Trapped with the billionaire heir

The kitchen of the Blackwood’s Regency Hotel bustled with activities; waiters hurried out with clattering silver trays, the hot pans hissed as they were sprinkled with oil, and the aroma of brewed coffee coupled with the crackle of sizzling bacon filled the kitchen. In the middle of this chaos wrapped with elegance, Lily Hart struggled to steady her sweaty palms as she placed a mug of coffee on a silver tray. “Lily!!” Her manager called from the door. “Table four, now!!” He barked. She nodded quickly, her hands straightening out her crumpled and old uniform, tucked a strand of hair behind her right ear, plastered a fake smile on her face, and steadied her palms on the tray. Outside the kitchen was an entirely different scenery. The slow instrumentals playing in the distance clashed with the soft murmurs of the well-dressed customers. The restaurant dripped with class. Lily walked swiftly across tables, her eyes fixed on the woman seated at table four typing away on her phone with her red-nailed fingers, red lipstick splattered on her lips, and her eyes heavy with lashes. “Ma’am… your cappuccino.” “About time,” the woman murmured, her nails clashing with the glass table as she placed her phone on it. Lily tried to place the mug on the table, but in a flash of seconds, her hand trembled, spilling the coffee on the woman's crimson-colored suit. She froze. “Oh my god!!… I…I…am so sorry.” The woman shot to her feet, eyes wide with fury, her lips trembling. “What have you done?!” “Miss…Cole,” the manager, Mr. Langley, called, panicking, running to the scene. “Please…please forgive her. I…I…am sure it was a mistake.” The woman took a few steps forward, her heels clattering on the marble floor. “Mr. Langley… Your waitress should know better than to spill coffee on me,” she sneered, her eyes boring large holes on Lily. “I…I’ll clean it up,” Lily stammered, picking up a napkin with shaken hands. She tried to wipe off the stain, but she was shoved away by Miss Cole. “No!!... Don't you dare touch me with that filthy thing. I suppose you don't know who I am. "I am Versace Cole," she echoed. This time, everyone in the restaurant shifted their gaze to the scene, gasping and murmuring. “Versace cole? The billionaire heiress whose face was on more than half of the entire billboard in Los Angeles” “I am sorry…it was a mistake,” Lily begged, her short frame slightly bent, her eyes staring at the marble floor. “You are? Then wipe off the ground with your uniform,” the words dripped off her red lips. “What!” everyone gasped. “Now!” Versace roared. Lily turned her gaze to Mr. Langley; the look on his face “dared her not to do it and face his wrath.” She fell on her knees, scrubbing her uniform on the spilled coffee. She fought back tears as she continued scrubbing; she felt all eyes on her, and she wished for the ground to open up and swallow her. “We are so sorry once again… Miss Cole, this won't repeat itself,” Mr. Langley begged. “It better not.” Versace picked up her bag and phone and catwalked out of the restaurant. Laughter bubbled from the nearby tables, loud enough for Lily’s ears. “Clean this up quickly,” Mr. Langley sneered, “and get back to work.” Lily nodded, still on the ground. Everyone in the restaurant had already moved on; forks clinked, and soft laughter returned as if nothing had happened. Only her world had stopped. She felt eyes on her even when no one was looking, and she could not bring herself to stand on her feet. “Lily!!” She looked up to see Becky holding a mop and a bucket. Becky was the one person who had made all her shifts bearable. They had being friend since highschool. They would always find time to gossip, whenever Mr. Langley was out of earshot. “Oh…for heaven's sake, Lilly!! Get up, you can't clean the floor like that.” She grabbed Lily's arm, pulling her up. Lily gave a wry smile; she could still feel an uncomfortable knot in her stomach. Her uniform was soaked, and her knees ached from being injured by broken pieces of mug. “Versace Cole…very mean. I heard she forced her PA to mop the floor with her hair,” Becky said. “Her hair?” Lily gasped, “Uh...uh, half the staff saw it. She is a major investor here; even Mr. Langley can't stand up to her." Lily could not place a finger on what she was feeling; she felt a lot of emotions swimming through her. She was angry, but she was scared of losing her job, especially not at this critical time. “Are you okay?” Becky asked, thrusting the mop on the floor. Lily nodded, letting out a forced smile. “Go to the restroom and clean up; I will finish up here.” “Thanks.” She slipped back through the doors, making her way to the restroom, the noise of the restaurant fading behind her. The quiet of the restroom was disrupted by her buzzing phone; her breath caught on checking the caller ID. “Hello.” “Blackwood’s Hospital calling. Is this Miss Lily Hart?” “Speaking” “Ma’am, this is a reminder on the overdue payment for the treatment of Ivy Hart.” Lily felt her stomach drop. “Yeah… I know; I just need a little more time. The money is almost complete.” “We are afraid, ma’am, that if the payment isn’t made before tomorrow, Ivy’s treatment will be paused…hospital policy.” And with that, the line disconnected. Lily broke down; she was tired of letting it all in. She cried her heart out; she knew her world would crumble if she lost Ivy; she was the only one keeping her going. How was she to raise the overdue amount in less than 24 hours? Poor Becky wouldn't have that amount. Just yesterday, she had asked Mr. Langley for a loan, but he had blatantly refused. She asked for her salary advance, showing evidence of her daughter lying helplessly on the hospital bed, but he still didn't budge. Who was going to help her? Her mind spiraled back to Ethan; he should help; he has to. As soon as her shift ended, she took off her uniform, picked up her bag, and dashed out through the hotel’s main door. Outside the hotel, the sun had dipped behind the skyline, painting the streets of Los Angeles in gold and shadow. She walked briskly across blocks, her damp hands clutching tightly to her bag, her hair already rumpled, the smell of cappuccino trailing her every step. The events of the day—Versace Cole’s voice, the look on Mr. Langley’s face, the gasps from the customers, Becky’s pitiful eyes, and the hospital’s cold reminder—replayed vividly in her head. Tomorrow, she has to get the money before tomorrow. Her pace increased as she walked into a familiar neighborhood until she reached a modest apartment complex. As she climbed the stairs, she heard music coming from Ethan's apartment—low and lazy, just the way he likes it. She felt relieved, and she knocked on the door. “Ethan? It's me.” No answer. She knocked again. “Ethan?” No answer. Her hands reached for the doorknob, and it opened easily; she pushed the door slowly. An unfamiliar giggle from a female hit her as she walked in. Right there on the bed, Ethan lay on his side, half-dressed, his hairy chest visible, but he wasn't alone; his arms were tangled around a red-haired Latina woman. “What?!” Lily gasped.