Chapter 1: The Spilled Latte
306 words
The smell of ammonia burned the back of Elena’s throat, a sharp reminder of how far she had fallen. Her knees ached against the cold marble of the lobby floor, her grey jumpsuit sticking to the sweat at the small of her back. She dipped the rag into the bucket, wringing out the grey water, fighting the urge to close her eyes. Just five more tiles.
The polished leather shoes stopped inches from her nose. Before she could look up, a heavy porcelain cup tipped. Brown sludge splattered across the pristinely white floor she had just spent an hour scrubbing, soaking into the fabric of her sleeve.
"Oops," Marcus Sterling drawled. He towered over her, immaculate in a bespoke suit, his slicked-back blonde hair catching the chandelier light. "You missed a spot. Looks like the help is getting sloppy."
Elena’s jaw tightened until her teeth creaked. She stared at the puddle, calculating the cost of the latte against the late fees currently eating her bank account alive.
"I’ll clean it, Mr. Sterling," she whispered, forcing her voice to remain steady. She couldn't afford a confrontation. Not with her father’s life support costing thousands a day.
Marcus chuckled, turning to his entourage. "Pathetic. Imagine living like that." He leaned down, his expensive cologne choking her. "I’m watching you, Rossi. One more mistake, and I’ll fire you for incompetence. You won't even qualify for unemployment."
He walked away, leaving footprints in the spill. Elena’s pocket vibrated. She pulled out her cracked phone. It wasn’t a text; it was the bank calling. Her overdraft protection had failed, and debt collection was threatening to freeze her only asset.
She stared at the screen, her vision blurring. If she lost this job, she wouldn't just be homeless; her father would be dead.
End of Chapter 1
