Chapter 4 : I refuse To Be Fired

I thought I could finally break away from Eliana.

Turns out luck wasn't mine to keep.

Freedom, my foot…

In the end, I got dragged right back there.

Dragged by force, kicked out of my boarding house, shunned by friends I’d just met.

Damn it!

I have nowhere to go home.

Ahhh…

I want to scream.

Furious. Annoyed. Disappointed.

I don't even know what I did wrong, but I got fired—they called it "honorable," but it felt like being treated like trash.

Discarded the moment I wasn't useful anymore.

"5 million will be transferred to your account, Miss," said the assistant, whose name I didn't even know yet.

His voice was flat, professional, completely indifferent to me. "That amount isn't much for the Sergios. But for you… it’s enough to start a business, right?"

Amon had just left and he wouldn’t be my assistant anymore. To them, I was just a line item passing through their ledger.

That money meant nothing compared to Johan's wealth. My business could be crushed. My employees could be bribed. My money could be gone any day if he decided to hire thugs.

In the end, I was pulled back to that house again.

To be a maid…

A MAID!

"If that’s all, I’ll take my leave," he turned to go, adjusting his collar.

I stared at his back, watching my only lifeline walk away.

No.

I can't.

"Bastard!" I screamed. The word tore out of my throat, raw and vibrating with pure rage.

He stopped.

Turned.

Surprised.

His mask of professional indifference cracked for a split second.

"We apologize, Miss Hawisa," he said softly, his tone shifting to something almost human. "I know this feels unfair. But this is an order from above."

"Then tell me what I did wrong before you throw me away!" Tears burned my eyes.

I was humiliated. Disappointed. Broken.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Miss Hawisa."

"Then why was I fired, Ha…" I couldn't stop crying. I covered my face with both hands, shaking.

"This is a company secret. I can't tell you."

"I was your employee too, right? I was. If you’d told me from the start, I would’ve accepted it, but you didn't say anything—just, 'congratulations… congrats, you're hired,'" I lowered my hands, clenching them tight. "Just that, right? I didn't even read the contract, I didn't care as long as I had a job."

The man hesitated, glancing toward the closed door. Then he stepped closer, dropping his formal posture. He looked at me with pity. We were probably the same age, but his life was so much better than mine.

"If you hadn't come yesterday, Mr. Amon might be dead by now," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Thank you for that."

"I already know that. Don't keep repeating it," I snapped, angrily wiping my tears. "Just tell me the secret so I can understand why I'm being thrown out."

The assistant took a deep breath, deciding to be open. "Mr. Amon suffers from trauma. Very deep. A mental illness. When he's touched by a woman, he feels such disgust that it’s like he’s possessed by a demon."

"S–so that’s why!"

The man glanced fearfully at the door, stepping closer to me.

"There's no cure yet. The rumors are spreading everywhere," he whispered.

"S–so that’s the reason you hired me in the first place?" My voice shook as a horrifying realization began to dawn on me.

"That's why you should read your contracts. Don't just sign things blindly." He sighed.

"I'm sorry," I said weakly.

"When he has an episode, he’s reckless enough to end his own life. But if he sees a woman nearby, he chooses to attack her to vent that disgust."

My knees were shaking.

I felt like I was going to faint.

No wonder he beat me up that time.

"So I was hired just so Mr. Amon wouldn't end his own life, then?"

"That… honestly, that counts as an emergency situation. But yes, that was also part of the contract agreement," he answered.

I bowed my head, my gaze empty as I stared at the hospital floor.

No…

Don't give up, Wisa.

If you were brave enough to get out of Eliana's hell, just face it.

Move forward, Wisa.

No need to be afraid.

"In that case, don't fire me," my voice was firm.

I lifted my head. Up.

Meeting the eyes of the man in front of me.

"W–what? Say that again?" his voice was nervous. He took a few steps back.

"I refuse. I won't be fired just because of his illness." I stood up, even though my legs were trembling from the lingering physical trauma.

"I told you before. I'm ready to give everything. My body, my time, my life. If standing in front of him means he won't hurt himself, then I'll do it. If he needs to vent his anger on me instead of himself, let him. I’ll sign whatever papers you want. I won't run."

"Are you serious?" He cut in quickly.

The assistant stared at me, horrified by the madness of my offer. "You've lost your mind, haven't you?"

*****

After the assistant left, I followed him from behind. When he entered the large, luxurious hospital room,

I pressed my ear to the heavy wooden door.

I wasn't allowed inside.

"Is she okay?" Mr. Amon’s voice sounded from within. Low. Tired. Full of guilt.

"Yes, Sir. She's fine. She even yelled at me," my assistant replied.

I looked through the door glass.

Inside the room were five men and one distinguished old man sitting on the sofa.

"She must be disappointed," Amon said bitterly. "She must hate me."

"She didn't say that, Sir. She said she didn't want the bonus," the assistant replied.

"Then what does she want?" asked the old man sitting in the room.

"She doesn't want to be fired."

"What?" The old man chuckled softly.

"She'd rather be beaten, she’s willing to sacrifice herself as long as Mr. Amon doesn't die."

"Is that so?" Amon's voice was soft.

But there was a faint smile on his face.

"Alright then, let's see just how brave she is with me," Amon said.

Does that mean I’m not fired?

"Very well, Sir."

A few seconds later, a man opened the door.

"Miss Hawisa, please come in."

Inside, the distinguished old man stood waiting for me.

Meanwhile, Amon turned toward the window, not wanting to look at me.

"Miss Hawisa?" asked the old man with sharp, but authoritative eyes.

"Yes, Sir. That's me," I answered.

"Please sit." He gestured toward the plush leather sofa.

I felt out of place, a bruised girl sitting in a luxury chair.

Like a stray dog invited to a king's table.

"My name is William Antonius Sergio," he said after I sat down. "I'm Amon's grandfather."

The weight of his name hit me like a physical blow from Amon. I stood up and bowed quickly.

"S–sorry, Sir!"

"Sit down. Relax." He forced me to sit back down with a gentle but firm wave of his hand.

"I came to discuss your contract with my grandson."

"I apologize for refusing to leave, Sir," I said spontaneously, trying to show my usefulness before he could dismiss me. "But I don't mind the… " I glanced toward Amon. "The 'demon possession' of Mr. Amon." I bowed my head.

"I'm not afraid of him."

William chuckled softly.

I glanced at Amon.

Amon turned toward me for a second but immediately looked away, annoyed.

"I understand. And I am grateful," he said. His eyes softened for a moment.

"I’m the one who should be grateful, Sir," I said quickly, laying out my own terms. "Mr. Amon hired a high school graduate like me. Nobody. I just want to keep working so my stepfamily can't attack me again."

William was silent for a moment, weighing the transaction.

Then he nodded. "In that case, stay at Amon's house. You will both be safer there. You can watch over him. He can… protect you from your family."

My heart jumped to my throat.

Happy, but also scared.

I was just trying to act brave earlier because I had no other choice.

"Is… is that allowed, Sir?"

"Of course it is. From now on, you will live under the same roof. Keep him safe. And I will make sure you are safe too."

I nodded.

Smiling widely.

This is a deal with the devil. I have no choice. There is no way back to hell.

"Thank you, Sir," I said.