A Chaotic Flower

I was always the quiet one in class, but don't let that fool you. I may seem reserved, but once I set my mind to something, I give it my all. Sure, some of my friends teased me about being a bit stoic and disciplined, but it's just how I stay focused. Got to keep my head in the game, you know?

I wasn't rich like the others in my class. I had to work hard to earn everything in life. All I had left was a worn-down house and my sick father, whom I had been forced to take care of since I was fifteen. Now, at the age of thirty, I am still taking care of him and working two jobs.

My life was moving forward in the form of routine, and I was earning good enough money to support the house and my father. Things were going well until one day, Mr. Walter called me into his office. He was my boss at the warehouse where I worked as a crane driver.

"Ah, Mr. Maxwell, please step into my office," Mr. Walter opened the door to his tiny office and motioned me to go inside.

He never calls me into his office unless it was something very very important. I was starting to get nervous. Could I be finally getting a raise after working my ass off in this company?

"Please have a seat." Mr. Walter said, so I obliged.

"You've been doing an excellent job in this establishment. I hope you know we appreciate your service wholeheartedly," he said.

"Thank you, sir. I enjoy working with the..um..crane," I said awkwardly.

"Very well. However, our company is downsizing due to an extraneous circumstance, so we won't be able to keep you on," Mr. Walter said without a hint of sadness in his voice.

"I am being fired?" I asked. I was shocked.

"That's a harsh way to put it. Laid off more like it," he said.

That was the same thing, you jerk!

"But you just said I was doing a great job!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, indeed you were. However, the rest of the employees are prioritized because of their seniority. So I am afraid you are the first one to go," Mr. Walter said.

Fuck! This was not fair. I worked too hard at this job. Don't get me wrong, this wasn't my ultimate career goal to drive a crane around in a warehouse, but this was my highest paying job! I couldn't afford to lose the paycheck.

"Mr. Walter, please. Is there anything you can do? I need the money," I pleaded.

"You are a talented young man Mr. Maxwell. You'll find something else in no time. It's better not to waste your time in a place like this. Think of this as an opportunity to find something better. A blessing even," he said.

It was a blessing, my ass. He was not making me feel better. I was not planning on going for a job-hunting anytime soon. My other job was merely a part-time job, so I needed this.

Defeat hung heavy in the air as I exited the cold, empty warehouse. My mind raced with worry and questions - how would I make rent next month? How could I dig myself out of this disaster?

As I stood at the stoplight, my eyes scanned the ground until they landed on a brightly colored flyer. The bold lettering caught my attention: "Personal Care Worker Needed – Hiring Immediately."

Desperate for any opportunity, my fingers quickly tore off a corner with the phone number listed. I refused to let pride stand in the way, knowing that no job was beneath me at this moment.

With shaking hands, I dialed the number on the torn scrap of paper, willing to do whatever it takes to make ends meet. Even if it meant selling a body part!

My hands trembled as I dialed the number, hoping to land a job and make some quick money. A raspy voice answered, cutting through my nerves.

"Hello?" I stumbled over my words, stuttering out my inquiry about the personal care ad.

The woman on the other end didn't seem too friendly or interested. "Come to the Laverne resident at eight am tomorrow for an interview. I'll text you the address. Goodbye," she said abruptly before hanging up.

I wanted to ask more questions but it was too late.

What if this was some kind of scheme to trick desperate people into donating their organs? My paranoia rose as I thought about how badly I needed the money, but also how much I needed my kidneys.

If anyone was going to profit off of them, it should be me. But did I really want to risk it all for a chance at some quick cash?

With a heavy sigh, I realized it was time to start preparing for tomorrow's interview.

My stomach churned with unease as I read over the sparse information provided to me. Frowning, I squinted at the message from the woman and furrowed my brow in confusion. It was short and to the point:

Laverne Resident

6325 Arlin ct NE

You will be interviewing with Mr. William Laverne and me directly. Wear something nice and make yourself presentable. DO NOT BE LATE.

Mr. William Laverne? The name rang a bell, but I couldn't quite place it. Curiosity got the better of me, so I quickly pulled out my phone and did a Google search.

As I walked down the sidewalk, lost in thought, I nearly tripped over my own feet when the results popped up on my screen.

That man is a living legend! Probably one of the richest men in the city. He built an entire business empire from scratch. He most likely sleeps on top of a pile of cash. I get to work this closely with him? This job could really pay well. Much better than my two jobs combined.

I hit the jackpot.

Or so I thought.

Little did I know that a nightmare awaited me at the Laverne residents-a beautiful, cruel, and melancholy nightmare named Rose Laverne who would turn my life upside down in a matter of six months.

"Ah, you must be Mr. Maxwell," the woman said as she extended her hand. Her voice was warm and inviting, Unlike what I remembered from our phone conversation.

As I looked at her, I couldn't help but feel surprised. In my mind, I had pictured a middle-aged woman with grey hair and thick glasses, resembling a stern librarian from old school movies. Yet standing before me was a stunning woman in her twenties, with long blonde hair cascading down her back.

Why did she sound so cold over the phone?

"Please, allow me to escort you to the terrace. Mr. Laverne is eagerly awaiting your arrival," she said with a graceful gesture, beckoning me to follow her.

As I stepped onto the marble floors of this opulent mansion, I couldn't help but feel like I was in a different world entirely. The grandiose chandeliers cast shimmering light across every corner, and the aroma of freshly cut flowers filled the air.

Despite my efforts to show confidence, I couldn't shake off the feeling of being out of place. My palms were slick with sweat under my tailored suit, and I regretted wearing a jacket in this warm weather.

When we reached the terrace, I saw Mr. Laverne sitting in a plush chair overlooking the sprawling gardens. His sharp features gave him an air of seriousness, yet his welcoming gaze put me at ease. Relaxing slightly, I realized he wasn't as intimidating as I had imagined him to be.

"Mr. Maxwell is here for his interview," Linda said, her eyes darting back and forth between Mr. Laverne and myself.

My nerves were immediately calmed when I caught a glimpse of Mr. Laverne's warm smile directed at me. His presence exuded confidence and wisdom, instantly putting me at ease. All of my doubts and fears about the interview melted away in his comforting gaze.

"Please, have a seat, Liam," he gestured towards the chair in front of his desk. "May I call you Liam?"

"Yes sir, absolutely," I replied eagerly. "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Laverne."

"Please call me William, son," he said kindly. "No need for formalities."

"Yes sir, I mean William," I quickly corrected myself with a nod of understanding and respect. As I took in his welcoming smile and soothing voice, I couldn't help but feel at ease in his presence.

"Liam, you appear quite young. Younger than the majority of my applicants," he turned to Linda.

"Yes, that's true," Linda nodded in agreement.

"I assure you, my age does not reflect my qualifications, sir. But for reference, I am thirty years old," I chuckled. "I have my resume with me if you would like to review it," I said and handed him the document.

"I see..." Mr. Lavern examined my resume closely.

I hope he doesn't judge me for having held various jobs. Some employers view it as a commitment issue.

"You have quite a extensive work history. And at such a young age!" he exclaimed. "And yes, thirty is still considered young to an elder like myself," he joked.

"Yes, sir...I mean William. I've been working since I turned fifteen years old. I have to support my family by myself, so I needed to earn as much money as possible," I said quietly.

A warm smile spread across Mr. Laverne's face as he looked at me. "Life experience, just what we are looking for," he said, his voice filled with genuine interest and excitement.

A rush of relief flooded through me - this interview was going well, I could feel it.

"Would you like a tour of this place? I am afraid it's hard for me to sit in one place for too long," he said, standing up from his desk.

"Oh, yes please," I replied eagerly, also standing up. At this point, I was willing to do anything he asked of me.

He led me down a long hallway and into a spacious room that took my breath away. It was clearly a living room, but it felt more like a grand palace chamber.

The high ceilings were adorned with intricate crown molding and sparkling chandeliers hung from above. Plush velvet couches and chairs were arranged around the room, along with beautiful artwork and antique furniture. It reminded me of the lavish parties described in The Great Gatsby.

"Your house is stunning, Mr. Lave...William," I stammered, trying my best to appear composed.

"Thank you. I worked very hard to accumulate this much wealth. I assume a young man like you will be able to get here at some point.

I wish, old man! I thought.

My eyes wandered around the room. I saw a few picture frames on the mantle, so I decided to check them out. Mr. Laverne didn't say anything and let me conduct my own observation.

A picture caught my eyes. It was a picture of a young woman about my age or maybe younger. She was breathtakingly beautiful. She had long hair that was as black as midnight. Her eyes were green, like two sparkling emeralds. Her full lips curled into a smile in the picture, and my heart skipped a beat just by looking at the photograph.

She couldn't be real. A girl like that only existed in fairy tales. I stood there staring at the picture like an idiot, completely awestruck.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Mr. Laverne said behind me, and I almost gasped. I forgot he was in the room with me for a moment.

"Yes, she is gorgeous. Who is she?" I had to ask.

"My granddaughter, Rose Laverne. My only granddaughter, in fact," he smiled. "What is your impression when you look at her photograph? Give me an honest answer," he added.

Shoot. He really did not want my honest answer because my thoughts about her weren't entirely pure at the moment.

"Ah...she seems like a lovely young woman. And friendly?" I said. It wasn't possible to judge someone just by looking at their photograph.

"You would think with a face like that, wouldn't you?" Mr. Laverne said distractedly. I wasn't sure where he was going with this conversation. I thought this was an interview to select me to take care of him! So why are we discussing his granddaughter?

"Well, I am afraid, young lad, you are completely wrong about her," Mr. Laverne said.

"S..sorry?" I was confused.

"She is a horrible child. Completely wicked and an absolute brat," Mr. Laverne said grimly. He wasn't smiling anymore.

Oh boy, we got ourselves a rich and spoiled princess, I guess. But why was he telling me all this? Maybe she will be visiting him a lot, and I'll have to confront her? Yeah, I am sure that's it.

"I like you, Liam. I wasn't sure at first, but something about you just sits right with me. However, you seem like a nice and timid young man. Would you ever be able to act rude and tough? Also extremely stern if need be?"

I snapped into my business mode. I am Liam Maxwell, and I can be anything I want to be, especially if it's to succeed at my job.

"William, I may look young and friendly right now, but I can be ruthless if a job demands it," I said and gave him a hard look. It wasn't easy since I had a young-looking face, but his question made me think that's what this job demands.

"And judging from your looks, you seem to be physically strong?" Mr. Lavern asked.

"Yes sir," I said quietly. I was no Chris Hemsworth in terms of muscle weight but the years of hard manual labor did give me sturdy built. My arms and chest were toned from countless hours of heavy lifting and my body was lean and muscular. I may not have been "jacked", but I certainly didn't resemble a scrawny kid either.

"Very well. How about we get your information, and we do a quick background check. Then we will let you know if you are hired by tomorrow," Mr. Lavern said.

"That sounds great," I nodded in agreement.

"Before we do all that, I want to apologize to you," he said and smiled.

"Huh? I don't understand," I looked at him quizzically.

"We falsely advertised the job. Your position isn't to take care of me," he said.

"Then what is the position for?" I asked.

"It is for my unruly granddaughter. You are to be her personal assistant and bodyguard. I hope you are ready for that," Mr. Lavern smirked.

I get to be close to this absolute goddess? Sign me the fuck up!

The very next day, I received an eagerly anticipated call from Linda, letting me know that I had landed the job.

The words echoed in my head, sparkling with a sense of disbelief and pure elation.

I GOT THE FUCKING JOB!

My heart raced at the thought of finally having steady income and a sense of purpose. But amidst all the excitement, one nagging question continued to gnaw at my mind. During my conversation with Mr. Laverne about the job, I couldn't help but wonder - how could he trust a complete stranger like me with his precious granddaughter?

Me, a young guy, with raging hormones!

I was not saying that I was a pervert and would try to grope her or something, but logically speaking, shouldn't he be wary of stuff like that?

But I guess I shouldn't question it. I needed the job, and I needed the money. He did promise me a large amount of money. Much larger than I expected.

I wondered how difficult it was to deal with Rose Laverne if they were willing to pay this much money to take care of her.

I got dressed in my nicest clothes and headed to the mansion.

"Ah, Liam, you've arrived," Linda said in an unusually cheerful tone. "Please come in. Mr. Laverne had been waiting for your arrival."

I went inside and greeted him. "Your background information came back squeaky clean. Are you sure you are up for this job?" he asked.

Huh? Was he hoping I had a criminal history? What kind of man was he exactly?

"Yes sir," I said.

"Great. Now, I must warn you. Rose is not your typical young woman. You'd have to be stern with her. Do not let her push you around. And do not get intimidated. She can smell your fear," Mr. Laverne said.

Just who the fuck was this girl? Smell my fear? Was she some type of Demoness?

Mr. Laverne's warning caught me off guard. "Rose? Is she a human or some kind of otherworldly creature?" I joked nervously.

William chuckled. "Not quite. But sometimes I do wonder about that too."

"I will not be intimidated by her," I said and kept my facial expression neutral.

"Excellent. Linda, be a dear and go fetch Rose so that they can be properly introduced," Mr. Laverne said.

I sat next to him and waited anxiously. I wondered if she was as beautiful as her picture.

Rose Laverne stormed right in. She completely ignored my existence and looked directly at Mr. Lavern then glared at him.

"What the fuck do you want, old man? I am busy," she sneered.

Well damn. Such a mouth. However, the picture didn't do her justice. She was even more beautiful than her photograph, foul mouth and all.

"Ah, my lovely child. Let me introduce you to Mr. Liam Maxwell," William said and pointed at me.

She finally acknowledged me. She looked at me with such contempt that I felt a shiver down my spine. This first impression thing wasn't going so well.

"Well, nice to fucking meet you, pretty boy," she turned back to William. Can I go now, old man?" she asked Mr. Laverne.

"Patience, sweetheart. Our introduction isn't over yet. Liam will be assisting you wherever you go now. Think of him as your personal assistant and a bodyguard. He will make sure that you show up for work on time and other various activities to keep your life in order. In other words, with his extensive real-life experiences, he will teach you how to live like a normal human being. And not a spoiled princess," Mr. Lavern finished his introduction and paused for her reaction.

Rose looked at me, then looked at him. She suddenly burst into laughter as if it was the funniest thing she ever heard. Ah, the sound of her laughter was beautiful, even though it had a slight mocking undertone to it.

"You are so funny, Grandpa. You are shitting me, right?" she asked.

"I am afraid I am not shitting you, dear child," Mr. Lavern calmly stated.

"You are telling me that this loser is going to follow me around everywhere? What the fuck, Grandpa? And why would I allow that?" Rose demanded to know.

Ouch...she called me a loser.

"Well, child, since you chased away all of your professional tutors and life coaches, I figured I should hire someone who has had experiences with real hardship. Someone who knows the value of money and life. Which you clearly do not possess. And as far as you allowing anything is concerned, you have no choice. You live under my roof, spending my money. I have no problem with that, but you need to learn how to do it properly and not blow through it like it's nothing," Mr. Laverne concluded.

Bravo, old man, bravo. You tell the spoiled princess who was the boss!

"Well, fuck off! And fuck you too bitch boy!" she pointed at me and said.

I cleared my throat. I couldn't stay quiet anymore. "I hope our time together turns out to be valuable, Rose. We might even become best friends if you give me a chance!" I flashed her my brightest grin.

"Not if I murder you in your sleep first," she said harshly and stormed off.

"That went well," I said sarcastically.

Mr. Laverne laughed. "I am glad you think so. It'll only get worse from here. Are you still sure you are up for this?"

Hell yeah, I was. If I couldn't handle this spitball of fire, I should just give up on everything else. I won't back down. Never have and never will.

"I am ready for the challenge," I said determinedly.

~-~

The next day, I showed up at the mansion again, ready to confront Ms. Dragon Lady.

"Rose didn't get out of bed yet. She won't until it's late, but Mr. Lavern would like her to have breakfast with him and report to the office so he can teach her about his business. She is his sole heir after all," Linda said.

"Oh? Should I wait for her to wake up then?" I asked.

"Wait? Oh no. There's no time. Go into her room and drag her out," Linda said casually.

"Excuse me?" I was shocked. "Drag her out? She is not a kid, though?"

"No, but she is worse. This was my job, but I am slowly losing my strength. So now it's your job to do this," Linda said impatiently.

This didn't feel right. Forcing a girl wasn't my forte even if the girl was a total brat.

"Don't worry about the whole... forcing a girl isn't right, crap," Linda said as if she read my mind. "She is not a girl. She is a witch. You'll find out soon enough. Just don't hurt her, obviously," she added.

"But...I am a guy, and is it really okay for me to barge into a woman's room like this?" I was still hesitant.

"Do you want this job or not?" Linda sounded more impatient. "This is Mr. Lavern's direct order."

Shit...her grandfather was as crazy as she was. Trusting me into her bedroom like this. But I have to do it if I want the job.

"I got this," I said and headed to her room.