Eli's POV
I left the room before the menace could say anything else that might get me arrested.
My heart was still beating weirdly fast.
Definitely not from the fact that he was so attractive I drooled over his pillow.
Not that at all.
I shut the door behind me and leaned against the hallway wall for a second.
"…Okay."
I rubbed my face.
"Pull yourself together, Eli."
Then a voice echoed down the hallway.
"Eli?!"
Oh no.
I turned just in time to see Lina practically speed-walking toward me.
"Oh my God, where have you been?!"
"I was cleaning."
"I've been calling your phone for twenty minutes!"
She waved her phone in my face.
"It kept saying not reachable!"
I blinked.
"Oh."
I turned it off earlier so my stepmother wouldn't start one of her random harassment sessions.
"Sorry," I said weakly. "I just turned it on."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Eli."
"What?"
"Why are you red?"
I rubbed the back of my neck.
"I slept off while cleaning. I was exhausted!"
She slapped her forehead dramatically.
"Eli! You know we're not allowed to sleep on the job."
"But that's not the worst part."
Her eyes widened even more.
"There's a worse part?"
"The owner of the room walked in."
She froze.
"…While you were sleeping?"
"Yes. In his bed."
She gasped again.
"Lower your voice!"
She slapped a hand over her mouth,m.
"What did he say?!"
I sighed.
"He called me filthy.."
Her jaw dropped.
"He said that?"
"I might've called him Mr Handcuffs in Bed."
She gasped.
"ELI!"
"What?! It was on his bed!"
Lina laughed.
"He's probably a cop."
"He is not!"
She stared at me for a moment.
Then her eyes widened slowly.
"…Wait."
"What?"
She grabbed my arm again.
"Eli."
"What?"
"Describe him."
I blinked.
"Who?"
"Just describe him!"
I shrugged.
"He's tall."
She rolled her eyes.
"Hair?"
"Dark."
"Face?"
"…Annoyingly handsome. With colored eyes."
Her mouth dropped open.
"Wait wait wait…."
She grabbed my shoulders.
"Did you just accidentally meet one of the Donovan heirs?!"
I blinked.
"Really?"
"Oh my God.Which one was it?"
"How would I know?"
"Was it Noel?"
"…Who?"
"Or Dylan?!"
I shrugged.
"Or maybe Luca? Or Jeff."
I stared at her.
"Lina."
"What?!"
"I don't give a damn who these people are."
She looked offended.
"I'm worried about getting fired," I said flatly.
"Not about some rich guy with anger issues."
She grabbed her head dramatically.
"You might have insulted one of the most famous billionaire heirs in the entire city!"
I sighed.
"And?"
She leaned closer and whispered.
"People literally follow their lives online!"
"Congratulations to them."
Lina groaned.
"Please tell me you apologized."
She stared at me.
"Of course." I nodded. "He still yelled at me after."
I exhaled slowly.
"What if I get fired, or blacklisted by the company?"
"Relax! Cute"
"I can't afford to not get paid after all this stress! If i get fired, I'm screwed."
I gestured to my body dramatically.
"My entire skeleton hurts!"
"Eli.."
"And that mattress was so soft."
"Eli!"
"I should stop taking now."
She sighed.
"Breathe."
I inhaled dramatically.
"Good," she said.
Lina softened a little.
"Now listen."
She pointed toward the main hall where staff were still moving around.
"The party's about to start. If he was going to report you, he probably would've done it already."
"…You think?"
"Yeah."
She gave me a reassuring smile.
"Just keep your head down tonight. No arguing. No insulting billionaires. Or commenting on… floor condoms."
I sighed.
"Fine."
She checked her phone.
"Well… I'm done with my shift."
Lucky.
"How long are you staying?"
"Till midnight."
She winced. "Oof."
"Tell me about it."
She opened her arms slightly, then stopped.
"I would've hugged you…"
She glanced at my gloves and cleaning supplies.
"…but you have germs all over."
I snorted.
"Fair enough."
"Good luck surviving, Cinderella."
"Haha! Thanks."
She waved as she walked away.
"Text me if you get arrested!"
"Very funny!"
I watched her leave before turning toward the main hall.
A few of the other cleaners who had signed up for the night shift were already gathering near the service entrance.
Guess that's where I belonged for the next few hours.
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
I pulled it out.
One new message.
From Stepmom.
Fantastic.
I opened it.
Stepmom:
Are you planning on coming home tonight or are you still running around like a pest?"
I rolled my eyes.
Another message appeared.
Stepmom:
Your father called earlier.
My chest tightened.
Then the next message came.
Stepmom:
He asked if you were still embarrassing the family with your "phase."
I clenched my jaw.
Another text.
Stepmom:
Honestly Eli, I still don't understand why your mother spoiled you so much before she died.
My breath caught.
Then the last message came.
Stepmom:
Sometimes I think she would be ashamed of what you turned out to be.
The hallway suddenly felt very quiet.
I stared at the screen.
A small tear slipped down before I could stop it.
I quickly wiped my face with the back of my hand and looked around to make sure no one noticed.
"Don't cry tonight."
Then instinctively reached for the small object that always helped calm me down.
The small pocket watch around my neck my mother had given me before she passed away.
Whenever things got bad, I usually held it.
Just to remind myself she still believes in me.
My fingers searched for it.
Then paused.
Where is it?
I searched again.
I checked inside my shirt.
Still couldn't find it.
The watch was gone.
"No… no."
My hands moved faster, searching my pockets, my bag, my jacket.
Still couldn't find it.
"That's not possible."
The watch had been around my neck since forever.
It was the only thing I never took off.
My mind flashed back suddenly.
The room I fell asleep.
My eyes widened.
"Oh shit."
I left it. In his room.
"…You have got to be kidding me."
Because if my pocket watch was still in there…
I was about to walk right back into the lion's den.