Chapter 1

SCARLETT'S P.O.V.

"Get the hell out, Scarlett, and don't you fucking come back." My boss, well, ex-boss, Roberto, growled at me as he shoved me out the door into the pouring rain. I felt my bag land next to my feet, but I made no move to pick it up; instead, I crouched down to the ground and wept. I was tired; I felt drained of strength. I wanted to give up, but I knew I couldn't. My mama didn't raise me to be weak. I had only gotten this job a few months back, and now I had lost it. As hard as I tried, Roberto had never seemed to like me and always found fault in whatever I had done. In his words, he had only hired me because he was short-staffed but wouldn't hesitate to kick me out the moment he was done with my bullshit. However, I knew that the source of his hatred for me stemmed from his relationship with Britteny.

Britteny was gorgeous, a dark-haired beauty with clear skin and a slender figure. Whereas I was a redhead with a freckled face and a very curvy figure, I often thought myself to be fat. Initially, I had gotten along with all of my colleagues, Britteny and Roberto included, but then the hatred slowly began to grow when I had begun to attract a lot of male attraction. Brittney hated it; she wanted to have the attention of every male and female alike; she craved the attention, never fully satisfied. She'd often cry to Roberto about how jealous I was about her, spilling all sorts of lies about him, and he believed every single word; he practically ate out of her palm. Soon, Roberto had me washing dishes in the kitchen instead of being a waitress, but even that wasn't enough for Brittney. She wanted me out, and now she'd gotten her wish.

Picking up my bag, I headed down the streets of Portia mindlessly until I reached an empty park. Sitting on a swing while clutching my bag, I stared into nothingness as my tears mixed with the rain as it poured down my cheeks.

Without much care for my surroundings, I barely took notice of the figure draped in a black coat, holding an umbrella next to me. Still, I made no move to look at the person until they spoke.

"What's wrong, darling?" Glancing up, I stare at the elderly lady who looked down at me sympathetically, wearing a kind smile.

"It's nothing." I mumble quietly, returning my focus to stare ahead of me. I felt her draw closer to me, placing a palm on my shoulder, which I rudely shrugged off.

"What did you say, dearest?"

"I said it's nothing; leave me the hell alone." I snapped, tears and the rain stinging my eyes as I sniffled, clutching my bag tightly, my head hung lowly as I began to sob. "Just go, please." I croaked. I heard her mutter to herself, the rain making it hard to hear what she had said, not like I cared anyway.

Unexpectedly, she stretched forth her hand towards me as she muttered, "Come, child."

Staring at her absurdly, I tilted my head to the side questionably, "What?"

"I said, Come, take my hand. You need to get out of this rain before you catch a cold, and truthfully, so do I. So come with me; I promise not to harm you." My gaze traveled between her outstretched hand and her face, debating on what to do. She looked harmless, but looks could be deceivin.

'Fuck it.' I thought to myself, if she was going to kill me, then at least I'd be killed by the hands of wealth. I assumed she looked wealthy judging by how she looked, a fancy coat like hers would cost a fortune. Rising to my feet without taking her hand, I replied.

"Well then, lead the way." Still wearing her smile, she nodded before turning on her heels as we walked away from the swing and towards a black shiny car. If I weren't in such a disconsolate mood, I'd have swooned over the thought of being in a car like that; it was beyond gorgeous, and it screamed luxury. As we both settled into the car, I couldn't help but relish in the scent of the interior; it felt unreal. Never in my life had I dreamed I'd be opportune enough to see such a car, let alone be in it. However, the feeling didn't last for long as I felt a spark of fear. She was probably doing all this to get my guard down, get me to relax before she killed me. Not like I would put up much of a fight; she would be practically doing me a favor if she took me out of this wretched, unkind world.

I had been so plunged in my thoughts that I hadn't noticed we had arrived at our destination until I felt her hand on mine, startling me as I jumped in fright.

"Easy, darling, I didn't mean to scare you. Come with me." She instructed softly as she stepped out of the car while I did the same. As I stepped on the granite floor, my jaw slacked in awe of the beauty before me. It was beyond gorgeous; it was large, standing strong and utterly indescribable.

"Beautiful, isn't it? Wait till you see the inside." The unknown woman, whose name I had yet to know, spoke up beside me before walking into the house with me following suit. It felt like I had entered an alternate dimension as soon as I stepped in. Expensive-looking glass chandeliers draped down the ceilings, and a two-way staircase was positioned directly before the entrance; the air itself smelled rich.

"Welcome to the De Luca's Manor."

"Uh, thanks?" She chuckled at my absurd answer.

Clasping her hands together, she spoke, "Well, we should get you out of those clothes before you catch a cold." Nodding in agreement, I followed after her as she led me through a very long hallway, out back, and into a much smaller building, more like a quarter.

Turning towards me, she gestured towards the house: "You can stay here, freshen up, and then come meet me in the main house. Is that fine by you?" Wordlessly, I nod in response. She looked like she wanted to say something but thought better of it; instead, she sighed and left. Finally alone, I took my time to scan the place. There was a sitting room with a fireplace that wasn't lit, there was an ajoined kitchen and dining area, and then there was a bedroom, an ensuite. It was comfortable; a part of me wished I could stay and have this place to myself, but that was all it was. Wishful thinking.

Peeling off my clothes, I shivered as the cold air hit my skin, already suffering the repercussion of my decision to stay in the rain. Stepping under the shower, I sighed in relief as the hot water hit my skin, instantly soothing my nerves. I couldn't remember the last time I had had a proper bath. The studio apartment that I had previously lived in had barely provided me with proper shelter, let alone a good bath. But it was all I could afford, until I could not anymore, so I had resorted to secretly staying at the restaurant without Roberto's notice. Unfortunately for me, Britteny had found out and reported me to Roberto, who spared not a single moment before firing me.

Sighing in despair, I shut off the water before stepping back into the room to see that the mystery woman had laid a black dress on the bed for me, as well as a pair of slippers; my heart warmed at her gesture. Slipping it on, I made my way back into the manor through the same pathway that we had come through. Upon reaching the spot where I had previously stood when I had newly arrived, I looked around, lost as to how I'd find her. She did mention to meet her in the kitchen, but the problem was I had no bloody idea where the kitchen was. So I roamed about, hoping to find it. Luckily for me, I was able to catch a whiff of something delicious and followed the trail, which spanned into a rather large kitchen. It was stunning, much like those kinds of fancy kitchens you'd see online. Feasting my eyes on the decor of the kitchen, I accidentally hit my hip on the island counter, causing me to hiss in pain.

Immediately, the mystery woman came over to my side as she examined me, "Dear Lord, are you alright, child?" She voiced her concern. Unable to speak, I nodded in response. "Sit, I made you something to eat. I guessed you must be hungry." My mouth watered at the thought of scarfing down the delicacy that I had perceived. My eyes trailed her movements as she returned to the stove, shuffling across before returning to me, placing two bowls containing white rice and chicken sauce before me. I looked between her and the food, unsure of what to do, causing her to chuckle.

"Well? Eat child." She urged me on; I didn't need further invitation before I downed the meal, while she cautioned me to slow down so I wouldn't choke. I paid her no heed; I was starving; I hadn't had a good meal in days. At least if she was going to kill me, she treated me nicely. All the while I ate, I felt her stare on me, but I dared not to look up, mostly because I was too focused on the meal before me but also because I was embarrassed.

Once I was done, she cleared the dishes before returning to her seat beore me.

"I--"

"Tha--" We both spoke simultaneously.

"You first, my dear."

"Thank you for the meal." I thanked her, looking down at my fingers, before glancing around.

"You're very welcome." Silence reigned upon is for a while as I felt her stare on me, while I looked around unable to meet her stare. What was only seconds of silence but felt like minutes only escalated my nervousness.

Unable to bear the silence, I asked the one question which would decide my fate.