Ruin my life, love

The small room had white and grey walls with a single bed, bedside table, a small cupboard and an attached washroom. One window opened up to the view of the lawn in the mansion and on the sill, a cactus plant was kept. The room was clean and alright for use but not for Erika.

She was shellshocked at that sight and couldn't believe her eyes. The room was 5× smaller than her own bedroom, no skincare, no hair and body care, no clothes, no designer shoes, not even her emotional support jewellery.

As she closed the door behind her, she realised she had nothing. She frantically rummaged through her bag that she was sent away with but all she could find was her old clothes. They didn't pack any of her jewellery or designer clothes. If she had them, she could've at least sold a few to get by till she developed a plan. But she was ruined.

The room was suffocating her even if it would be fine enough for anyone else. She was getting the ick in every corner of the room, reluctant to touch anything that isn't disinfected.

Suddenly, a knock on her door jolts her out of her thoughts as the door open. A woman entered and placed food on the counter.

"Wait..", Erika said when she was about to leave, looking down at the plate in horror. Rice and beans, food that she knew she couldn't even force herself to swallow down if she wanted to. "What is this? I don't want this. Bring me something else."

"We are told to give you the food assigned to you. I can't do anything about it," she said.

"Just look at this, would you eat it?" Erika asked, trying to gather some sympathy but everyone in this mansion seemed to be heartless robots.

"I can't do anything about it. I'll take it away," she said, starting to reach out to take away the food. Erika jolted and snatched the food to herself immediately. If this was gone, she'd have to go hungry the whole night.

"Nevermind," she said and the woman left.

~

She could barely sleep the night, the jitters were getting to her. She was uncomfortable and everything made her feel nauseous. She had no idea she was that dependent on her riches till she didn't have it anymore.

But she sat up, waking up to the bright morning light that seemed too optimistic for her liking. And just as immediately, there was a knock on her door.

"Who is it?" She called out. No answer. She got to the door and flung it open to see the same lady from last day standing there. "What do you want?"

"Come down immediately. Work is being allotted," she said in a stern voice.

"Work? What are you talking about?" She looked at her cluelessly. She hadn't been told about this.

"You're not of any importance here that you'll be informed earlier. Come down quick," she said.

"But I don't get it. What is this all for? What work?"

"Do you not get it? You're brought here as a servant. A maid, just like the rest of us," she said, bitterly. "Don't you see where you live? It's the servants block. We all stay here. If you were a reputed guest with your branded demeanor, you would've never even known this place exists."

"So stop looking down at me like you're not one of us, you rich pathetic brat!" The woman continued, enraged, taking Erika aback.

"No that's impossible. I'm not one of you and will never be. I'm Matthew Sterling's daughter, there's no way anyone can treat me like this," she said, her attitude catching up to her even in her dire situation. "I'll never wear these filthy ragged clothes and be that lowly of a person like you-"

Suddenly, the woman shoved Erika and she crashed on the side of her bed. The uncalled for action startled her and she looked up with glaring eyes.

"If you were of any worth, I would think twice before laying my hands on you. But if you want to survive here, you better not do this again. This is your last fucking warning," the woman's eyes were spitting fire and she was shaking almost. Erika was frozen at that sight, a striking pain on her shoulder. The woman left, slamming the door behind her.

Erika stared blankly at the door and then struggled to get up. It was 6am and the nightmare had already started. She braised herself because she knew more was coming. But a.. maid?

She was allowed to stay and was living in this room, all because she was a maid. The realisation took her mind by a storm. Just when she thought she wouldn't stoop any lower, she was hit with this. Erika should've seen this coming, knowing Nigel wouldn't have done helpful to her without repercussions. And now that's what he wants from her. Humiliation.

The anger that subsided within, threatened to come to the surface when she understood how bad the situation was. She was livid, she couldn't just sit there and take that. Erika took a deep breath and walked out of her room. She didn't have a good idea of where she should go but she was raged.

Nigel Asher. She needed to find him.

Finally, she reached the door to his study and flung the door open with the intention of charging him the moment she sees him. She slammed the door behind her and walked in without any hesitation.

"NIGEL ASHER. I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE-", she started the moment she entered, not looking around. But suddenly, a voice interrupted her with a nervous tone.

"Shhh, quiet down," a woman's voice sounded from behind Erika and she jolted around. "He doesn't like to be woken up before he wants to."

Erika turned to see a beautiful woman standing in a silver party sequin dress, her heels in her hands and messy bed hair. She was about to walk out of the door like she was sneaking away carefully. Erika gasped at the sight and took a guarded stance.

"Are you.. a thief? Who the hell are you?" She spoke before she thought and realised she knew so little about the mansion that she shouldn't spew such thing. She swallowed her tongue immediately.

The woman froze for a second then broke into a hushed laughter. She was amused by her words.

"No, relax. I'm only his one night stand, Amara," she introduced herself.

Erika looked to the other side and in the far corner of the huge room, she could see a small hint of a bed and his shadow lying on it. She could feel her anger grow, he couldn't even take the one night stands to his bedroom.

"Then.. why are you leaving like this?"

"He doesn't like his one night stands to stay the night. So I'm leaving before he wakes up," she said but Erika looked back at her with confusion. "I know that sounds bad but he's respectful about it. He makes it clear that he wants no strings attached, so it's fine."

"Huh, if you told me you're escaping and ghosting him because he's too clingy and terrible in bed, I'd have believed you more," Erika said it sarcastically even if she knew thats not what her impression of Nigel was since she saw him for the first time.

Amara just stared at Erika in shock.

"Are you serious?"

"What?"

"Are you straight?" Amara asked.

"Yes.. why?"

"I'm just surprised that's what you think of THE Nigel Asher. There's not one woman not fawning over him, what are you?" Her mouth nearly dropped open. Erika only laughed bitterly, you can't really feel attraction for a person who has ruined 25 years of your life back and forth in one day.

"Why? Is he that good?" Erika asked with a little more than genuine curiosity.

"He can get anyone, no one is off limits. What does that tell you about how good he is?" Amara chuckled but she was very serious. Erika took a deep breath, hating the fact that he was actually desirable, not by someone else's words but simply by the fact that he looked sculpted. "Too bad he's a cassanova though, whoever he chooses for life has to be really god sent."

Erika stares at her and wonders how she can speak that highly of a man who doesn't let his hookups stay the night. This only makes her anger grow.

"I'm sure you're exaggerating, come on. There's no way that-"

"You didn't leave?" A deep voice murmured from a distance beside them. Both of the girls flinched and looked to the side to see a sight.

Nigel Asher stood there, just out of bed. Shirtless. He ran a hand through his hair and his muscles flexed automatically as he cleared his throat, fixing them with an irritated look on his face. Erika's stomach flipped and she tried to look away immediately. But it was beyond her.

"Oh.. I'm so sorry, I was just leaving. I'll go..", Amara said, even though she looked starstruck. But she knew something beyond just how gorgeous he was, so she didn't waste time to leave the room before Erika could say a word. The silence enveloped the room as Erika forced herself to be just as angry as she was when she entered.

"You're not allowed inside. Get the fuck out," Nigel said the moment their eyes met. He had porcelain skin and his messy hair made his light brown eyes even better. She opened her mouth and closed it, ashamed that her body was reacting that way to the worst man she has ever met. "Get out."

"No," Erika muttered, feeling the burning on her skin that she posed as anger and nothing else.

"What did you say?" He raised his eyebrows.

"I won't leave."

"Don't test my patience."

"I did just as you said even if you destroyed my life. And now you want me to work as your fucking maid? What kind of a deranged person are you?" She took a step forward, suddenly letting go of any other thoughts.

"Were you expecting to be treated like the princess that you were in your daddy's house?" He smirked, knowing he could rile her up instantly.

"I have nowhere to go, but that doesn't mean you can step on me like that. I can ruin your life too if I tried. And you would not like that, Nigel Asher," she said with a hint of threat in her voice. She was not playing around this time and he realised that.

"Yeah? What can you even do to me? You're nothing, Erika Sterling."

"Braise yourself," Erika said, challenge in her eyes.