.Chapter 1: When one door closes, another one opens.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. This disclaimer applies to every chapter of this story since I'm too lazy and probably forget to write it again next chapter anyway.

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A man with bright azure eyes roamed the boardroom with lazy gaze as he accessed each person individually. They seemed to be in an uncomfortable position as each employee eyes cast upon their lap; none were brave enough to face him.

He had just came back from an oversea meeting with one of the important client of the company a few days ago, and within those few days, everything seemed to be out of control around the Moretti Corporation. He was very well aware that over the period he was gone, a very important offer was being made and his cousin, Malachite had taken over the deal in his place during his absence. This had leaded him to be in this predicament.

Now, normally he would overlook any mistakes that Malachite made since he rarely made any, but this time, he wished that his idiotic cousin was here instead of half way around the globe in a sudden business trip in Rome. He knew what his cousin was doing, of course, saving his hide from being beat to senseless, but nevertheless, there's nothing he can do now except trying to solve this problem the right way.

"Mr. Moretti, sir. There's a phone call waiting for you." his secretary informed him politely.

Connect through, and Maria, another cup of strong coffee will be very much appreciated." He said.

"Of course, sir." Maria replied before leaving the room. Seconds later, the phone in the boardroom rang. He picked it up with practiced ease and brought the receiver to his ear.

"How are you this fine morning?" came a cheerful voice.

He wanted to slam the phone back into the cradle and punch something when the voice greeted him.

"Malachite, you bastard. How dare you put me in this situation without informing me first? I will beat you into a bloody pulp the next time I see you." He growled into the receiver.

"Don't be like that, Darien. You know the offer was tempting. I would be a fool to give it up."

"I'd rather you're a fool than a complete idiot."

"What's the big deal anyway? All you have to do is go to France for a few weeks to seal the deal, and ignore Monsieur Beaufort lousy daughter. That's all there is to it."

"So you weren't the brainless one who told him that I was married?" Darien growled. The employees took a warning and began to file out from the boardroom when Darien gave them a dismissal with a wave of his hand.

"Ah. About that. Sorry, buddy. Just slipped out. Monsieur Beaufort was complaining how businessmen are just workaholic these days and very rare to see one marry with a family at such age. I was trying to ease his mind and somehow you came to mind with a very young and beautiful woman with long wavy natural" he exaggerate the natural part, "blond hair and crystal blue eyes as your wife. He was ecstatic and proposed the deal right away." Malachite said simply.

Darien waited for a few seconds to let the words sink in. "You didn't really describe the pseudo woman to him, did you?"

"Actually, I did. So good luck finding her, buddy." Malachite said cheerfully.

"Why you bastar---!"

"Darien?" a feminine voice replaced Malachite. It was Mina, his adorable cousin in-law. "It's a surprise to hear from you."

"Hello Mina." Darien changed into a softer tone.

You're not calling us to go back, are you? We just got here today and I haven't gone sightseeing yet." Mina said in the tone that he'd witnessed so many times already.

"…Actually, it's something much worst than that." Darien said as he rubbed his fingers across his tired eyes.

"Oh. Has that butt-ugly dog finally hit the sack for eternity?" Mina asked hopefully. Fugly was Malachite's dog from when he was a kid and surprisingly the dog was somehow still alive and annoyed the holy Jesus out of Mina since they got married.

"No. Your husband had done something unforgivable. I think I need your permission to kill him with my bare hand the next time I see him."

"Did he set your house on fire or owe you money?" Mina questioned curiously.

"No. Much worst." Darien said. "He said I was married."

Mina was silenced for a moment before a roar of laughter burst form the phone. Darien quickly yanked the phone from his ear from going deaf. Dio, why did women have to be so loud?

"Sono spiacente. I thought you said you are married." Mina said with a giggled.

"I didn't say anything. You're marito did." Darien said sulkily.

"Why would he do something like that?"

"Because he's an ass." Darien replied simply.

"Well, whatever foe whatever reason he did, I'm sure it's for the good of you." Mina consoled softly. "You will figure it out, Darien. You always do."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Darien said stiffly.

Mina paused for a moments. "Try walking around Elster Street, Darien. It may clear your mind a bit. If you do, stop by Café Crystal and pick me up some chocolate, would you? I'm dying for some." With that he heard a soft click before dial tone reached his ear. It was official. Mina had hung up on him again.

Darien cursed about anything and everything under the sun as he tossed back his jet black hair and sighed loudly. Maybe a walk wouldn't be so bad. He really needed to clear his mind.

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Serena Jensen heaved a sigh as she tried to suppress her anger from surfacing. Her boss had given her hell for being five minutes late to work, her co worker was as nasty as she was yesterday and the day before and the day Serena got the job, she's got her menstrual cycle, and if this customer does not take his hand off from her behind, she would seriously cut it off with a knife and damn the consequences. The man gave her a crooked grin showing his yellow crooked teeth followed by a wink. Whoever invented the cheerfulness of a waitress as part of the job should be shot and burn at stake.

"Please remove you hand sir, before I report you for sexual harassment." Serena gritted out through her teeth as her fingers fisted into a ready position to strike.

"Don't be like that, suga." He said in a thick accent of what she recognizes as a southern people used. "I just wanna to feel if that booty is the real stuff, that's all darlin'."

"It's as real as the knife in my hand, you jerk." Serena snapped as she instantly grabbed the butter knife from the plate and stuck it in front of her in defense. The man laughed heartily before giving her bump a good smack. Serena's cheeks turned red before her grip on the knife loosened and drop to the floor. The next thing follow was a very loud crack against skin and a very loud curse as the man dropped to the floor, holding both his jaw and his crotch.

"Take that, you jackass." Serena hollered before someone called out her name in a furious tone.

"Jensen. What the hell are you doing?" her boss half run-half jog toward the scene with a furious pace and a red face to match his red shirt.

Serena didn't bother to say anything as the man muttered something about broken bones and lawyers. She rolled her eyes. Men. They're even more dramatic than woman.

"He touched me Paul, and I punched him." Serena answered simply.

"The nerve of you. This gentleman would not touch you in anyway inappropriate. I've been keeping an eye on you since this morning." Paul said angrily.

Serena rolled her eyes in exaggeration. "Well, maybe it's time to visit the optometrist if you didn't see that. Maybe you can serve jerks like this now and see how you like their hands on your ass."

Paul bristled. "This is the last straw for you, Serena. You're fired."

Serena scoffed. "You didn't need to fire me Paul, because I quit." She said as she threw down her apron onto the floor and stomped toward the door ignoring the gathering audiences. She felt a satisfaction of standing up to the jerk, Paul. Actually, she'd been thinking of doing that since she had turned him down when he first asked her out and she had refused and he acted nasty toward her since then.

Once out on the open street, she inhaled the morning fresh air and calmed down a bit. Only then did she realize that one, she had just walked out of her only job, two, she had forgotten her purse in the locker room, and three, she was penniless on the street without a purse and a job. Great, could this day get any worst? She fumed as a car drove by and splashed dirty water from the street straight onto her white polo shirt and khaki slacks. She had spoken too soon.

"Here." A voice came from behind her as a white handkerchief appeared right under her nose. Serena whipped around to see a man stood behind her with a somewhat sympathetic look on his face as he held a handkerchief out to her. "You look like you really need it."

Serena stared at him for a few moments before extending her hand and plucked the material out of his tanned fingers. "Thanks." She managed to mutter out before wiping the dirty liquid from her face.

"You had really made a scene in there." He remarked casually enough as he stuffed one hand into his dark trouser pocket.

"He had it coming for a long time." She said as she returned the dirty looking handkerchief to him. He gave her a confuse look and she bit her lips. On second thought, she should clean it first. "I'll return it back to you when I wash it. Just leave me your address and I'll mail it to you."

"It's quite alright. You can keep it." He said, his upper lips twitch to hide a smile. "Would you like to sit down somewhere and talk?"

Serena eyed him carefully. Rapists and murderers are out stalking about anywhere and this man could be one of them. She was not leaving to anywhere with him.

"Here. I think this belong to you." He said as he handed her a white purse.

"How did you get this?" she questioned with a narrow gaze.

"The man at the café yelled out your name to return the uniform and cleaned out your locker. I assumed you didn't hear it since you were already out the door. I offered to take your belongings out of his hands for you." He said smoothly.

Serena mouth formed an 'O' as she checked her bag to see if anything was missing. Nope, everything was in its place. It was nice of him to return her purse, but that only raised more suspicion. Maybe he's rapist, a murderer, and a slave trader trying to get her.

"I'm not a rapist or a murderer or a slave trader, so you don't have to worry." He said with those twitching lips again.

Okay, make that a mind reader possible rapist, murderer, and slave trader.

"Just the café across the street is fine." He said nodding toward the little establishment.

Serena bit her lips as he shouldered her bag. "Just so you know, I have a bit of bad luck with cafés. Is fast food restaurants okay?"

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Darien was finally at wit end when he entered the Café Crystal. He'd been walking aimlessly throughout the street of Chicago, keeping a look out for anyone with a natural blonde hair and blue eyes. He hadn't even encountered anyone women with a natural blond hair. None at all.

At first, he was really considering telling Beaufort the truth and gets it over with. He was on the verge of taking out his cell phone and punch in the number before a loud scream and a 'thud' rang out through the café. He caught a glimpse of a man on the floor clutching his body parts while muttering out curses at the young woman in front of him. She looked smug, and she has blond hair.

Darien quickly shoves his phone away into the pocket of his trouser before heading toward the scene. He could hear arguments being thrown between the woman and the manager. He was close before the young woman took off her apron and threw it onto the floor and stalk out. The manager had yelled out something and he had offered to take her belongings. It didn't take long for him to locate her outside of the cafe. Her long blonde hair stood out amongst the crowed and inside his head, he could see the light bulb goes off. Darien may have finally found a solution to his problem.

He risked a glance at the child-woman sitting across from him with something akin to fascination. She was not a day over twenty two or he'd eat his word. Her long blond hair was in a loose curl, flipping occasionally by the mid October wind, her face was pale as was the rest of her skin. Large cerulean blue eyes topped by a slashing brows, cute nose and a full lips. In the time that he spent with her, he had accessed her situation.

She was out of job.

She need a new job.

He may provide her with a job that will pay a lot.

"So, why don't you tell me what you want?" she said as she took a sip of her drink.

"You don't have a job, right?" Darien said casually.

Her blue eyes narrowed as she nodded her head, still having no clue why he had brought that particular subject up. "And what does my lack of job have anything to do with this?" she questioned.

"I have a job offer." he answered.

She stared at him for a good few minutes before she gave out a laugh. "I knew this is too good to be true." she muttered out, hen straightened up. "Listen here Mister, I don't know who you are but I am not interested in working for you. Whatever work you have for me will probably be illegal anyway. So I suggest that you stay clear from me before I call the authority and put you behind bars. Actually, you should go right now."

Darien chuckled. "Calm down Miss. Have I done anything to suggest that I have invaded your personal space so far?"

"Not yet." Serena allowed grudgingly.

"I'm in need of someone to work for me." Darien said as he took a sip of his steaming coffee.

"And you think that someone is me?" Serena questioned with a raise brow.

"Possibly. Can you act?" he asked.

"Why don't you tell me this job of your first?" she countered. Darien pressed his lips together from smiling. This woman was quick.

"I need someone, mainly blond, to act as my pretend wife for a month for my business deal." he summed it up briefly.

"Sounds a little off, don't you think?" she said. "Why don't you just tell your business...guy the truth?"

"Because he has a teenage daughter with a full on determination to marry me?"

"So, you're going to lie to your negotiator that you're married to fend off his daughter?"

"Pretty much." he agreed.

Serena bit her lips. "What's your name?" After all this time, she was sitting with a stranger.

"Darien Moretti. And you?" he asked.

Serena froze when she heard th name. Darien Moretti was a well known businessman around Chicago as well as around the glob. He's a billionaire extraordinaire tycoon, and she was here having coffee with him. Then again, anyone can claim that they're billionaires. Better not trust him just yet.

"My name is Serena Jansen." she said.

"Please to meet you, Serena."

"I don't mean to sound doubtful of who you are, but you just claimed to be the billionaire of some sort. Can you prove it?"

"Does that mean you will take the job?" he questioned.

"I have not yet to decide. I have to make sure that you're legit first before making any decision."

"Sounds reasonable. My office is a couple of blocks away. Why don't you take a tour and ask me questions."

Serena was undecided with what to do. Should she go with a stranger who offered her a job? She really needed to pay the rent this month or she'll be out on the street alone. Going back home was a no-no since her step-mother will probably lock her out anyway. She heaved a loud sigh as she dug into her pocket for a change. Flipping it into the air, she caught it effortlessly. If head, she was going to go with him and if it's tail, she would take off and never see him again.

After three tries, Serena found herself walking down the block with Darien Moretti.

AN: So, how was it for the first chapter????

Drop a review to let me know.