OH MY! You guys are amazing! Thank you so much for the reviews! I can't believe people actually read my story. There's like millions of klaroline fanfiction out there. Thank you again for reading! Just so you know, this story is inspired by authors in Mills and Boons. I have read a bunch of them. These books actually belongs to my aunt, it's about 30 years old. Last year during semester break, I read her entire collection! Hence, I will be extracting a few sappy romance ideas from what I have remembered and patched them into a story. Then I will have many turns of events. I hope it turns out well!

For a while it seemed that nothing drastic was going to happen, after all. The office continued as usual, except that Klaus Mikaelson was often there, watching without comment, making everyone work even harder than usual simply by the fact of being around. They became quite used to his presence, but Caroline, for one, kept wondering when and where the axe was going to fall.

When it did, she wasn't really surprised.

Jenna called her into the other room to break the news.

"I'm not being forced to resign," she insisted, in the face of Caroline indignation. "But I don't feel that I'm up to making the drastic change that Mr Mikaelson wants. He's been very nice about it, and financially extremely generous. I'll be able to have a real holiday, and then perhaps look for a rather less demanding job. Maybe something part-time so I can spend more time with my family."

Caroline could hardly argue, but she burned inwardly with anger. It might have been done with subtlety and with financial 'generosity', which she scornfully thought of a conscience money.

Caroline was so upset that it didn't even occur to her that she was next in line for the editor's job until Klaus came into her office that afternoon.

He didn't take the chair on the other side of her desk but leaned on the edge of the desk instead, saying, "I believe Miss Sommers has told you she's resigning."

"Yes," she said shortly.

"You don't seem very pleased."

"Should I be?" she flashed. Then, trying to control her temper, she added, "She's a very good editor, and a friend. I like working with her."

"She was a very good editor," he corrected. "Right now, she past it."

"Forty isn't exactly ancient, these days!"

"It is if one hasn't changed one's ideas in fifteen years!"

"You might have given her a chance to try!"

"I did," he said patiently. "She didn't want to try. We had a perfectly amicable discussion and she's quite happy with the outcome, I assure you. So should you be. You're next in line, obviously."

"For the chopping board?" she asked, deliberately misunderstanding him.

"For the job of editor."

She was silent for a moment. Then she asked, "Are you offering it to me?"

"Yes. It will mean an increase in salary for you, as well as much more responsibility—well, you know what the job entails."

"How much of increase?" she asked him, and felt her cheeks warm a little when he flashed her an amused glance. Did he think he had found the 'suitable inducement' with which she could be bribed—good old fashioned money?

When he told her it was such a generous 'inducement' that she was slightly stunned and reacted with unnatural calm, not really taking it in.

"Well?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said slowly. "I'd like to think it over."

"Two days," he said. "That's all I can give you."

She had a date that night, with one of the journalists working on Travel News. She had a lot in common with Matt Donovan and had been out with him several times before, but tonight she was abstracted, her mind busily turning over the problem of the offer of promotion, and over coffee in her small modern flat, he asked her what was bothering her.

"Oh Matt, I'm sorry," she said. "I haven't been very good company tonight, have I?"

"You're always good company," he said. "But there's obviously something on your mind. Are you worried of Daniel?"

She froze in silence, his words bringing her back to the reality of the situation. The money was undoubtedly a temptation, and it was not only for her that she wanted it; she had another stomach to feed. She shook her head, "No, he's fine with Bonnie and besides, he's just a floor below."

"Then what is it? Like to tell me?"

"I've been offered the job of editor of The Women."

Matt looked impressed, then thoughtful. "So—the Mikaelson is going to sweep Jenna Sommers under the carpet, is he?"

"She's resigned. Willingly, she says."

"Huh!"

Caroline smiled a little. "Yes," she said. "That's what I thought."

"Anyway, that's her problem, isn't it?" Not yours. Aren't you going to jump at the chance?"

"I don't know. I just don't get like getting it this way. Sort of over poor Jenna's dead body. It makes me feel so—I suppose opportunist is the word."

"Well, there's no denying it's an opportunity. But not of your own making. And I don't suppose Jenna will object, will she? Not that she's in any position to do so, mind you…"

"Oh no, I'm sure she won't blame me."

"And if you don't take the job, someone else will."

"Yes, I think it's pretty clear that Jenna is definitely out of the job, whatever I say."

"Well then, where's the problem?"

No problem, really, she supposed, except that she wished she hadn't seen that gleam of laughter in Klaus Mikaelson's eyes when she had asked him to name the salary. She just wished she did not have a sneaking feeling that Klaus would think he had bought her.

"I can do with the money," she said ruefully.

"Who can't? It makes the world go round, these days. Besides, Daniel could probably have gummy bears every day."

Caroline laughed, "I thought it was love that did that."

"Not in the Mikaelson's circles, honey. Although he's not short of either, by all accounts."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Didn't you know? Not content with taking over old Petrova's business, apparently he's taking over his daughter as well. You know—Katherine, the gay divorcee. The Mikaelson swept her right off her feet, I believe."

"Oh, do stop talking clichés!" Caroline said rather snappily. Matt looked surprised and she said, "Sorry! Please go on."

"Well, that's about it, really. Katherine and the Mikaelson have been seeing quite a bit of each other, according to some who seem to know. Maybe he'll be her next husband."

"She's only had one!" Caroline protested mildly. "You make it sound as though she changes them every week!"

"Well, the first one didn't last long, did he? About a year, wasn't it? And then he did a flit back to Italy, where he came from."

Caroline, who didn't really like discussing other people's affairs in this vein, considering her 3 years boyfriend fled the second she found out she was pregnant, shrugged. But she discovered that there was something she very much wanted to know, and Matt, with his journalist's instinct for gossip, might be the one to tell her. "Will she be his second wife?" she asked casually.

"Uh-uh. Never married, dear. Maybe he thinks it's time he did."

After Matt had gone, Caroline picked Daniel from Bonnie's apartment and thanks her. Whenever Matt came over, she's sure to ask Bonnie to babysit. She didn't like to spend 'Daniel' quality time with someone else other than Bonnie. Bonnie has been her best friend and Daniel's Godmother since she shifted to Manhattan once Daniel was born. She has been there throughout Caroline's struggles to bring up Daniel and also to be committed in her job.

She tucked Daniel in for the night. Even though she was half asleep already after her exhausting day, the little boy was determined not to be cheated of his usual bedtime story.

Caroline went back to her own room and wondered. Maybe if Klaus thought it was time he got married, he would set about it in the same cool, calculating way he conducted his business affairs. If he wanted someone suitable, he could hardly do better than Katherine Petrova. She was lovely to look at and at the few brief meetings Caroline had with her, she seemed perfectly charming too. Her father was a widower and she had taken the place of a wife at company functions since she was only in her teens, so her social experience would no doubt be an asset to a man like Klaus Mikaelson. Her wedding had been quite a social occasion in itself, and Caroline had been sad for her when the marriage broke up. Katherine was certainly seen about at parties and race meetings, and dressed as beautifully as always, but although her smile was warm as ever, it seemed to lack its former sparkle. Maybe Klaus Mikaelson could bring that sparkle back.

Somehow, Caroline doubted it, she told herself. He was very much of a businessman, hard and clever and cold as granite. Cold? She was shaken by a sudden vivid memory of hard male warmth against her body, and firm lips moving sensually on hers.

Turning out the light over her bed as she climbed into it, she felt herself flushing in the darkness. It hadn't meant a thing to him, except a passing impulse. Ever since, he has been just as cool and distant as at their first meeting in Jenna Sommers's office. And it certainly didn't mean a thing to her, except that she felt a strange prickling of her skin whenever he was near, a thoroughgoing awareness of his presence that she hoped sincerely she never betrayed. It was purely physical reaction, she told herself, and she would get over it in time.

She didn't wait the two days that he had given her, but went to see him in his office on the next floor up the following morning. His secretary asked her to wait a few minutes, which gave her time to get ridiculously nervous, for no good reason that she could think of, and when she was allowed in she walked with her head held at a proud angle which made her look taller, because that was her usual reaction to nervousness, and her way of hiding it.

"I've decided I'll take the job," she said, as soon as she sat down.

"Good," he said after a moment. "I'm glad you didn't keep me in suspense for the whole two days. Are you busy this evening?"

"Well—" she wanted to take Daniel and Bonnie out for dinner to celebrate but thinking he wanted her to work overtime for some reason, she could make up to them over the weekends, she answered "—no."

"I'll take you out to celebrate."

His hard eyes held an expression she couldn't fanthom. Damn, should have said yes, she thought. "Is that an order—sir?" she said dryly.

"Yes. And you can call me Klaus. That's an order, too," he said, with a faint edge to his voice. "Senior staff do."

"Thank you," she said quietly. Hopefully it wouldn't be bad going out with him, though she preferred Daniel and Bonnie.

"Where do you live?"

She told him the address and he scribbled it on a pad on his desk.

"I'll pick you up," he said. "Do you like to dance?"

Duh! She dances with Daniel all the time—in her living room. "Yes."

"Fine. Will seven-thirty do?"

"Yes." She quelled suddenly arising panic at the thought of dancing with him and tried to look ultra-calm. She might have succeeded in looking bored, for he cast her a glance that seemed faintly annoyed, but she told herself it wouldn't hurt him. But she wondered if Katherine would object to his taking her out tonight. But it would easily be explained, of course. 'Business, darling. Keeping the staff happy,' she could imagine him saying. The thought brought a sardonic little smile to her lips, and he said abruptly, "What's funny?"

"Nothing. Just a—private thought."

He looked as if he would liked to make her disclose it, but apparently even he realized that thoughts were not property of the boss.

"Come here a minute," he said, and as she rose rather reluctantly and came around his desk, he pulled a couple of magazines from his drawer and placed them on the top. "Look at these, and tell me if you think we can produced something like them."

Caroline would have preferred to take them back to her chair but he was flipping over pages and pointing out features he wanted her to take note of, so she had to stand by his chair, her hand resting on the back of it, inches from his shoulder. With an effort she concentrated on the magazines.

"Partly it would depend on the printer," she was saying, when the phone on his desk called his attention. She made to move away, but he grasped her wrist with his free hand to stop her, shaking his head slightly at her as he lifted the receiver and spoke into it. She made a small effort to pull away, but his grip remained firm and rather than make it into a small, undignified tug-of-war, she remained still.

A few minutes later he put down the phone and released her hand.

"Now," he said crisply, "what were you saying?"

It took her a moment of two to remember. "It would depend partly on the printer. They've made use of overprinting techniques and different shades of paper to make the copy look interesting."

"What about the subject matter?" he asked. "How do you think that would go down in Manhattan?"

"I don't think we should change the publication too drastically or too suddenly," she said. "We have a lot of loyal readers who want to see it change at all. But I do think our readers might be ready to break away from the kitchen type of article." She barely cooked for Daniel, if she did, it would be spaghetti.

"So you wouldn't approve of a big advertisement campaign to launch a new style The Women in a radically different format?"

Considering that, she leaned back against his desk, her hands holding its edge on each side of her. "It sounds more like your style than a gradual change."

"What would you know about my style?" he mocked gently.

"Well, you haven't exactly let the grass grow since you moved in here, have you?" she pointed out reasonably.

"Maybe I've been letting it grow more than you realize, love," he said, and suddenly stood up, raising his hand to run a finger down her cheek and then lightly across her lips. His touch electrified her, but she didn't move because to straighten up from her lounging pose against his desk would bring her very close to him, and that was the last thing she wanted—in her mind, at least. She supposed she must look quite unconcerned.

"Come on," he said, with a light touch on his arm. "I'll take you down to Miss Sommers and break the news officially. Then she can start handing over to you before she leaves."

Jenna was largely responsible for this, she realized, for she seemed only too pleased to have Caroline take over some of her work immediately. Briefly she wondered who would take her own place and hoped that she would be consulted. Then she forgot herself in the work at hand, for the next issue was due at the printer's the following day.

She stayed on after the rest of the staff had gone, a not infrequent occurrence, and it was not until the last page of the printer's dummy copy was completed that Caroline recalled her dinner date.

She just missed one bus and had to wait twenty minutes for another, wishing she had brought the car. She actually owned a second-hand Volkswagen, but what with parking problems and the energy crisis, she usually took a bus to work and used the car only at weekends. With that, she has more time with Daniel when she walked him to school.

Before she run up to her apartment, she dropped by Bonnie's apartment to give her son a kiss and some money for Bonnie and Daniel to have a nice dinner. Bonnie is a writer so she's usually worked from home and willingly babysits Daniel anytime.

At the apartment, she made a quick cup of coffee and then showered and pulled on a robe while she contemplated her wardrobe. She took out a pale grey chiffon blouse with loose, cape-style sleeves and a cross-over bodice which she seldom wore because the neckline seemed a little daring. Remembering Klaus's mocking remark about her office clothes she thought that he could hardly call her 'nun-like' in this! Even though it was grey.

Laying the blouse on her bed, she pulled out a satiny floral black skirt. Determined not to botch her make-up, she took her time over it and then brushed her hair briefly, and fixed the curls. Thankfully the style fell into place without any fussing.

She was just stepping into her skirt when the doorbell rang, and she called, 'Coming!' But he couldn't have heard her, because she was still struggling with the zip, which had caught in the material, and would need to be gently eased down again without tearing it, when the bell pealed again.

Hastily she pulled on the blouse and hold her skirt together with her hands, went to open the door. Her face was flushed from her struggles with the zip and she hadn't yet got her shoes on. Klaus looked cool and appraising.

"Come in," she said, still clutching her skirt at the side with one hand. "I'll only be a minute longer. Would you like a drink?" She indicated a bottle of wine on the table in one corner of the lounge. "Do you mind helping yourself?"

"Not at all," he said, looking at the small selection of fruit juice bottles and the wine that stands out on the table. "Can I pour you something?"

"No, thanks. I won't be long."

Caroline moved towards her bedroom door and he said, "There's no great hurry. I thought we'd take a drive first and eat when it's cooler. If that's okay with you?"

"It sounds very nice," she said.

"Do you live with someone?"

She glanced around and saw he was looking into another room but thankfully, the door to that room was only partially open, so all he could see was a bed.

"Yea, but she's not in," she lied and quickly hurried to close the door once she managed to zip.

She passed him to collect her bag and shoes from the lounge and went back to Klaus who was still standing near Daniel's bedroom door. "I'm sorry I kept you waiting."

"Don't be sorry," he turned. "I'm rather glad I was a little too early for you." That was polite of him, because she knew he was dead on time. She was running late. "Though I hope you didn't chase your housemate out because I was coming."

"Oh," she said. "I don't think you will—like her."

"But how do you know?" he said, and in his eyes she glimpsed something dangerous.

Striving for lightness, she gave a breathy little laugh and said, "Maybe next time—if you have the chance."

For a moment he was silent, looking at her almost broodingly. Then he said, "Perhaps another date with you?"

Was he playing with her? She wondered. The atmosphere suddenly seemed full of strange tension.

"Well," she said trying to ease it, "I know if I reject, you'll probably have my head."

"As a matter of fact," he said "it isn't your head that interests me tonight. At least, not alone."

He walked towards the door, and she had time to correct the surprise in her face and school it to a faint, sophisticated amusement instead. Before Klaus managed to reach the door, the doorbell rang.

Klaus was about to answer the door but Caroline shoved him behind her gently. She opened and saw Bonnie carrying Daniel with his knee bleeding. She straightened and looked at Daniel who, eyes was puffy because he has been crying.

Bonnie was sorry, Caroline could tell from her face. "Thank God you're still here!" but her eyes widened when she saw a man behind Caroline. "Sorry Care, he kept crying for you."

Caroline wanted to cry, Daniel must have begged and plead Bonnie to bring him to her. Daniel extends his hands and Caroline took him quickly, rubbing soothing circles on his back.

"What's going on?" Klaus said flatly before reaching for the door and opening it slightly bigger.

Bonnie looked at Klaus and then back to Caroline. "I'm really sorry, Care! He tripped on a rock and fell."

Caroline gave her a small nod before gesturing her to come in, completely ignoring Klaus. She still hadn't thought how to explain to him. Besides Bonnie, Matt knew. He saw Caroline in the park with Daniel one evening.

This is a really long chapter. I don't think I'll be updating over the weekends. I couldn't sleep, ideas was flowing. So I thought to get it done quickly. I doubt I'll be able to update so frequently later on. I'll be starting my job soon.

I love the idea of Caroline having a son. Of course it would be better if it was Klaus like I've read in some fanfictions. You would have guess who fled when she was pregnant right? I wanted Klaus to know Caroline has a son, the earlier the better. I don't want her to be lying to him. Well, that's because I have something planned, hehe! :P Anyway, thank you so much for reading!