Chapter 1 - 1: Babysitter (Revised)
It was 10 minutes after midnight. Evan Su, the owner of Su Financial Bank was sitting at his desk, the gloom of his expression exceeded the darkness of the room.
Using the moon as his light, Evan lifted the folder from the table and looked at its content. A deep sigh let out from his lips, while his body stiffened.
His lips tightened, staring deeply at the photo of a beautiful woman. Her bewitching face was like the fairies in the kid"s storybook.
The woman was smiling at the camera, eyes so green like the leaves in springs. Her dimples, so round and deep were so charming, anyone would be enticed with just one look but, not him.
His breath hardened when he flipped the next page, showing the list of men she had dated. The woman followed for two years. A woman whose past was deleted. No matter how hard he tried to find it, he"d always come back at the beginning – the orphanage, the place where the woman in the photo - Daniela Chen grew up.
All the information he read was too simple. The latest record the orphanage had was when Daniella was sixteen, seven years ago.
Reading her profile gives him gooseb.u.mp, wondering if its right or wrong.
Daniella Chen, a twenty-three-year-old orphan. After some years of living in the orphanage, the woman moved to London, where she got her license as a lawyer and eventually doctor.
He doesn"t know her, only read her profile. But to him, it would be impossible for a person to have both license approved in the same year.
Either she has an extraordinary brain or she used her exquisite face to get those papers, he was unsure but he needs her, now more than ever.
He sighed and took his phone from the drawer of his desk, he dialed one of his trusted employees. When the man answered, he took in another sighed and parted his lips to speak.
"I want to meet Ms. Chen, send me her location." then he ended the call with his thumb.
He looked at the last paper in his hand, where he found her financial status.
His thin lips parted in shock, seeing that her balance was almost nothing. Despite Daniella"s education, the girl is unemployed and the only money in her account now was not even enough to buy herself a dinner.
"What the h.e.l.l?" his eyebrow creased in perplexity, then he checked the other papers on his table wondering if missed it but there was nothing aside from Daniella"s picture.
He was about to take his phone when he noticed one of the pictures of Daniella, she was sitting on the cafe, a smile was on her lips while next to her was a man with a blonde hair and blue eyes.
He once again checked the papers, when he found Daniella"s address, he turned his laptop on and checked the owner of her apartment.
His eyes squinted, a theory came in his mind as soon as he saw the picture of the owner. Even though the hair was different, he couldn"t be mistaken. The owner was the same man as the one sitting next to Daniella.
"So, you are not working. You just let your man pay for your living," despise glistened his eyes.
His hand took one cigarette stick out of the box and fiddled with it using his fingers.
"What a cheap woman." he uttered with disappointment.
---
The park was full of people waiting for their President to starts with his speech. It was a day of commemoration for the life and work of their National Hero.
The people avoided the blinding sunlight by using an umbrella and sungla.s.ses.
Five platoons of soldiers are standing in front of the stage, performing a silent drill for the ceremony. After six minutes of performance, everyone cheered and the President stood in front of the microphone.
He had an embroidered formal shirt which considered to be the national dress of the country. Lemuel Minoan, the 16th President of the country. This will be his last year of presidency. Next year will be the next election and, with all citizen"s trust, he"s confident that his party will win once again.
His lips parted to say his greetings.
"Good morning everyone," he started with a warm smile on his lips and went on with his speech.
Meanwhile, a woman was standing on the rooftop opposite the stage. She has a clear view of the whole park, including her target, the president.
She"s been planning the a.s.sa.s.sination ever since she found the president"s involvement in her family"s death. Everything was set, the only thing she needed to do was to pull the trigger.
Her lips curved a smile after she spotted her target. Her hand moved to reach the trigger while the other adjusted the lens.
Daniella was about to pull the trigger when a firm hand lay over hers and helped her to alter the lens.
"Focus at your target and never hesitate," she swallowed hard when a warm breath touches her skin. She wanted to turn around but, her body frost.
She felt b.u.t.terfly when the man behind her spoke again.
"If you don"t want me to expose you, work with me," with those words, Daniella"s eyebrow creased in confusion while annoyance filled her emotion.
She shruged her shoulders to ignore him as one thing she had learned was to ignore the people that try to annoy her.
She bent her body and moved her eyes closer to the lens. When the man covered the lens of the gun with his hand, she shut her eyes. Her patience was fading.
"I am sorry but, I don"t remember sending my CV to anyone," her sharp tone made the man laugh. With his face so close to her, Daniella struggles to compose her body.
The man took a step back and replied in a calm voice, "Sharp tongue, does your boyfriend enjoys it?" hearing those words, Daniella lowered her gun to the floor. She turned around to look at the man who had guts to ruin her plan.
She was about to reply when her eyes saw the man standing in front of her.
The ray of the sun reflected his dark hair and shadowed his face but, even so, his gorgeous face didn"t escape her sight.
Daniella didn"t know it but, she was staring at him like he was an abstract painting she"s struggling to figure out yet mesmerized by it.
Her sight lifted to look at his face again and the moment their eyes collided, her heart skips a beat.
The man had a smile on his lips that could make anyone submits themselves to him.
Their eyes met, Daniella looked deeply into his eyes, trying to know him but just like the sun, his eyes were too distant.
As the smile on his lips faded, his eyebrow was raising with amus.e.m.e.nt.
"Are you satisfied?" the man spoke in sarcasm.
Daniella blinked and then realized how narcissist and arrogant he is. She cleared her throat to get her confidence back and pretended that she didn"t stare at him earlier like an obsessed teenager.
"You have my attention. Now, give me a reason not to kill you," she replied with the same icy tone. She then picked up the rifle and pointed the gun at him.
The man took a deep breath and leaned his back against the wall. He inserted both of his hands in the front pocket of his jeans and stared at her like she"s a little girl who shouldn"t be taking seriously.
"I want to hire you to be a babysitter," the man replied.
There was a moment of silence before he continues. As he speaks, his eyes were staring at her target.
"After the contract ends, I will help you kill him."
Daniella was astounded for a moment, seconds later, she breathed and dropped her gun onto the floor.
"Mister, I am holding a gun not a feeding bottle and I am better on dismantling a gun than a diaper. So, what makes you think I am qualified to be a babysitter?" she sarcastically replied
The man disappointedly clicked his tongue once and stared at her. He realized that Daniella was not taking his offer seriously.
He straightened up from leaning against the wall and took two steps forward.
"Fine but, I wonder what would Allan feel if he finds out that his charming little girlfriend is trying to kill his beloved father," the man spoke in a provoking tone and his eyes caught how Daniella"s face paled in fright. To test her, he took his phone out of his pocket and dialed her boyfriends" number.
In the other side, Daniella was stunned by the man"s words. She could not believe that a strange man dared to insult her.
The last thread of patience she has had faded, she put the rifle down in between her legs while her hands ponied her long hair.
(This man clearly has a death wish!) she thought.
She then put both of her hands on her h.i.p.s while her face turned crimson red in anger.
"Two things mister," she started.
"First, I am five feet and two inches, that"s an average height for a woman, at least in Southeast Asia. You might think I am short but I am not, you"re just… too tall," she continued. She finds it hard to be sarcastic while staring at his deep brown eyes, she could see through the people"s memory, one thing she hated so much.
Seeing people"s memory – reading what they were thinking could be advantageous – for some she might say but to her, who was born with it, she finds it infuriating.
"Second," she paused for a moment and gave him a victorious smile.
"Do tell him, you"ll be doing me a favor. He"s nothing but a spoiled-messed up rich kid who will probably win the next election by using his father"s name. Like I"ve said, you"ll be doing me a favor."
She blissfully smiled at him, this is what she loves the most, to make a proud man stuttered by playing with them
Seems like the man had realized that his threat didn"t bother her, he ended the call and jammed the phone back in his pocket.
Daniella went back to her business and pointed the rifle at her target, she doesn"t care that there"s a man around watching her kill the President.
(I guess I can lock him in my bas.e.m.e.nt after I kill that b.a.s.t.a.r.d Limuel) without her noticing it, a playful smile curved up her lips. She positioned her finger on the trigger and prepared herself to fire the gun.
Meanwhile, the man behind just stared at Daniella, he was confused when her expression changed and he knows that for a moment, she blushed.
A devilish smile plastered on his lips when he thought of his last card. He once again walked closer to her and stood behind her.
"So," he whispered to get her attention.
"You don"t care about him what about the nuns in the orphanage. Do you think they will be proud knowing that the girl they love and raised was trying to kill the President?" he said those words in a slow but deep voice, sending her a message that he meant what he said.
–
Every word he spoke has made Daniella"s skin to shiver, her eyes widened in fear while her face paled.
When she looked at him, the man was walking away.
In her mind, pictures of her moments with the nuns flashed. She realized that once the orphanage finds out that she killed the president, they will be heartbroken.
(Goodness! Who the h.e.l.l is this man?) she screamed inside.
The rifle she was holding dropped to the ground. She ran to stop him from walking away but she realized that she need to take three steps in every step he"s taking.
(d.a.m.n these short legs!) she curses inside.
When she finally reached him, the man was standing by the door. When he turned around to face her, Daniella put a sweet smile on her lips to ease the tension.
She held onto the sleeves of his shirt like a little girl while the smile on her lips remained.
"I think babysitter is a fine job," she started.
"How old is your kid?"
"Is it a girl or a boy?"
"When can I start?"
Her question came one after another, she didn"t bother to catch a breath. But, instead of responding, the man took his phone out of his pocket once again and dialed a number.
Daniella shut her eyes, praying that the man is not calling the orphanage.
She opened her round eyes when she heard him saying, "you can land now" followed by the deafening sound of the air coming from the sky.
Daniella looks up to find a chopper, she wanted to ask the man what is happening but the cold expression he has in his face was making her tongue go numb.
"Do you want my shirt?" the man spoke coldly.
Daniella"s senses came back, she was confused by his words but later realized what he meant when she saw him staring at her hand that has been holding on to the sleeve of his shirt.
She let his shirt off and nibbles on her lower lips. She doesn"t know why but the man"s presence was making her act like an idiot.
When the man looked at her with a bored expression, she noticed that she"s been standing in the same spot while the man has stood next to the chopper.
"I am not coming with you," she deliberately replied.
The man tilted his head as if he was confused by her words.
"I thought we have come into an agreement that you"ve accepted my offer?" he replied coldly.
Daniella felt insulted but at the same time, adrenaline-rushed throughout her body.
(What offer? didn"t you threaten me?)
"Are you coming?" the man asked, the coldness remained in his voice.
"Mister, I have a brain. I am smart enough to know that getting into a stranger"s car… or chopper would only bring trouble," she proudly said.
The man looked at her with a smile on his lips.
"I get it. The nuns must have taught you that-" the rest of his words has been shoved down his throat when Daniella ran to his direction and occupied the empty chair in the chopper.
Now that he found a way to control her, the smile he had widened. He closed the door and asked the pilot to leave.
Before they took off, Daniella shut her eyes while her chest pounded. When she opens her eyes, she turned to her side and saw the man staring at the rifle she forgot to clean.
(I should probably need to call Robert to clean it later,) she reminded herself.
"Mister," she shifted her sight to him and wait for him to look at her but the man didn"t. Instead, he leaned his back and closed his eyes.
"What"s your name?" she asked.
"Evan Su," he replied.
(Evan Su, is he the CEO of Su Financial?) she thought.
She had heard of him, his face, name, and status have been in a various magazine especially in the business section of the newspaper. If she"s right, it was seven years ago when he took over the position as the Ceo of Su Financial Bank, their business was established by his grandfather Andrew Su and then pa.s.sed down to his grandchildren.
When she heard a husky sound of a clearing throat, her senses came back. She didn"t know it but she has been staring at him for a long time.
She blinked and sighed. When their eyes collided, she felt the sparks. And that sparks have made her heart to skip a beat.
"Stop staring at me," he spoke in an unfriendly tone.
Hearing the coldness of his tone, Daniella"s lips twitched in annoyance.
"Mr. Su a few minutes ago, you were blackmailing me. I just want to know who you are. You seemed – different," she boldly replied.
"Really? How different?" he curiously asked.
"I have never met a person with the same eyes like yours. They are so different." those words came from her mind, something she didn"t mean to say.
Her eyes went round in shock, she turned her head towards the window and pretended to look around but there"s nothing than the white clouds around.
(Why did I say that? He wouldn"t think that I am attractive to him, right?) she tried to convince herself.
Her hands formed into a fist and secretly wished she"s alone so she could hit herself for saying something stupid.
(Will I survive if I jump? Where the h.e.l.l is the parachute?) she asks in her mind.
Her hand reaches for the door, she"s determined to jump to save her pride but before she could touch the metal handle, she heard Evan laughing.
She turned to look at him and saw him graciously laughing.
(d.a.m.n it, Daniella!) she curses inside.
"Don"t worry, you will see these eyes every day," Evan smirked at her and she felt her whole world breaking. She bit her tongue to stop herself from spouting nonsense.
She wanted to ask what he meant by "every day" though she doesn"t have any objection but, the way he said those words and the smile he had on his lips somehow gave her gooseb.u.mps. And before she could ask the question, Evan has already shut his eyes.
Daniella took the opportunity to study him but the moment her eyes laid on his close eyes and saw his long eyelashes, she suddenly questioned G.o.d.
(Look at this Lord! How could you give him long eyelashes but not me!) thinking that, her lips form a pout.
Instead of sulking, Daniella decided to sleep.
Minutes later, Evan woke up from his short nap. He didn"t wake up because of the loud sound of the chopper but by Daniella"s head that fell on his shoulder. He was fine at first but her loud snore is going straight at his right ear.
He used his index finger to move her head away from his shoulder but it keeps on falling back. His patience is running out, he tried to push her head away with a little force and this time, it was successful but her head hit the metal side of the chopper.
Evan"s nose wrinkled when he heard the sound of her head b.u.mping on the metal but Daniella didn"t wake up, instead, her snore went louder.
Evan scanned the girl next to him, she had a white shirt and a cargo trouser, his eyes lowered to her legs and found the Swiss knife inside her pocket and three grenades.
His head shook in disbelief, inside he wonders who she is.
"Why do you want to kill him? What kind of secrets do you have?" he murmured. His hand absently lifted in the air to remove a strand of hair that slipped on her face.
When he finally saw her face sleeping peacefully, his lips pressed tightly together.
"No wonder those men fell for you," he murmured and blocked her nose with a hand.
"Goodness! How could her snore be louder than the chopper?" he scoffed in disbelief and decided to check on with his work.