The Game To Her Saviour

CHAPTER THREE

I woke up to the sound of someone rustling in the room and when I peered to see who it was, I saw Mrs. Elton draping the blinds shut.

“Good morning, Mrs. Elton,” I greeted, stifling a yawn.

“Oh dear, did I wake you? I didn't mean to.” She said,

“It's really, okay, I should be up anyways, what time is it?” I yawned, looking around for an alarm clock.

“It's 12pm.” She replied, turning down the thermostat.

“Oh, shit.” I exclaimed, becoming fully awake.

Mrs. Elton chuckled, moving towards the door she said “Brunch will be ready soon, Yara will help you out with your bath.”

I wanted to let her know that I could prepare my bath myself but she left the room before I could say anything.

Yara bolted in later, with a huge smile on her face, she looked like a happy person and the dimples on her face quite suited her personality, she was also quite the chatterbox.

After I had gotten out of the bath, she had clothes laid on the bed and I wondered whom they'd belong to. Yara cleared my confusion by telling me Mr. Osvaldo had gotten them for me.

They were all pretty, I've never owned clothes that pretty and luxurious my entire life. Yara tried to get me to wear a spring dress but since made it known that I wasn't going anywhere, I opted for sweatpants and a tank top.

“Don't you think it's too basic?” Yara whined, as she watched me dress.

“It's comfortable, not basic.” I corrected, pulling my tank top down to my waist.

“It doesn't match the aesthetics of the house,” She pouted.

“Well, comfort over aesthetics.” I said, exasperatedly. “Can you lead me to Brunch, please?”

“Not like I have a choice.” She mumbled and led me to the breakfast table and of course its size and beauty did not baffle me.

Mrs. Elton stood next to the table watching the maid lay out dishes on the table. Her eyebrows crumpled in the sight of me and Yara spoke before I could even think of what the expression meant.

“Before you say anything Vanya, she chose what she's wearing, I tried to protest but to no avail.”

“You guys have a dining dress code?” I joked. Turned out they actually did.

After eating, I asked to see Mr. Osvaldo, and Mrs. Elton took me to him.

She went in before me and when she came out of the room, she told me I could go in. I knocked and opened the door when I heard a ‘Come in.’

“You asked to see me.” He stated, looking down at some paperwork on his desk, the room seemed small, smaller than the other rooms I've been in but large enough to be a home office.

I swallowed before I spoke, something about his demeanor made him seem difficult to talk to. He looked like he was uninterested in anything I was about to say but still wanted to hear it anyway.

He looked up at me through his glasses, from his paperwork, his glass frames sat perfectly on his face. I hadn't actually taken a good look at his face but now that I was I realized he was quite a handsome man. “Yes?” he said, snapping me back to reality.

“Yes, uhm… I just wanted to say thank you for last night… for saving me.” I stuttered, feeling quite embarrassed.

“You're welcome.” He responded, his attention going back to his work at hand. When he noticed I hadn't left, he looked back up at me, his eyebrows raised in confusion. “Do you have anything else to say?”

I nodded in response, and he gave me a go ahead sign. “I owe you for saving my ass, but I need to know how to repay you.”

“Lenora, right? Tell me everything about you.” He inquired, “How did you end up working for Marco?”

I told him, starting from the very beginning.

**********************

(FLASHBACK)

I stared at my reflection in my bathroom mirror, I looked very tired and drowsy. My eye bags had formed from working late at work. Last night I had gotten home by 11:35 pm because I had to go over some documents that were due for submission by the end of the week.

I was a hard worker, a great colleague, a great daughter, a great cousin, a great aunt, granddaughter, and an optimist too.

But, I had one flaw; I was always tardy.

I was always late to school, late to my lectures, late to my graduation, late to church, late to family gatherings and also late to work. My dad joked once at a family dinner that I would probably be late to my own wedding and everyone laughed over it.

I rinsed my mouth, looking at her reflection one last time. “I'll just apply concealer over it.” I mumbled referring to her eye bags.

I stepped into the shower, drew the curtains and turned the hot water on, my skin was greeted by the chill of cold water and I turned it off immediately. My dad had forgotten to pay the water bill again, no, he couldn't afford to pay the water bill.

***

I got out of the subway train and hurried to work. I knew I was late, I only hoped Juan had covered up for me. She pushed through the double glass doors and walked over to the receptionist desk to check if Juan, her colleague, had signed in for her.

"The Manager wants to see you by the way.” The receptionist,Cheryl, told me.

My Heart sank, it was not good. My department Manager wanting to see me or anyone in my department had never been good news.

“The…The Manger?” I stuttered

"Yeah he's in a really bad mood, came in to work angry and he's been taking it out on everyone.” Cheryl spoke with an unbothered tone.

“Do you know why he wants to see me?” I asked, hoping to get a hint of what I was about to face.”

“I'm sorry Lenora, I wish I knew.” Cheryl gave me a sympathetic look.

I went up to the third floor and sat waiting for the Manager, while his secretary kept throwing dirty looks at me.

The Manager's office door opened later and my manager stepped out with a male guest. He gave the man a hand shake and told him to have a nice day. Every company's typical jingle.

His smile slowly faded as he turned to look at me.

“Miss Prescott, Just the person I wanted to see, come with me." He beckoned me to follow him.

He strode through the halls, employee's making way for him to go through while I tottered behind him.

"S-sir, am I in trouble?“ my voice turned as meek as my face.

“We'll see.” Was his response.

He arrived at the door of my department, he pushed the thin white double doors open and everywhere went silent because his presence had been noticed.

“Can I have everyone's undivided attention?” He announced and everyone scrambled to one side of the room.

My heart pounded loudly against my chest and I was sure it was about to explode, I was in big trouble and things were not looking good.

“Where is Juan Alberto?“ The manager asked.

“I-I'm here s-sir.” Juan came out from behind the group of people with his hand raised, he looked as nervous as everyone else.

“Juan, I'm offering you a promotion.” The manager announced.

“Excuse me, Sir?“ Juan was shocked.

“From today onwards you'll be taking up Miss Lenora Prescott duties as she has been relieved of them and we will do well to find you a new assistant." The manager said, which brought gasps from the others. “Miss Prescott, it will do us well if you clear up your desk, we need people who are professional and take their jobs seriously.”

I did take my job seriously, I work overtime everyday to make ends meet both for my family and for the company.

“B-but sir, Reina does a better job than any of us in the office.” A co-worker's voice came from the back trying to defend me.

“Yes sir, she works overtime everyday, the office would be nothing without her.” Another person chimed.

“The company appreciates everything Miss Prescott has been doing, but I got a message from the board to dismiss employees who are unprofessional, so unless you want to be fired like her you will keep quiet and respect the board's decision, back to work everyone!” The manager barked leaving the department and I stood there in shock.

Everyone tried to console me, Juan was as shocked as I was but my attention wasn't with the crowd. I couldn't believe what I had just heard, I had been Fired.

***

I had been fired for over a week. I had tried finding other jobs with an average salary but to no avail. I could have apologized to the manager and begged for my job then, but I knew of course, it was useless. I had seen others lose their jobs, begging was useless; it only fell on deaf ears.

I felt miserable because if I wasn't always late, I'd still have my job and I'd still be in the office with my colleagues making jokes about the manager and his secretary.

I loved my job, even though she came home tired from overworking everyday. The people in my office were like family to me and my salary was well enough to help support my family bills.

During this period my best friend Roxanne came home, and she looked different, her once Honey brown hair was dyed strawberry blonde and she looked really good.

She worked in the big city and earned a better salary than I did. She told me that there was an opening in the company she worked for and she got me to apply.

I was offered the job, and with the salary I was offered I was so excited it seemed too good to be true. It was too good to be true.

When we arrived in the big city, Roxanne suggested we go out for drinks at a bar since it had been ages since we hung out, innocently I agreed.

At the bar, she introduced me to one of her friends; Marco. I thought he looked shady at first but since Roxanne knew him he wouldn't try anything on me. When Roxanne left to get drinks, he began asking me questions which made me uncomfortable. She came back with our drinks and Maco left me alone at another table, I ranted to her about how uncomfortable Marco made me feel all while drinking.

“Let me know when you start feeling tipsy, so that I can take you home.” She kept telling me.

All of a sudden, I got very dizzy. I found myself passing out. I asked Roxanne to take me home and I stood up to leave, I fell and everything slowly went blank but before I passed out, I heard someone say; “Finally.”

I woke up in a small dark room handcuffed to the bed, Marco came in a few minutes later with two men dressed in black, one carrying a bucket of water.

“You're awake, what a shame now I have no use for the water.” He whined.

“What am I doing here, Let me go!” I yelled at him and he approached me with an impish smile on his face.

“Oh, but I can't do that, Senorita, you belong to me now.” He laughed, caressing my face.

“Don't fucking touch me you creep, where's Roxanne, what have you done to her?” I spat, cringing at the very being of him.

He turned to the men behind him and laughed, they returned his laugh and I stared to and fro between them in confusion and anger.

“She's looking for her friend.” He said between laughs.

“What did you do to her?” I snarled, giving him the deadliest stare I have ever given anyone in my life.

“What did I do to her?” He said to me, “You should be asking; What did she do to you?”

I was confused, what did he mean by that?

“I'll make it simple for you, your friend, Roxanne owes me money, since she cannot pay me, she brings me girls, naïve bunnies like you,” he explained and it all made sense, that drink she gave me, it had a sedative in it.

“I didn't consent to this.” I snapped.

“You don’t have to, you can't escape so don't even try, and do me a favor, be a good girl and cooperate with us, if you don't we're not so gentle. As long as you're from this place even the cops wouldn't believe you.” He cackled, “There are three rules, You go by Bunny from now on and you're not allowed to tell anyone your real name, No personal talk with the other girls or guests, and No causing a commotion.” He added, leaving the room with the men that came in with him. “I'll see you soon, Bunny.”

And that was how I began working for Marco, but I never cooperated with him in pleasing the guests, who were disgusting old perverts, which led to several punishments till the day I escaped or should I say; The day I was saved.