AN - This chapter is dedicated to Kisses on the Steps, who requested this plot idea. Also thanks to Tumblr user Zhurricktea for the inspiration for the setting. If you have requests for a story please message me via the comments, private messaging, or on my Tumblr, Owlwynn5. Thank you for all of your support. Also trigger warning for violence in this chapter.

Alright he had gotten this far, he just had to sell his image. He could do this. Varrick was about to make his first big business deal. He had the funds but he needed the advertisement. You can't sell a product if no one has heard of it. He just needed to get Varrick Industries on the map. Then he heard his assistant muttering worriedly to herself again.

"Tara, would you relax. If we look like we can't manage ourselves in business, we won't get any business!"

"S-sorry, Sir, I'm just not used to so many people looking at us." Tara said in her skittish voice. Sometimes he wondered why he took her as his assistant. She could barely write clearly enough to read her own notes, couldn't talk to the manufacturers without constant worry, hated being even in the shadow of his spotlight, was constantly stumbling around, and she could barely make tea, and always forgot the honey. At least she was punctual and not thieves like his past three assistants. It was near impossible to get a good assistant that worked for him.

"Tara, I'll go over this again. We need to look serious if we want to get anywhere in this business. So steal yourself when I talk to Doyle. He can smell weakness like a piranha-shark. So keep your cool!"

"Yes, Sir,"

Just then Tara tripped into him which made him bump into what looked like a pile of paper with legs. Now he and a young woman were in a pile of papers. The young miss quickly went to gathering and sorting the papers with a clipped "Sorry." Varrick picked up a paper entitled, 'Marketing to Benders: How Different Bending Styles Influence Your View on the World – by Zhu li '

When the young woman saw what paper he was scanning over, her eyes became huge and snatched the paper away. "Excuse me, Sir, but that is for my boss to look over. Although feel free to steal the idea, Mr. Doyle will probably just ignore it and punish me for even putting this in his files,"

"This is brilliant! How have I never thought of this? I would love to discuss this further with this 'Zhu li' person. Do you know where I can find them?"

The young woman sighed, "You are speaking with her now, but if you would excuse me I have to get these files to Mr. Doyle. Do you have any business with Mr. Doyle?"

"I'm here for a marketing meeting," Varrick said with a sly smile. He had to admit the young woman now known to be this brilliant Zhu li was quite the looker. He was sure with a little charm she would be putty in his hands.

"Then you must be Mr. Doyle's two o'clock. If you would come with me I can kill two birds with one stone," she deadpanned. She wasn't even really interested in him. She had enough of her co-workers flirt with her she learned it was best not to even give them the time of day. This just made Varrick think she was cold hearted, but very professional. She was also quite bright, so why was she just a paper junkie for her boss?

Zhu li led them to an oak wood door. She gave the business man and his assistant a once over. She then sighed, "Miss if you don't stop shaking, your boss is going to get eaten alive in there, so try to put on a brave face, would you. My luck is he'll chew me out just for letting 'weakling' into his office," She then knocked on the thick door.

"Sir, your two o'clock Mr. Varrick is here. Also I have those papers you wanted, sir." As Zhu li went to walk away, Mr. Doyle slapped her bottom. Her eyes darkened but no more was said.

Mr. Doyle now turned his attention to Varrick while idly going through the papers, "So Varrick, it seems you are trying to worm your way into my publication. Now tell why I shouldn't just throw your sorry butt out of my office?"

Varrick built up all of his charisma for his pitch, "Well Mr. Doyle I-"

He was stopped mid- sentence by Mr. Doyle barking at his assistant, "Get Zhu li back in here! What is this crap she's trying to pull!?" His assistant rushed out of the room, the young lad trying not to show any fear of his boss.

Soon enough the bright young women was brought back into the office. Doyle was now fuming. He laid a very familiar looking paper in front of Zhu li, "Zhu li, can you please explain to me what this garbage is doing with the rest of my important documents and request forms. Because how I see it this is neither an important document nor a request form. So tell me what this trash is doing in this pile!"

Zhu li still stone faced replied, "I thought it would be a prudent avenue for our business. At this point we only try to market to non-benders. I think it would be valuable to broaden our horizons, Si-"

Before she could finish she had been slapped by Mr. Doyle. He then took the paper and ripped it in front of her. "I will run my business the way I WANT TO, and no woman is going to tell me otherwise!"

Varrick jumped in now, "Mr. Doyle that is no way to treat your staff, or anyone else for that matter!"

"You will shut your trap, Varrick, or you and your sniveling assistant will be getting nothing out of me! I will treat my employees however I please! Now I need to show this little tramp why she shouldn't over step her boundaries."

Varrick then turned to Zhu li, "Come work for me and I will pay you triple what this monster is. I would love to hear more of your ideas."

That just seemed to make Doyle even madder, "You've been telling MY clients your ridiculous nonsense! Do I have to remind you who you work for!?"

Zhu li, stone faced and swollen cheek, turned to Varrick, "We'll settle the contract later, but you have a deal." She then turned to her now former employer who was winding up to hit her again and kicked him in the stomach. That gave her a little bit of space between her and her attacker.

"YOU TRA-"

This time Mr. Doyle was the one who didn't finish his sentence, after a swift hit to his windpipe. Zhu li then calmly began to leave the office. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that. Now about that job offer?"

Varrick was shocked but right beside her in seconds, "That was INCREDIBLE! You're like some kind of cold hearted war-machine. I see a bright future with you by my side. So tell me about this whole 'marketing to benders' idea of yours"