Chapter 4: Twist of love

Thoughts of my boss kept lingering in my mind. I noticed I felt happy whenever I remembered him. The next day, I was running late for work because of all the house chores I had to do. I was told I couldn’t leave the house until I stocked the fridge. On my way out, I was rushing to catch a cab when a car pulled up beside me. The driver rolled down the window and it was my boss. My heart skipped a beat,I was about to say, I am sorry sir” when he interrupted me. “Get in, I’ll give you a ride," he said. I refused politely, No thanks boss, but he insisted, “You’re already late, Riley. No choice.

I got in quietly. While driving, he said, “You look beautiful today.” I glanced at my dress, wondering if he was mocking me. When we reached, I stepped out and thanked him. But I noticed all the staff staring at me, whispering. “Who does she think she is? I overheard someone say. “The boss has never given anyone a ride before.

Vivian stood in front of the hotel and immediately she saw me, her face changed. She stirred for a long time and then went inside angrily. Some of my cleaner colleagues started coming closer to me, trying to make friends. Later that day,as I went to clean the bathroom, Vivian stormed in and slapped me,“You slut,Vivian snapped, pulling me aside where no one could hear. “Trying to seduce the boss now? Is that your game?” She said, her eyes were burned with rage. I stood there, silent, holding the cleaning cloth in my hand. I didn’t say a word. and she left me there with anger when she had a footstep coming close.

From that moment, her hatred grew colder, sharper. Every day at work became a silent battlefield. She found fault with everything I did. From that moment, Vivian’s hatred for me intensified like never before. The look in her eyes wasn’t just anger, it was pure resentment. It burned each time she saw me walk into the hotel, her bitterness turned cruel.

One morning, I had just finished wiping down the reception area, making sure everything was spotless. As I turned to leave, Vivian stormed in with her heels clicking sharply on the floor. Her eyes scanned the room before landing on me.

This is how you clean? She snapped, picking up a vase and slamming it back down, letting a little dust rise into the air. "You lazy, useless girl!"Before I could speak, she raised her hand and slapped me across the face. The sound echoed.

“Redo everything!” she yelled. “I want to see this place sparkling. You should be grateful you’re even allowed to work here. Tears welled in my eyes as I slowly nodded and bent to start cleaning again, my cheeks stinging from the slap. The other workers stood frozen, too afraid to intervene. I swallowed my pride, trying not to cry, not because of the pain, but because deep down, it wasn’t just about the cleaning. She hated me because she thought Dylan had noticed me. And that was something she could not bear. But Dylan never noticed. To him, I was just another staff member. A cleaner. He would pass by with a polite nod or offer a short thank you if our eyes met. I kept my head down, trying not to attract attention. Trying not to feel the way my heart sometimes raced when he spoke to me. He had no idea, and neither did I.

Neither of us realized something unspoken had already begun to grow quietly, awkwardly, like the start of a love that doesn't know it’s love yet. That delicate, confusing space where a glance lingers just a little too long. Where the sound of someone’s voice stays in your head. My days at Silver Palm Hotel became harder with every sunrise. I would wake up before dawn, wash dishes from the night before, clean the entire house, and still be scolded by my stepmother for moving too slowly. I would rush to work with my uniform still damp from my hurried washing. And then the real battle began. Vivian had turned work into something darker than a job. Every shift was an emotional warzone. She would assign me to scrub the lobby floor until my knees ached, only to splash juice or coffee on it minutes later and yell, “It’s still dirty, Riley! Are you blind? She’d speak to me like I was nothing. In front of the staff, she was the perfect manager, graceful, composed, and respected but behind closed doors she was cruel. 

Once, I cleaned the glass windows so well I could see my reflection. But as I stepped back to admire the shine, Vivian came by and threw her coffee at the glass.“You missed a spot, she said with a fake smile. “Try again, No one stood up for me. I was invisible and disposable. And yet he noticed me, Dylan never saw the abuse. But sometimes, he would look at me just for a moment and I would feel something stir in my chest. A kind word from him, a gentle smile, the way he once adjusted the strap of my cleaning bag and said, “Don’t strain your shoulder. I knew I shouldn’t feel anything. But feelings don’t ask for permission.

Then one evening, I stayed behind to finish cleaning the conference room. I was exhausted, trying to hold back tears. As I passed by the staff hallway, I heard Vivian’s voice. “She’s such a pathetic little thing,” she said, laughing. “Always pretending to be shy and innocent.”

Then came a pause. “But he's been looking at her more. And I don’t like it. I love him, Ruthie. I do. I have loved Dylan from the first day I walked into this hotel. I froze, my stomach twisted. I took a step back quietly, hands shaking. Vivian loved Dylan? I rushed out before I could hear more. That night, I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about her words. About the way Dylan smiled at me. About the few quiet moments we have shared. Could she be right? Could he have feelings for me? But I wasn’t Vivian. She was beautiful, confident, and bold. She belonged to his world, and I don't. From that day, I started pulling away. I avoided Dylan’s eyes. If he passed by, I would pretend to be busy. When he asked if I needed help carrying a box, I muttered a quick “No, thank you,” and rushed off. It hurt.But I didn’t want trouble. I didn’t want to be the reason for more hate. I stopped waiting for his smile. Stopped imagining what his voice would sound like if he ever said my name softly.