Chapter 3:- lions den

OLIVIA

“Yes,” I said quickly when Daniel returned from his phone call. “I’ll take the job. We don’t have any other choice.”

And it was true. We had less than a week before Mr. Peterson would throw us out, and Johnson needed a safe place to recover from his treatment. Daniel’s offer felt like a miracle falling straight from heaven.

Two days later, Johnson was discharged from the hospital. He looked much better, though still weak. Daniel’s driver, a kind older man named Marcus picked us up in a sleek black car. As we drove through the city, the houses grew bigger and more beautiful until we reached a neighborhood I’d only seen in magazines.

“Is this where we’re going?” Johnson whispered, eyes wide as he stared out the window at the massive mansions.

When Marcus turned through iron gates and drove up a long, winding driveway, my jaw dropped. The Blackwood mansion looked like something out of a fairytale, three stories tall, surrounded by lush gardens and elegant fountains. Johnson grabbed my hand, and I could feel his awe matching mine.

“Welcome to your new home,” Daniel said with a warm smile as he helped us out of the car. “I know it’s a lot to take in.”

He led us through the front door and into a grand entrance hall with marble floors and a dazzling crystal chandelier. I was still looking around in wonder when a cold, familiar voice made my blood run cold.

“Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in.”

I turned slowly and saw Chris Blackwood sitting on an expensive leather couch, his smirk making my skin crawl. My hand instinctively went to my cheek where he’d slapped me just days ago.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he said, standing and walking toward us. “Daniel, please tell me you didn’t actually bring this street trash into our house.”

“Chris, that’s enough,” Daniel said sharply, stepping protectively in front of me.

“Oh, it’s never enough with people like her,” Chris sneered, pointing at me like I was filth. “Do you know where I found this little beggar? Running wild in the street, nearly scratching my Lamborghini. And now you want her living here?”

Johnson moved closer to me, scared by Chris’s cruel tone. I wanted to defend myself, but the words wouldn’t come. I felt small, worthless, under his gaze.

“She’s here to work,” Daniel said, his voice hardening. “And she deserves to be treated with respect.”

“Respect?” Chris laughed bitterly. “For a nobody who probably can’t even read? You’ve lost your mind, brother.”

Before Daniel could respond, we heard footsteps descending the marble staircase. A tall, elegant woman in a designer dress appeared, her cold eyes landing on us like a spotlight.

“Daniel, darling,” she said in a voice as icy as her stare. “What is this?”

This had to be their mother. Her face twisted with disgust as she looked at Johnson and me like we were insects.

“Mother, this is Olivia and her brother, Johnson,” Daniel explained. “I told you they’d be staying here. Olivia’s going to work for us.”

Mrs. Blackwood’s nose wrinkled in distaste. “These are the people you hired? Daniel, where on earth did you find them? On the streets?”

“Actually, yes,” Chris said with a cruel grin. “I literally found her rolling around in the gutter a few days ago.”

Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not in front of these people, these monsters who already thought I was beneath them.

“That’s enough,” Daniel said, his voice tight with fury. “Both of you.”

But his mother wasn’t done. “Look at their clothes, Daniel. Look at how thin they are. What will our friends think when they see… this… in our house?”

“They’re here to work, not to impress your friends,” Daniel said flatly. He turned to me and Johnson with an apologetic look. “Come on, let me show you to your room.”

He led us up a wide staircase and down a long, elegant hallway to a small but clean room with two beds. Compared to where we’d been, it felt like paradise.

“I’m really sorry about that,” Daniel said after closing the door. “They’ll get used to you being here. You start work tomorrow morning at six. Maria, one of the other maids, will show you the ropes.”

:::::::::::::

Morning came too soon. Maria, a woman in her fifties with kind eyes but a strict tone, woke me while it was still dark.

“Come on, girl,” she said. “We’ve got a lot to do before the family wakes up.”

The work was brutal, scrubbing floors, cleaning bathrooms, washing dishes, helping with meal prep. My hands were raw by midmorning, my back ached terribly, but I didn’t complain. This job was giving Johnson a chance at life. That was all that mattered.

That evening, I was asked to help serve dinner in the grand dining room. My hands trembled as I carried plates to the massive table where the entire Blackwood family sat. At the head of the table was Xavier Blackwood, the patriarch, someone I’d only seen in newspapers and on TV. One of the richest men in the country.

“This food is excellent,” Daniel said after a bite, looking directly at me. “You helped make this, didn’t you, Olivia?”

I nodded, blushing. “Yes, sir. I helped Maria with the cooking.”

“Well, you clearly have a talent,” he said with a warm smile that made my heart flutter unexpectedly.

Xavier looked up, interestingly. “So you’re the new girl Daniel brought in. What’s your background, child?”

“I… I don’t have much of one, sir,” I stammered. “I’m just trying to work hard and take care of my brother.”

“Honest work is something to be proud of,” Xavier said, nodding. “I respect that. What do you think, Emily?”

That’s when I noticed the two women at the table, both stunningly beautiful. One was blonde and dripping in jewelry; the other had dark, model-like features.

The blonde one,Emily, looked at me with icy disdain. “The food lacks seasoning,” she said sharply. “There’s not nearly enough pepper in the sauce.”

“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I can add..”

“Don’t bother,” she interrupted coldly, lifting her plate. “It’s already ruined.”

Before I could react, she tilted her plate and dumped the hot food onto my arm. I gasped as the scalding sauce burned my skin.

“Oops,” Emily said sweetly. “How clumsy of me.”

Silence fell over the room. I stood there, shaking, my arm burning, the humiliation burning worse than the pain.

Daniel’s chair scraped back suddenly as he shot to his feet, face dark with rage.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Emily?” he snapped, rushing over.

“Daniel, language,” his mother warned, but he ignored her.

“That was completely uncalled for,” he said, examining my injured arm with concern. “You could have seriously hurt her.”

“It was an accident,” Emily said innocently, but the smug look on her face betrayed her.

“The hell it was,” Daniel muttered, guiding me out of the dining room. “Come on, Olivia. Let’s take care of this.”

Behind us, I heard Chris laughing and Emily whispering something about me “learning my place.” But all I could focus on was Daniel’s gentle touch on my back and the fact that he’d defended me without hesitation.

He led me into what looked like his private study and carefully treated my burn with cool water and antiseptic. His touch was soft, his presence calming.

“I’m really sorry,” he said as he wrapped my arm with clean bandages. “Emily had no right to do that.”

“It’s okay,” I whispered, though we both knew it wasn’t.

“No, it’s not,” he said, meeting my eyes. “You don’t deserve to be treated like that. Not by anyone in this house.”

There was something in his eyes that made my heart race. His hands lingered a moment longer on mine, and for a moment, everything else faded, the pain, the embarrassment, all of it.

“Olivia,” he said softly, leaning in slightly.

But before anything else could happen, the study door burst open.

“Well, isn’t this cozy?” Chris drawled with a nasty smirk. “The prince and the pauper, having a romantic moment?”