Chapter 2: Facing the Demon

"Congratulations babe."

"The newest staff in chase bank."

Mia lauds at Amber excitedly as they cheer happily gulping their liquor, Amber notice a bustling corner in the bar and turns to Mia.

"What's going on there?" she raised a brow with her eyes pervading anxiety.

"Oh."

"They normally play bets during the monopoly game session." Mia explains briefly.

"Monopoly in a bar?" she almost gasp in surprise with confuse stare.

"Yeah. Do you want to try it?" Mia questioned anxiously and she nods impatiently, they drink the liquor in one gulp and proceed to the bustling round table.

Amber at the first round, bet with small cash and the players mock her annoyingly but before a blink of an eye, almost half of the players went bankruptcy during the game as their money were given to Amber, she continues playing confidently while Mia encourage her endlessly.

The players mutters sadly to themselves.

"You always do!"

Mia cheer happily on seeing the heap of cash on her desk.

"Mr. Liam is here!"

Another strong player has arrived making the players to back out gradually, Amber turns around wondering why the players were pulling out.

"Little girl, are you still in?" the game organiser ask Amber mockingly as everyone aside Mia burst into laughter.

"Level 10, hard vision, bring it on." the mysterious stranger said confidently and everyone mutter in surprise while Amber lift her gaze toward the stranger, she couldn't see him clearly due to the constant changing club lights but at its sparkling bits she could see his handsomely shaved beard and sharp arch eyebrow.

"Are you in?" Mia nudges her so she would give the anxious room a reply.

"Bring it on." she accepted confidently nodding her head and they restart the game.

The game organiser turn to the dark shaded handsome stranger.

"Any desire bet, Mr. Liam?" He ask politely.

"If I win, I'll have her tonight to myself. If I loose, her bet." the stranger said courageously and Amber smirks rolling her eyes.

"If I win, all my drinks tonight will be on your tab. If I loose, your fucking bet!" Amber said annoyingly provoked and everyone  becomes anxious as the game begins.

Base on her accounting calculative IQ, she is very good at the game but it seems like she has hit the wrong person as they keep getting exact scores causing tie while sometimes the stranger seem to be winning.

"Will he really have me tonight?"

"The thought of this disgust me... Eeww."

Rather than focusing her mind deviated, she throws the dice on the large board and proceed on playing the number using her object, the stranger smirk at her every turn while she wonders on how to get the "proud" stranger to his knees.

The crowd mutters desperately to themselves on who will win and on the fact that the game was taking too long to end, the stranger removes his gaze slightly from the board for seconds and after two turns Amber wins.

"She's incredible!"

"She won Mr. Liam!?"

"No one has ever won Mr. Liam."

The people including the game organiser roar in surprise while the stranger remains reserved.

"My drinks" she flicks her fingers mockingly at the stranger.

"Her drinks are on me."

"Yes Mr. Liam."

The stranger leaves the bar with two men on black behind him while Amber keep staring his his back.

"Let's go get our drinks." Mia nudges her in excitement.

"Sure."

"Drink it is." she and Mia happily walk to the bar.

After couple of hours, the stranger approach the counter.

"Mr. Liam." the bar cashier calls courteously.

"How much is her bill?" the stranger ask.

"Three hundred dollars sir." the bar cashier informs confidently as she shows Amber's order to him.

"What a vicious vixen!"

"Here!" the stranger drops stack of cash on the counter and leaves  entirely with confident strides.

Grrr!

Grrr!

Grrr!

The alarm clock on the top of the bedside table rings loudly as Amber uses her pillow to cover her face.

"Silly alarm."

"It's weekend!" Amber squeals.

After her daily routine, Mia leaves early for work while she sits on her home working desk preparing the spreadsheet in her laptop that Mr. Noah ask her to work on via email.

"Working on spreadsheet without witnessing the cash" she thought, confused.

"I don't have to piss off my boss since I'm new".

She continues inputting numbers cautiously on the spreadsheet using Microsoft power excel application, she calculate the amount, sum them up accurately, copy them from the inbuilt calculator and paste on the excel work section, this continues in hours  and soon she yawns hungrily since it was already six thirty in the evening (6:30pm).

Mia cautiously strolled to an occupied table with a tray containing coffee and fries, she gently place the orders on the table with smile on her face and turns to leave then she sights Amber from the entrance thus she walks hurriedly towards her.

"Babe."

"Bitch."

They smile at each other happily, Mia walks to the counter (behind) while she sit on the tall stool across the counter.

"You didn't inform me you were coming." Mia snorts.

"My apologies babe, I was so bored at home." Amber said politely.

"Done with weekend work already?" Mia ask as she prepares a cup of coffee for her visitor.

"Yeah, quite stressful." she complained sadly.

"But you enjoy doing it." she chuckles.

"Here." Mia hands her the coffee which she receives smiling.

"I don't know what I'd do without you." she said sweetly and Mia blushed shyly.

"So in chase bank, any cute male employee?" Mia ask sarcastically with curiosity.

"I never had the chance to check that out but my boss is super hot." Amber winks flirtatiously taking a sip from the warm coffee.

"You mean Noah is super hot!?" Mia ask anxiously.

"Waitress!"

Someone calls loudly from a table and Mia groan sadly to herself.

"Be right back." Mia takes the menu list from the counter and walks toward the patron, Amber smirks caressing the edge of the coffee cup in silence.

"So, where were we?" Mia asked enthusiastically with smile on her face immediately she return.

On cooperate suit, Amber walks down the passage with mild smile on her face as she frequently taps the file on her arm.

"Miss. Amber." a tall beautiful lady call her politely and she turn sideways.

"Good day, how may I help you?" Amber ask lovingly.

"Are the files for Mr. Noah?" the lady ask.

"Yes. Any issue?" Amber ask anxiously.

"By the way I'm Glenn, Mr. Noah's secretary." the lady introduce herself.

"Well I also have things to discuss with Mr. Noah." Amber pauses

"I'll love to see him personally." she adds in confidently.

"So bad he's in a meeting." Glenn continues speaking while Amber stretches her neck to see if anyone is on seat but Glenn keeps blocking her view, intentionally.

"Sure. I'll leave this with you and come check on him later." Amber admits defeat politely.

"Nice." Glenn receives the file with smile while Amber exhales and proceed into the elevator.

The flat LG television plays classic Asian drama, Amber buries herself on her laptop and files in the dining table while Mia busy in the kitchen, the evening was calm and refreshing.

"Care for sandwich?" Mia ask with a loud voice from the kitchen.

"I'll pass." she continues typing on the laptop.

"Did you get to meet with Mr. Noah." Mia ask anxiously as she comes out of the kitchen holding a plate containing sandwiches.

"I would have but his secretary keeps on blocking my path." she said sadly lifting her gaze away from the laptop screen, Mia sit on the dining chair beside Amber.

"Do you mean you report your work to her?" Mia ask, confused.

"It seems so." she took a brief pause.

"Where's my sandwich?" Amber ask with her teary curved doey eyes.

"You win again, here." Mia shift the plate closer to Amber, she smile while collecting the sandwich from the plate.

"Delicious" Amber nods happily.

"Can you get Mr. Noah's contact for me?" Mia ask pitifully.

"Hello...."

"Miss. Glenn is my biggest obstacle" Amber said sarcastically.

"How do we get rid of her" Mia ask anxiously.

"Babe, I have no idea"

"Can you give me a break?" Amber ask as if annoyed and Mia smirks.

"You're being too nice to her, are you afraid of loosing your job?" Mia ask cryptically, Amber turns to her giving her a killer stare.

"Okay! Okay!" Mia stands from the chair fearfully and walks to the living room, Amber exhales and face back to her laptop typing and cross checking with an open file on the table.

Eating the delicious sandwich, Mia intentionally increase the television volume with the remote which distracted Amber.

"You bitch!!" Amber throws a pen at her but she dodge it pulling out her tongue in mockery.

"I shouldn't get you" Amber stand from the chair with vigor and immediately Mia rushes into the bedroom laughing loudly.

~•~

At Chase bank reception, patrons flock in and out taking payment slips, sitting on the waiting chair and other usual bank activities, a young lady photocopy some documents using the general photocopier.

Amber in a carton brown suit walks confidently on the passage heading to her office when she sees Mr. Noah and his secretary, Glenn.

"Good morning Sir" Amber pauses.

"Miss. Glenn".

"I want to see you in my office now" Mr. Noah said authoritatively.

"Boss..." Glenn tries to dissuade him.

"Now!" Mr. Noah said angrily.

"Yes boss" Amber said fearfully and Mr. Noah leaves them heading to his office.

"What did you cause this time?" Glenn ask annoyingly.

"I should be asking you that" with this Amber walks hurriedly to Mr. Noah's office.

"I'm still the cutest" Glenn roll her eyes and walk back to her desk.

The square shape wall clock in Mr. Noah's office had its hands on digits which implies 9:30am, Mr. Noah angrily sort out pile of documents while Amber walks out into the office shutting the door slowly.

Mr. Noah angrily hits a document across on the top of his desk, Amber walks to the table to check out the document.

"Sir, these are my works" Amber pauses lifting her gaze away from the document.

"Are there any mistake?" Amber adds in politely.

"Not just mistake, there are big issues" Mr. Noah stands from the leather chair.

"Where's the money?" Mr. Noah ask anxiously.

"Which money?" Amber ask, confused.

"According to your spreadsheet, your total shows 3.2 trillion but at the end of the day, the bank didn't receive the complete fund" Mr. Noah pauses.

"Where is 500 million dollars?" Mr. Noah ask bluntly as Amber's hands tremble on the document.

"What?"

"I didn't receive any alert and my files are submitted through Glenn" Amber defends herself.

"You have just confirmed the files to be yours, the company will hold you responsible for the missing fund" Mr. Noah said vividly.

"But I have no idea about the transactions, you only asked me to input digits correctly using your last spreadsheet" Amber reminds courageously.

"Are you trying to shift the blame to me?" Mr. Noah ask anxiously in anger.

"No sir but this is ..." Amber begins but is cut off.

"Go home for today, you'll defend yourself in front of the Chief executive officer tomorrow" Mr. Noah interrupts bluntly.

"But sir..." Amber tries to speak but he shun her with his hand thus Amber exhales and leave his office sadly.

The dry leaves roll on the empty street as the breeze blow calmly.

"I took leave at the cafe"

"WhatsUp?"

"Why did you return so early" Mia rants anxiously with concern look while Amber sniffles on the armchair with her legs curl up.

"Talk to me babe, are you sick?" Mia ask, worried.

"I have been suspended" Amber manage to speak through her sniffle.

"Suspended? Why?" Mia ask anxiously this Amber begin explaining the incident to Mia.

"Half a billion! That's impossible" Mia exclaim in astonishment.

"Of course it is, this is my phone. Why haven't I received any alert?" Amber ask confuse as tears roll down to her cheeks, Mia hurriedly sit closer to Amber and begin caressing her back gently.

"It's okay Amber, I trust you" Mia console sadly while Amber nods her head sniffling with her wet eyes.

As Amber walks into the busy workspace, other staffs start gossiping in a low tone.

With fear and mix of confidence Amber approach the passage leading to the Chief executive officer's office when a tall young lady walk up to her.

"CEO Liam will see you now" the lady said courageously.

"Sure" Amber nods her head sheepishly as she hold the door handle and gently push it open.