16 years ago…

"It's okay, Felicity," she heard her mother say almost faintly, holding the knife in her hands and blood trickling down her arms and dripping off her elbows. Felicity watched intently. She should do something. She should have stopped her. But she didn't. Felicity was only four. She simply stared. She did not scream. She did not cry. She simply watched. "Everything's going to be all right, Felly," she said to me before she falls slumped to the floor unconscious. I didn't remember much of what happened that night. All I can remember is seeing my mother with her wrist slit open and falling unconscious, and me calmingly dialling up 9-1-1 for help.

"9-1-1, what is your emergency?" Felicity heard a woman ask on the phone.

"Mommy killed herself," she told her. Felicity waited ten seconds before hanging up the phone.

"Sweetie? Sweetie!"

Today…

"Felicity…Fe-li-ci-ty!"

Felicity jumped with a fright at the sound of Oliver's voice and looked up to stare at him. She didn't hear him enter the building this morning. She was too concentrated on my work or perhaps She was too spaced out thinking of…Never mind. I'll worry about that later.

"Oh, um, morning Mr. Queen," Felicity stood up and patted down my pink pencil skirt.

"You okay, Felicity?" he asked with a frown.

"Yeah, I'm just tired," she told him which was total lie, "Late night jobs are sometimes exhausting, if you know what I mean."

Oliver nodded. He knew exactly what she meant. Last night, Felicity was up analyzing the Mirakuru serum Oliver brought to her and wanted her to make a cure for Slade Wilson and his lapdog of Isabel Roshev. Felicity already gave the Mirakuru to Cisco and Caitlin to have it analyzed for her back at Central City. They would call her soon to see what the Mirakuru contained. Right now, they just had to wait and act casual. Felicity still worked for the QC, unfortunately, and so did Oliver even if he no longer owned the company. Isabel and Slade owned the company now. Felicity was just there because Oliver insisted. He needed eyes and ears in the building. But that didn't explain why Oliver still worked in the building. She thought it was because Slade and Isabel wanted to rub their success in his face.

"Maybe you should take the rest of the day off and go home to get some rest," he told her. Felicity bit her lower lip.

"I should but, unfortunately, I don't think it's up to me or to you to tell me that since you is no longer the owner of the QC," she sighed in deception, "Sorry if it offends you."

"I know. Listen…I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at Slade. Whatever happens with me, has nothing to do with you, okay?" he told her lowly so no one else could hear. He was still upset about what happened to his mother. Slade killed her in cold blood. Felicity really feel so sorry for Moira now that she was dead and that Oliver lost his home, his sister, his club, his company and their headquarters. They gathered up everything they had from their headquarters before Verdant was shutdown. Felcity kept the rest of the equipment hidden at her apartment, except for the glass cases with costumes and bow and arrows. No way in hell am I risking having the police enter my home to discover a bunch of Arrow stuff. No offense, Oliver.

"Yeah, I know."

"Mr. Queen."

Oliver's eyes rolled in annoyance and Felicity bit her lip again at the sound of Isabel's voice. She was standing behind Oliver and he had to turn around to face her. But Isabel wasn't alone. There was company that made Felicity's blood grow cold. Slade, also known as Deathstroke. Just simply looking at him made her skin crawl and sent chills up her spine. She also felt the colour from her face being drained out of her. Crap. Calm down, Felicity. Calm down. Remember what Mom taught you; screaming will not get you anywhere.

"Our next board meeting is in the conference room at 9. Let's not be late again," Isabel said to Oliver who kept glaring at her all the while.

"…Of course not," he said, "We wouldn't want to disappoint our clients today, now do we?"

"Let's hope not," Slade finally spoke. Even hearing him made her jump. His voice was deep and gruff. Something Felicity wouldn't like to hear if I had nightmares. "Our clients are very important and they expect our best behaviour during the meeting. They are already aware of our strained relationship after Moira Queen's death and they would be very disappointed if we end up eating at each other's throats. If we do not make the best of it, we will end up losing the company."

Felicity hated to admit it but he was right. Any form of disagreement could be a great hazard for the company and to be honest, she didn't want to lose her job. It could end up being on her permanent record and ruin her reputation. She should probably start filing up her resumes at the hardware store across town just in case.

"Okay," Felicity heard Oliver say, "Board Meeting. Let's go." Then, he and Isabel walked away to the elevator and she was now alone with the most dangerous assassin in the world. Oh motherfucking hell!

More like BORED MEETING. All those people ever do was talk about investments and money, and competitions with other companies. Already, Oliver was secretly trying to ally himself with Ray Palmer to help him take down the QC into bankruptcy and get Slade and Isabel out. A good strategy. A good plan. Felicity still wondering how that was going to turn out at the end. She hoped Oliver knows what he's doing. She was worried that the whole Slade thing was getting to his head.

"Miss Smoak," Felicity watched Slade walk up to her desk and she immediately took a step back. He smiled at her but she didn't. I don't trust him. Oliver told her to never trust him. He doesn't have to tell me twice.

"Yes, Mr. Wilson?"

"Would you attend our board meeting today?" he asked and my eyes widen. Is he really asking me that?

"I'm an IT girl, Mr. Wilson," I tell him the best excuse I can, "I simply do paperwork and files, and simply serve coffee."

"I am aware of that," he said, "The thing is I need your assistance. I need you to read out a few terms to our clients."

"Well, you can certainly read, why can't you do it?" Shit. Me and my big mouth. Slade kept looking sternly at her and for a moment, she thought he was going to slap her "…or maybe Oliver?...or Isabel?"

"I would, but if you have not notice, my job has very tiring these days and don't seem to be in the mood for my clients so I am asking for your assistants. As for Isabel and Mr. Queen, I doubt they would agree," he said, "But let me confess, I do not want you to attend because I need you to, I want you to attend because I want you to."

"Why?"

"When I look at you, I see something different behind those glasses of yours. Something intriguing and very useful. You are quite lovely, have you realized it?" he said. Felicity simply stared at him. It had been quite a while since anyone thought she was pretty, even after Barry Allen ended up in a coma or even after Copper….No, don't think about that, Felicity. Just don't. It's not healthy for you to think about the past. "You are very lovely, Miss Smoak. Also, you are very intelligent. I need someone like you to attract clients."

"Are you asking to prostitute myself? Because I didn't come here to work in this company so I can sleep with strangers."

Felicity heard him chuckle deeply. In her head, she didn't think he was referring to that. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

"In the board meeting, there will be men looking at you. They will see how lovely you are. When I ask them if they wish to work for me in the QC they will say yes. But they will not agree just for the investments, the Glades or to help the city. It is because they wish to be at your side. Of course, I have a great respect towards you since you are a woman." What does he mean because I'm a woman? "I will certainly not allow my clients get distracted being near you. You will simply be there for entertainment, to manipulate our clients and perhaps they will end up eating out of our hands, and that's when we will have them working for us. I need you as a manipulation."

"So, technically, I'm a pawn in the meeting to trick the clienteles to work for you." He nodded.

That's a bit disturbing. It's almost the same as prostituting myself except that no man is going to touch me. Great. Sarcastically speaking, I feel much better now.

"Be ready to come up in a few minutes," he told her, "Also, I would need you to bring up coffee for us."

"Um…do you…do you mind if I ask who would be at the board meeting?" Felicity asked. I know it's none of my business asking this. I'm just the IT girl that takes orders. But I'm curious. I need to know what our clients are like.

"Raymond Palmer. Bruce Wayne. Alexander Luthor. Arthur Light. Mr. Wayne also brought in his ward which is enough of a headache for me," he turned to walk away, "Do not disappoint me, Miss Smoak." Then, he leaves.

Great. Now what? I'm I really gonna dress up like a slut to attract investors to work for him? Does he really think his plan can work? Even if it does work, what guarantees him that none of them would take advantage of me, like grabbing my ass or my breasts? Urgh. They better pay me extra for doing this sort of shit.

Felicity went to the bathroom to get ready for Slade's scheme or whatever he was involving her in. Oliver is going to be so mad at me for agreeing to this. He's going to kill me for this. Lucky for Slade, Felicity sort of brought some extra clothes to work just in case she spilled coffee or if she had any plans after work. A royal blue dress with short sleeves, knee-length skirt and a V-neck collar. The gap was a bit too wide so she slipped on a black tank top underneath so no one would look at her breasts. She put away her pink pencil skirt and her white floral blouse in her bag. As for her hair, Felicity assumed men did not like women with ponytails, so, she simply removed the ponytail and allowed her blonde locks cascade over her shoulders. Felicity also put on some lipstick. The glasses stayed on though. If Slade suggests for me to take off my glasses, he has another thing coming. Felicity sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror. Does Slade really believe I can fool the investors with this? I doubt it.