THE BILLIONAIRE'S FAKE FIANCÉE...

Every year in Ravelle, a charity event is held in the community with the purpose of supporting the underprivileged, but most of those who attended are dignitaries from different corners who came only to show off their wealth, network, or take photos.

"Zara! Hurry, we're running late," Amber's voice echoed along the hallway. "We don't want to miss the event, do we?" while looking at herself in the mirror. She wore a white silky-smooth dress, simple and elegant, her hair tied in a bun and used a red bold lipstick ‐ one she reserves for special occasions.

"I'm coming!" Zara responded as she ran towards the door where Amber was standing waiting for her. "How do I look?" She twirled in her glittering black dress with silver straps.

"You look like trouble, let's go," Amber giggled as they both headed out while she locked the door from behind.

As they arrived at the event, the view was breathtaking. "Wow..." Zara whispered with excitement, tilting her head around slowly, making sure to capture every view. It was a large outdoor courtyard in the Ivory Distinct. Different luxurious cars packed at the entrance while photographs and reporters were all around anyone with a recognizable face taking pictures and conducting interviews.

The yard entrance was decorated with balloons and a large banner that read, "Ravelle Hope for Foundation" while soft music played in the background, other foundation banners placed in corners, photo booths, media crew, and of course, clustered voices of the community elites as they clicked glasses and exchanged pleasantries with soft laughter.

"So much for a charity event," Amber said, as she could see through the purpose of the whole setting.

"Amber!" a voice from behind called out. She turned to see who it was, and it was Rina, her closest friend.

She waved at her as she drew closer.

"It's quite a surprise to see you here. Events like this always rub you the wrong way," she said.

Amber gave a soft smile. "Well, Zara wanted to come, and you don't expect she came alone."

They both continued their conversation, walking towards the registration booth. While they were at it, a sudden commotion at the entrance caught their attention. It was between a young woman and one of the event officials.

"You can't come in here looking like this," he said, in a very sharp and stern voice.

"And why is that? It's an open event, and I can dress the way I want," the young woman responded as she tried to squeeze her way through the officials who were already blocking the entrance.

During the struggle, Amber couldn't take it any longer. She hated it to see people in power oppress the less privileged. Before she could think twice, she stepped forward.

"Is this how you treat people you claim to help? Last I checked, this is a community event, and it's open to everyone" she uttered, her tone icy and clear.

The official turned to her, "And who do you think you are?"

"Someone who can't stand public humiliation," Amber replied. "Aren't you ashamed? Harassing a woman. Now, if you don't want your face on every media outlet tomorrow, I advise you to step aside," already pulling out her phone.

She didn't know she was already the center of attraction, but she didn't care.

At first, he was reluctant, but he slowly stepped aside, allowing the young girl to pass through. She gave Amber a thankful smile and soon disappeared into the crowd.

"Heyyy, madam knight in shining armor, that was intense," Rina teased Amber.

"And dramatic," Zara added. And they both laughed.

"Oh please..." she pushed Rina slightly on the shoulder. They continued to explore the venue.

Meanwhile, across the lawn stood one of the biggest billionaires in Ravelle, Leon Viremont-wearing a black tuxedo that fitted perfectly, crisp, and effortless. He had attended the event on behalf of his father, Douglas Viremont, whose name was called out to have made the biggest donation. Witnessing the drama that had happened between Amber and the event officials, he was fascinated by her boldness. When others are scared to talk so as to not get on the elite's bad side, she stands her ground with distinct confidence.

He lifted his fingers slightly to signal his assistant stood behind him.

"Sir?" Darious Nox responded to the gesture as he pulled closer.

"Find out who she is. The one in the white dress." Leon said, without turning his gaze.

Darious frowned slightly, "Why? Is there a problem?"

"Just do as I say."

Darious nodded and disappeared into the crowd.

Soon, the event came to an end, and everyone departed to their various houses. As Leon drove home with his assistant, he couldn't stop thinking about Amber. By around 9:00 p.m., Darious had gotten everything he needed to know about her.

Leon was in his study, standing close to the window, gazing outside with his hands placed underneath his chin as though he was deep in thought. Then, a knock on the door.

"Sir, here's the file you asked for," Darious said, stretching it forward.

Leon turned from where he was, collected the file, and sat down, flipping through the pages. The first thing his eyes caught was her name.

"Amber Rose Adao... Adao... why does that name sound familiar? Where have I heard it before?" Leon questioned himself, trying to figure it out.

After deep thought, Leon's memory snapped to focus. A few years back, just before Viremont Holdings became what it was, Leon, at 19 years of age, had run away from home after an intense argument with his father. On that same night, he was robbed and beaten up by some roughs in a dark alley and was left for dead. Just then, a man passing by noticed him. He took him home, treated his wound, gave him food to eat, and directed him back home to safety. That man was Mr. Adao, Amber's father.

Although it's been years, Leon hasn't forgotten that kindness and believes he owes him.

"Interesting..." Leon whispered as he continued going through the pages. He got to know about her father's death, where she lived, worked, and the debt she had to struggle to pay. Immediately, a thought ran through his mind. He came up with a proposal, one that would benefit the both of them and also repay her father for his kindness in the past year.

He gave a mischievous smile with his right hand rubbing against his chin.

The alarm rang at exactly 6:00 in the morning. Disturbed by the sound, Amber grudgingly sat up on her bed, half awake, rubbing her eyes and heaved a heavy sigh. She felt the pendant hanging around her neck. It was engraved with her father's initials.

Her mind drifted back to him. He was hardworking and did everything he could to support the family. He showered her with love and treated her like a princess despite the struggle. She remembered how she insisted on going to the mall, which led to an accident causing her father's death. She wished she had not forced him. She blames herself for his death and thought taking up the family's responsibility would make her feel less guilty, but it was instead exhausting.

"Is this ever going to end?" she thought to herself. She got up from the bed and prepared for the day's activity.

"Amber!"

Her mother called from the living room. "Why isn't breakfast ready yet!? Do you want to starve us again?" she yelled.

She sighed, raising her head up while blinking to stop the tears from dropping. "Coming," she grumbled, sliding her feet into her worn-out slippers.

Her mother walked up to her in the kitchen, "the debtors called again. This time, they threatened to take the house. Make sure you work twice as hard so we can settle them."

She didn't know when she murmured, "Why don't you do the work instead?" As she continued making breakfast.

"What did you say to me?"

Amber turned, yelling on top of her voice, "I do everything I can for this family. I work tooth and nail just to ensure the debt is cleared. And all you do is nag! If it was so easy, maybe you should..."

Just before she could complete her statement, a resounding slap landed on her face.

"How dare you!? How dare you speak to me in that manner? Have you lost your mind?"

"Oh, you've grown wings now, right? Don't come back to this house with no money to settle your late father's debt. You're the reason he's dead, so you should take full responsibility." She ordered as she left the kitchen.

Holding her cheeks, tears rolling down her eyes. Those words pierced deep inside of her. Even though she had always told herself, hearing it aloud still made her stomach twist. She wiped her eyes and continued making breakfast and setting the dining table. As she walked past her sister's room, the door creaked open. "Hey," Amber called. "I left some food for you on the table. Make sure you eat before leaving for school."

Zara turned to her, half asleep, she responded, "Thanks Am, you're the best." It was the only kindness Amber could hear from her family all day.

She went back into her room to prepare for work. The sight of her uniform disgusted her as she wore them. Heading out, each step she took was like she had weights strapped on her ankles. She was tired of everything - the unending debt to be paid, the unpaid bills taped on the fridge like a vision board, the flickering lights in her apartment and the family that only saw her as a wallet. Her wish was to just disappear from the face of the earth.

"If only wishes were horses..." she thought.

When she finally got out of the house, she found a crisp white envelope placed right on the foot-mat. She picked it up, looking left and right, wondering who must have kept it there and what was inside. Without checking its content, she shoved it into her bag and headed straight to work.

Just then, Amber realizes she was already late. She ran hurriedly down to the restaurant. As she carefully opened the door, hoping not to be noticed, a voice snapped from behind, "You're seven minutes late."

In shock, she turned, and it was her boss, Mr. Callen. "I'm so sorry," she said, rushing to tie her hair into a bun. "The bus broke down and..."

"And what?" Mr. Callen cut in, "I do not pay you to run late and put your workload on other members of staff. The customers have been waiting, and they clearly don't care whether the bus broke down or not."

Her heart dropped.

"It won't happen again."

"It better not. Or else, you give me no choice but to let you go. This is your last warning. Now, get to work." he commanded, already turning away.

She nodded as she headed to the counter.

"That was close." Rina whispered as she passed her a tray.

The activity of the day continued. Amber moves from one table to another, dodging insults from rude customers who treated her like she meant nothing. In the city of Ravelle, there's a high level of discrimination between the low class and high class.

"Hey, girl," Rina called from behind the counter. "You know you really have to take it slow with the way you work yourself out."

Amber gave a faint smile, "I don't have a choice. I have a lot of debt and responsibilities on my shoulders, and you know it."

"Don't worry, our prince charming will soon come to our rescue, just like Cinderella."

"In your wildest dreams," Amber responded.

They both laughed and continued the day's activity.

During their break hour, her mind went back to the envelope. She reached out to her bag and brought it out.

"What's that?" Rina asked out of curiosity.

"I don't know. I found it at the door this morning while coming to work."

"Well, open it! It could be the answer to our prayers!" Rina said excitedly.

She shook her head in mockery of Rina with a smirk on her face and finally opened the letter.

She froze in shock. "What? What does it say? Let me see" Rina grabbed the letter from Amber.

"WHAT! Oh my God! Is this real? It can't be, right?"

"I... I... think it's real..." Amber stuttered

They both stared at each other and the letter in Rina's hands in disbelief.

Amber is still in disbelief. She collects the letter from Rina and reads it again. This time, aloud.

"Your debt has been acquired by Leon Viremont. You're expected at 106 Vale Crescent in 48 hours. Come alone."

The note had no signature, just clear instruction.

She still wasn't sure of what she had just read. "This must be a scam. Leon Viremont? The most influential and powerful billionaire in Ravelle? The heir of Viremont Holdings? What business does he have with me or my father's debt?"

"Girl, this ain't no scam. It's a blessing in disguise!" Rina jumped. "This is Ravelle. Anything can happen. But, there must be a catch. You should find out what it is! And who knows, he may end up being your prince charming," she giggled.

"Rina, please." Amber said as she pressed her lips together. "You play too much."

The door opened suddenly, "Enough of the chit chat. Break's over, get back to work, girls," one of their colleagues interrupted.

"Here we go again," she sighed and rolled her eyes, folding the paper neatly back in her bag, and they resumed back to work.

Amber had gotten off duty, and on her way home, she couldn't stop thinking about the letter she had received. Drifting away in her thoughts, the honk of an incoming vehicle brought her back to reality, "Watch where you're going!" The driver yelled. She quickly adjusted herself and bowed slightly in apology.

When she got home, the house was quieter than usual. Her mother had probably gone to the neighborhood casino center, and Zara was fast asleep. She quietly slipped into her room, making sure not to wake Zara.

Amber paced to and fro and reached out for the letter. She opened it again, read it continuously like it was going to change if she had read it for long.

"What does a billionaire have to do with a girl like me?" she plundered. It was too good to be true. She had only heard about Viremont on TV, saw them on billboards, and knew how much influence they had in Ravelle, but she never thought she could be summoned by Leon Viremont. "He probably wants to use my weakness for his selfish gain." She thought as she dropped the letter on the table beside her bed, laid down, and fell asleep.

The next day, the alarm rang at exactly 6:00am as usual. Amber got up grudgingly and continued her daily routine.

On getting to work, before she could even breathe, Rina dragged her to a corner, "So, when are you going to the Viremont mansion?" She asked. Amber looked at her with a stern look, "Going? What do you mean? I'm not going anywhere."

"What? Are you crazy? What do you mean you're not going? This is a rare opportunity. At least, you should know about the said requirements in the letter even though it may not be of interest to you."

Amber sighed with confusion in her eyes, but she shoved it off, and they both went back to work.

On getting home, she walked into the living room to her mother, holding the letter.

"How did you get that? Were you going through my stuff?" She asked furiously.

"Oh, so, you planned to keep this away from me, huh?" Her voice is sharp and clear.

"I didn't think it was important. And besides, I'm not going." Amber responded as she walked past her.

"Come back here. What do you mean you're not going? Do you think you have a choice in this? People like us don't get to say no!"

"People like us? What do you mean by that?" Amber echoed.

"Yes! People like us who only survived by knowing where to shut up and obey. Whether you like it or not, you leave first thing tomorrow morning, no excuses."

Amber's chest burned down with rage and humiliation. She always knew her mother resented her for being a burden, but she never knew it was to the extent of selling her out. She didn't care to know the reason. All she cared about was money.

She entered her room, and while she was still trying to figure out what had just happened, Zara walked in. She had overheard the conversation between their mother and Amber. Without hesitation, she gave her a hug and whispered, "Everything's gonna be fine. I believe in you." These words melted Amber. She didn't know when the tears rolled down her cheek. After a moment of shared emotions between them, Zara left for her room.

The silence in the room was deafening. Amber stood up, walked towards her window, and stared at the sky. "Dad, what do I do?" she whispered, somehow, expecting an answer. Then, suddenly, someone tapped her from behind with a soft voice calling out, "Am, my dearest," it was her dad.

"Dad? How are you here?" She asked, looking like she had seen a ghost.

Her dad was dead, so she had technically seen a ghost. He looked exactly like he did before he died.

"Come, sit with me." He pulled her as she followed. They both sat on the bed.

"Dad, I miss you so much. It's hard without you here. I'm tired, I'm exhausted, I don't know what to do anymore." Amber said with a cracked voice.

"You don't have to worry. Sometimes, our breakthrough comes in mysterious ways. There's always a silver lining."

"But dad..."

"Shhhhh, no buts. Just be rest assured that everything will be fine." He cuts in. "Remember what I always tell you, "No matter the situation you find yourself in, there's always a way out. Be strong and face your fears," they both recited in sync.

"I'll always be here for you, my darling."

Just as she was about to hug him, he faded away with the breeze. It was then she realized it was all a hallucination. She sat on her bed, holding her knees together and sobbed quietly, not knowing what the next 24 hours would be.