Chapter 8Andre's POV:The sun's soft rays filtered through the curtains, casting a gentle glow across the room. With a sense of purpose, I readied myself for the day's challenges, my mind already focused on the responsibilities awaiting me at work. I held my necktie loose, going out to find one of the maids to help me knot it when I heard faint sounds of commotion coming from the main gate and I went to the balcony to see who it was. Seeing my mother with the guard, I asked myself why she came here, did she lose all her shame and decide to come so she could be roasted by the Garcias'?"Please, let me see him," she pleaded with the guard at the entrance, desperation evident in her eyes. The guard's stern expression remained unchanged."Madam, my job's on the line if I let you in," he firmly responded. I stood in front of the balcony the whole time, perplexed by how she managed to pass through the estate gate.Watching her plead to see me, a strange sense of satisfaction unfurled. I
Chapter 9Vanessa's POV:I got another job, again with Claire's influence at a small restaurant about 20km from my house, pretty far right? But I have no choice but to accept it.Starting a new job can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. As I stood in front of the modest-looking restaurant, a knot of anxiety tightened in my stomach. The sign above the entrance read "Savory Bites," and I took a deep breath before pushing open the door.The interior was cozy and welcoming, with a handful of occupied tables and the clatter of cutlery against plates. The delicious aroma of various dishes wafted through the air, making my stomach grumble."Hey there! You must be Vanessa, right?" a friendly voice called out. I turned to see a woman in her mid-40s with a warm smile. She was wearing an apron and holding a notepad and pen."Yes, that's me," I replied, offering a shy smile."Claire told me about you," she said, stretching her hand for a quick handshake."I'm Emily, the manager here. Welcome to
Chapter 10Three days later.Vanessa's POV:I finished work early, and then Ms. Emily permitted me to go home early.On my way home, I got a quick notification on my phone, knowing who it was, I didn't bother to open it. He made it a habit to text and flash-call me endlessly over the last few days.On getting home, the house was empty and I remembered Victor informed me that he was taking our mother to the hospital for her routine check. I threw my bag on the chair and went to the kitchen to prepare a meal. After preparing the meal, I took mine to my room to eat. My phone flashed twice before I decided to pick it up but he hung up immediately.I stared at the screen, my heart racing with a mix of fear and curiosity. My fingers hovered over the keys as I typed out the message, my pulse quickening with every tap. "Can you provide your account details for the first payment?"The reply came in, swift and unexpected. A shiver ran down my spine as I read the words: ~The Grand Luminary Hote
Chapter 11Andre's POV: After our meeting at the hotel, I got a call from Ethan that the guys were having a night out at the club and that he had some important news to announce to the group so he wanted me to be there.****As I stepped into the dimly lit bar, the raucous laughter and clinking of glasses greeted me like an old friend. The weight of the week's troubles lifted momentarily from my shoulders. Tonight was meant for unwinding, and I had my closest friends, by my side and then a few of them came with their girls.We found our usual corner at the VIP lounge area and settled in, ordering our drinks and toasting the weekend ahead. The amber liquid in my glass glistened under the dim lights, casting a warm glow on our faces. I was eager to forget about all my worries, especially about my mother."Hey, guys," Ethan spoke as he got up, holding Sarah's hand in his with her smiling sheepishly.The noise on the table reduced as they had everyone's attention. Looking at their body l
Chapter 12Andre's POV:"And also, I don't have a boyfriend, I'm still waiting on the love of my life. Speaking of him, is Ethan still together with that girl?" Louisa asked, and I struggled with how to tell her that they recently announced their upcoming wedding. Ethan and Sarah will be married this summer."Yep,""I thought they had a fight and went their separate ways?" She inquired."They're back together, Louisa.""I hope they have a bigger fight this time and that he leaves her for good. I'll wait for him." She affirmed, making me fed up that I had to speak, "Louisa, you can't wish Ill on people and also, Ethan has always made it clear that he has no romantic interest in you. Let him off, will you?""He may not have feelings for me, but he always comes to my rescue when I'm in trouble. I won't give up on him.""You'll get hurt in the end," I warned."Leave that aside, let's talk about the money, Will you give it to me?""Quit bugging me." I shooed her off but she didn't move, "I
Chapter 13Vanessa's POV:An hour ago, that bothersome jerk had called, insisting on seeing me. I refused because I had just settled the first payment days ago, and we agreed to meet next month for the next one. I continued to complain and curse him under my breath as I lifted the crates of drinks the delivery man had left moments ago.Feeling like I had been watched, I stared at the road momentarily and found everyone engrossed in their daily activities. I then focused on my work of taking the drinks inside.After taking them in, I wiped the fridge clean and proceeded to place the bottles in. Just then, Lisa, another waitress at Savory Bites, walked in. Her face was a mix of shock and excitement.She shook my arm, "Wow, Vanessa, you didn't tell us that you had a billionaire boyfriend; he looks dreamy.""My boyfriend?" I asked and then muttered to myself, "I don't have a boyfriend, not any that I remembered.""He's outside and asked me to call you," Lisa said before walking away. It c
Chapter 14Vanessa POV:The office atmosphere was tense as I faced the boss's crude assistant, Stanley. He was searching for something, checking the drawers one after the other."I heard you'd be working here soon." He said, more like asking."I'm sorry, Ms. Williams, my boss can be sometimes reckless and not mean the things he says. We won't pay you $10,000 monthly. We both know you have no diploma to back that up."I couldn't help but let my anger creep into my voice "Are you trying to con me? You're not the one I'm going to be working for, Stanley." I sneered.Stanley merely replied with his usual calm, "Please be understanding, I don't like to repeat myself." I was baffled by how he maintained his composure despite being such a nuisance.Just as I was about to retort, the door opened, and there he was—the man I had come to despise. He slouched onto his chair with an air of exhaustion, his eyes briefly shutting before snapping open. "Did you just arrive?" he asked, his gaze landing
Chapter 15 The day had taken an unexpected turn, leaving me more frustrated than I could have imagined. I followed Stanley into the office, and the moment he saw me, his facial expression darkened with his brows furrowed."Go back and knock on the door properly," he ordered, his voice dripping with authority. I glanced between Stanley and the closed office door, baffled about who he was addressing. Stanley's raised eyebrows, making it clear—he meant me."But, it wasn't me who opened the door," I protested, my frustration evident."Do as you have been told, Ms. Williams, quit being stubborn," Stanley said.I sighed, Mr. Arrogance was at it again, this time with a new command. I complained inwardly and then took steps back until I was out of the room, knocked once, and waited for a response, which never came. So, I proceeded to enter."Did I ask you to come in?" His icy words met me as I stepped inside."Go back, and this time, wait for my reply," he ordered. I obeyed, knocking again,
Chapter 44"Shhh... It's morning," she whispered, blinking dramatically. "And if I don't prepare, that jerk is going to punish me by making me redo all the work, Claire.""What's Claire?" He twitched."Don't ask that." She fanned him off, wobbling. "You know him. The jerk with the Ferrari."Andre’s lips pressed together. "Jerk with the Ferrari?" That was what she thought of him?"I just want to work, but he won't let me. Maybe we should strangle him for real this time, Claire." She clapped her hands, giggling, hopping in place.Andre had had enough.He grabbed her and pulled her with him onto the bed."C'mon, to bed now." His voice was firm.For once, she didn’t fight him.She was too tired.Her eyelids fluttered shut, her breathing evening out as sleep finally claimed her.Andre was about to switch off the lamp when something caught his attention.Her lips.Pouted, soft, slightly parted.For a while, he noticed just how beautiful she looked tonight. Maybe it was the makeup, maybe it
Chapter 43Vanessa stirred in Andre's arms as he carried her to his room on the top floor. Her fingers clutched weakly at his shirt, and she mumbled his name, her voice barely coherent."Stay still," he instructed, setting her down on the bed.She giggled, her words slurred. "You're so bossy."Andre sighed, running a hand through his hair. Whatever they had given her was making her loopy. She wouldn't stop squirming, her clumsy attempts to assist herself is only making things worse."Williams, lie down," he said firmly."But I don't want to," she pouted, her lips forming a stubborn curve."Too bad," he muttered, gently pressing her back against the pillows.For a brief moment, her expression softened. Her gaze locked onto his, filled with such raw vulnerability that it caught him off guard."Why are you so mean to me?" she whispered, her voice trembling.Andre froze. He hadn't expected that, but he answered anyway, "I don't know.""Do you hate me?" she continued, her eyes glistening w
Chapter 42While speaking with the guest, Andre’s instincts flared like a warning siren. Something felt off. He scanned the crowd, searching for Vanessa. She wasn’t at the bar front where he’d last seen her, and a knot of unease tightened in his chest. He spotted Louisa slipping back into the ballroom, her expression far too smug. His eyes narrowed. She was up to something. He returned to the guest and excused himself with a small smile. "I'll be back." “Where is Vanessa?” he demanded, striding toward Louisa. Louisa feigned surprise. “What's that?” "My assistant isn't where I left her. Where is she?" She frowned at him. "How should I know? She's a grown up and very sly, she could've gone anywhere. And secondly, I can't be seen with someone who humiliated me in front of the crowd." Andre’s jaw clenched. He didn’t believe her for a second, but he had nothing against her. "Forget it, it's no use speaking with you," he said, turned, and stormed off to begin a search for her.
Chapter 41Andre's POV:The sound of glasses clinking and muffled laughter echoed from the party hall, but my focus wasn’t on the party. I had one thing in mind, and that was finding Louisa. I knew exactly what she was trying to do, and I wasn’t going to let her get away with it this time.I found her near the balcony, mingling with a group of socialites. Her laugh was too loud, her gestures exaggerated. When she saw me approach, her smile faltered.“Louisa,” I said sharply, and her friends immediately fell silent. “I need to speak with you. Now.”"I'm busy," she hesitated, her eyes darting to her friends for support, but they quickly excused themselves. Smart move.“What is it, Andre?” she asked, feigning innocence.I didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Why did you do it?”“Do what?” she replied in a light voice, still feigning ignorance, and it fueled my anger. "You fucking know what I'm talking about. Why did you have to humiliate her? A maid's dress, really?"Her lips curled into a
Chapter 40Vanessa's POV:"Where is the dress I sent you?" Mr. Garcia asked again, his tone sharp and unyielding.My heart stuttered. He sent me a dress? No—this had to be some kind of mistake. All I’d received was this plain waitress uniform.I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. “That’s what was delivered to me,” I whispered, my voice trembling.Mr. Garcia’s expression flickered—confusion, irritation, and something else I couldn’t decipher.Louisa’s mocking laughter echoed in my mind, her smug expression flashing before me. It didn’t take much to piece it together—she had to be behind this. But why? What had I done to deserve this? I might have slapped Mr. Garcia and broken his car, which landed me a job here, but what had I done to her? I didn’t even know her.Realizing I might have misunderstood him, I tried to speak, “I—”He pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something under his breath before turning back to me with his sharp, piercing gaze. I was still trying to wipe
Chapter 39Vanessa's POVI stared at the pretty, luxurious box resting on my bed, its pristine wrapping mocking me. A sigh escaped my lips, the kind that came from the pit of your stomach when you knew nothing good was coming. The note taped to the top read: "YOU MUST ATTEND." It was spelled in capital letters to show how serious he was.The words felt like a direct jab, one of his endless tactics to remind me of my place. It didn’t matter what I wore, how I presented myself, or how much effort I put into the tasks he gave me—Andre Garcia always found a way to make me feel like a fool.For a moment, I debated whether I should even open it. My fingers hesitated over the lid before finally giving in. Inside was a folded uniform, its crisp white and black lines a clear signal of what my role at the event would be: a waitress.I clenched my jaw to keep the wave of anger at bay. This wasn’t just about making me work at a party; it was about humiliation. He could’ve sent someone else to do
Chapter 38Vanessa's POV:The evening’s charity event had reached its crescendo, and exhaustion tugged at every fiber of my being. My feet, stuffed into the torturous heels Claire had insisted I wear, ached so badly that I could feel blisters forming. Every step of mine was a reminder of how I had allowed fashion to trump comfort—a decision I would regret for hours.I limped toward the matrons' office to grab a few documents when Mr. Garcia appeared from around the corner, his sharp eyes scanning me. His usual cold expression softened, if only slightly.“You look like you’re in pain,” he remarked, the gentleness in his tone catching me off guard.I forced a smile, wincing as I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. “It’s nothing serious, just these heels. They’re killing me,” I admitted, figuring it wouldn’t hurt to share.Without a word, he took the files from my hands and gestured for me to sit down on one of the chairs lining the hallway. He left before I could protest, and
Chapter 37*Nostalgia*Vanessa's POVI ran my hands down my dress for what felt like the tenth time today, smoothing out invisible creases while my feet ached from these cursed heels. I didn’t know what had possessed me to wear this outfit. Maybe it was because of Mia's mocking comment this morning about how I'd look “too plain” for the event. I didn’t want to stand out, but something inside me felt the need to prove myself—even if it was just for today.Now, I was starting to regret it.Everything was chaotic, as usual, and I had been juggling errands since sunrise. When Mr. Garcia summoned me with his typical sharp tone this morning, I knew the day would be anything but smooth. I should’ve known better than to hope he’d give me even a hint of appreciation for my efforts.The man was a walking storm.At the orphanage, while sorting the gifts for the children, I heard him approach. The moment his voice cut through the air, I stiffened, my shoulders tensing instinctively. I’d gotten us
Chapter 36*Caught Off Guard*Andre's POV:I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my tie and admiring the sharp lines of my suit. It was perfect, as usual. Every detail was in place, and I felt the usual surge of power and control that came with my position. But inside, I was a mess. The morning had been chaotic, with me barking orders left and right. Vanessa had been running non-stop, handling my countless errands as always.Today was the annual charity event at the orphanage, a big family affair that every member of my family had to attend. The place was buzzing with activity. My friend Ethan was here, representing his family’s company, and a few of my father’s associates were also around.While the orphanage manager spoke to me, I couldn’t help but glance at Vanessa. She looked different today, almost glowing in the sunlight. She wore a beige patterned thigh length dress, with a touch of makeup, and her hair was neatly clipped to the top of her head. Something about her appearan