The Billionaire's Sweet Secret Spy

CHAPTER 1: THE OFFER

The large windows allowed the warm light of the morning sun peep into the room, painting the office with a kind of beauty. Right outside the window was the beautiful view of the bustling city. People went up and down, chattering and smiling as they went about their businesses.

All in all, it was a beautiful day outside the. Yet, for Amber Roosevelt, it was yet another boring, long day at work. Except, today had come with a different gift.

Sitting before the brown mahogany desk, cautiously arranged, was her boss, Mr. Watson, a shrewd, short, bulky man in his fifties, and with a pair of glasses he never needed on his forehead. Right across him, Amber sat, fiddling with her pen underneath the table, away from his preying eyes.

"So... are you in for it, Miss Roosevelt?" Watson leaned on the table and intertwined his fingers.

"Think about it well, Amber," he urged with a very dramatic wave of the hand. "You won't find any like this anywhere."

Amber sighed, unable to decide.

"Sir, may I ask?" She place the pen on her thigh and sat up straight to face Watson. "Why?" She asked.

"Pardon?" Watson frowned at his red haired employee; she asked too many questions. Sometimes he could not help but wonder how he had been able to work with her for three long years without losing his sanity.

Amber did not seem to find anything wrong in her question. After all, what he was asking her to do was -if not inhuman- illegal. Yet, she was tempted to say yes.

Amber readjusted her sitting posture and looked her boss straight in the eye.

"Why would you want me to do something like this? I mean, who in the world is so jobless - no offense..."

"None taken."

"... To want to slander someone else's name? It is childish and unreasonable. Whoever it is, if they have a grudge against the other, why don't they settle it amicably?"

Amber felt a gush of wind over her tiny pink heart after asking the one question that was quickly starting to haunt her. As much as she tried, Amber could not really understand why someone - a human - would want to bring down someone else. It sounded childish to her.

"Ms. Roosevelt," Watson relaxed in his chair, still not breaking his gaze from hers. "I believe that doesn't concern you. Your job, as I have stated before remains the same."

It was not a sentence; it was an order from him to her, to do just what she was supposed to do. Amber knew that, but everything Watson was asking her to do would go contrary to her fate and upbringing.

"Meet the man. A position would be secured for you once you accept this job so as to enable you work with him everyday. That gives you access to him and his daily life. It'd also give him the time to grow softer and loosen his guard around you.

"When that is done, you find secrets - ones you know would be able to end his career and reputation in Chicago- and that's it! Your job is done." Watson said it like it was as easy as drinking water. In fact , he had said that time and time again; for the umpteenth time that day. It was barely noon and Amber was sure that he did not mind going over the details of the contract a thousand times again. As long as she would agree to it, he did not mind at all.

Amber sighed. Her eyes shutting and opening to reveal her black obsidian pupils. Just when she opened her mouth to reject the job, Watson beat her to it, throwing in his last card.

"Your mother, I believe needs the funds."

Those were the only words it took for Amber's indestructible surface to crumble.

Her mother...

Her eyes shut close as her mind drifted back to her poor mother who was lying down in the house now. Probably sleeping under the influence of the painkillers she had been taking for months now.

The poor woman had been diagnosed with a faulty kidney and needed a transplant. As unfortunate as the family couldn't afford the cost of treatment, there had been no donor. Maybe because they didn't have the funds now.

Amber bit her cherry colored lower lip to push back a sniffle. Her demeanor always crumbled when her mother was mentioned. It was no lie that the poor woman had seen all sides of life ever since their father went AWOL thirteen years ago.

Could he even be called a father?

His presence was akin to his absence as he was just invincible even when he was with the family.

"Miss Roosevelt? Miss Roosevelt?" Watson called out to her but it was as though she was no more in the room for she heard him not.

Watson sighed and banged his fist on the table loudly.

"AMBER!!!"

Amber almost fell off the side of her chair.

"Sir!"

Her hand flew to her chest in a bid to calm her racing heart and her head hung in - was it shame for spacing out or self pity for her predicament? Watson couldn't tell, neither could she.

"I'd take the job, sir."

It could barely pass off for a mutter as it came out as a whisper but, Watson heard. Yet, he leaned towards her and raised a brow.

Amber bit her lip and looked him in the eye.

"I'd take the job." She repeated. Something shone in her eyes - a glow of determination.

Taking this job was against everything she had ever known or believed in. But, who did morals help?

After all, her poor mother was writhing in pain with the passing of every second. She had kept her morals and didn't sell her body, yet, nothing changed, nothing happened.

Now, if she had to sell her soul to the devil to have her mother up on her feet, Amber would do it without batting an eyelid.

Watson smiled, pleased to hear her response. He'd always known that Amber was sensible and had the interests of others at heart - especially her family. It was why he had ran an extensive research on her and had used her mother before she could reject the job.

"Nice choice, Miss Roosevelt. I knew you were not going to let me down," he praised, seemingly happy at her choice.

"You may return to your cubicle. The contract for the job would be sent to your desk before closing hours. I expect it on my desk by morning?"

Amber nodded. She pushed her chair backwards and stood up to leave. But, one step away from the door, she stopped and turned to face Watson.

"What would happen once I sign the contract?" She asked, curious to know, although, she had her own high hopes.

Watson couldn't help smiling at the girl's curiosity. All the same, he did satisfy it.

"Once that is done, rest assured that your mother would be transferred to one of the best hospitals in LA. Also, you don't have to worry, your mother would be assigned a private nurse and residence in your name."

Amber bit her lips, feeling a little relieved at his reply. Without another word in reply to the scheming man she had called boss for the past three years, she walked out of his office.

Once in the comfort of her cubicle, Amber slumped into her chair and placed her head in the table.

She didn't want to do this but, she had no choice. Right now, she was at crossroads and needed to make a choice.

'Whoever you are,' she thought silently, 'when all this is done and over with, I hope you can forgive me.'

.*.*.*.*.*.

CHAPTER 2... Second Thoughts

.*.*.*.*.*.

Amber busied herself in the kitchen, preparing dinner while her mother slept in the living room of their shabby little two bedroom apartment. It wasn't big, and it sure did not have all the things she or her mother would want, but it was home; warm and cozy, with lots of love.

Even though she stood before the cooker, Amber did not smell the burning of the pasta she was cooking.

A lot spiralled through her mind.

'Do I really have to sign this contract? If I sign it, mum would get her treatment , but I will be scarring someone in the process. A scar that could last for a lifetime. But if I don't, mother might di- God forbid...'

Amber continued to think of possible answers to.the questions on her mind, unaware of the smoke that was quickly filling the house.

What she was being asked to do, according to Watson and the contract description, stood against everything she stood for. How she had been raised to never lie against other, how she had been raised to love all equally, and even how she lived by the motto that secrets are meant to remain secret.

Thinking of all these things made Amber's head ache badly. She had found herself in a tough spot with only one way out, was she going to take it?

While she was was still searching for answers in her look of thoughts, a shrill cry echoed into her ears, causing her to break out of her trance with a jolt and a small yelp.

"IDIOT! What's wrong with you?" Rhea cried, rushing into the kitchen to turn off the cooker. "Are you out of your frigging mind!?"

Amber scrunched up her nose, coughing as she ran out out of the kitchen. She rushed to open the windows and door, hoping that her mother had not inhaled too much of the smoke.

She could have sworn she didn't perceive any foul smell when she was standing before the cooker. She had only put the pasta in the pot of boiling water, so how did it burn so fast?

Rhea came out a few moments later looking pissed. She cocked her hips to the side and folded her arms across her chest, demanding an explanation.

"Amber, what the heck just happened in there?"

Amber shrugged with a faint smile. "I don't know, Rhea. I swear."

Rhea sighed heavily. She peeked at the old woman who was still sleeping before dragging Amber to the bedroom, closing the door behind them.

"Talk to me, Amber. You haven't been yourself since you came out of Watson's office," Rhea looked at Amber, worriedly checking if she could see what was wrong. When she could not find any external injuries, she sighed and tilted her head to the side. "Did Watson do something to you?"

Amber smile fell. She tried to smile but she knew it would come out awkward. After all, Rhea could see through her lies.

She didn't even know where to start from. Rhea needed to know. Rhea was her only friend and colleague. They had been friends since they were barely teenagers. She was a sister who loved, and cared for Amber liked a mother hen.

Rhea hissed, starting to get frustrated by Amber's silence and constant spacing out. She grabbed Amber's shoulders, shaking her violently.

"Would you talk to me, you idiot!?" She yelled. "Don't keep me quiet for heaven's sake, I'm worried about you! Do you want me to run mad?"

Seeing that Amber did not budge, Rhea sighed and stopped shaking her.

"You know you can tell me anything right?" Rhea's voice had softened and was laced with a mix kind of warmth and comfort.

Amber nodded.

"Good! So, start talking!" Rhea snapped once again.

Amber had no choice. She spilled everything in her heart out to Rhea who listened attentively, never interrupting her for once until she was done.

When Amber had finished narrating everything to her, Rhea nodded. She was quiet for a while before turning to look at Amber.

"Have you told mum?"

*****

"Do you have to go?"

Amber smiled softly. She took her mother's palms in hers and squeezed them lightly. Her eyes closed for a while to push back the tears that were brimming but that didn't help, they still fell.

"Yes, mum," Amber answered, lightly brushing her thumbs against her mother's skin.

"When would you return?" Vanessa asked in a weak voice. When she spoke, it was as if she was using the last of her strength to speak. She would have to take a break after every word, making her phrases even longer but Amber did not mid waiting.

"It won't be long but, by the time I return, you'll be fine and all better."

Vanessa smiled. She stretched a shaky hand and placed her palm under Amber's cheek.

"You do not have to go, Amber," she said, a tear trickling down her face. "I will be fine all the same."

"No, mum. Don't say that," Amber broke down in tears. She placed her palm on her mother's own, enjoying the warmth it brought to her. "I will do whatever it takes to see you chase me in the snow, okay?"

There was pain in her voice when she spoke, causing her mother to smile through her tears. She knew Amber was hurting inside, she was only trying to keep a strong face. Knowing this, how could she bring herself to sell her out? If she did, she would be the worse mother ever.

Instead, Vanessa smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, child. I love you."

"I love you too mum," Amber replied, meaning every single word she spoke.

'Damn the rules, damn the motto, only my mother mattered now,' she reminded herself once more.

Just then, the door opened and Rhea entered with a few bags of takeout. Since Amber decided to ruin dinner, they had no choice but to have takeouts.

Rhea placed the food on the table, yelling, "it's time for dinner people!"

.*.*.*.*.*.

CHAPTER 3... New Environment

.*.*.*.*.*.*.

It was a bright and sunny day when Amber's flight landed in Chicago. She came out of the airport gates wearing a simple sleeveless white gown, a pair of sandals, and a beach hat to keep the sun at bay. White, fluffy clouds drifted slowly across the clear, blue sky. The weather looked beautiful.

Amber dragged her large suitcase with one hand behind her carefully. In her other hand, she held her phone and dialed a string of numbers. Watson had arranged a cab driver for her before she left LA and it was the driver she was trying to reach now.

After a few rings, the call connected. An elderly man's voice greeted her from the other side and he asked if she had arrived. She replied that she had and he told her where he was waiting before Amber ended the call and started to make a beeline to where he had said.

The man helped her put her suitcase in the trunk and started to car to take Amber to the apartment that had been arranged after she signed the contract. According to Watson, the apartment was only a seven minute walk to the company. That way, she wouldn't be late to work.

That was actually very thoughtful of Watson because Amber was almost always late to work. It was either her alarm didn't ring, or it did at a wrong time: or it rang and she turned it off: or she couldn't get a cab quickly. Whichever it was, Watson had given her solutions to them.

***

Through the long ride, Amber kept staring at the roads they passed. There were lots of people walking on the sidewalks, chatting happily, but only one caught her sight.

It was a woman who looked to be about her mother's age and a young lady who might just be Amber's age mate. They sat at a table in front of a small cafe, laughing heartedly.

The scene reminded her of when her mother had not been diagnosed with cancer. They used to go out for coffee every weekend. During the coffee time, they would chat and laugh, just light the two she had just seen.

Thinking about the past made Amber's eyes water. She leaned her head on the window, lost in her own little world until she drifted to sleep, only to dream of her mother.

The cab driver's voice reached Amber, causing her to jerk her eyes opened. She saw that the car had stopped moving in front of a building. The building was a one floor bungalow, and was rounded by a short iron fence. Surrounding it were colorfu flowers and well groomed trees.

Just when she was about to ask whose house it was -because it couldn't be her temporary home-, the driver spoke.

"Mr. Watson says to drop you off here, ma'am." He reached for the key in his pocket and handed it to Amber but she only stared at him with wide eyes. "He also said to give you this."

Amber broke off her silly trance and took the key from the man. After examining it for a while, she met his eyes. "Who else lives there?"

"I do not know, madam." the man apologized, shaking his head, "I'm sorry."

Amber nodded with a small smile came out of the car. The driver also came out and helped her removed her suitcase from the trunk. He handed it to her with a smile and turned to return to his cab when Amber halted him.

"Wait!" The man turned to her, wondering what it was.

Amber opened her handbag and pulled out all the cash in it to give to him. It wasn't much, maybe only a hundred and fifty dollars. She would just find an ATM point later.

She handed the money to him. "Here it's not much, though."

The man shook his head and smiled. He refused, saying, "All expenses have been covered by Watson, ma'am. Thank you."

Amber's brows rose. What exactly did Watson stand to gain in all this? She would never know what that shrewd man was up to anyways, so she dismissed his thoughts and shook her head.

Amber held out her hand even more. "Take it as a tip. From me."

"I insist," she added with a little pout.

The driver smiled, amused by her reaction. She seemed very open; he thought and took the money from her.

"Thank you," He bowed low and Amber's smile widened as she waved the man off into his cab.

Once he was gone, she turned to face her apartment –maybe mansion- and sighed.

After a few seconds, she trod forward and let herself past the fence. The pathway from the fence gates to the main doors of the house was decorated with marble stones and she walked on them , feeling like some celebrity on a red carpet until she reached the front doors. Amber inserted the key, twisted it, and pushed the door open, only to freeze on the spot.

Immaculate...

That was the first word that came to Amber's mind when she saw how big the living room was. The room sparkled, as though it had just being washed. The furnitures and electronics were covered in pieces of white fabric to keep the dust off them.

Amber took a rasp breath, letting it out slowly as she walked inside the house, letting the door close behind her with a small bang. As she walked further into the room, she ran her fingers on the covered furniture, overwhelmed and yet, unable to comprehend why someone who go this far to ruin another person's life.

With a very small shake of head, she let the thoughts be and looked around the room. Far behind, there were three doors. She opened the first one to find a well equipped kitchen.

"Mum would kill to have this," she muttered, her voice drooping to a husky tone when she thought of her mother. She couldn't call as her mum might be sleeping. Later, she decided and closed the door to open the one a few steps from it. That one was a large bedroom, painted white from floor to ceiling with a large bed in the middle of the room. In a corner of the bedroom were two doors which she opened to find a bathroom and closet. The third door at the side was a bedroom too.

So, in all, the house was a two-bedroom apartment where she would remain until further notice.

Amber dropped her suitcase in the bedroom and returned to kitchen. She wanted to get familiar with the house before taking a quick nap. Maybe later, when the sun was setting, she would take a stroll outside to get familiar with the street

***

Almost an hour later, she had taken a shower and decided to call Watson. It rang for a few minutes before Watson picked. His voice came out cheerily when he spoke.

"Arrived?" he questioned for Amber to hum in response, wondering why he sounded happy. "Good!" he added her with a small laugh. "Get settled in. Tomorrow's Monday and I expect you to be at the office before eight am, Amber Roosevelt."

Amber let out an inaudible sigh.

"Better than having to come in at seven, sir" she replied with a smirk on her face. "Will do sir. Thank you."

"Keep me updated." Watson ended the call after that.

Amber tossed the phone aside, feeling jetlagged. She laid down on the bed with her back facing the ceiling and in a matter of minutes, she had drifted off to sleep.