It was late when she walked out of the estate. But she was scared of ordering a ride. She would rather walk all the way to the nearest bus stop despite the distance for she was low on funds.

Ten minutes into her trek, Chloe slowed. Up ahead, Jordan stood by the road, locked in a heated argument with a blonde. Two sleek cars were parked at the curb.

Chloe drew back, her pace cautious. She could not hear the full argument, but the cuss words flung into the night were unmistakable. At one point, the blonde swung her hand for his face. Jordan caught it midair, shoving her back so hard she nearly lost her balance.

He dragged her toward the red Porsche, yanked the driver's door open, and shoved her inside.

"I hate you Jordan. I hate you.. never loved anything about you" the blonde screamed and added a string of cuss words.

Jordan's reply was just as sharp. "Get the hell out of this estate before I call the police on you, you slut!"

The Porsche engine roared as she slammed the door, reversed recklessly, and tore off down the street.

Jordan sighted Chloe just as he was about to get in his car. Why was she staring at him like that? Just like back when he had met her crying at the dining. He did not like the look. Still seething with rage, he closed the distance between them.

Somehow, he felt the rage fly away for a fleeting second, replaced with some sort of feeling, which he quickly tried to fight off. He clenched his jaw, forcing the rage back. What was that? He thought.

"Why are you staring at me like that, dunce?" His voice was sharp and dismissive. "Don't you have somewhere else to be? Something else to look at?"

His face was close, too close, the sharp angles of his features illuminated under the streetlight. His eyes were like steel, cold yet mesmerizing. Chloe's heart flipped inside her chest. Why did he have to shove his face in hers?

" It is my eyes bro. You don't get to tell me what to do with them. You, keep your eyes somewhere else too" Chloe heard herself say.

Jordan chuckled despite himself. Did she just call him bro? He was suddenly aware of the pain in her eyes, and dried tears by the corner of her eyes. She had full lips, sitting gracefully on her pretty face. Though disheveled and weary, she was beautiful. Distractingly so. His fingers twitched with the urge to brush a strand of hair from her cheek, and he scowled at himself for even thinking it.

He wanted to to yell at her for not cleaning up her face. He scowled. Where the heck was all of that coming from?

"If you really want to make it back to Alamosa tonight, you had better hurry. Dunce" he turned away abruptly.

"Dunce?" Chloe echoed under her breath. "That is not my name!" she shouted after him.

"I don't care what the hell your name is. Just get out of this place already." he replied without turning back.

But Chloe was boiling now. Why did she have to go through all the stress when the real culprit was just there having fun? Of course the amount was no big deal to him and he could pay it with just a snap of his fingers but it was not so for her. She dashed forward, pulled a folded note from her trench coat, and shoved it against his palm. "That's the bill for the gown YOU ruined."

Jordan merely glanced at the note, he threw it at her. "Why are you giving this to me?"

"Are you really asking me that, Jordan?, Chloe fought back tears, how could he be so mean. "You were the one who ruined the dress, not me. You set me up for reasons I don't know why. I came here to make money, not to secure a debt. What did I ever do to you to deserve this ill treatment " Chloe didn't realize she was shouting.

Jordan's jaw hardened. "You sure have a lot of guts, raising your voice at me, you little wench."

Chloe let out a bitter laugh. "Is that the problem now? That I'm raising my voice? Well, why shouldn't I, Mister Cavanaugh?"

Jordan narrowed his eyes at her.

"Is that really how you intend to converse with your boss?"

Chloe turned a three sixty degree. "Which boss? I don't see no one" and then it dawned on her, "oh, your mum fired me. Thanks to you. I was kicked out of the house on my first day, and as if that was not enough, I have to pay for something I did not even do" her voice broke. She wiped away fresh tears with her fingers, frustrated and broken.

For the first time, Jordan felt something sharp stab at his chest. Guilt. He hated it. He turned quickly, wanting to walk away, but Chloe latched onto his arm.

"Please," she sobbed, clinging desperately. "Please I don't have this much money. That's why I came here to work. I'm sorry. I am very sorry for all the things I've ever done to you. I'm so sorry. I'm leaving your house already. Just let me leave in peace".

"Sorry for what?" he asked, flummoxed and feeling mightily uneasy.

"I don't know" Chloe cried harder, "I don't know what I ever did to you but whatever it is, I'm sorry".

That was it. He yanked his arm free. Chloe dropped to the ground like a sack of grain, curling in on herself sobbing hysterically.

Jordan turned away, hating himself, hating her tears, hating the strange tightness in his chest. He hurried to his car and drove off.

Chloe sat there by the road hugging her knees and crying. It was getting dark. She got up when she noticed the headlights of an approaching car.

Sniffing, she picked up her duffel bag. She felt terrible. Why was she such a cry baby?

The car stopped by her side.

It was Jordan.

"You are still here," he said flatly, as if nothing had happened.

"Get in. Let me drop you off at the bus stop" Even as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Since when did he become a softie? He quickly shook off the thought. No, of course this was part of a plan.

Chloe didn't move.

With a grunt, he pulled out a card and pen from his jacket, scribbled something quickly, and tossed it out the window. The card landed by her feet.

"That's my card. Meet me at the address I wrote on the back. Tomorrow. Four p.m." Without another word, he sped off.

Chloe stared at the card lying on the road. Her mind spun with a dozen possibilities, each one darker than the last. She didn't bother picking it up. Hugging her bag closer, she set off toward Alamosa.

The night air was icy, and the road stretched endlessly ahead. Every step felt heavier than the last, her shoes biting into her heels. She pulled her coat tighter, but the chill was not just from the wind, it was from the memory of Jordan's voice, the cruelty in his eyes, the way he had shoved her away as though she were nothing.

Her phone buzzed for the third time that hour. It was her mum's sister, Mary again. Chloe silenced it, too drained to explain anything over the phone. What would she even say? That her job had ended before it even started? That she was now in debt for a gown she hadn't ruined? She pressed the phone deeper into her coat pocket.

By the time she reached the bus stop, her legs threatened to give way. She was lucky to catch the bus before it moved. She dozed off as soon as she took a seat. Four hours turned into minutes as she awoke at her destination. She texted Mary to let her know she was at the bus stop. Her aunt replied her immediately.

Hold on. I'm coming to get you.

A single streetlight flickered above, buzzing faintly. She sank onto the cold bench and buried her face in her palms. Minutes went by. Cars passed. People came and went. She stayed.

Headlights finally slowed in front of her. Chloe lifted her head, squinting against the glare. The door of a familiar car swung open.

"Chloe!" Mary's voice cut through the night, scolding and sounding relieved at the same time.

Her aunt fussed over her. "I told you not to risk traveling back at night. Why didn't you just wait till tomorrow? And why do you have to carry your travel bag though? Isn't it stressful? You can always share Judy's clothes, you know."

Chloe shrugged.

Mary pressed a small flower into her hands. "Congratulations on your new job," she teased with a laugh. "Do my flowers feel awkward?"

"No, Aunty. Thank you," Chloe managed a smile.

"You don't seem happy though. You must be exhausted."

Chloe opened the back seat and threw in her bag. "Yeah. It has been a very long day."

She was not in the mood to chatter, but her aunt didn't notice. Mary chattered all the way home.

When they arrived, Chloe was baffled to meet a mini party at home. Judy and Danny popped balloons and sprayed celebratory ribbons. A small apple tart sat at the center of the table.

Chloe resisted the urge to roll her eyes and sigh wearily. How could they be celebrating her getting a job as a maid? Funny that she had even lost the job already.

With the little strength she had, she tried to laugh and smile along. How could she tell them she had lost the job she barely just got? And the manner in which it had happened too. She felt like such a big fool.

She opened her bag and brought out the leftovers from the Cavanaughs.

The family was so happy that Chloe could not help but smile. It was like a feast for them.

She excused herself and went off to the tiny room reserved for her. Sitting on the bed, she held her head in her hands and sobbed quietly. The muffled laughter of her cousins drifted through the thin walls, but she felt miles away. Her phone vibrated for the umpteenth time since she had put it on silence on her way back.

Tiredly, she brought the phone out if her bag to check the caller ID.

Not her mother. Not her aunt. Not Judy. Not anyone she knew.

An unknown number.

Chloe froze, her heart beating abnormally in her chest. For a long moment, she simply stared at the screen, her thumb hovering, trembling. Whoever it was, they had tried calling her all night.

She swallowed hard and swiped to answer.