below her. Alice had to admit the girl was pretty, in a very caricatural way. Long blond hair, blue eyes, long fit legs...Victoria looked like a model. Alice sighted, she knew she was no competition.

Very conscientious, Alice had been working for Graham Bill from the beginning seven years ago, when he was a nobody. More than a secretary she was also a friend. She totally disapproved of his relationship with Victoria but again; she was in no position to tell him what to do. When they started dating, Alice thought it wouldn't last and yet, it had been three years already. Three years of having to deal with his girlfriend's superior looks.

Alice never felt as humiliated as the first time Victoria tried entering Graham's office unannounced. Alice stopped her; she made such a scene everyone on the floor rushed to see. Graham told Alice under no circumstances should Victoria be announced. She almost quit, she felt like a fool. He later apologized so nicely; it was hard not to forgive him.

"I wonder what she wanted this time."

Every time Victoria would step in the office it'd rarely be for business. The few times it would, she’d always want  a favour, like an extension on an important account. Victoria was as incompetent as she was beautiful. Most of the time, Graham would tell her not to worry and hand out the work to another agent rushing them to finish on keeping the original deadline. Publicity is a tough world; Victoria wouldn't have survived in it for a week if it weren't for Graham.

He stepped out of the office visibly upset, she wanted to offer a listening ear but whenever Victoria was involved, it was hard. Truth be told, for the seven years she had been working with Graham, she had been in love with him for five of them. Very respectful of their professional relationship, she thought it was preferable to let this love die quietly. Already being friends with the boss was unusual for her.

" Maybe Graham won't care to talk about it..."

Just as Alice made up her mind and decided not to ask and let it go, Graham asked her if she'd join him for coffee. He really needed a friend. He had to vent about his feelings towards Victoria, badly.

"I can't believe that girl's nerve! And Graham, how could you be so nice?"

"I don't know...I love Victoria, everything about her, the good and the bad. I love her one moment, I hate her the next but it's always so intense and I just can't refuse her anything."

"Graham, you're like a toy she plays with. I'm telling you this as a friend. I don't want to bad-mouth Victoria but she takes you for granted and believes that it's as easy as: "I shoot, I score," whenever it has to do with you. She knows you'll never refuse her anything and she's taken advantage of that over and over again. She made you a favor. Probably the only thanks you'll ever get from her."

He looked so lost, how could such a powerful man be turned into a puppet in the hands of one woman was beyond her. She'd told him all she had to tell. Alice didn't care if she'd later regret it. She just wanted to believe one day, he'd see Victoria for who she truly was.

"Would you dine with me tonight, Alice?"

"Huh...I guess so, yes."

"Thanks, you're such a good friend, I don't want to be alone."

"You'll never be alone Graham."

This was her, another nice person. While it killed her to hear the object of her affection speaking of another girl all the time, she just couldn't say no. First and foremost, he was a friend she couldn't let down.

Third chapter: November 20th---Breaking the news

Introduction of new characters, Keshia and Mandy, Victoria's best friends...
Break-up explanation

Chapter 1: The Break Up

Victoria went to Graham's office mid-afternoon, she had taken her decision. As always, she didn't knock, somehow it never annoyed him even when he was in the middle of a meeting. He got up when he saw her, she thought he was a true gentleman. He gave her a big hug and flashed that big smile she now hated.

"Victoria, I am so happy to see you!"

"Really, why is that?"

"I just had a talk with Ashley, our wedding planner"

"Oh, well, save your breath, I'm not marrying you! Not now, not ever."

She thought it was pretty straightforward but had never been known as a girl who’d take her time. He choked a bit while replying.

"Wh...What? I mean, aren't you happy? I love you, Victoria, I'd do anything for you. What is it that you want?"

She had to admit she was being very cruel, a real bitch. It was as if, somehow, she had developed all the wickedness he didn't have. She looked at him straight into the eyes and simply said:

"Well, you out of sight would be interesting..."


Getting dumped is hard, especially that way. He got off his chair when she entered the room, now he got back to it chair and then sat...slowly. Didn't say a thing. Victoria didn’t care that the silence was just agonizing to Graham. To her they were no details to work on, except maybe the fact that she was still working for him, but hell, even her job she could no longer stand at that point.

Graham Bill, a name Victoria found very ridiculous, one of the world's most eligible bachelor’s, would be back on the market very soon. “Rich, handsome and EXTREMELY nice,” she thought, “Good luck to anyone he ends up with.”


"Victoria, I can't let you go..."

His voice was breaking. He was so sweet she couldn’t understand how he built such an empire.

"I'd like you to think this over, for as long as you have to"

"It's done, Graham, I don't need to think about it, I don't need you, this job, this life"

Victoria thought: “Am I pushing? Man, I am being mean.”

"Listen, Victoria, I will move out my things from the house and I want you to stay, I'll go to the apartment until you change your mind."

The house in question was a 6 bedrooms Spanish style house Graham had built less than a year ago. Equipped with a huge pool, Jacuzzi hot tubs, private bathrooms; the house was a dream. A few months before, four to be exact, Graham had brought Victoria to this house where they were supposed to live happily ever after, yeah, she’d definitely miss the house but not for romantic reasons. Victoria figured it could be worthwhile to discover how long the offer would last.


"And for how long exactly would you be willing to wait, Graham? It would be interesting to know just how much time you'd give up for me."

"Victoria?! I don't recognize you...Why? What's wrong?"

Manipulation was the main word. She now wanted the house. Badly.

"Graham, maybe you're right, I need to think. I just need to know you'll be out of my hair while I think. Coming to work here for starters will be hard as well."

"Of course, I understand, listen, take a year off. You’ll have your job back after, if you want it or any other that you want. Don’t worry about your expenses; they’re all on me. I’ll try not to call much or visit. I might send you a little message once in a while, I want you to remember I care..."

Victoria wasn't listening anymore at that point. Wow, a year! Having the house all for herself for a year, living the single life again with a nice twist. No Graham, no work and yet, money. When some people would consider her to be a gold digger, she saw herself more like a girl who knew how to seize wonderful opportunities.

"I'll take your offer. One year to think."

She wanted to say something nice, anything, but then she saw he was about to cry. Not wanting to handle that for the moment, this was her exit cue. Yet, she walked towards him, he stood up.

Victoria ran a hand through his hair; he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to his strong muscular body. She was losing control, she had planned on giving him a kiss he'd never forget and make sure at least for that entire year, he'd be hers and instead, he was taking the lead.

He kissed her gently and then more angrily, hmm...she didn't think he had it in him. Now she was running mad with desire and the kissing was getting more and more intense. He was pulling her closer as if that were possible, was touching her like never before. She let out a moan, she was ready to go for it, right here in his office, he was hard, he wanted it bad too.

"Make love to me Graham."

Victoria could've kicked herself for saying that. It also seemed to take Graham away from wherever it is his mind was. He pulled away, turned back and simply said.

"Goodbye Victoria, I'll be waiting."

She had never been rejected before, not her. But he was about to cry, she heard it in his voice, not sexy...and yet not enough to turn off the heat. With all the dignity she had left, she stepped out of Graham's office, single and awfully turned on. Very unexpected, she didn't know he had that fury in him, a real turn on. What was she suppose to do now? There was no way she could go back to jump on him now; she had just dumped him. That was so unfair. What a start!

Second chapter: November 13th---Life Goes On

Introduction of a new character, Alice, Graham's secretary...