CHAPTER 6: THE PRIZED WORKER

ROSALINE’S POV:

After wiping the sweat off my forehead, I cleaned up the last spec of dust from the table before standing upright to look at my work. I smiled with satisfaction just before the owner of the penthouse walked in.

His eyes glimmered with delight upon seeing his now-shiny penthouse; it had been abandoned for months and was infested with layers of dust and cobwebs. But now it looked completely brand new.

"It looks even better than when I first bought it! I suppose what they say about you is true; you really are the best there is," he said with a warm smile as he continued to inspect the vicinity.

"I’m glad you like it, sir," I told him formally, but indeed, I really was tired, and it was just ten in the morning. I barely had up to four hours of sleep last night, or any night for the past five years.

I always started off my day early. I woke up every day by four in the morning, got myself and Ariana ready for the day before dropping her off at Gwen’s, then got to the company at six and worked all through till ten in the night before picking Ariana up.

That has been my daily routine for the past five years. But thankfully, my salary was just enough to cover rent, Ariana’s tuition fees, and her feeding.

Occasionally, I would consider giving up, but I could not mess up what was going on. It took me six months to find this job after moving to Seattle. I was on the streets for three months before Gwen found me searching for food in a dumpster.

At the time, my baby bump had become quite visible, and she took pity on me before taking me in. Gwen was about my age, and I had grown to love her ever since the first day we met.

She helped me search for a job, which was quite hard to find in this city as a high school graduate and I was not exactly aiming for large and well-known companies; such industries were always in alliance with my father or Magnus. Although the chances of being found were slim since I was hundreds of miles away with a different identity.

When Gwen told me about this job, I had to do a background check on the owner and its investors.

They were a new cleaning company looking for workers, and their owner was a foreigner—an Italian, to be precise.

He had no affiliation with my father or any of the alphas, which I was grateful for. It was just perfect.

Due to my growing bump, I was almost denied the job. But when Mr. Romero saw the desperation in my eyes, I was immediately hired and started the next day.

Growing up in a palace sheltered by servants and riches, it was surprising how good I was at cleaning and home management. Perhaps it had something to do with my determination; I could not afford to lose this job.

With time, the company grew, and I did along with it. I became the best employee for the week, then the month, and soon the year.

I was the prized worker. And of course, my salary increased handsomely as well and no, it was not enough to cover my feeding, but I got by just fine. Ariana was all that mattered to me; nothing and no one else did.

At times I think back to the day that changed my life—the day my father wanted me to get rid of the greatest gift the moon goddess has ever given me. My little girl.

Most times, I wondered, what would life have been like if I never had her? I would have been married off to that monster, Magnus Stone, and used as a punching bag my entire life.

Ariana was just the push I needed to start afresh—a new life where I am completely independent and free from any form of abuse. I swore on the day I left that I would never let any man lay his hands on me again.

Yes, I agree that things are hard for me right now. I could not even afford three square meals for myself, or two, for that matter.

Yes, I agree that where I live now isn’t as lavish and extravagant as the palace I had grown up in, but whenever I looked at Ariana, I knew that this was far better.

It’s better to grow up in a two-bedroom apartment filled with love than in a grand palace filled with abuse and torture.

"Maya?!" The client called out, and I snapped back to reality. My focus was now on him as I blinked rapidly. From the look on his face, I could tell he had been calling me for quite some time. That name was going to take some getting used to. I saw it as a necessity to change my name as well; I had to erase Rosaline Maxwell from existence, for good.

"Sorry, I shall take my leave," I told him before clearing my throat and picking up my bag. "Alright, take care of yourself. I will be sure to ask for you if I need any cleaning done," he informed me as he walked me to the door.

"No problem; do have a lovely day, sir," I said before waving him goodbye and making my way towards the elevator.

Once inside, my eyes fell on my reflection, and a sad pout graced my lips. I was far from the little girl I was five years ago; my hair was now a mop of strawberry blonde, and my eyes were two pools of spiralling jade green.

Despite my poor eating habits, I was a lot plumper than I was when I left; my boobs and hips were a lot more defined; and my face was much rounder.

But my eyes were tired; there were large bags beneath them, and the corners of my eyes were graced with a blood-reddcolour.

The doors parted, and I stepped out of the elevator with my head high and shoulders set back. No matter how difficult things were, I would never let anyone know. I would never portray myself as weak and vulnerable again.

Stepping out of the building and into the warm morning sun of Seattle, I made my way to the bus stop and returned to the company. It was a three-story building filled with people I almost considered family. When I walked in, I was greeted with smiling faces.

"Hi, Maya." "Looking good, Maya." My eyes landed on Mr. Romero, who had the warmest and kindest eyes set towards me. He was a short man with a bald spot and graying hair.

His mustache always gave him a funny look, but it was one of my favorite qualities about him, and I’m sure it was his too, considering that he was always fiddling with it whenever he spoke.

"Another job well done, Maya. I just received General Rodney’s feedback, and he is amazed by what you have done with the place." Mr. Romero walked up to me, placed both of his hands on my shoulders, and looked at me as though I were one of his most prized possessions.

"You never fail to disappoint me; keep it up!"

Despite my building fatigue, I shot him one of the brightest smiles I could muster. "I will; do not worry. "Excellent!" he exclaimed, and I wondered if this would be the right time to ask him to give me the rest of the day off. His next statement erased that thought from my mind.

"I have another job for you, and it’s a big one! If you manage to ace this, your salary will be tripled!" he announced, and I knew he could see the curiosity and interest in my eyes.

"Wow," was the only word I could muster. If my salary gets tripled, I could buy enough food for Ariana and me. I could even get her the bike she's always wanted.

Mr. Romero nodded enthusiastically and said, "Yes, you will be sent to the East Side Royal Palace, and I will be assigning a team to you because it is quite a grand project. They will be hosting an event for thirty days, and it will be your job to make sure the palace is in tip-top shape throughout! You will also oversee the food and snacks to be served during this time as well," he explained, and I found myself staring at him.

A palace? Cleaning for thirty days? As well as handling the food? "Not to worry, Jamie and Claire will go with you to reduce the workload," he said, but I was still doubtful. I felt as though my body was about to give up on me any second now. Could I handle such a huge task? For an entire month?

Sensing my hesitation, Mr. Romero squeezed my shoulders a bit. "I know you can do this, Maya. Think about the benefits this would have for your career! It would set you and Ariana’s lives for good!"

Of course, he had to bring up my daughter. He knew she was my weak point. "Okay, when do we start?" I asked him, and his grin stretched to his ears.

"Today! The van has been loaded with all the equipment you will need," he said, and it was at this point that I knew this man was crazy. Jamie and Claire were already waiting for me inside the van, and I hopped in alongside them.

Our journey to the east side royal palace began shortly after, and I found myself wondering what event these royals could be hosting for an entire month.

We arrived shortly, and I found myself gawking at the magnificent palace, I had to crane my neck far back to get a look at the top. It was ten times larger than the one I had grown up in, and that’s saying something.

Jamie, Claire, and I were shown to the kitchen, and we began to unload. I noticed that there were a lot of women loitering around the palace.

I could tell they weren't servants based on the way they dressed. Most of them wore short or tight outfits; it was obvious they were trying to seduce or impress.

As I walked past some of them, I was able to catch some pieces of their conversation.

"All the girls here have no class, Brianna. Trust me, I am going to win the Luna games."

"I heard the alpha prince has been searching for his mate for years but has never found her."

"Some say he is mateless."

"I heard he's one of the most handsome wolves alive!"

"No one really knows what he looks like; he basically disappeared five years ago."

"I'm glad he doesn't have a mate. Now I have a chance to be Luna!"

"These Luna games are going to be so fun! I am going to win for sure."

Luna games? Mysterious alpha prince? And he's mateless?

My curiosity got the better of me as I was carrying a box of detergent that was at least half my weight. My muscles strained, and I barely focused on where I was going.

I wish I had, because the next thing I knew, my body collided with someone, and the box slipped past my fingers, landing on the person’s feet with a loud thud.

A scream sharp enough to shatter glass filled my ears, followed by an infuriated voice: "How dare you!"

My eyes locked with a pair of fiery hazel eyes that belonged to a girl not more than the age of twenty. Quickly, I hoisted the box from her feet and bowed apologetically.

"I am so, so sorry, I did not mean-"

"Are you fucking blind? Not only did you touch my skin with your filthy one, but you also broke my precious toes." She exclaimed in a voice that was way too dramatic for her age.

I had to take a second to look at her; she was at least 5’6 tall with ginger hair and hazel eyes. Something about her indicated royalty; maybe it was the smoothness of her skin or the way she carried herself. But her tone did not match her demeanor.

An irritated snarl played on her lips, and I looked away immediately so it wouldn’t appear as though I was staring.

"Forgive me, it wasn’t my intention," I told her humbly, but what she said next had my jaw clenching with rage.

"Peasants like you should kneel when they apologize."

My grip on the box tightened as I trained my gaze on the floor.

"No."

A surprised gasp escaped her lips. I met her eyes, and there was nothing but rage within them.

"How dare you defy me!"

What happened next was all under a second. The hair on my neck stood and an all too familiar scent filled my nostrils. The world felt as though it had come to a standstill as she raised her hand to slap me, but it was caught mid-air by one much larger than hers.

It was him.

"What exactly do you think you are doing?"

My blood ran cold.

That voice…

I was sure I would never hear that voice again. It has been five years. Was I hallucinating?

No, it couldn't be.

It wasn’t my father’s, nor did it belong to Magnus. This voice held the power and authority to command thousands of wolves and have them falling to their knees.

No, this voice belonged to the man I dreaded the most, the man who crushed my heart and turned my world upside down. Damien Creed.