My parents’ money was only enough to cover my tuition, not my living expenses. I had to rely on part-time jobs to survive.
I answered the phone, and Rebecca’s voice came through the receiver: “Seraphina, are you done cleaning? Why aren’t you here yet? I’m coming over to check.”
“I… I’m almost done,” I replied, quickly picking up trash, sweeping, and mopping. Thankfully, there was only some garbage around the boxing ring; the rest was already clean. It was my first day, and sure I could not just screw things up. Later, I still had to clean the men’s locker room and showers.
As I cleaned, Kael watched me. “Seraphina, are you that short on money?”
“Not everyone’s family is as wealthy as yours,” I shot back. I’d heard that Kael’s family was rich-his father was the owner of a big company. That was probably why his university life was all about studying and having fun. I envied that kind of life.
“If you’re with me, I’ll give you money,” Kael said.
“Not everyone wants to be a beggar,” I retorted, glaring at him angrily.
“That’s not what I meant. I just want you to have a better life.”
“Save your pathetic pity. I’ll earn my own money!” I took a deep breath to calm myself down. I didn’t want to argue with Kael anymore.
Shortly after I finished cleaning, Rebecca arrived. She seemed surprised to see Kael. “Kael, you’re still here? I thought today’s training ended over half an hour ago.”
“Yeah, I wanted to practice a bit more.”
“Will Seraphina being here bother you?” Rebecca asked cautiously. It was clear that everyone at the club respected Kael, the boxing star, a lot, and were all careful not to upset him.
“No, she’s doing a great job,” Kael praised.
“That’s good. It seems Seraphina’s doing great today,” Rebecca said, her freckles trembling as she smiled. She looked genuinely pleased.
Kael seemed like a king in the club, wielding absolute power. Whether I passed my probation period might depend on his opinion. Would I have to bow my head and beg him to keep this job? The thought made me laugh-a bitter, helpless laugh. It was the kind of laugh that came from realizing your fate was in someone else’s hands.
This was why I didn’t want Kael to find out I was working at the club. He could easily control me, find any excuse to fire me. But I was unlucky-he’d already found out.
To make matters worse, as I was about to leave the venue, I saw Vivienne approaching. She was clearly here for Kael. When she saw me, her eyes widened in shock, as if she’d seen a monster.
“Bitch, what are you doing here?” Vivienne exclaimed. “Wait, what’s wrong with your clothes… are you working here?”
“What’s it to you? Who are you trying to sleep with today? Maybe you should go see a gynecologist,” I fired back.
Vivienne was about to insult me further when Kael’s voice came from behind. “Vivienne, what are you doing here?”
Her expression shifted from anger to sweetness as she turned to Kael. “I came to see you, of course,” she said, her voice dripping with honey. It was hard to believe how quickly she could switch personas-sweetheart in front of Kael, venomous bitch in front of me.
But I didn’t care. I didn’t even have the courage to look back. If I did, I might see Kael and Vivienne kissing. I couldn’t bear it.
As Rebecca and I left the venue, she said, “You did well today. Kael rarely praises anyone.”
“Thank you. I’ll work harder,” I replied, though my expression probably looked worse than if I’d been crying. Despite the praise, I couldn’t feel happy. My heart felt heavy, like a stone was pressing on it.
After cleaning the locker rooms and showers, I changed out of my work clothes and headed back to my apartment. The first day had been relatively easy, but I felt like a discarded dog. The world around me was lively and bustling, but inside, I was empty. The cold wind felt like it was blowing straight into my heart, chilling me to the bone.
Kael could flirt with me one moment, wanting to sleep with me, and the next, he could be sweet-talking Vivienne. Would they sleep together tonight? Like we had? I thought Vivienne would probably be more open, better at pleasing him. And I? I was destined to be cast aside by Kael.
I clutched my bag, forcing back tears. I couldn’t break down. I’d just gotten over a breakup. I couldn’t let myself fall for another man.
“Seraphina, you bitch, stop right there!” Vivienne’s voice rang out behind me.
I turned, startled, to see Vivienne and her friends standing there, arms crossed, as if ready for a fight. Strangely, I felt a sense of relief. Kael hadn’t gone off with Vivienne. Their relationship didn’t seem as good as I’d thought.
But I wasn’t about to let Vivienne off easy. “What? Didn’t get to sleep with Kael, so you have time to come after me?”
My words seemed to ignite Vivienne. She lunged at me, trying to slap me, but I dodged. Enraged, she charged again, ordering her friends, “Grab this bitch! I’m going to strip her naked and show her what happens when you mess with men!”
Her three friends then rushed over and tried to grab my hands. I fought back, punching and kicking, but they overpowered me quickly. Vivienne, like a mob boss, grinned viciously, her eyes filled with malice. She grabbed my hair and yanked hard, making me cry out in pain.
“Seraphina, you damn bitch!” Vivienne screamed, clawing at my face. I turned my head, avoiding most of her nails, but she still scratched my cheek. The sting ignited my anger. I struggled fiercely, breaking free from two of her friends, and slapped Vivienne across the face.
She froze, stunned by the blow. “You’re the real bitch. You’re the one who knows how to flirt with men, but it seems Kael doesn’t love you after all!”
Now I understood-Kael probably didn’t love Vivienne. That’s why she was so desperate.
“I’ll kill you!” Vivienne shrieked, charging at me again. But I turned and ran. I couldn’t fight so many people. My earlier struggle had been my limit. If they caught me, it would be bad.