The Billionaire's Low-Budget Assistant

Chapter 8: The Job Hunt and the Shadow

The first rays of sunlight barely broke through the thick gray smog as Addie tied the frayed laces of her old canvas sneakers." She looked as though she had fought a war instead of sleeping. Dark circles shadowed her eyes. Her shoulders drooped with exhaustion.

Every tiny creak outside the apartment had kept her awake through the night. Each time she heard footsteps in the hallway, she imagined a convoy of glossy black SUVs pulling up outside. She imagined Damian Sterling marching through her door with another list of impossible questions. Or worse, she imagined him bringing enough bodyguards to carry her away because she had mixed up her sleeping story with her smelly-ointment story.

"Oh, Addie Lee," she muttered, rubbing both hands over her face. "Your mouth will one day bury your whole body."

"Mama..."

The sleepy little voice melted away her panic. Nyla shuffled out from behind the faded curtain, dragging her favorite stuffed bear across the floor by one floppy ear. Her messy curls stuck out in every direction, and her eyes were still half-closed with sleep. Addie's expression softened instantly. She crouched in front of the little girl and gently pressed a finger against her lips.

"Shh..." Her eyes darted toward the apartment door before returning to Nyla. "What do we practice inside this room?"

Nyla blinked sleepily. "...Sister Addie."

"That's right." Addie smiled and kissed her forehead. "The walls here are thinner than paper. If anyone hears you call me Mama, the whole neighborhood will know before lunchtime." She lowered her voice dramatically. "And gossip travels faster than motorcycles."

Nyla giggled. "Even faster than birds?"

"Oh, much faster." Addie nodded with complete seriousness. "Birds get tired. Neighborhood aunties never do."

Nyla burst into laughter. The sound filled the tiny apartment, washing away some of the heaviness pressing against Addie's chest. She hugged the little girl tightly. "I'm going out to find another job today."

Nyla tilted her head. "Not the food house?"

Addie's smile dimmed. "No." She smoothed Nyla's hair behind one tiny ear. "The food house and Sister Addie had a very sad breakup." She sighed dramatically. "A pitcher of water chose violence yesterday."

Nyla frowned, trying to understand.

"So..."

"We need a new place," Addie forced another smile. "A place with dirty plates. Lots of dirty plates. And absolutely no rich people."

Addie refused to quit. She walked into another café. "Good afternoon, sir." She offered her brightest smile. "I'm looking for work. I can wash dishes, clean tables, mop floors... anything."

The owner barely looked up. "Name?"

"Addie Lee."

The man paused. His expression changed. A moment ago he had looked merely uninterested. Now, he looked uncomfortable. "I'm sorry," he said quickly. "The position has already been filled."

Addie blinked. "But there's a sign outside..."

"We forgot to take it down."

"Oh..." She forced another smile. "Thank you anyway."

The same thing happened again. And again. A grocery store. A noodle shop. A bakery. A small family restaurant. Each manager asked her name. Each manager hesitated. Each one refused her.

By the sixth rejection, something felt wrong. Very wrong. She stood outside another restaurant, staring at the closed sign even though customers were still walking inside. She wondered if the whole city had suddenly decided they didn't like her face.

She looked down at herself. "My hoodie isn't that ugly today." She sniffed her sleeve. "I even smell less like onions." She frowned. "Maybe just a little." Her stomach growled loudly. She sighed. "I know. I'm hungry too."

Across the road, a black sedan remained parked beneath the shade of an old tree. Inside, Mark lowered his binoculars. "Report."

"Miss Lee has now been rejected by eighteen businesses." A voice answered through his earpiece. Damian. "Any suspicion?"

"None, sir."

"Good." Mark glanced at Addie as she forced another smile before entering yet another restaurant. "She still believes it's a coincidence."

Damian's gaze remained fixed on the city through the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office. "Keep watching."

"Yes, sir."

He ended the call. Silence settled inside the office. His fingers tapped once against his desk. She had lied to him. Repeatedly. She had risked her life to save his mother, refused a reward, run from gratitude, and protected something with desperate determination. None of it made sense, and Damian Sterling hated mysteries he couldn't solve.

He wasn't trying to ruin Addie Lee. If he truly wanted to destroy her, she would already have nothing. No home, no future, no chance. Instead, he was closing every other door because eventually, she would have only one place left to turn. Him. When that day came, she wouldn't be able to run anymore, and maybe she would finally tell him the truth.

The afternoon faded into evening. The streets grew busier. Addie's hope grew smaller. She stood outside the Grand Plaza Hotel, took a deep breath, and pushed through the revolving doors. The lobby sparkled with crystal chandeliers and polished marble floors. She ignored the curious stares and walked straight to the reception desk.

"Excuse me," she said politely. "I'm looking for work. Anything at all. Housekeeping. Laundry. Kitchen. I'll do whatever you need."

The receptionist smiled professionally. "Your name, please?"

"Addie Lee."

The woman typed it into the computer. A second later, her smile disappeared. "I'm sorry, Miss Lee. There are no openings."

Addie's heart skipped as she realized she had been misled.

"I'm afraid we've just filled the last vacancy."

"Oh..." She lowered her gaze. "I understand." She turned to leave.

"Miss Lee?" She looked back hopefully. The receptionist hesitated, guilt flashing across her face. "...I'm sorry."

That was all she could say. Addie forced a smile. "It's okay."

But it wasn't. Not even close. Outside the hotel, she sat heavily on the front steps. People hurried past without sparing her a glance. Luxury cars came and went. The city kept moving as if her world wasn't quietly falling apart.

She opened her wallet. Three crumpled bills. A few coins. That was everything she had left. She stared at them for a long moment before letting out a shaky laugh. She realized she couldn't even buy enough noodles for two people, and the weight of Nyla's needs pressed down on her. Everything depended on her finding work, and somehow, every door had closed. She wrapped her arms around herself as the evening breeze swept through the street.

Several blocks away, a black sedan remained parked where she couldn't see it. Mark watched Addie sitting alone on the hotel steps."Sir... she has nowhere left to go."

Damian looked out across the city."Good." He picked up his car keys. "It's time to offer Miss Addie Lee a job.”