This is tiring. It really is draining her soul right now. Being a cafe maid is harder than she thought. But she's trying her best to fit in.
Fit in as a maid? No fit in as a person, with other people's interests and thoughts and.. what not.. But she realised, hierarchy is everything. Power is everything.
Money is everything.
Fame, is everything.
She rolls her eyes at the thought. Even as a cafe worker, she still has to think of money. And in the worst possible way of how to not spend it. Except, here other employees looked down on her.
Why? Because she's poor.
She had never seen this side of society where wearing jeans was considered a crime. Apparently, skirts and stockings were the go to.
"Valerie… clean this table up please." The manager called out to her, and the cashier looked up at Valerie, with a demeaning snicker on her face.
"Surely." Valerie responded.
The manager was one sweet woman, from what she had seen. The manager was the only woman who seemed like a human being, who maybe actually cared about her employees enough.
Valerie approaches the table she was asked to clean up, the men who were sitting look her up and down, their heads following their gaze.
"Ooh, hey beauty." One of them calls out to her. "Wanna join us for a drink?"
Getting catcalled in a cafe, at your workplace? She wasn't sure how this situation was supposed to be handled.
"Huh?" She looked at them. "No, thank—"
"Come on, I'll pay you up a bit. I know you need that money. Maybe join us for the night?"
Baffled. She's baffled. "Why do you think I'd need that money?"
"Oh look at you, acting tough. Everyone needs a bit more money. And a cute maid like you would love it…"
She scoffs, turning around and walking away from the table with the dirty dishes in her hands. This is infuriating. She doesn't know what to say, she doesn't wanna lose her humility.
Valerie walks into the kitchen and places the dishes in the sink.
"Arent you going to finish them? Dishes are piling up. Hurry."
"Yes.. yes sir." Valeri says, while getting to it.
"Valerie, another table needs cleaning!"
"Yes, yes maam, on it."
Valerie washes her hands.
Again, why is she doing this? She could buy up the whole town if she wanted to.
Ahh. She wanted to get away from the fake society her family business built around her. All her "friends" were never there for her, but for what she owned.
She was tired. She wanted to try something new, live a different life and see how that works out.
This.. she wants to quit. Cafe maid was a bad idea.
What was she thinking?
"Hey Valerie, can you also clean up the floors?" A coworker comes up to her, an innocent smile on her face.
"And why? Isn't that your thing?"
"Oh!" The girl pouts. "I just got my nails done yesterday. And I have a date tonight. Can you please do it for me?"
Oh hell naw. Valerie did not want to do anyone else's chores. She thought this was going to be a normal job, but the politics she's facing in a small cafe like this, is exhausting.
Valerie was born with a golden spoon in her mouth. But she wanted to experience real world. She was told it would be tough, terrifying even.
This is far from that. This is a nightmare.
In few months, her father is going to announce his retirement, and she would then have to take over, make a public appearance and show her face to the world for the first time.
A chill ran down her spine.
A clicking sound, echoes through her thoughts, bringing her back to where she was standing. She wanted to rage quit and leave but that wouldn't solve her problems.
"Valerie-"
"I know, I'll do it."
Valerie sighs, walking to a table, just as she was about to reach forward, another co-employee walks into her, the woman's arm hits Valerie, and the dishes falling down onto the wooden floor. The crashing sound shoots through the room and the cafe goes silent.
Valerie is on the floor, her clothes all stained in leftover soup and broken glass shards.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?"
She looks up at the woman.
"I-"
"Why do you always have to be in the way? Look at what you've done. Will you be paying for the damages?"
Valerie wanted to slam her black card—
No no, that's wrong, Valerie—
"Get the fuck up, clean this mess you've created. Your salary will compensate for the cost of the losses."
Valerie bites her lip.
"You can't cook, neither can you clean up, what do you even know?" Another one chimes in.
There's a snicker heard from few tables.
Ah, the insults echo throughout the room. Its true, Valerie barely knows anything. She is just learning.
"I saw you eyeing the cash the other day, by the way, are you that poor?" The woman standing over her spits at her face. "You want to steal?"
Valerie frowns. Now that's definitely made up.
"Hey, I don't think-"
"Excuse me?" A baritone cuts the banter. Everyone turns to look at the owner of the voice. A few eyes go wide, and a few gasps are heard.
Fuck.
Valerie wants to run.
That's Lucian Hale. How did he end up here? And why?
Lucian Hale was the youngest CEO in the industry. Of course, Valerie was going to take that title soon, but for now he is what he is. He was infamous for being cold.
And he was famous for thriving when her company suffers.
He was the one rival that openly admitted his hatred for the Harrison.
And now they're face to face.