A Bargain With The Devil

I was hiding again in the pantry for the third time that day. If mum called me again to ask where I put the soy sauce, I would curl into a ball and disappear. Things were easier before, when dad was still in charge. The restaurant scene was his shmuck anyway, but then he got sick and now we were failing, woefully.My watch flashed, signaling the end of my five-minute hiatus. That was how long I could stay in there without getting bothered. To prove my point, the door handle twisted above my head. When the door did not budge, a voice called out.“Ehh... Mae, is that you? I need to get some flour, we’ve run out.”I sighed, rose from the floor, and unlocked the door. Lisa’s round face came into view. She smiled kindly at me, before hurrying into the pantry. As I walked back to the kitchen, the sound of clanging pots and knives on chop boards grew louder. My mum was yelling at José in Italian again.I was glad I only had to wait tables; a day in the kitchen with my mother would kill me.W

I still wasn’t certain if my eyes were playing a trick on me. It was him, looking at me with contempt. The same haughty pride that was burned in my memory. It occurred to me that I had entered into the wrong office, and now I was going to get kicked out and I would not be meeting Mr. Crowe again. But I recalled telling the secretary that I wanted to meet with Ethan Crowe, why did she check this office then? Was this possibly another inner sanctum reception desk?She apologized profusely and made a feeble attempt to pull me out, but my feet were frozen to the floor. Being regarded under his chilling gaze made me feel excitement and the humiliation he had inspired in me two years ago. It was bizarre how my body remembered every detail like it had only been a few seconds ago. Speak godammit, I urged myself.“I need to speak with Mr. Ethan Crowe. I promise I won’t take much of his time.” My voice came out like I had sand stuck in my throat. I saw an emotion flash through his eyes but it d

We visited Ethan’s family home a week after the contract was signed and tucked away safely. His home was magnificent, it was unbelievable that he had been raised within these very walls.As the butler led my family and I, to where his family waited in the living room. I mentally prepared myself for the task ahead, ignoring my mother’s oohs and aahh’s as we walked. I had four people to deceive; my father, who had insisted on coming even though he needed to be resting, Ethan’s parents and his grandfather. My dad had somewhat accepted that I had been dating Ethan for almost two years with mum’s knowledge, and blessing. I could tell she did not like lying to dad but the situation called for it. Our whole lives were at stake.When we reached the living room, Ethan was the first person I noticed. His hand cradled a glass as he stared intently into the fireplace. My throat dried at the sight of him, he was simply the bestlooking man on earth. Too bad, he was also the most arrogant. His mothe

I was over an hour late. I grabbed a ticket wristband from the main entrance of the theme floral garden, and hurried to the location he’d given me directions to. All around me, beautiful butterflies swarmed, flitting from flower to flower, their colorful wings catching the light from the sun. The garden provided a sense of serenity and comfort. If I knew about this garden when I was vulnerable after my dad’s health issues started, I bet I would have come here, instead of going to the club where I met Ethan. Speak of the devil and there he is, I thought as I meandered through the secluded parts of the Garden. The closer I got to him, the more the sound of activity faded. My heart skipped in my chest when I saw that he was watching me walk towards him. He was focused on every step I took, like he controlled it, I could barely hear the clacking of my shoes above the sound of my heart. He took one last drag of the cigar cradled in between two long dexterous fingers, and moved away from th

Grace Crowe was in my family restaurant.She laughed heartily while cameras clicked behind her. “Oh I got you good! You should see your face.” “Mrs Crowe what a...wonderful surprise.” What are you doing here and why do you have an army of photographers? I thought.“I know right!” she walked to me hands stretched and enveloped me in a hug while I stood, shocked. Cameras clicked again. Our customers wore several expressions of awe, discomfort or confusion. I needed to act before our restaurant was turned into a circus show.“I just thought I would pay you a little visit, since you said you were working, “ she spoke alternating her attention between me and the camera crew. “Her family owns this restaurant. They make one of the best foods in Cali. Absolutely delicious” She kissed her fingers and smiled at the crowd.What was happening?“Mae Ricci, how long have you been seeing Ethan Crowe?” a man with a microphone asked.“Were you having a secret affair with Ethan Crowe while he was datin