The first thing I heard wasn't my carefully chosen alarm tone.
It was the buzz of a text message. At 6.47 AM.
I opened one eye, seeing the sunlight seeping through the curtains of my bedroom.
'Shit. I forgot to turn off the phone.'
I rolled over and grabbed the phone, squinting at the blinding screen.
It was from Mom.
Of course, who would wake up very early in order to ruin my sleep?
Mom: Lulu! I found someone perfect for you! He's a CEO! You won't need to work anymore. You'll finally be happy!
The sleepiness evaporated from my brain like steam.
"Mom… are you kidding me right now?"
My thumb hovered over the keyboard. A thousand furious replies cycled through my mind, each one more scathing than the last.
Ever since the divorce, she had been on a one-woman crusade to marry me off. Like I was some expired product she needed to move before the sell-by date.
I squeezed my eyes shut, remembering her last "perfect match."
A balding finance man in his forties who kept calling me "sweetheart" and explaining my own job to me.
But this felt different. Her confidence in saying "He's a CEO!" like it was going to solve every problem in the universe.
My fingers moved by themselves.
Me: Mom. We've talked about this.
Mom: Just listen! He's handsome, successful, and kind. What more could you want?
'Oh, I don't know to be honest. Maybe a personality? A guy who doesn't see me as a mere tool to fulfil all his desire to be a slacker?'
Arguing with her was pointless. It was like reasoning with a brick wall, if the brick wall was obsessed with my relationship status and had a Wchat account.
Fine. Get the information from her, shut it down politely, then move on with my life.
Me: Who is he?
Her reply was instant. She must have been sitting there on the couch with her morning coffee, waiting for me to take the bait.
Mom: His name is Daniel.
My eyebrows drew together. Then my stomach dropped.
Daniel?
As in…
I swiped to my messages.
There it was. Last night's message.
Daniel Tan: Hai, I heard you r looking for a job? There is a maid vacancy in our place.
The rage that had died down last night came roaring back.
This was the "perfect CEO" my mother was trying to set me up with? The same condescending asshole who thought I would jump at the chance to clean his house?
My thumbs flew across the screen, replying to his message with fury.
Me: Are you MOCKING me? Do you think I'm that desperate? A MAID? Seriously? You don't even know me, and you dare insult me like this?
I hit send. The checkmark turned two thicks. It was delivered.
I waited with my heart hammered inside my chest.
No reply.
Not even typing dots appeared.
He was ghosting me after dropping a bomb like that.
"Coward," I hissed, throwing the phone face down on the bed.
I stormed into the bathroom and turned the shower to scalding.
*******
By the time I left my apartment, I forced myself into work mode.
I checked my reflection in the elevator mirror. A crisp white blouse, sharp pencil skirt, and sensible heels. My hair pulled back in a neat ponytail.
This version of the competent and independent professional was hated by my mother. In her world, my only value was becoming "someone's wife."
The train ride was hell, as always. Bodies packed like sardines, the migled stench of cologne and sweat made me have to wear a mask everyday.
I clung to the overhead strap with earbuds in but no music playing. It was just a noise cancellation, blocking me out from humanity.
My cubicle space was my sanctuary. Organized desk, spreadsheets.
Numbers were never to lie, cheat, or offer you demeaning jobs via text message.
At least here, things made sense.
*******
By 10 AM, I was in the zone. Quarterly reconciliations.
My red pen was flying across the printed reports, checking all the debit, credit, and balance.
I almost forgot about this morning's incident.
Almost.
"Lulu! Coffee run. You in?" Jenny popped her head over the cubicle wall, her bright eyes and were annoyingly cheerful.
I managed a smile. "Yes. Extra sugar today."
"Rough night?" She winked.
"You have no idea."
Just as I circled a mismatch in the balanced row, my phone buzzed on the desk.
My heart jumped into my throat.
'Not again, Mom. Please.'
I ignored it.
But curiosity was a monster. It gnawed at me until I slid the phone closer.
My breath caught to see the notification.
Daniel Tan.
I stared at the notification, bracing for his another insult.
Daniel Tan: I'm sorry. My words last night must have offended you.
I blinked.
That was… unexpected.
Before I could respond, another message appeared.
Daniel Tan: I only wanted to offer you an opportunity. So… will you consider joining our company?
My brow furrowed.
Company?
Not "our place" anymore. That one word changed everything.
Me: What are you talking about? You offered me a MAID job.
Daniel Tan: Our group has many branches. I'd like to place you directly under a manager I trust. The salary is competitive, surely much higher than your current position.
My throat went dry.
'How does he know my salary?'
Even my family didn't know that.
Who the hell was this guy? A stalker? Corporate spy?
This whole thing screamed danger in my mind.
"One extra sweet coffee for the girl who looks like she's seen a ghost!" Jenny slid a steaming cup onto my desk.
I shoved my phone face down and forced a laugh. "Just… my mom again."
Jenny grimaced sympathetically. "Still on the marriage warpath?"
"It's a daily battle."
We laughed then she went back to her cubicle.
My mind jumped into his messages again. But it was a curiosity by now, an unwanted curiosity.
My mother saw Daniel as a walking bank account to solve all my problems.
He saw me as… a maid, then a potential employee he could lure with money?
My brain screamed at me to block him and pretend this never happened.
Instead, I picked up my coffee, then stared into the dark liquid blankly.
Some part of me wanted to find out what was the game Daniel Tan wanted to play on me.