Five years later

Chapter two

Martina POV 

Five years later

My phone beeped, and I didn’t want to pick it up. It was my landlord—my house rent would expire soon. Immediately the call dropped, another notification popped up on my phone. The electricity bill had been cut off because of the little money I was supposed to send to the caregiver taking care of my mother.

The surgery was successful, but it resulted in the complete loss of her leg. According to the doctors, the tumor had spread. While trying to save her, they realized it was either she died or remained in a wheelchair. I chose for my mother to live, even if it meant she would be on a wheelchair.

It was so difficult that I couldn’t even go back to school. I had to drop out. Since then, I’ve been working part-time—food delivery and anything I could find—just to take care of her.

I couldn’t save any money at all.

A few days ago, I heard they needed a janitor in a big company in the city. The payment was mouth-watering and could save me from running helter-skelter delivering food. At least I could pay for whatever I needed.

So now, I stood in front of the company building and took a deep breath, whispering one last prayer.

Let me get this job.

Walking into the company, I went straight to the receptionist and told her about the job. I was surprised by her comment.

“Are you sure you’re here for a janitor job?” she asked.

I nodded. She looked me up and down.

“You’re too clean for someone I would believe. You don’t look pitiful enough. Anyway, go and wait until it gets to your turn,” she said.

I wondered if one had to look pitiful to get a janitor job.

For many years, I had cried almost every night. I had learned to accept fate and not let it get to me. I believed showing signs of weakness would only make them see me as desperate.

As I turned to go and sit down, I bumped into someone, and she lashed out.

“How dare you, filthy little thing!” the woman shouted.

I raised my head and froze when I saw Ariana.

I assessed her from head to toe, and I had to admit she was well-endowed. But one thing about her had never changed—she always looked angry.

“Oh, so it’s you?” she said, then continued, “What the hell are you doing here?”

I didn’t know how to reply.

“Madam Ariana, she’s here for a janitor job,” the receptionist answered.

“Wow,” Ariana said mockingly. “It feels so good to see you never really had a good life. I’m happy seeing how pathetic you are.”

Laughter erupted around us.

“Ariana, I’m here for a job. Let me be,” I said—the only words I could manage.

“You think I was going to let you be?” she asked with a smirk. “This is my company, and you want me to let you be?”

I was shocked. Her company? I knew she came from a wealthy family, but owning this company? From what I had heard, a different person used to own it, but after going bankrupt, the company was sold to someone else.

So could it be Ariana who bought it?

Oh shit.

There was no way for me. She always got the good things in life.

“And look at this,” she added, raising her hand. “My engagement ring. Let it sink in.”

She said it like she had planned this moment, like she wanted to mock me. She must be engaged to Bruno. I should leave. I really didn’t want to be around her—I might actually run into him. I didn’t want our lives to be tangled again.

But before leaving, I had to put her in her place.

“Well, well,” I said calmly, “I guess I won’t be needing this job anymore, since this company is your filthy little business.”

Everyone gasped.

“Director Ariana, she just called this company filthy,” the lady behind her said.

Ariana kept staring at me angrily.

Director?

Wait—did she lie to me? She was just called a director. How could she claim she owned the company?

“Wait,” I said. “Are you a director or the owner of the company? Why all the lies?”

“She’s engaged to the owner. They’ll be married soon, so she’s basically the owner,” someone whispered behind me.

Wait a minute.

She was getting married to the owner of the company—which meant it wasn’t Bruno. He had to be abroad, playing baseball. He always said he would never give up until he became an international baseball player.

So did her little rainbow get tired of waiting and decide to get engaged to someone else?

“I’ve had enough of you,” she snapped. “I’ve let you speak enough. Guards!”

She shouted it like she had power over everything.

I wasn’t done—but she had the nerve to want to throw me out.

The guards all rushed toward me. But then, a very familiar voice thundered from the entrance.

“Stop!”

I didn’t want to believe it was Bruno—but I had to turn and look.

And I was right.

It was him.

He was wearing a suit, his hair styled neatly—the same style he used to say he hated. Behind him was Jeffrey, his childhood friend whose entire dream had always been to do whatever Bruno did. When Bruno went into baseball, Jeffrey followed, even though he struggled with it. He just wanted to stay by his side and remain loyal.

Now both of them were in suits, walking toward me.

They were supposed to be abroad.

Even though I tried to deny it, I couldn’t get him off my mind all these years. The moment I saw him, something in me twisted—but it wasn’t love. It was anger.

“The CEO is here! Everyone, back to work!” someone shouted, and the crowd scattered almost instantly.

The CEO?

So, Bruno and Ariana were still together.

Ariana walked toward him with a practiced smile. “Baby, you were very quick with the meeting,” she said sweetly.

But he didn’t reply.

Our eyes met.

For a brief second, the whole world felt still—but he didn’t even show a single sign of recognition. His expression remained cold, indifferent, as if I were just another stranger in his company.

“Why is everyone causing a nuisance here?” he asked sharply, his voice firm, commanding.

The receptionist quickly responded, “It’s this lady, sir. She came for the janitor position, but she was being dramatic.”

“Then there’s no need to give her the job,” he said flatly. “Handle it and stop constituting a nuisance.”

He walked away immediately, Jeffrey trailing close behind him.

My heart sank—not because I still loved him, but because of how effortlessly cruel he could still be.

“Of course, I will leave,” I said firmly, my voice trembling only slightly. “I wouldn’t want to work for such a disrespectful organization—where both the employer and employees lack a sense of decency.”

Without waiting for a response, I turned on my heel and walked out.