Chapter 4: Dirty Help

"Dozing off again?" Mia's colleague whispers softly beside Mia as she clean her eyes shamefully.

"Are you okay?" the colleague ask politely.

"I'm fine." Mia nods her head staring at the busy cafe.

"Stop lying Mia, it's unlike you." the colleague pauses.

"It's been a week, whatsup?" the colleague adds in, confused.

"Can you cover up for me?" Mia ask politely.

"Again? Will you return?" the colleague ask sadly.

"Don't wait up. Thank you so much Lenn." Mia hurriedly pulls off the apron, takes her bag and runs out of the cafe while Lenn shakes her head sadly.

"Waitress!" A patron calls loudly.

The busy bank reception, Mia hurriedly approach the receptionist counter and the lady sigh annoyingly but Mia didn't mind.

"Mia, I already told you. The CEO is not on seat and you can't see him without an appointment letter." the receptionist said bluntly.

"Really? Call again to check if he's back. I really need to see him, it's urgent." Mia said confidently with her eyes rolling over the receptionist as if she can see the person she's looking for there.

She's that desperate to save her friend.

"Should I call the security?" the receptionist ask arrogantly.

"Amber is not guilty, she has been in jail for weeks!"

"I need justice!" Mia exclaims loudly drawing attention to herself while the receptionist dial digits on the telephone.

"What's going on here?" Mr. Park asks anxiously maintaining a reserved posture.

"Mr. Park, its Mia. She has been creating a ..." the receptionist begins but is cut off.

"Mia, come with me." Mr. Park cuts in bluntly and leaves into the elevator while Mia nods sheepishly as she rush behind him.

"Give us some privacy." Liam, the demon of the day said before narrowing his gaze at her.

"Yes boss." Mr. Park leaves Liam's office shutting the door from behind and Mia proceed closer to Liam's desk.

"You look familiar." Mia said cryptically still trying to think where she has seen him before.

"Hope you enjoyed the drinks that night?" Liam pauses.

"Karma has befallen your partner." Liam adds in scornfully. Then her jaw dropped in astonishment.

"That suit you perfectly!" unexpectedly, she fired at him.

Her reaction surprised him.

"Investigate this case and free my girlfriend." Mia said confidently staring at him angrily, he laughs mockingly.

"Your friend is guilty as charged. No worries, her punishments are not hard." He reassures her giving her a somewhat dirty look.

"But I can be her witness, she didn't steal any money." Mia said sadly.

"Your voice doesn't count at this stage." He informed her bluntly.

"Save her.... please." Mia admits defeat hopelessly seeing that her pride might lead her to her doom.

"She just moved into this city, do you want a vibrant lady to spend her years in prison? Please, save her." Mia said pitifully as tears roll down from her eyes to her cheeks gradually, Liam exhales deeply.

"There is one way to save your friend." Liam said.

"What? Please speak!" Mia said anxiously.

On hearing the glimpse of hope in her friend's courtyard, she's so desperate to hear more.

"Amber will work as my housemaid until she pay off her debt, fifty dollars is her salary." He said meticulously staring straight into her restless eyes, and she smirks.

"You're joking, right?" Mia ask sheepishly.

"That's also a prison. She loves accounting and can't be kept at a place." Mia explains sadly.

"That's the only option she has if not she will be announced as a thief in all national channels." Liam said notwithstanding.

"You're so cruel!" Mia snorts with a high pitched voice.

"I'm trying to be nice." Liam said with a steady voice, also trying to control his emotion. He is hardly this fair to people.

"I'm not in place to make decision for her." Mia said.

"You can leave, Miss. Mia." He wave at the exit rudely, Mia roll her eyes annoyingly before leaving his office.

Soon, Mr. Park walks into Liam's office after a short knock.

"She left boss." Mr. Park said.

"She will return... soon." Liam said confidently and shift his gaze down to the laptop on his desk.

The large basket ball square with the shape of a cube protected with iron wires around the court, everyone were on yellow polo which has the word "Correction" at the back of it.

Mia walks to the available counter and exchange pleasantries with the lady officer on duty.

"Here to see Amber again?" the lady officer ask politely and Mia nods firmly.

"Amber sure do have a nice sister." the lady officer pauses.

"Please persuade her to eat else she will have ulcer." the lady officer adds in sadly.

"Mind your business." Mia said annoyingly and walk into the visitors room.

"Release detainee 0258 to see her family." the lady officer announce loudly and return to her former business before Mia's arrival.

"Amber."

"Mia."

The both friends embrace happily while Amber smile weakly as they sit on the seats across each other.

"I told you to stop visiting, right? Here isn't good for you." Amber reminds exhaustively.

Her face has suddenly become pale with her dried lips. At the sight of this, Mia frown.

"Stop saying this, Sis." Mia pauses .

"Well, I have an offer for you." Mia said with mixed feelings.

She finds it hard to say it but she has to do this in other to give her friend freedom. This is the only option on their table.

"Any offer?" Amber asks slyly with a hoarse hard cough. She has already given up on living, having disinterest of any of Mia's silly offers.

"Be a housemaid for your CEO and clear off your debt with fifty dollars ($50) as your monthly salary." Mia said cautiously.

"Silly." Amber clusters her chest tightly.

"What can fifty dollars pay in five hundred million dollars?"

"I will only be a maid for half of my life with little or no accounting." Amber explains briefly with pale expression.

"It's better than ruining your reputation. Do you want to die in shame as a criminal?" Mia pauses.

"Hunger is already killing you." Mia persuades sadly.

"You are right, Mia" Amber exhales deeply clearing her throat.

"The deal is insane but that's the only choice I have to create a second chance for myself." Mia gives her an assuring nod as she continues speaking.

"Tell Mr. Liam, I'll be his housemaid till I pay up my debt." Amber struggles to speak as Mia hurriedly open her handbag. She can't believe she's doing this, to risk her beautiful future over something she didn't do.

But maybe, this is one step closer to what she's aiming for.

"No....no need for that. I have the documents with me." Mia place a confidential file in front of Amber tapping it with a pen, she receives the pen.

"Thank you so much Mia" Amber let out a sad smile.

"I'm sorry you have to do this." Mia said sadly as Amber exhale and sign on the document, Mia smile as she stare at Amber's signature.

"Let's go?" she curl her lips.

"Sure." Mia and Amber walks out of the visitors room as they approach the counter.

"What are you doing? Do you want to escape with a criminal?" the lady officer ask anxiously in astonishment as her hand gradually goes to her pistol on her waist, two officers stand behind Amber and Mia.

"Point of correction, she is not a criminal." Mia shun her immediately as she flash the file in her hand boldly at the lady officer.

"From Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Liam." Mia pinpoints courageously as the lady officer open the file, on seeing the header and signature she signal the officers to leave.

"Be careful not to end up here again." the lady place the file on the counter.

"Mind your business." Amber and Mia said in unison as if planned, laughs happily and leave the prison yard confidently.

"Two mean sisters." the lady officer snorts as though she is annoyed before taking out the file to read again.

The busy workplace, Mr. Park walks into the workspace and stand at the entrance calling the attention of everyone, Mr. Noah comes out of his office.

"The case of Miss. Amber has been closed, no one is permitted to bring it up again else he or she will be fired with no pay." Mr. Park said confidently.

"But she is..." Miss Glenn begins but is cut off.

"Secretary to Mr. Noah, Glenn. You're fired." Mr. Park said bluntly.

"No. Please, no... Mr. Noah save me." Glenn pleas helplessly.

"Vacate this building immediately." Mr. Park leaves while two guards stand in position watching Glenn as she gradually pack up her personal stuffs.

A black luggage blocks the bedroom entrance as Amber folds her clothes into another open black box with the assistance of Mia.

"Are you mad at me?" Mia ask sadly.

"Never will I." Amber let out a reassuring smile.

"I can also join you, you know." Mia insist and Amber laughs mockingly.

"Being his housemaid is a good choice... don't you think?" Amber ask and Mia nods sheepishly.

"What? Will you miss me?" Amber ask mockingly.

"Of course I'll. You are just like a sister to me." Mia said sadly.

"Sure. Don't occupy my space then, I'll still be your sister." Amber winks mischievously.

Since her arrival at NY, she hasn't met anyone this kind and loving as Mia. Who would even risk her career just to save her. She is very lucky.

"Will you be okay?" Mia ask after a brief moment of silence.

"Of course I will. He won't kill me." Amber smiles.

"Do take care of yourself and call me everyday." Mia said, worried.

"Can we do less talking and more of..." Amber pause halfway sarcastically and they laugh while arranging the clothes in the box properly

<~><~><~>

The driver rides through the wooden craft gate and down into the wide spacious under house garage full of expensive cars.

The mansion is very huge, large and tall. Amber climbs the short staircase and the door pull open while she cautiously walk down the reddish hallway into the spacious extravagant living room, she sees Mr. Liam sitting on the armchair comfortably.

"Good day, Sir." Amber greets courteously with short bow.

"Take a sit." Liam said authoritatively and she sits on the couch.

"I guess you know your job as a housemaid." Liam asks with no atom of respect. He remain arrogant with this who-cares attitude.

She ignores him, at this stage she is at his mercy.

"Yes Sir." Amber said.

"Here is not a prison, you can visit your friends and family, go to shopping when the house has shortage." He pauses.

"You are free except for normal rules." Liam adds in.

"Thank you so much Sir." Amber said courteously.

"I hardly come back home so you won't have any hard time." Liam said.

"Sure."

"Any question?" Liam ask slyly.

"No sir, you have already been lenient with me by giving me free time." Amber said politely.

"This house will be in your care, don't make me regret my decision." Liam warns.

"I won't Sir. Thanks." Amber said happily.

"Your luggages are in your room which is floor two. Get some rest, arrange yourself and start work immediately." Liam checks his wrist watch carefully.

"Sir, should I make dessert or coffee for you?" Amber ask cautiously.

"None. I'm leaving already." He said and leaves into the passage while Amber exhales and stand from the couch, she walks to the elevator and awkwardly click on the third button.

"Nice mansion, handsome boss, I can't wait to see more." Amber exhales deeply.

The next day, Amber walks out of the elevator and walk into the wide spacious and extravagantly equipped kitchen.

"This is beautiful." Amber exclaims in surprise.

Amber prepares different delicious mouth-watery delicacies and stock them into the cold fridge, she wash the dishes and proceed into the rooms arranging and cleaning them up neatly.

At the end, she takes the trash can out of the mansion and place it at the public accessible rejoin.

Amber had breakfast and cool bath then she turns on the general desktop in the living room, the desktop has free WiFi thus she partake on an online accounting exam to while away time and after an hour, she got straight A's.

Days go by and Amber carefully clean up rooms in the mansion, make breakfast and all of it, Amber carefully arrange meals into the fridge while the door bell rings and immediately Mr. Park walks into the living room, at the sight of Mr. Park she sigh sadly.

"Miss. Amber." Mr. Park calls politely.

"Mr. Park." Amber said.

"You know me?" Mr. Park ask surprise.

"I have the list of Mr. Liam's close relatives." Amber said confidently.

"But I'm not his close relative." Mr. Park rattles out.

"I saw your name there." Amber said in a sarcastic tone and Mr. Park laughs.

"What are you here for?" Amber ask politely.

"Liam's suit." Mr. Park said.

"Is he coming back tonight?" Amber ask nervously.

"No idea."

"The suit is on the armchair." Amber points at the packaged suit and Mr. Park walk closer to it.

"Will you grab a bite?" Amber ask.

"If I'm one minute late, Liam will reprimand me." with this Mr. Park takes the suit and rushes out of the building.

"Even packed lunch?" Amber ask herself with confuse facial expression.

The orange head light and deep red back light shines brightly lightening up the garage, the engine steams lowly as the driver turns the car off.

"Boss, we are home." Park informs politely as he gently tap Liam's shoulder.

"Sure. I'll use the back door." Liam pokes his eyes gently.

He is already feeling somnolent after a hectic day at work.

"Skipping supper again?" Park asks, concerned.

"Is thay your business?" Liam stare at him looking serious as if annoyed.

"No, but you will grow thinner." Park mocks cautiously.

"How's the maid coping?" He later asks slyly, having no interest to care about her discomfort.

"She's so nice." Park said absentmindedly.

"Just today you went home.... you're already hitting up on her." He snorts, rolling his eyes in disgust.

"No. No." Park rattles out.

"Get out of my car." Liam said as if angry.

"I will. Just don't get thinner." Park said these words and rushed out of the car. He knows what comes after his actions.

"Asshole." Liam curses with a smirk.