From pretence to forever

chapter 5 : The night shift.

Joanne walked into the luxurious hotel, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety. After changing into her uniform, she was unaware that during her absence, the manager had reassigned her from working as a waitress to a cleaner. Her back ached terribly, making it almost impossible to bend and do the cleaning. She could barely move and every small task felt like an enormous effort.

She tried to explain her situation to him, but he just looked at her with indifference. “You have to do it,” he said coldly, his tone leaving no room for explanation. She wanted to argue, to tell him about her back pain which was real and unbearable, but she couldn’t. The truth was, she desperately needed that job. It was the only way she could provide for her baby.

It was the worst experience of her life. Her mind kept drifting back to her baby, left alone with a stranger. She had no choice but to trust that the person she had left him with was kind-hearted, but doubt crept in, making it harder for her to focus on the task at hand.

She wondered if her baby was safe, if she was being properly cared for, and whether she was making the right decision by leaving her with someone she barely knew. Deep down in her heart she comforted herself that Tony Clark was a good man and decided to concentrate on her new duties for a while. It wasn't easy for her and at such moments, memories of her late father would come back knocking but she had no choice.

That night, Joanne was disturbed the whole night and was unable to concentrate. She tried to figure out why her waitress job was taken away from her but she didn't have a concrete reason. "That animal! He is only using his position to frustrate me just because I don't like his inappropriate behaviour." Joanne whispered to herself as she continued working.

Joanne

As I struggled to carry out my duties, my muscles ached with each movement I made. Unexpectedly, Maren one of the other cleaners, noticed how difficult it was for me. She knew my situation all too well. Just a month ago, I had given birth and was still recovering.

On top of that, I had contracted pneumonia during my stay in the hospital, which had left me even weaker than before. Maren, along with the other cleaners, had overheard the manager talking about how he wanted to get rid of me. They knew how hard things had been for me, and they could see the strain it was causing.

“Let me help you out ,” Maren said, her voice full of kindness. She didn’t hesitate, and her enthusiasm for the task was contagious. “You need to rest,” she added. Her offer was a relief, and without a second thought, I accepted. She stepped in with such energy, cleaning with a smile that seemed to lighten the entire room.

The other cleaners, too, were quick to step in. They locked all the doors behind them, making sure that no one would disturb us. It was clear that they weren’t just cleaning for me; they were protecting me. The manager couldn’t get in and order me around, and I was allowed a rare moment of peace. I could finally rest without worrying about being scolded or pushed to do more than I could handle.

While Maren and the others worked, I sat down in a corner, grateful for their support. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting my body relax, and I couldn’t help but feel relieved. Their kindness meant more to me than I could ever express. They were not only helping me with the physical labor but also easing the emotional burden I had been carrying.

As the night wore on and the clock seemed to stand still. I watched as Maren and the others worked tirelessly, each of them cleaning with an unwavering dedication. It felt like a small miracle that, in the middle of this tough situation, I had found people who truly cared.

When the shift was finally over, the morning light began to filter through the windows. It was time for me to leave, and my first thought was to rush home to check on my baby. I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally, but I was also filled with gratitude. Maren and the others had stepped in when I needed them the most, and their selflessness made all the difference.

As I gathered my things to leave, Maren came over to me again. “Don’t worry,” she said softly. “We have vowed to support you until you recover well, We’ve got your back.”

Those words, simple yet powerful, stayed with me as I walked out of the hotel and towards the person who mattered the most to me—my baby.

Tony

Everything had been going on quite well, or so I thought, until a certain point when things started to fall apart. Deep down, I was really worried about how I would convince my father about this fake relationship I had gotten myself into. Sometimes, I wished it was all just a dream. But unfortunately, the reality had already dawned on me. I had willingly walked into a situation that now seemed almost impossible to escape from.

Joanne's behavior that evening made me uneasy. She seemed to be in a hurry, and I feared it was because she was scared. I thought that by joining her in the kitchen after the baby had fallen asleep, she would calm down and take things slowly. But I was wrong. Her mind was already made up—she was planning to leave. I had no idea where, she had planned to go.

What surprised me the most was that she had boldly asked me to take care of the baby that night. At first, I thought she was joking. It sounded so unbelievable. However, I would soon learn that she was really serious. She didn’t even stay long enough to share the delicious meal she had already prepared. That’s when it truly hit me that I was in trouble.

Fear caught the better part of me, and I panicked. I grabbed my phone and quickly dialed Simon's number. When he answered, I didn’t waste time. “Simon,” I said anxiously, “can you please come over? Don’t come with your car because I need your help. Also, I want you to take this car back to the mansion. I’ve gotten myself into a huge mess, and we really need to put our heads together to find a solution.”

I spoke with such urgency and frustration, it was as if Simon himself had caused the problem.

Not long after, I heard someone knocking hard on the door. The noise sent me into a panic once more. For a moment, I thought the police were at the door again. “Who is it?” I called out nervously. The loud knock had already woken up the baby, who had been sleeping so peacefully.

I now had another task of soothing the baby. I had to hold him, rock him gently in my arms and feed him just to get him back to sleep. It felt like I was stuck in a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.

Simon’s voice came through the door. “Hey boss, what’s going on?”

I got up and opened the door. Simon stepped in and was clearly shocked by the sight of me cradling the crying baby. “Is the baby yours boss?” he asked, his eyes widely open.

His question made me furious. “How can you even ask such a thing?” I snapped. “Do you think this little brat is my child? Are you out of your mind? I called you here to help me solve a serious problem, not to scold or accuse me!”

Simon was speechless for a moment. He couldn’t believe it when I told him that Joanne had taken a taxi and left without saying where she was going. She had actually left the baby with me—just like that. No explanation. No warning.

I had no choice now but to play the role of a caring father to a child that wasn’t mine. Joanne had truly shown a lot of courage, or maybe recklessness, by walking away and leaving everything on my shoulders.

Simon stood there, staring at me like I had grown two heads. I on the other hand, was struggling to hold the crying baby in one arm while trying to keep my frustration from boiling over. The truth was, I didn’t hate the child. No, I was just overwhelmed, confused, and perhaps… a little hurt. The woman had left without a word, not even a hint of where she was going or when she’d return. It sounded like she had a night shift, but where?

“She just… left?” Simon asked, raising his eyebrows in disbelief.

“Yes, Simon. She just vanished. Took a taxi, left her phone behind, and told me—no, ordered me to take care of the baby. Like I’m some kind of babysitter in a fake soap opera,” I snapped walking back and forth in the room without saying a word.