"Who was the woman who you fired earlier?" I ask Laila.

I'm at her office. After thinking about a good plan a while ago, I now plan to get the information about the girl she fired earlier. That girl, I think she can solve my problem.

"And why are you asking about that poor ugly woman?" Laila's, angry voice, frustrations are written all over the face. Not new. She's always angry. If before she was a kind and happy person but now she changes a lot. Since she returned here in the Philippines from Barcelona, she became short-tempered. Now it has become my daily routine to face the angry face of my sister, Laila. She's not even in a menopausal stage. She's only 25 years old.

But what did she just say?

Poor? That girl?

Let's say yes. As I look at that girl earlier, yeah, she looks like a beggar. But it doesn't matter at all. I know that beggar can help me out.

"Because I'm asking. Why don't you answer, instead?" I take a look at my watch. It's almost 8 o'clock in the evening. She might be gone. I don't have any time. "Come on. Who is she?" I ask her again. She hardly put the glass she was holding on the table and pour it some wine.

"Will you please shut up, Androus! Instead of asking me that, why not Kyla? She's the one who holds all my employee's names here! So, please? Get out of my sight, will you?!" She yelled out and drank wine again.

I stood up from sitting on the couch. I look into her eyes and all I see is disgust and hatred.

I scoff as I pull out both hands in my pocket and cross my arms. "That's the reason why Dad always scolds you for misbehaving the company and even for treating your employees. Come on, Laila, if you don't want to lose this hotel someday change your disgusting attitude." I say and gave her a sarcastic smile.

She stopped drinking and looked at me sharply but my face remains smiling. Not an insult, but it looks like it.

"Do not tell me what to do, Androus. It doesn't mean that you're everyone's favorite in the field of business you can talk to me like that. Remember, I invested my sweat and blood just to build this hotel!"

"Right. You have a contribution in putting up this building. But remember too that it was Dad's money you used in building this hotel." In what I said she killed me even more in her stares, yet I remain cool.

It's not like, I want to fight with her. I just don't want her to become arrogant. I really hate that attitude! Businessmen/women are supposedly act humble. "You're nothing without him, Laila. Remember, one of your directors is our family. He can remove you from your position as CEO, so be careful, my mind is broad when it comes to the industry of business. I can manage multiple companies with the title of CEO." I say. I'm not trying to scare her but looks I am.

Her brows arch in anger.

"Anyway, Consider this as a comment. You're welcome." I smile and before she could say a word, I totally turned my back to her and leave her office.

Shaking my head as I walk towards the elevator. She's really unbelievable.

When I got to the ground floor, I saw Kyla. Of all Laila's employees, she was the only one who stayed in. I witnessed her once was Laila was yelling at her when I was 21 years old. And now that's she's 35 years old, I don't know if she's still being shot by a lion.

"Sir, Androus, you're here." Kyla approached me.

"Yes. I was trying to relax here but I lost my appetite."

She laughs. I guess she already knows what I mean. "As usual, her daily routine happened. I pity that young girl, she really needs money." Kyla sighs out in regret.

Maxie?

"Who? Maxie? Is she the girl that my sister fired earlier?"

"Yes. She's very pitiful. A homeless young girl. She doesn't even have a family." Kyla sigh again. "Even though I wanted to help her, I also have a family to raise. And also, Miss Laila has rules in here that everyone should obey."

My forehead twitched as she had said. "Rules? What damn rules?" Is that really necessary?

"We are not allowed to interact with the people she deletes."

Really, Laila.

"By any chance, do you also know that you have the right to defend those employees she removes? What is your purpose here as a human resource manager if you aren't doing something for the employees you hired here?" I say shaking my head in disappointment.

"As much as I wanted to defend them, Sir. I can't. I'm so sorry about that." She bows her head.

"Okay. Okay. Give the information form about that girl, Maxie." I commanded.

"Sure, Sir."

--

MAXIE

If being unlucky in life has a prize, I'm probably the winner. It's really funny to think that I've been really unlucky in my whole life. And I'm used to it. Who would not? Seem I'm meeting with bad luck every day. Whenever and wherever I go, that bad luck keeps following me. Even in my dreams.

I'm sitting in the gutter on the road and looked up at the sky full of stars. The stars are shining in the sky together. They are giving the dark world of light. They look so happy with the moon.

I wish my life was the same as them. That still shines despite the darkness. But it's not. As to how the world is surrounded by the darkness, so is my life. It is even darker. Not just dark, it's bitter.

The world is cursing me.

In the middle of having a quiet conversation in my mind, I didn't realize my tears were dripping. I didn't wipe it. This time, I will let them flow down. It was too much weight for my heart to carry. I can not take it anymore. I am deeply hurt by what is happening in my life. I'm only 20 years old, I shouldn't experience this kind of difficult thing.

"Mom, Dad. Do you guys see me now?" I uttered and smile weakly as I gaze into the sky. "Do you guys, hear me? Mom, Dad. Its... It's really hard. I'm hurt. I don't know what to do anymore. I feel useless. I feel hopeless. I want to end my life now so that I can go there, together with you. We will be together. I don't want to feel these difficulties anymore--" my sentence was cut off because a black car stopped in front of me.

From that car, a man in an all-black suit came down and approached me.

Jesus. Is he going to kidnap me?

I'm ended unluckily. Bad luck won't really leave me.

As he approached me, I quickly knelt down.

"Please! Don't kidnap me! I have nothing. Please! I have nothing to give you. I am poor. I'm a beggar. I don't have any home, no food, no family and most of all I don't have any cents. So please. Don't kidnap me." I beg as I kneel down in front of him. "Please--"

"Miss? I won't kidnap you. Do I look a kidnapper?" He asks. Wondering.

I lift up my head. "H-Huh?" My tears stop dripping down

"I'm here to give you this." He handed me a card.

"W-what is this?"

"Go to that place tomorrow. 8 AM. Don't be late. If possible try to get there early. Because work will wait for you there." After saying that he immediately returned to the black car and left.

I look at the card he gave to me.

"Lhorton Car Company?"

Wait-- Lhorton Hotel? Lhorton Car Company? Is it owned by Miss Laila?

Does this mean, Miss Laila is giving me another chance?

--