Chapter 1

Beaten Up

It was a busy Friday morning at The Presidential Villa Hotel; the only seven-star hotel in Auckville, where Brian Macpherson works as a security guard. 

He had been standing since he got to work, opening and closing the massive wrought-iron gate for arriving guests. And though he was not officially informed, he suspected there was a grand event being hosted in the luxurious hotel by some big guns in the city. 

The fleet of expensive and flashy cars trooping into the lush green parking lot was an indication to that end. 

After letting in the latest guest driving in a black Lamborghini Aventador, 2023 model and closely followed by an ash-coloured BMW X7, he yawned and sat down. He had barely done so when he heard his name. 

"Brian Macpherson! Get your lazy backside over here!" 

It was the manager of the hotel, Miss Freya Charlie. She stood arms akimbo on the front steps leading to the reception hall in her knee-length designer navy blue dress that accentuated her curves. Her glossy face had a disapproving frown that was visible even from that distance. 

Brian hastily made his way towards her. 

"How can you comfortably idle away at the gate when there are numerous guests at the bar needing someone to take their orders?" she ranted, pointing towards the bar which was on the right wing at the rear of the hotel. 

Brian stopped short in his tracks. "But I am a security guard, Miss Charlie, not a bartender," he muttered trying his best to sound professional. 

But Freya didn't miss the dint of rebellion in his tone. 

"Oh, really? So you now have the temerity to spell out your job description to me," she returned, her anger rising. "Have you forgotten when you were begging with your tail between your legs for this job a few months ago and even guaranteed you could serve in any capacity if allowed to work here?" 

She took two steps forward, an inch of where Brian stood. 

Brian said nothing. He didn't know how to respond to the manager's outburst. 

That made Freya even more angry. 

She had a flashback to the day Brian got the job. He came to her with a recommendation letter from someone Freya knows very well. Sebastian; her high school crush. 

“I considered you for this position because my..." she wanted to say my boyfriend but quickly corrected herself. "...because someone I'm familiar with pleaded on your behalf, otherwise your miserable and poverty-stricken background wouldn't have qualified you to smell that gate,” she fumed, pointing in the direction of the entrance gate. 

"Whack!" came a crackling sound that startled Brian. 

Freya had slapped him hard across the cheek. He didn't see that coming. 

Brian winced and rubbed the spot, the sting of the slap making him see stars. He swallowed hard just as two ladies emerged from the reception and turned to give him a scrutinizing glance. 

“All these incompetent staff,” one of them scoffed. 

“I wonder why the management would employ such rubbish," the second one remarked. 

Brian gritted his teeth. It was exactly the kind of reaction Freya intended to trigger. She always seized every chance she got to humiliate him, especially in front of people: guests, colleagues, passers-by. And even when he didn't commit any offence. 

She just simply hated him! 

"Miss Charlie..." Brian started to say but the loud voice of a lady complaining about something made him stop. He turned in the direction of the car park. 

It was one of those alighting from the black Lamborghini Aventador. 

"Can someone get my luggage from the car trunk already?!" the lady yelled impatiently. Her tone was high-sounding and condescending. 

And somewhat familiar. 

"Why are you still standing there watching like a robot?" Freya shot at Brian. "Didn't you hear the lady asking for assistance?" 

But Brian remained transfixed on the spot. 

"What is wrong with him?" murmured Freya. "Does he want to be sacked?" 

Brian could hardly move. He felt his legs wobbling underneath him when he tried to walk. He clenched his fist; it was all he could do to keep himself from caving in. Because the lady whose voice attracted their attention was no other than Aleya Noah. His girlfriend. 

And she was not alone in the car park. 

"Aleya?" Brian called out her name in the shock. 

Aleya swirled around, her blonde hair swishing provocatively with the effort. When she saw it was Brian, her expression remained impassive. 

The next thing, a man alighted from the other side of the black Lamborghini Aventador. He looked about 5 feet tall and hugely built in his expensive cream-coloured three-piece suit and a bowler hat. His age was around mid-fifties. Aleya flashed him a knowing smile. 

As Brian stood with his mouth slightly open looking, two men dressed in black suits and wearing dark glasses had alighted from the ash-coloured BMW X7 and immediately rushed to the man's side: one holding the door handle for him while the other reached inside to bring out his briefcase. 

Meanwhile, two others were standing at attention looking around as if surveying the hotel surroundings for security threats. 

Aleya scowled at the two bodyguards attending to the older man, it was apparent she was upset that they delayed in taking out her own luggage from the vehicle. Suddenly, she seemed to have a better idea after seeing Brian. 

Craning her neck in his direction, she ordered, "Hey, you there, come over here and get my belongings!" 

Freya let out a smirk. "He doesn't know his job!"  

Brian began to move just as the older man encircled his arm around Aleya's waist. "He called you by your first name, sweetheart," he whispered, but his voice was loud enough for Brian to hear. "Who is he?" 

Brian felt the rush of blood to his head and temples as he reached the car park.  

"Answer the question, Aleya. Don't pretend you don't know who I am to you!" he blurted, losing every semblance of his cool. 

But Aleya only snorted. "Of course, I know who you are. You're the cleaner who works part-time at my house. But now I've decided I no longer need your services," she said with a derisive chuckle. 

"What? When did I work as a cleaner in your house, Aleya?" Brian asked, fighting the tightening in his chest. 

"Oh, you're asking? You've forgotten the other day when you came over to clean the floor and wash my dishes and laundry," she asserted with a smug. 

"Aleya! I did all of those things because I love you. And because you...you're my girlfriend," Brian stammered, his voice choking with emotion. 

"Girlfriend?" Aleya scrunched her face. "Don't be delusional, Brian. I was never your girlfriend. I merely took pity on you because you looked like you could commit suicide if I turned you down. So I didn't want your poor blood on my hands." 

Brian opened his mouth to say something but the words got stuck in his throat. 

"Now it's time to get that nonsense illusion that we might be an item out of your thick skull," Aleya warned.

Turning to her companion, she continued, "This is a real man. He has everything it takes to make me feel like a real woman. Don't you, honey?" she stroked the man's beard. 

Felix Eduardo tightened his hold around Aleya's waist and nodded. "You're right, my sweetest. And I can't wait to have you all to myself the entire weekend." 

Aleya smiled shyly while Felix chuckled, sending a cold chill of jealousy down Brian's spine. 

Brian couldn't take it anymore. He lunged forward in that blind rage attempting to punch Mr Eduardo by the jugular. But the two bodyguards who were listening to the exchanges were swift enough to intervene. One of them caught Brian by the wrist and twisted his ankle. He yelled out in agonising pain. The other one kicked him in the groin sending him crumpling onto the lawn. 

Meanwhile, Freya stood outside observing the whole drama. She made up her mind there and then that Brian would no longer be a member of The Presidential Villa Hotel staff. 

She quickly went inside to call the police. However, by the time they arrived, Brian was already beaten to a pulp. 

Mr Eduardo was the one who addressed them, "No need to arrest the misguided fella, gentlemen. I'm sure he has learned his lesson already. Let him go home and nurse his wounds." 

The policemen nodded their acceptance. Felix was a well-known businessman in Auckville. And he was one of the wealthiest too. Hence, the police respected his word. 

After the policemen left, Aleya said, "Just thank your stars that my rich and handsome sugar daddy here is not a mean person. Otherwise, you would have been spending a few days in jail." 

She spat on the floor next to where Brian lay wheezing before both of them walked away and entered inside the hotel.