Negative 3000 dollars

On her way up to her apartment, Amy saw the landlady.

“Mrs. Davidson,” she called out.

“Amelia, how are you?” Mrs. Davidson said with a genuine smile on her face.

“I’m good, ma’am.”

“I’m sorry I had to kick you out, but you know I can’t mix business and personal things.”

“I get it, Mrs. Davidson. You don’t have to apologize. I’ve got a place to stay.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful.”

“I would have moved in with a friend either way, but I got a stay-in job.”

“Finally, something stable. I’m so happy for you, dear.”

“Thank you,” Amy said, then continued, “I know I owe you for some months. Can you help me sell the furniture I have? I’m sure it will cover the cost. If it doesn’t, just let me know and I’ll send some more once I get paid at the end of the month.”

“That’s great, then. I’ll do that. Alfred, the one replacing you, was asking if it’s fully furnished. I’ll have him come check it out.”

“Perfect. Let me go finish packing then.”

“Take care, dear. Drop your keys with Mark for me,” Mrs. Davidson said, on her way out of the building.

Amy had just a few things left to pack. What was left would fill one big suitcase, and the rest of her belongings were already in boxes.

Her phone rang. Gabby.

“Hey babe.”

“Gabby, you have no idea who those people are,” Amy said, clearing a spot on her bed, getting ready to tell her friend the biggest news of all time.

“Which people?” Gabby was confused.

“The owners of the mansion, the man that offered me the job, the two brothers…”

“Slow down, Amy. Are you home? Because I’m downstairs.”

“Yes, hurry up before I explode from holding this in for so long.”

Gabby ended the call, and three minutes later she was in the room with Amy.

“Sit, sit, sit. Brace yourself for the biggest headline,” Amy said, pulling Gabby by the hand and making her sit on the bed with her.

“Chill, girl. Are they the royal family of England?”

“Better,” Amy said without hesitation.

“Better? Girl, what’s better than that?” Gabby’s brows narrowed in disbelief.

“Okay, maybe not better, but… it’s THE Williams. As in THE Williams Group. The multi-billionaire business family.”

“Oh my goodness,” Gabby gasped, holding Amy so tight it nearly cut off her circulation.

“Gabby, ouch.”

“Oh, sorry.” She released her hands and continued, “Oh my God, Amy. Do you know what this means?”

“What?”

“You’re about to start a billionaire romance.” Gabby’s lips were practically touching her ear, all thirty-two teeth on display.

“Gabby, what are you talking about? How is that the first thing that comes to your mind?”

“This is how every classic billionaire romance starts. One of the brothers will fall in love with you, and his father will be like, ‘No, she’s the maid,’ and he’ll threaten to walk away from the company to be with you…”

Amy couldn’t even believe how she’d become friends with Gabby at this point, but while she was wondering, Gabby was already writing a novel in her head.

“…and me, I’ll be the friend who’s been supporting the union from day one. Oh, I’ll be the second female lead, and…”

“Gabby, you’re insane,” Amy cut her off.

“Think about it, girl. You could be Mrs. Williams.”

Amy stared straight into her eyes with complete confusion, and they both laughed hard.

Time rushed by like it was late for work, and it was getting really late. The girls said their goodnights, and Gabby headed home.

It was the next day, at 7 a.m. sharp. Amy had called a cab to get her things to the Williams mansion. Her whole life was packed into three boxes and a big suitcase. With the help of the cab driver, her things were loaded and ready to go.

Within the hour, they arrived at the Williams mansion. Yet again, another phase of her life.

She wasn’t here to just clean and leave this time. She was here to stay for six months. Housing and food taken care of, with a huge check at the end of every month, she couldn’t ask for better.

Standing once again at the doorstep of the mansion with her belongings, Amy whispered under her breath.

“This is it. A new beginning.”

She went in first with her suitcase, heading for the stairs. She’d cleaned the house before and, of course, already knew which room was assigned to her.

She reached for the doorknob and turned it.

“Wow.”

A look of disbelief crossed her face. She’d seen the room before, when she cleaned it, and when Jacob brought her in to clean her bruises, but it hadn’t looked this graceful.

Maybe she just hadn’t given it much thought, since she’d only been cleaning it. But now, looking at the room that was going to be hers to live in, it was so much better.

High ceilings, tall windows, a massive bed four of her would fit in perfectly, curtains whose fabric looked too expensive for her to touch, five pillows on the bed.

“How many heads do I have?” she joked, chuckling softly.

She stepped into the room, taking in all the decor and the sweet smell of luxury. She sat on the bed and immediately felt like she’d touched heaven.

“I feel like a princess,” she muttered to herself.

“Well, you can consider yourself one.” A voice from the door startled her and brought her back to reality.

It was Jacob.

She quickly stood up.

“Hi, I didn’t hear you walk in,” Amy said nervously, cheeks turning red. Someone had just seen her being vulnerable and pleased by money, like a poor starving artist.

“Just wanted to check if everything’s to your liking. I think I’ve gotten my answer,” he said, with a mocking smile on his face.

“I’m already dying here, Jacob. You don’t have to make it worse,” she said, making them both laugh.

“I’m glad you like it, though. I personally chose the sheets and everything,” Jacob said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Oh, you did? Thank you, I love them.”

“Great. I’ll let you settle in, then. The chefs are already cooking, so you’ll be able to get breakfast soon, just head to the kitchen when you’re ready.”

“Alright, thanks.”

Just then, some of the outdoor staff she’d spotted earlier came in with her packed boxes.

“Oh, I asked them to help you, considering you’d have to keep going back and forth for your stuff,” Jacob said, pointing to the table beside the closet, gesturing for them to drop the boxes there.

“You didn’t have to. Thank you,” Amy said, with a slight smile on her face, thanking the stars for that, since she’d already pictured herself burning two thousand calories going up and down the stairs four times.

“Alright, I’ll leave you to settle in now.”

“Okay, then.”

The staff left, and Jacob followed, closing the door behind him.

She took out her phone and called Gabby.

“You can’t believe the size of the bed in this room,” Amy started, the moment the call connected.

“What did you expect in a mansion, girl?”

“Well, I thought since I’m just a maid, I’d be given the least expensive, just normal, human stuff.”

“Noo, people like that are allergic to cheap things being in their house, even if it’s for the maid.”

“You might be right, though,” Amy said.

“Of course I am.”

“Well, you have to come see this place, because I can’t explain everything over the phone, and pictures won’t even do it justice.”

“But you said the contract doesn’t allow you to have guests.”

“True, but I have some things at your place, we can use that as an excuse to get you up here.”

“Nice, okay then. Once I get off work I’ll pack your things up and get there, just send me the address.”

“Alright, will do. I’ll send it with a picture of the bed so you’ll get here fast,” Amy said, with so much excitement, as she ended the call.

She took a picture of the bed and took one last glance at the room, as if it would change if she breathed wrongly or stayed out for too long.

“I’m getting hungry,” she said to herself.

She left the room, closed the door, and started walking down. After walking down the stairs, she took out her phone to send the picture and address to Gabby while heading to the kitchen.

She suddenly bumped into one of the servants, causing the stack of plates to fall and break into pieces.

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.” She put her hand over her mouth.

“I’m so sorry,” she continued, bending to help the servant pick up the broken pieces and clear them, after all, she was the cleaner.

“I’m going to be fired because of this,” the servant said, almost breaking down in tears. Then she continued, “Or Mr. Williams will take it out of my paycheck,” and finally started crying.

Amy didn’t expect that reaction over some broken plates.

“Hey, I’m sure they won’t sack you because of that, and it was my fault,” Amy said to the young lady, who was already fully crying.

“Susana was sacked last week because she put soup in the wrong bowls,” the lady said, trying to control her tears.

‘That’s a stupid reason to sack someone,’ Amy thought to herself.

“Please stop crying,” she said to the lady, trying to console her. “I’ll let them know it was my fault, so they can take it out of my paycheck,” she continued. “How much could some plates cost?”

“That’s three thousand dollars’ worth of plates there,” a cold, angry voice said from behind her