Coincidental Enemy

Swap Places

After her shift was over, Helen went to the room that Jackson told Rafael to prepare for her.

She said to within herself as she entered, I thought he was going to put me in some kind of a slum, but... This is way better than the tunnel.

She opened the toilet door, scanned around, and closed the door; and then walked toward the bulb switch, turned off all the light, went to the bed and slammed her butt on the bed, glanced around, and sighed in relief,
    "I don't know if I should be grateful or angry." brushing back her hair with her hand, "Am I really going to work for seven months without being paid; what kind of monster is he?"

She rested her back, and let out a tired breath, swinging her hand on the mattress, "Oh this is nice." she rolled over from right to left, left to right. "Oh my God... When last has it been!!?" she took the pillow and hugged it, "Oh this feels so good!"

Suddenly she sat up straight, "But this man is very wicked, seven months' paycheck for a statue? I don't think the head of King Henry himself worth that much." She squeezed her face, roughed her hair and groaned in disgust, "Maybe I shouldn't have done that, I should have controlled my temper; how will I survive seven months without being paid? Ugh!!!" she groaned.

"But looking on the bright side," she looked around, "this room is nice. I can't afford a room like this with my paycheck anyway. I just need to find a way to survive somehow.
       Oh!" she sat up straight. "Can I renegotiate with him, maybe he can be paying half and remove half."

She stood up, "That's not such a bad idea, but..." she scratched her hair, "I don't think that guy is reasonable. Ugh!!!

"I can't believe am thinking of this... God! Money is such a powerful thing. How can the wicked one be the champion... That son of a bitch ruin my life and after all this while; he's still winning.

"Damn it!" she cursed, "I hate this!"

                         ***

Before she resumed her duty the next day, she asked of Jackson whereabouts from Rafael and he told her he had traveled and he wouldn't be back for the next week.

I need to keep my head down and just manage myself, and thank God Mr Rafael is super nice to me.

"But..."

—No but.

She knew Rafael had feelings for her. He had fallen in love with her from the very first day he saw her, even though he had not made his intentions clear, he had always treated her differently.

When Jackson returned from his trip, Helen went to see him.

Her heart was trembling as the elevator went up to Jackson's office. The fact that she did not know what to expect, and seeing his face made her so mad that her head was spinning.

She began to pray within herself, "God, I know it has been a while but please, you got to help me calm down. I don't want to mess this up. Amen."

Immediately 'Amanda, Jackson's receptionist saw her coming, she called security and came out of her bootstand.

"I will strongly suggest you go back before the security gets here," she warns.

"Please," Helen glanced at her tag, "Amanda, I just need five minutes. Am not here to cause any trouble."

"I don't care. Please, leave before I lose my job."

"Amanda!"

Jackson came out from his office with two guests. When he saw Helen, he ignored her and continued his conversation with his guest.

"Thank you Mr Jackson for your time." One of them said and handshake him.

Jackson handshake the second person too and they left.

He glanced at the security walking toward Amanda and Helen, "Amanda," he called, "it okay. Let her come in."

Helen breathed out deeply, Thank God for hearing me, I know I haven't called in a while, but can you please handle this whole situation till the end? Thank you.

She bent her head in gratitude to Amanda and followed Jackson, entered behind him, and closed the door.

Jackson walked to his seat, sat down, and rested his back. He glanced at one of his gold statues and back to Helen.

She followed his eyes, "Oh, I swear am not here to break anything. I just want to talk."

"Good. Because I hate seeing your face..."

That makes two of us.

"...In my company, and if you break another, I won't know what to do with a..."

"A trash like me, yeah, you never forget to remind me of that."  Calm down, Helen. Calm down.

"Why are you here?"

"Mr. Jackson." she swallow her spit, "I know am trash and a very stinking one at that. No one likes to be trash, but I can't stop being trash if I don't receive any money for my hard labor.

"Please, pay me half of my salary and I will work for a year and a half. That means I will pay back my debt with interest."

"Did you forget the part when I said I don't want to see your face..." He stood up and walked toward her, then stood in front of her.

"I can't stand you ."

That makes two of us assholes. "Then send me to jail if you hate me so much."

"What is fun in that?"

"Fun... This is fun to you!?" is this guy kidding me? You ruined my life and you called this fun?

Her voice trembling, even tho her stomach was boiling with anger, she could not help her eyes being glossy: thinking about everything she had been through and he called that fun!

With a low voice, she added, " Since the moment I heard your name, my life has been nothing but misery."
    She swiped away her tears with her thumb. "Why are you doing this?"

He looked directly into her eyes, it's the first time he would be standing this close to her.

His face relaxed when he looked into her glossy eyes, and with a low voice he said, "Because my life has been nothing but a mess since I met you."

"A mess?" she scoffed, "You call all of this" she glanced around, "a mess? Would you like to swap places with me?"

He did not realize it before he busted into laughter. And Helen smiled and looked away.

Jackson quickly composed himself, "I should go," he said with a straight face.

As he took a step forward, Helen quickly stepped in front of him to block his line of vision and unintentionally placed her hand on his chest to stop him, — with only an inch gap between them.

"Please!"

Both their eyes glued with each other and Jackson found himself searching through her eyes uncontrollably for what seemed like forever...

"What on earth is going on here?" The lady's voice interrupts.

Helen immediately removed her hand and took two steps backward with her head down.

"Angeline," Jackson whispered.

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