"I don't believe people can be this evil, God forbid! " I snapped my thumb against my index finger.
"So you mean you had to sleep with your boss before he approved your application letter?" My eyes widened as I asked.
"Marian, please this is my top secret. I would be sad to hear it from someone else."
" Jesus!! Lizzy, why would I tell someone such? I'm not crazy to do that. "
" I trust you, anyway. I did it out of desperation. We were almost thrown out of the house then, and I had nowhere to stay with my siblings, so I had to give in to his request."
" Don't hurt yourself, Lilly, I understand what must have made you do such. It will be fine."
Lily's parents divorced about two years ago, and after a year her mum got married to another man leaving all the responsibility for Lizzy to carry.
I understand why she did that.
I pinched myself.
"Marian, can you really do anything for the job?" This question ran through my mind.
Hmm!!
Problems keep rising one another. Why are people so wicked with power?
I wish everyone could be like my late father. Everyone that came across him, no one said anything bad about him.
I'm sure wherever he is, he won't be happy with the present state of my mum and me.
I'm already tired of thinking of ways out of my present condition.
What if I give it a try, I mean the job, see what he wants me to offer him? Who knows it might be something fair that I could do.
"Lizzy what do you think about me giving a try to see what he'd say, he might do something different Maybe." I shrugged.
" Well, Marian, if you insist."
I didn't inform my mum about the whole job search because if I did she'd discourage me. She'd tell me that I don't have to stress over her health and that she'd be fine.
I planned to leave in time just like I did for my nanny job.
I love my boss, she is always considerate. She understands when people talk to her.
I didn't even explain much to her. I only told her that I'd need a day off to sort myself out, but she didn't even hesitate to accept my request.
God will always bless her. This is coming from my heart.
I went to Lizzy's place since I didn't know the location of the hotel.
She was surprised to see me already.
I know that I'm good when it comes to punctuality. No one beats me. Not even myself.
Yes! Not even myself.
"Why are you here this early, Marian? You never cease to amaze me. You and over punctuality, I thought you must have dropped it aside after college"
Being punctual is one of the good things I learned from my father, and I don't think I can live without it.
I would rather skip my meal instead of being late.
We left the house at 8:30. She said it was just a 15-minute walk, and she was right.
We got to the hotel, but I was confused.
You know how a hotel looks, right?
This particular hotel is a slap to other hotels in town. I've not worked in a hotel before, but I've been to a hotel once in high school, during one of the prime nights.
For real!!
This is not worth a sight to behold.
"Where are we at?" I asked to be sure that I wasn't making a mistake.
"What do you mean, Marian? Aren't you with your eyes?"
My mouth was slightly opened as she confirmed that it was a hotel.
I mean, I'm not after the poor look of the hotel, but why would a person who has such a building as a hotel still request something from aspiring staff?
He should even be delighted for every staff that accepts to work for him because from what I'm seeing it's a 2/10.
"Marian, you're not here to rate the building, what if he requests for what he had from Lizzy?" I got a quick thought.
I jerked into my real senses.
It's true o.
What if I don't get to do what he asked for?
May God help me o. I wish to return with good news today.
I think I should act as desperate as I can so that he would pity me.
That is what I'm going to do. I am desperate, but I'll make him see pity on me.
"Marian, I've told the boss that you came for a job application. He'll call for you in five minutes from now."
I can't even tell why I suddenly got tense after Lizzy informed me.
"He's an ordinary human just like you. If the offer doesn't sit well with you, be sure to decline it. Don't go against your principles" I spoke to myself and I got a bit confident.
A petite light light-skinned lady approached me with a bright smile and a welcoming tone. I guess she's his secretary.
"Miss Marian Bills, the CEO requests to meet with you"
"Oh, already? Thanks a lot." I said returning a smile to her.
Mr. Smith looked to be in his early thirties, handsome, tall, and light-skinned.
His face doesn't depict what Lizzy told me about. He should be a better description of "Do not judge a book by its cover."
Miss Marian, it's nice to meet you. So, from your application letter, it says " You're applying for any vacant space in the hotel. Why don't you have a preference?" He asked, fixing his eyes directly to mine.
"Why is he looking at me like that?" I asked myself before giving a reply to his question.
" It's nothing, Sir, I think I can handle any of the options given to me."
"Fuck!! Marian, what did you just say?" I regretted the reply I gave.
"You should be smart while answering any of his questions," I advised myself.
"Okay, Marian since you said you can handle any of the options given to you, I'll give you one by myself."
Phew!!
This man is quoting me by my words.
I hope his options are fair enough. Although I'm ready to put out the dramatic side of me so that he'll be filled with compassion.
" Marian, by the way, who Introduced you to my hotel? "
Is this question necessary or is he trying to get words out of my mouth again? Well, I won't give him the answer he wants to get.
"Sir… Uhmm… no one. I got to know about this hotel while passing by, and I thought by applying maybe I would be lucky."
I don't know why I stuttered initially. Maybe because I am not used to lying.
"Okay, that means you're not aware of what's done here."
" Please, sir what is done here?" I feigned not to have a clue of what he was talking about.
"Here in palace hotels and suites, we run in exchanges."
Hmm!
Why is he trying to sugarcoat the evil he does?
" I'm floating, sir. Please can you make me understand what you're talking about?"
I just needed to play smart, that's all.
His eyes widened as he sat upright. He gave a stern look that wrote "Are you a child?"
I guess he's getting angry.
" In this hotel, you give your body in exchange for your job. Period" He stapped his hands on the table, adjusting his chair backwards while he gazed at the ceiling."
"Marian it's time to act," I thought by myself.
"Sir, please help me. I desperately need your help. You can help me without my body, I beg you, sir." Tears running down my face.
I continued… " Sir, my mother is sick and she needs money for her medications. Your hotel is the only available option. Don't do this to me, sir. " I sobbed more this time.
I went to where he sat and I knelt before him pleading for him to help me
"Miss, Marian, you're the first and only person I've seen since my era of a CEO act this way. Others reluctantly give in to my request. It seems you have no other place to go to."
"Yes, sir, I've nowhere to go to. Just me and my sick mum" I was still crying.
"Marian, I can see how needy you are. I wouldn't have paid attention to those fluids running down your face but my spirit led me into helping you. I'm doing this out my pity for you." He gave a mean look afterward.
"Hold on!! Not only that. I don't want you to tell anyone this. You're not a special human. I don't want anyone to see me as selfish, if not, I'll fire you without reconsidering." He pointed at me why he spoke.
"Sir, I can't thank you enough. Thank you so much for giving me a listening ear. I'm more than grateful." Still kneeling on the floor.
" Enough of that, Marian." sounding harsh.
Why did he give me such a reply?
Anyway, that's none of my business. What's next?
"Miss Marian, you'd take the job as a cleaner. We have just one in the hotel, Lizzy, you'd get to know her."
One cleaner in the hotel? That's not ideal!! And Lizzy didn't tell me that she has been working her ass off daily. Well, maybe she didn't want to be pitied.
"Okay, sir. Thank you, sir." I replied to him.
I'm even tired of all these sir, sir I'm answering to every reply I give.
"You should commence work immediately. By 9 am tomorrow."
" Tomorrow? I was expecting to start on Monday as today is Friday." I wasn't expecting it, but who am I to question him?
"Okay, sir. I'll be here tomorrow."
He nodded in agreement, and I left his office.
I think I'm the luckiest person right now.
As I steeped out from the office, other staff stared at me to see my facial reaction.
I'm sure I disappointed them because I was smiling.
Lizzy rushed to me. " How was the interview, Marian?" She asked, waiting curiously to hear what I had to say.
Before I could even talk to Lizzy, the secretary informed me that Mr. Smith wanted to see me.
See me again? I was surprised.
See me for what now?
I hope he doesn't want to revert the decision he took.
My heart raced as I walked towards his office.