Chapter 1

“Hey, dream girl! Your break is over. Time to get back to work.”

Ashleigh jolted awake at the sound of a loud voice cutting through the small break room.

She groaned, rubbing her tired eyes as the realization set in—her short nap was over, and the next time she’d get real sleep would be late at night, at home. With a sigh, she stood up, wiping the light sheen of sweat off her forehead.

Digging into her bag on the couch, she retrieved a comb, pulled off the sanitary hairnet, and quickly ran the comb through her hair before securing it into a tight bun. Grabbing a fresh hairnet from a nearby box, she slipped it on and checked her reflection in the mirror. Satisfied with her neat, light green uniform, she headed out to face the person who had woken her.

At the front desk, a middle-aged woman with a stern expression awaited her.

“Miss Ashleigh Hartman, once again, you’ve overslept,” Mrs. Smith said, giving her a disapproving look.

Ashleigh rushed forward, grabbing her hands. “Ma’am, I’m so sorry. I’ll be more careful next time.” She offered a sweet smile, resting her head against Mrs. Smith’s shoulder in an attempt to soften her mood.

Mrs. Smith shook her head, pinching Ashleigh’s nose playfully. “Hmm, how many ‘next times’ have you promised me now? If I weren’t your aunt, you’d be back on the streets.”

Ashleigh pouted, but before she could respond, Mrs. Smith waved her away. “Now go. You’re assigned to the fourth floor today. Start early so you can finish on time.”

With a sigh, Ashleigh begrudgingly left the break room. Once the door shut behind her, Mrs. Smith lingered, staring at it with a thoughtful expression.

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Ashleigh entered the elevator, scrolling through her social media feed while waiting. A picture of her friend at a dreamy vacation spot popped up with the caption "Vacation."

Her lips curled into a bitter smile as she locked her phone and tucked it into her pocket. She could admire such a lifestyle from a distance, but experiencing it? That was another matter entirely. Right now, she could barely afford to put food on her table.

The elevator doors dinged open, pulling her back to reality. She stepped out and made her way to the supply room to gather her cleaning equipment. But the moment she stepped inside, her stomach dropped.

Three girls stood waiting, their eyes lighting up with mischief.

“Hey, look who it is... Dream girl has finally woken up,” Tyra, a tanned complexion girl with an intimidating presence, sneered.

Before Ashleigh could react, Tyra grabbed her wrist, yanking her inside. The door shut behind her, and one of the other girls swiftly locked it.

“Let me go,” Ashleigh protested, struggling against Tyra's grip, but it was useless. Tyra pushed her down to her knees while the other two girls pinned her arms.

“Little Miss Out-of-This-World,” Tyra taunted, crouching in front of her. “Why haven’t we seen you around much lately?”

Ashleigh pressed her lips together, refusing to speak. Another girl grabbed her jaw roughly, forcing her to look up.

“Insolent girl! Speak when you’re spoken to!” she barked, her voice ringing painfully in Ashleigh’s ears.

Ashleigh winced but forced out a reply. “What do you want, Tyra?” The grip on her jaw made speaking difficult.

Tyra’s eyes narrowed, and without warning, she slapped Ashleigh across the face.

“I don’t know, dream girl. You just annoy me,” she said mockingly.

Ever since Ashleigh started working here two months ago, Tyra and her cronies had made her life miserable. It was bad enough that she had to start working so young, but enduring their bullying made it unbearable.

The source of Tyra’s resentment? Mr Clark's favoritism. Tyra assumed Ashleigh was getting special treatment from the contract supervisor, Mr. Clark. In reality, Ashleigh barely knew the man beyond her job interview. But Tyra, blinded by jealousy and convinced Ashleigh was seducing her workplace crush, was determined to make her suffer.

Ashleigh had endured their torment in silence, often agreeing to take on extra cleaning just to keep the peace. But today, she wasn’t in the mood.

“What do you even gain from bullying me?” she asked, voice firm. “No matter what you do, it won’t change the fact that I have no relationship with Mr. Clark. And I’m not leaving this job.”

Tyra's gaze darkened. She wanted to break Ashleigh, to wipe that composed look off her face. Her lips curled in satisfaction when she noticed the red mark blooming on Ashleigh’s cheek from the slap.

“You pretty girls always think you’re better than everyone,” she spat.

“I will keep torturing you until you quit. Or better yet, until you admit you have something going on with Mr. Clark. I’ll record it and show everyone just how cheap you really are.”

Ashleigh remained silent, her jaw tightening. Tyra nodded to her accomplices, who immediately lifted Ashleigh and dragged her toward the back of the supply room.

A flicker of fear crept into Ashleigh’s chest. “Wait… what are you doing?” she demanded, struggling harder. But their grip was like iron.

Tyra ignored her, leading the way with an eerie calmness. For the first time, dread settled heavily in Ashleigh’s stomach. She had underestimated how far Tyra was willing to go.

They reached the back of the room, where an old shelving unit stood. Ashleigh gasped as they forced her hands behind her and tied them to the shelves. Her back was to them now, leaving her vulnerable.

Tyra retrieved a wooden stick, testing its weight in her hands. She chuckled darkly, stepping forward to stroke Ashleigh’s cheek.

“Today is your final warning,” she whispered. “Either do what we say, or face the consequences.”

Ashleigh squeezed her eyes shut. “I told you, Tyra, I have no other job options. I can’t afford to leave.”

Tyra clicked her tongue. “Then I guess you’ll have to suffer.” She stepped back, raising the stick high, preparing to strike.

A sharp voice cut through the tension like a knife.

“What is going on here?”