MY FATE ENTANGLED IN A BILLIONAIRE WEB

Chapter.3.A.Different.Life.In.a.Snapshot

The ride back into the city was tiring in its length and took me to Clara's apartment. The small and cozy apartment snuggled in on a street that balanced between two worlds, caught between rich and poor. The street was narrowly charming with small shops and friendly neighbors; just a block away, however, lay the impressive size of wealth.

Clara welcomed me and Chris with open arms, helping us unpack our stuff. As we settled into the house, there was one feeling that had been in me since the journey that I couldn't get rid of. The sleek, black car and the man at the wheel kept flashing in my mind. Was it really him? I tried to push such thoughts away, living in the present, but it remained as if it were a shadow following me everywhere.

When night began, Chris was getting tired after our long journey, and I tucked him into bed, watching his little chest rise and fall with every peaceful breath. I leaned forward to press a kiss against his forehead; a smile tugged at my lips. But as I pulled away, the biting feeling in the pit of my stomach came flooding back stronger than ever.

I need to take a walk," I whispered to Clara, who was cleaning up the living room. "Can you watch Chris for a bit?"

Clara looked at me with concern but nodded. "Of course. Just be careful out there.

I nodded, snatching up my coat as I stepped out into the cool night air. I boarded a taxi, telling the driver as fast as i could my parents' address to the driver as the familiar streets passed by quickly and a wave of emotion washed over me. So long it had been since I'd been home. So much changed, yet not altered enough, was I.

The taxi drives in front of the small house I grew up in. I hesitated a moment before stepping out, my heart pounding in my chest. I walked to the door as with every step, memories flooded my mind. But when I knocked, it wasn't my mother or father on the other side. Instead, there is some strange woman standing there, peering at me in confusion.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked.

With my throat closing off, I fought for the use of my voice. "I… I used to live here. Is this still the Rodriguez residence?"

The woman shook her head. "No, I'm afraid not. We bought this house about two years ago.

The ground had seemed to shift under my feet. I'd ran away from the shame, and had come back for all that was familiar and now it was all gone. A tear overflowed my eyes as I muttered a quick apology and turned away. Hurrying back to the taxi with the weight of my past weighing me down, I instructed the driver to take me back to Clara's apartment.

As the taxi drove through the town, my tears blurred the view outside, but I made myself look out of the window. Sure enough, the streets were old memories mixed with new developments until we entered the wealthy part of town, where for one second my tear flow came to a stop. The mansions that lined the street were dream-things of huge estates with big yards, decorative gates, and gardens well groomed to perfection. For a moment, I had forgotten the ache that I felt earlier, lost in the idea of so much luxury outside this moving world.

In an instant, the taxi jerked to a stop; the engine sputtered and then died altogether. I crumpled my face, looking around to see where we’d finally stopped. We were in front of one of the biggest mansions I had seen so far, its imposing gates and perfectly clean grounds speaking of a life far removed from my own.

Sorry, miss," said the driver, playing with controls on the car irritably. "It would appear that we have broken down. I'll have to call in for assistance.

I nodded absent-mindedly and got out of the taxi, stretching my legs. But then, as though pulled by some kind of magnetic force, I found myself staring at the mansion ahead of me. It was beautiful, almost dreamlike in its beauty, and for a moment, I wondered what it would be like to live in such a mansion, to be free of the worries that had haunted me for the last few years.

Dazed, I just stood there until I heard murmurs of voices near me. Two women, standing just inside the gates of the mansion, spoke in hushed tones; their words then caught her attention.

"I cannot believe that they have sacked her," one of the women said with a hint of scandal lacing her tone. "But I suppose she had that coming, trying to seduce one of the brothers like that.".

The older, gruff woman snorted. "Serves her right. But now they're looking for a new maid, and this time it won't be so easy."

My heart leaped. A job? Here, in this mansion? I disagreed, but the image of going back to Clara's apartment with no job and absolutely nothing coming from it poked me forward. I did need to work, and if there was even a chance, well, I had to go for it.

I approached them, my voice trembling. "Excuse me, but I couldn't help overhearing. Are they really looking for a new maid?"

The younger one, a probable gardener, stared curiously at me, while the older one, with the air of a cook, frowned suspiciously at me.

"Why? Are you looking to take the job?" She asked gruffly. "You don't seem the type. Or are you just another one of those girls looking to catch a rich man's eye?

I blushed at that, my voice stammering over the answer. "N-No, it isn't like that. I just.I really need a job. I have a son to take care of, and I just came back to the city tonight. I don't have many options.

The gardener's face was kind and peaceful, but the cook merely raised an eyebrow. "You think you're up to it? Being a maid in a place like this isn't easy, and we don't need any troublemakers."

"I can," I said, my tone firmer now. "I'll work hard. I just need a chance.

She nodded resignedly, looked sideways at the cook, and back at me. "Hmph, well. If you are serious you could come back in the morning. The madam of the house leaves the country for the U.S. soon, but you might be in luck and talk to her before she does."

I nodded, my chest bursting with thanks. "Thanks. I'll be here first thing in the morning."

The cook grumbled to herself and turned away. But the gardener smiled reassuringly and whispered, "Don't mind her,just be honest with the reason you need the job. The madam appreciates sincerity."

I nodded again and gave the women a small, grateful smile before I headed for the taxi. The driver must have managed to get the car going again. Driving away, I couldn't resist looking in the rearview mirror at that mansion one last time.

As the mansion disappeared into the view, my mind whirled with all sorts of possibilities. Was this finally the break I was in dire need of, or was I to be flung into the mouth of a world that could swallow me? My heart was between hope and fear. I couldn't shake off this feeling that my life was going to change in ways I could not yet understand, a change for better, or was I walking into something far more dangerous?