Coral climbed out of the cab and handed the driver his fare. She raised her head, looking at the tall building in front of her, and saw the name at the top 'Pristine'. She smiled, her cheeks turning red as she blushed. Taking a deep breath, she headed inside.
She went to the elevator and pressed the button for the ninth floor. The short journey was full of nervousness as it was the first time she had come here. After a while, the elevator stopped at the ninth floor, and she got out. Her heartbeat quickened.
'What will his response be?'
'Will he be angry or surprised to see her?'
She shook her head, clearing her thoughts and looked around the corridor. As she walked down the hall, she checked the room numbers. She came to a stop in front of number 23 and double-checked the number on her phone to confirm. Now that she had arrived at her destination, she felt more nervous and stood still. For a moment, she even thought of returning. But she dismissed the idea immediately. Taking a deep breath, she pulled out a card and unlocked the door with it.
Pushing the door open, she entered the penthouse and quietly closed the door behind her. The interior was beautiful, but there was no one. She thought for a moment about what to do next. Suddenly, she heard some noises. She hesitated for a moment before walking towards the direction from where the noises were coming. The closer she got, the clearer the noises became. She noticed a half-ajar door from which the sounds were coming and froze in her tracks as she realized what they were about. She was about to turn around when she heard a familiar voice. In a reflex, she stepped forward and pushed the door open. She froze in her spot after witnessing the scene. Right before her eyes, a man and a woman were making out on the bed.
"Ummmm.... I love you baby." The man murmured as he devoured the mouth of the woman who was straddling him.
Both of them were in their underwear. She gasped the moment the man's face came into view.
"Phillip!" She muttered in disbelief.
Only then the couple sensed her presence and looked at her. The man was shocked to see her while the girl smirked.
"What are you doing here? How did you get in?" He asked, releasing the woman from his hold.
"You... Elvira. You two...." Coral's voice trembled.
"Yes... We're together. He lives here with me. And we do it everyday." Elvira answered with arrogance.
Phillip, on the other hand, appeared to be hesitant and guilty. "Look. I can explain." He stated.
"What will you explain to this girl and why?" Elvira snapped. She hugged Phillip and looked at Coral. "We love each other from a long time and he's mine. So you can go wherever you want." She added rudely.
Coral's eyes welled up with tears as she looked at Phillip. He made no move to push Elvira away from him. Without saying a word, she turned and dashed out of the penthouse. Tears blurred her vision as she ran through the corridor. She decided to take the stairs, but her ankle twisted, and she lost her balance, falling down the stairs.
A shriek left her mouth, and her eyes snapped open. She sat up on the bed, breathing heavily. Her face covered in sweat.
"Same dream.. again." She murmured.
It had been four years, but she still hadn't forgotten that night. The pain was still there. Though not as vivid as that day, but it was still there. The pain of betrayal by her own people. She sighed.
At that moment, the alarm began to rang. She checked the time before silencing it. It was an important day for her, and it began with a nightmare. She ran her hands over her face, frustrated.
She had an interview, her first interview after graduating from university a few weeks ago. She exhaled deeply, determined not to let a nightmare ruin her big day. She hurriedly climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom to do her business. After a while, she came out of the bathroom, all fresh and bathed. She glanced at the closed door beside her bedroom. She shared the apartment with another girl, but her roommate wasn't home as she had gone to visit her family. Without wasting time, she prepared some breakfast and got ready within the next hour. Then she sat down to read the notes which she had prepared for the interview, one last time. Since she had woken up early, she had plenty of time. After all, she was a girl with strict routine. She wasn't lazy or irresponsible and took everything seriously.
After getting ready, she grabbed the file containing her academic degrees and other important documents and left the apartment.
....
"So, you're an orphan?"
"Yes sir."
"A village girl came to the city to fulfill her dreams...interesting. You will motivate many."
"Thank you, sir."
She sat nervously in front of the manager conducting her interview.
"Everything looks good. You're a bright student as well, Miss Stone. I'm impressed by your profile. I like your designs too. We would like to have someone like you in our company."
A smile formed on her lips as Mr. Ducklings praised her. It was her dream job.
"But." He continued. "I would like to do a final check before hiring you."
Her smile faltered a little. "What do I have to do, sir?"
"I'll give you a theme. Make two designs and show them to me tomorrow. Can you do that?"
"Yes, I can. When should I come to meet you, sir." She asked immediately.
The manager smiled, though it felt more like a smirk.
"I'll be busy tomorrow, so meet me after office hours at my hotel."
"Hotel?" She felt a little uncomfortable.
"As you know, our company is the best in the fashion design business. If you want a chance to work with us, you have to compromise and do as we say. As you can see, I'm quite busy."
"Alright, sir. No problem."
He handed her a card. "Divine Hotel, room number 13. Meet me after 8."
"Okay, sir."
She left the building and went back to her apartment. Immediately, she sat to draw the designs. She had to secure this job.
.....
The next day, she stood outside room thirteen. It was five minutes past eight. She was nervous and uncomfortable at the same time. A nagging feeling tugged at her about the meeting. Employees sometimes met their bosses outside the office for work, but she wasn't an employee yet. It felt odd to meet him personally. But she couldn't afford to let this chance slip away. She had studied hard and emerged as the topper in her university. She dreamed of becoming the top designer in the country. This was her opportunity.
The door opened, breaking her out of her thoughts and Mr. Ducklings appeared in front of her.
"Miss Stone, please come inside. I was expecting you."
With a thudding heart, she entered the room and flinched immediately when she heard the door being locked behind her.