4

Amelia’s POV

I sprang to my feet and bolted through the back door, the echo of gunshots still ringing in my ears. The men followed me, guns in hand, and when I glanced back at the terrified faces of my students, one part of me wanted to stay and protect them. But I was just an ordinary girl, no superhero. I had to run for my life.

Chaos broke out in the school as everyone scrambled to escape the sound of gunfire. I didn’t dare look back, sprinting until I reached the highway. I flagged down a random taxi and jumped in.

“Where to—” the driver began.

“Just drive! I’ll tell you when to stop!” I interrupted, my voice urgent. He nodded and sped off. I kept my eyes glued to the side mirror, scanning for any sign of those men. I didn’t want to go straight to Tasha’s; if anyone was tailing me, I couldn’t risk leading them to her. I had no idea why they were after me, but I wasn’t about to put Tasha in danger, especially since she was sheltering me.

After what felt like an eternity of winding through streets, we finally arrived at Tasha’s place when i was sure i lost them. I paid the driver and hurried inside. As soon as I stepped through the door, I found Tasha sitting in the living room, arms crossed over her knees. Her lips curved into a smirk when she saw me.

“Hi! You’re back early today. Were you fired?” she joked, but I couldn’t muster a laugh.

“You wouldn’t believe what happened! Some random men came into the school with guns, looking for me,” I said, collapsing onto the couch, exhaustion washing over me.

“Are they the cops? I told you to quit hacking! You’re going to get yourself locked up!” Tasha exclaimed, worry etched across her face.

“They’re not the cops. Cops don’t kill innocent people; they were trying to kill me. I barely escaped,” I replied, my heart still racing.

“They killed someone?” she asked, shocked.

“Yes. They looked like the same men who almost killed me at the cybercafé a few days ago,” I sighed, running my fingers through my hair, which was already a tangled mess.

“I think you should report this to the police. Someone might be stalking you,” Tasha suggested.

“I’ll do that once I recover from today’s shock,” I said, standing up to head to my room when Tasha stopped me.

“You might want to stay in the living room for a while, or we could go somewhere and have a drink,” she suggested, picking up her car keys from the table.

“Why? I’m exhausted! I need to rest. I’ve been running all day,” I muttered, shooting her a suspicious glare.

“Your mom is in your room,” Tasha said, and I froze in place.

“We could go somewhere if you—”

“How did she find out I was at your place? Did you tell her I was here?” I interrupted, my mom’s presence obviously adding to my frustration.

“Of course not! I don’t know how she found out!” Tasha whispered, her eyes wide.

I walked into my room, and there was my mom, rummaging through my things, creating a mess.

“Mom, what are you searching for?” I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.

“How broke are you exactly? I can’t even find a dollar in your room,” she replied, still digging through my belongings.

“How did you even find me?” I asked in frustration

She started laughing hysterically. “C’mon, Amy, you’re my daughter. I’ll always find you,” she said, walking over to me and grabbing my purse.

“I’ve got no money in that purse. I’m completely broke. So, can you please leave?” I sighed.

“Maybe you might have some money left on your debit card,” she muttered, rummaging through my purse before tossing it aside.

“You’re obviously drunk. You need to leave now,” I said firmly, watching as she pulled out a card reader from her pocket.

“What’s your PIN again?” she asked, trying out random numbers.

“Please leave! You’re making Tasha uncomfortable!” I urged again.

“I’ll leave once I get some money. C’mon, darling, don’t treat your mom like this,” she said, her tone deceptively sweet.

“The PIN is my birthday,” I reluctantly told her. She entered the digits into the reader, her brow furrowing in concentration.

“I never expected you to still remember my birthday after all this time. I’m glad you didn’t forget,” I said, attempting to lighten the mood, but my mother didn’t respond. She was too focused on getting money out of my card.

After a moment, her expression shifted to a smile, indicating she had succeeded in getting what she wanted. She strutted out of my room and into the living room, and I followed, my heart heavy.

“Have a nice day, Tasha,” my mom said cheerfully, heading for the exit.

“You too, ma’am,” Tasha replied with a forced smile.

“Please don’t ever come back here again,” I said to my mom as I walked her out.

“I’ll consider that,” she answered with a grin before walking away, but I knew she was only saying that. She’d be back in a few weeks.

A week later

I stepped out of the taxi quickly, taking fast strides into the building after paying the driver, all the while watching my back. It had been over a week since I last left my house. The last time I was out, I almost got shot by some unknown gunmen, and ever since then, fear had kept me locked away.

But I had already quit hacking and teaching; I needed to keep my last two jobs, or I would be completely broke. As I walked into the building, the eerie silence was unsettling. It was nothing like the bustling environment I was used to.

"Hi, Jenny, it’s been a while," I greeted with a smile, leaning on the reception desk.

“Hi, Amelia,” she replied, but her smile was forced

“What’s going on? Why is everyone so quiet today?” I asked, trying to catch her gaze.

“Another staff member was killed yesterday. She was investigating one of the top mafia groups,” Jenny answered, her voice low and strained.

My heart skipped a beat. “Do you mean the Alessandro family?”

“Yes.”

I shouldn’t have been surprised. The Alessandro family wasn’t just any mafia group—they were one of the most dangerous in the world. No matter how hard law enforcement tried, they could never pin anything on them. It was as though their boss, Kai Alessandro, was untouchable, always one step ahead, leaving no trace, no evidence. He was a ghost with a deadly reputation.

“The director wants to see you in his office whenever you’re around,” Jenny added, trying to smile again, but I could see the concern behind her eyes.

I nodded and turned, my heart sinking deeper into my stomach with each step toward his office. Every time the director summoned me, it either made my life or my job harder. We didn’t exactly get along, and I knew why—because I couldn’t give him what he wanted.

I knocked quietly, his gravelly voice calling me in. As I entered, I saw a dubious smile spread across his face. I braced myself.

“Good morning, sir,” I greeted, keeping my face blank.

“Please, have a seat, Miss Amelia. It’s been a while. I hope you’re doing well?” His smile was warm, but I could feel the manipulation beneath it.

“I’m fine, just busy with schoolwork,” I replied, sitting down awkwardly.

“In case you haven’t heard, operative Suzan was killed by one of Kai Alessandro’s men during her operation. We have no evidence to use against them, again. That man really needs to be taken care of,” he said, shaking his head like he cared. But I knew better—he didn’t give a damn about Suzan or any of us.

“Jenny told me this morning. It’s really unfortunate,” I said quietly, my chest tightening.

He stood up and walked toward me, and every inch he moved closer made me more uncomfortable.

“You’ve been working as a spy for quite some time now. I think it’s time you got a raise, don’t you think?” he suggested, sitting on the edge of his desk, much too close for comfort.

“I think I’m fine with the position I have, sir,” I said, standing up immediately. I didn’t want a raise—not if it came with the price I knew he expected me to pay.

“C’mon, Amelia, don’t be like that. You know you want it. Your salary could be twice what it is now, and it would save you from working so many other jobs, even the strip club,” he smirked, pulling me closer to him by my waist.

My breath caught in my throat. How did he know? The strip club was the ugliest part of my life, the part I wanted no one to find out about.

“The famous Jolie of New York, huh? It’s an honor to have you here. I’ve seen you on stage a number of times, and I must say, you look good in lingerie. I’d love to see you in that again,” he whispered, his breath hot against my ear.

I froze, shock numbing my entire body.

“Don’t give me that look. I’m a private investigator. Finding out about you was easy. But don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me,” he said, crossing his heart mockingly.

He moved towards me, his right hand resting on my skirt, but just before he could lift it up, i pushed him away a bit too violently than i had intended. The look on his face twisted from disappointment to rage, his fists clenched.

“Why do you have to be so difficult? You’re already a fucking whore!” he spat, slamming his fist against the table. I flinched.

“I’m not a whore. I’m a stripper. They’re two different things,” I managed to say, my voice shaky as a result of the rage i felt

He scoffed. To most people, it was all the same. But to me, there was a line, and I refused to cross it.

“Why do you think I hired a college student with zero experience? Do you think you’re better than all the people with degrees who applied for this job but didn’t get it?” he sneered, his anger palpable.

“I feel very honored, sir,” I muttered, avoiding his eyes. He ran his hand through his hair, slamming his fist against the table again before lighting a cigarette.

The room fell into a tense silence, only the sound of the lighter snapping filling the space.

“Get out,” he finally ordered.

Relief washed over me as I turned toward the door, but just as my fingers touched the knob, his voice stopped me.

“You’ll be taking over operative Suzan’s unfinished task. We can’t let Kai Alessandro get away,” he said, his voice low and venomous.

I froze. What?

Was he saying I’d have to spy on Kai Alessandro? The most dangerous man alive? That was suicide! I was still a rookie, and I knew that if I went after Kai, I’d be dead before I even got close. He’d kill me without a second thought. I had been trying so hard to avoid any mission that involved him, and now my boss was throwing me into the lion’s den.

“Are you asking me to spy on him?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper as I turned to face him.

“Not just that. Spy on him, tail him, gather strong evidence that will send him to jail, and capture him when he least expects it. You’ve got what it takes to do that—the body, the looks, and the brains. He’s just a man like me. I’m sure he’ll fall for it,” he said with a smirk, his eyes shamelessly wandering over my body.

I stood there, stunned, my mind racing. This wasn’t just a mission—it was a death sentence.