A Night With My Boss

Mary rushed down the tidy floor of William's castle, gripping her cleaning bucket. Her hair was a bit messy. Her apron is full of stains from hours of working tirelessly. She hadn’t rested well in weeks. Her younger sister’s hospital bills were accumulating daily, and every working hour was a mountain she had to climb alone. She was a humble housekeeper. Mary grew up in a small town outside North Carolina. She had a childhood of warm memories …church bells ringing on Sunday Mornings. She also sings in the church choir. She helped serve meals at the community gatherings. Her mother died when she was fourteen, lung cancer took her less than six months. Mary watched her mother struggle with her life in the hospital bed while her father worked three jobs trying to pay for her treatment. When her mother finally passed away something broke inside her. Six years later, when she was twenty… now tall, curvy and eyes sharp. After she graduated from college her father disappeared with no explanation. No address. Just gone. Her sister Lilian was born with a heart disease and the doctors said she needed medication daily just to keep her heart beating normal. They couldn’t afford the expensive heart surgery to stabilize her heart, so she had to get up early everyday. She would walk a distance to catch the bus because the car was too expensive for her. She skipped meals just to save every penny for Lilian’s medication. She had never known romance, never kissed anyone, never gone to parties or dated anyone. Her life was survival. Meanwhile, Mike Willam was living in another universe. He was one of the richest heirs in the city…. Tall, wide chest, sharp jawline and cold eyes. He was raised to know emotions were weaknesses. A man who built empires but couldn’t build love or relationships. He had everything: jets, fast cars, penthouses and many estates, he attended business meetings where billions are moved with signature, he owned castles overlooking the city skyline, restaurants where a single meal cost a fortune. Yet he was completely shattered inside…empty and cold, people only saw his success, ignoring how lonely he was. They saw his power, overlooking his pain. His father, Willam’s Richard, believed softness ruined men. Feelings were distractions. Kindness was a weapon enemies used against you. So Mike learned to speak only in order. Never in feelings, never in hopes. His mother, Victoria, believed love was a distraction. Relationships were a transaction, and romance was for foolish people who didn’t understand how the world really operated. Mike grew up watching his parents in the same house but in a different world entirely. They attended events together and they smiled for the cameras, but they never laughed or played when they were alone. Mike became exactly what they wanted him to be: cold, very successful, feared and respected. He was thirty-two years old. He had never loved any woman. He had dated many women, had s*x with a lot of women and most of them wanted him first. Women of timber and caliber wanted to be part of his world because his name carries power, but to him, those relationships felt unreal. Mary glanced at her roaster. Next up: Upper room corridor. Meanwhile, Mike returned home early that day in a bad mood. Because his initial agenda was to fly to Germany to sign a multimillion-dollar deal, but his personal secretary messed up with his proposal and his jet took longer than expected. As he walked through the corridor that leads to his room focused on his phone, Mary was lost in thought. She didn’t notice him. She turned her mopping bucket to the right corner just as Mike stormed around the same bend. Crashed. Dirty water splashed on Mike’s designer shirt. His phone fell from his hand. Mary was shocked, her eyes stretched wide. With a shaky voice,“ I’m so sorry, sir,” Mike’s keen gaze tightened. “Are you out of your mind?” he asked furiously. “So sorry, sir, I didn't hear your footsteps approaching,” she said, trembling. His calm but deadly voice that echoes through the room draws the attention of the other staff. “This shirt is more expensive than your annual wages for a whole year,” he said coldly. Mary hung her head in disgrace. “It was an accident,” she said, face full of regrets. Mike didn’t respond. He ignored her and headed to his room, dripping and furious. Back in his room, as he changed into new clothes, he muttered, “Today is cursed”. Mary worked the rest of her shift with trembling hands. Her colleagues' whispers followed her like cologne. “You splashed water on Mike Williams? You must be out of your mind,” one of them said. She didn’t respond. She couldn’t afford to lose her job. Her sister's life depended on it. That evening she was assigned to clean Mike’s room … the exclusive master’s room. The head of staff handed her the room key. “Be quick and be careful,” she said, with a warning eye. Mary nodded. “Yes ma.” She rode the elevator in silence. She knew what it meant to clean the master room. No mistakes… if you still want to have your job. Inside, the room was massive, modern and quiet, a fading sunset lit the room through the transparent glass walls. Mary moved carefully not to break anything, cleaning the surface and mopping the floor. Her eyes burned and her body ached. When she got to the master’s bedroom, her body finally gave up. Just a few minutes, she told herself. She sat on the edge of the massive bed just to rest for a moment. Her eyes closed. She never meant to fall asleep. But she passed out. Mike returned late that night from a friend's hangout, slightly tipsy with a little migraine. He looked tired and pale. He pushed open the door in his room, loosened his tie and froze. Someone was on his bed. Not just anyone. A cleaner. Sound asleep, nestled up on his bedsheets, with a cleaning feather slackly held. He popped in disbelief. “How did you get here?” His loud and thick voice traveled through the room. He held her wrist and dragged the bedsheets. Mary was shocked awake, her heart pounding faster. “Sorry, sir,” she said sharply. “I never meant to fall asleep on your bed. Please don’t sack me,” I need this job to keep my sister alive. She pleaded. Mike's voice cut her short. “What are you doing on my bed ?” he asked furiously. With weepy eyes, “I was exhausted, sir,”. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even realize,” she pleaded. He recognized her immediately…the same girl from the hallway. The dirty water Chaos. He got more furious but flattered. There’s something in her eyes that caught him. Not just fear, not shame. Exhaustion. Still, pride held him rigid. “Get out,” he said, his voice like Ice. Mary scrambled up, nearly falling, in her haste to flee. Then he blocked the entrance. He didn’t rush. He didn’t grab her violently. He just stepped in front of her smoothly. Mary stopped. Her breath caught. The door was right behind him, now she couldn’t reach it without going through him, “Wait,” he said. Mary’s fingers tightened around the edge of her apron. “Sir, please. I’m sorry. Let me go,” she said, trembling. Mike's eyes narrowed slightly. “Why are you shaking?” he asked sharply. She said quickly, “Not shaking, sir." He glanced at her innocent eyes for a second. “Are you not one of those ladies that come to my room with high expectations to return with something”? He asked with a low voice. Mary blinked, confusion flashed across her face before fear returned. “No sir, I only came to clean your room,” she said. Mike leaned closer …not touching her, but close enough that she could feel his presence like heat. “Then why did you sleep off on my bed?” he asked coldly. “Because I was tired,” she said softly. His stare at her face down to her lips, then back to her eyes. Mary’s cheek flushed. She took a step back carefully, but the door was still blocked. Her mind started pounding fast, like it always did when danger came close. She had seen how men could change when they had power. She had watched people like her get blamed for things they didn’t plan. She had no parents. No one could walk in to defend her. If she made one wrong move now, her whole life could shatter. She might lose her sister. Forcing stability into her voice. “ Please let me go, sir, Mike watched her for a while. For a second something flicked in his eyes… something like annoyance, something like curiosity. Then he exhaled through his nose. “Are you sure you want to leave?” he said. “Yes sir,” he replied sharply. Before you leave, tell me something you want me to do for you, he asked. “Name your price,” he said. The word grounded in her heart like a ticking bomb. Mary gazed at him, speechless. “Sir… I don’t understand.” Mike's voice stayed flat. “Don’t act like you don’t understand. I said, Name your price. " I'll give you everything you ask for,” he repeated. Mary's mouth opened and closed again for a second but nothing came out. Pride, tired to rise in her chest, pride too tired to remind her of the promise she made to her mom… she’ll keep her dignity.