EMERALD

I'm so screwed. I really am.

However, giving up is not an option. Even though other applications haven't been successful, part of me was holding some tiny bit of hope with this housekeeping agency.

Telling my parents is not an option either.

There's still time. I can work on something. At least that's what I tell myself. Maybe so I don't crash.

I wait till my parents leave for the florist to search Theo's room, looking for clues. If he still had the drugs, I would return or sell them. It's illegal, but do I have a choice? If he had the money, even better. I would pay the debt and get this nightmare over with.

Now, if you were my stubborn, loving-and now secretive-brother, where would you hide things like that?

Our apartment is not sophisticated. It's just one we can afford. So, there are no complicated safety places, like the ones opened by codes or biometrics. I search the normal places; drawers, closet, bathroom, a space in the ceiling, under the bed, name them.

However, when I flip the mattress over, something captures my eyes. A book, actually a black diary.

WHAT? Since when...

I don't have time to dwell on that.

Respect privacy. I picture mother arguing with me about that.

But that's all it is, an imagination. If I don't breach his privacy, probably, there would be no family left. We will argue about it when he wakes up.

I hope he does.

"He will wake up," I mumble to myself, when I feel the fear creeping in.

I decide to check carefully, page by page, for the millionth time, holding my tiny bit of hope.

However, unlike other empty pages, one of the pages in the middle of it has a small paragraph.

It's Theo's handwriting. Well, at least I'm now fully certain the book belongs to him.

[ Diaries are for girls ]

I smile at the first statement. Typical Theo.

[I'll try it my way so it doesn't sound girlish. The only reason I'm keeping it is because I need a constant reminder of my goal. If my sister finds this, I'm screwed. One, because she'll probably laugh at me for the whole year...]

A soft laugh escapes my lips. Damn right, little brother...

[... Two, because that would mean she's found out about my big secret]

I squint my eyes, as though I'm not already aware. I proceed, with the hope of finding something deeper.

[Dear Theo, always remember, you're doing this for your family. A lot of sacrifices have been made.]

And then...there's nothing else. I flip the rest of the pages, but they're all empty.

What!

That's all?

It's only when a huge wave of disappointment kicks in, that I realize the amount of hope I was holding wasn't just tiny. I'd hoped to find answers. Maybe something to lighten the situation, but it turns out it was just a dead end.

I weigh more options the entire morning. The search in Theo's room wasn't of help. Which means I need to think deeper. There's an option of searching the entire apartment too.

I'm in the living room deep in thought, when a certain idea hits me. I narrow my eyes, contemplating whether to go through that path or not. I'm not sure it's going to work, but it's worth the shot. Besides, I'm so desperate right now, which means I can't be picky.

_____________________

Not much has changed at The Galaxy Hotel. I'm about to get in when a guard at the entrance stops me. He's a new one. Well, something has changed.

"Ma'am, you're not allowed here," he says, sternly, sure of his words.

"What?" My pupils widen. Is it because I was fired? But, can't I come back as a regular patron? It doesn't make sense. Did the rules change, or do I totally look like someone who can't afford this place?

"Why?" I ask him.

"I don't want to lose my job, ma'am." His words awaken another series of confusion in me.

"How's your job related to me walking in?" I pry, with narrowed eyes.

He digs into his pockets for a picture.

It's a picture of me. The one that was taken for my profile when I was employed.

I'm still confused when I glance back at the man.

"The boss gave clear instructions. You're not allowed here, and anyone found associating with this woman on the hotel premises will be fired."

This is outrageous.

Why would they...

Lindsey's text comes rushing into my head, interrupting the series of questions. So, this is it? She really meant it?

However, I don't want to give up this easily.

"Which boss are you talking about? Cecilia?" I pry.

"No. The Boss," he answers, returning the picture to his pocket.

"Cecilia specifically called me. I have a meeting with her," I lie. The man shoots me a skeptical look.

Okay, this is going to be harder than I thought.

"You can call her and confirm," I coax, holding my breath, hoping Cecilia will be merciful enough.

There's a long process to reach Cecilia. She comes to the entrance about ten minutes later.

I let out a heavy breath. At least, that's one step. Although, I didn't know the first step would be this hard. The next step however, I'm not sure. It's still worth the risk.

"Emerald," Cecilia grabs my arm and leads me as far away from the restaurant until we're at a nearby street.

"I'm risking my job talking to you. You're not supposed to be anywhere close to the hotel premises," she states the obvious.

I should be famous by now, shouldn't I?

"What kind of rule is that?"

"You've been painted as a thief who's a danger to the hotel," she explains.

EMERALD

My goodness!

This is the most absurd thing I've heard today.

"What?" This is worse than I'd expected.

"Not my words, I know how hardworking you are, but the orders came from above. I'm sorry, Emerald."

"Above? Mr James isn't that petty? Not to mention, unfair? I'm innocent, Cecilia."

Cecilia sighs before giving me one of those pitiful looks. "I'm not talking about Mr. James, Emerald."

"Then what are you talking about?" I pry.

"There has been some changes in the management. Lindsey Hayes now has shares in the Galaxy." Cecilia breaks more terrible news.

What. The. Actual. Fuck!

It only means I'm not getting any help here.

Fuck my life! Whom did I annoy in my previous life?

I spend the rest of the afternoon on one of the benches at the nearby park. All I do is close my eyes, think, think, and think. When open them I stare at the clouds for a while and the cycle continues for a few hours.

The sun is yet to set. I still haven't thought of anything constructive. The other option is to talk to Gabriel. Try to get a loan. I can't believe I'm considering it. I hate the position that I'm in. Desperate measures are the worst.

I could finally confess to my parents, but I should try the worst options first. If I don't tell my parents, will I have to get married to Spencer to save my family?

My phone dings in the middle of my very bad thoughts. I hopelessly scroll, thinking it's probably one of those promotion emails...

Except it's not!

It's not!

It's an email... From the housekeeping agency? My hand flies to my mouth as I gasp in disbelief. What is this I'm looking at?

I didn't think a bad day could end like this. It's like a dream come true...

No. It's actually a dream come true.

I squeal, and I'm loud enough to attract attention, but I don't care.

I got the job!

I fucking got the job.

I didn't even know I had dance moves until now.

The excitement is uncontrollable.

_______________

I'm not the only one excited about the good news. My parents wake me up earlier than usual the next morning. And by that, I mean they come to my room at 4 am. On a normal day, I would complain, but today isn't a normal day. I also need their moral support and their blessings.

I get to the agency before seven and wait at the reception. Contrary to my expectations, there is no line of interviewees scrambling for the same job, which makes my mind race with questions. What if they sent the wrong email? I mean, they'd rejected me once, but why the sudden change of heart? I didn't want to think much about it, because I was scared I'd jinx it.

A friendly receptionist leads me to another office half an hour later. The woman in the office is also friendly, which gives me a good feeling.

"Emerald Sandoval," she begins as soon as I settle in the seat opposite her.

"You're in luck. I was impressed with your resume. You had a very good recommendation."

Then why the first rejection? I wonder, still taking note of the fact that Cecilia risked her job for me. I don't know how to thank her.

"The first five vacancies were taken by more experienced people in the field. However, someone put in a request yesterday. They were in urgent need of a housekeeper, that's why you got a late email. We had to consider you on this one, since you were unlucky in the first slot."

The biggest luck of my life!

The best part is that I'm meeting my boss today, so we can discuss the terms of our contract.

I want to scream to the top of my voice, but I'll have to hold it in, for now. I need to act sane.

But seriously, how lucky did I get in a short time?

A car picks me up from the agency to my boss' company. I was told he wanted to see me in person and interview me a little.

I've got this. I tell myself. I haven't come a long way just to fumble at the last stage.

We arrive at a big building, with floors that I can't even look up to count. The driver has been silent the whole time. He leads me to the elevator and presses the tenth floor. While we go up, he looks at me and says, "Piece of advice for you?"

Oh, yes, please.

"He has one rule. Use common sense."

He goes silent. I wait for more words from him, but they never come.

That's it?

Weird, right?

However, I can't let that get to me. I'm getting this job.

The elevator door opens. He lets me step out first. I can't help but scan the place, hiding my gasps. The place is well-established. So cool, with everyone engrossed in their work, a few telephones ringing, others walking around with papers, and all those things corporate people do.

The man leads me to one of the offices, which I assume is our final destination, where I'm finally going to meet my boss.

He knocks and opens the door. He peeks his head. "She's here."

I'm still standing behind him when I hear a deep, sultry voice say, "Let her in."

Uhm...have I heard that voice before or am I crazy? It must be the excitement, right?

The driver lets me in.

I walk into the office, carefully, a mixture of anxiety and excitement washing over me. That voice sent a rumble to my insides.

However, what meets my gaze is more shocking.

I haven't even had a scan of the office when my eyes land on an Adonis sitting behind the desk.

As soon as our eyes meet, I want nothing but to crawl underground and disappear.

No wonder that sexy voice sounded familiar. Now that I'm in, the scent in the room is also familiar.

My mind goes back to the other night at the club, he had come close to me. The scent was intoxicating. I almost lost myself in it.

What did I do to him?

I emptied drinks on his shirt.

Just kill me already.

FLAVIAN

Between managing the nightclub, Flavian Holdings, and keeping my relationship with the Barnes intact, the past few days have been extremely busy. The good thing about the nightclub is that I have my assistant, Rafael, who has been significantly helpful for the past few years.

With my busy schedule, I forgot to find a housekeeper until my mother's loyal servants came knocking to my villa yesterday morning. She's usually serious about this stuff.

It would have been easier to assign someone the role of finding me a housekeeper, but that's not the road I'm willing to take. I want to vet mine. I need a perfect and convincing one.

Going for one of my mother's loyal minions would be digging a ditch for myself.

They would report my every move. In the end, I'd have to fire them. Which is why, to avoid such a dramatic cycle and save everyone's time, I'd put in an impromptu request for a housekeeper from one of the best housekeeping agencies in the city.

I sent one of my drivers to pick her up from the agency this morning. I need to see her first, just to know what I'm dealing with.

An hour later, he knocks to inform me my housekeeper is here.

"Let her in," I say.

When I look up from my load of work, my eyes meet the woman I never expected to see any time this year.

It's really her!

I could never forget her face. That beautiful face with dazzling eyes, but fierce. She's in a black, straight skirt with the length slightly above the knee. It hugs her perfectly, revealing the attractive curves. I'm even jealous of the skirt, wishing to replace it with my hands. Beautiful piece of art this one. My hands itch to explore her body, and my cock twitches at the mere thought of it.

She's wearing a simple, official blue shirt, long-sleeved and tucked so perfectly. Her hair is tied into a ponytail, just like the other night. Nothing about her is sophisticated, making it easy for one to overlook her beauty.

Only after she clears her throat do I realize I must have stared longer than I should.

"It's you," I smile. This is going to be fun. She doesn't respond.

"Scarecrow moves?'' I ask as soon as my driver leaves, in reference to the fact that she's been glued to the same spot for a while.

"What?" Her brows furrow, confusion written all over her face, rightfully so.

"Should I pay you for standing at my door? That's what I mean," I elaborate for her. The way she rolls her eyes is almost discreet that I could have missed it. This one must be good at keeping secrets. Perfect for my mother.

I sense some hesitations as she takes the seat opposite me. Her eyes speak something we both are aware of. Our last encounter had a lot of hiccups. Well, putting aside the fact that I still wanted to kiss her because of how hot she looked that night.

"The world must really be a small space, don't you agree, Miss..." I raise a brow.

"Emerald... Emerald Sandoval," she supplements, like suddenly she's regained her momentum.

"Right. Let's get straight to business." I rest my elbows on the desk. "Let's not waste each other's time. First order, an apology."

Her response is to squint her eyes like she has no idea what I'm talking about.

"Uhm, apology for what exactly...sir?"

I bet the last part was her way of being polite.

I scoff. She's still stern, which leaves me more intrigued.

"Really? Do you want me to recount the events of that night where you rudely made my shirt a tequila drainage?"

She exhales loudly and then sits upright, seeming to think hard. "Well, sir. It only means you're lucky to have me as your housekeeper. I will clear the mess I made with your shirt. You asked me if I knew the consequences of what I had done. Honestly, at the time, I didn't know. But don't you think fate brought me back to you?"

I cock a brow.

"Nice play, Miss Sandoval."

I'm still fascinated. Fate?

If we're talking about fate, I'm thinking of us being fated to inappropriate things. For example, fated to caress her body, kissing her deeply. It's what I've wanted to do since she walked through that door looking so beautiful that I was unable to tear my gaze from her. But then, I don't voice my thoughts.

"What do you mean?" I play along with her analogy.

"What I mean is, the consequence of that one action is that now I'm destined to take care of your laundry. All of them."

"Even my boxers?" I raise my brows briefly with a grin. However, I don't miss the flush on her cheeks.

"That would depend, sir."

"Depend on what?"

"Your preference."

"My preference in boxers? What type do you like?"

Her flush deepens as she avoids my gaze.

"That's...That's not what I mean." She clears her throat.

"Then, enlighten me, Miss Sandoval." I

lean back in my chair.

"I mean, if you prefer for me to wash them or not."

I'd prefer you help me take them off. I think.

A hot housekeeper? Why does it look like I'm digging my own grave here?

I want to say no to her. But again, with the kind of fierceness she possesses, she's the type of housekeeper I need, to pull my mother off my shoulder. I lean forward and look into her dazzling eyes. "What if I said no? Someone called you a home wrecker. You called me an asshole. I'm not sure I'm familiar with the better side of your character," I say.

"You know, it doesn't hurt to hear both sides of the story," she counters.

"My schedule is tight. I can't spend my day yapping with my soon-to-be housekeeper," I smirk, "or not."

"If you say no, you'll be missing out on the best person to take care of you," she argues.

I'll be missing on much more than that. Like those pretty eyes, that fierce personality...

Gosh, I could take the whole day.

This woman looks like a whole package to me.

___________________

ONE HOUR LATER...

I couldn't say no.

However, despite the confidence she displayed, I could sense some vulnerability...or fear.

I remember the exact feeling. My heart broke at the thought of it, and I was suddenly curious about what her life must be like. What she must be going through, even though she'd looked like she was trying hard to mask it. Something was clearly wrong.

When I became this kind of person, I have no idea. Why I didn't want to crush her hopes, I have no idea either. But it's definitely not because she's drop-dead gorgeous...

Okay, maybe, just a little of that fact, but it wasn't the main point. Call it a bonus.

The main point being, I cared so much, for Something that should've been none of my business.

And now, I have a housekeeper who's probably going to drive me crazy.