CHAPTER 3

Are you sure you can handle this job? The interviewer looked sceptically at the thin woman in front of him. He didn’t think she had the ability to do this job, as it required physical labour, lifting and moving goods in the warehouse and also helping with the cleaning.

The woman spoke softly. I can do it, sir. Please believe me.

Her eyes were pleading, she really wanted this job.

Free room and board were the best jobs she could find now. As she was now, she didn’t have the right to be picky about her work. She was no longer the proud and capable woman who could stand out in the company. There was no bright light or crowds around her now. She was just like a stray dog with nowhere to go.

She was Olivia Smith, who had been wandering the street for several days, sleeping on the streets and on park benches, sometimes going hungry for days. If she didn’t find a job soon, she feared she wouldn’t be able to survive much longer. 

Seeing Olivia's eyes, the manager couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her and said, if you are willing, you can work here for a month. If it doesn’t work out, I won’t keep you.

Olivia thanked him gratefully.

The manager waved his hands and said, alright it’s not like I’m doing you a favor. If you don’t perform well, I’ll let you go at any time.

Olivia didn’t think it was a heavy job. At the hospital, everyone called her to do the heavy work, and she had already gotten used to it.

Her once slender arms were now just skin and bones, but the muscles underneath were faintly visible. The manager quickly assigned Olivia to a dormitory, where three people were already living. 

When she arrived with her few belongings, they had already finished work and were eating instant noodles in the dormitory, speaking in a dialect that Olivia couldn’t understand.

The manager briefly introduced Olivia and left, asking the other woman to take care of her more. Olivia bowed her back and silently took her luggage to her bed, then made her bed. The other three women were middle-aged, unfriendly, and looked at Olivia with disdain as an unwelcome guest. 

One of the women spoke up. With such a small frame, did manager Dan really take notice of you? The three women laughed and talked about Olivia with a mocking tone. Olivia didn’t want to pay attention to them. 

She had learned to be silent and turned a blind eye during her years in the asylum. Seeing that Olivia didn’t respond, one of the women became very angry and kicked over a steel basin on the ground, making a piercing sound. Hey, newcomer, we are talking to you. Are you deaf? 

Olivia didn’t want to respond to them, but she was afraid that if she didn’t, she would suffer even more terrible abuse. She stopped her action and bent over, lowering her head and speaking softly. I'm sorry, I’m a little hard of hearing. The woman who kicked the water basin walked over fiercely and kicked Olivia's shin hard. 

Stinky deaf person, don’t think that just because you have some relationship with the manager, everything will be fine. We can’t stand it. Olivia felt the pain and her shin bent slightly. Fear and terror surged up in her heart, and memories of being abused in the asylum were vivid. 

She hurriedly apologized, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. She wanted to live. No matter how much she was abused, she decided to take it all. She just wanted to live.

The woman snorted coldly, they thought you were so arrogant, but just a light kick scared you like this. Go wash dishes.

Olivia didn’t dare to resist, nodded and hurriedly took her utensils to wash.

……

Olivia had been working at this high-end restaurant for almost six months. It was calm although those women occasionally bullied her, even locking the door and not letting her in, but she endured it still. After all, this kind of life was much better than the one she faced in the mental hospital.

Olivia wiped away a tear and used the mop in her hand to clean the floor.

Even if it was difficult for her own sake she had to survive.

Moreover...

The cause of her foster father's death was still unknown… she couldn’t live with the guilt for the rest of her life.

Olivia, go mop the floor in room 604

Oh coming, Olivia slowly replied, holding on to her stomach that had started to ache, squatting on the ground with a pale face. Cold sweat dripped down, she quickly took out the medicine from her work uniform pocket and swallowed it,

After resting for a while, she slowly recovered, her face no longer pale. Olivia felt as if she had been reborn, breathing heavily.

Why so slow? What are you dawdling for? The impatient voice of the lobby manager, Stella, came over. Olivia endured the pain and stood up, slowly moving with the mop in her hand.

Stella walked over, impatiently looking at Olivia, she had just taken office some days ago and had seen this unpleasant person, Olivia. She was so angry that she felt her lungs were going to explode. Do you just eat dry food all day? You work slowly if you keep this up I will fire you, Stella shouted.

Olivia apologized sheepishly, her voice low. I’m sorry, Stella. I had a stomach ache earlier, it wasn’t intentional.

You always make excuses, hurry up and go. You can’t afford to neglect the customers, Stella retorted.

Olivia followed behind Stella, walking slowly.

When they arrived at room 604, the door to the deluxe room was wide open and a strong stench of vomit emanated from inside. Olivia covered her nose and mouth and went in with a cloth and mop.

Inside a woman was vomiting and the floor was covered in filth. Several men were watching and taunting the woman, Miss Ella, you can’t handle it so soon you still want to negotiate with your father’s business? Why don’t you come back with us and have some fun? Maybe if we’re happy, we’ll give you some money.

Olivia just listened silently and cleaned up the mess. She didn’t want to get involved.

She had seen too much in the past and maybe she would have wanted to help before, but now she just wanted to protect herself.

The noise continued in the room, but Olivia focused on her work. She hoped they wouldn’t notice her and could ignore her presence. In a hotel as big as this, these things happen too often and she has no right to interfere.

I’m sorry, Mr. James, Mr. Ethan. I’m a little bit drunk today, I’ll come back another day to talk with you, the woman regained her senses and patted her chest. Her face was already flushed from the alcohol and her eyes were hazy. She pushed away the groping hands in front of her and tried to leave.

 A hand stopped her. Miss Ella, it’s easy to come but not so easy to leave, Ethan, who was covered in greasy fat, leered at Ella.

Ella stood still, looking at Olivia as if she was grasping at a straw for help. Olivia happened to glance at her. Seeing the hopeful look in the other person’s eyes, Olivia could only hurriedly lower her head and pretend not to have seen.