Chapter 3
2169 Words
Anya Margo had spent the entire night thinking about Miguel's warning.
Don't lie to me.
It had been a simple sentence.
Yet somehow, those four words had followed her into her dreams.
By sunrise, Anya had already made a decision.
She was going to help Miguel.
Not because it was part of her assignment.
Not because her handler had ordered her to.
And certainly not because she had developed a soft spot for the arrogant billionaire.
She was helping him because someone was trying to destroy his company.
And because, despite his infuriating personality, Miguel Anguer didn't deserve to be betrayed by someone he trusted.
At six in the morning, Anya sat alone in her small room.
Her dark glasses rested beside her.
She held the communication device in her hand.
She pressed the button.
A familiar voice answered.
"Report."
Anya lowered her voice.
"I found evidence that the leak is coming from someone with access to Miguel's private files."
There was a pause.
"How high is the access level?"
"Executive."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes."
"Then you're dealing with someone close to Anguer."
Anya glanced toward her locked door.
"I know."
"Do you have a suspect?"
"Not yet."
"Then don't take unnecessary risks."
Anya almost laughed.
"That's difficult."
"Why?"
"Because Miguel is suspicious of me."
The voice became silent for a moment.
"Does he know who you really are?"
"No."
"Good. Keep it that way."
Anya looked at the communication device.
"There's something else."
"What?"
"I think someone has been watching the mansion."
"Are you sure?"
"I heard someone outside my room last night."
"Did you identify them?"
"No."
"Then assume you're being watched."
Anya's expression hardened.
"Understood."
"Your mission is to identify the mole. Do not confront them. Do not expose yourself."
"I understand."
The communication ended.
Anya placed the device beneath the floorboard.
Then she looked at herself in the mirror.
The woman staring back at her looked like an ordinary maid.
Simple uniform.
Dark glasses.
Quiet expression.
Harmless.
That was exactly what she wanted everyone to believe.
She put on her glasses.
Then she smiled.
"Let's see what you're hiding, Anguer Corporation."
At seven thirty, Miguel walked into the dining room.
He stopped.
His breakfast was already waiting.
Coffee.
Eggs.
Toast.
Fruit.
And a stack of financial reports.
Miguel looked at the reports.
Then at Anya.
She stood nearby polishing silverware.
"What's this?"
"Your documents."
"I didn't ask for them."
"You usually read them at breakfast."
Miguel frowned.
"How do you know?"
"You did it yesterday."
"I don't remember."
"I do."
Miguel picked up the first report.
It was organized perfectly.
The most urgent documents were on top.
The less important ones were underneath.
He looked at Anya.
"Did you organize these?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"They were messy."
"My documents aren't messy."
Anya tilted her head.
"They were."
Miguel stared at her.
Then he looked at the papers again.
The documents had been arranged according to priority.
Important contracts.
Pending approvals.
Financial reports.
Potential risks.
Everything was exactly where it needed to be.
He had never asked anyone to organize them that way.
Yet it was precisely how he preferred them.
"You understand business?"
Anya smiled.
"A little."
"You're a maid."
"I can be both."
Miguel narrowed his eyes.
"Who taught you?"
"My father."
"What did he do?"
"He worked with numbers."
"An accountant?"
"Something like that."
Miguel didn't believe her.
But before he could ask another question, his phone rang.
He answered.
"Anguer."
His expression immediately changed.
"Send the contract to my office."
A pause.
"No. Don't sign it."
Another pause.
"Because the numbers are wrong."
He ended the call.
Anya looked at him.
"Something wrong?"
"One of my executives made a mistake."
"Which one?"
Miguel looked at her.
"You know everyone in the company?"
"No."
"You asked very quickly."
Anya shrugged.
"You sounded angry."
Miguel stared at her.
She returned to polishing the silverware.
He didn't know whether to be suspicious or impressed.
Probably both.
That afternoon, Miguel found something strange on his desk.
A small white envelope.
No name.
No signature.
He opened it.
Inside was a handwritten note.
DO NOT SIGN THE HAWTHORNE ACQUISITION CONTRACT.
Miguel frowned.
He read it again.
Then again.
He checked the contract.
The Hawthorne acquisition was one of the largest deals the company had considered that year.
He had planned to sign it the next morning.
Who had written the note?
He called his secretary.
"Who left this on my desk?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Check the security footage."
"Yes, sir."
Twenty minutes later, his secretary returned.
"The camera didn't capture anyone."
Miguel stared at the note.
Impossible.
Someone had entered his office.
Someone who knew about the acquisition.
Someone who knew he planned to sign it.
He immediately ordered an audit.
Two hours later, the results came back.
The Hawthorne contract contained a hidden financial liability.
If Miguel had signed it, the Anguer Corporation would have lost hundreds of millions.
Miguel leaned back in his chair.
The anonymous note had saved him.
He looked at the handwriting.
Small.
Precise.
Elegant.
Whoever had written it knew exactly what they were doing.
Miguel smiled.
For the first time in months, he felt genuinely challenged.
The next morning, another note appeared.
CHECK THE SHIPPING RECORDS FROM PORT 17.
Miguel immediately ordered an investigation.
The records revealed that several shipments had been redirected without authorization.
Another financial loss had been prevented.
Then another note appeared.
DON'T TRUST THE MAN WHO ALWAYS AGREES WITH YOU.
Miguel stared at it.
That one was less helpful.
He looked around his office.
"Who are you?"
No answer.
He smiled.
This was becoming interesting.
Anya stood behind him.
She was carrying a tray of coffee.
Miguel didn't notice her immediately.
He was too busy staring at the note.
"What do you think?" he asked.
Anya nearly dropped the tray.
"About what?"
"My secret assistant."
Anya froze.
"What?"
Miguel held up the note.
"Someone has been helping me."
"Oh."
"Three warnings."
"That's nice."
"Nice?"
"Very."
Miguel turned toward her.
"They prevented three serious financial disasters."
"Then you should thank them."
"I would if I knew who they were."
Anya placed the coffee on his desk.
"Maybe they're shy."
Miguel smiled.
"Or they're watching me."
Anya's heart skipped.
She kept her expression neutral.
"Why would someone watch you?"
"Because they're interested in what I'm doing."
Anya nodded.
"Perhaps they're impressed by you."
Miguel raised an eyebrow.
"Are you?"
Anya smiled.
"Not particularly."
He laughed.
"There it is again."
"What?"
"That attitude."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Miguel looked at her.
For some reason, he found himself enjoying their arguments.
Anya made him feel normal.
She didn't treat him like a billionaire.
She didn't flatter him.
She didn't fear him.
She simply talked to him.
And he liked it.
More than he should.
That evening, several executives arrived at the mansion.
Miguel held a private meeting in the studio.
Anya served coffee.
Then she quietly left.
Or at least, that's what everyone thought.
Instead, she walked into the adjoining corridor.
The study door remained slightly open.
She could hear everything.
"We need to move the Singapore funds tonight," one executive said.
Miguel's voice became cold.
"Why?"
"Because the market is changing."
"That isn't a reason."
"It's a recommendation."
"Whose?"
Silence.
Anya listened carefully.
One man's voice made her uneasy.
She recognized it.
It was the same man she had seen in the archive.
Victor's executive assistant.
Anya memorized every word.
Then she heard something that made her blood run cold.
"The private files have already been accessed."
Miguel went silent.
"Who accessed them?" he asked.
"We don't know."
Anya's fingers tightened around the tray.
Someone knew about the investigation.
Someone knew the files had been accessed.
She quietly walked away.
She needed to warn Miguel.
But she couldn't reveal how she knew.
So she waited.
At midnight, Miguel returned to his office.
Another note was waiting.
THE PERSON YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK.
Miguel stared at it.
This time, there was something different.
A tiny mark at the bottom.
A small handwritten letter.
M.
Miguel touched it.
"M."
He smiled.
"My secret assistant has a name."
Behind him, Anya stood silently.
She had entered carrying a cup of tea.
Miguel turned.
"Anya."
"Yes?"
"Do you know who keeps leaving these notes?"
She smiled.
"No."
"Do you know anything about the mole?"
"No."
"Do you know what the letter M means?"
Anya paused.
"No."
Miguel studied her.
"Your name begins with M."
Anya's heart jumped.
She smiled.
"So does your mother's."
Miguel blinked.
"That's true."
"Then perhaps you should investigate her."
Miguel laughed.
"You're impossible."
"I've been told."
He walked toward her.
Anya remained still.
He stopped a few feet away.
"Do you think my secret assistant is a man or a woman?"
Anya's heart began beating faster.
"I don't know."
"Why?"
"Because you haven't met them."
Miguel smiled.
"I think I have."
Anya's breathing stopped.
Miguel leaned slightly closer.
"I think my secret assistant is someone who is already inside this house."
Anya swallowed.
"That would be convenient."
"Very."
Their eyes met.
Or rather, Miguel looked into her dark glasses.
For one dangerous moment, Anya wondered whether he could see through her.
Then Miguel stepped back.
"Good night, Anya."
"Good night, Mr. Anguer."
He walked away.
Anya waited until he disappeared.
Then she exhaled.
She hadn't realized she was holding her breath.
The next morning, Miguel found another note.
This one contained only four words.
TRUST NO ONE. NOT EVEN ME.
Miguel stared at it.
Then he laughed.
"You're becoming dramatic."
He placed the note beside the others.
He didn't know that Anya had written it.
He didn't know that she had spent the night investigating the executive who had accessed his private files.
He didn't know she had already discovered that someone inside the company was transferring money through hidden accounts.
And he certainly didn't know that the person behind the scheme was beginning to suspect that someone was interfering with their plans.
Meanwhile, Anya stood behind Miguel, holding his breakfast tray.
She watched him study the mysterious notes.
She had to admit it was amusing.
The world's most arrogant billionaire was completely fascinated by a mysterious genius who kept saving his company.
He had no idea that his brilliant secret assistant was standing three feet behind him.
Wearing a maid's uniform.
Holding his coffee.
And trying very hard not to laugh.
Miguel suddenly turned.
"What are you smiling about?"
"Nothing."
"You look suspicious."
"I always look suspicious."
"That's true."
Anya placed the coffee on his desk.
Miguel picked it up.
Then he noticed something.
The handwriting on the note looked strangely familiar.
He looked at Anya.
Then at the note.
Then back to Anya.
"Have you ever written anything for me?"
Anya smiled.
"Lists."
"What kind?"
"Shopping lists."
Miguel relaxed.
"Right."
He took a sip of coffee.
Then nearly spit it out.
"This is terrible."
Anya smiled innocently.
"You usually like it."
"Not today."
"You need more sugar."
She handed him the sugar bowl.
Miguel stared at her.
Then he smiled.
"How do you know?"
"You always need more sugar when you're stressed."
Miguel froze.
She had said it casually.
But it was true.
Nobody else knew that.
Not even Harris.
He looked at her carefully.
Anya smiled.
"Something wrong?"
"No."
Miguel looked away.
For the first time, he wondered if his mysterious secret assistant and his mysterious maid might be connected.
He dismissed the thought.
It was ridiculous.
Anya Margo couldn't possibly be the person sending him those notes.
She was blind.
She was a maid.
And she was standing right there.
That was precisely why he would never suspect her.
Anya watched him return to his documents.
A tiny smile appeared on her lips.
She had successfully fooled Miguel Anguer.
For now.
But outside the mansion, someone was watching the Anguer household.
Someone who had realized that the anonymous warnings were ruining their plans.
Someone who wanted to know who the mysterious assistant was.
And they were getting closer.
Very soon, Anya would discover that helping Miguel from the shadows was no longer just a mission.
It was becoming a dangerous game.
Because the closer she came to uncovering the traitor...
The closer the traitor came to uncovering her.
And there was another problem.
Miguel Anguer was beginning to look at his blind maid differently.
Not as an employee.
Not as a servant.
But as someone he couldn't stop thinking about it.
Someone who challenged him.
Someone who made him laugh.
Someone whose smile lingered in his mind long after she left the room.
His secret assistant had become the greatest mystery in his life.
And ironically, every morning, she stood right behind him.
Wearing a maid's uniform.
Holding his coffee.
Waiting for the day he finally discovered the truth.
But Anya didn't know one thing.
Miguel had already begun investigating.
And when Miguel Anguer became obsessed with solving a mystery...
He never stopped until he found the answer.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD