Chapter 1: The Day She Came

The music "I put a spell on you by Annie Lennox" plays softly on the background as the taxi rides on the street showing a beautiful lady sitting on the passenger seat, she looks younger like in her early twenties.

Amber Smith has successfully graduates from the Chicago state University as one of the best accounting student, she moves into New York City, Albany precisely to start a new independent life and face new challenges.

The dry leaves roll on the street gravel as the taxi comes to a stop beside a nice apartment, Amber heaved a sigh of relief.

"Miss. We are here." the driver said politely starring at her through the inner car mirror.

"Is this the address?" Amber ask politely to make sure.

"Pearl Street, it is." the driver said with certainty.

"Sure."

Amber opens the door and cautiously step down from the car, she goes to the back and takes her luggage from the booth, and the car rides off speedily into the street while she face her new apartment with smile on her face as the sun flashes through the nearby tall trees, the music fades gradually while she roll her black box approaching the apartment entrance.

"Welcome to Albany, pearl Street ... Amber." she thought happily.

Amber walks down the passage and presses a door button and immediately the door swung open showing a beautiful lady of about Amber's age or younger.

"You must be Amber." the lady said in excitement.

"Yeah...." Amber nods sheepishly.

"Come in." the lady ushered her inside, she walk into the small passage while the lady impatiently lock the door from behind.

"Let me help you" the lady takes Amber's black box and begins rolling as they walk into a spacious living room.

"So, do you have a name?" Amber ask nervously and the lady smirk.

"Of course, I'm Mia." Mia pauses.

"Please have a sit, how do you see the apartment?" Mia adds in anxiously as she takes her seat across Amber on the soggy armchair.

"Well, it's not bad but I'll need to see my bedroom." Amber said.

"Sure, let's go." Mia takes the black box and walk Amber into an almost empty bedroom; it was indeed spacious and accommodating, it was painted off white.

"Woa, this is .... beautiful." Amber gaze at every corner of the room in astonishment.

"I love it already!" Amber exclaims as she turns to smiling Mia.

"Do you mind if we check the other room?" Mia ask politely.

"No, I will take this one." Amber pauses.

"Thank you." they exchange warm smile.

"Okay. You can start moving in." Mia taps the black box as if reminding Amber to start arranging the room to her taste, Amber immediately walks closer to the box.

The music instrumental plays slowly on the background as Amber begins arranging her bedroom while Mia leaves the room in silence.

The music comes to life again in the busy street showing different cars and people walking up and down, Amber walks down the street in a black trouser and cost more like a business suit or Blazer.

The nearby mart post shows "Now open" Amber walks into the mart and the music fades.

"Welcome."

"How may I help you?" the counter lady ask politely with smile on her face.

"Good morning. I'm Amber Smith." she introduced herself courageously.

"I came here to deliver this letter to your director." she said politely rummaging her handbag to bring out the envelope, the counter lady cross her arms.

"Which letter?" the counter lady ask anxiously in a scornful tone.

"Eerm... I'm applying for the post of a cashier or any available accounting positions." she briefly explains to the lady nervously.

"There is no vacancy, please leave." the counter lady said annoyingly.

"Really, can you please submit this for me.... at least." her eyes roll around the busy mart and back to the counter lady sadly.

"Don't keep your hopes up." the counter lady takes the parcel from her and she exhale with little smile on her face and she leaves the mart.

The busy telecommunication magazine firm, Amber confidently walks into the reception hall.

"Hi." Amber gives the receptionist a short wave.

"Hello."

"Who are you here for?" the receptionist eyes roll back and forth anxiously.

"No one really." she paused

"Is there any vacancy here?" she made a comeback, asking politely in a low embarrassed tone.

"Vacancy? Are you new here?" the receptionist ask, surprised but she showed no reaction.

"We recruit staffs once in a year and the month for audition was last two months ago." the receptionist explains to her briefly while she nods her head sadly.

"Thank you." Amber arranges her Jingpin bag properly on her shoulder and leaves the firm with smile on her face.

"Is it really hard to get a job here?"

"I have been out since morning and yet no good result" Amber wonders and complains sadly as she walks into another urban-like street full with commercial building.

"One last search I'm gone." she said to herself dolefully.

"No... Two more will be the last." she nods firmly proceeding deeper into the street.

After going through the hot burning summer sun she comes out of the elevator exhaling in relief for the cool atmosphere, the logo closer to the customer care shows Chase Bank.

she stroll elegantly pass the customer care service section and approach an inner table that shows advanced computer engineer on the name plate, she exhales in confusion facing sideways as a young gentleman with a red tag around his neck approach her.

"Hey Miss. Are you okay?" He ask politely.

"Not really. " her eyes still wander around the building but then she paused.

"Do you know where the manager's office is?" She ask sadly as she was tired.

"Yes but you can't meet her without an appointment." He informs her.

"Then kindly pass this on to her." she gives him a long brown envelope which he receives.

"Sure." He nods shortly.

"Here is too huge and cooler." she caresses her arms and leaves the workspace into the empty elevator, the gentleman smile and leaves.

==========∆∆∆∆=========

"Twenty photocopies!?"

"That's way too much Amber." Mia exclaims in astonishment as she gently massage Amber's feet, they sit facing each other on the armchair.

"I needed to distribute... you know." she stutters, embarrassed.

"So far, how many companies, malls or firms called you?" Mia ask with a sharp gaze raising a brow and she falls silent.

"None yet." Amber mutters sadly with a slight frown on her face.

"It seems I would have to accept your offer." she lift her gaze at Mia.

"Do you think it still stands?" Mia ask mischievously and Amber nods sideways in disagreement.

"Don't tell me no." she said with her hands clasped pleading sadly when her phone rings loudly on the two set mini center table.

"It's already evening, who's calling?" Mia ask, confused as she release Amber's legs.

"It's a text." she slide up her Motorola phone to check the message.

"Unbelievable!" she squealed happily as she stand from the armchair enigmatically and Mia sit upright staring at her anxiously.

"What's that?" Mia ask.

"An interview!"

"I have been called for an interview this Monday at Chase bank!" she said in excitement showing her phone screen to surprised Mia.

"Chase bank?"

"That's a very unique bank, everyone dream to work there." Mia informed her while nodding.

"Yes, the exterior of the building is very large and tall and the interior kept me speechless." she describes the structure of the bank skeptically as she sit on the armchair curling her legs up.

"I can't wait, Mia." she adds in smiling happily.

"You're so lucky dear, I'm happy for you." Mia pauses and stare at Amber with a mischievous grin, Amber wonders clueless.

"So, what will you do with your first pay?" Mia ask anxiously.

"But.... I haven't gotten the job yet" Amber rattles out defensively.

"I'm listening" Mia made a come back mischievously and Amber exhales in defeat.

"I'll pay Mia first for her sweet massage" Amber said flirtatiously and blush flusters on Mia's cheeks, they smile happily as Mia continues massaging Amber's feet.

In Chase Bank audition passage young male and female patiently sit on the red soggy seats waiting to be called.

Amber cautiously walks in wearing a neat black skirt above her knee and a white sharp long sleeve which has a jacket on it, she quietly stand beside a lady sitting on the last seat since there was no empty seat.

Amber gaze at each of the job seekers while the ones that wasn't accepted leaves the interview room with gloomy expression.

"I studied at University of Albany and I'm one of the best accounting student. So this job is mine" a young lady said optimistically to everyone as they stare at her with unreadable expression, looking at her appearance a lowlife will instantly loose courage.

The interview continues gradually as each job seekers leave with different body language, Amber finally got to sit after standing for hours.

"I never wanted this silly job!"

"Chase bank is a dickhead." the young lady who had brag about her degree squeal angrily as she storm out of the passage into the elevator, everyone that witness the action smirk mockingly including Amber.

"Amber Smith."

"Smith Amber."

Her name comes from behind the closed door and she stand immediately, arrange herself with deep exhale and walk into the room.

"Have a seat." the interview director said politely beaconing her with his hand, she sheepishly sits.

"Introduction" a lady beside the interview director said with stern expression.

"I'm Amber Smith..." Amber begins but is cut off by the lady's cough.

"We already have all that" the lady pauses rolling her eyes.

"Formal address, past experiences and reason why we should employ you!" the lady adds in annoyingly making Amber's nervousness to reach its peak.

"Eerm..." Amber begins awkwardly.

"Feel at ease Miss Smith" the interview director said.

"I once resided at Chicago but moved in here after graduation" Amber begins confidently.

"I have no experience since my university withheld our internship program, so I'm a clean graduate with no experience" the lady sigh loudly in disgust but Amber paid no attention to her.

"If I'm being accepted in this firm, all transactions will be entered properly, honesty and punctuality will not be far from me and I'll do my job accurately without aiming at my pay" Amber said confidently with small smile on her face.

"Such a hardworking lady." the interview director nods his head in impression but at the sight of his colleague's killer stare, he recoils and sits upright.

Amber anxiously twist her fingers on each other praying fervently in her mind while the interviewers across her debate in whispering tone among themselves then the lady clears her throat, Amber face up nervous.

"Amber Smith is now the accounting secretary to Mr. Noah, start work immediately" the lady said courageously with faint smile on her face while Amber stands roughly from the seat falling her materials on the floor.

"Really!"

"Accountant secretary?" Amber gaze at the interviewers in astonishment with her hands closing her mouth.

"Start immediately." the interview director reminds her sarcastically and she nods her head cowardly.

"Yes."

"Immediately." she said to herself as she packs up her fallen materials on the floor.

Anthony Paul

Paul Anthony

The lady calls with a loud voice as Amber hurries out of the room.

Amber walks into the passage with a tall standby bank staff, the lady takes Amber around the necessary regions explaining everything to her meticulously..

"This is the interns workspace" the standby staff said.

"Where are.... they?" Amber ask anxiously.

"CEO Liam takes only interns from private universities, there are no graduates at the moment" the lady explains briefly.

"Psycho" Amber mutters under her breath as she gaze at the corners.

"What did you say?"

"No... nothing." Amber rattles out mischievously.

"Sure, let's proceed." they begin walking forward.

"This is the overall manager's office but she is not on sit"

"This is the neutral staffs workspace"

"This is the account manager's office" as the lady show Amber various offices, she nods her head enthusiastically.

"This is..." the standby lady begins but is cut off by Amber's yawn, she turns.

"Where is my desk?"

"Who's my boss?" Amber ask anxiously in a funny manner.

"Beautiful Tiffany" a voice calls loudly from a distance behind them.

"Mr. Noah".

The Upper Room bar was in full swing as crowd flock in and out, everyone dance and drink happily.

"You win girl! You always do" Mia cheer on Amber as she takes the huge amount of cash on the table of other players.

"Mr. Liam is here!" the monopoly game organiser informs happily as other players begins to back out slowly but she stands firm wondering why the players were giving up.