The Billionaire’s Hidden File

With one look at the doctor, Sally knew her sister's situation had worsened. Her hands tightened around the strap of her handbag as she waited in anticipation to hear what Dr. Brian had to say. Dr. Brian closed the folder he was holding and looked at her. “Maya’s immune system isn’t responding to the current treatment,” he said. “Okay,” she responded quickly. “We need to discuss the next step.” She could hear the warning in his voice. “What next step?” she asked “A bone marrow transplant.” The room went completely silent for several seconds. Sally stared at Dr. Brian, then at Maya. Her little sister was asleep in the hospital bed. She looked unbelievably young asleep. Younger than her 22 years. A thin blanket pulled beneath her chin. “A bone marrow transplant,” Sally repeated. “Yes” “Does that mean she will get better?” “If we can find a suitable donor.” Sally released the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. “How soon can we find one?” Dr. Brian didn’t respond immediately. Her heart sank. “What?” “We’ll begin the search for a compatible donor, but the process isn’t always straightforward, and there are costs involved for the whole procedure. After that, Maya would need close monitoring for some time.” “How much?” She asked. He hesitated. “How much?” He gave her a number. Sally stared in shock. Her bank account currently contained four hundred and twenty-five dollars. Her rent was four months late. And she had just a week to come up with the rent, or she’d be thrown out of her apartment. Her wallet held just fifteen dollars. “Is that the total?” she asked. “No.” Drops of sweat broke out on her forehead. “There will be additional expenses,” Dr. Brian said. “Okay?” He looked at her carefully, his expression softened. “Do you have family who can help?” Sally turned her gaze to her sister. “We’re all the family we have.” Their parents died ten years ago. And their uncle, who had taken them in afterward, died six years later. So Sally had to work. She had to cook. She had to learn how to comfort Maya with a smile when she was terrified. And now, she had to learn how to find the money to save her sister’s life. “I’ll get it,” she whispered. Dr. Brian frowned. “Sally…” “I’ll get the money.” She responded abruptly. Her knees felt weak, but she forced herself to remain upright. “Whatever it takes.” ~ Maya opened her eyes thirty minutes later. “You’re doing that thing again.” Sally heard her sister’s voice and looked up from her phone. “What thing?” “Biting your fingers. You only do that when something is up.” Sally smiled faintly. “That doesn’t mean anything.” “You always pretend you’re not scared.” “I’m not scared.” “Liar.” Maya shifted on the bed and looked closely at Sally. “Did the doctor tell you anything?” Sally’s stomach tightened. “Tell me what?” “About me?” There was no point lying. “Yes, you need a bone marrow transplant as soon as possible. But don’t worry, we’re going to find a donor as soon as possible.” “What if we don’t?” Sally reached across the bed and squeezed her hand. “We will.” ~ That night, after Maya fell asleep, Sally sat alone in the hospital corridor. She opened her banking app and stared at her account balance. $425.87 Then she reviewed her job-search applications—six rejected applications, two unanswered, two interviews that had gone nowhere. Sally sighed in frustration and dropped her phone. Then picked it up again and searched: Live-in jobs hiring immediately. She scrolled through a few options till one advertisement caught her eye. It was posted two minutes ago. She read the words; LIVE-IN HOUSEKEEPER, PRIVATE RESIDENCE Good salary. Accommodation included. Applicants must be discreet. No previous experience required. Sally blinked her eyes to be sure she wasn’t dreaming. Then she read it again. The salary was more than she had earned in months. She checked the bottom for the employer’s name; it wasn’t listed. She clicked Apply, filled in her details, and submitted. A confirmation message appeared immediately. Then five minutes later, her phone rang. Sally stared at the number for a few seconds and answered. “Hello?” “Sally Williams?” A man’s voice came through. “Yes.” “This is Jake. We received your application a few minutes ago for the position of a live-in housekeeper” “Yes, sir” “We would like to interview you tomorrow morning.” Sally sat straighter. “Tomorrow?” “Yes, eight o’clock.” “Where?” “Mr. Kaplan’s Residence.” He gave her the address and hung up. Sally’s heart began pounding. Colten Kaplan. She had heard of him; everyone had. Owner of Kaplan Technology Capital (KTC). Twenty-eight years old. Billionaire. Technology investor. The youngest man to ever appear on the cover of one of those business magazines Maya liked reading. And according to the internet, one of the most private men in New York. ~ Sally remained in the corridor long after the hospital lights had dimmed. The cleaning staff had begun their night shift. Somewhere down the hall, a machine beeped steadily behind a closed door. Her phone vibrated. She looked down. A text message popped up on her screen… INTERVIEW CONFIRMED WITH MR. COLTEN KAPLAN. 8:00 AM. TOMORROW. Her heart skipped. The billionaire’s name stared back at her. So she did the next thing that came to her mind. She opened her browser and searched for him. His pictures appeared immediately. Business magazines, charity galas, red carpets, a man stepping out of black cars surrounded by security. Many articles covered his companies, his net worth, and his investments. But almost nothing mentioned his personal life. She locked her phone. It wasn’t her business. She just needed a job, not a billionaire’s biography. As she walked back to Maya’s room, the only thought that followed her was why a man with everything- the money, the looks, the power would need a live-in cleaner badly enough to offer a salary that high. Sally stopped outside Maya’s room. Through the glass she could see her sister sleeping. She looked so small beneath the hospital blanket. She touched the glass and said, “I’ve got you.” Her phone vibrated again. This time, it was a hospital reminder. PAYMENT DUE BY 10:00 AM. She slipped the phone back into her pocket. The next morning, she would be walking into Colten Kaplan’s world. What she didn’t know yet was that the man had a few secrets of his own. Secrets she was yet to discover.