Chapter 2

:Connection

When I was six, I accidentally overheard the maids talking, and I found out that I was the daughter of another woman who was now dead. My stepmother always told me I wasn’t her daughter, but I thought she was just saying that because she was mad at me. I was wrong. As I grew up, I learned that the woman who gave birth to me had worked here as a maid, and then, suddenly, she left. Ten months later, she left me at the door and disappeared.

When I was younger, I couldn’t understand all of this, but now I realize that neither my mother nor my stepmother loved me, and neither did my biological father. My half-sister and half-brother act as though I don’t exist. They don’t talk about me and avoid being near me, as if I’m some sort of parasite.

This morning, as soon as I woke up, the maids warned me that my stepmother was hosting a party today and that I shouldn’t leave my room. I’m working late today, so no one will notice if I sneak into the house.

“It’s time to come down to Earth, Iv,” suddenly, I jumped and looked back. Amelia was looking at me with a smile, her big eyes staring at me.

“You scared me. Where are the others? I’m surprised Lili and Noah aren’t with you,” I asked.

“A new game came out, and they went to buy it. Then we’ll test it. I can’t stand their screaming when they play. They get completely immersed in a different world.”

“True, those two are definitely addicted to online games. Come sit. You want your usual cold Americano, or do you want something else?” she asked.

“No, that’s fine.” Amelia always comes to my workplace and orders coffee when she’s not in a good mood, or when Noah and Lili are about to tear the house down. She just sits there, watching, looking out the window, while I try to visit her whenever I have some free time. My boss is a kind man, and he treats me well. He’s been running this café for twenty years. He and his wife started this business, but three years ago, his wife passed away, and he was left alone.

Why is it that kind people like him always face bad things? He loved his wife more than anything, and now he’s alone. Otto always talks about his wife, how they met, where they went on their first date, how he proposed, their first house – I know everything, as if I were part of their life.

I wish it could be true – that Otto and Lilian were my parents. If that were the case, I think I would be the happiest daughter. But things don’t always turn out the way we want them to.

“Evelyn,” I turned to look at Otto’s voice, and I gazed into his warm, smiling eyes.

“Amelia has been sitting alone for a while. You should go. She seems pretty bored.”

“Amelia always sits here. Otto, this is my workplace. I don’t come here to chat.”

She smiled at me and put her hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t make the old man angry. Go, your friend is waiting for you. She looks pretty upset.”

“You are not old, Otto, you are only fifty,” I said, and he laughed heartily at my comment, patting my head.

“That’s only what you think. Now, go to your friend.”

After my friends, Otto is the only one who treats me like family and always helps me.

I sat in front of Emmy and looked at her saddened face.

“What’s wrong, Em? Is something bothering you?”

She sighed deeply and smiled at me.

“No, I’m just in a bad mood today, you know, bad days,” she rolled her eyes and smiled again.

“Yeah, I’m not having a great day either,” I said, leaning against the chair and looking out the window.

“You’re referring to the party?”

“Yeah, I hope I can sneak in without being noticed.”

Emmy leaned toward me and placed her hand on mine.

“You know you can always stay with me, right?”

“I know, I just have Mr. Berman’s appointment tomorrow morning and I have everything at home, so I need to go.”

“Okay, but if you need anything, just call me, alright?”

I squeezed her hand tightly.

“You know I love you a lot.”

Emmy smiled and raised her eyebrows.

“Get in line, girl, everyone loves me.”

I rolled my eyes, and we both started laughing.

A few hours later, I finished cleaning up the café and went to the changing room. Emmy had already left, so I would have to leave alone. I grabbed my bag and walked out of the room. I said goodbye to Otto and headed home.

I was outside for a while, trying to figure out the safest way to enter. After fifteen minutes of thinking, I decided to walk around the house and climb over the fence from the back. Twenty minutes later, I managed to climb over the fence and land straight into the yard—well, more like falling face-first. I’m unfortunately pretty clumsy when it comes to such things.

I grabbed my bag from the ground, slung it over my shoulder, and started walking, constantly looking around. It’s a good thing the party is in the front yard; no one would notice me here.

I had almost reached the pool when I heard a deep, rough voice. Immediately, I hid behind the bushes by the pool. Thank you to the gardener for these big bushes.

I sat silently for a few minutes. He seemed very angry. I felt sorry for whoever he was talking to. I didn’t think they were in a good situation after all that yelling. Soon, the conversation stopped, and I thought the man had left, but suddenly, black shoes appeared in front of me.

“Is listening to other people’s conversations your hobby?”

I jumped at his strong voice and slowly looked up. Standing in front of me was a tall, dark-haired man who looked like he had stepped out of a movie. How is it even possible for one person to be so handsome?

“I asked you a question. Are you mute?”

With a look like that, it would definitely be too much to expect a pleasant attitude. Of course, he was a rude idiot with broad shoulders and a muscular body. Damn, what am I thinking?

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to overhear your conversation. You just happened to be in my way and—”

“In your way?” He laughed cynically and looked at me as if he wanted to kill me—or maybe he really did.

“I should go,” I stood up and started to walk away when he grabbed my arm strongly and pulled me toward him.

“How much did you hear?”

His voice was low and very menacing, and his closeness made everything worse.

“Look at me when I talk to you,” he commanded.

He was almost two heads taller than me, and from the height, I could tell I was holding onto my arm so tightly that it would definitely bruise. Slowly, I looked up and met his pitch-black, threatening eyes. I had no idea what to say. I was so lost in my thoughts that I couldn’t remember the words. All I knew was that he was arguing with someone.

“Listen to me. You better speak up, and don’t make me lose my temper.”

I was already trembling. Why am I so scared?

He squeezed my arm even tighter, and I felt something wet brush against my skin. Before I realized it, I was crying.

“Nothing,” I stopped and took a deep breath, trying to control my voice. “I didn’t hear anything, I swear.”

“Why should I believe you?”

His eyes darkened even further and became more terrifying.

“I really didn’t hear anything. All I know is that you were really angry. I swear, I didn’t hear anything. Please, let me go.”

He chuckled again and let go of my arm, practically slapping it away.

“If I ever see you again and you’re so easy to escape from, you won’t get away next time.”

After saying those words, he turned around and walked away.

I stood frozen in place, unable to move, not understanding who he was and why his words sounded so dangerous.

Shaking, I ran to my room, and as soon as I entered, I locked the door.

I spent an hour in the bathroom, unable to stop thinking about that man, hoping I would never see him again. After I was done, I wrapped a towel around myself and walked to the mirror. I wiped the steamed-up glass with my hand and looked at the bruise on my arm.

“Looks like this isn’t going to go away soon,” I muttered to myself and left the bathroom. I grabbed some underwear and pajamas from the closet and, after changing, lay down in bed, closing my eyes, trying to forget everything.