Chapter 3: Bad News

"You!"

"You!"

Chief Executive Officer Liam and Amber gaze at each other in surprise, Amber redress with a short bow.

"How did you get accepted into my bank?" Liam ask slyly as he walks closer to his seat.

"I made first class in accounting department." she said.

"And should I congratulate you?" Liam ask annoyingly.

"I dare not ask for such, sir." she said politely.

"Start talking" Liam said sitting on the seat and putting his elbows on his desk with his hands clasped, he stare at her with an unreadable expression while she clear her throat nervously.

"My departmental boss Mr. Noah gave me an assignment to work on over the weekend, the spreadsheet had tons of digits yet I didn't see any transaction slip." Amber halted.

"I wanted to ask for an explanation but I dare not ruin my first week at work, after submitting my spreadsheet I was framed for stealing the company's fund." she explains meticulously making sure it remained brief.

"I checked my account balance but I didn't receive any alert and there is no way I'll steal here and resume work." she defend herself confidently while Liam smirked.

"Miss. Amber, this is a local bank that half of the citizens save their fund. I can't let this case slide because five hundred million dollars isn't a small money and there are no evidence pointing you're innocent." Liam said neutrally.

"I just moved into New York, I just got this job" she complained sadly.

"I would never take what's not mine." she added with a sincere voice.

"But you took almost three hundred dollars from me!" Liam reminds annoyingly.

"You've proved yourself to be a con artist, how can I believe you?" Liam questioned angrily still maintaining his reserved posture.

"That's the outside world and besides I lent that cash to my sick mum." she explained to him sadly.

"Please believe me, I will not ruin my reputation by stealing" she pleaded pitifully.

"Miss. Amber Smith, you're fired and will be sent to jail immediately." Liam said bluntly in an arrogant tone as she falls on her knees looking helpless.

"Please sir, give me a chance to prove my innocence. I promise I'll try." she cried out.

"Stay home and do that, I give you five days." Liam paused.

"If you still have no evidence to prove your innocence, you will be sent to jail." Liam added lividly.

"Thank you so much sir." she gradually stand cleaning her wet eyes with the back of her hand.

Though she had no hope nor evidence, at least a last chance will do her good.

"Go prepare a strong lawyer also before your days start counting." Liam reminded her and she nod cowardly and rush out of his office, he smirked.

"Missing five million dollars all of a sudden?"

"Where are the loops?"

Amber thinks sadly as she roll on the soggy small bed.

"It's only one week in Chase bank, I haven't made any enemies yet." she paused, rubbing her chin.

"Who would want to do me such evil?" she added cryptically as she gradually sit upright on the bed.

"Glenn and Noah are the only suspicious people on my list" Amber sigh in fatigue.

"Where can I find a good lawyer?" with this Amber slides down and rest on the bed closing her eyes slowly, the bedside alarm clock shows 8:30pm.

The sharp horns from different cars blaring in the street as the traffic jam seem endless, Amber walks on the street in a blue jean and black flowery polo with a black mini bag on her shoulder, her facial expression looks unreadable. After walking for minutes, Amber walk into a building that has J and C legal partnership logo on the wall.

"Welcome." the person she met ushered her in.

"Good day." Amber exchange pleasantries with the available lawyer.

"Please have a seat." she sits across the lawyer.

"I'm attorney Collins. How can I help you?" Attorney Collins asked politely.

"I'm Amber Smith and I have a serious issue." Amber said.

"Hmm." Collins sighed.

"Let me hear." Attorney Collins beckons to her with his hand to speak.

"I work at Chase bank and in an interval of a week, I was accused of stealing five hundred million dollars which I have no idea about." Amber took a brief pause.

"I'm the victim here and I want you to help prove my innocence." Amber added with a sad voice.

"Chase bank. Hmm." Attorney Collins rubbed his chin in deep thought.

"Five hundred million dollars is not a small money." Attorney Collins adds in.

"Attorney you have to help me, I'm innocent." she cried out sadly.

"I'll have to reject this case." Attorney Collins said bluntly. After so many minutes of wasting her time.

"But you are a lawyer, why study the course when you can't save anyone?" she asked annoyingly.

"Leave my office, Miss. Amber." he sound, provoked.

But she didn't care.

"Humpf!!" she scoffed angrily and storm out of his office.

"I really need to find a good lawyer but... where can I find one?" Amber ask herself confuse as she proceed into the street looking at each block and sign post, hours later Amber comes across another legal building and she smile in relieve as she walks into the building.

After exchanging courteous pleasantries and the necessary etiquette, Amber briefly narrate her case to the attorney and he exhale deeply rubbing his chin.

"I cannot help you, please leave" the Attorney points at the exit, Amber sadly leaves the office.

Fortunately she walks two blocks away and sees another legal practitioner building, Amber exchange pleasantries with the lawyer and she meticulously narrate her case to the attentive lawyer, he smirks and exhale deeply.

"Miss. Amber, how much can you pay?" the Attorney ask anxiously.

"Bill me, I'll definitely pay you" Amber said confidently.

"That means you stole the five hundred million dollars" the Attorney said.

"I would never! I have family who are ready to support me" Amber said.

"I'm sorry, I cannot help you" the Attorney said bluntly.

"But you..." Amber begins but is cut off.

"Leave".

Did the culprit shut the mouth of these lawyers?

Why do they keep rejecting my case?

Amber thought in confusion as she walks down the street heading home since evening has come.

No one wants to stand up for her

Should she give into defeat even when she's innocent?

She forcefully pull open the apartment door as Mia hurried over to her.

"Any success?" Mia ask anxiously.

"I'm doomed Mia, what do I do?" Amber falls roughly on the armchair and Mia follow suit.

"You didn't see any lawyer or..." Mia ask skeptically.

"They rejected my case even before I finish explaining" Amber said hopelessly.

"Am I really going to end up in jail?" Amber ask sadly.

"No. You have one last triumph card" Mia said confidently.

"Triumph card?" Amber ask cryptically.

"Since you can't get a lawyer, start checking out your suspects" Mia explains briefly while Amber nods slowly.

"You mean Glenn?" Amber ask.

"Glenn is only insane for love, what about your hideous boss?" Mia ask with a mischievous wink.

"Noah?" Mia nods her head firmly and  Amber let out a small smile.

"You've three days left, Miss. Amber" Mia reminds lovingly.

"Yess Miss. Mia, all hands will be on deck." Amber said sarcastically and they burst into laughter.

The yellow painted taxi rides behind a black SUV car, Amber sits on the passengers seat writing intensely.

"He has been riding for hours, where is he going to?" Amber ponders in a low tone as the taxi speed decreases.

"Miss. your bill is thirty dollars, should I still proceed?" the driver ask politely.

"Yes. Yes. Just don't get caught" Amber said impatiently and the speed limit increase.

In minutes the taxi parks a distance away behind the black SUV car as Noah confidently walks into Daily Grind Coffee Shop, Amber pay the driver and cautiously highlight from the taxi trailing Noah from behind.

"Uncle! Brother! Sir!" kids chant happily on seeing Noah. He pegs each of them on their cheeks and sit across them, soon he call the attention of the waitress while Amber observes attentively.

She continued staring at Noah while he discuss and merry with the children and in the evening, he drive back home.

The next day, Amber follow Noah to Capital City Diner hoping it's time to catch the culprit but to her surprise the meeting he had was in respect of an orphanage home which was currently under construction, Amber's result were futile and as hopeless as she was she booked a designated ride on her phone.

"Mr. Noah, why were you talking about an orphanage home?" the strange man with Noah ask, confuse and Noah smirk.

"For two days or so an amateur detective have been spying on me." Noah sighed.

"Don't worry, I've gotten rid of her." Noah added in bluntly.

"When am I getting the money?" the strange man ask anxiously.

"At..." Noah beacons a come to the strange man and he moves his ears closer to Noah's face and Noah whispers some words to him while he let out a bright smile.

The three D company logo showing Stagecoach Coffee, Amber sit on the chair closer to the window as she stare at the bustling street speechless.

"Amber!" Mia hurries over to Amber with the coffee shop apron around her neck, she sit across Amber placing  a muffin and coffee on the table.

"Whatsup?"

"Any leads, detective Amber?" Mia ask sarcastically and Amber smirk.

"Mia" Amber calls

"I'm a dead meat" Amber adds in sadly and immediately Mia place her hand on Amber's hand on the table.

"When there is life, there is hope" Mia said lovingly while caressing Amber's hand.

"No leads!" Amber cries out.

"Noah is innocent, he treats children nicely and is currently building an orphanage" Amber adds in explaining briefly.

"This is not happening to us" Mia shakes her head in disbelieve.

"Hell it is" Amber said bluntly.

"How about leaving Albany?"

"New York entirely" Mia suggest impatiently.

"I'm innocent! Don't you believe me?" Amber ask hopelessly sad.

"I do, I do but we can't raise five hundred million dollars overnight and.... and.... and your jail penalty will be life imprisonment" Mia said stuttering sadly.

"At least you believe me, don't you?" Amber ask anxiously.

"I do" Mia nods sheepishly while Amber stare at her in admiration with teary sad eyes.

"That's okay then" Amber tap Mia's hand on the table.

"Amber..." Mia grip Amber's hand sadly as tears gather around her eyelids.

"I'm okay as long as I'm not dying" Amber reassures Mia with a toothy smile.

"Amber..." Mia calls stressfully worried.

"Shush, get back to work"

"I have somewhere to go" Amber stands gradually with an unbreakable smile on her face, she leaves the coffee shop while Mia sniffles sadly cleaning her eyes.

Singles and group of people walk in and out of the public library, Amber  exhales deeply and walks into the check centre.

"Your library pass" the liberian ask strictly and Amber shows her an identification card.

"Go ahead."

Amber walk into the quiet reading section, people in between the book shelves kiss and romance, some research in group while others take books from the shelf and sit on the available table.

"It seems today is my last free day" Amber exhales.

"Instead of clubbing all night, I'm here to read" Amber pauses as she take a huge accounting textbook from the shelf.

"Being a nerd really sucks" Amber quietly approach the empty seat with the textbook , she sit gradually and begin flipping through the pages.

"Even on my last day, I really love accounting"

"Who ruined my almost perfect life?"

"Will this horrible news get to my family?"

"What will they do?"

Amber ponders abstractly in her mind and to end the wild thoughts, she stamp her hand hardly on the textbook disrupting everyone's attention.

"Who's that?" the liberian scream from the entrance centre and Amber quietly bury her head on the textbook.

"Boss, Amber's day ends today" Mr. Park also known as Liam's personal investigator reminds courteously.

"Do you believe she stole the money?" Liam ask politely.

"Base on my current investigation, her days were spent at home and at her friend's work place" Mr. Park said.

"Do we have any suspect?" Liam ask anxiously.

"Amber often spy on Mr. Noah, her departmental boss" Park informs with certainty.

"Did she find anything?" Liam raise a brow.

"None."

"I can't help her." Liam sadly rubs his forehead.

"Did she find any lawyer?" Liam ask.

"No. They were paid to reject her case" Park said confidently.

"What!"

"Who paid them?" Liam ask anxiously.

"I'm still working on that" Park said in a low fearful tone and Liam smirk.

"Where are the last week transaction record I ask you to get from Mr. Noah?" Liam ask.

"Here, he gave me the photocopies" Park place the documents on Liam's desk.

"I asked for the originals!" Liam hits the desk angrily.

"He has gotten some nerve." Liam folds his hand into knuckles gradually.

The drizzling morning rain falls on the quiet street, Mia hastily runs into the apartment passage. Mia push open their apartment door as he gaze anxiously falls on a small note clip on the living room table.

{You are the best thing in my life, Mia

Make sure to visit me often.}

Mia reads the small note shaking her head in disbelieve.

"No!" Mia scream in pain.