Summary: Kagome and her mother left the house after being humiliated by her father's cunning and deceitful mistress. Growing up harboring deep hatred for the family, she decided to cut all ties with them. So naturally when she learned that her new boss was her snobby half sister's fiancé, she had only one thing in mind; a perfect retribution.

A/N: This is such a random idea that suddenly popped to my mind today…

Chapter 1. Meeting Inuyasha Takahashi

Looking at the huge building that was right in front of her, Kagome glanced at her wristwatch and groaned. Twenty-five minutes passed nine. She should've been here like half an hour ago.

"I'm so fucked," she muttered under her breath before she rushed in frantically and went directly to the front desk.

"Excuse me," she said breathlessly, "do you know where Mr. Takahashi's office is?"

The black haired woman in front of her smiled. "You must be Mr. Takahashi's new secretary. Ms. Higurashi, isn't it? Mr. Takahashi's office is on the 47th floor. It's the only room with a white door so you should find it pretty easily."

Kagome bowed and said her thanks to the woman before she quickly looked for the elevators. Luckily, she was able to spot it right away, since there were so many people crowding in front of it.

When the elevator finally opened, she took no time to slip in. She just couldn't afford to be any later than she already was. This was the first day she would be working for the Takahashi Corporation and to top all of that, this work was also her very first job.

The Takahashi Corporation was one of the most well known companies in Japan and Kagome had been very lucky to be able to get the job. Sure, she had graduated from Tokyo University with outstanding grades last year but she didn't really have any experience of working in a office before.

A soft smile began to form from the corner of her lips as she remembered what her mom told her before she went to work that morning.

"Honey," Mrs. Higurashi said while she helped her daughter fixed her blazer, "I'm really proud of you," she gave her a warm smile. "I may not have been a really good mother for you, but I'm so glad that my baby daughter has grown up to be such a fine, smart young woman".

Kagome looked at her mother and smiled. "Mom, you're the best mother in this world. I owe everything I have now all to you, you know".

Ever since they left their own house on that dreaded night sixteen years ago, Kagome's mother had been working hard to give a proper living for herself and daughter. She had worked at a bank but she was struggling in between her job and taking care of Kagome who was still five-years old at the time. There were times when she would ask her neighbors to look after Kagome while she was working long hours. More than commonly Kagome would need to wait hours at her school, so that her mother could finish her job and pick her up.

At that thought, a deep frown suddenly appeared on her face, completely replacing the smile she had earlier, as she remembered what exactly happened on that night when they left their own house.

PRANG!

The glass fell to the ground with a loud voice and a toddler's cry followed.

"Kasumi"! A pale skinned woman shrieked in anger, "what are you trying to do to my baby?!"

She quickly took her screaming daughter from the baby high chair, "hush… Tsubaki, baby, don't cry honey…. Mama's here. Hushh…."

"I'm...I'm sorry, Yuri," Kagome's mother shuttered, "I didn't mean to."

The woman glared at her, "What the hell do you mean, you didn't mean to? It was hot boiling water, you crazy woman! Are you planning to cook my daughter alive?!"

"Auntie Yuri, it is not Mama's fault!" Kagome tried to defend her mother,

"Tsubaki-chan spilled the water by herself! I saw it"!

Yuri's eyes widened. "You little witch," she growled, "are you trying to say that my two-year old baby is the one at fault?"

"Yeah, you stupid girl," seven-year old Kikyo Higurashi sneered as she mimicked what her mom said, "don't try to defend your mother. Auntie Kasumi is just as evil as you, trying to hurt my little sister".

Kagome was about to open her mouth to retort back before her father's stern voice suddenly came.

"What's with all this commotion?" Minato Higurashi, the head of the family asked as he stepped to the dining room, "why is Tsubaki crying?"

"Minato, dearest," Yuri sobbed dramatically, "I knew Kasumi has always been jealous of me, but I never think that she's able to act so cruelly and tried to hurt our little Tsubaki! She deliberately spilled a glass of hot boiling water on our baby!"

Minato's eyes widened and he quickly turned to his wife. "Is it true, Kasumi?"

"Minato!" Yuri cried in fake exasperation, "why would I lie to you? I saw it with my own eyes!"

Kasumi looked at the ground and didn't say anything back.

"Answer me!" Minato snapped.

"….it was an accident. I didn't realize the water was still that hot… I'm sorry, Minato."

The look on Minato's eyes darkened. "You.…" He hissed dangerously, "Tsubaki is only a toddler, Kasumi. How can you be so heartless and reckless?"

Without giving a chance for Kasumi could even say anything back, her husband raised his hand and slapped her hard across the face. She then fell to the ground.

She touched her throbbing cheek as she stared at her husband in disbelief. During fourteen years of their marriage, this was the first time he had ever raised his hand to hurt her.

"Mama"! Kagome cried as she rushed to her mother's side, "daddy, please, Auntie Yuri is lying! Mama didn't do anything wrong!"

"My mom is not lying, you brat"! Kikyo yelled angrily in defend of her mother, "dad, I think Kagome needs to be punished as well!"

"Move, Kagome" Minato scolded angrily, "I ought to give your mother a lesson today!"

But Kagome refused to leave her mother's side. That night, she and her mother were beaten and whipped by her raging father.

On the next morning, fearing that her husband might do something more outrageous in the future, Kagome's mother had asked her to leave the house together.

Kagome closed her eyes painfully at the memory.

After trying for a baby with no success for eight years, her mother had convinced her father to take another woman to give him a child. He then met a young woman and made her his mistress. Yuri Takehiro, who gave birth to his first daughter, Kikyo Higurashi. The birth of Kikyo was first a joy for everyone. But when she turned one, the woman started to "reveal" her real nature. She abused Kagome's mother verbally everyday, saying how she couldn't even give her husband a child. Of course, she did this without Minato ever knowing.

Kagome's mother didn't dare tell her husband what Yuri had been saying to her, partly because she knew what the woman said was true, and because she was afraid her husband would just think that she's lying to him. She was thirty-three year old already, and the mistress was still a young and beautiful twenty-four year old woman by that time. It's only natural that her husband would grow to love the younger woman more than her.

But when Kikyo was almost two year old, Kagome's mother finally got pregnant. And ironically, that was when the table turned for the worse. Her husband had been fully brainwashed by his mistress.

The dinging sound of the bell pulled Kagome back to reality. She opened her eyes and found that she was the last person on the elevator. She took a deep breath and walked out.

She kept walking through the corridor until she found the room with a white door the receptionist woman had told her earlier.

'Relax, Kagome,' she calmed herself down as she put a hand on her chest, 'you're only about to meet your boss. Not the police, the president, or anything. It's just your boss'.

Gulping, she knocked the door carefully. "Mr. Takahashi? May I come in?"

"Come in," a gruff voice replied from inside the door.

Kagome opened the door and closed it back very carefully. She glanced at the man who was sitting on the desk so casually.

He looked like he was about in his mid to late twenties. Probably no older than twenty-nine or so. He had a tall stature and a bit on the muscular side. His jet-black hair was slightly in a disarray, but it suited his angular face nicely. His piercing dark violet eyes held a vibrant yet somewhat charming look. He also held a smug grin on his face that made her heart skip a bit the moment she saw him.

Kagome breathed. Her boss was smokin' hot, and she would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that.

"Greetings to you, Mr. Takahashi," she greeted as polite as she could. Manners and first impressions were still important after all.

The jet-haired man grinned. "You must be the new secretary."

He hopped down from his desk and walked towards her. "You probably already know my first name, but well, let me reintroduce myself. The name's Inuyasha," he extended his hand to offer her a handshake, "nice to meet you," he finished off with a smirk.

Kagome shook his hand. "My name is Kagome Higurashi".

Inuyasha raised one of his eyebrows. "Kagome Higurashi…." He mused.

'What a coincidence. Didn't think that last name is common' he thought, finding it strange that his secretary's last name was the same with his fiancee's. But then, the Higurashi was filthy rich. 'So there's no way someone from the family would work as a secretary, right?'

Besides, as far as he knew, Kikyo didn't have any relatives beside her little sister, Tsubaki.

"I see," he said finally,"Can I call you just Kagome, then?"

"Eh?" Kagome asked, unsure if she was hearing him right.

"I hate calling people with their last names," He chuckled, "so how about we just go on a first name basis?"

Kagome nodded slowly. "Alright… Mr… Inuyasha".

"Alright," He flashed her a boyish grin, "welcome to our company, Kagome. I'm looking forward to work with you".

.

.

.

"How's your first day at work today, Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi asked as she sat down on the dining chair.

Kagome smiled at her mother and tapped her chin to recollect all that happened to her on her first day.

"It's pretty good I guess. Everyone I met was very welcoming and they treated me so warmly," Kagome answered to summarize an entire day.

"I see," Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "And your boss, Inuyasha Takahashi? Do you have any difficulties with him? Not that I question your capability, Kagome," she smiled warmly, "but he's the second lead of the company after his older brother, Sesshoumaru Takahashi. I can only imagine it wouldn't be so easy to work for him."

"Yeah," answered Kagome as she took her chopstick, "But he's still very young though. I think he's about twenty-seven or twenty eight. So it isn't really that hard to have a comfortable conversation with him".

"I'm glad to hear that," Mrs. Higurashi said as she watched her daughter begin to eat.

She took a bite from her own plate, only to put her chopsticks back down, a small frown formed on her face.

Kagome noticed her mom didn't touch her food anymore, and she asked her, "What's wrong, mom? Is… my cooking that bad?"

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head. "Not at all, Kagome, it is wonderful as usual."

"Then, what is it?" asked Kagome again.

Mrs. Higurashi took a deep breath. "Kagome, we need to meet your father and your sister tomorrow night."

Kagome's eyes widened and her expression darkened. "I don't have a father, nor do I have a sister, mom" she said in a stern voice.

After years not seeing them, why the hell should she see them now, of all times?

"Kagome," Mrs. Higurashi sighed, "he's still your father. The man who had help bring you to this world. Kikyo is also her daughter. She is getting married soon. Tomorrow is their engagement party. We should at least pay respect and come".

Kagome almost choked her food. "She's getting married?"

"Yeah," Mrs. Higurashi answered calmly, "although I have no idea who might be the groom-to-be. I didn't really have a proper contact with your father until few days ago when he told me to attend the party."

"I'm not going," Kagome said stubbornly.

"Honey, please," Mrs. Higurashi pleaded to her daughter, "do me this favor this one time. Please..."

As much as she wanted to say no, seeing the look on her mother's eyes, she didn't have the heart to.

Kagome sighed. "Alright, mom. But we're leaving after an hour. No more than that."

Mrs. Higurashi's face brightened. "Thank you so much, dear. I know you would understand".

Kagome gave the older woman a small smile. In this whole world, her mother might be the only person who cared for her, and she would do anything to keep her happy…

.

.

.

"Here are your files, Mr. Inuyasha," said Kagome as she put a small pile of documents on Inuyasha's desk.

Inuyasha paused his work on the computer, "Ah, thanks, Kagome."

"No problem," replied Kagome with a smile.

Inuyasha looked at his new secretary carefully. She was actually a very fine woman. Fair skin complexion, lean body with curves all in the right places, innocent high pitched voice and not to mention, that sexy smile on her face….

When his thoughts began to wonder a bit too far, Inuyasha cleared his throat.

'Too bad I'm an engaged man,' he thought to himself.

Oh, speaking of engagement….

"And, Kagome?"

"Yes, Mr. Inuyasha?"

"You can go home earlier today," He said, "I got a…. party to attend."

Kagome raised an eyebrow "what a coincidence because I got a party to attend as well tonight."

"Really?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome nodded. "Yeah. Well, more like 'forced' to attend though," she gave a small chuckle.

Inuyasha laughed. "I see. Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Kagome nodded. "Yup, see you tomorrow".

Little did they both knew, that they would see each other again sooner than tomorrow.

A/N: Credits and much thanks to MadamScorpio who had kindly beta-read this chapter :) :)