REKINDLED FATE

(Lila's pov)

All my life I have lived in an orphanage. It's the only life I have known, I do not know my parents but I'd like to take the adults' words for it. My parents have apparently died.

I am 18, and very aware that I have passed the age of being adopted. I have always believed I will live here till the end but surprisingly, no. This was my thinking till a few nights ago when the head Nun told me of a lady of high status who had taken interest in me. Mrs Foster who recently invested in the orphanage. It's not a wonder that such a wealthy woman would have an interest in our shelter.

It's a common phenomenon amongst the elites, because of the constant scrutiny from the public eyes they from time to time deep their hand into their pocket to fend for us the less privileged. As much as I really appreciate it, I can't also ignore their obvious intentions. Their pretense in front of the camera. Hugging and kissing children but immediately sanitizing their hands with tense shoulders once the cameras are turned off as if we are infected.

I have witnessed it so much it's hard to believe that the rich genuinely wish to do good. Speaking of Mrs Foster, she seems genuine so far. I am yet to witness her do something wrong but still my heart is full of doubts.

"Lila," A gentle voice called out to me, bringing me out of my gray mind. Of course it was the head Nun, with her gentle smile and kind face she approached grabbing my hands and placing them into her weak hands.

"My child," she began, her eyes watering as she stared at me with fondness. She has been a great mother figure, she filled the hole of a guardian and mother so well that we all call her mother.

"Mother," my voice came out frail as I forced a smile.

"Mrs Foster, she is a good person, please be obedient, she promised to pay you well, save a lot." she managed to smile as I nodded. Yes, Mrs Foster took me in as a worker in her mansion. While I am too old to be adopted, getting a job is my dream so I can pay for college. The orphanage has funded my education from elementary school to high school. I stared out through the window to see Mrs Foster standing by her car with her driver standing behind her.

"I think it's time for me to head out," I said, hugging her for the last time.

"Come visit on your breaks," She said as I nodded with a smile. Of course, I will come visit. This is my home after all.

As I made my way to the door, with my bag, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. A part of me does not want to live but still I really need this job. The little ones gathered around to wave me goodbye.

"Cheer up, you can visit them later," Mrs Foster said, smiling cheerfully at me. Hearing the words come from her made me less sad as I smiled genuinely for the first time. She opened the car door and with a smile signaled I got in. Slowly I entered carefully not to scratch the fine leather, she joined in sitting beside me.

"I guess it's your first time living on the premises apart from school?" she asked and at the same time I watched her lit up a stick of cigarettes. She is right, it's my first time leaving and also my first time witnessing a lady smoke. Almost choking from the uncomfortable smell of the cigarette, thankfully the driver opened the window for me to take in fresh air.

"I have observed you for a while, apart from thinking you are special, there is something else that made me choose you," she said, getting my attention as I yet again turned to look at her. She at the same time looked at me, making me uneasy. Everything about this woman speaks of wealth and class. Even the scent of her perfume and her makeup is intimidating.

"Your constant needs to be seen as the smart one, almost like a desperation. Although might be off-putting for others but that is exactly why I like you," Her words weren't at all what I expected. Almost like a punch in the face. I swallowed hard. Trying to process what I just heard.

"You remind me of myself when I was much younger," she continued, from the front mirror I could see the driver looking at me perhaps to catch my expression.

"I was so desperate to be different, to be seen differently from my pairs but at the end of the day you are not much different," she turned again to look at me.

"It's not a bad thing," she assured me, patting my thighs. Her words were sour but not very far from the truth. I do want to be perceived as different.

"I want you to know that I see your desperation, and if you do like I say, I might help you achieve those goals you dream about," her words cut deep but I had no words to say. Almost like a cat got my tongue.

The rest of the ride went silent as I pounded on her words, questioning my own self, I refused to believe that I appeared desperate. The very same thing I struggle not to be.

"We are almost home," she yet again broke the silence, I immediately recognized the house from a distance. I remember seeing it every day on my way to school. I remember thinking it was so beautiful and even wondered about the type of personality that resided in it.

The car pulled by and without thinking I immediately pulled the door handle coming down from the car. At the center of the versed land is a two-story mansion. So big I can not see the sides of it. Right beside the car parked are two more beautiful cars.

Still in awe, I hear a feminine giggle approaching. "Mom!" A girl who appears a couple years younger than me approached and behind her a boy near my age or even older. Her giggles slowly died down upon seeing me as she walked towards Mrs foster.

"Mom? Who is she?" She immediately asked, I never knew Mrs Foster had children talk more of the ones almost my age.

"Come kids, this is Lila, from today upwards she is a maid here, I employed her for Ethan," I listened as she introduced me. They obviously seem confused and at some point even irritated looking at my dress.

"Is she homeless?" the boy asked, looking me up and down, I swallowed, reminding myself not to react, that is in fact what I should expect from wealthy kids.

"You do not speak on one like that in front of them," She reprimanded her son but her words did not bypass me. She said not in front of me, does that mean they can say it behind my back?

"How about go in, let me brief her on what her work here is," she said to them before turning to look at me, reluctantly they walked away leaving me with their mother. I watched as a bunch of uniformed workers appeared to clear the things that were in the car, they greeted her while robotically lowering their backs.

Her demeanor has completely changed to the full-blown boss, so intimidating that even her smile seemed evil, I panicked with a sense of fear. Have I made the wrong decision already?

"As you can see those are my children," she began as I listened attentively.

"While you are obliged to tend to their needs from time to time that is not entirely your duty, so I have assigned a very special duty to... it's a very important one," she suddenly whispered with a smile.

She began to walk ahead as I immediately followed behind, my eyes trailing her long legs, watching as the tip of her high heels clicked on the floor as she walked. How she manages to not fall is a wonder to me.

Upon entering the house, my jaw fell. I could no longer remain indifferent as I marveled at the sight in front of me. She removed her long coat and out of nowhere a uniformed man appeared to take it from her. No words in my vocabulary can describe just how beautiful the interior decor of this mansion is. And this is just the tip I believe.

"It's good to see that you are impressed," she suddenly said. Only then did I realize I was being watched, she had been watching my reaction all along.

"This is my palace," she smiled and I watched her take a seat, the chair In question looked like a throne. I was intimidated. A new type of sensation filled my head. Not only am I intimidated but I have been influenced. How does one get this rich?

"Go get changed and I will introduce him to you," she said with a smile before walking away. I stood confused and taken aback. Who is "him" in this context?

"Here, come with me," A lady appears again, uniformed with a robotic mannerism. No questions asked. I followed behind with my box in hand.

"Since you will be working for the young master, you don't need to be moved to the worker's building," I nodded before understanding her words. I bit my tongue holding back my question.

Perhaps the robotic mannerisms spooked me. I followed behind closely while my eyes trailed the stairways. Unfortunately, she didn't take the stairs but rather walked through an open door behind the stairs. The door led to a spread-out hallway, to my surprise. The walls were adorned with beautiful artwork as if I had just walked into a museum.

She suddenly stopped in front of a door, she opened the door with a huge bunch of keys in her hand. She pushed the door open as she used her eyes to usher me in the room.

"This is your resting place," my mouth fell yet again. This was new to me. I have dreamt of luxury before but thought it would remain a dream.

"Even I am jealous," she said, her face cracking a new emotion, for the first time she didn't seem like a robot.

"Even I don't have a room like this," she said while I nodded, quite taken aback. Already I could tell she doesn't like me. I mean I just got here and it looks like I am getting special treatment.

"I am Helen, Madam Helen to you," she introduced

"Change into this," she threw a packaged item at me, I already knew what it was as I took it.

"I will wait at the door," she walked away leaving me speechless. I exhaled and inhaled, a bit tense from the whole situation. I quickly dropped my back by the side as I undressed.

Quickly I wore the uniform as I found my way out the door, she stood opposite the door waiting with a frown on her face.

"You wasted time," she said looking at her wrist. "How will you survive here if you are too slow, this is not a place to get comfortable, just because you saw a fancy bed doesn't guarantee longevity," Her tone was hard to decipher. I chose to take her words as advice even though I had my doubts.

We followed the familiar route back to the living room. Mrs Foster was back still fully dressed but this time with a glass of wine in her hand, she had a smile on her face upon seeing me.

"You look just right in place," I smiled back, quite unsure of what exactly to reply, a part of me was excited to begin working. This whole situation is new to me, my first job, and is to a wealthy home.

"Come with me Lila," she said walking ahead, I watched her use the stairs, and I immediately got excited just at the thought of catching a glimpse of what the upstairs looks like.

I finally followed her behind as I fondled my hand, even with the heels she walked without trouble up the stairs. I followed as she sipped her glass and moved, like an actress, I had suddenly found a new obsession. Would it be greedy to say that this is the kind of life I want to have or perhaps somebody like me can never amount to something as this life?

"This is a special duty I am putting in your hands Lila, you have no idea how many people this job is their dream," she spoke while I smiled.

"I am so grateful ma'am," I said politely.

"You should be," she said, stopping in front of a large door. She gestured with her hand that I remain quiet, I wasn't speaking, to begin with. She handed her glass of wine over to me to hold while she gently knocked on the door.

For some reason, I held my breath waiting for the door to be answered, after a while I released my breath since the door wasn't opening. She slowly cracked the door open peeking inside.

"Ethan?" she called before walking inside, I stood outside still holding onto the glass of wine. The door suddenly opened from inside, she bore the most beautiful smile as she ushered me in, a bit paranoid for the smile seemed performative. I took a step into yet again another heaven called a room.

So big it could be half of the Orphanage. By the side is a reading desk, and on it a young boy around my age or maybe a bit older. He had had back facing us, I needed nobody to tell me he was the young master they spoke about.

"Ethan," she began, for some reason her mannerisms changed, she had a sweet smile as she approached the young man slowly rubbing his hair, like a mother would.

"I got you a new maid, one close to your age," She spoke.

"It's a girl" He spoke, his voice irritated as I almost scoffed.

"You can tell already, you are so smart," she chuckled, her face a bit flushed. I watched as he slowly turned around in his chair.

"What is your name?" he suddenly asked looking towards me, slightly taken aback by his eye color, I struggled to find my word.

"Oh, I am Lila." I paused upon seeing the stick by the side of his chair. He wasn't looking me in the eyes.

He was blind...