CHAPTER 06: A MESS

JADA'S POV

Never in a million years did I think my life would take a turn like this.

It was already falling apart before the pregnancy. If bad luck had a favorite person, it was me. Sometimes I honestly wondered if my family had been cursed generations ago, because nothing ever seemed to go right.

And that theory couldn't have been any more right.

Out of all the stupid things I had done in my life, this had to be at the top of the list.

Not only was I broke and pregnant.

I was pregnant by my boss who was married. Not long ago he was in and interview with his gorgeous supermodel wife, smiling for the cameras and telling the whole world how much they loved each other.

The irony was almost laughable.

It could have been anyone.

Literally anyone but him.

But somehow, life always found the worst possible way to punish me.

At this point, it felt like the universe had a personal grudge against me.

"Are you even listening to me?" Nadia asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I blinked a few times before looking at her.

"Huh?"

She sighed and folded her arms across her chest.

"I've been talking for the last five minutes."

"Sorry," I muttered. "My mind is somewhere else."

"I can see that."

She studied my face for a second before her expression softened.

"Girl... are you sure you're okay?"

I forced a small smile as I folded the last bedsheet and placed it neatly on my housekeeping cart.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Nadia gave me a look that said she wasn't buying it.

I ignored her and pushed my cart over to the supply shelves.

I loved Nadia. She was my friend. But she also talked too much. Not because she was a bad person. Gossip just seemed to follow her wherever she went.

The last thing I needed was for everyone in the hotel to know I was pregnant before I had even figured out what I was going to do.

So, no.

This was one secret I was keeping to myself.

I grabbed fresh towels, mini shampoo bottles, body wash, lotion, and room freshener from the shelves. One by one, I arranged everything neatly on the cart.

I still had a few more rooms to clean before my shift was over.

Every muscle in my body ached like hell.

My back was the worst.

I just wanted this day to be over.

I wanted to go home, crawl into bed, pull the blankets over my head, and sleep.

Maybe if I slept long enough, I could escape my miserable reality for a few hours.

"I'm gonna go finish up," I told Nadia as I pushed my cart toward the door. I let out a tired groan. "I just want to get the hell out of here."

She laughed. "You and me both."

I managed a small smile.

"Okay. I'll see you later."

"See you."

I walked out of the housekeeping room and headed for the elevators, pushing my cart in front of me. The hallway was quiet, except for the soft squeak of the trolley wheels against the polished floor.

I pressed the elevator button and waited. A few seconds later, the doors slid open.

Thankfully, it was empty.

I pushed my cart inside and pressed the button for the twentieth floor.

As the elevator began to climb, I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the handle of the cart before lowering my forehead onto my arms.

I let out a long sigh, feeling the slight relief that position brought to my aching back.

For a brief moment, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the silence.

The elevator came to a stop at a certain floor and I looked up, expecting another guest or one of the hotel staff. Instead, my heart nearly stopped.

Standing outside was Mrs. Sterling.

The famous Lotus Cher.

The wife of the man whose baby was growing inside me.

My fingers tightened around the handle of the cart until my knuckles turned white.

Fear settled deep in my chest.

Did she know?

Oh god.

Did she know her husband had cheated on her with me?

My breathing became shallow. I quickly looked down, hoping she wouldn't notice me.

She didn't even spare me a glance.

She stepped into the elevator with effortless grace, her phone pressed against her ear.

She looked absolutely stunning, and I was positive every piece of fabric she wore on her body alone was enough to solve eighty percent of my money problem.

She pressed the button for the penthouse floor.

"I'm not losing sight of anything, Dad," she said calmly into the phone. "I know exactly why I'm here."

There was a pause as the person on the other end spoke.

"I'm working on it as we speak. I just need a little more time. I'll have the documents signed soon."

Another pause.

She nodded. "I know daddy. Just trust me, okay?"

I couldn't help but steal another glance at her.

The moment I did, my stomach twisted into knots.

She was breathtaking.

Everything about her looked effortless.

From her flawless makeup to the expensive clothes that fit her perfectly, she looked like she belonged on the cover of every fashion magazine.

Standing next to her made me painfully aware of how different we were.

I had nothing on that woman.

Not the beauty, the body and definitely not the confidence.

I looked down at myself.

My housekeeping uniform was slightly wrinkled from hours of cleaning rooms. My hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and I was sure there were dark circles under my eyes from all the stress and sleepless nights.

I suddenly felt so... small.

I couldn't understand why Mr. Sterling would risk losing a woman like her. Especially for someone like me.

I wasn't the kind of woman men normally noticed, let alone powerful, wealthy men like Mr. Sterling.

I was a little chubby.

Nothing dramatic, but enough for me to spend most of my teenage years wishing I looked like the girls on television.

Honestly, I still caught myself doing it sometimes.

I would look at Mani, with her perfect figure and flawless face, then I would look at myself.

The difference felt like day and night.

So what had made him sleep with me?

I couldn't understand it, and I doubted I ever would.

"Love you, Dad. I'll call you later," Mrs. Sterling said before ending the call.

She slipped her phone into her designer handbag.

Silence filled the elevator. The only sound was the soft hum of the cables as we continued upward.

Every second felt painfully long.

I kept my eyes on the floor, silently praying the doors would open before she looked at me. I wasn't sure I could handle facing the woman whose life I had unknowingly helped destroy.

The thought of her eventually discovering the truth made my stomach churn.

She was going to be devastated.

What wife wouldn't be?

The guilt was already eating me alive.

It didn't matter that I hadn't known Mr. Sterling was married when I shamelessly opened my legs for him.

None of that changed anything.

Finally, for what felt like the first time in forever, luck decided to throw me a bone.

The elevator slowed before coming to a stop on the twentieth floor. The doors opened and I quickly pushed my cart toward the exit, eager to put as much distance between us as possible.

Mrs. Sterling stepped aside gracefully to let me pass.

As I walked by, our eyes met for the briefest second. I offered a small, polite nod. She returned it with one of her own before her attention drifted back to her phone.

I lowered my head and hurried out of the elevator.

The doors closed behind me with a soft chime, and I finally released the shaky breath I'd been holding.

My legs felt weak.

I rested both hands on the handle of my cart, willing my racing heart to slow down.

"Get it together, Jada," I whispered to myself.

I really didn't know when I would ever catch a break in my life.

It was always one problem after another.

I was getting sick of it.

Taking one last deep breath, I straightened my uniform, wiped my sweaty palms against the fabric, and reached into my pocket for my master key card.

Work didn't stop just because my life was a mess.

I pushed my cart toward the first room on my list, pretending everything was fine while the weight of my secret threatened to crush me.

♧♧♧

Mani wasn't home by the time I finally got back from work.

It was a little after six in the evening.

She had texted me while I was on the train that she was going out with one of her many sugar daddies.

One thing about my best friend was that she loved older men with money. Said something about how they knew how to treat a woman.

I didn't understand that kind of lifestyle, but I never judged her for it.

Mani worked as a receptionist at Sterling Hotel. On paper, she earned almost the same salary as I did. But if you walked into our apartment and opened her closet, you would think she was a millionaire or something.

She owned designer dresses, luxury handbags, expensive heels and jewelry that probably cost more than six months of my rent.

Most of it had been bought by the rich men she dated.

Even that trip to Miami had been paid for by one of her sugar daddies.

He had booked our flights, paid for our hotel, and even given Mani spending money before we left.

That vacation was supposed to be the happiest week of my life.

Instead, it became the week that changed everything.

I dropped my bag onto the couch and kicked off my shoes with a tired sigh.

My feet were killing me.

After standing and walking around all day, it felt like I had bricks tied to my ankles.

The apartment was unusually quiet. Normally, Mani had music playing so loudly that the neighbors probably knew every song on her playlist. Tonight, all I could hear was the hum of the refrigerator.

I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge.

Sitting on the middle shelf was a plate covered with foil. A small folded note rested on top of it. I picked it up and read the note.

Makes sure you eat.

~ Love you, bbe.

A smile tugged on my face as I neatly folded the small paper and put it in my pocket

If only Mani knew how much I appreciated her.

I honestly didn't know what I'd do without her.

She drove me crazy sometimes, but she always looked out for me.

I lifted the foil and my mouth instantly watered.

Beef stew and yellow rice.

One of my favorite meals.

I didn't waste a second.

I put the plate in the microwave and watched the numbers count down.

My stomach growled loudly, making me laugh.

"Okay, okay," I muttered. "I'm trying."

While I waited, my hand drifted to my stomach. It was still the same soft belly I'd always had. No one would ever guess there was a tiny little life growing inside me.

The thought still didn't feel real.

A baby.

My baby.

I gently rubbed my stomach and smiled to myself.

"Be patient, little one," I whispered with a small giggle. "We're about to eat."

A second later, the microwave beeped. I grabbed the plate, careful not to burn my fingers, and carried it to the small dining table.

For the first time all day, I felt something close to peace.

I quietly thanked God before taking my first bite.

The food was warm, filling, and exactly what I needed after such a long day.

For a little while, I let myself forget about everything. All the drama that surrounded my life.

Tonight, all I wanted was to eat, rest, and pretend everything was okay.

Tomorrow would come soon enough.