Chapter 1: Opportunity
Anna stirred around in the bed. She pulled the torn covers off her and pulled the curtains further apart to let in the sun rays into her small, poorly furnished apartment.
As the wind blew in, it woke up the dust lining in the cracks on the floor which caused her to begin sneezing and blow snort from her nose.
"I hate this," she said as she lazily crawled towards the kitchen area. She prepared a light breakfast for herself before she got ready for her interview.
~
Anna was an African American. At twenty four years old, she was trying to figure life out on her own. She had already experienced some difficult task and challenges life threw at her. Some knocking her down hard. But Anna wasn't the type of person who'll sit down and cry about things. She was a fighter. A survivor.
When she was eighteen, she ran away from home. Her mother had past away from cancer when she at the tender age of fourteen, leaving Anna alone with her stepfather. He was abusive in every way possible. Anna was battered and beaten brutally everyday of her teenage life.
At eighteen, she ran away and never looked back.
~
Life changed her. It changed her for the worse. She wanted to see others hurt like the way she had been hurt before. She wanted to see others miserable and unhappy, and everywhere she went, that was what she did. She bought ructions to her peers, her friends, her coworkers and eventually, herself.
Now she was indeed by herself. Unemployed and friendless.
No-one liked her.
No one spoke to her.
No one even bothered looking at her when she saw their familiar faces.
She doesn't blame anyone. She can only blame herself and what life threw at her and will continue to throw. She knew she was a selfish human being but that was what she adapted to.
Selfishness.
At 8:00 am, she closed in her apartment door which was slightly falling off its hinges. She shoved her keys into her beat out leather bag which she cherished because it was her mom's, then she scurried downstairs and walked to the bus stop.
She had been fired from her last job when she called her boss A stuck up, miserable asshole.
It took her four months to get another. With her reputation, employment places were hesitant to employ her. Her character was so uncleaned and unprofessional. She couldn't pay her rent without a job so she was evicted from the nice apartment she had before. Now she lived in a crappy one, where cockroaches had their own family reunion in her absence.
She caught the 8:05 am bus which took her straight to Palm Beach Florida where she'll be interviewed for a job as a live-in-maid.
It was the perfect job and opportunity for her. She wouldn't have to live in a dirty apartment anymore. She'll be living in a huge house - free of charge, owned by a billionaire. All she had to do in return was to clean the house four days a week.
And the other best part was, it's always summer in Florida.
At 9:00 am sharp, Anna was already sitting inside the mansion looking around with awe and unbelievably.
A huge chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a glorified feeling to the room.
The white walls looked like it had just been painted.
The floors looked like it was awaiting the arrival of the queen's feet, and the furniture were modern and expensive.
Huge antiques decorated the living room area and expensive pictures lined the walls. The staircases looked like they led to heaven and the overall feeling of the house made Anna felt unworthy of being inside it.
As she sat down in one of the chairs a security guard ushered her in, she continued to look around and observed the surrounding.
"I really need to land this job," she silently spoke to herself. "Even if that means I'll have to lie. I need this job."
Her observation was interrupted by a woman walking over to her. The sound of her heels on the marble floor made Anna squirmed and she instantly knew she wouldn't like her.
"Good morning. You must be Anna Wells. I'm Melissa Harwood."
Perfect surname of the perfect sl**.
"Nice to meet you ma'am. You have a lovely home," Anna answered with a fake smile, stood up and extended her hand she had sneezed in a moment ago.
Melissa shook it firmly.
Melissa was a tall slim woman with a fair creamed complexion. Her brown hair was styled in a high bun and her brown eyes spoke for itself. She was beautiful. Fit for a model.
"Thank you but my fiance is actually the owner of this house and he'll be your employer if you get the job."
"So he'll be interviewing me?"
"No. I will actually."
"Okay."
"Lets begin."
She gestured Anna to the chair she had previously been sitting in while she took a seat opposite from her.
"So tell me, have you worked as a maid, housekeeper or a custodian before?"
Anna handed her a resume.
"Yes I have. My aunt owned a hotel, before she went into bankruptcy and lost her mind. I worked there as a housekeeper and I was one of the best," Anna lied.
Anna had no family apart from her deceased mother and an abusive stepfather she never wants to see again.
"That's impressive. But why isn't it in your employment history?" Melissa asked her as she scanned though the lines on the resume.
"Oh I didn't included it because I did it as a volunteer. She was my aunt after all."
"I see. Okay.....do you have any siblings?"
"I have two sisters and one brother."
Anna was an only child.
"Very nice. Do you get along great with your siblings?"
"Yes I do actually," she lied with a smile and mirrored the word Melissa had frequently been using. 'Actually'
"I already like you. I can tell you'll be an excellent employee but it's my fiance's decision. I can only vouch for the best candidate for the job."
"Oh so you mean there are others?"
"Yes. Three came yesterday and three today. You're including."
"Well I hope you vouch for me," Anna said with a pleading smile and praised hands.
"I will," Melissa mouthed to her and they both shared a laugh.
The laughter came to a halt when a handsome looking man walked through the front door.
Anna mouth watered.
Handsome was an understatement to describe him. The man was a special art, wrapped in a gift box and sent down from God.
His straight black hair shone on his head. His stubble beard added to the handsomeness of his structured face. His dark blue eyes looked like the ocean on a sunny day and his lips were screaming kissable.
He was dressed in a formal grey suit which made him look professional and unapproachable, and so damn tempting. Anna was instantly attracted to him.
"Hello darling," Melissa greeted him and went into his arms for a hug.
Anna's jealousy stirred around in her stomach.
"This is Anna Wells. She's here for the maid position. Anna, this is my fiance Mr. Antonio Kissle," Melissa introduced.
Yummy name for a yummy man.
Anna extended her left hand, the one she hadn't sneezed in, to Mr. Kissle.
"Good morning sir," she greeted with manners.
"Good morning," he answered and firmly shook her hand for a split second.
Anna knew she wouldn't be able to get his attention so easily but she already had something up her sleeve.