Chapter 1

"Get out of this house"

An old woman who should still be in her sixties shouted, pointing her hand towards the door, her age did not lower the loudness and sharpness of her voice,

"Grandma, forgive us. We just finished Tommy's cremation ceremony, why will you ban us out of the house left by my husband?" A lady who should be in her forties was kneeling before the old woman with tears in her eyes. With tears, she was begging the old woman who didn't even bat an eyes at her tears.

"What right do you have to take everything my son has? Go away from this house! Since Tom married you, he never had time for his mother, all think about was you. He never care about the family problems or demands, I just want to help him do them now that he is gone" The old woman snapped without mercy, she does not seem care about the lady or the young lady behind her.

"Grandma, Tom left this house for Rachel, he would have written in in his will if he had the chance to, he loved me, he loved his daughter" the lady who happens to be late Tom's wife kept begging for mercy from the grandmother but the grandmother seemed to hate her with heart and she did not heed to her request

"You ill lucked woman, Tom told me before he died that you brought bad luck into his life. After all, you only have a daughter, she have no right to the inheritance. Go away!" The old woman shouted

Tom's wife, Rachel's mother did not understand why her mother in law disregard a female child, even before Tom died, she always put pressure on her to give a male child.

Rachel who was behind her mum pleasing the grandmother felt abused. She hardened her face and pull her mum up

"Mum, let's get out of here. I know a place that we can live for the time being, let's leave this old people" Rachel said sharply

Rachel's mother tried pleading more but the grandmother had made up her mind.

Slowly, Rachel and her mother went out of the house. Rachel got on the bike which happened to be the only thing her father left her, she waited for her mother to mount on the bike and she drove off.

Rachel slowed down the bike when she got to Bristol street and finally stopped beside a bungalow house. She went to the door and knocked, when she got no reply, she knocked again. She dailed a number on her phone and when the line was connected, "where are you, Velma?" She asked

"You're at my house?" A feminine voice sounded from the other side of the line

"Yes, my mum and I"

"Don't worry, I'll be there soon"

Not long after the line was disconnected, the young lady about Rachel's age appeared on the street, she jugged to the house and greeted Rachel's mum. She opened the door and let Rachel and her mum in.

Rachel and Velma were part time shop keepers, that is where their friendship started. Over the years, they've been acquainted with eath other that they share their problems together so Velma wasn't surprised when she saw Rachel and her mother in her house.

Velma offers them to the live in her house, she also knew about Rachel's family condition. Few days before Rachel"s father had his cremation ceremony, Rachel overheard her grandmother discussing with her uncles how to send her and her mother out of the house, she already pleaded with Velma that they might to have to live with her for some time

Rachel's was tired of the series of events that happened after the husband's death, she look stressed and pale, she sat on cushion

"Velma, you really don't mind us staying with you?" Rachel asked with a weak voice, while taking her seat beside her mum

"Where else do you want to live? Even if you have enough money to rent a house, finding a good house to live in Starling City is the most stressful thing to do"

"Me? Where will I get the money, I already stopped the shopkeeping job since the manager refused my vacation unless I can join you"

"You've got no worries, you can take your time until you move out but for now, you r mother looks very tired, I'll go prepare some meatballs"

After informing Rachel, Velma went out of the house to get the meatballs.

Rachel escorted her mother to the bedroom, there is only one bed on the room, not wanting to upset her friend, she laid down a mattress in the room for her mum to sleep on.

She went to the kitchen and cooked food while waiting Velma's return. Not long after, Velma came in with a plastic bag in her hand and two packets of meatballs in a small saucepan before hitting them

"Hey Rachel, why don't you let your mum sleep on the bed, her old bogy won't be able to tolerate that unlike us that still have young skins"

"Velma, you are already kind enough to let's us squat with you, taking your bed to will be too much. I'm grateful and I promise to be there for you too when you need me"

Velma pressed Rachel's shoulder and smiled "that's what best friends do, help each other in difficult times. By the way, you must have saw Mr. Rachel advert, he is on need of a personal assistant, you planning on working there?"

"I might, I need to start working immediately, I need money to support my life, if he offers part time, I might consider it"

"I will not it it's me, youve heard of Mr Rachel this hatred for ladies, nob of his fenake workers left him aihis former personal assistant left him because he is too cold"

"You won't cause you have a choice. Mr Vic called earlier today, he said I shouldn't bother coming back to work for hm cause I took a vacation he did not allowed" Rachel replied casually, she didn't seems to care about the fact that she got fired because she went on an allowed vacation, it was her father's cremation service afterall

"Mr Eric?" Velma asked squinting her face "I learnt he is Mr Raphael's current assistant, he takes care of all Mr Raphael's needs. Sometimes, he takes all the anger from him."

"Really? He will be surprised to see me wanting to take his place at Mr Raphael's"

"Of course he won't, he is only temporarily assisting Mr Raphael until Mr Raphael find a new assistant, I learnt he is eager to leace Mr Raphael's job"

"No one will want to work with such person except desperate people like me"

"Desperate or not, you've got the chance" Velma said as she devoured the meatballs that were a side dish for dinner

"Ugh, Mr Raphael is a lazy rich folk with a grumbling assistance, how much work will I have to do on my first day?" Rachel complained

"That? You'll know tomorrow, soero early now and wake early too"

They slept.

In the middle of the night, Rachel suddenly furriher brows and her faced look scared, she was rolling to and fro and the mattrasse she slept on. Suddenly, she jeered out if her sleeping position, screaming shortly.

When she woke up, she was sweating so much that her cloths were wet, her mother who was awoken by her screams sat up and held her hands

"Rachel, you still have these bad dreams? Is it still him in your dream?"

"Yes mum, the faceless man never slow down his pursuit of me, ugh, I'm scared"

"Don't worry huh, someday thus faceless man will have a face, you might understand your dreams better the, just go back to skero now, you have a place to go tomorrow ".

"Thanks mum" Rachel replied and went back to sleep

The next morning, she woke up early and went to Mr Raphael's house to seek the job. Ste moubt on the bike and drove off, she was confident she'll get the job because she doesn't have many competitors, no one is willing to work with that man.

Anyway, she might still neec a little connection to get to Mr Raphael so she hoped she meet Mr Vic to refer her to Mr Raphael.

She got to the address that Velma gave her which is supposed to be Mr Raphael's house address, she wouldn't expect to find such a lazy billionaire somewhere else. The house is one of the most beautiful house in the city so Rachel is sure she made no mistake. The house was spacious and she had to go through lots if security process before she was allowed to enter the house

All rhanjs to the fact that she was acquainted with Mr Vic.

She parked her bicycle in the parking lot and looked around the house. It looked lije employees had already started their jobs in the house, working in their specialised area, the securities are an example.

Rachel keot her bag in the employees' locker and also marked her arrival at the attendance machine which was beside the employees' locker.

She new it would be a disadvantage fir her if she doesn't matk her arrival, who knows, she might start work today, she even hoped she starts work today.

She walked into the house and found Mr Vic in the dining room, setting the table with Mr Raphael's breakfast

On seeing Rachel, Mr Vic walked up to her with a hardened face. When he got to her, he softened his face and said "I fired you and you need a new job, there is work for you. You can replace me, I'm just a temporary assistant of Mr Rachel " Mr Vic treud to talk sharply but his tone sounded more like a plead

"I know sir, I'm looking forward to working for Mr Raphael"

"If that's it, I've already prepared breakfast, you can go clean his room now, Mr Raphael love hard working personal assistant "

"You mean a handmaid?" I scoffed

I walked into Mr Raphael's room boldly .

Just like she expected, it will always be rough. Rachel looked around the room especially the pictures of a beautiful young lady that was on all around the walls of the bedroom.

Apart from books that are on the bed, there is also a canvas and a brush. Beside the canvas is the picture of the same girl who pictures were on the wall.

Rachel remade the bed and took the canvas away from the bed. She didn't bother doing anything with the xancad or the picture, are guessed the lady in the picture is his girlfriend.

She wondered who the lady is, the lady that dares date the man that many girls run from, the man that is popularly known for his hatred for girls.

If Mr Raphael love the girl, she dare not tamper with the painting since he is trying to paint the lady.

Although she might have heard of Mr Raphael, she doesn't know his exact age, she knew he is not married because he gate females but she always thought such man should be an aged man

She wondered why such a young lady will date an aged man

For money?

Rachel didn't care, she quickly finished cleaning up the room and was heading iof the room. She heard the door squeak and looked to the direction of the sound, she saw a young man whi had no clothes on him except the toweks around his waist

"Oh, I'm sorry" Rachel quickiturned her back at the man

"Who are you? Who let you into my room? Insolence! Get out now!"

"Uhmm Mr Raphael, it's okay to tell me to get out since it's our first meeting. You might have to meet the man who face me thus job so clear out things for you "

Rachel said as she turned to Raphael, she walked up to him courageously and grabbed his hands, she didn't care about the fact the Raphael had only toweks on, she still pulled Rachel to Mr. Vic who was still setting the dining.

Mr Vic was shocked seeing his boss being pulled around the house by a new novice employee, get wondered if Rachel ever heard of Mr Raphael begire sge started yet work .

Mr Vic who new Mr Raphael very well already had cold feet, his shirts were soaked with his own sweats, the last thing he asked for early this morning is Mr Raphael in his angry mode.

Mr Vic quickly rushed into Mr Raphael's room and get his bathrobe, Mr Raphael put in the bathrobe snatching his hand of Rachel's who had gripped him

Mr Rachel had a hard face, his anger and his hatred were written all over her s dacetas his stared at Rachel with his evil eyes

Rachel doesn't seem to notice anything wrong in what did or why the boss is angry. Well seeing the anger on Raphael's face, she smiled nervously, trying to get on the good side of Raphael.

Mr Eric whose heart almost jumped out of his mouth took a mouthful of water to calm himself down, he inky hope Raphael won't be too angry cause that will be the worst part.

"Fire all the female employees that saw me with no clothes on and tell them to sign an agreement to delete my pictures with no shirt on from their phone now!" Mr Raphael shouted.

Mr Vic fearfully looked at Rachel