JAKE POVI left the living room in rage, my hands clenched into fists as I fought back tears in my eyes. But no matter how much I tried, a few drops of tears still spilled. Thankfully, my mask hid them from anyone who might be watching.Each time the realization struck me that no one—not even my own mother gave a damn about me, it pierced my heart like needles. They used me all this while. I was nothing but a tool to build their hotel up for them. I hurried my steps as soon as I got to the hallway; I was headed to my room when suddenly, I heard footsteps from behind me. “Stop right there, son.” My body stiffened at the sound of her voice. I didn’t have to turn around to know it was her. I exhaled sharply, controlling my tone. “I already said I’m not doing it, Mom. What else do you want from me?”“Jake, try to understand. The company’s ranking has dropped. Soon, it won’t even be in the top five in New York anymore. I scoffed, shaking my head. “I don’t care! Jesus, why aren’t you g
JAKE POV. That morning? I woke up with a whole new feeling. There was this weird feeling in my chest. Nerves? Maybe. But I also felt alive. I had a long hot shower, stepped out and picked my best suit—it was a navy-blue suit. I hadn’t worn it since the whole tragic incident. I slid into it, buttoning it up while staring at my reflection in my mirror. Then I heard a knock on my door. I grabbed my mask from the table and put it on immediately. It had already become a habit. As soon as I opened the door to see who it was, I froze. Liz stood there in her maid uniform, head bowed, holding a food tray. My heart kicked hard. I didn’t understand why that happened. “Good morning, sir,” she said in a low tone, her voice calm. “Do you mind if I come in for just a few seconds, sir? I have something to say.” Her voice cracked near the end. She sounded scared. Not of me, exactly… just uncertain. Like she’d been rehearsing those words all morning. I stepped aside. “Sure. Come in.” She walked
JAKE POV. The second I stepped into the hotel lobby, everything froze. Conversations cut off mid-sentence. Phones slipped. A pen fell to the floor somewhere near the reception desk. Dozens of eyes snapped toward me, wide and startled—like they’d just seen a ghost.I didn’t stop walking. My steps were calm and measured. Silence stretched a few more seconds before I cleared my throat.“Is that how you welcome your general manager back?” I asked, voice sharp enough to slice through the tension in the air.Everyone scrambled to stand. “G-Good morning, sir!” they echoed, their voices shaky.I didn’t respond. A commotion at the far end of the reception desk caught my attention. A man, who seemed to be around his forties, stood with one of the receptionists, slamming his hand on her desk like he commanded the hotel.“No, I’m not taking this! That room’s always mine! Give it to me!” he shouted.“Please, sir,” the receptionist said, her voice steady. “Someone else already checked in earlier.
JAKE POV. I’d barely let Charles’ body heat fade from his chair when Audrina finally stood up. She’d been silent the whole time, perched at the far end of the boardroom table. Her hands were folded neatly on the glossy surface, back straight, posture perfect. But I saw through it. She wasn’t here. She felt distant. She cleared her throat, soft but deliberate, commanding just enough attention to shift every eye in the room her way. When she spoke, her voice was crisp, measured, every word sharp and professional as she spoke.“Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great honor that I formally welcome back the man who built Shark Hotels into a global luxury powerhouse. The man who set the gold standard across all our New York branches and beyond…”Her eyes flicked to mine.“…Jake Blackwell has officially resumed his position as General Manager for all Shark Hotel branches across New York City and all associated regions across the country.”She paused for a while, then she smiled. “Welcome b
JAKE POV. “Well, well, if it isn’t our superhero,” Vivian said with a wicked smirk, her arms folded like she had something to prove.I groaned, voice low and angry. “And what does that make you? A hoe? While your sister was burning, you were cuddling with her fiancé.”Vivian’s smile never wavered. “Oh, you mean… my husband?”I shook my head in disgust. No shame at all. None. How the hell was that even legal? Why would she marry her sister’s fiancé, pretending to have saved the day. And where the hell did Victoria even run to that day?I was about to throw that question at her when a loud laugh broke behind me.The hell?I turned—and there he was. Michael Sterling—bending slightly, hands on his knees, laughing his ass off like we were in a comedy show. The sound grated my nerves instantly.“What the hell’s funny?” I asked.He didn’t answer at first. He just kept laughing until it turned into a wheeze. Then he straightened up, pointed right at me.“You—cousin brother,” he said, grinnin
JAKE POV.I didn’t sleep much. The light cutting through the blinds hit me in the face and I groaned. Morning, already?I pulled myself up with a grunt, rubbing my neck. My body still buzzed from last night—like the chaos hadn’t drained out yet. I used to be out the door by seven sharp, pressed and perfect in a suit. But since I resumed, I didn’t feel the need to rush. I was the boss. I could walk in at ten and no one would say a damn word.But I still believed in showing up early. I hated when people slacked off. Especially those women who strolled in like they were models on a runway. “Oh, there was a lot of traffic, sir.” Save it.I walked into the bathroom, flipped on the faucet, and grabbed my toothbrush. As I brushed, everything that happened yesterday flashed through my mind. From work, to the boutique, to the files I forwarded to the blogger. I rinsed my mouth, wiped my face with a towel, and grabbed my phone off the counter. One glance at the screen, and my lips stretched in
AUDRINA POV. I stood by the window in my robe, heart heavy, staring out at the back garden, watching the roses sway with the morning breeze. They looked beautiful—perfect even. But one of them caught my eye. A pale pink bud, separated from the rest, a little bent like it didn’t belong. That one? That was me. Alone. Quiet. Out of place.My palm pressed lightly to the glass. “Funny how even flowers have company,” I whispered.I didn’t have friends in the States. The few I had back in the UK? Barely texted anymore. But could I blame them? I wasn’t exactly good at maintaining friendships. Always the one who didn’t call back, who missed birthdays, who pushed people away when they tried to get close. I didn’t know how to be a good friend growing up.This was the period where I needed someone by my side. More than ever. And there was no one.I placed my hand on my stomach, gently. A small tear slid down my cheek as I rubbed in slow circle. Three days ago, the doctor confirmed it. One month
AUDRINA POV.Just like that… she walked away. My own mother. I knew it was going to turn out bad. I expected nothing, but I didn’t expect the worst—this was worse than I expected. I stayed frozen, not even blinking. The silence that followed was loud—louder than the yelling had been.Jake reached across the table and pulled me into his arms, like he knew I’d fall apart without him. And maybe I really would’ve. More tears fell. They wouldn’t stop. I felt my heart crack open and everything was spilling out.“Shhhh… it’s okay, Princess. I’m here with you.” His voice was soft but strong. I pulled back just slightly, my words slurring through the sobs. “How come you don’t hate me, brother? I brought shame home… I’m a disgrace.”He held my cheeks gently, forcing me to look at him. “Hate you? No, Princess. Never.” His eyes were glassy. “I’m gonna be an uncle soon. Isn’t that great?”And then, he smiled. A real smile. “Damn, I’m gonna finally be a cool uncle. Wow… thank you, Princess.”Some
HAZEL POV. We got home together that night. I didn’t go far—just stepped out to the garden. I needed a second to breathe, to clear my head, to pull myself together.I didn’t want Liz to see me crying. I didn’t want her to see me weak.But when I got back in, I noticed she wasn’t in the room when I came back in. I wondered where she was, but I couldn’t think straight. Not after the hospital. Not after everything that happened in the hospital today. All I could think about was my dying mother and how I was supposed to save her.That’s when the knock came. Knock knock.I opened the door, blinking. “Madam Oliv—”Before I could even finish, she cut me off. “Hazel,” she said firmly, “if you care about Liz, you have to warn her seriously.”I froze.Madam Olivia? Of all reasons, Madam Olivia showed up at my door to warn me about Liz?The other maids always had stories about her—cold, stern, heartless. But not to me. She liked me from the moment I walked into this mansion as a maid. I never
LIZ POV. The bleeding hadn’t stopped. My palm stung like hell, but honestly? I couldn’t even feel it. Not with how fast my heart was beating. Not with Jake’s hand wrapped around mine like he was afraid to let go.I couldn’t take my eyes off him. What just happened?This man—this same man who tore me down just last night, who said I was nothing but a maid, who made me feel so damn small—just announced me in front of his family. Just claimed me—out loud.Not gonna lie, I felt special.He didn’t stop until we were in his room. As soon as the door slammed shut behind us, he turned, held my face in both hands—so gently, like he was scared I’d break—and stared straight into my eyes. His grey eyes were glossier than I’d ever seen them, like he was holding back everything he didn’t say last night. Like he was seconds away from breaking.“I’m so sorry,” he said, voice low. “I’m sorry I spoke to you that way last night, Liz. I swear I— I miss you. I miss you so much.”I didn’t even get the cha
JAKE POV. That night, I’d heard the knock. Not once. Not twice. Four goddamn times. And each time, I sat there, staring at the door like a coward. Heart pounding—fist clenched. Back pressed against the headboard like I needed the wood to hold me down or I’d do something stupid—like open it and pull her straight into my arms.But right before the fifth knock could land, I opened it. I didn’t even think. Her hand was already mid-air. For a second, her face lit up—hopeful.But I shut it all down. I crushed it before she could speak. I told myself it was the right thing to do. That if I wanted to keep her safe from this hellhole of a family, I had to push her away. Be cruel. Be heartless. Anything to make her stay away from me. For now, at least. She’s too soft. Too pure. Too fucking good for all of this. But when I closed that door, I swear, it felt like I’d shut something in me too.I stayed up all night. Sleep? Forget it. I kept seeing her face.The way her eyes watered. The way her
LIZ POV. “Hazel… I can’t promise that.” My voice came out choked, trembling with every word. “Not until you tell me why. Why can’t we ask for help from other people?”Hazel’s eyes widened, brimming with fresh tears. She looked like a trapped bird—frightened, panicked. “Liz, please!”I glanced at her, then at the pale figure in the hospital bed—our mother. My heart dropped. “Liz, I’m serious. I just don’t want anyone interfering with our personal lives.” Hazel said again.I gave her a tight nod. “Okay.”“Promise?” she pressed, voice soft, shaky.I hesitated. Everything in me screamed no. But I nodded again. “Promise.”Hazel threw her arms around me. “Thank you so much, sis. Thank you.”My hand hovered awkwardly behind her back before I finally hugged her. But it didn’t feel right. Something in my gut twisted. Something felt… off. I just couldn’t place it.****We stood at the subway station, tears still fresh on both our cheeks. Hazel wasn’t saying much—neither was I. Then, out of no
LIZ POV. Sundays were supposed to be peaceful, but peace wasn’t what I felt. I’d slept through most of the morning with Hazel, both of us curled up in silence like two broken dolls. For me, sleep was the only way to run away from reality. From the pain I felt in my heart—this gaping hole Jake left in my chest. I kept telling myself it didn’t matter. That last night was just a dream. That maybe he didn’t mean it when he said I was just a maid. Maybe he was angry. Maybe he’d change his mind.But he didn’t. And he wouldn’t.****After lunch, we sat on our beds. Quiet. Heavy. Hazel was clutching that picture again—the one she always carried like it was special. She didn’t even notice me watching her. She just stared at it like it held the answers to everything she ever lost. Sometimes she’d smile at it. Other times, she’d look like she was about to cry. I hated that picture—she hardly even smiled at me. But that damn picture? Whoever was in it, they meant the world to her. I cleared
LIZ POV.It was just another day. Another day for him to walk past me like I was invisible—like I meant absolutely nothing to him.That morning, I’d just finished cleaning the living room—dusted every damn shelf like I was fine, like my heart didn’t ache. I was rounding the corner when I almost bumped into him. “Oh—I… I’m sorry sir,” I murmured, stepping back.If he had scolded me, or even raised his voice at me—told me to look where I was going, maybe it would’ve hurt less.But he didn’t. He didn’t even look at me; he just walked past me like I was insignificant. No glance. No sound. No emotion.I stood there, frozen, my heart clenching. It felt like something inside me was about to collapse.I had regrets. Like maybe… I was the fool. I should’ve never let him touch me at all. I should’ve known better. I was probably just a fling—something for his boredom. ****I cried alone at night—quiet sobs into my pillow, muffled so no one would hear. Hazel had been acting distant lately. I d
JAKE POV“Brother, please, I don’t want you to do something reckless. He’s not worth—”“I said give me his fucking address, Audrina!” I snapped. “Don’t make me repeat myself again.”My voice cracked from the weight of it. Pain. Rage. Guilt. It poured out of me like a flood I couldn’t stop.She flinched. Her eyes were red and puffy, her hand still wrapped tightly in mine. I saw the tremble in her lips as she finally gave in.“Okay… I’ll give it to you.”“Fast,” I growled. My chest was on fire. My hand trembled as I gripped hers. Not too hard. But I needed something to hold onto before I exploded.“But only if you promise me, brother. Promise you won’t do anything reckless. Please.” Her voice cracked. “I don’t wanna lose you.”That I won’t do something reckless? What the hell does that even mean? Was I supposed to go there and hand that bastard a bouquet of flowers?“I’ll try.”She grabbed my hand tighter. “If anything happens to you, Jake… I promise I’ll kill myself.”I froze.“It’s ok
JAKE POV. My phone wouldn’t shut the hell up. I rolled over to the empty space beside me. No Liz. The bedsheets were still warm, so I knew she’d left early. Silly girl. She had me wrapped around her finger, and I couldn’t even fight it.I buried my face into the pillow and smiled like an idiot. God—was I really falling for the maid?But then the ringtone blasted again. Same damn unknown number. I hissed and dragged myself up, groaning as I reached for my phone across the nightstand.“Hello?” I answered, voice rough.“Sir, we have a patient who was just rushed in. Your contact was saved as ‘Big Brother’ on her phone. That’s why we called. Please… come immediately.”I froze. “Wait—what?! What happened? Who is this?”“We’ve emailed the hospital address. You need to come now.”Just like that, the line cut. And just like that, my whole world shattered.I stood there, stiff, numb. I didn’t even realize I wasn’t breathing until the burn hit my lungs. Audrina. It was Audrina. I mean, I had j
LIZ POV. The mansion didn’t feel the same anymore. Something about the air had shifted—it was heavier, more tense. Everyone looked like they were walking on glass, even the ones who used to laugh too loud in the hallways. Mrs. Blackwell’s mood had been unpredictable. She had been a storm cloud all week, snapping at the maids, firing people for breathing wrong, and hiring new ones almost immediately. Mr. Blackwell was worse—he didn’t yell, but the silence around him was terrifying.And Hazel… she was quieter now. She barely talked, and when she did, it wasn’t really her. She’d been in and out of the mansion lately, always claiming she was fine. I asked her a hundred times to take me to Mom. She just kept repeating, “When the time’s right.”Right time? What the hell did that even mean? I needed a right time to go see my own mother?And as for Jake, he’s been buried in work ever since he resumed. I barely even see him these days. I missed him. More than I cared to admit. Most nights, I