Chapter 40 STARTING MY JOB
~ Elara ~
My head peaks out of the bedroom door as I look around, trying to make a guess on where the exit could be.
I would ask another maid, but they had all seemed to go upstairs after the family was announced to be back.
I'm not sure how many doors I walked through, but it was definitely too many to count.
Maybe I had to go upstairs? I had already checked every door down here, and none of them led to the exit.
Hesitating, I slowly walk up the stairs, hearing multiple voices booming throughout the mansion as I near closer.
I feel my heart drumming in my chest as I walk out into the bright hallways, looking around for the exit.
Mrs. Carmen suddenly spots me standing alone and gives me a confused look before marching up to me and grabbing my arm.
I try not to make it obvious that's where I had gotten hurt multiple times, and hide the pain in my face as she drags me down the hallway.
" Are you insane? I told you to leave why are you still here?" She spits, her tone quiet but serious.
"II'm sorry I couldn't find the exit." I say, trying to catch up with her fast pace.
" This is not the time to be lost." She scowls, sharply turning down a hall.
I gasp when I suddenly make contact with something hard, stumbling backwards and onto the ground as Mrs. Carmen's grip on me is broken.
" Shit I'm sorry." A deep voice says from above me, and I look up from the floor to see an insanely attractive looking guy, with dirty blonde hair, and blue eyes, who looked to be 6'4.
"Are you okay?" He asks, reaching his hand out to me. A concerned look spreads across his face, one I never thought anyone could look at me with.
My eyes move towards his reached out hand, then to Mrs. Carmen's angry face.
Slowly, I get up on my own, ignoring his hand. I figured Mrs. Carmen would get mad if I so as spoke to him in any manner, he seemed like he lived here.
I only assumed because of the luxury brands he was wearing, and the gold watch wrapped around his wrist.
The guy looks down at his rejected hand, a small smile on his face as his eyes move over my face.
I swallow the lump in my throat, looking at Mrs.Carmen for help. I wasn't sure what was going on, why this guy was staring at me, and if I was supposed to apologize or not.
"I sincerely apologize on behalf of her Mr. Wayne , she's new to the job." Mrs. Carmen suddenly says, bowing her head slightly.
I furrow my brows together at her movement, and quickly follow along with her.
"That's alright Angie, I don't mind at all." He smirks, looking at me once more before walking away.
I let out a deep breath after he leaves, waiting to get yelled at by Mrs. Carmen whose first name I just learned to be Angie.
" Out." She immediately says, pointing towards a door at the end of the hallway.
I'm about to say something, but decide I've already done enough and shamefully walk to the door.
One more day of school, one more before I left that hell.
" Where do you think you're going Dawn?"
I feel my entire body freeze at the mocking voice behind me, ripping through my ears.
Every time I heard his voice it felt like millions of needles puncturing my ear one by one.
I didn't want to hear it. I never did.
"H..home." I say, not daring to turn around. I didn't want to believe that he was behind me, that in only moments I'd get beaten again.
Today was my last day in the school before leaving to the Conner Estate, but of course I couldn't leave without getting caught. Of course today I couldn't get away from the devil himself.
" You haven't forgotten about our deal yet have you?" He says, moving up closer behind me. I feel his ragged breath against my neck, inching closer to my ear.
"N..no of course not." I stumble out, my fingers tightly wrapped around the straps of my backpack as I stare blankly at the wall in front of me. He was alone this time, and it didn't help that there was no one else around the street.
The town was usually empty in the day time, yet it became more lively at night with drunk students and crimes being committed nearly every hour.
" Good, because you should know very well by now what I'll do to you if I don't get the money." Roger sighs, moving his mouth under my ear as his disgusting lips touch my skin.
I feel hot tears run down my face as his hands touch where he shouldn't be touching, parts of my body that belonged to me only.
I felt like puking.
"P..please don't." I cry out, trying to pull his burning hands away from my chest but he only grabs onto my hand even tighter, pulling it back down.
" Shut the fuck up!" He grits out, pushing me down on the hard cement.
I was too shaky to even stop my fall, and end up landing on the side of my face.
I feel the cut under my eye, the blood slowly dripping down with my tears as they mix together, falling drop by drop onto the moist ground below me.
" The next time I see you, you meet me in the spot at 2am, got it little bitch?" He spits. I can't answer as I try catching my breath.
That made him angry.
"Did you fucking hear me?!" He yells, grabbing my hair and I instantly nod my head, my body shaking in fear as I try moving away from him.
"Y.yes" My words barely come out, I was disgusting.
" Good, now go make my money." He smiles that evil smile before turning around and walking away.
It's silent as I pack my belongings, shower, and get dressed in a black baggy hoodie and black baggy pants.
Ever since Roger, for the past 5 years, I've only worn baggy clothes. Anytime I didn't, I felt like I was only making myself an easier target for him, living even more up to the way he saw me, an object for his own enjoyment.
Roger made sure to remind me of that when he would touch my body.
I looked horrifying, and the cut under my eye that had been bleeding started to bruise into a dark purple color around the area.
How could I work somewhere so extravagant looking like this? Being like this? Being me?
I grab my dad’s large old sunglasses, covering my eyes with them as I walk out of the apartment with my bag of belongings.
Slowly I walk to the bus, and by the time I'm in Rupert city the sun is already down.
It was dark out, Mrs. Carmen told me to come right after school but it had hurt so bad walking that I couldn't go any faster.
I try walking faster towards the Conner Estate this time, but fail when my legs completely give up, causing me to fall on the ground.
And that's when I broke.
I cried as i slowly get up, feeling my entire body ache as I barely make it to the gates, and when I ring the bell, my tears were already wiped away.
I put on the most normal face a girl could have, well, the most normal I could get it to be and I walk in, going the exact same way Mrs. Carmen had taken me yesterday.
I get to my room and walk in, dropping my stuff on the ground. My eyes trail over to the note on my desk and I take the small paper in my hands, reading the words written in neat handwriting.
Get changed into your uniform and meet me in the kitchen at 8
\- Mrs. Carmen
I look at the time, quickly grabbing my uniform when I notice it's 7:45.
The uniform was a simple black dress with a white apron, and a ribbon that tied into a bow at the back. I was given black flats to wear as shoes, a name tag, and had to keep my hair tied back.
I remove my sunglasses, flinching at the sight before me. I had no choice though, I couldn't just wear my sunglasses to work, Mrs. Carmen would never allow that.
I go for a low ponytail and make my way out of the room, heading upstairs where I figured the kitchen would be.
There were multiple maids scurrying around the house, some holding trays and others holding cleaning supplies as they moved back and forth.
I try to ignore their curious looks as I walk into the kitchen I had somehow found my way to.
Mrs. Carmen was on the other side, ordering a man to cut the potatoes differently until she spots me. Her heels make a loud sound as she comes in my direction, a clipboard in her hand.
" Miss. Dawn, follow me." She says, walking straight past me, and I nod my head, glancing at the workers in the kitchen before following behind her.
"About the parent consent form, I have signed it for now as a guardian." She states and I look up at her, my eyes wide.
"R.really? Thanks Mrs. Carmen-"
"I was going to have you start in the kitchen tonight, but one of our cleaners got sick so you will be attending the main rooms." She interrupts my sentence, pointing to a cleaning closet.
I look at her for permission before opening the door to find multiple cleaning items lined on the shelves neatly.
" Here's all you will need. I would start with Mr. and Mrs. Conner’s room first since they come home the earliest, then you may do Mr. Wayne Conner ." She pauses for a moment and I notice her glance at my eye before continuing to speak as if what she saw never existed
Usually no one really paid attention to my injuries, or me at all in general. No one ever asked how my day was going, why I came to school limping, why I'd never smile, why I was always so quiet, no one bothered. I never expected anyone to.
" Leave Mr. Calvin Conner for last, he's usually not home until very late, or never." She says, her voice lacing with annoyance as she hands me multiple cleaning supplies.
The guy I ran into yesterday must've been one of the sons. Whatever his parents looked like, they definitely gave him good genes.
" You should never be in the rooms while they're in them so be careful with how long you take."
She adds.
" Yes ma'am." I say, trying not to drop anything when she adds the bottle of window spray onto my already big pile.
" When you're done you may go to bed and rest early since tonight is your first shift."
She says before walking down the hall and leaving me with all of the cleaning tools.
I hope she wasn't too mad that my face looked like it got run over by a train. All the other maids looked so clean and put together, I felt pathetic.
I blow a piece of hair out of my face as I gather up the supplies, heading towards another set of long stairs.
My legs could barely make it up, but I fight through as I finally reach the top floor of the house where Mrs. Carmen told me I'd find all the rooms.
Cleaning Mr. and Mrs. Conners room wasn't too difficult considering they had left it pretty clean, and by the time I was finished it was half past ten.
The rooms were so large that it took much longer to clean, and considering my weak body it took me even longer.
I slowly open the door to Wayne’s room, taking in the amount of football items he'd kept in here. It seemed like a normal teenagers bedroom, not considering the size and extravagance of it.
The room was fairly easy to clean, other than the amount of dusting that had to be done due to all of the football items Wayne had lined up on shelves.
The number four was on nearly every item he had, I assumed that was his uniform number.
I pause as I look at his wall filled with pictures of him and his friends. The pictures were taken at football games, beaches, parties, multiple different countries, and in some random parking lots.
I couldn't lie, I envied his life. I look at the bright smiles covering everyone's face, wondering if I'd ever smile like that too.
After forcing myself out of the sudden distraction I leave the room, walking down the hallway. I was drained already, but still had to clean Calvin’s room. Mrs. Carmen said he doesn't come home until late so I didn't need to hurry in his room, which made me feel somewhat better.
Why was his room so far away from the rest of the family?
I finally make it to the door, slowly opening it.
When I see no one is inside I sigh, moving the cleaning supplies onto the floor as I turn the light on.
My eyes scan the room, it was pretty empty compared to the other bedrooms, and the light was dim, contrasting with the dark furniture.
What was it with them having entire homes as a bedroom?
I grab a clean towel and glass cleaner, deciding to start with that since the floor already looked spotless. I feel myself drifting away as useless thoughts swirl in my head. At some point I don't even think I was wiping the table anymore.
After an hour I'm finally done with the bedroom, and make my way over to the door, my cleaning supplies held tightly in my hands. As soon as I reach the door it slams open, and I gasp while stumbling back as the door nearly hits my face.
Not even a second later a guy dressed top to bottom in black, his hair dark brown, and his eyes a piercing grey color walk in to the room. He looked pissed, not even noticing my startled figure in the corner.
I pay attention to his bloody knuckles and face, swallowing the lump in my throat as I'm about to sneak away. My plan is ruined when I hear his deep voice stopping me in my tracks.
"Are you not going to get me a fucking towel?" He orders, venom lacing his voice.
My body faces away from him as I shakily grab a clean towel, turning around with my head facing the floor as I slowly walk up to his tall figure.
He snatches the towel from my hand, and I feel his terrifying gaze on me.
How could this guy even be brothers with Wayne ?
They both seemed so different, one was sweet and normal, this one looked like a murderer with all the blood on his face.
" I know you," He suddenly says as he wipes some blood off of his face with the now red towel.
"Elara." He finishes after moving his eyes down to my name tag, and I furrow my brows together.
I take a better look at him in the dimly lit room, trying to figure out if I'd seen him before but I could barely even look into his murderous eyes that curiously looked at my face, lingering at my bruised up eye.
It takes me a moment, but when I realize, my stomach instantly drops. I notice how similar he looked to the guy who had bumped into me a couple nights ago, the same one who had been running from the cops.
The same one I told myself not to get involved with.
So, I do the most logical thing I could do in that moment. I rapidly shake my head no, turn around, and scurry out of the room with my cleaning supplies tightly held in my arms.
I feel the fear filling my body from top to bottom as i escape what seemed like the devils den, letting out a relieved breath when I decide I'm far enough.
He had a gun that night, a weapon that could kill, and I was planning on never going into any close proximity to Calvin ever again. Today was the only day I had to clean the bedrooms anyways, so I could easily avoid him.
At least I hoped so.