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 f*****g 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 p*****t 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 f**k 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 f**k 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 f*****g 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 f**k, 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, f**k off! And f**k you too b***h 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.