HOTTEST SPY

0.1

“Morning,” Jer said. “Everyone, gather up. We have a problem.”

“What’s going on?” I asked, placing my bag on his desk. The others gathered around him.

“I’ve got a big -really big- assignment on my hands,” he said with a sigh.

“But I’m not sure which one of you can handle it.”

“I’m off duty right now,” I said quickly, trying to hide my excitement. “Give it to me.”

“But you just said it’s a big job,” Madeline -the bitchy agent- cut in. “I don’t think she can handle it.”

I frowned.

“No, actually,” Jer replied, glancing at her before looking back at me. He still seemed hesitant. “She can.”

“What are you afraid of, Jer?” I asked calmly, leaning against the desk and trying to maintain my composure despite Madeline’s comment.

“It’s a long-term assignment,” he said. “It could last for months.”

I straightened up.

“I’m in.”

Madeline chuckled. I noticed, but I didn’t even flinch.

Martin spoke up. “Yeah, Jer. I’d choose Ruby for a long-term assignment.”

“Yeah, definitely. Me too,” Jack added.

I smiled slightly at my colleagues’ confidence in me.

Jer finally nodded.

“Okay. But it’s not that simple. Let’s talk in my office.”

We walked into his office. It was small but practical, with a simple interior.

“Tell me, Jer. I’m really curious-“

“This is a very long-term operation. Miss Vivian Pierce is getting married, but she believes her fiancé has been cheating on her. It’s an arranged marriage, agreed upon by both families because of their companies. At the moment, Miss Pierce can’t afford to pay us much. However, once the divorce is finalized, she’ll be able to pay a substantial amount.”

“What divorce? She’s going to marry him anyway?” I asked.

“Yes. She’s marrying him because of her family’s wishes and the business interests involved. She knows about the affair, but she can’t prove it.”

Jeremy sighed as he searched for the file.

Finally, he found it and handed it to me.

“That’s why I thought we’d introduce you as an event planner or a wedding organizer. You’ll help plan the wedding, the events before and after it, spend time with both families, learn their history, and earn the Pierces’ trust.”

“But what if I can’t find the mistress?” I asked. “A wedding organizer won’t get close enough to uncover something like that.”

Jer leaned forward slightly.

“You won’t find any the mistress.” he said.

“You’ll be the mistress.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“Don’t misunderstand me,” he continued calmly. “Your job isn’t to seduce him from day one. First, you’ll become part of their lives. You’ll earn the trust of both families.”

He paused before continuing.

“If Trent becomes interested in you, you won’t reject him. You’ll let the relationship develop naturally. If he really is the man we believe he is... sooner or later, he’ll make the first move.”

I remained silent.

“That’s why I hesitated to give you this assignment,” Jer said. “You could spend years living this role. No private life. No time for yourself. No boyfriend.”

I lowered my eyes to the file, unable to read another word.

“It could last months... maybe even years,” Jer continued. “We’ll receive regular payments throughout the operation, but the real money comes when the job is done.”

I looked him straight in the eyes.

“So... time will literally stop for me.”

He gave me a cautious nod.

“Yes. That’s why I’ll understand if you don’t want to take this assignment.”

I frowned. “No.” I looked him in the eyes. “I can do it. That’s my job.”

Jer smiled. “I’ve always trusted you. Read the file carefully and learn everything about them. We don’t have much time, but we have to be careful. Let’s talk again tomorrow morning and make our final decision.”

I stood up and nodded. “I’ll read it carefully.”

Then I quickly left the office and headed home.

When I got home, I took a shower.

As the hot water ran over my skin, I couldn't stop thinking about the mission, how much effort it would require and how much it could change my future and career.

"No private life. No boyfriend..." I let out a quiet laugh.

It wasn't like I had a boyfriend anyway. I hadn't even flirted with anyone since my breakup seven months ago.

That one had hurt.

After my shower, I got dressed, made myself a cup of coffee, grabbed the file, and settled onto the couch.

I opened it to the first page.

Trent Valdez.

My eyes landed on his photograph.

Trent Valdez had the kind of face people remembered. Sharp features, light brown hair with golden undertones, and striking green eyes that seemed almost too calm.

He looked like the kind of man who had never been told no in his entire life.

"So... you're cheating on your fiancée."

I continued reading. Jeremy had done an impressive job. The report was detailed, thorough, and surprisingly complete.

It wasn't hard to understand why women fell for him. He was handsome, wealthy, powerful.. And completely untouchable.

His family was rather small. His parents had passed away years ago, leaving only his uncle, Frederick Valdez.

No one questioned his decisions, no one told him what to do.

And according to the report, he had never had trouble finding women willing to share his bed.

I turned the page. His uncle had raised him... And his brother.

“Aaron Valdez.”

Twenty one years old. Chemistry student.

I frowned, why would the younger brother be studying chemistry at one of the country's top universities when the family owned one of the largest companies in the country?

I flipped to Vivian Pierce's file. A girl constantly overshadowed by her family's reputation.

The media loved portraying her as a woman deeply in love with Trent Valdez.

I picked up my tablet and searched for her name. “Vivian Pierce.”

Switching to the news section, I wasn't surprised. Every headline painted the same picture: the perfect fiancée, perfect couple, perfect future.

After scrolling for a while, one article caught my attention.

Vivian Pierce had often made headlines alongside actor Daniel Caelan. Shortly before her engagement to Trent Valdez, many media outlets claimed they were dating.

I kept reading.

Apparently, Daniel wasn't her boyfriend after all, he was simply a close friend of Vivian's brother.

"Hmm..." I murmured to myself.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

I set the tablet aside and walked toward the front door.

"Who's there?"

"It's Jack."

Jack Archer.

My heartbeat quickened before I could stop it.

Jack was my coworker.

My partner on more than one assignment.

He was smug, cocky, and probably every woman's biggest weakness.

The kind of man who walked into a room and somehow became the center of attention without even trying.

We used to hang out after assignments. I still remember that one night- we were drunk as hell and ended up making out for hours in some random dive bar. But we never dated. We’d go through these flirting phases and then, sooner or later, he’d always end up dating someone else.

But what was he doing at my apartment this late?

I opened the door.

"Hi," he said quietly.

I frowned.

"Hi... What happened?"

He shrugged. “Nothing. Just wanted to check you.” He glanced over to my house over my shoulder. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

“Depends. Are you planning to annoy me?”

He said nothing and I let him go inside, stepped aside.

“So I heard..” He stepped inside, examining the attire of my living room. “You got the assignment.”

“Yes, I accepted.” I quickly reached for the file and my tablet before him, intending to put them on the table but Jack acted faster than me and snatched the file from my hand.

“You accepted.” He settled comfortably into the chair while opening it and began to read.

“No private life, no boyfriend, just drama for months.” he said and I nodded, like it’s him- always talking empty like this.

I sat down beside him on the couch while he keep talking. “He said you'd need to get closer to that man.” He turned to me abruptly.

“Yes. If it requires.” I looked at him. He frowned after my words, he straightened and placed the file on the cupboard.

“You drinking coffee.”

I nodded slightly. “Yeah…”

He shifted where he was sitting. “You’re really going to let another man touch you?”

I frowned. “What? It’s my job.”

“Sure.”

I got angry and my eyebrows raised. “It is.”

He moved closer to me in the couch, glancing down to my lip and then my eyes.

“Move.” My breath hitched.

“Make me.”

It’s getting intense in the air, I hear his heavy breathing. Our breaths mingled, he leaned more with his familiar leather jacket and the scent I'd breathed for years enveloped me.

Then he kissed me- quick but ardent.

For seconds I couldn’t move, I couldn't help but respond.

But then in a flash, I withdrew.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Pushed him on his chest.

He breathed heavily and wiped his lower lip very lightly, slow and off course deliberately

“Just checking.”

“Checking what?”

“Whether you could pretend to be in love,” he said, leaning closer. “Turns out you can’t.”

I scoffed. “It’s because I’m not interested in you.”

He leaned more, got closer to me. “Really? I’d say otherwise cause you still kiss me the same.” He glanced lower, with a smug smirk.

And after seconds, he stood up and walked towards the door. I followed and stopped him touching his arm. “What are you up to? You were so supportive today at the office.”

“It was because I had to defend you against Madeline,” he turned and slowly touched my neck. “I actually don’t want you to take the job.”

“So you decided to kiss me and confuse me,”

“Didn’t hear you complaining.”

I shook my head. “You’re unbelievable.”

Jack Archer smirked at my words, with his incredibly beautiful lips and then he walked opened the door.

He glanced over his shoulder, “Now you have something to compare him to.”

And he slammed the door shut behind him.

I rubbed my head while towarding to couch, sat down and laid back. My phone lit up with a notification.

Jeremy.

“Be at the Pierce mansion at eight.”

I texted back. “Already?”

“They’re expecting you.”