5
1079 Words
Genova's POV.
Five years later...
"Lily!" I called out her name with a sense of urgency, my voice echoing through the hallway as I hurriedly arranged her lunchbox.
She was running late for school, something that rarely happened. I always tried my best to ensure she made it to school early, not wanting to make a bad impression.
"Mummy!" she exclaimed, appearing at the doorway with her scrunchies in hand. I smiled, walking towards her and gently helping her secure her dark, soft hair into place. "Are you excited for going to grade one?" I asked, my voice filled with anticipation.
She giggled, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yes! My teacher said it's going to be so much fun," she replied in her adorable, sing-song voice.
I named her Delilah, but I affectionately call her Lily. She's the one who keeps me grounded and sane amidst the challenges of the past few years. Raising her hasn't been easy, but with each passing day, I find myself more grateful to have her in my life.
"That's great. Alright, let's get going. We're running late," I said, gently urging her towards the door. We walked out of the apartment building and hailed a taxi. The drive to her school was a brief ten minutes filled with laughter and anticipation.
"Have fun, okay?" I said, placing a tender kiss on her forehead. "I love you."
"I love you too, mummy," she replied, wrapping her tiny hands around my neck in a warm embrace. I watched with a mixture of pride and bittersweetness as she walked into the school, my eyes glinting with tears. They grow up so fast.
I took the next bus to my workplace at the café, where I worked two jobs to make ends meet. During the day, I served customers at the cozy café, and at night, I worked at the bar.
Lily was unaware of my job at the bar, and I intended to keep it that way, wanting to shield her from the realities of that environment. My job at the bar paid well, even more than the modest café where I spent my days. It was a necessary sacrifice to ensure Lily had the best opportunities in life.
As I arrived at the café, I wore my apron and prepared for a busy day ahead. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and the sound of cheerful chatter enveloped the cozy space.
"Waddup Nova!" Alice says with a bright smile as she spots me.
"Hey Alice. Sorry I'm late," I say, grateful that she covered for me.
"Yeah, about that, the manager wants to see you," she says, a hint of sympathy in her voice.
My heart sinks. "What? Please tell me you're kidding."
"Sorry, I really tried," she says, her expression apologetic.
I let out a frustrated groan. Mrs. Jenkins and I never quite saw eye to eye. She had this obsession with perfection that I simply couldn't live up to.
Summoning all my courage, I make my way to her office. I knock on the door and hear her stern voice commanding me to come in.
"Explain yourself," she says, her eyes piercing with disapproval.
I let out a heavy sigh. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Jenkins—"
"I can't work with you anymore, Genova. I've been receiving multiple complaints from customers about your behavior. Being rude to a customer and consistently being late," she says, her tone unforgiving.
I slump my shoulders, feeling defeated. It's no surprise I received a bad review. Some customers leave their manners at home, especially those who think it's okay to touch or make inappropriate advances towards female staff members.
Ugh! It's frustrating to deal with such situations, but it all ends today luckily.
I walk out meeting Alice attending to other customers. "So?"
I sigh.
She gave me a sad look.
"I'm sorry Nova" she says pulling me in for a hug.
I shrug, "It's fine."
"So what are you gonna do now?" She asks.
"I'll look for another job. No worries, at least I still have my job at the bar" I say.
She nods. "Sure. I'll see you around then, tell Lily I say hi and I'll surely drop by"
I nod as I assemble my things.
I waved her goodbye stepping out of the cafe.
I let out a breath.
"What now!?" My wolf growls.
Even I don't know.
Later in the day, I had dropped Lily off at Nonna's, an elderly woman who lived just two floors below our apartment in the same building. Nonna had always been kind and helpful to us since we moved here three years ago. Lily felt comfortable with her, so I knew she would be well taken care of.
As the day turned into night, I made my way to the club, which was just a short walk away from home. Its name was Elysium, and it belonged to the infamous Billionaire, Alexandra . Elysium was renowned as one of New York's most exclusive and elite clubs.
Upon entering, the booming music assaulted my ears, causing them to cringe. My role at the club was simple: serve drinks to the customers. That was it.
"Hey Nova!" John greeted me as I walked in. John was one of the top security personnel here, but he always gave me a creepy vibe.
He leered at me, making my nose wrinkle in disgust. Yes, he was definitely a pervert.
"Let's eat his head off," my inner voice, my wolf, said. Over the years, she had become savage and cold, and I couldn't blame her. We had been through some tough times.
"The boss wants all employees at his office," John informed me.
"Wait! He's back?" I asked, feeling my heart drop. Alexandra had been absent for the past two months, and rumors were circulating that he was facing financial troubles.
"Okay," I nodded, walking away. But before I could leave, John grabbed my wrist.
"Have you thought about my offer?" he asked, a suggestive tone in his voice.
I snatched my hand away, shooting him a glare. "Excuse me!" I said firmly, walking away.
I made my way through the underground hallway that led to the boss's office. I knocked on the door and heard a voice inviting me in.
As I walked into the room, all eyes turned towards me. My colleagues stared, but it was the burning gaze of Alexandra that made my heart race.
- Writer
