Chapter Three

2024, New York City

Fireworks exploded in the sky, people kissing each other passionately, wishing themselves a happy new year.

Naomi Thompson was stuck behind a counter of the bar she had nicknamed the crusty crab. She had worked for a year, and her boss Carl was the biggest pain in her ass.

She swiped the counters down with her rag, making sure there were no spots, and went to start cleaning the tables. Soon, people would troop in, wanting beers to celebrate the new year.

Naomi hated her job; Sarah had helped her get it after six months of trying to apply for office appointments, and she had no luck. New York City was tough for single mothers like her, and she needed to take care of her son. The simple tips she got when a customer grabbed her ass were sufficient to get food for her little prince.

She plugged in her AirPods to her phone, humming quietly to the sound of music in her ears. Swaying her hips, the work seemed to go by quickly.

"Yeah, move those hips," she heard through the buds. Her boss, Carl, stood at the entrance of his office, a big smile on his face. He looked creepy, overweight, and a loser. She was getting tired of rejecting his advances and his attempts at seduction.

"Hey Carl. I didn't realize you were back." She tried to make her voice seem cherry. He took it as approval because he walked over to the table she was cleaning and took a seat.

"Well, I came to check in at my bar. And you," he drawled, looking at her body lewdly. One would think she was dressed in a way to seek his attention, but all she had on was a pair of jeans, a tank top, and sneakers. Her hair was in a pony behind her ears, and her face was devoid of make-up.

"Aren't you going home soon?" he asked her. She mumbled yes in response, not wanting to give him more attention.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her ass.

"Come on, Naomi, you know you want this." Carl leaned closer to her, and she smelled alcohol underneath his breath. Nothing good ever came from him smoking.

"I don't want anything to do with you, Carl; I have told you a million times." She moved away from him. He got up and went after her, making her heart beat faster.

They were alone in the bar, and she knew Carl was a coward, but still, he was a drunk one now.

"Come on, I'll take care of you and your little brat." That made her pause.

"Do not speak about my son," she hissed. How dare he?

Carl straightened, looking at her with anger coursing through his veins. "Very well, you are fired. Get out," he said.

Fired? "Carl, please, you can't fire me," she retorted.

"I can, and I just did. Get out of my bar slut." He told her.

Naomi looked at him and saw that he wouldn't budge. "Fine," she said, throwing the rag on the table she was cleaning. "Take care of your stupid bar. I hope you fall off the subway and die."

With that, she turned and walked out, hoping to never see the bastard again.

When she got to the apartment, the tears started coming. She had no way of taking care of her son; her friends and family had been the ones sustaining her till she got this job. Now without a steady source of income, she had no way of paying next month's rent.

She opened her door and saw Gabby sitting down on the floor, the television on. Her son was next to her, his dark hair and blue eyes reminding him so much of his father and breaking her heart again.

"Hi guys," she choked out, a sob. Gabby rushed for her friend, holding her in her hands. "What happened?" she asked, rubbing her hair.

Naomi told her everything and sighed heavily. "Men, always ruining stuff." Gabby. Said. She brought Ethan close to his mother for a hug, and Naomi took him, settling him on her laps and rocking him gently. After a while, Gabby left. She had been babysitting for her since her boyfriend was stuck with work too.

Kissing her goodbye and locking the door to her apartment, Naomi placed Ethan on her hips and walked to the room they shared. "I know Aunty Gabs has fed you," she spoke to the baby. Ethan made sounds like he could understand her well. All he could say was Mummy and Ice Cream, always making her giggle whenever he spoke.

She laid her son in the bed, kissing him goodnight. It was his bedtime, and he fell asleep almost immediately. Grabbing her phone, she went to Google and typed in job opportunities, praying to God for a miracle.

After swiping a few times, she came across a post with a number at the end. It said Secretary wanted. She dialed the number and waited for it to ring.

"Hello," a male voice.

Naomi spoke quickly. "Hello, I saw the job opening for a secretary, and I am interested in it." The other party said nothing for a while, and then the line disconnected. Odd.

A text message came to her phone. "Job interview by 8 am tomorrow. Come to Liberty Event Centre."

She smiled, knowing that at least half her problem had been solved.

***************************

Liberty Event Center was in the heart of New York City, and it was huge. Naomi stood at the entrance, her suit itching her skin. It was a rental, and she could only imagine the number of people that had worn it previously.

Waking into the building, she noticed the inside wasn't as nice as the exterior. It looked mismanaged, and she wondered who had let this place turn like this. A young lady sat at the receptionist desk, and she walked towards her.

"Hi, I came for the job interview," a smile on her face. She had tried to make herself look presentable and had asked Sarah a million times if she did when she dropped off Ethan with them.

"Go upstairs, the third door on your right." Muttering her thanks, she climbed the stairs and got to the door, knocking quickly and waiting for a response.

"Come in," was the voice from last night. Naomi pushed the door open and saw a blonde man with shaggy hair seated behind a desk. His tie was not properly done, and he seemed nervous.

"Take a seat, miss," he pointed at the chair.

There was awkward silence after. Naomi wondered if he wasn't going to ask her questions.

"So, I want to hire you. You will not be my secretary; however, you will be the secretary to someone else," he said. Naomi nodded, okay. "Can I show you my CV, or is that not necessary?"

He waved a hand. "That is not necessary. However, you have some instructions."

He leaves forward.

"You will be my eyes and ears. You will gain this man's trust, monitor him, and report his dealings back to me." His gaze was on her face.

Naomi thought about rejecting the offer. She couldn't possibly spy on someone just for another man.

"How much is the offer?" she asked.

" Fifty thousand dollars when you become his secretary and half a million dollars when you achieve your goal," the man said.

Half a million dollars would change her life and, more importantly, her son's life. She stretched her hand forward.

"Deal."