Sabi sat in the locker room, the air buzzing with the excited chatter of her fellow cleaners. They circled around her, some sitting on benches, others leaning against the lockers, their eyes gleaming with curiosity and admiration.
"Girl, you must have done something!" one of the younger cleaner, Gloria, exclaimed, her voice high-pitched with excitement. "Levi Callahan doesn't just notice people, let alone a maid."
"I swear!" another cleaner, Miriam, added, fanning herself dramatically. "That man barely acknowledges the existence of us lowly staff, but he not only noticed you, he remembered your name! Sabi, you have to tell us your secret."
Sabi forced a small smile, but inside, her thoughts twisted into knots. She had no interest in their foolish speculations. If only they knew who she really was and why she was there. If only they understood that she wasn't seeking the billionaire's attention, but his downfall.
She remained silent, her mind replaying Levi's smug expression, the way he had stared at her as if he already owned her. The idea of cleaning his office disgusted her, but she had no choice. If she refused, it would raise suspicion, and the last thing she needed was anyone questioning her motives.
Mrs. Martha, her supervisor, entered the room, her face brimming with barely contained excitement. "Alright, ladies, enough gossiping!" she said, waving her hand. "Sabi, you've been assigned to clean Mr. Callahan's office. He just stepped out for a meeting, so you should go in now. And for heaven's sake, do a good job!" she smiled, "I really wouldn't want him to have any issues with you. He seemed very nice with you. But a little warning, you would be the third cleaner working with him this month." She laughed, the man has zero tolerance."
The other maids erupted into more cheers and whispers as Sabi grabbed her cleaning supplies. She could feel their eyes on her, filled with both envy and admiration. She let out a quiet sigh and walked out of the locker room, her heart beating faster with every step she took towards Levi's domain. "The third cleaner, what sort of beast is he?" She asked herself.
As she made her way through the grand corridors of Jupiter Hotel, she spotted Paris standing near the entrance to one of the lounges, speaking on the phone. The woman's posture was tense, her fingers digging into her temple as if she were dealing with something deeply troubling. Sabi slowed her steps, keeping her head slightly down but her ears open. She wasn't close enough to hear anything clearly, but Paris's body language was telling.
Then, from the other end of the hallway, Mateo approached. He walked with his usual air of confidence, his broad shoulders squared, his sharp eyes focused on Paris. He stopped just in front of her, and she immediately ended her call, turning to face him.
Sabi's instincts sharpened. Paris was upset. Mateo was listening intently. They were talking, no, whispering. She tried to read their lips, but she could only catch bits and pieces. 'Levi… problem… need to be careful…'
Her grip on the mop tightened. Were they conspiring about something? Did this have to do with Levi?
Then, without warning, Mateo reached for Paris's hand. Sabi's stomach twisted as she watched him bring it to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss against her fingers. The gesture was intimate, reassuring, almost possessive. Paris exhaled, closing her eyes briefly as if his touch gave her a moment of relief.
Sabi's blood ran cold.
She had suspected Paris was involved with the hotel manager, Mateo and this confirmed it very much.
Suddenly, Mateo lifted his gaze and locked eyes with her.
Her breath hitched.
For a second, neither of them moved. Sabi felt her pulse skyrocket, panic clawing at her chest. Then, instinct kicked in, and she spun on her heels, running as fast as she could down the hall.
Footsteps pounded behind her. Mateo was following her.
She turned a sharp corner, almost knocking over a cart filled with towels. The hallway stretched endlessly in front of her, the polished floors offering no escape. Mateo was faster, his longer strides closing the distance between them.
A strong hand grabbed her wrist, pulling her to a halt. She gasped, struggling against his grip, but he held her firmly.
"What exactly do you think you're doing?" His voice was calm, but there was a dangerous edge to it.
Sabi yanked at her arm, glaring up at him. "Let me go."
His eyes narrowed. "You were spying on us."
"I was doing my job, cleaning the damn floors," she snapped. "Maybe if you both weren't standing in the middle of the hallway being so obvious, I wouldn't have noticed anything."
Mateo smirked, but there was no humor in it. "Clever. You were watching. That's not a good habit, sweetheart."
Sabi clenched her jaw. "And what exactly do you plan to do about it? Kill me?"
His grip tightened for a fraction of a second before he released her. "No. But a word of advice, keep your eyes and ears where they belong. This hotel has secrets, and trust me, you don't want to get tangled in them."
Sabi took a shaky breath, rubbing her wrist where he had held her. "Do not worry, your secret is safe with me"
Mateo's expression darkened. "Go and do your job girl and stay out of things that don't concern you."
Without another word, he walked away, disappearing down the hall where Paris was waiting for him.
Sabi stood there, her heart hammering, her mind racing.
Secrets. Lies. Betrayals. This place was a nest of vipers. And she had just uncovered a very dangerous connection.
Taking a steadying breath, she turned on her heel and made her way toward Levi's office. If she was going to bring this empire down, she needed to be careful. She needed to be smart.
And most of all, she needed to stay invisible.
At least, for now.