CHAPTER 1

✨✨ANNIE WEMBLEY ✨✨

My breath seized and my heart clenched as the noise behind the door got louder and scarier like the burglar was making progress with trying to get into the house.

It was a Saturday morning and I was dressed to hit the gym when the sun came up. I was in the kitchen helping myself with a hot cup of coffee when I heard an ominous noise on the porch. I became weary because I knew my neighbourhood was a mess. We've had a series of break-ins and murder cases from stalkers and weirdos, so I thought it was one of them trying to break into my house by five in the morning.

My eyes searched for a weapon, anything to defend myself if the intruder succeeded in breaking in and all I could find was a kitchen knife. I sighed in resignation, knowing it would go a long way.

I tiptoed to the living room shivering. I wasn't good at martial arts nor was I good at defending myself from attack. I just couldn't let them get to me defenceless.

I paused when the handle squeaked and the person behind the door pushed with such vigour that I screamed and she herself screamed in return.

"Wendy!!!" I cried when she switched on the light, my defence tool slipped off my hand and fell on the rug.

"Is that a knife?" She yelled, breathing desperately. "Are you really that angry with me for staying out all night? It's just a party so get over it", Wendy casually said, and walked towards her room.

I followed her. "You didn't even think of letting me know that you were out and wouldn't be back home. And why the heck were you breaking in instead of using your key?" I was red like a tomato at that point.

Wendy turned and flipped her hands at me like I should already know. "I misplaced them". She swung her door shut right in front of me. If there was any other color deeper than red, I turned to it at that moment.

Fuming, I grabbed my gym bag, muttering to myself that I wouldn't let my teenage cousin ruin my day. Knowing that she grew up in a tough environment where she had to watch her father get arrested and her mother abused until her death. Aunt Mary was really a tough woman who just wanted to have a family like everyone. Her only mistake was she chose the wrong partner to start one with and she paid for it with her life. Wendy was too young to remember their hideous fights till when her mother died. She rather grew up knowing my mother as hers.

Before I could get to the door, a message popped in and my heart hammered. At this point, I think I had a weak heart because every little thing got to me. It was a message from him, reminding me of our rendezvous today and time.

I thought of ignoring him and carrying on with my life as I wished, but I knew the consequences of that, it was wild.

I wasn't as enthusiastic at the gym as I used to be. I occupied myself with little to nothing but constantly checking my phone to see if he cancelled. It would be a relief to me if he did. He didn't.

After I got back from the gym, I got ready for my private meeting. I wore my Zara jeans and a silky shirt, they were of fine material and anyone who shopped at expensive stores would know their quality. I wasn't one to put so much interest in the quality of things I wear, but my job required that I wear them while attending meetings with CEOs, managers and billionaires of different calibre. I worked as a secretary to the number pharmaceutical company, Gardenia in New York City and with no doubt my reputation precedes me.

I pushed back my hair and I stepped out of the elevator. My eyes searched through the gold tags on the doors in the hallway for room B16. I paused when I saw it, the room where my fate would be decided.

Jim gave me a wild smile as I walked in. He was on the phone and a frown etched on the sides of his face, but as soon as he saw me, the angry lines turned to those of happy smiles. It made my bowels rumble.

"Have a seat" he ushered me in, signalling the waiter to leave us be. I wasn't scared of being in a room alone with Jim, he was a jerk quite alright, but a man of his class wants nothing to do with a peasant like me.

Scratch that, he had something to do with me and I was already caught in a deep mess.

"Smile would you?" He began after ending the call. "One would actually think you're getting kidnapped Annie, it's just a peaceful hangout", he sipped his drink.

"Is it?" I retorted.

He had that cocky smile on his face again like a brewing storm, it was hard to read him because he hardly wore his thoughts on his face. He was an unpredictable man and quite dangerous.

"It's not working, Annie. Do you think that handing me drafts of calls, entries, meetings and location would get me what I want?"

"But isn't that what you requested?"

"It is, but it's not working, there's absolutely little I can do with that."

"There's absolutely little a secretary can extract from her company!" I retorted. He just has a way of getting to me and I hate it.

He sipped his drink again, staring at the glass wall behind him. It held a beautiful scenery of New York City, the morning sun shone brightly and warmed the cold.

"Exactly!" He clapped his hands together for emphasis.

"I want more Annie, and I want you to go in for the big fish this time around, not as a secretary, but as a lover."

"I don't understand what you mean by_"

"You'll seduce him and get him to give you access to the company's database, that's the big kill!"

"I'm not doing that!" I said, abhorring the idea itself.

"I'm not asking you Annie, I'm ordering you" he jabbed his fingers my way.

I stood horrified. "I'm done working for you, I'll have my paycheck and be on my way home" I contained my disgust at him and at his stupid idea, hoping to be done here before my temper rises.

He didn't bother to stand, rather he relaxed and smiled like a sly fox. "Have you forgotten your mother? Or her critical condition at the hospital?"

"Don't dare threaten me with her. That wasn't part of the agreement."

"Now it is, and you don't want anything bad to happen to her, right?" He chuckled. "Here" he dropped a brown envelope on the tea table. I guessed that was my last month's pay so I snatched it and tugged it into my purse.

"You'd do well never to cross me, Annie Wembley. You have two weeks, just two weeks before I let the world know what dirt you are", he called after me. I could hear him behind the door, but I stood my ground and left the entire building. He should do it himself not in my bloody life will such happen.

My phone rang as I stood by the entrance waiting for my car.

"Wendy what again?" I sighed, not ready for another of her tantrums, but when I heard her shaky voice like she'd been crying, I got more curious. "Is everything okay? Do you need me to come home?" I panicked, but Wendy was reluctant to speak.

"Wendy, what happened?"

"I'm at the hospital, it's mum… s_she's had an attack and it doesn't seem good, Annie", her voice broke and she cried.

I wasn't patient enough to wait for my car to be brought, so I ran toward the parking lot all the way cussing at those incompetent hotel butlers.

At the hospital, I rushed towards Wendy who had curled up on a chair outside mum's room.

"Where is she?" My cry startled the poor girl and she leapt from her position.

"Annie, you're here". She enveloped me in a hug. Her eyes were red. "The nurses said I should wait outside. They're trying all they can to help her."

I peeked through the glass part of the door and there were at least five of them surrounding mum's bed. I cried as they worked on her. She was just a fragile old lady who wanted nothing more but to put food on the table for her family.

"You can't watch them from there Annie, come sit with me" Wendy tugged at my hand, leading me to sit beside her on the chair.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Wendy asked.

I shook my head. "I don't know, I honestly don't know Wendy, but I hope so" I prayed deeply, hoping that a flicker of light would shine in our lives for once.

My phone rang. I couldn't look at the caller's name when I answered, but immediately I heard his voice I regretted it.

"Jim?" I whispered. He was the last person I wanted to talk to.

"I hope you got the message I sent. You're lucky I only left her in a vegetative state. Next time she won't be needing an oxygen mask because it will be all too useless", he cackled over the phone. "Two weeks Annie", he warned, and the line went dead.