Walking hurriedly away from a modest apartment and down an alley, she occasionally adjusted her hair, partially pinned back, moving with graceful elegance in a calf-length pink modest dress and a small off-white crossbody bag. This was Grace Shasha Emerson, a 29-year-old woman struggling to manage her life with part-time jobs, working as a housekeeper and a childcare attendant.
After the fall of her short-lived marriage, she was forced to support herself independently, seeking solace and positivity to fend off loneliness, as she had no family—nor any idea where her real family was.
"Don't worry, Jane, I'll be there on time. I have to clean Mrs. Katherine Maverick's apartment now," she said, holding her phone to her ear while walking. "I don't know, she suddenly called me and said I needed to clean it since her young brother-in-law would be moving in," she added.
"Alright... Just make sure to finish quickly. Don't leave me and Rose overwhelmed with the toddlers here," replied Jane over the phone.
"Don't worry!"
Grace ended the call as she stopped in front of a sleek, metallic blue skyscraper. She paused, looking up at a massive billboard on the building's facade featuring a handsome, clean-shaven man with a cool, magical gaze of his hazel blue eyes, adding to his allure as he wore a suit without a shirt, revealing his muscular chest.
"Come on, Grace!" Suddenly, a woman tapped her shoulder from behind.
She turned, but the woman quickly walked ahead into the building. Smiling, Grace followed, her gray slip-on sandals clicking as she climbed the short steps toward the wide, automatic glass doors of the building.
...
After making her way through the corridors and using the elevator, Grace finally arrived on the 25th floor. She approached a black door and keyed in the code.
Ting.
The door opened, and Grace stepped into a metallic-themed living room cluttered with snack wrappers, paper bags, empty cans, cigarette butts, and more.
"Why is this apartment so messy and dirty? Didn't Mrs. Katherine leave it clean, and no one was supposed to have come here since?"
She slowly approached the table, glancing around the quiet room until she noticed the front door had closed automatically. Sighing, she murmured, "I hope the other rooms aren't too messy. I need to go soon," placing her small crossbody bag on the black sofa before moving toward another room.
"Hey!"
A man's voice from another room startled her, making her turn to find a young man, shirtless, with a slightly disheveled look as if he'd just woken up.
"Um...hey" She froze, staring at him, gradually realizing he looked remarkably similar to the man in the billboard outside the building. 'Could he be Mrs. Katherine's young brother-in-law?' she wondered as the man approached her.
"What are you doing here? Who are you?" he asked, frowning.
"Um... I'm housekeeping," Grace stammered, quickly averting her gaze from his hazel-blue eyes. "Mrs. Katherine asked me to clean this apartment before her young brother-in-law arrived… I'm usually the one who cleans here," she said, daring to look at him again.
"Oh…" The man nodded, then suddenly smiled.
Grace frowned.' Why is he smiling like that? Do I look odd?' she wondered, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"Well... Don't be shy with me," he said, extending his hand. "I'm Logan Maverick, Katherine's young brother-in-law," he continued, making Grace look up at him in surprise.
"So... You're Mrs. Katherine Maverick's young brother-in-law?" Grace couldn't hide her shock.
"Yes... Why are you so surprised?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow, his warm smile never fading. "Didn't you realize you're late to clean this apartment? I arrived before you did."
"Um..." Grace turned away, slightly lowering her head. "I'm sorry for that, but I don't think it's my fault. I usually arrive at this time... And Mrs. Katherine also said you hadn't arrived."
"Fine... I don't mind, but are you going to leave me hanging without taking my hand?" Logan asked.
Grace quickly noticed Logan's hand still extended, prompting her to shake it. But he held her hand instead of letting go.
"Before I introduced myself, didn't you recognize me?" Logan asked.
"No," Grace whispered.
"Don't you use social media or see the posters on the streets... Television...?"
"No... I don't pay much attention to that."
"Are your thoughts too busy for you to enjoy anything beautiful or new?" Logan continued.
Grace exhaled sharply, frowning as she remembered the attractive image on the billboard outside.
"I know you're a model... I just saw your picture outside," she replied.
"Then you should feel proud to hold the hand of that model," Logan replied with a slight smile.
Grace gave a slight smile, trying to pull her hand away. "I don't think that's something important or to be proud of. Let me do my job now."
"Why the rush?" Logan asked.
"Because I have other work… I'm not just here," Grace replied in frustration.
"Where? At another apartment?"
"That's none of your business!"
"Oh... You're unique. You want to walk away from me when so many girls out there want to be with me," Logan teased with a mischievous grin.
"Not every girl likes you!" Grace snapped, pulling her hand away firmly until he let go. She took a deep breath, frowning at him. "Please... Don't be inappropriate with me!"
Logan chuckled, making Grace even more irritated.
"I'm here to do my job, and you can't do as you please just because you're handsome and a model!" Grace asserted.
"So, I'm handsome in your eyes?" Logan raised his eyebrow, moving closer to Grace until she was backed against the wall.
He leaned down, looking into her dark eyes, noticing her nervousness, but his attention was drawn to her naturally pink lips.
"Sir..." Grace pushed Logan's chest. "Please... Respect me..."
"Why? Don't you like it?"
"Of course, I don't like it!"
"But many girls like me..."
"And I'm not one of them!"
Logan chuckled as Grace exhaled sharply, glaring at him.
"Please... If you can't respect me, this might be the last time I work here!" Grace declared firmly.
Logan immediately stepped back. "Sorry... I was just joking."
"Your jokes aren't funny," Grace murmured, mustering all her courage to mask her nervousness with strength to protect her dignity. "I know you're a model, but I only found that out today. And just because of your status doesn't mean I should be in awe of you... Let me do my work well here!" she said firmly before heading toward the kitchen.
Logan sighed, smiling as he watched Grace from behind. 'She's cute, yet mature. And she doesn't like me. How is that possible? Does that mean I'm not the most attractive model in the USA yet?'
Bzzz...
Logan's attention shifted to his phone vibrating in the pocket of his gray shorts. He answered a call from Soraya.
"Soraya?"
"Logan, you have to arrive around nine," Soraya's voice came through the phone.
"Why should I arrive at nine? Isn't the fashion show starting at twelve?" Logan asked as he walked toward a single sofa, glancing occasionally at Grace, who returned from the kitchen with a large trash bag.
"Yes... But you need to rehearse on stage with the other models and get ready... There's a lot to prepare..."
"I don't need that; I can do without rehearsal!" Logan insisted, exhaling. "I'll come at eleven. I want to sleep more now!"
"Logan, you can't act like that. The designer and the organizers expect you!" Soraya sounded annoyed. "You can't make things difficult for me, or you'll find it difficult too!"
Logan remained silent, his cold gaze fixed on Grace as she cleaned the table.
"You need to learn discipline... Keep a good attitude... Don't let your behavior damage your career. Remember... A handsome face isn't enough to make people like you, to make you famous... your attitude counts too." Soraya continued. "Okay, sleep now; it's only seven. But I'll be there at eight... you must be ready, like it or not."
Logan stayed silent as the call ended. He sighed, pouting, still watching Grace as she tidied the room.
'This is what I wanted, but... But why do I have to follow the rules? Why do there have to be rules at all?' He wondered, imagining the chaos backstage before a catwalk.