Chapter 1 A CHANCE ENCOUNTER

Emily Dowanda, a humble country girl from a small town has always dreamed of a better life filled with love, and comfort for her and her mother. She gets a chance to visit las vegas in search of her old school college mate.

As she took in the sight of las vegas with wide, hopeful eyes, she slowly walked past the busy tarred road. This was her first taste of a world so different from her quiet town, where dirty untarred roads and open skies had been her entire life. In her secondhand sundress and scuffed shoes, she felt almost invisible in the city's neon glow, and she didn't mind. Here, she was just another face, free to dream.

As she strolled down the bustling street, a commotion drew her attention. Just a few paces ahead, a man was being pulled into an alley by two bulky figures. His suit perfectly tailored and expensive - stood out in stark contrast to the rough hands pinning him to the wall. She couldn't see his face clearly, but his movements were restrained and panicked.

Emily was shocked to see such a scene, she gazed with her mouth wide open. Without thinking, Emily's feet moved, she knew she wasn't much of a fighter but she couldn't just stay back and watch someone struggling for his life. She grabbed a metal trash lid from the alley entrance and stormed in, shouting. " Hey! Get off him".

One of the men turned, sneering at her, "Beat it girl, this isn't your business". Emily's pulse started to thrum with defiance. Swinging the lid with all of her might, she managed to smack the thug in the arm, surprising him enough to loosen his grip on the stranger (unbeknownst to her was a rich billionaire ceo). With a sharp twist, the man in suit freed himself, landing a quick jab at his other captor. She knew his face now- sharp jawline, brown hair, intense eyes that flicked to her, assessing her with surprise.

The two men stunned at her unexpected interference and scared of her drawing people's attention with what is happening there, scrambled off, cursing as they disappeared down the alley. The stranger leaned against the wall, catching his breathe. Emily approached him cautiously, with her heart panting with the adrenaline of her sudden bravery. "Are you okay sir?" She asked.

The man looked up, with his face filled with anger sighed and turned his face away from Emily. Emily was stunned as to what gave him the guts, but she decided to stay calm. "Sir, are you hurt?" She asked again. This time the man feeling disturbed by Emily shouted," what do you expect? What do you also expect from me ?" As he looked at Emily with disdain while he coit his rumpled suit.

Emily, feeling speechless and humiliated, turned to him, this time without fear and said" is this what i get from saving you from those men? Do you know what they would have done to you if i had not interfered? Do you also know i just put my life at risk to save you from what i actually don't know if you are the real culprit here?" She asked with her voice filled with hurt. "I see the reason why people don't help any more on this day" she continued. "It isn't your fault, I'm to be blamed because i porknosed into what doesn't concern me, Emily this serves you right, next time you will mind your business", she said to herself.

The man was shocked to hear all that from Emily, as he has never seen anyone standing up against him all his life, all his employees take order from him and don't talk back to him. The man seeing the frustration in Emily's voice decided to give her money for all her troubles. "How much do you need?" He asked, without bothering to look at Emily's face, because he believes Emily knew him and came to his rescue so she can get compensated.

Emily frowned the more and ask him,"do you think everything is about money? Or i'm after your money?". Emily sighed, turned, and left with anger. As she was stepping out , a man dressed in black suit like a bodyguard rushed to the scene, shouting, "sir, sir, are you okay?". As he ran towards the ceo, Emily, not looking back, walked past and left.

The billionaire ceo was puzzled as he has never met anyone who rejected him, not to talk of a low life girl turning down his offer. He asked his bodyguard to follow her in other to know where she lives. The bodyguard ran out not knowing the direction she took, mistook the wrong path and couldn't find her. He ran back to the ceo to report his findings that he couldn't find her.

The billionaire ceo shouted at him, "how could you let her out of your sight seeing she walked out on me?" No one has ever done that to me, never! He screamed at the top of his voice commanding the bodyguard to search all through the city to look for her. He angrily left the alley.

Emily on her way to her childhood friend Jane Peterson's house, kept wondering about the kind of man she encountered earlier, she kept soliloquizing as she walks to Jane's house. On opening the door, Jane who was preparing dinner noticed Emily's countenance and wondered what could be wrong with her friend. She walked up to Emily to enquiry what xould be the problem. "Emily what's wrong? You don't look yourself, what happened?".

Emily no longer having the energy to hold back her aggression poured her pains out to Jane. "Do you know I rescued a man that was been held down by some hefty men, and all i could get was insult and was treated with disdained by him?". Emily said. "Who is he?" Jane asked? "How will I know when he never appreciated my effort?" Emily said. " Immagine i even picked up a heavy rod and hit ome of the men, me that can't fight, thank God they didn't hurt me, what would I have told my late mother?" Emily added further. Jane upon hearing this bust into laughter, and told Emily not to be angry.

"This is a city, next time you mind your business and walk pass, you don't even know what caused the attack or better still next time call the police" Jane advised as she encouraged Emily to forget about the incident and focus and why she came to the city. Get yourself ready for tomorrow's interview. Emily nodded and smiled.

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Ten years later, at the 5 star hotel owned by Roberto Harrington, there were two openings, one for janitors and the other was a position for the hotel's secretary. Emily came prepared for the position of the company's janitor unaware to her there was also an opening for the company's secretary. As she walked into the hotel, she saw applicants who were all holding files and are dressed in corporate attires, looking and smelling nice. Emily, dressed in her sundress, was astonished as to why would most of them come in to apply for the post of a janitor as they look educated, this and more filled her heart as she walked into the waiting area.

As she was about sitting down in the waiting room, a scheming woman hurriedly rushed to were Emily was about sitting and pushed her down to the floor while she occupied Emily's sit. This scene drew the attention of everyone there, as they steer at Emily who sat helplessly on the floor. Before Emily could say a word, the scheming woman announced to everyone that the job vacancy is only for the educated. She asked Emily if she didn't get the information before applying?

Everyone around fixed their attention on Emily as she quietly stood up from the floor and picked up her files, they kept their gaze at her as they discussed her look. The scheming woman told her that there's no job for someone like her in the 5 star hotel, shw advised her to go look for job at the guest house down the street or better still go work at a bar. Everyone around laughed at Emily.

Just then, the Human Resources manager came to announce that the interview will be held by the CEO himself. Everyone is seen murmuring, as some of them adjusted their clothes, while some brought out their lipstick to apply on their faces and mirror to look at their looks. Emily was just standing by one end of the corner as she looks at everyone and prayed in her heart to get the job, even though the competition was much, she still has hope as she has always dreamt of a better life in the city.

Just then, the CEO's convoy drove in, his presence was announced as the ladies kept adjusting themselves and waving at him. Emily wasn't moved at all, as he walked past her, he noticed her reluctance and non admiration attitude. He's a man that most women are dying to be with, for he is very rich, handsome and charming. The only grandson of the Rossi family. And the heir to all the Rossi family's Empires and corporations, he was worth trillions of dollars.

As he walked in he enquires from his assistance who the lady who didn't move or tremble at the sight of him was, he was told her name is Emily and she came to apply for the position of a janitor. The name Emily rang a bell as he remembered the girl who rescued him ten years ago, called herself Emily as she spoke to herself. This kindled his interest to know more about her , if she was the girl who rescues him. Even though he was rude, he still has the thought of paying for the favour.

Emily on the other hand, didn't recognize him as the crowd roaring was too mich. The interview started with the HR calling the names of those applying as janitors first, but Emily's name wasn't mentioned. Until the position of a secretary, but the HR quickly reminded the CEO that there's one last person as her file was taken to the side by the CEO earlier. He requested for her to be called. This time the malicious woman has started looking down on Emily and calling her names as they waited.

The malicious woman, thinking she was next to be called without waiting for the HR to call her name quickly stood up, but was stopped half way as Emily's name was mentioned. She stopped feeling the HR made a mistake and tried correcting him as she is the next that was supposed to be called but her words fell into deaf ears, she quietly and quickly went back to her sit as Emily steps forward. Thinking within herself, if this is how city ladies behaves.

As Emily steps into the office, her eyes quickly went round, looking at everyone present, she felt some sense of familiarity with the CEO but pushed the feeling away because this is her first time of coming to the hotel. Just as the interview began, the CEO asked her to introduce herself, just then she remembered the voice, and where they had both met, as she answered, the CEO also recognized her voice.

Without excitation, he asked her why she left that way without accepting his offer ten years ago, everyone was astonished as to how and where they knew each other. Emily asked if that was part of the interview question, everyone was shocked by her question. The CEO getting pissed off, demanded an answer as he introduced himself as Roberto Harrington, the CEO of the Harrington group of companies, including this hotel.

Emily feeling scared with his tone, stood unwavering in her decision to overcome obstacles and get a job in the city, asked him, "is this how authoritative you're? How can you be so rude? You may be the CEO but am just an applicant, if it pleases you sirr, allow me take this interview in peace, for i'm not in the mood to let down my life for some ungrateful fellow".

Robert Harrington, shocked, became curious about who she is, and what gave her that guts still, to speak to him that way. He laughed wickedly, but had the intention not to let her out of his sight again told her that she is done with the interview, because he has gotten what he wanted. Emily feeling unhappy felt he's wicked, and doesn't want her to work in his firm. She angrily stood up, looked into his eyes, filled with rage, left without altering a word.

Unbeknownst to her, the CEO loves her boldness, a resilience nature, not moved by his looks but focused on what she came for, above all willing to work, and not to jump at the sight of any offer of money. Will Emily be offered the job? Or will Emilly fight back