Suitor and the Matchmaker

It's been one week since I moved to New York. Megan and Riley took care of the advertisement and promotion of my work and also about the office space. I haven't seen my office space yet but Riley and Megan told me it will be ready soon and I would love it. Can't wait to see the office and starts working. I'm grateful to them. They had done so many things for me. They are the best of best friends of mine.

As soon as I will start working I will be able to repay the debts, rent a home and brought Mom here, in New York. Maine is home but I have to choose New York over Maine. I will earn here enough to take care of the house and office debt, Our office debt, Mom's medical bills, everything. And I don't want Mom to stay in Maine anymore she needs a change in her life. She needs peace. Living in Maine just give her tension and worries.

It's been twenty years but still, Mom is hurt and broken just because of Dad. She is forced to pay the debt for dad's betrayal. Twenty years, she managed to hide the truth from me for the last twenty years and I never doubted anything. How was I so careless? How did I ever find anything? How did I never try to find something? Maybe I was too young to understand anything or maybe my mother was a good actor.

I would have never found out the truth if I didn't enter her room to find my scarf that she borrowed from me and open her closet in search of that. The file falls from nowhere on my head and then hit the ground and the papers inside it popped out from it. I bend down to collect the papers and then I found out the papers that said our old house was mortgaged for $89950 which was later sold in foreclosure auction because Mom was unable to pay the debt.

When I confronted Mom with the papers she broke down and told me everything. How dad betrayed mom by mortgaged the house secretly and escaped with another woman with all the money. He tricked mom into debt. Mom spent all her money on buying her dream house in Cape Elizabeth, she had no savings left. She was unable to repay the debt and the house was sold in the foreclosure auction in front of her to someone else. How someone could be so cruel to betray her wife and his own two years daughter like that? I could feel the pain now. I feel guilty not to found it earlier, Mom had to endure all alone for the last twenty years. She had to go through the pain all alone. Tears started rolling down my cheeks.

I will never forgive him ever in my life. I hate him more than anything. He hurt my mom, betrayed her, tricked her. But I will reap what that person has sown. I will bring that house back for my mom, no matter how costly it may be. I will work hard day and night, I will do whatever it takes and gift my mom that house before her birthday.

"Amber?"

I jumped on Megan's voice. I quickly wipe off my tears and turn around.

"Let's go. What are you doing here on the balcony? We have been looking for you for so long."

"Meg... did you find her?" Riley shouts from the drawing-room.

"This girl. She's going to make us homeless someday."

I laughed out loud.

"Meg... Am.... are you guys coming. We are getting late. Everyone is waiting for us." Riley shouts again.

Megan growls irritatedly and we head to the drawing-room.

"Oh! Here you are. Where have you been for so long?" Riley asked.

"You won't listen. Will you?" Megan asked.

"What? What did I do now? I was just....." Riley swings on her feet back and forth, hands behind her back.

"Where are we going?" I speak up.

Riley quickly comes to me and stand beside me, put an arm on my shoulder.

"It's a surprise," said Riley

"Surprise?" I narrowed my eyes in disbelief.

"You will see. Let's go." Megan said.

We head out of the house, Megan locks the door and change the password. After that we head toward the elevator, Riley pushes the button and we wait for it.

Suddenly a neighbor's door opens and an elderly woman walks out of the house. She scans the corridor and then stop her gaze on us.

"Oh no... Not today Mrs. Robert." Megan murmured.

She pinches Riley. Riley moans in pain.

"All because of you. I warned you so much time. You won't listen." Megan scolds Riley in silent.

"Sorry... "

They start arguing in whispers.

"Guys stop fighting," I whispered.

The lady stands in front of us and scans our faces.

"Good morning Mrs. Robert. How are you?" asked Megan.

"It's a beautiful day. Mrs. Robert. Don't you think?" Said Riley.

The lady didn't reply to any of them. She grinds her teeth and narrows her eyes on them.

"This is an apartment or a public zoo? How many times I have told you two not to make noises. You two behave like wild animals. Don't you know manners? Didn't your parents teach you how to behave......."

Once started, she goes on and on. I wanted to speak out but Megan holds me back. The old lady kept going on for fifteen minutes straight. Luckily the elevator comes up and opens the door. We quickly hoop in and Riley press the button and the lift door closed.

Riley and Megan lean on the elevator's wall and take a relief breath.

"Thank god! the lift saved us today."

"What was wrong with the old lady? Why she was being so mean? You should have let me talked to her." I demanded.

"That would have made the situation worse. She won't listen to anybody." Megan said.

"Today we were lucky. Other days she would come to our door and would go on non-stop for hours." Riley said.

"Everyone hates her. Last month she forced a single mother to move out from the neighbor just because her toddler would cry for milk."

"But we don't have to tackle her for a lifetime. I heard she is moving out." Riley said.

"Where?" Megan asked.

"Don't know maybe in the woods were A quiet place was filmed."

Riley starts mimicking. We all laughed. The elevator stops at the lobby. We walk out of the elevator and head outside. 

Riley unlocks her car and we slide inside. Riley turns on the music.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Wait and you will see," Megan replied.

"I am excited. I can't wait to see it too." Said Riley.

Riley seems way more excited than I am. She keeps on saying the same thing. I don't have any clue what they are up to but If they planned something, it's special for me.

"You will be surprised to see the surprise. We have been waiting for so long for it. And finally, it is ready."

"Atta girl! Enough information. Now you need to stop talking and focus on your driving." Megan cut Riley in between.

"Sorry! I will zip it up." Riley said.

"You should," Megan said.

Megan then turns to me. She opens her purse and takes out a piece of satin red cloth.

"Turn around and close your eyes," Megan said.

I shook my head and turned on the other side. Megan blindfold my eyes.

"How long I have to keep the blindfold? It's uncomfortable.

" Just hold on. We are almost there."

About ten or fifteen minutes, the car finally stops at a destination.

"We are here."

"Okay... Hold my hand lowering your head come out of the car," said Megan.

"Oh my god! I can't believe the b—"

"Lee...." Megan shouts.

"Sorry," Riley said.

"Now! hold my hand and follow me. Your surprise is waiting for a few steps ahead." said Megan.

It was really uncomfortable. I'm walking like a zombie with the blindfold on my eyes. Anyway, I hold Megan's hands tightly and follow her.

Walking for one or two minutes we finally stop. I could hear people murmuring.

"Dead end?" I asked.

"Yup! Are you ready for your surprise?" Megan asked.

"I am dying to see it," I replied.

"Believe me, girl, you will love it," Riley said.

Megan loses the knot. I remove the blindfold. I open my eyes it was still dark. I blink several times. Darkness feds and I could see blurred figures in front of me.

"Take your time," Megan said.

Soon after blinking several more time the figures take shapes of Riley and Megan and buildings behind them. They were standing close to each other.

"Welcome to Enchanted," said Megan and Riley.

They stand apart and gesture at the building behind them. I look at their direction I don't get surprised but shocked.

Its Megan and Riley's 5 stories commercial building named after my company name "ENCHANTED" and a huge billboard at the top with my photo and my introduction. I never came here before but I saw the pictures on my phone send by Megan and Riley when they bought the building last year.

I insisted when I land in New York to bring me here but that time they told me that its under renovation and now......

"Did you like your new office?" asked Megan.

"Hey! Not just her, our new office too from now on." Riley said. "And of course she liked it. I could say that. Don't you, Am?" asked Riley.

I am speechless. I don't know how to react? What to say? This is what I never thought of not even in my dreams.

"Am? What happened? You didn't like it?" asked Megan.

I blink several times, pulling me out of my thought. I am confused. I am trying to understand the situation.

"We thought as we are going to work in the same building. Why we should use different company names our work are related and the word "Enchanted" just perfectly fits for us too. So we name the building after your company name. Are you mad at us?" Riley asked.

My eyes filled with tears. I could hold back my emotions against their sweetest gesture. My tears start rolling down my cheeks.

"Guys I...I..." The words were stuck in my throat. I was unable to express my feeling in words. I was crying. I was shivering. I couldn't stand, couldn't hold the tears back. I got them emotional too. They rush to me and hug me tight.

After a few moment, I calm down. we head inside. Megan and Riley give me a quick tour of the office and later Megan showed me my office floor and my cabin and also show me four-color files: Red File consists of clients lists with arrogant/rude behavior. Yellow consists of the mutual list. Green consists of easy-going clients. Blue one consists of Megan and Riley's client's list and white files consist of lists of Bachelorette in New York City.

Megan also made an online website for my service and also created a mobile application for the same to make my work easy. The first day in the office went well. I got two clients on the very first day of my work. One of them was a client from red file Mr. Hoover: Millionaire businessman looking for a million or billionaire for his daughter, Leslie. And another client is new in town Mr. Tunner: Billionaire businessman looking for a simple and decent girl for their only son, Blake. Totally opposite.

The first day was very hectic. Office, late-night celebration I was exhausted so I took one day off (what I thought but never happened) Around 1 pm I got 40 missed calls and 10 messages from Edward (my manager). I called him back and got to know someone broke into our office and was asking for me. I rushed to my office as soon as possible.

When I enter my office I saw it was a total mess. It seems like a tornado passes through my office. I walk further and saw Edward was arguing with someone.

"Edward?" I called.

Edward looked at me over the man's shoulder. He walks to me. I try to keep my cool. Last day, Mr. Hoover threatened me. This man could be one of his men.

"What's going on here?" I asked.

"Where is Amber Tamblyn? Where is she hiding?" He said. His voice was harsh.

The man turned around. He's 6 feet tall, brown, short hair with a wavy lock of hair on his forehead, blue eyes full kissed able lips and a charming face.

"How can I help you?" I asked politely.

"I don't want to talk to the staff to call your boss and ask her to come out from her hideout." He said.

"We can talk in my cabin," I said.

" Didn't you heard me? What did I say? I want to talk to your boss. Where the hell is she?" He asked.

This man was getting into my nervous still I kept my cool and told him to calm down he already ruined my office and I don't want any more damage. I politely told him that I'm Amber Tamblyn. The owner of Enchanted but he starts laughing. Soon, Megan and Riley enter the office and got worried.

"You're Amber Tamblyn. The owner of this office and a matchmaker?" he asked a sarcastic way.

"Have you not seen the billboard outside? By the way, who are you?" Riley asked.

The man looks at me in disbelief. His lips curved into a half-smile. He shook his head and without saying anything he left the office. Later everyone suggests me to call the police but I denied. I head inside my cabin and get back to my work. I was flipping the Tunner's file when ai noticed the photo was missing. I called the number given on the visiting card and talked to Mrs. Tunner. She was busy hosting a house warming party. She invited me with Riley and Megan to meet her son vis-à-vis.

We reached on time. We meet with Mr. & Mrs. Tunner. I choked twice on my wine that evening. At 1st, Hoover's were also invited at the party and 2nd the man who broke into my office in the afternoon was none other than Mr. & Mrs. Tunner's son, Blake. The day gave me enough shock for a day so we left the party early.

Very next day, Hoover called me in his office and offer me a deal. If I set Blake with his daughter Leslie he will pay me to double the payment. At first, I hesitated but later I remind myself how important the money is right now for me so I agreed on the deal. On the same day, I call the Tunner family and told them about Leslie. They called me home and I show them her file. Mr. and Mrs. Tunner liked her profile but Blake didn't. he doubted my ability to be a good matchmaker. He put one condition, if I befriend with him, he will meet Leslie. I had no option I had to agree with him. And I didn't realize what he actually meant that day.

He started hanging around in my office and house too. He would take Leslie to dinner/party/shopping if I go with them. He would not leave a chance not to irritate me but I succeed. Three months later, their wedding date was finally fixed but don't know why I was feeling hurt. It seemed like I was losing a part of my body. A month later, I realized I fell for Blake. I was in love with him. But he's getting married. I can't love him. There wedding was about to take next week. I decided to visit mom in those days. I wouldn't be able to see him marrying Leslie.

I did as decided. I left for Maine before their wedding. I was missing him. I cried day and night. I remind myself he's someone's else husband now. I need to move on.

I planned a day out. Mom and I spend some quality time together. We enjoyed it a lot. My mood was refreshed We head home. When we reached home I was shocked. Blake was here in Maine. Seeing me he pulled me closer to him and kissed me. He told me he didn't get married to Leslie because he loves me from the beginning when he first saw me. He agreed to see Leslie just to be around me. He knew everything about Leslie. I was frozen. I was confused. I was happy.

He kneeled down and propose me a ring and I said yes without a second thought. He got up and again kissed me. By the next month, we got married and as a wedding gift, he bought me my mom's old house and also repay the debts too. Mom shifted to our old house while I head back to New York with Blake. I was the luckiest girl in the world. I was in cloud 9. I never thought I would fall in love with someone and with the right person.