Chapter Two : Mommy Issues

ASHLEY.

I walked out of Bianchi Inc. just as my phone rang again.

The same number.

For the fifth time today.

'What do you want this time, mom?' I said the last part with so much venom.

Not like the woman deserved any good from me.

'That’s no way to greet your mom, daughter. Or should I say step-mom?' She giggled.

I continued walking, needing to get to the bus stop. I had another interview for a waitresing job.

It's a plan B in case I don't get this job.

I didn't reply to her, just wanting to get over with this conversation.

"Money," she said simply. "Transfer it."

"I told you that I got fired."

"Then Lily suffers." she said sweetly.

I stopped walking and clenched my fist.

"Don't you dare do anything to her,” I seethed out.

She chuckled. “I want it before the end of today.”

With that, she hung up on me.

She was my dad's worst mistake.

My actual mom died when I was a toddler.

It's my dad and I until I turned eight.

He met her and decided she was his second chance at love.

They got married a few months after they met.

I thought she was going to be my mom - my chance of experiencing a mother's love.

Melissa was a cunning two-faced bitch.

Acted sweetly anytime my dad was around and the opposite when he wasn't.

Memory of her getting a call from the hospital played in my head. Her teary face and one year old Lily's loud wails. It's the longest drive of my life. I could remember the doctor’s actual words.

"Sorry, we couldn't save him. He suffered serious injuries from the car crash.”

It felt like the world came crashing down on me.

Life after that wasn't normal.

I was saddled with the responsibility of taking care of Lily since her mom was busy drowning herself in drugs and alcohol.

She did love my dad, that's clear.

But she's never a good mom to Lily.

She hated her because she looked exactly like my dad.

She never missed a chance to remind Lily of that.

Just like me, Lily couldn't get the love of her mother.

I studied hard to get a full scholarship ride to study at NYU. I couldn't leave this city because of Lily.

I worked every job I could find.

I have tried taking custody of her many times, but she's always one step ahead. Playing the role of a perfect mother anytime I send officials over.

She needed my money to get high.

My life truly sucked.

I headed back to the bus stop and entered the available bus. I had less than an hour to get to the restaurant.

I plugged in my AirPods while staring out at the bustling streets of the city that ‘never sleeps.’

Even though I had a lot of bad memories surrounding this city but I couldn't imagine myself leaving.

It's a beautiful city.

I straightened my dress when I reached my destination.

Most of the seats were occupied. I walked around until I spotted a girl sitting behind a desk.

I sauntered off to her, and she looked up at me.

"Cash or card? Where's your bill?" she asked in a robotic tone.

I shook my head quickly. "I am here for the interview."

She nodded in understanding while asking for my name. "Ashley Walker."

She typed away on her computer before giving me the direction to the manager's office.

"Thank you," I said.

She smiled.

I strode off in the direction and stopped in front of the office. I knocked softly on the door and waited for the usual response.

I entered the office and saw a middle-aged woman sitting there.

"Hello, ma'am," I said as she gestured for me to sit.

"Ashley Walker?" I nodded in response. "Have you ever waited tables before?'

I nodded. "I waited tables in both high school and college."

"Good. You can start immediately."

My eyes widened at her words. "Now? Like right now?"

Her eyes narrowed at me. She definitely wasn't going to win the best boss of the year.

"Yes, do you have a problem with that? We're short of staff as it is. We pay our staff weekly. You will work five days in a week," she paused while handing me a paper. "Those are the available shifts left. You can choose your five days and time you want to work there."

I couldn't help the smile as I stared at the times available.

If I got his personal assistant, I could do both.

Most of the available shifts were in the evening, so I should be retiring for the night as his personal assistant. I took up the weekend shifts, too, so I can have two days of rest during the week.

I handed the paper back to her, and she typed into her computer.

She handed me another paper. It contained the rules and regulations.

One was written in bold letters :

CUSTOMERS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT!

I was used to bitchy customers so that wasn't going to be a problem.

"Meet with the girl behind the desk outside and tell her to direct you to Rose. She would show you around and explain how things go around here. You can start your job after that."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Don't make me regret this," she deadpanned.

"You wouldn't."

She gestured to the door and I walked to it. I stepped out and did as instructed.

Rose had a bubbly personality.

She showed me around and handed me my uniform.

A white short sleeve shirt and blue skirt that reached inches above my knee.

I was glad that it wasn't slutty or anything.

Time passed in a blur.

Waitressing was harder than I remembered.

Rose was the only friend I'd made all day.

I earned a few tips.

Most of them went straight to Melissa.

I couldn't let anything happen to Lily.

I started the long walk to our cramped apartment in the unsafest part of New York.

It's the best we can find.

I kept glancing over my back to be sure no one was following me.

My pepper spray in one hand and my taser in the other.

They always helped whenever someone tried to mob me.

I took the staircase up to our apartment after greeting our landlord downstairs.

Our apartment was barely an apartment.

The landlord had carved it out of an old building just to earn extra money.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I took it out after slamming the door shut. I settled on the only available sofa in our living room.

It's a mail from Bianchi Inc.

I bit my lips as I tapped the message.

It read:

We're pleased to inform you that you were chosen to be the personal assistant to the CEO. Work starts tomorrow. Report to the office at 8 am sharp. There are attached documents containing all you need to know.

Congratulations, Miss Walker.

Best regards,

Bianchi Inc.

I screamed into the pillow, and my face broke into the hugest smile.

I hugged my phone to my chest and laughed.

Finally...

My life was about to change.

I just didn't know Nicholas Bianchi was about to turn it upside down.