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.

Leon's POV.

I've never encountered a girl like her before. She is bold, clear, outspoken, and not to mention, elegant. Her actions caught my attention, something no one had ever done. I sat on the leather chair in my study, leaning back, reminiscing on the scene that had happened at the charity event. The way she stood her ground, fire in her eyes, her voice steady, chin lifted... It was the kind of moment that burned itself into memory. While I was at it, I heard a soft knock on my door.

"Sir," Darious said as he entered, "your mother is here to see you." I instantly knew the reason for her visit.

"Leon," she called, walking in right after Darious gave a polite bow and made his way out, "the family dinner is tomorrow by 7pm. Make sure you come with Isabel so we can discuss the engagement plan there after."

Isabel Miller is the daughter of Owen Miller and the heiress to her father's multi-million dollar tech company. They believe pushing her to me will make Viremont Holdings stronger, gain more power in Ravelle, and help in securing multiple deals. She's elegant and poised. My mother adored her.

"Good morning to you too, mother," I replied, not minding the supposed dinner she had earlier mentioned.

"Spare me the sarcasm, Leon. Don't be late tomorrow," she said.

"I'll come for dinner, but not with Isabel. I already told you I can not marry her."

"And what is that supposed to mean, Leon? Your father mustn't hear you say such. You know how important this union is to Viremont Holdings, and besides, Isabel is the perfect fit for you," she argued.

I stood up from my seat and walked towards the bar at the corner of the room, "There would be no wedding, mother," I said, pouring myself a drink.

"There will be!", her voice now sharper. "Do you want to ruin this for us? This is not only about you, it's about the company, our future. We can't afford to lose that contract just because of your silly ego. The board needs to see that you're capable, and one of the ways to prove that to them is by having someone by your side. Someone like Isabel."

I picked up the glass of whiskey, took a sip, and said calmly, "I'm seeing someone else," fixing my faze on her.

I could see the shock and disbelief in her eyes, "since when?" She questioned.

Does it matter? All that matters is that she's real and I'm not getting married to Isabel."

She stared at me for a moment, "I don't care. You will be at dinner tomorrow with Isabel."

Then she turned and walked out, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor.

I stood there for a while, twirling the glass of whiskey in my hand. Eventually, I returned to my desk, picked up the file that had Amber's information in it, and scanned it through again.

My phone buzzed. It was Isabel. I watched it ring for a second before answering.

"Hey, Leon," she said, "your mother called, or should I say my future mother-in-law," giggling over the phone.

"Okay, and?"

"Well, I bet she already told you about the dinner tomorrow. So, I was thinking... maybe we could go together and make an entrance, you know."

I paused. "There would be no need for that."

"Come on, Leon. You're always doing this. Did I do something wrong? You've been distant lately," she said, as her tone dropped into something more personal. "I know you don't fancy the idea of us to getting married, but I can assure you, once you stop fighting it, you'll see that we're perfect for each other."

Listening to her talk was already tiring. How can one be so... obsessed? No matter how much I spell it to her, she refuses to listen to me. I placed my palm on my face, rubbing my eyes.

"Look, Isabel, I am not fighting anything," I said flatly, "I'm seeing someone else, and we plan to get married soon."

"Someone else?" She scoffed, "It's quite funny how you think that matters to me, Leon. I've waited for this moment for as long as I can remember... You can't just shove it off by telling me there's someone else. Quit the joke,"

"You think this is a joke?" I asked as I turned my chair to the window, tension prickling down my spine.

"Whether it's a joke or not, I don't care," She said, her voice warm and dangerous.

I'll see you at dinner tomorrow. Wear something black. You look sexy in it." She ended the call without waiting for a response.

I let the silence settle around me. The sound of Isabel's voice echoed in my hears. It was very glaring that she wasn't in love with me. She was in love with the idea of me.

With a sigh, I tossed my phone on the desk and leaned back into my chair.

I wasn't sure if this whole idea of seeing someone else would work, but Amber isn't just like any other woman. She was... different.

She must have received my message to her about her debt that I had now acquired. I was quite certain she'd show up. I mean, she wouldn't want to ignore a message from Leon Viremont.

But why am I really doing this? What do I want from her, really? Knowing that her father was the man who had helped me in the past, I could just pay her debts and look away. But I can't help it. She has triggered something in me. Somehow, I knew she was the one who could burn this whole charade to the ground.

Slowly, I stood up from my chair, grabbed the glass of whiskey I had earlier poured for myself, and walked towards my windows, looking down at the city of Ravelle as it glitters gold and ruthless.

I tucked my left hand in my pocket and took another sip.

Let's see what you do, Amber Rose.

Tomorrow, the game begins.