2
1598 Words
Rose POV
Later, I asked Peniel, one of the hotel managers and my closest friend, for permission to treat my wound. He had always been my savior whenever I found myself in difficult situations.
“Thank you so much. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you,” I said.
Peniel smiled. “It’s fine. I’ve got your back. But you really need to wash your hair. It looks like it’s been a while.”
He gently fixed my messy black hair.
“I know. I just haven’t had time to take care of myself lately.”
His expression became serious.
“You need to prioritize yourself, Rose. You’re a lady, after all. Now go before the new boss sees us talking.”
He nudged me toward the door.
“I’ll tell you everything about the new boss later. I don’t want to risk getting on his bad side.”
I smiled.
“See you later.”
I left feeling grateful for Peniel’s kindness and curious about the mysterious new boss everyone seemed so cautious about.
When I got home, I opened my apartment door quietly, careful not to make any noise that would alert my landlord. The last thing I needed was another lecture about my unpaid rent.
I dropped my bag on the old couch and sat down, wincing as pain shot through my leg.
My eyes fell on the cut.
The memory of what happened earlier came rushing back.
The man.
His cold expression.
Those intimidating blue eyes.
Who was he?
I reached into my bag and pulled out the card he had given me, staring at it.
“Why does he look so elegant?” I whispered. “He looks like an actor from Italy.”
I shook my head and stood up, grabbing cotton wool and disinfectant from my drawer.
As I cleaned the wound, I winced.
“Mmm.”
I froze when I realized how the sound came out.
My cheeks warmed.
Before I could think about it any further, my phone rang.
I answered without checking the number.
“Where are you?” Mia asked.
I looked at the time and my eyes widened.
It was already 5:30.
I was supposed to be at work at 5:00.
“I’ll explain later.”
I quickly covered my wound with a plaster, grabbed my things, and rushed out.
When I arrived at the coffee shop, Mia was busy preparing drinks.
I slipped inside, trying to catch my breath.
“What kept you so long?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I’m sorry,” I replied.
“You’re lucky the boss didn’t notice. He came and left in a hurry.”
I sighed in relief.
“I completely forgot about work.”
Mia laughed.
“It’s like you’ve finally found a fortune and decided you don’t need this job anymore.”
She handed a coffee to a customer with a flirtatious smile.
“Stop doing that,” I whispered, rolling my eyes.
“He’s cute,” she said as the customer walked away.
I grabbed my apron.
“Speaking of cute guys, I met one today.”
Mia immediately turned toward me.
“Really? Rose wants to talk about a guy? The Rose I know doesn’t find anyone attractive, even if he’s handsome and sexy. Tell me about him.”
“He’s…”
I paused as I remembered the broken watch.
“I think I’m in trouble.”
Mia frowned.
“A few seconds ago, you wanted to tell me about a cute guy, and now you’re in trouble?”
She looked at my face and noticed my fear.
“Okay, tell me what happened.”
I took a deep breath.
“At the hotel, I was carrying glasses through the hallway. I slipped and broke them. After cleaning everything up, I was leaving when I bumped into a man.”
Mia stared at me.
“And?”
“I broke his watch.”
Her eyes widened.
“Mia, you don’t understand. If you saw him, you’d understand. He was intimidating. Tall, powerful, and he looked like someone who could destroy a person with one sentence.”
I pulled out the card.
“He told me to pay him back. He gave me this. You know I don’t have money. I have bills, rent, everything.”
Mia sighed.
“You might not even see him again. He probably came for a business meeting. Just don’t call him.”
“Exactly,” I said. “I never want to see him again. Men like that always expect something from women like me.”
“Exactly,” Mia teased. “But I wouldn’t mind giving him something since you said he’s handsome.”
I looked at her in disgust, and we both laughed.
A customer walked in, and we quickly returned to work.
The next morning, my alarm woke me earlier than I wanted.
I dragged myself out of bed, washed my hair, got dressed, and headed to the kitchen to prepare oatmeal.
Just as I was about to leave, my phone rang.
It was Peniel.
Why was he calling this early?
“Where are you?” he asked immediately.
I frowned.
“I’m at home. Why?”
“You’re supposed to be here already. I can’t cover for you if you’re late. This is new management.”
I looked at the time.
“My shift starts at eight. It’s only seven.”
“Didn’t you receive the email?”
“What email?”
He sighed.
“The new CEO’s welcoming ceremony. Everyone is required to attend.”
My eyes widened.
“Damn it. I’m on my way.”
I dropped my spoon, grabbed my bag, and rushed out.
When I arrived at Hilton Hotel, everyone looked different.
The staff were dressed perfectly, standing with nervous expressions.
Rumors had been spreading about the new CEO. People said he was strict, ruthless, and impossible to impress.
Everyone was present.
Managers.
Receptionists.
Cleaners.
No one wanted to make a bad first impression.
Hilton Hotel was the number one five-star hotel in America, and everyone knew they had to maintain that reputation.
I quickly joined the line beside the other employees.
The relief on Peniel’s face when he saw me was obvious.
Then the convoy arrived.
Luxury cars stopped in front of the hotel.
A Lamborghini Veneno.
A CCXR Trevita.
A limousine.
And finally, a Rolls-Royce Boat Tail.
Security guards stepped out first.
Everyone became silent.
The door of the Rolls-Royce finally opened.
A man stepped out.
My heart stopped.
The same ocean-blue eyes.
The same cold expression.
The same man from yesterday.
No.
It couldn’t be.
My breath caught.
This had to be a dream.
The man I had broken a watch worth more than I could ever afford was standing in front of me.
And everyone was waiting for him.
I quickly lowered my head, using my hair to hide my face.
Please don’t recognize me.
He walked past, his eyes briefly landing on me.
For a terrifying second, I thought he knew.
But he continued forward.
I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
Later, inside the conference hall, everyone gathered as the former CEO stepped forward.
He tapped his spoon against his glass, and the room fell silent.
“May I have your attention, please?”
Everyone turned toward him.
“As you all know, I was appointed CEO by Leonard Hilton, the owner of Hilton Hotels and Suites. I have managed this company for over five years.”
He paused.
“However, it is time for the rightful heir to take over.”
My heart began racing.
“Please welcome your new CEO…”
The room went silent.
“Andre Hilton.”
My blood ran cold.
The room erupted into applause as he stepped forward.
Everyone watched him in admiration.
I could barely breathe.
Andre reached the front and looked over the crowd.
“Thank you all for coming,” he said, his Italian accent making his voice even more noticeable. “I look forward to working with each and every one of you.”
He raised his glass.
“Cheers to new management.”
Everyone lifted their glasses.
But I stood frozen.
Because that voice…
That same cold voice that demanded I pay for his broken watch…
Belonged to my new boss.
“Waitress!”
A voice called out from behind me.
I turned around quickly, but before I could see who had called me, I accidentally bumped into someone. The tray in my hands tilted dangerously, and I almost spilled the drinks.
“Hey! Watch where you’re going!”
I froze.
A young woman in her early twenties glared at me, her voice sharp with irritation.
“You only have one job here, and that’s to serve drinks, not spill them on me.”
“I’m so sorry,” I apologized quickly. “I really am sorry.”
I carefully checked her dress, making sure none of the drinks had touched it.
Her expression softened slightly when she realized there were no stains.
“You’re lucky I don’t see anything on my dress.”
With an annoyed huff, she walked away.
My eyes followed her as she approached Andre.
My stomach tightened when I saw her smile.
The two of them exchanged a warm embrace, followed by a familiar kiss on the cheek.
I stood there for a moment, watching them.
For some reason, I felt a strange ache in my chest.
I forced a small, pitiful smile and quickly left the conference hall, embarrassed and overwhelmed.
- Writer
