Chapter 2 – rude stranger

Emily POV

I made a stop at the hospital on my way to the club as promised, but it was already past visiting hours when I arrived.

I greeted the nurse at the counter, but she wouldn't let me in so I dashed past her in a hurry apologizing as I did.

Just as I reached his ward, the doctor in charge of my dad was just coming out of his ward. " Emily?" Dr Williams, one of my dad's close friends, raised a disapproving eyebrow. " Visiting hours are over"

" I know I just wanted to clean him up and..."

" One of the nurses had already done that... come I need to talk to you" he said walking towards the counter. We all know that whenever he pulls me aside like this, it's all about money.

" Listen, Doc, I'll get the money for his surgery soon. I promise you just need to give me time," I pleaded before he had the chance to speak. " I know it's hard but if we don't perform the surgery soon, I am afraid there will be some complications.”

“I know and I promise before the end of this month I'll bring it completely…please just keep doing whatever you're doing to keep him alive I beg you”

He looked at me for a while before sighing, “Alright, I'll see what I can do but you have to be fast about whatever it is you're up to, before it's too late.” I nodded, muttering a thank you, before entering his ward.

I was very much aware that it won't be long before his charity wears off and I'll be back to square one. He's probably enduring all this because of his past relationship with my dad.

Looking at my dad still unconscious after several months, reminded me of the night he was rushed to the hospital and since then he had been in coma.

He looked so pale and drained of blood. I knelt down beside his bed, tears welling up in my eyes. He hadn't moved for months now, no matter the treatment he had received. I can't lose my only family, the only person that has been there for me through everything. I can't afford to lose him to any sickness. I just can't.

 I have to get this job at all costs. I can't risk wasting time and losing the only father figure in my life, I won't be able to forgive myself if I do.

I took his hands, the tears threatening to fall. “Dad,” I called out to him in a whisper, moving closer to his ear. “I got a job offer that will be able to pay off the debt and your surgery. I know I haven't gotten the job yet but Steph assured me that I will. Just hang in there okay”

A few minutes after leaving my dad's room, I stood outside, my phone binging with tons of unanswered messages, some from Steph and some from my debtors. They haven't tried anything funny but it won't be long until they do.

The club was louder than I remember. Loud music that made it hard for someone to hear anything else roared out. The smell of sweat and alcohol hit my nose the second I walked in. I knew this night was going to be long.

" Cater!" The manager barked, waving me over. His eyes sized me up, making me feel a little insulted. " VIP lounge, don't screw it up. The client's worth more than your entire life and…" He paused…still sizing me up.

 “Change this hideous outfit”

My stomach dropped.

Great, I haven't even done anything and I'm already hating this. After I changed into the black short dress Steph shoved at me earlier and balancing on the ridiculous heels, I walked out forcing a smile on my face as I collected the tray, balancing it in my hand.

I pushed past the curtain before I exploded and messed things up before it even started.

Just behind the curtain seated a man on the couch, one arm resting against the chair, looking like he was born to rule the world.

A white t-shirt hugged his body perfectly, his emerald green eyes glimmered dully in the dim light. When he looked up at me, for a moment, I was lost on what to do. His emerald eyes reminded me of green grass in spring by a waterfall. I could stare at them all day but I soon regained my composure and set the glass down carefully, my hands feeling damp.

It wasn't every day you get to see a hot, handsome Greek looking man sitting in front of you.

" You're late" he said flatly, not even sparing me a second glance.

" I'm sorry sir. Would you like me to..."

Whoosh

And there goes Stephanie's job down the drain.

Of all days, my stupid hands had to be so clumsy enough to ruin someone else's clothes. “I am so sorry..” I immediately grabbed the napkin on my shoulder to wipe off the drink I had just spilled on his shirt as if it would help matters when he aggressively shoved my hands off.

“Are you insane!” He growled, “do you know how much this cost?”

I bit my lips hard, my head hung low. Although I didn't know how much his shirt cost, I knew with his kind of demeanor, it must have cost a fortune.

Oh god, Emily you're looking for money, not trying to lose any and now you've made him angry. “I'm so-so sorry sir it was all a mistake I didn't mean to…” but again I was cut short by his dismissive tone that made me flinch a little.

“Incompetent slut”

My body froze.

For a second, I wasn't even sure I heard him correctly.

“Excuse me?” I asked, my voice trembling with a mixture of disbelief.

“What did you just call me?”

He slowly turned his head toward me, eyes cold and unreadable. “Are you deaf,” he said coolly, his voice low and dangerous, “or are you just dumb. Which one?”

I scoffed softly, more out of shock than embarrassment. My chest burned with humiliation, but anger soon followed. “I’m sorry for ruining your shirt,” I said, trying my best to sound less confrontational, “but you don’t just go around judging people and calling them names without even knowing them first.”

His lips twitched, not into a smile, but something darker. “Get. Out.”

I blinked, unsure I heard him right. “Sir,”

“I said get out.” His voice rose this time, cold and commanding enough to make me jump a little. I flinched back, the tray in my hand rattling as my heart pounded in my chest. I swallowed hard, blinking away the tears that threatened to spill and without another word, I turned to leave, brushing past the curtain only to bump into the manager walking in.

“Emily!” he snapped, his eyes darting between me and the furious man behind me. But I didn’t wait for him to speak. I brushed past him quickly, keeping my head low as I pushed through the crowd and made my way outside.

Never in my entire life have I been so embarrassed by a stranger. And to think he thinks of me as nothing but a slut. Why? Because I'm a waitress at a bar that has no choice but to serve arrogant jerks like him. Who does he think he is? But I very well know that that almighty arrogant jerk had the power to strip off all of my dignity without an ounce of remorse because that is what people like them are good at. Trampling over the weak.

I gasped as the night air hit my skin like a cold, sharp, and almost cleansing slap. I leaned against the wall; my breath shaky. So much for making a good first impression.

“Well screw that” I thought out loud. After much deliberation, I decided I might as well finish what I've started and boy was I wrong because as soon as I stepped in, the manager reprimanded me and accused me of almost losing him a fortune without asking what had transpired and I was immediately reminded of why I never liked this job at the first place.