Chapter 5

Zarlia’s POV

"He still has the guts to bring Letisha into this house and have her sleep in the same room with him," I murmured as I brushed my teeth. I had to be early for work on my first day, so I did my best to avoid a brawl with Romero. I'd slept on the couch, making sure to use my earmuffs so I wouldn't hear any sounds from their room.

"Where are you off to this early?" Romero queried as I came into the room to get my clothes. I wouldn't respond to him, not to someone who would disrespect me enough to bring another woman to sleep in our bed.

"Aren't you the one I was talking to?" Romero challenged, standing up.

"And how is it supposed to be your business?" I retorted, looking him straight in the eye before glaring at Letisha and leaving the room hastily. I was already running late, and I wasn't going to let my unfortunate boyfriend give me a bad record on my first day of work.

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"Hi, you must be Zarlia, right?" A young man in a blue tuxedo and neatly ironed pants, broad-shouldered and with a firm jawline, approached me, extending his hand.

"Yes, I am," I responded, completely mesmerized by his looks.

"I'm Andrew, and I'll be showing you around the company," he smiled. "Follow me," he beckoned.

As Andrew showed me around the Stets Empire, I couldn't help but admire the magnificent building. Everything seemed perfectly placed. The paintings on the walls, the gigantic sculptures, the ambiance – it all exuded luxury.

"So, Miss Zarlia," Andrew said.

"Yes, sir," I responded almost immediately.

"Sir? I told you my name was Andrew," he retorted with a broad smile.

"I'm sorry, Andrew," I replied coyly.

"The top floor is occupied only by the MD and CEO, but as his secretary, you have an office just beside the entrance," he mentioned, motioning towards the office.

"Do I start work today?" I inquired.

"Oh no, you start tomorrow. I'll just show you around, and Bernice will tell you what to do," Andrew chirped. "So that's all for today. 8:30 tomorrow morning, don't be late," he added.

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Oh, I should have asked him about the salary, I thought in the cab on my way home. "Well, the place looks really luxurious, I'm sure the pay will be good," I smiled. The last time I was this happy was on my birthday a few months ago when Romero sang, cooked, and played with me.

“Oh no, Romero” muttered almost in a scream . He did threaten me not to return to the house.

I desperately hoped he was only bluffing. I had nowhere else to go, and he knew it. There was no way he'd want me roaming the streets. Underneath the sweet loving boyfriend, Romero had a bad side, his anger, on several occasions he would do things that left me surprised, but i always held on, i believed everyone had a bad side to them, that made us all human with imperfections.

"Romero, please don't do this," I cried, as I saw him tossing my things out of the house.

"I warned you this morning didn’t i?” he hollered, shutting the door.

I stood there transfixed, unsure what to do. I couldn't think straight. My alleged mother had disowned me, and Romero had just kicked me out of a house I helped pay for. I couldn't hold back the tears. I held my bags and let them fall freely down my cheeks.

As i sat in the pavement on our street, i saw a car.

"It’s that weird guy again," I mumbled as I saw him in the white Range Rover parked right in front of my house. “How does he manage to find me every time I need comfort?” I wondered.

"Hey, Zarlia," he called out. "What's wrong this time?" he added, stretching his hands towards me.

"How do you always find me?" I queried, peering sternly into his eyes as i placed my hands in his palms.