Chapter 1

Hanna Smith's first day as a cleaner began bright and early.

Determined not to be late, she left her house well ahead of time. She reached into her wallet and pulled out her last five dollars, knowing she'd have to walk home later. Squeezing into the packed shuttle bus, she sat at the far end.

The driver took forever to give her change, and she began to worry, knowing that this 5-dollar bill was all she had for the next five days' fare.

"Sir, my change from the 5 dollars, please. I'm getting off at the corner," she called out.

The driver glanced at her and said, "There's no five dollars in my fare box. You haven't paid yet."

A flash of panic hit her.

"Sir, I couldn't be mistaken because that's my only money. I handed it over earlier." She checked her wallet again—her 5-dollar bill was gone. She looked at the person next to her, but it was a different passenger now. The person she handed the fare to must have gotten off.

"Ma'am, if you didn't pay, just say so. Don't deceive me!" the driver shouted.

Hanna was determined not to let it go.

"Sir, give me my change! I'm getting off!" she shouted back.

The driver fumed. "I'll drop you off at the precinct if you don't get off now!"

Hanna gave in and got off the shuttle bus, nearly in tears. Earning money was so hard these days. As she opened her umbrella, the elusive 5-dollar bill fluttered to the ground. She slapped her forehead in frustration. "Sorry… I didn't mean to not pay."

***

Mila Brown, the senior cleaner at Mythical Marketing Solutions, the leading advertising company in the country of Philian, showed Hanna the ropes.

Hanna started mopping the floor before the employees arrived at 8:00 a.m.

As she mopped, her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of her sister's chemotherapy. At 22, her sister had ovarian cancer, and Hanna was willing to do anything to prolong her sister's life.

Another session was due next week. She had exhausted all government aid, and her various gigs didn't bring in enough. She had already spent the 10,000 dollars she had earned from selling her body to a wealthy man who had paid for one night at a party.

Hanna shook her head, wanting to forget that night when she lost her virginity. Intimate scenes flashed in her mind, but she quickly pushed them away. She didn't regret it because the money had gone toward her sister's treatment.

While mopping, she found a necklace on the floor. She picked it up and stared at it—it was her necklace, left behind at that party.

How did it get there? First the five dollars, now this. She was starting to feel haunted.

As Hanna slipped the necklace into her pocket, a hand grabbed hers.

"You're a thief!" said the hand's owner.

Hanna recognized the face immediately—those deep eyes, perfect eyebrows, sharp nose, kissable lips, and chiseled face. It was the man who had paid 10,000 dollars for her.

Hanna lowered her head in shame. She still had his wallet, having taken it by accident when she hurried home, and inside it were some cash, cards, and IDs.

He snatched the necklace from her hand. "Do you want me to have you arrested? This necklace is mine. I dropped it, and you pocketed it!"

"I thought it was mine," she mumbled.

Mila nudged Hanna's shoulder and whispered, "Behave yourself. That's the CEO."

She looked up slightly. He didn't seem to recognize her. He had been drunk and she had worn a mask that night. Plus, it was dark in the room when it happened.

"You're a thief and a liar!" he declared, turning his back on her.

"Sir, that's harsh. Just because I'm poor doesn't mean you can talk to me like that," Hanna called after him, causing some employees to look their way.

Mila pinched her side gently.

"You're fired!" he said, glancing back at her.

Hanna ran after him. "Sir, please, I'm sorry. I was just joking. I need this job. My sister is sick. It's my first day."

He walked away. Desperate, she knelt and grabbed his leg, drawing even more attention.

"Leave. One. Two." Hanna let go. His glare could have killed her.

He called over a nearby man. "Make sure it's her last day!"

Hanna tried to follow, but the security guards blocked her and escorted her out.

Her anger boiled over—the CEO was heartless!

Mila invited her to eat in the company canteen, where food and drinks were free for employees.

After eating, Hanna headed home. They even gave her a month's salary for just one day of work. It wasn't too bad. She would just have to find another job.

***

"Hello, Mom!" Ethan said.

"Just reminding you about your date tonight at 6:00 p.m.," Belinda Miller reminded him.

"Mom, I'm tired of these dates. I don't like any of the women you introduced me to," Ethan complained.

"Ethan Charles Miller! Until you introduce me to your girlfriend, I won't stop finding girls for you," Belinda retorted.

"I've found someone, actually. We're meeting today," he lied to stop his mother's nagging.

"Oh, really? Bring her home tonight. I'll prepare a delicious dinner," she demanded.

Before Ethan could respond, Belinda hung up.

Ethan scratched his head. Now he had another problem. Who would he introduce? His stepfather, Emilio Jones, had high standards, and none of Ethan's previous girlfriends came close, always receiving criticism.

Suddenly, a pedestrian almost crossed in front of his car, forcing him to brake hard. He got out quickly.

"You?" they both said in unison. It was the woman he had fired, Hanna.

An idea sparked in his mind.

"Get in the car," he ordered.

She yanked her hand from his grasp. "No way. Who knows what you'll do to me."

"Do you even hear yourself? Even if you were the last woman on Earth, I wouldn't want you," he shot back.

"I mean, you might still be angry from earlier. Who knows if you'll have me killed because you were embarrassed in front of your staff and they found out you're heartless!" Hanna retorted loudly.

As she started to walk away, he said, "You need a job, right? You said your sister is sick."

Hanna stopped and slowly stepped back.

"Alright, Mr. CEO, where are we going? Heaven?" she asked.

Her sarcastic remark earned her a glare.

Ethan's assistant, Terry Cruz, opened the car door for them.

"I'll introduce you as my girlfriend to my family tonight. Pretend it's love at first sight," Ethan instructed.

Hanna seemed not to grasp his words, busy fumbling with the seatbelt. He leaned over to help, and the sudden braking almost made them embrace. Her scent was familiar, one he couldn't forget. He quickly pulled back.

"Sir, what are you saying? You're giving me my job back? So, you do have a conscience," she said with a smile, revealing her white, even teeth.

"I'm not doing this out of guilt. There's a catch to get your job back," Ethan said.

Hanna hugged herself. "Sir, I know I'm pretty and sexy. But please, no more lewdness."

"You have a mental issue, don't you? I don't need to pay for a woman, especially not someone like you!" he barked.

Her face showed disbelief.

"Pretend to be my girlfriend. I'll introduce you tonight."

"What's in it for me?"

"Your job."

"What else? What you're asking isn't easy, you know."

"I'll pay you money."

"Fine. I'm easy to deal with. Pay me 10,000 dollars again."

"Again? Why again?" Ethan asked, frowning.