Chapter 2- Marked
Zarah~
By seven the next day, every muscle was on fire. The Moonlit Gala was only hours away, and I'd spent the entire day decorating, scrubbing floors, and hauling decorations.
"Faster, Zarah!" Mrs. Miller barked as she walked by, her heels clicking on the floor. "This isn't a break! Get the rest of the chairs set up!"
"Y-yes, Mrs. Miller," I stammered, bending to lift another heavy chair despite the sharp cramps stabbing my abdomen.
Just keep moving, I told myself. One night of this, and I'll have enough to leave this hellhole.
Lorelai's voice cut through the hall, sharp as a whip. "Look at her, still moving like a slug. You'd think someone desperate for money would have more motivation." She sauntered past with a sneer.
I gritted my teeth, keeping my head down as I dragged another chair into place. The others—Lorelai, Daniel, Kendra—were all here, watching me, waiting for me to break. I had understood pretty quickly why I was offered such a large sum for preparing for the Gala. I was the only one here, save for the men decorating the ceiling.
This was just so that they could push me around for fun. They have promised to pay me well so they could humiliate me.
"Careful with those chairs," Daniel said with mock concern, walking up behind me. "You wouldn't want to ruin the Gala by making a mess, would you?"
I ignored him, focusing on the task at hand, but my hands were trembling from exhaustion.
"Leave her alone, Daniel," Kendra chimed in, a smirk tugging at her lips. "She's just trying her best."