Echoes of Hidden Secrets

Andrew sat at his sleek, glass-topped desk in his high-rise office, engrossed in a phone call with his lawyer.

"Andrew, there's something important I need to inform you about." The lawyer's urgent tone matched the gravity of the news he was delivering.

A sudden uproar echoed from the street below the company's building, breaking Andrew's concentration.

"Hello, are you listening to me, Andrew? This is important! The lawyer said he was worried.

But Andrew's attention was fixed on the uproar outside his office window. He glanced out the window to see what was causing the commotion.

A young woman, Lily, narrowly escaped being hit by a speeding car.

"Hey, young woman, watch it!" The driver yelled at her furiously.

But all Lily could manage was a quiet apology before she resumed murmuring to herself, "You will be alright, mother. I can't lose you too."

Andrew's attention was momentarily captivated by Lily's beauty and the aura of determination surrounding her, but his focus snapped back to the phone call as his lawyer continued urgently.

"Andrew, I need you to focus," the lawyer insisted, his tone grave. "Guess who is back in town and heading straight to your company?"

Lily hurriedly walked into the seven-story building and headed towards the elevator. She pressed the elevator button, and it opened. She stepped in, holding tightly to her chest a blue office file containing her credentials.

Her feet grew cold. She kept murmuring something to herself. And just before the elevator's door closes, a red Gucci high-heeled shoe prevents the door from closing.

A tall, curvy figure walked in. "Hello," the woman greeted.

"Hi," Lily answered.

And the elevator gave a beep sound as it moved upwards towards the floor number Lily pressed.

"I will be out of town next week," Andrew said firmly over the phone, but with a sad voice, to his lawyer.

"Well, I think we need to see to discuss this in person," the lawyer said.

"Her presence will cause great trouble for you and your company. You know how dangerous she can be, right?" He added.

A little while ago, there was a little argument right outside Andrew's office.

"Sorry, ma'am, you can't go in." The secretary said to prevent the visitor from opening the door.

"I have every right to go in there," the visitor said, pointing towards Andrew's office.

"Now, if you will excuse me young lady" said the visitor as walk away and move towards Andrew's office.

Andrew's pulse quickened with apprehension as he processed the lawyer's words. He knew all too well the implications of the impending arrival. With a sense of foreboding, he turned towards the door, his eyes widening in disbelief as it swung open to reveal an unexpected visitor.

It wasn't Lily. A lady dressed in a red gown walked into Andrew's office full of confidence.

"What are you doing here, Victoria?" Andrew asked surprisingly, yet his eyes couldn't hide the dislike in his mind.

"Well, aren't you happy to see me?" Victoria replied while smiling mischievously at Andrew.

She added, "It's been a long three years since I set my eyes on you. So. I am back in town to see who is doing well for himself," she concluded, scanning the office with astonishing eyes.

"After all the years of..." He couldn't finish his sentence before he was interrupted.

"Aren't you going to ask me to sit down? Andrew!" Victoria interrupted.

Andrew pointed to the soft, sleek armchair opposite him, indicating Victoria to have a seat.

"We need to talk," Victoria sounded out.

But Andrew doesn't seem interested in whatever she has to say. Right after Andrew sat down on his chair, Victoria lean forward towards him and whisper something to him, which made Andrew open his eyes wide in shocked, his face full of confusion.

Andrew kept looking at Victoria with dislike and thought silently to himself, "How can you be so cruel towards me and your family, yet you have the guts to show your face here?"

Andrew thought of the years of maltreatment and no love from his ex-wife.

"Is she back because I am now a billionaire?" Andrew kept thinking about what Victoria's intentions were for coming back.

"See you around, Andrew," Victoria said as she stood up to walk away.

Victoria walked out of the office and gave Andrew a crook smile.

Andrew picked up his phone and dialed his lawyer's mobile number.

"We need to talk now. Let's meet at the coffee shop by 4 p.m.," Andrew suggested to his lawyer and dropped the call.

A knock echoed through his office again. Andrew's heart skipped a beat as he gave a sharp look towards the door.

"What does she want again?" Andrew muttered saliently.

But this time around, it wasn't Victoria. It was Lily.

"Can I come in?" Lily asked, leaning in a bit into the space of the open door.

"Yes, come in," Andrew permitted, looking surprised to see Lily, whom he had kept his gaze on a few minutes ago outside his office window.

Lily walked in and stood some meters away from the desk. She seems quite cold and worried, but composed.

"Please have a seat," Andrew said to Lily while pointing towards the chair.

"Thank you, sir," Lily gently sat on the chair.

"So what can I do for you, young lady?" Andrew asked.

"My name is Lily, and I am here to apply for a job in your company." Lily pushed forward her credentials towards Andrew for a review.

Andrew glanced through the colored papers and nodded his head in acceptance and agreement.

"I can see you have good qualifications here, but you lack working experience," Andrew said to Lily.

"Actually, sir, I can..."

"That's it; we currently don't have any vacant positions for now," Andrew interrupted Lily.

"Maybe some other time," he added.

"Please, sir, I can do any kind of job, even if it is to clean your desk and serve you coffee every morning," Lily pleaded with a dim voice.

Andrew gave her a gentle smile. He sensed the distress in her and could see the worry all over her face.

"I am sorry, but there's nothing I can do for you. However, I will try as much to keep your contact details. I may likely reach out to you some other time," said Andrew.

Lily sighed heavily and stood up with tears filling her eyes, trying to walk away from the office. The critical condition of her mother's health, who is battling with brain cancer, flashes right in front of her eyes.

She tried to hide her tears and pain from the man who couldn't help her when she was in need of the job now.

At exactly 4 p.m. Andrew and his lawyer met at the coffee shop to have some conversation. They sat inside as the waiter took their order.

"Victoria came to my office today," Andrew said while looking at the bubbling street through the window from the coffee shop.

"Well, I was trying to inform you in the morning," said the lawyer.

"She came by my office this morning and said she wanted to be with her son. Your son," he added.

Andrew's eyebrows rose quickly as he looked at his lawyer, shocked.

"What did you just say?" Andrew asked. "Why, what exactly does she want? After abandoning me and our child and filing for divorce, He fervently spit out his frustration.

"What do you want to do now, Andrew?" the lawyer asked.

"She is threatening to take the case to court to be the right custodian of your child."

"And I believe she has some ulterior motive," the lawyer added.

"However, there is a way to solve this and,... the lawyer said while looking at Andrew with an assuring face.

"Stop her from winning the case."

Andrew leans forward to his lawyer and asks,

"What way is that?"

"Contract marriage," said the lawyer, leaning towards Andrew too.

The waiter returned with their order and dropped the cups of coffee on the table.

"Thank you," the lawyer said, tipping off the waiter.

The waiter walked away while Andrew lean forward to the table like someone who is trying to whisper something secretive to the person in front of him.

"What? No, no, no," Andrew leaned back and rejected the idea instantly.

"Well, do you have any better ideas?" The lawyer asked while sipping his coffee.

Andrew gave his lawyer a blank stare, but his eyes showed signs of approval.

Andrew thought about the future of his child and that of his company. He has to do all he can to be the custodian of his child. And the only way to win the court case over his ex-wife is to have a contract marriage.

But with whom?

At exactly 8:45 p.m., in his penthouse. Andrew picked up his phone and dialed the numbers. It rang, and a female voice answered, "Hello, who is speaking?"

"Be in my office at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow," Andrew said sharply and hung up the phone. Andrew sighed deeply as he sipped his wine, thinking of the new challenge he was about to face the following day.

The alarm buzzed off; it was 7:00 a.m. in the morning. Lily was trying to snooze the alarm lazily as she slept very late, trying to look out for her sick mother.

Her hand tries to reach the alarm that is buzzing. Suddenly, she remembers the last thing she said over the phone the previous night.

"Be in my office at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow."

It was like a fiece arrow stroke deep into her heart. Lily's eyes are now wide open. She jumped on her feet instantly.

"Oh my God, I have only 30 minutes left," she cried out gently as she looked at the wall clock staring at her.

Lily walked towards her mother, who was lying helplessly on the hospital bed.

"Everything will be alright, mother," Lily said, reassuring her mother.

"Please hang in there for me and keep fighting," she pleaded. "It will soon be over," Lily concluded, kissing her mother's forehead.

It is past seven o'clock. Lily looked at her phone and hurriedly dashed out of the patient room.

Lily manuaver through the crowd on Crescent Street that is bubbling with different working-class people.

"Excuse me!" Lily said as she tried to make her way through the crowd.

"Hey, watch it," says Lily, as she was hit by a young, energetic man in his early 30s.

"Sorry! I am sorry, Miss." Let me help you.

The young man bent down to help Lily pick up her scarred credentials on the floor.

"My name is Drake," he said while handling Lily's credentials.

"Thank you," Lily appreciated.

"Oh my God! I need to hurry," says Lily as she looks at her phone.

Lily hurriedly left the young man standing.

"Hey, I didn't get your name!" Drake shouted as he watched Lily disappear.

Andrew sat in his office, waiting patiently for Lily to arrive. He kind of grew uneasy and impatient. He looked over his Rolex watch, and it said 7:28 a.m.

"I knew she would be late," Andrew said to himself.

His face looks like he is unsure of what he is about to do. He just wants to give it a try and see if it will work out.

His lawyer has given him the only chance to win the court case and be the custodian of his son.

Just as he was about to stand up from his chair, The door opened, and Lily rushed in like a person chased by some monster.

Andrew looked at his watch, and it was 7:30 a.m. on Dot.

"Good morning, sir," Lily said. She tries as much as possible to hold her breath and compose herself properly in front of Andrew.

"One more minute of being late, and I would have asked you to turn back," Andrew said to Lily with a bold voice.

Lily sighs in relief and moves towards Andrew's desk. "It won't happen again, sir," she reassured Andrew, wiping away the little sweat on her forehead.

"Have a seat," Andrew responded.

"I have a job for you," said Andrew, scanning Lily's face to see her reaction.

Lily adjusted her posture and gave Andrew a calm smile. She doesn't want to look too excited, yet she tries to show her appreciation for considering her.

"But it isn't an office job," said Andrew.

"Actually, I want you to be my son's nanny." He added.

Lily's smile faded away slowly as she cleared her throat and tried to understand what Andrew was talking about.

"I don't understand, sir," Lily asked Andrew with a confused face.

"Consider it as generosity and for you to have a working experience," Andrew says while smiling a bit, knowing what his hidden true intentions are.

It was the only way to assess her and consider having her as a wife for the contract marriage.

"But, sir. I can't do it." Lily tried to explain but was shut out by Andrew again.

"I will pay you $3000 per day," said Andrew, looking straight into Lily's eyes.

Lily's jaw dropped in great surprise. She couldn't believe what she just heard. She had never earned as much as $200 in a week. And here is an opportunity for her to make $3000 a day working as a nanny.

"That's $90,000 per month," Andrew said with a persuasive voice, raising his left eyebrow.

Andrew is a billionaire, and paying such an amount is a piece of cake for him. Moreover, he needs her as a tool for his mission.

Lily was lost in thought. She had already started thinking about how she would be able to afford the hospital bills and pay for the surgery for her mother's health condition.

"I, i..." Lily stammered as she tried to swallow her saliva.

"If you're not interested..." Andrew says as he tries to get up from his chair.

"I am interested, sir. I am very interested in the nanny job," says Lily.

"Good." Andrew nodded his head as he stood up from his chair, looking at his wrist watch.

"Meet my secretary, and she will brief you on what to do next," Andrew concluded.

Andrew left the room and walked towards the boardroom. He has a meeting with some investors.

Lily stood up and walked out of the room happily.

On Mainland Island, a billionaire's quarters where rich working-class citizens lived. Victoria drove down there to visit Andrew's mansion.

She was there to see her son, but the security man didn't allow her entry into the house.

"Excuse me, Ma, I can't allow you to go in," the security personnel said, blocking Victoria from entering the gate.

"I am here to see my son," said Victoria.

"And who could that be?" He asked her.

"Andrew's son. I am his mo." Victoria pauses as she tries to explain, but remember, she is Andrew's ex-wife, and the security man might not recognize her.

"I am Andrew's ex-wife," she says, looking at the security man with a dim face.

"He is not in. He is at school," said the security man, looking at her in despise.

The security man thought to himself, "Doesn't she know what time it is? Children are in school. It isn't a holiday."

"And which school is that?" Victoria asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

The security man refused to answer her looking away from Victoria.

"Forget it; I will find out," she said as she reversed her car and drove away.

Victoria, in a black Mazda, looking angry and upset, picked up her phone as she drove and made a call.

"Send me the address to my son's school now," she requested.

Lily was walking gently and confidently by the roadside, smiling all to herself and murmuring, "Mother, you will be alright."

A sudden, loud ringtone snaps Lily out of her thoughts. She looked at the phone, and it was a medical center call from the hospital were her mother is lying in critical condition.

Lily's eyes were wide open now. Her heart started beating fast.

"Hello," she answered. Her facial expressions were in anticipation of something.

"Miss Lily, we need your attention right now!" The voice said it hesitantly and with urgency.

Lily, without hesitation, jogged with a little pace towards the hospital. She ran with speed this time around towards the ward where her mother was admitted. Looking through the open glass on the door. Lily couldn't see her mother inside the room.

Lily's heart skipped a moment, almost in her throat.

"Where is she?" Lily says to herself.

A nurse was walking in a hurry towards the theater room, and Lily grabbed her hand.

"Hey! Nurse! Uhmm..." Lily tried to ask the nurse, but tears filled her eyes and she could not ask properly.

"Ma'am, I need to hurry up. Your mother's condition is critical, and she needs immediate surgery." The nurse says pulling away Lily's hand from hers.

This statement broke the hesitant tears in Lily's eyes. She begins to sober uncontrollably. Lily followed the nurse like a little child behind.

Lily sat close to the operation room, waiting patiently for the doctor to come out. The operation took over 6 hours. And finally, the doctor came out speaking to one of his nurse.

Lily jumped up at the doctor and asked for the condition of her mother. She keep asking the same question over and over leaving no room for the doctor to calmly answer her.

"Miss Lily, well..." The doctor tries to say something to Lily but isn't sure how to tell her.

"What is it, doctor?" Lily asked without hesitation.

"The surgery went successful," says the doctor, but was immediately interrupted by Lily's impatient questions again.

"But what doctor? Tell me, what is the matter." she asked.

The doctor looked into Lily's eyes and saw how sad they were. Filled with tears, and then the doctor broke the news to her walking away from her.

What could be the news that almost made Lily to faint?

Lily's whole life flashes before her eyes. She couldn't imagine life without her mother. The news that the doctor broke to her lingers in her thoughts.

She sat by the bedside where her mother lay, supported by an oxygen mask.

"You need to keep fighting, mother." Lily silently utters these words. She held her mother's hands gently, yet with great grip, as if not to let go.

The doctor earlier told her, "Miss Lily, your mother won't be able to live for more than 3 months." "Her condition has worsened, and there's nothing we can do," the doctor said to Lily, feeling sorry for her.

The door opened, and a doctor and two nurses came in. Lily quickly wiped away her tears and stood up.

"Hello, Miss Lily, How are you doing?" the doctor asked. "I am fine." Lily affirms, sniffing her nose and wiping away the little tears on her face.

"Okay, let's see how your mother is doing," said the doctor, moving towards the oxygen machine. He checked her vitals and murmured something while reading the machine.

"Nurse, make sure you give her the dose and record her heart rate," the doctor ordered one of the nurses.

Victoria drove down to MacArthur Elementary School. She parks just outside the school and looks at her phone to be certain she is in the right place.

She stepped down and walked straight to the head teacher's office. "Good morning, Mr. Edward," Victoria greeted, looking at the name tag on the head teacher's desk.

"Good morning, ma'am," replied the head teacher.

"I am here to see my son, David," says Victoria.

"And who are you again?" The head teacher asked with curiosity.

Victoria took a deep breath and sighed, gently leaning forward toward the desk. "I am his mother," she said.

"Do you have any ID cards or anything to identify yourself?" he asked.

Victoria looked at the head teacher in shock and surprise. She was about to say something, but the head teacher quickly added, "I have not seen you around here." "I hope you und..."

Victoria quickly responded, "I understand, Mr. Edward." Victoria leans back in her chair, putting her right hand on the armchair.

"I am the ID; call him and let him identify for himself," Victoria confidently told the head teacher, smiling at him.

The head teacher was taken aback and chuckled a little. He stood up and went out to get David.

The head teacher came back to the office with David.

"My little boy," Victoria said, standing up from her seat and rushing to hug David.

David stood still and didn't reciprocate the hug. He wasn't sure what to do currently-to hug her or to yell at her. She left him and went away when he needed her the most.

And after 3 years, she is now back. "Why did you leave me?" David asked, trying to move away from Victoria.

"I am sorry, my son," she apologized. "I didn't leave you," Victoria stammered as she tried to hold David.

"You left me when I required you the most. I would rather not see you anymore," David says as he attempts to walk away from Victoria.

Victoria endeavored to hold him back, but he quickly walked away from her. The head teacher also set out to stop her from holding him back.

"Mrs. Victoria..." the head teacher says, showing a sign of stopping with his hand.

Victoria stood up and picked up her hand. She walked out of the office feeling bitter and sad.

At exactly 5 p.m. later in the day. Lily pressed the doorbell, waiting patiently for an answer. But there was no response. She pressed the button again and again. As she was about to press it again, the door opened wide. It was Andrew.

He looked at Lily from top to bottom like a robot scanning for contraband. "Good evening, Mr. Andrew," Lily greeted.

"Come in," he responded. Lily walked into the house. She uttered silently, "Wow.". She is already thinking to herself that Mr. Andrew must have inherited this big mansion, or maybe this is just one of his big fancy houses, among others.

"Let me show you to your room. And later, I will show you around the house," Andrew said to Lily as he sipped from the glass of wine in his hand.

Lily went into her room and dropped her luggage. She scans the room slowly. This is her first time setting foot in a big mansion like this, let alone having to spend a night in it.

As she sat on the soft mattress, the image of her mother flashed before her eyes. Lily took a deep breath and thought about the condition of her mother.

A knock interrupted her thoughts, and the door was open. David went in to meet his new nanny, Lily. "Are you the new nanny?" he asked.

"Yes, I will be the one to take care of you from now on," Lily answered as she put her hands on David's shoulders.

"I think I like you," says David.

"Wow, really! Tell me, what do you like about me?" Lily asked.

"Your eyes look like those of a kind person. And I know my dad makes only the best choice for me," said David.

Lily smiled and nodded her head in acceptance. "You must be proud of your dad!" said Lily.

"Will you read my bedtime story for me too?" David asked, trying to be sure if Lily would really take good care of him.

"Of course I will," Lily answered. "In fact, I will sing you lullaby until you fall asleep," she reassured him.

Mr. Andrew was standing right by the door, peeping into the room. He saw and heard everything Lily and his son said. He smiled and left.

Lily came out of her room and saw Andrew sitting in the living room watching television. "You have a good son," she said.

Andrew looked back at her and nodded his head. He resumed watching the news broadcast on television.

"So are you going to show me around the house?" Lily asked, trying to get Andrew's attention again.

"Sure, I will," he said. Andrew stood up from the sofa and led Lily through the open space that led to the kitchen.

"Here is the kitchen. Everything you need is in here." "And if there's any other thing you need, just let me know," Andrew said while showing her the kitchen.

He led her out of the kitchen and straight to the cinema room. It is dim with blue light and decorated with soft cinema chairs.

"Wow!" Lily exclaimed softly. Andrew gently led her as they walked to the courtyard. Lily's eyes were filled with beauty. The flowers planted filled the air with their heavenly scent.

The air is so refreshing, and the swimming pool is as clean as white. Lily couldn't believe her eyes. She never imagined standing in a courtyard as beautiful as this. She hasn't seen one after all. And it won't be bad to take a deep breath and inhale the clean air full of a sweet scent.

As Lily took a deep breath and released it, she opened her eyes and saw Andrew stand 2 inches (5.08 cm) from her. His handsome face was well adored by his blue eyes. Lily could feel a little heat rising within her body.

"Mr. Andrew..." she said. Andrew came closer to her, and she could hear his breath. Lily tried to swallow her saliva. She couldn't resist the aura of Andrew.

Andrew reached out to her neck with his hand, pushing back her blond hair. His hands wrap around her neck.

"I have a gift for you!" He said.

Andrew placed a gold necklace around Lily's neck.

"It's a token of appreciation for accepting to babysit my son," said Andrew.

"Wow! Thank you," Lily appreciated as she looked at the necklace and smiled back at Andrew.

Lily was surprised; rather, she never expected this from him. But what could make Andrew gift her such a gift just after meeting her for a few days?

Andrew is such a playboy. He knows how to lure any lady perfectly to bed or to get anything he wants from her. His intentions were to break any objections Lily may have when the right time came for him to propose the contract of marriage. But little does he know.

Victoria sat at the bar, drinking and feeling helpless. She thought about her son and how he refused to listen to her back in school. She took the glass of wine and was about to gulp it when a hand stopped her.

Furthermore, she raises her head to see who it is. A tall figure was standing in front of her with an envelope in his left hand.

"If you want to get your son back, I will help you. Everything is inside the envelope," the figure said, dropping the envelope in front of Victoria.

Victoria was surprised. She took the envelope and opened it; her eyes were wide, and she was shocked at what she saw.