A Billion Reasons to Be Homeless

The mood was merry, the weather gorgeous, and her man was by her side. Alana Goodwin's life had never been more fulfilling than it had been now. She and her boyfriend Kole were visiting his hometown of Jezebel Falls, as they tried to do every month. The inhabitants of this small town were the closest thing Kole had to a family, and after being away for years while struggling on the streets of the big city, he was anxious to make up for lost time.

Paul, Kole's closest friend, was recounting an embarrassing story from their childhood. "Kole was halfway up the tree that just five minutes earlier he bragged he could reach the top of without trouble. At this point, he was making little progress and moving slow as a slug upwards."

"My arms were tired. That's all," Kole said in his defense.

"Didn't you just tell me how you won the school's pull-up contest every single year," Alana said, teasing him.

"Maybe I was tired from practicing pull-ups earlier in the day...," Kole said quietly.

"Uh-huh. Well, eventually, even that slow progress stopped, and he was now just frozen mid-way up this large oak. I yelled, asking what was wrong, and he just shook his head. Anything I asked, he just shook his head. I went and got his parents, and he answered them the same way," Paul said, continuing his story.

Three months ago, when we became a couple, Alana would have been worried hearing someone mentioning Kole's parents would send him to a place of despair. After all, they perished tragically when he was eighteen, and their deaths are what caused his life to spiral, leading to his homelessness. But Kole had been working hard with a therapist, and through a lot of tears and self-reflection, he was in a much better place. He had more progress to make, but she was proud of him for making it this far.

"You're afraid of heights, Kole? That makes no sense. You flew us in your plane here," Alana questioned.

"I'm not afraid of heights! I said I was tired and needed a rest in that tree. Also, my foot was stuck. Besides, in a plane, I'm not in danger of a branch breaking and sending me falling to the ground below. Not that I was scared of that happening," Kole said. Something about the sight of this highly muscular man defending his honor against a fear of a tree was highly amusing to Alana.

"His parents had no other option but to call the fire department. Except the normal crew was helping put out a barn fire in the next county over. So they sent over one of their retired ex-firefighters. A sixty-eight-year-old woman who probably weighed 110 pounds at most. She moved the ladder to the tree and slowly climbed up and eventually got the shaking Kole to come with her down the ladder. He hugged her afterward. It was so cute," Paul said, finishing his story.

"Awww, that's adorable," Alana said, going in for her own hug with Kole, who begrudgingly accepted.

"Thanks for that, Paul. Now that the story is done, we can move on to other topics," Kole said anxiously.

"But it's not done, is it Kole?" Paul said with a devious smile.

"Paul....," Kole said, giving his friend an annoyed look.

"Cause it happened twice more, didn't it? Each time requiring the fire department."

"Twice? How? Why?" Alana exclaimed.

Kole sighed and knew the cat was out of the bag. "I kept telling myself I could do it, but I kept... getting my foot stuck. Like I said. It was an extremely difficult climb."

"His parents finally had to put up a locked fence around it to keep him away. Maybe you should give it a shot, climbing it now? It would be a metaphorical symbol of you entering adulthood." Paul teased

"I'm twenty-seven years old, Paul. Besides... I don't want to get my nice clothes dirty," he said sheepishly. Paul and Alana both eyed the ratty t-shirt and jeans he wore and smiled. But they both conceded they had met their quota of Kole teasing for the day.

"Is that asshole Franklin in prison yet," Paul asked, changing the tone of the conversation. Franklin was a partner who had worked for Alana at her company and had nearly got the board to kick her out if she hadn't found proof he was committing fraud.

"He's out on bail until his trial in a few months. But he's under close supervision, including his electronic monitoring. His brother, though, is another story. He's still out there, and that worries me the most," Alana explained.

"He sent us some threatening messages, which we turned over to the police, but that's the last anyone has heard of him," Kole added. Franklin's brother, John, was his partner in crime. As part of their attempted fraud, John had bought a lumber mill in town that they wanted Alana's company to buy at a highly inflated price. Kole and Alana had a run-in with him here in town, but he managed to escape.

"John's going to try something. It's not a matter of if but when and how," Alana said. Her life would be perfect if not for this one loose end. While she wasn't expecting him to simply try and attack her some time, she was expecting something.

"Enough about that, I've heard Kole and you have successfully changed your company's strategy," Paul said, changing the subject.

"We just merged a previously failing cardboard manufacturer and marketing firm into a one-stop packaging solution company aimed at toys. Already, they've beaten their previous profit forecast. Now that we've proven this method can work, we are rapidly increasing our acquisitions to merge more companies together. And it's all thanks to this lug of muscles," Alana said, giving a playful punch to her boyfriend.

"My idea would be dead in the water if it weren't for this woman's negotiation abilities. The previous owner of the marketing firm went from wanting to strangle her for daring to make an offer to inviting us to his daughter's wedding. But that shouldn't surprise me. She is the girl that got me to agree to help in order to get my life back on track." Hearing him say that, Alana couldn't help but lean in for a kiss, which was happily accepted.

The two lovers continued to enjoy their getaway from the hectic city life, but the following morning, they returned to the city via Kole's family crop duster. Its days of treating farms were long gone, but it was now the couple's preferred mode of travel. Once they arrived back, they headed to the Goodwin Acquisitions headquarters in the city. There, they had a regularly scheduled meeting with the company's board where they would seek approval for new acquisitions and learn about the status of others.

"Ms. Goodwin, Mr. Braun. I hope you are doing well today," the head of the board asked, kicking off the meeting. But before they could answer, he got right into business. "I regret to inform you that the cement manufacturer you had previously negotiated the buying of has fallen through. As has the shipment company that we approved the acquisition of last week. This is happening more often and is beginning to seriously impact our profits," he said, distressed.

An analyst took the liberty of speaking up. "We've just discovered that it's the same company that has been stealing these acquisitions from us by offering competing deals to them. They're fairly new. West Island Procurement. They're based right here in the same city as us," she explained.

"It seems they are specifically targeting the exact same companies we are. Records show them as relatively small, so it seems they are purely focused on undermining us," a board member commented, taking a look at the documents the analyst had put together.

"I don't like this. Find out who is running the show at West Island Procurement. And fast," Alana commanded. She had already formed a hypothesis about why they were being targeted but kept that to herself for now.

"Maybe we need to re-think going back to our old way of doing business," the head board member said.

"No!" Alana cried out, being more emotional than she intended. She took a second to compose herself before replying further. "What I mean to say is this is just a bump in the road. We overcome it and stay the course."

Her days of running a company that prayed and tore apart companies and people's lives were over. This new model of turning failing companies around by strategically merging them was what she wanted to do from now on. It's what her love had inspired her to do. Giving up now would feel like she was giving up on Kole. She would rather this whole business collapse than see that happen.

They continued business as usual, however this new rival company was always at the top of her mind. At dinner that evening with Kole, she voiced this concern. "Businesses don't do this. You don't form and then solely focus on competing against a single other company. Many other businesses are doing the same thing we are, even within this city. Yet it's rare for any of them to end up trying to acquire the same single company we are, let alone all of them. Someone is trying to send us a message. A warning. Or worse," Alana said worryingly.

For the majority of their meal together, this was the sole topic she brought up, which concerned Kole. "There's nothing we can do about it now. How about we focus on relaxing and enjoying our meal," he suggested.

Alana then got a call from her analyst, who she had instructed to contact her the second she learned anything. "What if you let it go to voicemail, and we worry about this tomorrow, Alana," Kole suggested.

But she paid his advice no heed. "Talk to me," Alana said, accepting the call. The analyst explained she had found out the name of the woman who had started up West Island Procurement. "Who the heck is Miranda Darkwood? I've never heard of her. Where did she get her funding? Who is backing her," Alana asked aggressively. However, answers to these questions were unknown currently. "Well, keep digging," she angrily said before hanging up.

Fuming a bit that putting a name to this company offered her no additional insight, Alana chugged the rest of her drink and slammed it onto the table. It was then she noticed Kole having an odd look on his face. At first, she thought it was him judging her attitude, but that wasn't it. "You know that name, don't you? Who is Miranda Darkwood," she asked her lover. He didn't immediately deny it, and she knew her assumption was correct. Kole took a deep breath before responding.

"Miranda is an old friend from when I was living on the streets. No, that's not the whole truth. She and I dated for nearly half a year. She was homeless, too. At first she proved to be a reliable person I could trade with. But we grew closer and eventually became... more," he admitted.

Alana's head was filled with emotions. Confusion as to how he had never mentioned her before, considering they had been a couple for so long. Anger that this woman was butting into her life in such a vicious way. But more so, she felt immense paranoia. But she needed to know more.

"Why did you break up with her," she asked coldly.

"I... didn't. She broke up with me. She had ideas and offered to take me along. You know how I used to be. I refused her help, and she became frustrated and left. I haven't heard of her since, but considering I didn't see her around the street anymore, I figured something worked out for her."

A thought entered her head, and Alana had to inquire about it. "Did you know it was Miranda who was taking our acquisitions?"

"No, I didn't... but I did suspect it could be her," he said, looking down at his drink.

"Why didn't you mention this right away? This woman is trying to destroy my business. Every piece of information, even if it's a hunch, is critical," Alana said, growing more agitated.

Kole knew where this was heading. "Do you really think she is targeting your business just because you have been dating her ex for years?" he asked.

"No. I don't. I think she's targeting me for a very different reason. A much more dangerous one." Alana refused to elaborate further, and the couple finished their meal in silence before heading home.

The couple stewed in their feelings over the next few days, each feeling as if the other was overreacting or not reacting enough to the appearance of Kole's ex-homeless lover. Things reached a boiling point when Alana's analyst walked into a staff meeting to make an announcement. "My counterpart over at Gerald Superalloys just called me to let me know that Miranda just arrived to meet with the owner."

Gerald Superalloys was a key acquisition for the company. They had planned to combine it with a jet engine repair company they had just bought last month. If they lose this contract, this whole plan would be ruined. "I'm heading over there right now," Alana said, getting up.

"Me too," Kole replied. Hearing that stopped the billionaire businesswoman in her tracks. Normally, this would have been a no-brainer. Kole was her number two in the company. But with Miranda there...

"No. I can handle this," she said, dismissing him.

"That's not why I want to come with you," he said defensively.

"Oh? Is there some other long-legged, busty reason? Looking to catch up with an old friend? Or is friend the wrong word?" Alana herself was a bit shocked that she said all of those things and so aggressively. Still, it was true to how she was feeling. Hearing this argument escalate was making the others in the meeting visibly uncomfortable, which both Kole and Alana picked up on.

"It's not like that, and you know it," Kole said, dropping the level of his voice.

Alana sighed and regretted how this conversation had turned out. "I know. I know. But I need to do this myself." She didn't wait for him to answer and briskly walked out.

Arriving at the offices of Gerald Superalloys as fast as she could, she walked past the yells of the secretary, a common practice of Alana's, and into the meeting room where her counterpart at West Island Procurement was indeed meeting with the head of the company, Gerald himself. "Ms. Goodwin. Why am I not surprised to see you here," Miranda remarked.

There she was, the woman that had occupied so much of Alana's thoughts these last few days. Her hair was strikingly black, in contrast to Alana's blond hair. She was frustratingly pretty in the face, Alana admitted to herself, and she had a toned body. But none of this was a surprise. Miranda had a half smile on her face. A look that Alana always hated on people. It always makes someone look like they feel they are twelve steps ahead of you, even if, in reality, you're about to lap them.

However, Miranda was not who she came to address. "I apologize for the unexpected visit, Gerald, but I wanted to make sure you are still happy with the deal we worked out," Alana said, facing the gentleman.

"A deal that I hadn't signed yet, as you know. Also, a deal that Ms. Darkwood has been helping me understand is not in my best interest," Gerald said.

This was what all of the owners of companies that Goodwin Acquisitions bought would think initially. That she was here to take advantage of them somehow and steal their company. Her job was to make them feel this wasn't true. "And what part of the deal concerns you? Do you not agree that partnering with the engine repair business will elevate both businesses to new levels," Alana said calmly.

"Gerald is the owner of the company for good reason. He's been the head of numerous developments and innovations. I would go as far as to say he is the company. So why insist that he leave the company as part of this buyout? Why not let him stay on in a leadership role," Miranda asked despite Alana not addressing her.

"I agree with Ms. Darkwood. I still have a lot to offer," Gerald said, nodding.

Too many cooks in the kitchen. That is the thought that jumped into Alana's head. The engine repair company had its leadership. Gerald is the leader of his company. And, of course, Goodwin Acquisitions has leadership as well. Of those three companies, only one of them wasn't a year away from bankruptcy. Alana knew that you don't redefine a company by keeping its leaders on board. She also knew that owners of companies like to inflate their own value while undermining what those under them bring. But, one last thing she knew was she couldn't say any of this to Gerald or risk having his ego prevent this deal from closing. Likely, Miranda knew all of this as well and was using it against her.

"The hole you will leave in the company will be the biggest challenge for this new joint venture to overcome. But that's what my company does best. Meanwhile, you deserve a break, Gerald. Take the cash, enjoy your life, and watch your grandchildren grow up. We can take it from here," Alana said in an almost motherly voice.

"In other words, take the money and get the hell out," Miranda chimed in. Alana clinched her fist but continued to refuse to engage with this woman. A woman who had held the attention of her love for half a year. A woman that Alana continuously debated if Kole would elect to continue to be with over herself if given the choice. A woman whose face would feel great against her fist...

"Ms. Goodwin, I am going to insist I be brought into this new company. No one knows the delicate nature of manufacturing superalloys like I do. Trust me, I'm doing you a favor here. Add that into the contract, and it's a deal. Otherwise, I'm going with West Island Procurement, even if it is less money," Gerald said firmly.

"Let's set up a meeting to...," Alana started to say.

"To throw a bunch of business jargon at you until she confuses you enough to go against your own self-interest," Miranda said, interrupting Alana.

"I've been in this business long enough to know that..." Alana tried to say in reply.

"In other words, I'm smarter than you, so you should just do what I say," Miranda again butted in.

"I think it would be a more productive conversation if it was just..."

"If we only allowed Alana to talk," Miranda said, talking over Alana one final time.

"Says the woman who was such a brilliant mind that she spent years on the street. Did she tell you about that, Gerald? Makes you wonder what else she is hiding. Who she might be working with," Alana screamed, having had enough of this woman's comments.

Miranda didn't react in the slightest to this outburst except to give a half-smile back to Alana. "She told me all of that. In fact, she talked to me extensively about it. It's an inspirational story, Ms. Goodwin, filled with lessons I think you would be wise to learn yourself," Gerald informed her.

"It's surprising how much contempt she has for the homeless. No issue inviting them into her bed though...," Miranda commented.

The building emotion in Alana finally could no longer be contained. "The only contempt I have is for nosy bitches that have no qualms working with criminals," Alana said, aggressively approaching her.

Miranda made no move in her chair, but Gerald stepped in front of Alana's path. "You need to leave right now, Ms. Goodwin, or I will have you thrown out. Our business together is now and forever finished."

Alana stuttered some words but ultimately knew Gerald was right. Miranda had played her like an emotional teenager. Alana previously prided herself on her ability to keep emotion entirely out of her business dealings, but today, it was an embarrassment to her. Giving a final apology, Alana limped out of the office in complete defeat. Giving one last glance as the meeting room doors closed, she caught Miranda's half smile once more.

"It's obvious, Ms. Goodwin, that your personal connections in this matter have been a source of stress to you and is impacting your performance. It is our recommendation that you take a break and recoup. We will handle West Island Procurement for the time being," the board head stated.

Updating the result, or rather failure, of her meeting with Gerald's Superalloy to the board proved to be one of the lowest points of Alana's career. There was no way to sugarcoat what had happened. She had let her emotions cause a critical deal for the company to fall through and into the hands of a competitor. She hated being 'benched,' as the board was recommending, but she admitted it was needed.

As the meeting wrapped up, Kole approached her with a peace offering of shorts. "How about some greasy, cheap pizza for dinner? My treat," he said, holding out his hand.

"How many dishes will you have to wash to afford this," Alana said with a smile. It felt like it was the first time she had all day. Still, it was exactly what she needed, and she gladly accepted.

This was the first time the two of them had eaten at this pizzeria since their first date together. Funny enough, that date was also prompted after a regretted emotional outburst between the two of them. Some couples do consulting. Alana and Kole do cheese.

"I was so angry seeing her there. The whole time, she kept pushing my buttons like she wanted me to explode. Well, mission accomplished for her," Alana said, explaining the failed meeting she crashed.

"That sounds like Miranda. She could always read someone. Sometimes she would use to be incredibly empathetic while other times she would purposely get under your skin," Kole said in response.

"I've got to ask, what did you see in her?"

"She was brilliant but had no desire to flaunt her gifts. Always had a desire to help others. Never stopped trying to reach new heights. Loved to tease. She was..."

"Me," Alana admitted.

"But with a bit more spice, for better or worse," Kole added.

Alana wasn't sure if realizing this similarity between the two of them made her feel better or worse. But it was better to know her enemy. Speaking of which... "She has to be working with John and Franklin. That's why she is targeting my company. It's how they will get their revenge on me. Through her." This idea had been on her mind since the moment West Island Procurement started interfering with her.

"What? No. That's not how Miranda works. She can be a lot of things, but allowing herself to be used for someone else's petty revenge? No. I really think we should just talk with her. I could arrange a...,"

"No!" Alana said, with more emotion than she intended. That was happening more frequently when the topic of Miranda arose. "Sorry, but no. I won't trust someone who is working with the Weiss brothers." Kole looked like he was going to object to this comment but then held off.

Instead, he changed the subject. Not wanting their night to be focused on work. "When have you been at your happiest? Let's say in the past five years. What activity made you happy every time," Kole asked.

"Being with you, of course," Alana answered, taking his hand despite being greasy from the pizza they had devoured.

"That's not really an activity," he countered.

"Hmmm, what's an activity that I do with you frequently that makes me happy," Alana said, playfully giving an expression of deep thought.

"Glad to hear that makes you... happy, but getting serious. Before meeting me, what brought you happiness?"

Alana had never really considered this. Her past five years had been dominated by work. While it was something she enjoyed, since dating Kole, she realized it didn't bring her joy. She needed to seek that out from other places, which she had. But she wasn't unhappy before Kole. So, what did she look forward to?

"My father passed right when the company was taking off. But before that, every year, we would take a big camping trip together. Started doing it when I was nine. I loved it, except he would always make us fill three trash bags each with litter we found scattered about the site. That first year we went, I spent five minutes whining for every single piece of trash we would pick up. But Dad wouldn't let me off the hook. On the last day, I finally filled my third bag. It was then the ranger came by. Seeing me standing next to my three bags, his face lit up with joy. He shook my hand and said to me, 'Thank you for this. Every year, I feel like the campsite is building up more and more trash. People like you are going to turn it around and keep this place beautiful.' I was speechless. Never had anyone been touched by my actions before. Especially a stranger like that. Well, after that, the highlight of each camping trip was picking up the trash. I didn't even need to see the ranger to feel good about it. My dad... My dad was more proud of me for so diligently cleaning up that park than even creating my company."

Kole and I sat silent after my story, both with warm smiles on our faces. But finally, he followed up on my story. "But that wasn't in the past five years, was it," he pointed out.

"After he passed, I couldn't get myself to go back there. That's true. I haven't been able to recreate that feeling again, honestly."

"Is that really true? I remember seeing you with a look of joy once," Kole commented.

Alana, while always enjoying revisiting the memories of her father, had reached her emotional limit on the topic. "How about you, Kole? Besides the immense, out of this world huge amount of happiness I bring you. What used to bring you happiness?"

He needed no time to think of an answer. "When I first brought you to my shelter, I talked about how I had to rebuild it numerous times over the years due to other people on the street destroying it out of jealousy or simply because they could. Well, what I didn't tell you is how much I enjoyed rebuilding it. Salvaging parts. Finding new ways to build it back better. Taking advantage of new leanings and ideas I've gained since the last time I constructed it," Kole said while being unable to hold back his smile.

"You like working with your hands," Alana replied.

"That's true, but it's the drive to make things better that I'm really talking about. Whether it be something physical, like my shelter, a failing company, like I do every day in our job, or a relationship," Kole said, prompting the two to share a kiss.

"Is this you telling me you want to visit your old shelter and make love, just like the first time we did," Alana asked in a tease.

"You're half right," Kole replied playfully.

"And which half is that? I swear, if all you want to do is visit your old shelter, I'll tear it down myself. Except now I've learned you would like that."

"Then how about we go and make love at your place?" Kole said, which, in Alana's mind, was the smartest idea he had ever had.

The ride back home was filled with lustful glances at each other and flirty comments. Walking through the front door, Alana made it clear the time for teasing was over. She grabbed Kole's face and engaged him in a deep, long-lasting kiss. No words, no distractions, no worries. She wanted to feel him on her lips for the rest of the night.

Eventually making it to the bedroom, Alana found herself feeling giddy as she undressed while watching Kole do the same. Despite being intimate together countless dozen times, Kole still made her feel like a star-crossed lover who was finally getting with her crush for the first time. Unable to wait any longer, she pounced on him. Her hands explored every inch of his body while he did the same. Working with him had only increased her passion as she spent the day conducting business with him, only to imagine what she would do with him once she got him here. Naked and in her bed. And now that he was, she would act out those fantasies.

Deep thrust, lustful gropes, flesh on flesh, and loud moans. This is how the two of them spent their night until finally, they laid in bed next to each other. Exhausted but fulfilled. The worries Alana had from the stress of their jobs and the appearance of Miranda were gone. The most important part of her life was as strong as ever.

"Can I handcuff you to the bed so I'll be sure you are here whenever I want you?" Alana asked, catching her breath.

"I was wondering when you would start bringing up bondage. I thought that's what all you billionaires were into," Kole teased.

"No kidding, I had two previous relationships end because they were disappointed I didn't have a BDSM sex dungeon." The couple shared a hearty laugh at that.

"You know there is another way to ensure we both end up here together every night," Kole shyly said.

"Yeah...," Alana said, understanding what he meant. However, she wasn't ready for that yet. "But a bed made of pizza would get messy," she said, using humor to deflect. Kole picked up on this and let the topic pass. Shortly after, sleep found them both.

Deciding to embrace the suggestion of the board, Alana arranged a trip to a ski resort. And not just any resort, but a resort that she, herself, owned. "I know, I know. Owning something like this feels like a typical rich person thing to do. I couldn't justify buying it through the company, but I wanted to help out the previous owner, who was in a bad way. So I bought it. I hired a team to manage it, and generally, it breaks even most years," Alana said, defending why she owned such an extravagance.

However, she decided not to just make this a vacation for two. She instructed her assistant to forward an invitation to all of her friends. For anyone who could make it, she would cover all costs, including travel. The only requirement was that they bring only good vibes with them. That evening, Kole and she arrived at the resort and tried to forget all of their troubles, at least for a few days.

They hit the slopes early the next day. Slowly but surely, friends started showing up throughout the day. Alana's college roommate showed up with another finance. Her fifth in as many years. "This one will stick for sure," she said after introducing her to the two of them.

Cousin Fredrick, who Alana hadn't seen in two years, arrived and got started updating her on every aspect of his life. Kole didn't think it was possible for someone to talk that fast, but Fredrick seemed to only speak more rapidly with each recounted month of his life. A husband and wife couple that were among the first to meet Kole when they first started dating arrived next. Kole and the husband picked up their previous friendly argument about various college football rivalries, while Alana and the wife egged them on by agreeing with the other one's opinion.

Hours passed by catching up and being merry with lifelong friends. Alana hadn't thought about West Island Procurement the entire time, which was her plan all along. Laughing after recounting a story where she and Kole attempted and failed to cook a Baked Alaska, Alana looked up and saw a face she hadn't seen in ages, Ayden Price. Taking Kole's hand, she excused herself from the group and rushed to greet him.

"I'm so glad you could make it, Ayden! It's been so difficult to get you to visit. I've been wanting you to meet Kole, my new partner in business and life," she said, sharing a hug with him. Kole extended a hand, which Ayden accepted. Alana went on to explain to Kole who he was. "Ayden's father was a key mentor of mine when Goodwin Acquisitions was taking off. He was the owner of Titan Consultation, a leader in the industry. Three years ago, Ayden took over ownership after his father sadly passed. But the two of us bonded over our shared appreciation of his father and being in similar positions of trying to run a company. I still rely on his advice today, although it's been far too long since we've had a proper conversation," Alana said.

"Of course, Alana is too kind and downplays the help she gave me when I was thrust into my own leadership role. You've got a great woman here, Kole. It's great to meet you," Ayden said, once again shaking Kole's hand.

"I'm happy to finally meet you. How are things at Titan Consultation? I've heard that the market has gotten extremely competitive," Kole asked.

"You're right about that. But I need to get checked into my room. Let's connect later, okay?" Alana and Kole bid him goodbye and rejoined their previous friends. Or at least that is what Alana had intended to do if not for the unwelcome arrival of another guest.

"What the hell are you doing here," Alana said, marching up to Miranda Darkwood. The exact person she had come here to forget.

"Skiing. Maybe making new friends," Miranda replied with notable sarcasm.

"Leave," Alana said coldly.

"Wait. Let's everyone calm down," Kole said, positioning himself between them. "We haven't truly heard Miranda's side of the story. Let's have a real conversation before we assume the worst in each other."

"You want me to talk? I'll say it all, then. Miranda and her corrupt West Island Procurement exist for one reason. To do the bidding of the Weiss brothers in taking me down. She is just the whore of those two. Doing whatever they pay her to do," Alana yelled.

"I spent years on the street being called a whore, prostitute, bitch. I heard it all. And yeah, I could have gone down that route and made some real easy money. But I don't let money dictate my actions. Unlike some other sleazy businesswomen who pray off others' work," Miranda said back.

Alana had been accused of her business being a leech since its foundation. But today, for the first time, it stung and she needed to land a blow back on this woman. "Big talk for someone who was handed everything she has now. You are where you are today because you just so happen to have a connection that my enemies needed to exploit. You couldn't find a way off the street by yourself, so you gave up like the failure you are and accepted help. There's a reason you were on the streets, honey. You were trash that no one wanted. After the Weiss brothers are done with you, they'll put you right back where you belong." Alana braced for Miranda to react to her brutal comments, but she stood there silently. The whole lobby was silent.

"Is that how you see me, Alana? Was I on the street because I was trash? Was I accepting your help a failure on my part?" She turned to see the heartbroken face of her previously homeless boyfriend, Kole.

"No! It was different with you. I was only talking about Miranda," Alana said in a panic, trying to backpeddle her comments.

Kole wasn't having it. "You became special to me because you actively wanted to learn about the real me. How I was as a person. You saw past my homelessness, which is what made me fall in love with you. But now, you are judging my old friend without taking a second to get to know her. All because she was homeless. It breaks my heart, Alana." Kole was starting to develop visible tears.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. But Miranda is...," Alana started to say before Kole had enough.

"No. No more about her. I need some space. I'll find my own way back to the city," he said, walking away. She almost gave chase, but knowing Kole, she knew he needed space more than anything right now. Miranda had taken the opportunity to walk away, and most of her friends had excused themselves. Alana, having no one to blame but herself, had ruined the vacation and maybe more.

She needed some air and made an escape to a small outdoor patio that was empty. The air was crisp, but a little cold was the least unpleasant feeling she had. "I... I can leave if you need to be alone," a voice said. Ayden was sitting on the opposite side of the patio.

"What are you doing out here," Alana asked, wiping away a few tears.

"Truthfully... dwelling on the mess of a life I have right now. I think coming here was a mistake on my part," Ayden said, looking away in embarrassment. It seems he wasn't witness to Alana's shameful display earlier but instead had his own troubles. Being a caring ear to her old friend might be just what she needs right now.

"Can I join you," Alana asked. Ayden gestured, and she took the seat across from him at the table.

"You really own this whole place," he asked, obviously trying to avoid what was really on his mind.

Alana played along for now. "I do. Sometimes, I find small places like this that are too small for the company to acquire. But I sympathize with them and end up buying them personally. I have a group of lawyers who manage these properties. I've done it so many times I can't even remember them all. I ate at a restaurant last year and realized halfway through my meal I owned the place after the manager thanked me for saving them from bankruptcy. I make no money on any of them, but it feels good to help them." But Alana knew something else was really on his mind. "Now, please. Talk to me. We've helped each other so many times over the years by being honest and open with each other. Let's not stop that now," Alana said, trying to get her friend to reach out to her.

Taking a deep breath, he did just that. "The short of it is Titan Consultation is on the brink of failure. I've been pouring my own money into it, trying to keep it afloat. Half a year ago, I sold everything I had and put it into the company. I've... been living on the streets. I'm sorry I never told you that," he said, still looking away in shame.

"We live in a harsh business climate. Even the best of us can fail. But if you don't mind me asking, what happened?" Alana asked, probing further.

"I'm not my father. That's what happens. I kept telling myself I was one big contract away from turning things around, but it never happened. And now, it never will. Nothing can save it," he said solemnly.

"Are you really homeless? How are you surviving?"

"Loose change. Sleeping on park benches. Eating... out of the trash," he admitted.

Maybe something good could come out of this trip. "Come work for me. I always need good people. I can't save your company, but I can help you," she said.

"Alana, I...," but she spoke over him.

"I'm tired of you proud men refusing to accept my help. Just do it, or I'll hire someone to follow you around, constantly throwing loose change at you," Alana joked.

"Well, as fun as that sounds, I think I'll take the job."

"You can't just hire anyone you want," Kole complained after I informed him of the new hire. I had arrived back at our home, where Kole and I spent a few frigid days barely speaking to each other. Finally, though, after apologizing, I broke this news to him.

"Yes, I can. It's my company. What's your issue with him? I know it's not because he was homeless."

"You know that's not why. We didn't do an interview. What is he bringing to the company? No background check either. This is risky," Kole complained. Alana highly suspected that he was jealous that she was bringing in an old male friend. She and Ayden had never had any romantic relationship, but she would admit that they had some chemistry. No doubt Kole had picked up on this, too.

"Let's give him a couple of months. If he isn't working out, we'll let him go. That's all I ask," Alana said. Kole relented but voiced his unease with this.

This only motivated Alana more to make sure Ayden was a success, so she started bringing him to every project she had. Ayden proved to be a quick learner and soon proposed great ideas of his own. He had a knack for identifying companies on the verge of failing that they could acquire. Even better, he was able to stay a step ahead of West Island and ensure the acquisition deals went through. It seemed like the company was making a turnaround.

To make sure things kept on this path, Alana kept Ayden close by. Taking the role previously held by Kole. He wasn't happy about it but admitted he was closing the deals. However, Alana didn't want there to be any animosity between them. She suggested that the three of them do lunch one day, her treat. Ayden knew of a new restaurant opening, and he was able to get a table there. It was much fancier than what Kole and she typically enjoyed, but she accepted the suggestion without complaint.

The meal started off tense, but Alana tried to get a friendly conversation going. "Did you know Kole is a trained pilot? He frequently flies us around in his family's restored crop duster."

"Alana told me that your company is going under. I'm sorry to hear that. May I ask what happened," Kole said, ignoring the more pleasant topic Alana tried to bring up.

"No one needed consulting work. From us, at least," Ayden said.

"What did you do to try and course correct the business and response to the changing climate," Kole quickly asked in a follow-up.

"Not enough, obviously," he replied in an attempt at humor. Kole's facial expression continued to look unhappy.

"I'm sure you know this, but I was homeless for many years. What was it like for you these past few months living on the street?"

"Rough, as you know. The benches were uncomfortable, and I worried I was going to freeze to death. But I've managed."

"What did you do for food?"

"Shelters. Thank god for them," he said, looking down.

"Come on, Kole. Let's give the guy a break. You didn't like discussing these things either. Let's talk about something more cheerful," Alana said, continuing to try and change the mood.

"I apologize. But my appetite has gone. I'm going to head back into the office now," Kole said, getting up and leaving.

"Kole! Come on!" Alana pleaded, but he continued on out the door.

"I'm so sorry about that. He's usually very nice and open. Something has been up with him lately," Alana said, feeling angry that he left so suddenly.

"It's okay. But we can still enjoy lunch, right? While I have you here, I wanted to present an idea to you. I'm really excited by this." Alana could tell he was. This was probably the first time she saw Ayden smile like this in years. She listened intently to his proposal.

"Cellular companies are rapidly looking to expand their networks and coverage, and to do that, they need to acquire rights to build towers on various properties. This can take them years and is a frustrating experience for them. They aren't in the property rental business after all," Ayden explained.

"But we could be...," seeing where he was heading with things.

"Exactly. We have the expertise to rapidly acquire the properties they need. We find small properties that are owned by businesses eager to sell. We then package them together to offer the cell phone providers a single stop to rent land for all of their tower needs. They get instant access to build towers all over the country while we get a payday. This could be big, Alana. Just give me the green light, and I'll start preparing the proposal." Ayden looked at her like a child, asking to keep a puppy he found. There was no way she could break his heart and say no. It was also a fantastic idea.

Over the next two weeks, he ironed out the details. What properties would be included. Who would they approach. What pricing would be offered. The estimates on the amount of money to be made with this idea were staggering. Alana supported him as she could but wanted him to be the driver of this idea. He deserved the credit, after all, not him.

Along with this, she kept the idea rather hidden from others, including Kole. "You've been spending a lot of time with Ayden. Do you have something in the works?" He asked one day.

"Nothing for you to worry about," Alana replied. That didn't come out as she had hoped, but given the animosity between Kole and Ayden, it was best to keep him away from this project for now.

Still, she hated how distant she and Kole felt lately. Not working together closely now, they were both in their own separate worlds. In addition to keeping him in the dark, Alana was rather clueless as to what he was devoting his time to. The important thing in the short term, though, was to support her friend Ayden.

The evening before the board presentation when they would reveal this whole proposal to the company, Ayden and her were reviewing slides. "I'm really nervous. I've always been the one in charge. This is the first time I'm presenting something to a group where I need their approval. In my old company, it was the other way around," Ayden said in a shaky voice.

Alana sat next to him and gave him a rub on the back. "The idea is solid, and you are amazing. Just keep that in mind tomorrow."

"Thanks. Really, thank you for all of this. I... I was in a bad place before I got your invite to the ski resort. Truthfully... I came there to say goodbye. You saved my life that night, Alana," Ayden said, looking at her with teary eyes. "Which is why it hurts for me to have to tell you this. But the other day, I saw Kole... with Miranda Darkwood. It was by chance and they didn't see me, but I captured them together with my phone." He pulled up a picture that clearly showed Kole and Miranda sitting together in a restaurant.

"What did you see them doing together," Alana asked as she started to feel overwhelmed with emotions.

"I couldn't see much, but it was clear they weren't there together to catch up as friends or discuss business."

Alana didn't know what to say to this. But she was thankful that she had an honest friend like Ayden at least. "Reconnecting with you has been great for me too, Ayden. My life was spiraling out of control with all of this West Island crap, and it felt like no one had my back. But working with you has reignited me..." Alana realized she was inches from her friend's face. Something felt right about this, and without thinking, she leaned into this feeling and into Ayden's face. The contact of their lips was electric... but wrong.

She pulled away, feeling so stupid for doing that. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have done that. I'll see you tomorrow," Alana said, running out.

Knowing Kole would be at home, she texted him that she was getting a hotel room nearby to work so she could get in early. She then shut off her phone, not wanting to address anything she learned tonight with him. Just when she was excited by something, Miranda found a way to ruin it. Maybe even ruin her relationship with Kole for good. But she owed it to Ayden to get through this presentation tomorrow first. After that, there would be a reckoning.

The board meeting was first thing in the morning, and Ayden wasn't anywhere to be seen. Calls to his phone went unanswered, and no one had seen him in the office. Alana was sure her kiss last night probably confused him, and on top of the nerves he felt about the presentation, had all proved too much. However, she knew this plan and would present his idea to the board. She would just need to make it clear whose idea it was afterward.

Kole, however, was there in attendance. Walking into the meeting room, he tried to get Alana's attention. "What happened to you last night? You weren't answering your phone. I need to talk to you now," he said with a commanding voice.

"We'll talk afterward. Right now, I need to focus on this presentation for the sake of Ayden," she said, dismissing him.

"Alana! You need to stop and hear me," he pleaded as I walked away. I continued to ignore him.

"Ms. Goodwin. You called this meeting today. I assume you have something for us," the head of the board had asked, looking to end any further delays.

"I do. I have a proposal that I think we will find will make the company a lot of money." Kole looked nervous and sat down. Alana proceeded to run through the proposal, explaining the plan to acquire small properties and then rent them to the cell providers to build towers on. A venture that would be very profitable to both Goodwin Acquisitions and the current owners of the property. Just as she was wrapping up the presentation and about to give credit for the idea, Ayden burst into the room.

Alana was glad he found the courage to attend, even if it was late. However, the look on his face made Alana feel chill. Kole stood up as if he recognized something terrible was about to happen. He was right.

"Members of the board, Alana Goodwin is guilty of trying to defraud you all," he announced.

"Excuse me?" Alana said, feeling betrayed by the man she had been trying to uplift this whole time. Ayden ignored her and handed out large packets of documents around to the board members.

"In her proposal, Ms. Goodwin is proposing renting off small parts of land so these cell phone companies can build towers. Whose land does she want Goodwin to buy for this purpose? Her own, of course. She tried to hide this in her presentation, but I discovered it after getting a bad feeling about her intentions. Forty percent of the properties she is proposing Goodwin Acquisitions buys for this purpose, she is the personal owner of. All of these are businesses that barely break even. She is trying to use the company to give herself a payday."

Alana was stunned. She grabbed one of the packets and flipped through it. She could barely recall most of the properties she owned, but looking closely, she started seeing familiar names. He was right.

"But this was all your idea, Ayden! You identified the properties you wanted to be acquired!"

Ayden shook his head. "No, ma'am. I knew something was up when she called me in for a meeting last night. She wouldn't tell me the details, but she wanted me to help her with some big scheme she had. She told me it could be a big payday for both of us. When I refused, she tried to seduce me."

That killed the last bit of restraint Alana had. "You bastard! That's all a lie!"

"Ms. Goodwin," the head of the board loudly said, getting her attention. He was holding up a picture that was included in the documents Ayden had given out. A photo of her kissing Ayden. The fact that he had a camera ready to capture that moment proved to Alana without any doubt that Ayden had always been planning on betraying her like this.

"We have no choice but to terminate you for this, Ms. Goodwin," the board lead announced. Within minutes, she watched as the board unanimously voted to remove her from the company. Worst, given that he had been so instrumental in turning around the company's fortune and had brought to light Alana's 'fraud,' they next voted for Ayden to take over her position as the company lead. Alana was escorted out by security. They wouldn't even give her the dignity to clear out her own office. Kole was nowhere to be seen. Not that she expected him to stay, given that there was photographic proof of her betrayal of him. While so much of what Ayden had said was a lie, there was truth in that image.

Her day, though, was not through. Arriving at her house, she found it swarming with agents of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Given her attempted fraud, they were seizing her assets, including her home, as there was a belief they were acquired with funds from illegal deals. From what Alana knows about the SEC, they must have been given this tip weeks ago. Ayden had been preparing to betray her for weeks.

She didn't know what to do or where to go. Heck, she didn't have a home. Alana, the billionaire businesswoman, was now, for all intents and purposes, homeless.

The loss of her company and assets didn't matter, though. Not compared to the loss of Kole. And it was all so preventable looking back. If only she had been more open to him. Been willing to listen to him. But it was too late for that now. She had more immediate concerns, like where would she even sleep? How to get food?

"There you are. We need to talk," Kole's voice sounded behind her.

Spinning around, she indeed saw him. What was going on? Why was he bothering with her still? "Kole... I," she started to say, but he interrupted her.

"I know we have a lot to touch on about our relationship, but that's not what we need to focus on right now. We need to talk about the company."

"Ayden is lying. I didn't know the proposal was to buy my own properties, I swear," she said, pleading that he, of all people, understand this.

"I know. I tried to warn you, but I was too late, obviously. But that's not all he lied about. His company, Titan Consultation, isn't in trouble of running out of money. Not anymore, at least. Two months ago, there was an emergency influx of funds from a private investor. We didn't know who that was until early this morning. It was the Weiss brothers."

That was a sack of bricks to the stomach for Alana. She saw the imaginary schemes of those two everywhere she looked. Only then to be blind to the real one they enacted. No doubt that in exchange for saving his business, Ayden agreed to use his connection with her to enact this fake fraud scheme. But then something popped into her head. "What do you mean, we?" She asked Kole.

"He means he had help from an ex-homeless, corrupt whore as you described me." From behind Kole emerged Miranda.

"Miranda suspected something was going to go down at our company for a while but needed someone on the inside to help her identify what exactly. I had been trying to get you two to connect, but... that didn't go so well. So I took it upon myself to help her. Or rather, help all of us," Kole explained.

Alana was feeling emotional whiplash after learning her closest friend and worst enemy were, in fact, acting precisely as the opposite. Her head was filled with so many questions, but one came to the surface. "What do we do now?"

"We acquire Goodwin Acquisitions, of course," Miranda said, giving Alana a half-smile.