Chapter 5
1533 Words
~Aria~
My life was a mess. After the shame and humiliation I went through, I locked myself in my room for two days straight. I barely ate, barely moved.
Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was the way my late parents looked at me, the way my father looked at me.
I had failed him and my mother. I had jeopardized their hard work and fed it to those vipers.
I was a failure.
Curled up in my misery I decided to lay there expecting the worst to come, besides there was nothing left.
But my grandmother wouldn't let me drown in it. She kept knocking, kept calling my name, kept forcing me to remember that I wasn't alone, that I had a baby now, a life growing in me.
When I finally stepped out of the room, I felt like a ghost of myself. My body was weak and worn out, the morning sickness kicked in, making me look all worse.
Every time I caught my reflection, I barely recognised the girl I had become. I couldn’t even remember the last time I gave my hair a good wash.
A lost, wandering hopeless figure surviving off her old Nana.
I had lost everything
Darren Maxwell, you've ruined my life, you've taken everything I ever loved away from me.
My future, my life, my dignity, my love, my company, everything that has led me on since I lost my father. You've taken it from me and left me with nothing but the car I was gifted by my father when I turned 16.
I wish I had never met you, I wish I had never agreed to marry you.
Tears stung my eyes as I sat in front of the hot soup my grandma had prepared for me. Just staring into nothing and not saying a word.
I placed my hands on my belly, feeling the tiny life growing in me, I had no idea I how would take care of this beautiful soul growing inside me.
"If only I could get a job" I mumbled to myself, "to take care of you and Nana..." but everywhere I turned, I was the subject of ridicule.
Nana must have heard me because she placed a firm hand on my shoulder from behind “ Aria” she called out bringing me back to reality, " you will, child. But first, you eat. The baby needs strength and so do you."
I nodded, forcing down a spoon of the soup, as the warmness of the soup along with Nana’s warm presence remind me I still had something left after all.
Besides, my body was already weak and frail. If I didn't take anything I might have some serious complications.
Nana came in with two more bowls, one with veggies and the other filled with meat. “ You ah gotta finish them two bowls a' grub, ya hear me ” she commanded with her southern Texas accent.
A loud, unconscious chuckle erupted from my stomach. “ what the…Nanna”
It's been a long time since I heard her use this Texas southern accent.
She laughed, settling down opposite me after placing the beef casserole on the table. “ Nana still has it in her, okay?”
I laughed, munching down the food as she placed more on my plate. She really did know how to ease me up.
After a heartfelt breakfast I settled down on the couch after helping Nana in the kitchen. I was about to turn on the TV when I heard Nana’s voice.
“Oh! That reminds me- ” she paused, adjusting herself on a couch with knitting wool and a pin on her hand. I sat up instinctively looking at her, “old roger said he's in need of a worker in their restaurant urgently. I don't remember the role but he's hiring, but he definitely needs workers"
I looked at her with so much excitement that I rushed over hugging her tightly “thank you, thank you thank you, Nana” she giggled nodding her head.
Early the next morning, I took two buses and arrived just in time for my interview. It wasn't anything fancy but had its own unique taste that made it stand out from in the area where it was beautifully situated.
But that's far from my concern right now. I walked into the restaurant that morning with my head held high.
Despite the whispers and pitiful stares due to my pregnancy, Old Rogers, a gruff but kind-hearted man, took one look at me and said, “Are you sure about this Arianna? ”He asked, his voice gruff with concern.
“Yes,” I said firmly, “I need this.”
He studied me for a moment before nodding. “Alright then, you start today.”
Relief washed over me. Finally, a step forward.
And that was how I got a job at the restaurant to work in the kitchen cleaning section.
I worked hard, kept my head down and did my best to survive.
But as time went on, I soon start to notice how other female workers were always fighting to serve a particular table at the top right VIP section of the restaurant.
I didn't think nothing of it until one night while cleaning up after closing, I found a framed newspaper article on the office wall.
Maxwell Industries expanded its empire. Business mogul Darren Maxwell invest in top tier restaurant chains
And right there, among the list was the place I had been working in for months.
I gripped the edge of the desk I was standing in front of, my breath cut in my throat, I had been breaking my back in his restaurant.
I couldn’t believe this!
Of course he wants to own the whole world for himself. Caging people and threatening them to sell their businesses just like he did to me.
Now realising I had been working for him, I felt disgusted, but didn't quit.
Because I knew fate had definitely put me in his world again for me to get back everything I had lost.
_____
Six years had passed. Six years of struggle, survival, and silent cries. Six years of learning to live with the pain that Darren Maxwell had left with me.
But through it all, I had found one reason to keep pushing forward—the little chipmunk that I brought to this world.
My son—Saviour.
Holding my little Savi baby, as I fondly call him, in one hand I smiled and whispered, “ Mama is going to make you proud” tears rolling down my cheeks, promising him a better life than mine as he planted a cute little kiss on my cheek.
By now, I wasn't just a struggling dishwasher in Darren's restaurant. I had fought my way up. From a simple dishwasher to the Head Chef.
Of course with Nana’s teaching and my excellent skills in cooking, my cooking had earned me respect, adored by my own colleagues for my unique style in cooking. Even old Roger had grown a liking towards me, building an invincible string of trust between us.
I continued working diligently, keeping a close eye for an opportunity to strike. I only had one thing in mind—revenge.
Now, I had a plan.
Step one, stand on my own two feet.
Then, on one night just as my shift was about to end, I was ready to go home to Nana and my little angel, Savi, when Claire, a waitress on her shift stopped me “chef Aria, table three requested to see the chef who had prepared the dish” she said, with her head lowered and her voice small.
I could tell the intense fear radiating off her. Who could have made her scared like this.
My heart skipped a beat.
Wait, table three?
For six years that table was untouched, no one dared to sit there. Everyone knew it was reserved for someone untouchable.
I knew exactly who that table belonged to.
A slow smile crept onto my face. Finally.
“Let's go”
I pulled off my hair net with sass, drying my hands with a clean towel before stepping out of the kitchen.
And there he was.
Darren Maxwell, sitting at the spot like a king on his throne, his sharp jawline even more chiseled, his presence just as overpowering as I remembered.
Dressed in a finely-tailored navy blue suit, he leaned back against the chair, his fingers lazily swirling the rim of his wine glass.
He looked just as powerful, just as untouchable.
For years I had imagined this moment. I thought I would be weak, afraid, small in front of him again.
Except now, I wasn't the broken girl he left to rot behind.
I stood in front of him, our eyes meeting sending unannounced shivers down my spine but I kept my face neutral.
His expression didn't change, but I saw the flicker of recognition, the moment his jaw tensed.
I titled my head slightly, my voice steady, curling my lips into the slightest smirk.
“ We meet again, Mr Maxwell.”
- Writer
