|4| What A Cruel Man.

I stood at the front of the huge gate of the residence where my interview was to take place. I inhaled deeply and composed myself. I held my documents close to my short floral dress. I just hoped I looked corporate enough to be considered for the job. I had looked up the requirements of a caretaker after applying for the job. It doesn't really require much. The main purpose of the job was to take good care of the client and assisting them whenever they needed assistance. I tightened my hands in determination. I could do that, I was a mother so I was aware of how to take care of a person. I brushed my hair backward and moved closer to the gate. This should be simple. I took in a deep breath and knocked on the gate.

Nobody answered, my heart throbbed.

I looked around the estate. I noticed the buildings were very similar. So I started wondering if I knocked on the wrong gate. I braced myself and knocked again.

Suddenly, The gate automatically opened. I took a step back and gaped at the gate. Wow, technology has really advanced. I raised my head and stared ahead at the house, or should I say the mansion. It was enormous. I haven't seen a house as big as this up close. The surrounding was beautiful, there was a shimmering pool at the side of the house and at the front was a giant fountain in the image of a lion, water cascaded from the lion's mouth. I stood still, lost in the beauty of the mansion. For a moment, I forgot I was supposed to enter the compound. I quickly walked inside and the gate closed with a bang. I flinched at the sharp sound and observed it again.

Was everything here controlled by technology? I shivered as I considered the question, that would be insane.

I straightened up and walked to the front door, my shoes pattering on the marble floor. I slung my handbag over my shoulder and stood before the main door. Should I knock again or should I wait for the door to open? I was certain that someone opened the gate for me from inside. So, I decided to wait. There was no need for me to knock again, they must have seen me earlier. My eyes wandered around, searching for any hidden camera. There has to be one. How did they know I was at the gate if there wasn't any camera here?

A woman cleared her throat and I immediately turned to look at the door. A woman in a corporate suit stood by the door, staring at me, intensively.

"Are you here for the interview?"

I smiled and nodded. "Yes."

"Follow me." She turned and started walking inside.

I quickly followed her. Lots of housemaids were walking about in the living room. They were all busy doing their chores. The maids were neither talking nor smiling. I shivered again. Gosh, the boss must be very strict.

The house felt more like a graveyard due to the awkward silence.

I followed the woman to an inner room. She looked at me; her face rigid. It looked like she hadn't smiled for years.

"Sit down here." She pointed at a chair.

I sat down obediently. Nobody else was in the room. I wondered if I was the only one who applied for the job.

"Don't touch or break anything, you will be called shortly." She said and walked out.

After an hour, I was called to another room by another lady who wore a pink apron. The next room looked like an office. The wall of the room was painted black and Gray. I snorted as I looked around the room. Whoever owns this office has a dry taste in interior decoration. Most of the objects in the room were gray including the bookshelf, desk and chair. I walked towards the couch and was about to sit down when the maid stopped me.

"Don't sit down until Mr Lawson comes, he might get very angry."

Gosh, whoever Mr Lawson was, he must really be a difficult issue.

"Sorry." I mumbled and stood up straight.

The maid leaned closer to me. "Don't bother, just be yourself, but make sure to not get on his nerves. He is a very grumpy man.

"Thanks." I really needed encouragement. I was expecting him to be a little grumpy. Most grown ups don't like the idea of being taken care of by younger people.

"Alright wait here. Mr Lawson will attend to you very soon."

After twenty minutes, the door opened and a man on a wheelchair came inside. The wheels rolled silently and steadily on the tiled floor. I raised my head to greet him, smiling politely.

"Good after—" My breath hitched when I saw who entered.

He wasn't an old man or a stranger. He was the man who I had insulted at the bakery some days ago. Immediately, I turned away from him and bit my bottom lip. This was so embarrassing.

He sat up and studied me. He pointed his finger at me the moment he recognized me. "You! What are you doing here? Who allowed you to walk into my house?!" He demanded.

Without being told, I knew he would never hire me. So, I held my hand bag tightly and turned to face him. I was hurt because I lost the job, but I needed to leave. A cruel and rude man like him wouldn't take pity on someone like me. "I was just about to leave." I started walking out of the room..

He wouldn't hire me even if I begged him. So, it was better I leave before he says anything that will hurt me any further. I walked hastily towards the door, feeling his hard stare skin. I badly wanted to get out of there, but the door slammed against the wall the moment I got to it.

I glared at him. He was so close to me that smelt his cologne and even noticed how his pulse twitched.

"Sit down. Let's start the interview." He said calmly and stopped the wheelchair before the desk.

I slowly moved towards the desk and sat on a chair. I gulped and focused my attention on the desk. Why did he want to continue the interview? I sat up, alarmed. Was this his way of getting back at me?

"Hey, I won't accept this job if you are hiring me so as to get back at me."

He arched his brow. "Hey?"

I licked my lips and swallowed hard. "Em… I mean…" I cleared my throat and adjusted to the chair. "Mr Lawson."

He shook his head and scoffed. "You are still the same."

I raised my head. "Huh?"

He sat up and folded his hands on the table. "Where are your credentials and application letter?"

I passed them to him. He twisted his lips and picked up my documents. He studied it for a brief second and dropped it like it was a piece of trash.

"What is your name?"

What? Has he forgotten my name?

"Annie," I said through gritted teeth.

He looked at me like I was an idiot. " Just Annie?"

I bit my lip, getting more irritated. What does my name have to do with the job?

"Annie West," I replied.

"Miss West, what's the main purpose of a caretaker?"

Seriously, he has to be joking. Who don't know the purpose of a carer?

"The main purpose of a caretaker is to ensure that their client is safe and well attended to."

"Do you know what that means?"

Of course, I knew what it meant. I wouldn't have applied for the job if I didn't know.

"It means helping and looking after you in every circumstance." I said.

I snorted. He should have checked the dictionary if he didn't know the meaning.

He narrowed his eyebrow and sat up. "That means you are to do whatever I want without any objections. Do you think you are capable of doing that, Miss West?"

He sounded like I was going to be his mere slave and not an hired caretaker. Seriously, how can a man be so charming and so cruel at the same time?

I took a deep breath. "Yes, I am."

He looked at me, a silly smile plastered across his face. "Are you sure? You don't know how to treat your customers. So, will you be able to take care of your patient?"

I studied with him, watching how he held his left leg. I wondered what made him crippled.

"You are not sick."

He shrugged. "Still, you are going to assist me until my leg gets better."

I sighed. "Mr Lawson, you can reject me now if you don't want me for the job. I will find another job more convenient."

He smiled, his eyes sparking with pure thrill. It made him look more handsome.

"You are very interesting when you are angry," he remarked.

"And you are very cruel when you are talking." I wanted to tell him, but I remained silent.

He sat upright and tapped the handle of his wheelchair. "Alright, you are hired. Your work starts tomorrow by 6:00am. Be efficient."

He pressed some buttons on his wheelchair and it began to roll towards the door. I caught a look of smugness on his face before he got out of the opened door.

I snorted, What a cruel man.