A Lie To Save Us
1044 Words
Shammah's POV
"I'm not using you," I said quietly, touching my sore neck. "He was hurting me."
David's eyes darkened when he saw the red marks on my throat. "Did he do that?"
I nodded.
"Driver, take us to my house," David said. His voice was scary-calm.
"Your house?" I squeaked. "Why?"
"Because you're hurt and you smell like beer," he said. "You need to clean up."
I looked down at my uniform. He was right. I was a mess.
We drove for a while; when we finally stopped, I gasped. His house was huge; it looked like a castle.
Inside was even more beautiful. Marble floors, fancy paintings, and big windows everywhere.
"The bathroom is upstairs. Third door on the left," David said. "I'll have my housekeeper bring you clean clothes."
"Thank you," I whispered.
In the bathroom, I looked at myself in the mirror. I had beer stains on my uniform, my neck was bruised, and my eyes were red from almost crying.
What was I doing here?
After I showered and put on the soft clothes the housekeeper gave me, I went back downstairs.
David was sitting in a big chair, looking at his phone. When he saw me, he put it away.
"Sit," he said, pointing to the couch.
I sat down, feeling nervous.
"I looked into your father's situation," David said. "He made some very bad choices; the people he owes money to are dangerous."
My heart sank. "So you can't help?"
"I didn't say that." He leaned forward. "I'll pay the seven million dollars. Your father will be free tomorrow."
I jumped up. "Really? Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!"
"But," he said, and I froze. "There's a condition."
My stomach dropped. Not again. First Solomon, now David?
"What condition?" I asked slowly.
He stood up and walked over to me. "You'll work for me. As my personal assistant."
I blinked. "Your assistant?"
"Yes. You'll help me with meetings, paperwork, and events. Normal assistant work." He paused. "The job pays two hundred thousand a year. You'll pay me back the seven million over time. Say, ten years."
I did the math in my head. That meant I'd only pay him back two million total. He was giving me five million for free.
"Why would you do this?" I asked. "You barely know me."
Something flickered in his eyes. "Let's just say I don't like seeing young women put in bad positions, and I especially don't like seeing them hurt."
He touched my bruised neck gently; his fingers were warm.
"Thank you," I whispered. "I'll work really hard. I promise."
"I know you will," he said. "You start Monday. Be at my office at eight in the morning."
"I have school—"
"You can do both. Your classes are in the afternoon," he said. How did he know my schedule? "The morning work will be flexible."
I wanted to ask how he knew so much about me, but I was too grateful to care.
"I'll be there," I promised.
Monday morning, I showed up at David's office at exactly eight o'clock. The mean receptionist from before glared at me.
"He's expecting you," she said sourly. "Top floor."
In David's office, he was talking on the phone. He waved me in and pointed to a desk near his.
"That's yours," he said after he hung up. "Your computer password is written on this sticky note. Your first task is to organize my calendar for the week."
I nodded and got to work.
It was actually kind of fun. I liked organizing things. The morning flew by.
"You're good at this," David said, looking at my work. "Better than my last three assistants."
I smiled. "Thank you."
"Go to class," he said. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."
As I was leaving, my phone buzzed. It was a text from an unknown number.
"Your father is being released today. You should be there."
My hands shook as I called my mom.
"Mom! Is it true? Is Dad coming home?"
She was crying, but happy crying. "Yes! They just told me. Oh, Shammah, I don't know how this happened, but your father is free!"
I looked back at David's office. Through the glass wall, I could see him working.
He looked up, and our eyes met. He gave me a small nod.
I smiled and mouthed "thank you."
He turned back to his work, but I saw him smile too.
Everything was going great for two weeks. My father was home, I was doing well at school and work, and my family was happy again.
Then Esther showed up at David's office.
"Daddy!" she squealed, running to hug him.
I stared. This was the girl Solomon chose over me.
She was beautiful. Long blonde hair, perfect skin, expensive clothes.
"Esther, what are you doing here?" David asked. He didn't hug her back.
"I wanted to have lunch with you," she pouted. Then she saw me. "Who's this?"
"My new assistant, Shammah," David said.
Esther's eyes went wide. "Shammah? As in Shammah Rowland?"
How did she know my name?
"Solomon told me about you," Esther said, smiling meanly. "You're his ex. The one who tried to trap him with a fake mate bond."
"That's not true!" I said.
"Esther, that's enough," David said firmly.
But she ignored him. "Daddy, you can't have her working here. She's trying to steal other people's men. First Solomon, and now probably you."
My face burned. "I would never—"
"I said enough!" David's voice was hard and cold.
Esther stepped back, surprised.
"Shammah is my employee, and she's doing excellent work," David said. "You will treat her with respect, or you can leave."
Esther's mouth fell open. "But Daddy—"
"Now, Esther."
She glared at me, then stormed out.
I stood there, shaking.
"I'm sorry," David said quietly. "She shouldn't have spoken to you that way."
"She's your daughter. You shouldn't have to pick between us," I said.
"I'm not picking between anyone. I'm simply demanding basic respect," he said. "Don't worry about Esther. She'll get over it."
But as I left work that day, I couldn't shake the bad feeling in my stomach.
Something told me Esther wasn't going to let this go.
- Writer
