CHAPTER ONE

2018, USA, California, Olia

Lexa’s POV

I walked out of the house. My mum would kill me if she caught me out of home. She was very protective ever since my accident. I was tired of sitting on a wheelchair.

Moreover, my legs were okay. The doctor said so too. Well, mom didn’t believe that. 

She was a late sleeper so I had an hour to myself. If she did catch me, I’d tell her the doctor told me to exercise it. 

I was happy. I hadn’t moved my legs in a while. I knew that I was such an adventurer. You can’t imagine how the past three months have been for me. Being on a phone is just not the same with actually being in town.

There was one place I had to visit. I had not been there in a while.

I left a letter on the table for mom, with some cookies too. Just incase she woke up before I reached home.

I removed my phone and checked for any missed calls or texts. Nothing. Perfect, just perfect. I took another step with my once-broken leg and clapped in joy. I felt like a baby who was just learning how to walk.

I took the run and headed for my next stop, the orphanage.

Anytime I saw a car on the road, I was reminded of the incident that put me on the wheelchair for three months. It was like a horror story. I remembered it like it was yesterday.

<Flashback>

“You know what, I hate you. I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!”

He frowned. “You better watch your tongue or else it’ll put you in trouble.”

I laughed. “I don’t even know why I agreed to this. I decided to try out a relationship for once but it just had to be you.”

“I never forced you in a relationship.”

I laughed again. “Really? Try to recollect when you begged me straight for three weeks to go on a date with me. Do you remember that?!”

“Lexa! Behave yourself.”

“You should have done that when you were f*****g that s**t!”

“Shut up!”

I slapped him. Hard and bad. “I should have done that a long time ago.”

He pushed me in anger. Unknowingly, he made me collapse on the road. 

<Flashback over>

The story can be picked up from there.

I removed that thought from my head. 

“If I ever meet that piece of s**t, I’ll teach him a lesson he’ll never forget.”

Right, he was in police custody. He deserved what he got. 

I reached the orphanage. A smile erupted. I don’t know what I would have done without them. 

I only had my mum and we didn’t have much. The orphanage funded my hospital bills since Freddy had nothing on him. He was so useless. I wonder how I even fell for him.

I knocked on the door. I was so excited to see the children’s faces. They would be so glad to see me.

The door opened. My eyes met with Miss Rica’s.

“Lexa, is that you?”

Miss Rica was in charge of the orphanage. She was in her late forties. She is the nicest person you’ll ever meet in Olia. She also has bad eyesight due to some hereditary disease. Her glasses weren’t helping either.

I hugged her. 

It’d been a while since I hugged someone too. “Yes, it’s me.”

“You are standing on your two hind feet. Come in, sweetheart.”

I entered. “Where are they?”

“Oh, they’ll be pumped up to see you. Children! Someone special’s here to meet y’all!”

The children ran into the main room. When they saw me, each and every one of them ran to hug. 

Happy Hearts Orphanage. This was where I was raised. I knew this place like I knew the back of my hand. I was thirteen when they brought me here. All my family was involved in an accident.

It was painful but I couldn’t overcome it without the help of this orphanage. Miss Rica was in her early thirties when I was here. She was my companion, my support and my best friend.

I was sad when my mum and dad adopted me and took me away. But I was also glad I could get to live with a family again. My mum and dad eventually divorced but I barely felt it. Mum was always my favorite.

Even though I left, I didn’t cut ties with this beautiful place. It barely changed. Well, I wouldn’t know since I visited here everyday.

“Aunty Lexa! Aunty Lexa! Where have you been?”

That was Henry talking. I could recognize them by their voices. 

I squeezed their cheeks. “I had to go somewhere…” Lie! “… but now I’m back.”

“Are you staying?” Camille asked.

“Forever. I promise.”

They hugged me more. “Come on Aunty Lexa! Miss Rica bought us new puppies,” Britney announced.

“Really? Can I see them?”

“Yes, please do.”

They dragged me inside. 

I almost entered tears. I thought I would never see them again. The puppies were the cutest. Five Pomeranians were playing with each other in a crate.

“Awww. They’re the cutest.”

Dave hit me. “I thought you said I was the cutest.”

I squeezed his cheeks. “I’m sorry. You are the cutest.”

He giggled. 

My phone rang. 

It was mum. Uh oh. “Kids, I have to leave. Mum’s calling me.”

They put on sad faces. “But I thought you said you will stay forever.”

I bent to Kim’s height. “I’m in town. I’m not going anywhere. I promise to visit everyday.”

Kim raised her pinky. “Pinky swear?”

I wringed my pinky with hers. “I pinky swear.” 

I pecked her and got on my feet.

“You’re leaving already?”

I smiled. “Mum’s calling. She doesn’t even know I’m out.”

“Kimberly has always been overprotective.”

“Tell me about it.”

Kim was my mum’s namesake. That was one of the reasons I loved her so much.

I hugged Miss Rica and left the orphanage for home. I had a lot to face when I reach my home sweet home.

Lot’s POV

I saw these regularly. I hated seeing files like these. I clenched my fists and threw the files over the room.

“What nonsense!” I stood in a fit of rage. “Who are these competitors? Get rid of them.”

“The only way to do that is to put up a deal that will make people stop purchasing their products. It will put them out of business for sure.”

“So? What are you waiting for? Enforce the deal.” The man left the room in a hurry. Lot eyed him out. “Useless. They think they can beat me. They don’t know who I am.”

My blood was boiling. I had to control it. I opened my drawer and removed a golden hairpin. I held it tightly.

My temperature came down. I sighed and consumed the memories the pins brought to me. I couldn’t help but smile. The pin was my most prized possession. I kept the pin for 547 years so far. 

I wouldn’t lose it anytime soon. 

I wondered if she was out there, somewhere. I didn’t know but if she was, we would meet. We couldn’t evade it. Destiny would bring us together.

For now, I could do nothing but hold unto her sweet memories.

Lexa’s POV

“You just recovered and you’re running round the streets like a mad dog.”

Always exaggerating! “Mom! I just went to visit the kids. It’s been months since I’ve seen them.”

“You could have informed me.”

I smiled. “And you would let me go?”

“I see your point but still…”

I wrapped my hand round her shoulder. “It’s okay. I’m here now. Let’s start where we left off. I was looking for a job before Freddy came into my life.”

She raised me a brow. “Lexa! This should be the last thing in your mind.”

I sat down and looked at the house we were living. It wasn’t a mansion or a duplex, it was our home. I couldn’t imagine any other home but I always felt like I once had a room that was much bigger than our house.

“We have a lot of debts, including that of the orphanage. I have to pay all and I can only do this if I’m working.”

“X…” She only called me that name when she was about to say something passionate. “… That’s not your burden. It’s mine to carry.”

“No, mum. You’ve been carrying it for years. It’s my turn. Please, let me. I promise that everything will be fine.”

“But X…”

Now it was time to beg. “Please K. Pretty pretty please.”

If she called me X, I’ll call her K. 

“You won’t let go of this until I agree?” I nodded. She heaved a sigh. “Fine! Get a job. I give you permission.”

I shrieked and embraced her. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I love you.” 

I pecked her and ran to get my phone.

Kimberly smiled as she watched me run away. She knew she could never have a better daughter than me. We both knew that.

Lot’s POV

I tapped my fingernail three times. It grew to its original length. I went to the wall and marked another awful day from work.

The whole room was marked. I would mark the next tomorrow.

I called for the senior maid. 

“Yes, sir. You called for me.”

“Tell Mel I want a white tonight. She must have long black hair, green eyes and should be extremely curvy.”

She nodded. “Anything else you want, sir?”

“Bring the hottest gin.”

She nodded again and left the room. 

This was a lifestyle. I did this for the past 547 years. Sure, I got tired of it but I had nothing better to do with my time.

No girl I would sleep with would ever give me the satisfaction Alexa would. Saying her name made my heart burn. I yearned for her day and night. I had nightmares of her death every night.

In each nightmare she would die in a different way. I wonder how she’d die tonight.

Nora served the gin. She poured it into a glass cup.

“Fill the glass up.”

She had many questions about her master but she knew how ruthless I was. She’d dare not say anything that would anger me. It would cost her, her life. She’s seen me do it before. After all, she’s been working for me for fifteen years.

“Sir, I need your permission to employ a new servant. Our former one was fired.”

“Who fired her?”

“You did, sir. She had neither green eyes nor black hair.”

I smirked. “I hate blondes.”

“I’ll take my leave, sir.”

I gave her a nod. She left the room, leaving me alone.

I poured the gin down my throat. It was not hot enough. Nothing was hot enough. 100 percent alcohol couldn’t do the trick. 

I turned up the heat and lied down. 

“One day I’ll find you.” I let out her blue dress. I cast a spell to keep her fragrance on it forever. I kept it close to me and waited for the girl I just wished might be her.

Lexa’s POV

I was anxious. Mother never agreed to me working. She was older than she used to be and because of this I don’t want her to overwork herself because of medical complications. She’s been taking care of me for so long, it’s my turn.

I was online, searching for any available job. I didn’t really have any qualification. I could only interview for meager jobs. It was better than nothing.

I was planning to pay off my debts with this money and use the next wave to start up something. It is a long term plan but I was willing to do it.

I scrolled through many sites, searching for that miracle job that would solve all my problems.

Bingo. There was one. They were in search of someone to work as a maid in a rich man’s mansion.

I smiled. I checked for qualifications. These had to be the craziest qualifications for a job I’ve ever heard. Qualifications: Black hair or/and green eyes. Black hair, check. Green eyes, check.

I wouldn’t go for the job because they sounded desperate and pretty specific about looks… but it was worth a shot.