Up in a small hill, two bodies were being buried under the torment of the strong rain accompanied by bolts of lightnings, which was the only source of light in such a dark night. Another lightning flashed and the facial features of the one burying the bodies became clearly shown.

Her amber coloured eyes were truly enchanting matching her chestnut hair and her snow white skin together with her cherry coloured lips. She was truly beautiful and no one could compare, adding to all these she looks like a doll in its innocence.

The lightning didn't only show her elegant facial features but as it continued to strike and as one would look closer, her eyes were actually dead. It had lost all its radiance.

As she look from the two graves to a car below the hill, which had exploded and inside were three burnt bodies, a cold flash appeared in the depths of her amber eyes. Its dead look seemed to have came back to life but that of a cold one.

"An eye for an eye," she muttered as she exuded a very cold aura, not matching her innocent look.

She picked up the suit case that was close to her and started descending the hill. The two graves were actually covered with bushes so it is pretty well hidden. Adding to the fact that this was a small one in between mountains. Across it was the vast ocean, whose waves were so strong like it is trying to cap size a boat.

She was actually in this place for a whole day. From pulling their bodies to replacing them to waiting, to digging and burying. Everything happened for a whole day. The only thing she could give the bodies were to cover them with a cloth.

But despite the tiredness she remained cold and indifferent, she didn't show any hint of exhaustion, must be the fuelling of anger? She, herself, didn't know. What she know is that she will live, no matter what.

'Wait for me I shall make this hill mine,' she thought as she started walking towards the bustling city which is quite a mile away and so no one was alarmed about the explosion of the car and the things that have happened here.

With barely eating and drinking she traveled for two days and finally arrived at the city gates in the night of the second day. She looked at the elegant looking hotel in front of her, it was a 200 floor one and obviously it is also a luxurious one.

She had no other choice right now, despite having been trained since childhood, she is still a normal person who gets tired and currently she truly is very tired. All that she wanted was to rest. This is her first choice for this place is the closest to the city gates.

'Allow me to use this for a little bit. I just need to start at something,' she thought as she held the card tighter.

As she entered the building, she already felt different types of stare coming her way. Most of it were disgust while some was disbelief and others were insult. She really can't do anything now can she? She do looks like a beggar.

Even her doll looking face was covered with dirt that no one could see her true looks. Only a very poor looking appearance.

Half way through the main lobby, she was stopped by two burly men, "We're sorry miss, we have nothing to give you here."

Their words implied that she must be there to beg for some food or something. Instead of pushing them to allow her to check in, she sneered at them before looking at all the onlookers and turning, leaving with elegant steps despite looking like a beggar.

"She thinks anyone can just enter Fire Empire Hotel? In her dreams," one person in the reception said with disgust as she look down at the girl who just came.

Little did they know that this will be the cause of the hotel's demise two years later.

"Miss, do you need a place to stay? We are open here," as she walked she heard a voice calling for her. Looking around a middle aged woman was looking at her with a warm smile.

Her looks couldn't compare to the lady she had buried back in the hill, especially since her looks seemed like it was already worn out through the difficulties of living. Wrinkles were visible at the side of her eyes. But they were warm, looking at those brown eyes, the girl thought for a bit.

"You're accepting beggars?" she couldn't help but ask. Well coming out of that place she is actually quite irritated. Adding to the fact that she is tired and hungry. And she just want to take a long warm bath.

"Yes, and I don't think you are a beggar though. Adding to the fact that our place is too shabby, I can only offer you so much," the middle aged lady still replied warmly.

She pulled her suitcase and followed the lady inside the 50 floor hotel. Looking around she can tell that this place is closing its end.

When the lady looked back she could only smile sadly, "Well we just want to fulfil the reason why this place was built until the end. I am Elloise Coleman by the way, owner of this place and currently the receptionist as well. My daughter and niece are helping me but currently they are in another part time job."

They were able to maintain it visually, the tiled floor without any damage, the chandelier that has all it's bulb working, the staircase going up to an event place, everything was in it's optimal state.

But she knew this was mostly the best products of the past, they could only maintain it. And seeing that it is almost empty, with very few people comprising of guests and staffs. It is indeed about to end.

"I'm Amber Wood. I must say despite being at the edge, you are still able to manage it properly, madam," she smiled and replied respectfully.

She saw all the pictures hanging and knows that this was once a flourishing hotel but seeing that the Fire Empire Hotel was standing tall not faraway from it, she can tell that this hotel took a huge blow.

"What a wonderful name quite befitting with the color of your eyes. Very well I know you're very tired I shall check you in now."

Amber watched Eloise check her in before handing over the card she was holding so tightly. Eloise's eyes grew wide for the card she was handed with was a Ruby card.

Anyone who see this surely understands that the person in front of them are of a wealthy descent. This is the second most expensive card.

Only a few could have it, cards in this world were categorised from Topaz, Sapphire, Emerald, Ruby and Diamond. Where small enterprises or small business owners could only hold Topaz.

Mostly the royals, who reign over a few countries, hold Diamond, which could also be termed as the clear card. Even Eloise's family was only able to hold the Sapphire one in the past.

The Ruby card also has a finger print identification and so not anyone could just use it. And yet Eloise have no idea where a very rich Wood family resides, it is a very common family name.

Eloise looked up and smile, "I'm sorry but can I have a few identification documents from you? A passport or birth certificate?"

Amber knew that she is indeed underage and knew that this is something that most hotels abide. She smiled and opened a pocket of her suitcase before bringing out her passport.

Eloise thanked her and completed the check in process, just as she was about to pick a room Amber opened her mouth and asked.

"Can I have the biggest room you can offer?"

She thought for a bit before giving an offer, "Well our family stays here on the ground floor, so the pent house is open. Would you like to be there?"

"I shall accept your offer then. And please do deduct the cost of my food from there for a month as well. Thank you very much," Amber asked nicely.

'One month, just give me a month, father, mother, by then I shall start standing up on my own.'

As for her clothes, she had another card where it was purely her money, she gained from things she did. She wasn't planning to use this much from the card she was holding but this place was the first place who picked her up she can only return the favor.

An eye for an eye, could also be used in a positive way.

"Very well. Thank you as well for choosing our hotel," Eloise was truly delighted. Amber's arrival just saved their hotel for another three months. Truly she is a blessing.

"No, thank you for choosing me. I shall return this favor once I have settled down," her words held a deeper meaning but Eloise will only understand it in the near future. For now she could only accept it as it is..

After boarding the elevator, Elloise brought her to the 50th floor.

The room was still at its peak, Amber could tell that this place had still been maintained despite the difficulties. And when she shook Elloise's hand a while ago, she could feel the calluses a noble lady like herself shouldn't have.

She already has an understanding of how much Elloise and her family is currently holding on. That gave her an even more positive outlook to this hotel owner. And it made her want to help them even more, well that shall be set in stone once she met the other family members.

Elloise, seeing how tired Amber looks, decided to bid her farewell and that the food will arrive once she give the call. To which Amber replied of it being delivered, if possible, in half an hour.

Elloise looked at Amber more positively for this teen talks so polite and respectful despite the status their family is currently at. She never looked at anything with disgust. And Elloise could feel that everything Amber was showing was not an act at all.

After the door closes, Amber looked at the enormous room, it has its own kitchen and living room, there's another door for two bedrooms and another for the bathroom. She settled her suitcase in the bedroom and opened it, without taking a bath first or changing.

She took out a sky blue colored laptop, opening it, she typed a few keys before a number of CCTV shots were displayed. She searched through it and clicked on one. That one was the CCTV that has the clearest view of what had happened a while ago.

Yes, that's right, these CCTV shots are from the Fire Empire Hotel. It didn't even took her 5 minutes to get through its security. As a renowned hacker, this is like child play. At the tender age of ten she was able to start hacking. Her parents didn't know and she really didn't like using it to earn anything.

A lot of people tried to take her service but was rejected, they couldn't trace her so no one knows that she was actually still so young. Her code name was 'Pianist', they said that the way she types those codes and execute them, it was like she was playing a piano. Typing on the keys so smoothly and leisurely.

She saved the video of what had transpired a while ago in the hotel lobby and placed it in a folder adding the date and what had happened. She has a wonderful memory but this shall serve as her reminder for she will deal with this in a different time. 'An eye for an eye' after all.

Just after she shut down her laptop, her doorbell rang. Opening it, she was welcomed by the aroma of the food and a bright smiling teen, who looks like she is of the same age as her.

"Hi, I'm Hayley Coleman daughter of Elloise Coleman. I came to bring your food and meet our benefactor. I am also thanking you for helping us. Then I shall be going now," she blurted out and without waiting for Amber's reply or even before she could even react, she left.

Amber could only knit her brows in confusion of what had just happened and shrug. She placed the food on top of the kitchen counter and noticed that medicine was there as well.

That's when she remembered that she was not left unscathed back then, she could only smile self deprecatingly upon remembering those events once again before she went for a long warm bath. She'll just reheat the food after that.

Meanwhile, Hayley arrived at the ground floor and happily approached her mother. Her mother told her that their benefactor was of the same age as her, she didn't believe her and insisted on bringing the food up, herself.

Seeing that girl who haven't changed yet and still looking like a beggar, she could finally imagine what her mother said that this girl was told to leave from the Fire Empire Hotel. But she is also happy because that hotel actually threw out a gold within a stone. Seriously the 'You can never judge a book by its cover' applies so much to them.

"Mother, mother," she happily skipped towards her mother.

"So have you seen her? Your curiosity sometimes is truly too much."

She just grinned. They can finally heave a sigh of relief. A three-month worth of debt was paid off. She really hate it, their family was once known for being a noble. But when that Fire Empire Hotel came to the picture, somehow people started thinking bad of them.

Rumors about their hotel being infested by pests and that they are serving food with insects and so much more. Even words of them not taking proper care of their guests. There were even proofs which caused their hotel to go down. All those so-called friends finally showed their true colors.

Even the Phillips family, which was her paternal family suddenly turned a blind eye, her father who begged them for help was actually married off to someone else. Her mother didn't even know that she had agreed for divorce. The Phillips family's business leans on clothing, they have their own clothes shop in five cities.

She was the only daughter and so her paternal family didn't care. She is a daughter after all. At first her father was still secretly sending money to them and was assuring them that he will return, soon he was gone. She saw him once across a road, and her heart was completely shattered. He was walking with his new wife and holding a son in his arms and he completely ignored her.

That day she vowed that she shall bring her maternal family to great heights and make all of them regret that they had turned their back from them. The Coleman family was a humble family, it was her mother who persevered to establish their hotel and gaining Adam Phillip's affection. But before it could expand, Fire Empire Hotel emerged.

"Don't worry mother, soon we will be able to pay all our debts, this hotel would flourish once again. I will definitely use my fashion designing skills to do that," she then raised her hand into a fist making a promise to herself. That she shall climb that ladder no matter how difficult it is.

Somehow the fire deep within her that was about to be extinguished flared up once again. She was losing hope due to the fact that the hotel was about to reach its limit. Despite working part time, obviously it will never be enough.

She was even thinking of ways to pay the next interest of their bank loan as she walked home, her mood was clearly affected and she was completely down. Who would have thought that upon coming home her mother had good news for her?

She then thought back to the look that girl had once she opened the door. She was completely dirty and she really looked like a beggar, but why? What had she encountered before coming here? Something must have happened on her way here.

But to think that she was actually a rich heiress. Surely, once those Fire Empire staffs finds out about this they would look for the closest wall to bang their head.

Just thinking about it made Hayley's mood even brighter. Her hatred towards that hotel was too deep that not even a simple apology could placate it. Especially since she found out that the woman whom her father married was the daughter of one of the major shareholder of Fire Empire Hotel.

She was fuming inside when a warm hand was placed on top of her head, making her return to reality.

"I can clearly tell that your mind is going astray once again. Stop thinking about revenging, let them have their life, with that we are in an even more peaceful life ourselves. Without currying favor with that old woman, I feel so free right now," Elloise said upon noticing her daughter's behavior.

She would be lying if she said that she's no longer hurt, who wouldn't? The man you trusted to be there at your worst suddenly disappear half way. Then by the time you realized it you were no longer married to him and that he already has a new family. She could only smile bitterly back then upon finding out.

"Don't worry mother, our hotel will rise back to its feet. It will become much much better than the Fire Empire Hotel. We will open different branches on different cities then we will even open branches abroad. Soon Snow Fall Hotel will become renowned all through out the world," Hayley grinned as she explained her plan.

The mother and daughter happily chatted more regarding this matter, as if they were not facing bankruptcy. The mood was positive and the atmosphere was a happy one..

Chapter 3

A University

It had been Hayley's dream ever since she was a child to have her own clothing line. Her father's family had clothing shops and so she was introduced to clothes since young. In the past, she had wanted to create designs in order to help her father's business to prosper but right now, she wanted to do it in order to make all those who left them and mocked them regret ever doing so.

The mother and daughter who was talking about Hayley's dream was then joined by another voice.

"Then I shall do my best in Hotel management in order to help aunt out while you design those clothes. But do remember I should be your first model."

It was Alissa Coleman she was the daughter of Elloise's only sibling, her older brother. She had decided to come here from the country side in order to help her aunt and cousin in the hotel. For they never forgot their family when they were still rich.

At the age of sixteen she already has the height of 5'7" and at her age she still has time for improvement. The proportionate of her body was perfect as well.

Alissa indeed have the body of a model. Her humble appearance is the only down side but over all, she could be a sought after model. Even while working at a convenience store, some people would ask her if she's a model.

Both she and Hayley have black hair. Her's reached her waist while Hayley's reached her armpit. Both have wavy hair matched bith their brown eyes almost black. Their complexion were fair and their facial features are enough to make a few turn around to look back at them.

It is visible that Coleman blood is stronger than Phillips, for most of Hayley's features came from her mother. And people would say that she was the carbon copy of her mother back when Elloise was young.

"Hmmm..." Hayley, looked at Alissa from top to bottom as she circled her as if scrutinizing her.

Alissa laughed as she slap Hayley's arm, "Stop that will you? As if you still don't know my proportion."

"Geez, will you just let be a professional designer just for a bit?" Hayley touched her arm as she pouts.

"With your eyes, one look and you'll know the sizes of those around you. That is professional enough already," Alissa replied with a smile.

Being surrounded by clothes, it became natural for Hayley to watch people daily and try to measure them with only her eyes. Doing this for so long, she somehow develop her eyes.

"And how about the girl upstairs? Have you check?" Alissa couldn't help but ask after knowing that it was Hayley who brought Amber's food.

"Hmmm, more or less. But I think she haven't truly eaten for a day or two. She looked like she lost weight, Her clothes became a little loose, I think that when that was bought it must have fitted her perfectly," without batting an eye, Hayley started describing what she saw.

"So you really did check her out," Alissa turned agape, she was just saying it on the passing. Who would have thought that Hayley indeed checked her out.

"My eyes are used to it, without intending to I would always end up noticing those things," Hayley defended.

Elloise couldn't help but to shake her head, she just felt so lucky that no matter what had happened to her family, she has these two who helped her overcome all those hardships.

As the three of them chat happily, Amber finished her bath and is currently looking at the remaining clothes in front of her.

All the others were thrown out in order to free space for those she really needed. She could have returned home but they came here to fulfill a promise and her parents wanted her to do it on their behalf.

But she also has an idea, that this promise isn't something that simple. Her parents must have another thought or plan about it, she'll only find out once she met the people whom her parents promised to.

The only problem is that, her parents were unable to tell her where she should start looking, she could only start at the city they were heading to, which is this city.

"I just hope this city won't be too big, this is the third year. If I don't meet them then the promise would be for a naught."

She can just forget it if she wouldn't be able to find them, but knowing what the promise was she couldn't just abandon them.

As she picked one cloth and breathed deeply on the fabric, the scent of her mother who helped her pack was still there.

Her tears that never came out ever since what had happened, came rushing out as she sat on the floor burying her face on the clothes. Of course it was painful, it was so painful to literally bury your own parent's bodies. And in a place that is secluded from everything. In that cold place, she had to bury them in that cold place. She cried to her heart's content not worrying whether someone might come and hear her.

~Don't forget to take care of yourself. Eat and sleep properly. When it's cold wear warmer clothes, when it's hot, just try not to wear too short of clothing. Just please take care of yourself. We love you, always.~

Her mother's last words resounded in her mind after a long while of crying. She wiped her eyes and her nose, then changed into another set of clothes for she got it wet with tears just now.

She then walked to the kitchen and reheat the food that arrived more than an hour ago. She then played songs in her phone to make the place a little bit livelier, as she eat. Still tears flow from her eyes, this is the first time she was eating alone in such an unknown place. After cleaning the dishes, she went to sleep. To be more precise, cried herself to sleep.

~Be strong, sweetheart. Remember that, even if we're not around you have to be strong and don't let others look down or bully you. You are a proud daughter of ours after all. I'm not telling you to do it now, maybe 5 years later or so. But do find a man who will love you more than we do. Someone who will cherish you for who you are and not because of your background. Live happily. We love you.~

Her dream was filled with her father's last words.

*****

For the next few days, she had ordered food but never came out of the room. Elloise, Hayley and Alissa, of course, noticed her pale complexion. But it was not their business to ask her or anything. Just that since she was their benefactor, they couldn't help but feel bad. So they would sometimes add herbal porridge on her order saying that it was on the house.

"She looks like a broken doll," one time Hayley couldn't help but say. Of course they have seen her true countenance and have noticed not just her pale complexion but her numb eyes as well.

Once she ate the porridge and felt her energy rising, Amber couldn't help but to smile with this concern of theirs. She then fixed her appearance and for the first time in a week, she finally went down. Today is a weekend and so Hayley and Alissa are in there. Their part time job was only during the weekdays.

"Oh, good morning," they were at the reception when they saw her came out of the elevator. Though shocked they couldn't help but to stare at her, after fixing herself she looks even more beautiful.

Amber smiled and walked towards them. Looking around there are still a few customers coming in and out. Summing it up with what she had heard from Elloise on the first day of her arrival, these people must have come from other cities and couldn't truly afford Fire Empire's cost.

"Good morning, are you free right now? I have some inquiries," she asked warmly as she smiled at the two of them.

Hayley, who was first curios, called for Kristina, one of the employees of Snow Fall Hotel who still chose to stay, to stand in the reception. She then guided AMber to the coffee shop of their hotel. A bartender is still there, upon seeing the three of them he smiled and asked for their order. He then left to make the coffee of their choice.

Amber looked at him and the very few customers around, one or two.

"Well we really are at the bottom already and so the bartender is also the waiter of the shop. Yet in the past this coffee shop was flourishing for its coffee and pastries. We found a gem after all, but money is all he wants, so when Fire Empire invited him. Of course he instantly went there," Hayley said bitterly upon seeing the look on Amber's face.

Amber only smiled, not giving a comment. It was not her place to do so. Maybe in the future but now, she is just a customer of theirs. Upon receiving the coffee she went straight to the point of what she wanted to inquire about.

"I need to enter a university, what place allows a scholar with some benefits? Can you recommend some?"