Chapter 1 Life Of A Cleaner

SICILY~ITALY

A large ship cruised through the Mediterranean Sea, filled with influential people enjoying themselves.

In a suite, an average young man sat on a gold chair, flipping through some papers in his hands. He was putting on a shirt, with the first two buttons undone, revealing his broad, hairy chest.

His emerald green eyes shone brightly, and his perfectly chiseled jaw wore a soft expression. His silky black hair was brushed back, and his pink lips curved into an amused smile.

"Interessante," he grinned.

The door opened, and a young man entered, dressed in a corporate suit. A pair of black shades covered his face as he walked quietly into the room.

"Are we there yet?" Romeo asked, looking up from the newspaper in his hands.

"Almost, Boss. Do you need anything?" the young man asked.

"No, I'm fine," Romeo dismissed him with a wave of his finger, and the young man immediately left the room.

Romeo placed the newspaper on a table beside him and loosened his tie slightly, flexing his toned muscles in the process.

"A perfect news to start a new day," he smiled, recalling the news he had seen in the newspaper.

He picked up his laptop, which was nearby, and began working on it, his fingers rapidly typing on the keyboard.

After a while, he leaned back against the headboard and let out a cocky grin, his eyes brimming with excitement.

Coming to Sicily hadn't been a bad idea after all.

*************

Rosetta groaned as she heard the birds chirping, signaling the start of another day. Sunlight streamed through the windows, causing her to cover her face with a pillow.

"Dio santo!{Oh my God!}" she exclaimed, sitting up and ruffling her hair.

It was another challenging day for her. Being a cleaner wasn't as easy as it seemed!

Rosetta dragged herself to the bathroom sluggishly, her legs feeling heavy. It was already past 7 am, and she had to start work by 8 am to clean the hotel before the day's activities began.

Minutes later, she returned from the bathroom, now wearing a pink robe. She went to her closet and selected a white gown along with black flat shoes.

As she dressed, Rosetta couldn't help but curse inwardly, her forehead furrowing in frustration. With no one to provide for her, she knew she would go to work on an empty stomach, a daily struggle she found difficult to get used to.

After getting dressed, she grabbed her worn-out bag and left her room, walking through the short passage that led to the living room.

Her eyes met a sight that didn't surprise her-her parents were in the living room, enjoying a meal that instantly made her stomach rumble.

Rosetta cleared her throat and forced a fake smile on her face.

"Good morning, Mom... Dad," she greeted, but as usual, there was no response from either of them.

Rosetta bit her lip before walking out of the room, not bothering to bid them goodbye since it was clear they didn't care about her anymore.

It was a mystery how her once loving parents had turned into monsters overnight. They used to care for her, even though they were from the average class. She never lacked anything back then.

But now, things had turned upside down. Her parents didn't care about her anymore, not even about her well-being. She was left to fend for herself, feeling like a stranger in her own house.

When she reached the bus station, Rosetta hailed a taxi and got into the car, fastening her seatbelt.

"Knight's Hotel, please" she said to the driver. The cab driver nodded and drove off instantly.

Throughout the drive to the hotel, Rosetta was restless. She hadn't eaten anything since the previous night, and her stomach was painfully empty. It was shocking to her that she didn't even have the right to food in her own house.

Her thoughts were interrupted when they arrived at the hotel. She stepped out of the cab and paid the driver.

Staring at the grand building in front of her, Rosetta licked her dry lips before mustering a smile and making her way inside the magnificent establishment. It was remarkable that an uneducated lady like her had managed to secure a job in such a luxurious hotel, albeit as a cleaner.

"Did you check the time on your phone, Rosetta?" an employee in the company asked.

"Huh? Isn't it just a few minutes to eight?" Rosetta wondered.

She checked her wristwatch, and her eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw the time.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize it's already past eight," she quickly apologized.

"It's fine. Just hurry up with your work," the employee said.

Rosetta nodded with a smile and headed to the dressing room to change into her work attire. Once ready, she grabbed a bucket and a mop and immediately began her day's tasks.

********** ~ 12 PM

Rosetta groaned and stretched her tired limbs. She placed the bucket to the side and sat wearily on the floor. She was famished and she feared she might pass out at any moment.

"So tired," she mumbled, rubbing her empty stomach. She checked the time on her wristwatch and weakly stood up. She walked over to where her bag was and opened it, a sad smile escaping her lips when she saw only a few euros inside.

She bit her lip and took out a small amount of cash, leaving the rest for her transportation expenses. Exiting the dressing room, she made her way to the cafeteria, where she purchased a cup of coffee, knowing it was the only thing she could afford.

As she returned to the dressing room, her path collided with that of an elderly woman, causing the cup to slip from her grasp and its contents to spill onto the floor. Rosetta's eyes welled up with tears as she watched her last glimmer of hope flow away before her.

"I'm so sorry, Miss," the old woman apologized.

"It's fine," Rosetta forced a smile and walked away. Her heart ached deeply; this incident had shattered her final hope.

A groan escaped her lips as she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She shook her head, hoping the pain would dissipate, but instead, it intensified. Tears streamed down her face as the unbearable hunger wreaked havoc on her body, reminding her that she had only managed to consume snacks the previous day.

Nearly reaching the dressing room, her vision blurred, and she felt herself collapsing to the ground. Expecting the harsh impact of the floor, she was surprised when her body met a solid chest, with masculine hands swiftly enveloping her.

"Stai bene? {Are you okay?}" That was the last thing she heard before succumbing to unconsciousness.