"You just started working today and you are asking for advance. It sounds greedy", my boss snapped. For the last ten minutes I was regretting my life decision. I should've asked Wren to ask her but it sounded wrong even to me. So I picked up the remaining courage and asked her the money stating some family emergency.

"I am sorry mam. It sounds too much-"

"Exactly", she cut me with a glare. The moment the money left my mouth her eyes were flooding me with disgust. She didn't know I would go on my knees for my money.

"But I need the money. It's family emergency and it will be helpful if you consider my situation. I had signed the agreement. Please mam"

She looked at me with those calculating eyes and snapped her fingers for a maid. A girl no more than 20 came running and stood infront of her with her eyes on the ground.

"How much?", the question rattled me. I never deemed the dragon of the woman to give my advance so easily.

"$10000". She snorted and rolled her eyes. 

"Don't you think that speaks so much about you? You are asking a one third of your salary in advance", she leaned back into the armchair.

I kept my eyes at ground because humiliation was eating me up. I never went to another for money and my previous employers were always happy to provide the advance if I asked for it because they knew I would go against my word. It was the first time I was shrinking back but my reasons were too big to back out. 

"Leila hand her the money"

I looked at her with wide eyes. "This is the last time this thing happens and you decide to run midway expect cop at your door. Wren's friend or not"

The threat wasn't doing anything. All I could hear was money. I would do anything to complete this three month to save Maria.

When I read the contract, the first thing that caught my eyes were $30000 for two months with all the things that came with the job. I was supposed to stay with him at night to aide him if something happens and to inform madam about the night the next day. The description of job was too vague but I signed it in desperation. Maybe I will regret it but the stakes were high.

Just two months, right?

A strangled noise escaped my throat when the nails dug into my chin and lifted my head to look at the evil woman. "Do you understand, maid?"

"Yes Mam", I choked out too shocked to comprehend what happened.

She didn't say anything after that. I stood there holding my breathe until she disappeared. My shoulders sag in relief but it was too soon because when I turned towards the stairs a green eyed man was looking at me. With disgust.

Great.

Leila took me to the spare room where they gave me a floor bed with pillow and a thin blanket. The dusk was setting in when I trudged myself to the room. I knocked at the door and waited.

And waited

And waited.

It was 8.30pm, an hour until my first knock where I stood outside with blankets and the heavy bed. The maids that crossed me gave me a sympathetic smile but never stepped forward to help. I was two knocks away from breaking the door open. I knocked a little harsh this time. I could hear the voice, music and footsteps and the asshole didn't open the door. My fear for job made me reluctant to open the door but I was running low on patience and was about to burst open the door anytime now.

I drew the last straw with my last knock but the sudden click of the door didn't prepare me for this. The green eyed guy stood shirtless, again. It was until his eyes strayed to my right I realized that my hand was suspended in air. 

I quickly dropped it and placed it behind me. I followed his retrieving figure while dragging the bed with mine and settled it at the foot of the bed. I could feel his presence from my left side where he was lying and I was stiff as log. 

I took my time making the bed. I gave him his meds and water without a word and waited until he chucked it down. Again, I stood in the middle of the room. I was not supposed to sleep before him and I swore I would drop dead from the energy drain.

Like reading my mind, he turned off the light. My heart rate spiked being in dark with a stranger. I quickly grabbed the  little spray that I had with me and held it tight to my body. I extended my arms and crouched down to find my bed. 

***

I could hear my own heart rate. The room was awfully chill and silent as dead. He was still on his phone and I was biting my tongue to give him some colorful words about the importance of sleep.  

Uh, how can he know about the value of 4 hours sleep to make the ends meet? They give me $30000 for a MONTH!!!

Around 1 am, I woke up with a strained neck to see him sleeping. I laid down on my bed for next month and closed my eyes. Oddly, my mind didn't come up with anything and let me had my peace.

***

The quick grunts and the incessant tapping of wood was pulling me out of the slumber. I jumped out of the bed when I heard crashing sound. My eyes were frantic. I lost the sense of place and direction and heavy breathing in the room was getting me anxious. I was waiting for a monster to jump at me.

Nothing could've prepared for what I saw when I turned the light on. 

The green eyed guy was writhing in the floor, gasping for air. His body was twitching and twisting in odd direction and his eyes were rolled up. It seemed he was fighting himself from within. He kept calling a name. My hands were trembling and cold sweat broke out. 

Something snapped in me because I ran. I couldn't feel my legs but I was moving forward. 

"Why are you shouting?", the rude boss grimaced in a loud tone. She was in her silk nighty with a kept hair. I didn't even realize that I was shouting bloody murder.

"Si..Sir", I breathed out between my pants and pointed towards his room. The woman walked down from the second floor. My jaw dropped at her coolness. I assumed that was her son. Maybe not because no mother would walk leisurely knowing that her son was having an attack.

By the time she walked into his room, he was quivering, hunched over his stomach into a fetal position on the floor. She snapped her fingers at me and I had the urge to bend that nails backwards.

I stumbled forward. 

"Help him up", I ran to him on order and tried my best. Thankfully, he was half-conscious and didn't lean his entire weight on me. I tucked him in and turned towards the lady only to see her gone.