04- Alessia Maxwell

A whole day passed in a blur. I mean, it was like Mr. Reynolds just burst into my life out of nowhere. And now, I couldn't stop thinking about him. His piercing silver eyes, his smile... it all felt so surreal. I kept replaying our conversations in my head, but one thought stuck out—I couldn't shake off the feeling that my life had been turned upside down.

As the second day dawned, I felt like I was drowning in a sea of emotions. Excitement, fear, uncertainty—they all swirled together, having a maddening dance in my stomach. I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to work with him, to unravel the mystery that was Trevor Reynolds. But, honestly, I was freaking out. What if I messed up? What if he was super demanding or something? My mind was a mess.

As the sun started setting, I knew I had to make a decision. And yeah, I was clueless. The money was a huge problem, and I had no idea how I was going to come up with it. But I guess I didn't have a choice. It was either work for him or... well, I didn't really have any other options. So I took a deep breath and told myself, 'It can't be that bad, right?'

I dressed hurriedly; you shouldn't be poor and late, that didn't seem right. After all, I was Alessia Maxwell, a 21-year-old witty angel, and a college dropout due to financial problems. I loved fashion; it was my dream to own a fashion company one day. I was the only child of my parents, Lexi and Liam Maxwell. My father left Earth a long time ago, so it was just me, my mom, and her hospital bills.

Yup! Hospital bills.

Last year, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in the second stage. I was shattered at first, but then I realized I had to wear my big girl panties and be strong for my mother. I had to quit college when the expenses became unbearable. Months into it, I was working tirelessly and endlessly, trying to make enough money for my mother's surgery. The deadline was a week away, and I still couldn't get half of the money.

My mother was at stage 3C; it was a very delicate stage, and I knew we had a tough road ahead. She started her treatment with chemotherapy and radiation, trying to fight the cancer. The doctors mentioned that surgery could be part of her treatment plan, but it would likely be combined with more therapies afterward. They talked about targeted therapy if her cancer had specific characteristics. The financial strain weighed heavily on me, but I was determined to do whatever it took to support her through this challenging time.

My mother was one strong woman; she would always put others first. Lately, she started pestering me to stop her treatments, telling me she was eager to reunite with her husband again. She believed she was a burden to me, and that wasn't true. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, that I wouldn't do for her. Since we lost Dad in a tragic drunk-driving accident five years ago when he was on a business trip, our lives have been a rollercoaster ride from there on; the people we thought had our best interests at heart deserted us in our time of need. My dad's relatives forcefully obtained everything we owned. They sent us away from our own home without bringing anything along with us except for the clothes we had on. It's just funny, the things humans do because of money. Or is it covetousness? But this 'life' thing doesn't come with rules; I mean, you live and you die.

The rich bully the poor, and the poor cower into their shell. It's a cycle that has been existing for far too long already. But who will break it?

My father was what you'd call a lawyer with no will.

He didn't set up any will before he died, automatically giving his family members the upper hand. If I got a penny for every time my relatives cursed me out for requesting my father's properties, I would be a multimillionaire now.

Life may be terrible now, but I truly believe in 'what goes around, comes around,' because whatever you sow, you shall reap; and they will, because God doesn't sleep. It might take decades; hell, it might even happen today, but surely, they will meet their karma. Sometimes, you just accept that things might not always go your way. And fighting doesn't guarantee your happiness, nor does it guarantee your 'life.' The privileged will always have the upper hand, and to keep their hand up, they will destroy an individual with everything they've got. Everything.

I hated reminiscing on the things we had gone through. It was very depressing. I wiped the tears that managed to escape; I didn't even know when I started crying. It's still depressing. You never get over things like that. Yes, time heals all wounds. But for some wounds, time just doesn't heal.

I quickly sent a good morning text to Mom at the hospital and put a call through to my friend, Hailey. If you have her as a friend, you have everything. That girl is my friend; she helped me a lot in college, and to this day, I don't think I can do anything without her.

I met Hailey when I was in college; she was this 'hey, yes, I know I'm rich, but quit making it obvious' kind of girl. She was present in all my classes, and she loved everything and anything fashion, just like me; instantly, we clicked. We started by sharing the same dreams, fashion ideas, and gossip, and before you knew it, we had already become best friends.

The moment was cut short when my phone vibrated in my back pocket, creating a funny feeling in me. The screen flashed Hailey Bear, my nickname for Hailey.

I hit the green button. "Morning, bitch. I missed your call. What's up with you?" Said Hailey, with her high-pitched voice.

"Good morning, Hailey, I need your help. Could you swing by my place ASAP, like right now?" I asked with hope laced in my voice.

"I knew it. I knew you didn't call because you missed me. Well, I'm at the front of your building. Come out; you'll find me there." She said.

"Thanks, babe, I'll be there in a minute," I said briskly. I grabbed my house keys and a Nutella bar to quench the rumble my stomach was making, then headed out.