"I don't know what you're talking about." Kayla sputtered turning white.

"Don't you?" Vince mocked, "Let's go back to my office and we can have story time."

"What's he talking about, Kayla?" Jeff demanded glaring at McMahon.

Kayla shook her head and sighed. "I haven't been completely honest with you guys about who I am."

"Kayla?" Edge asked softly.

"Let's take this to my office shall we?" Vince repeated taking Kayla by the arm and guiding her towards the office. Once they were all inside and the door closed Vince turned to Kayla. "Do you want to tell them or shall I?"

"Tell us what?" Matt demanded, "You're making it sound like she's some kind of murderer or something!"

"No no." Vince assured them, "It's nothing like that. You see our poor helpless little Kayla really isn't as poor as she seems. In fact her family is one of the richest in Pennsylvania."

"That's not a crime." Kayla snapped at him.

"No it isn't. But it makes me curious as to what you're doing here." Vince replied evenly, "What really brought you to my humble little company."

"Look, I know what you guys are thinking," Kayla began casting pleading eyes around the room. "But my parents didn't send me out here." Kayla shook her head sadly, "Not for the reasons you're thinking of anyway."

"Really, Miss McIntyre," Vince grinned, "then why are you here?"

"That's none of your business!" Kayla told him sharply, "My past is my business."

"What are you hiding, Kayla?" Chris asked her again, "What won't you tell us?"

Kayla sighed and finally nodded. "Fine. You wanna know what I'm doing out here? I"ll tell you." Kayla ran a hand through her hair and sank down into a chair. "You see it's true that I come from a very wealthy family. And my parents love me very much. Too much really."

Kayla paused trying to fight back her emotions. Edge reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. You can tell us."

Kayla smiled at him gratefully and laid her hand over his. "My parents were trying to force me into a marriage I didn't want to have. They meant well, they wanted to see me provided for and he wanted my money." Kayla dropped her eyes to the floor. "I went along with it at first but when the engagement party came around I couldn't do it. I caused a big scene when I wouldn't accept. Daddy was furious."

"They all but disowned me." Kayla continued standing up and beginning to pace. "I had embarrassed my family so we worked out an agreement. I get to do what I want and they give me a small allowance so I can stay out here and out of sight until the scandal dies down."

"Why send you to New York?" Jeff asked, "This isn't a whole lot like where you're from."

Kayla sighed, "Exactly. They're hoping that I won't be able to make it on my own out here and that I'll realize what a terrible mistake I made by disobeying their wishes and see the light."

"Dude, you're parents are living in the dark ages. You don't have to marry anyone you don't want to." Edge shook his head sympathetically.

"I've always done what Daddy wanted. He thinks I'm six instead of twenty-one." Kayla looked over at Jeff. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you the whole truth, but I was enjoying just being Kayla and not having dollar signs hanging over my head."

Jeff walked over to Kayla and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. You were right, this was none of our business."

She shrugged in his arms. "Well you know now. There's nothing to be done now." Kayla looked at those around her, the people she was quickly beginning to think of as friends. "Can we keep this between us? I don't want everyone else to know about my parents money."

"We promise," Edge assured her, "No one will find out." Edge looked over at Vince and smiled threateningly. "Right, Vince?"

"Oh of course!" Vince replied like it was the furthest thing from his mind. "In fact I have an idea, Miss McIntyre. A business proposition."

Kayla crossed her arms. "What type of proposition?" Kayla drew herself up and for the first time the wrestlers could see her background in her stance. She was no stranger to business deals.

Vince cleared his throat, "As you know the recent rebellion has left me childless." Vince began, "You've hit it off with a lot of my wrestlers. I'm offering you a place in the WWF, your role as my adopted daughter."

Kayla and the others stood dumbfounded for a moment before Kayla gathered her wits. "I doubt the fans are gonna just accept that. Hi this is Kayla and she's Steph's replacement. It's too sudden."

"That's why we'll do it slowly." Vince explained, "If you take the position I'll let you come in as a friend to the company. I'll let one of these boys introduce you. Slowly you'll gain my favor and when I take you in it'll be given a standing ovation."

"If I accept your proposition that is." Kayla allowed calmly.

"Kayla," Vince reproved, "How much are your parents giving you? Be honest now."

Kayla sighed and shook her head. "The sum is nothing to scoff at but the place that they picked out for me is so expensive that after food and other bills I have almost no money left." Kayla raised sad eyes and looked at Jeff. "They mean to slowly bleed me dry money wise."

"That doesn't have to happen." Vince told her putting an arm around her shoulders. "Sign a one year contract with the WWF and I'll start you out at 1.5 million a year."

Kayla's eyes widened. Vince was offering her a way out of the current mess she was in. With that much money she could stand on her own two feet and avoid the trap her parents had so neatly set for her. "Where do I sign up?"

Vince grinned triumphantly, "You'll forgive me if I seem over zealous but I already had a contract drawn up. As long as you're not here to suck my company dry I'd love to have you aboard."

"Why are you doing this?" Kayla asked, "Why me?"

"You've got fire, my dear." Vince told her. "And I need a replacement for my children. You've had the proper up bringing and I believe you can stand toe to toe with anyone here." Vince shuffled through his drawer and pulled out the contract. "Sign there and it's a done deal."

"You bastard," she growled, "You've had this all worked out. Back me into a corner throw me off balance and once you're sure I'm not after your company then spring this on me."

"It worked didn't it?" Vince replied smugly. "Now sign if this is what you want."

Kayla hesitated for only a moment reading through the fine print before signing her name on the dotted line. If she was going to sell her soul to the devil she might as do it on her own terms.

"Good!" Vince approved briskly putting the contract back in the desk. "We'll introduce you tomorrow night on smackdown. Next thing we'll do is give you some basic training so that you can participate in the occasional match. But for right now you'll be decoration."

"Who's gonna introduce her?" Edge asked reminding the Kayla and Vince the others were still in the room.

"I think I'm going to give you that distinct honor, Edge." Vince told him. "You two seem to get along well. You have a match with Test tomorrow don't you?"

"Yeah." Edge nodded cracking his knuckles. "Little bastard's not going to be happy until he gets my title."

"Good. Kayla can go down the ramp with you and you can introduce her as a friend. The crowd likes you so she should get a good reception."

Edge gave Kayla an uneasy glance thinking of their earlier confrontation with Test but she shook her head slightly and he let it slide for the moment. "Cool. It's about time I got a beautiful girl to accompany me down the ramp."

"Then it's settled. You'll start out as Edge's friend and then work your way into Team Xtreme and get in good with Jericho." Vince decided. "Be here tomorrow at two so we can get everything ready for your debut."

"Sure thing." Kayla replied getting ready to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow."

The others turned to follow her out but Jeff hung back. "Go on I'll be right behind you guys."

Matt looked at his brother carefully then shrugged. "Sure but hurry up. I think a celebration is in order."

"You bet. Be right out." Jeff closed the door and turned back to Vince. "What the hell are you up to?" he demanded.

"I'm not up to anything." Vince told him crossing his arms. "I simply need a new protégé and I think that she'll do nicely."

"Don't even think of playing any of your little games with her." Jeff warned him, "Keep your relationship strictly platonic. Don't get any ideas. She's not Trish. Remember that." The younger hardy turned his back on the billionaire and stalked out of the room.

When he caught up to the others Lita whispered to him, "What was that about?"

"Don't worry about it. Just making sure that Vince's dick stays in his pants." Jeff spoke louder now, "So who's up to celebrating?"

Edge put his arm around Kayla. "I'm definitely up for a party. You providing a place, Hardy?"

"You bet. Be at our place at nine." Jeff told him, "And be ready to party."