Once A Servant, Now A Legend

Chapter Eight

The softly closed elevator doors. Jeff and Lena were in it. Lena turned her head towards Jeff. He seemed relaxed. Nothing was shown on his face. Still, Lena's heart was racing. The incident with Hillary kept coming back to her. The insults. The yelling. The laughing of Hillary’s friends. 

A lump formed in Lena's throat. She continued to feel the hurt caused by Hillary's words.

“Is everything alright?” Jeff inquired. His tone was soft. It was like a day and night difference compared to the angry words outside.

Lena made a slow nod. “Yes, I guess so.” She inhaled deeply. “But that was… a real stress-test.”

Jeff responded with a little, serious smile. “Madam Smith can indeed be very challenging.”

“The word ‘challenging’ would not be sufficient,” Lena remarked. She hugged herself slightly. “She was enraged. And the things that she uttered.”

“Don’t let her troubles affect you,” Jeff advised. He was watching her very closely. “She was just trying to provoke you. She needs to be strong. Don't let her take away your strength.”

Lena pondered over what he had said. He had similar things to say before. ‘Do not allow such people to decide your value.’ It was logical. The wrath of Hillary pointed towards her own problems, not concerning Jeff or Lena. But still, it was difficult to overlook.

“It’s only that… when she called me a slut,” Lena said in a whisper. Her face was still hot. “And that you gave me money.”

For a split second, Jeff’s eyes were clouded. “That was rude. Totally inappropriate. I am sorry that you had to go through that violence because of me.”

Lena immediately replied, “It's not your fault.” “You were merely trying to assist me.”

The elevator went up to their floor. The doors opened. They walked out into a deserted corridor. It was a lot quieter than the turmoil they had just left. Lena experienced a sort of relief.

“Let’s go see the apartment,” Jeff said.

They proceeded down the corridor. Lena was still a bit startled. But the quiet helped a lot. She tried not to think about what Hillary had said. She concentrated on what was going on around her. An apartment. Another place. A new beginning.

Jeff halted at a door. He pulled out a card key. He swiped it. The light changed to green. He pushed the door open. “Ladies first,” he said.

Lena went in. Her eyes got bigger. The apartment was very nice. It was large. Big windows directed the view to the city. The view was wonderful. The living room was tastefully decorated. Cozy couches. An elegant coffee table. A huge flat-screen TV hanging on the wall. The kitchen was cutting-edge. Danless steel machines. A smooth island. It was more than her expectations.

“Wow,” Lena said in a whisper. “This is … unbelievable.”

Jeff followed her in. “It’s a good place. With two bedrooms. Two baths. And a really nice area.”

Lena ventured deeper into the apartment. She didn’t skip any rooms. The bedrooms were nice places to rest. The beds were huge. The baths were splendid. She was still in disbelief. It was a new world for her as compared to the small, old apartment she had before.

Lena uttered, “This is excessive”. She looked at Jeff. “It’s so pricey that I won’t be able to get it.” 

Jeff was positioned with his back to the door. He was observing her. “It’s not your purchase. It’s your rent. And the company is providing a low price for workers. It’s really affordable.” 

Lena was in two minds. Deep down, she knew he was on her side. She was thankful to him. On the other hand, she had feelings of pride. She wanted to be self-sufficient.

“Really?” she queried. “I don’t want to trouble you”. 

“You are not a troublemaker, Lena,” Jeff stated. His tone was serious. “You have to place where you can feel safe. You have to have consistency. This apartment provides that. And it is included in the company’s relocation package for new hires. It is a standard benefit.”

Lena reevaluated the unit one more time and concluded that it was perfect. She realized she could have a life here, a new beginning. That was precisely what she wanted. Hope dawned upon her—a tiny flicker amidst the darkness that had been encroaching upon her.

“Alright,” Lena uttered. Her lips curved into a smile. “All right, I will accept it.”

Jeff returned the smile. It was an honest smile. It was so bright that it even lit up his eyes. “Good. I have a feeling that you will find this place very comfortable.”

He walked up to a table and took out a folder from it. “These are the details. The lease contract. The conditions. All documents are clear-cut. You need only to sign.” 

Lena took the folder. She started looking through the papers. Her mind was working at the same speed as before with the landlord meeting. But this change in events was a very nice distraction. She focused on the writing. The numbers. The rules.

Jeff went to the window while reading. He was looking with a deep expression at the city lights. He seemed to be in deep thought. 

Lena wondered what he was thinking about. He had a hard day. More than just the incident with Hillary. He was about to get a divorce. His life was also in transition.

After she was done with reading the documents, she found everything to be rightful. It was an equitable offer. A sense of relief came over her. 

“I will sign it,” said Lena. She looked at him. “Thank you, Jeff. Really. It is of great importance to me.”

Jeff went back from the window. “No problem, Lena.” He was very nice. “A new beginning is something that everybody should get.” 

Lena gave a slight smile. There was an unspoken connection between them and it was growing. A mutual comprehension was there. They were both going through hard times and they were both trying to piece back together their lives.

“I should probably leave now,” Jeff said. “You have a lot of work to do. Moving in, getting settled.”

Lena was somewhat letdown. She desired to converse more. To take everything in. Nevertheless, she was aware. He lived his life.

“Fine,” she replied. “Thanks once more.”

Jeff made his way to the door. Just before opening it, he stopped. “Never mind. If you ever need any help, just reach out. The folder has my number.”

Lena acknowledged him. “I will.”

He passed her another slight smile. After that, he was gone. The door behind him shut. Lena was left in the wonderful apartment all by herself.

She went over to the window. The city was her view. Below, the lights were sparkling. It was a large city. It was full of opportunities. It was full of new beginnings. A wave of tenacity overcame her. She would not give up; she would create her home here.

She recalled Hillary Smith once more. The rage. The disgrace. However, this time it was different. It did not hurt as badly. She had a different accommodation. A new job. A fresh chance. Hillary’s words were no longer a threat to her.

Lena inhaled slowly. She beamed. A sincere smile. She experienced a moment of stillness. The first such moment for a long time.

She traveled through the process of unpacking her little bag. She directed her couple of items into the drawer. She made a tour of the kitchen. She dreamed of making dinners there. She dreamed of taking the seat on the couch and watching TV. It was a nice feeling. It was a right feeling.

Her phone rang, and took her by surprise. There was a message from an unfamiliar number. Lena grabbed her phone. She opened the chat.

The message was very short and contained only a single photo. Lena replied with an astonished emoji.

Hillary Smith was the person in the photo. She was with her partners in crime. All of them were lying on the floor. 

In a hotel hallway. Surrounded by police. Lights were flashing all around them. The contents of Hillary's expensive handbag were scattered on the floor. Her face was a mixture of surprise and fear.

Lena could not detach her gaze from the picture. She was astonished. This incident just occurred a few minutes after her leaving. It was like a movie scene.

Under the picture, there was a caption. Which simply said: "Justice served."

Lena's pulse quickened. Who is sending this? How did they get the picture that fast? And what does this imply? Was it Jeff who orchestrated it? Or someone else?

A chill ran down her spine. The peace she felt just a little while ago was gone. A new wave of anxiety washed over her. This was not over yet.

She scrutinized the photo again. Hillary's face. The humiliation was quite obvious. Lena felt a strange mix of emotions. Some pleasure. A lot of disbelief. And an increasing interest in the whole situation.

It wasn’t just about a mere quarrel. A greater force was involved, and it was something Lena could not grasp. 

Once more, Lena directed her gaze to the outside world. City lights continued to shine at a distance. However, this time they appeared to be keeping a new secret, a hidden risk, and a suspenseful mystery to solve. 

A new chapter of her life had just begun. Nevertheless, it looked like her previous life with its issues was still very much intertwined, and to top it all, there was someone, somewhere, who could see everything. 

The moment she dropped her phone, Lena went back to the door and locked it twice. A feeling of a different kind of thrill crept over her. The suspense was on. 

What would be the next move? What other surprises were in store for her? The story of her new start was already evolving into a thrilling adventure.