Chapter 5

I called dad, but he was unavailable. He called back and apologized because he was at a meeting in the clinic. He said he would be coming home tonight, and he wanted to talk to me.

I went home and laid on my bed, thinking about what Madam Maureen had said and how I'd present the issue to my dad. I also had to explain to him where I had slept last night. I had no friends, so I couldn't lie that I had spent a night at a friend's house.

I also had this scent lingering around me. What if he sniffs it out? I couldn't bear to think about what he would say about me being marked by a random alpha. I dreaded his return home. I put on lots of perfume in an attempt to conceal the scent, and I hoped it worked.

He finally arrived with a big bag of groceries. He sorted them out and made dinner. He called for Amelia and me to come eat. It was a very quiet dinner, as no one opened their mouths to speak to each other. It was always like there was a large, suffocating wall that separated us. After dinner, I washed the dishes, and dad called me to his study.

He told me he was aware of Archie's betrayal and he tried to make me feel better. He was always so considerate and tried to make me as comfortable as possible. I couldn't hide my tears from him so I let it all out as he consoled me. He told me I didn't have to work for the time being since he could easily provide for me and he talked about how he wanted to protect me and keep me safe at all times.

I protested and told him about the new job offer and not surprisingly, he rejected immediately. He talked about how dangerous the world was and I shouldn't be far from home and stuff.

I decided to protest by going on a hunger strike so he could change his mind, but he still wouldn't listen. For a week, I tried to convince him, but he was so bullheaded that Amelia had to step in. She was pissed by the fact that he insisted on protecting me when there was probably no threat to being forsaken out in the world. The special omegas were more at risk than any other gender.

She finally convinced my dad to let me out into the world. She probably just wanted me out of her hair. Whatever her reasons were, I could finally leave the house and live somewhere else and make cool cash too.

I contacted Madam Maureen and told her of my decision, and she immediately arranged a meeting for me and my new master.

Miss Felice was a B-ranked omega in her early sixties and also the head servant of the household I would be working in. Madam Maureen introduced me and the other workers to Miss Felice. She examined us carefully before asking us to get our things ready by tomorrow and start work immediately.

I went home and got my things ready. I didn't have too many belongings, but my luggage was filled to the brim with the supplements my father had shoved into my bag in case of an emergency.

The next day, we got into a big, luxurious bus that transported us to our destination. It was quite a journey, but we finally arrived at a gigantic mansion. It was the biggest thing I had ever seen.

"Welcome to the Troy household," Miss Felice said with a bright smile on her face, and my brain suddenly flashed a memory.

"I, Leigh Troy, will never mark a low-level omega, especially not those who try to use tricks."

It couldn't be the same, Troy, right? I'm doomed.

~~~~~

I was actually doomed, as it was the same Troy. I was even assigned to clean his room. Luckily he was not in when I came to clean so I wanted to quickly finish my job before he returns. Hopefully I won't need to run into him. 

It is said that we often get the opposite of what we want. In this case, that saying was absolutely correct. Before I could finish up, Leigh walked into the room and found me. This was bad, like really bad as he seemed so angry just seeing me. He walked up to me and gripped me hard.

"You little snake! How did you get in my room".

"I'm sorry, I think you got the wrong person" I said trying to escape his hard grip.

"What a load of bullshit. I smell myself on you, that's how I knew and you still pretend you conniving little rat" he said in a grunt.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was your room, I just wanted to get the bucket" I said signaling at the bucket in my hand.

"You really are one of a kind. I practically turned you down when your little stunt failed but you had the guts to come find me in my household? You really are disgusting" he said clearly irritated.

"Please believe me, I really didn't know this was your household, I just wanted a job that's all" I said pleading.

"Still lying huh! There is only one Troy household and can you swear you didn't know that the job you were applying for was at the Troy household?" He said smirking grimacingly.

Everything I said was the truth but I couldn't bullshit my way out of this. I wouldn't even believe me so I just kept quiet and looked down hoping he would find mercy somewhere in his black heart and let me go.

"I had told you never to appear in front of me again, but you disregarded my warning and came here yourself, even appearing in my room all alone like this" he said as he grabbed my neck making me drop the bucket in my hand.

"Please let me go" I said grabbing his arms on my neck but he tightened his grip and was actually strangling me.

I struggled to escape but I couldn't. Was I really going to die like this? I couldn't even utter a word as his arms pressed out every air in my throat. I thought of my father, my sister and surprisingly of Archie. He was the Genesis of this whole mess. If only I hadn't met him, if only I hadn't attended that stupid marking ceremony, if only I hadn't gone to him when he texted, I wouldn't be fighting for my life in the hands of Leigh. Was I really doomed to die on my first day of work? I regretted everything as tears flowed down my cheeks and I shut my eyes.