Brought By Destiny

Chapter 2

The Waitress and the Broken Promise

Lilly’s POV:

Thank God I managed to slip away from home this morning, or Anthony would have surely drained my pockets. I have to survive this entire week on the meager cash I have left; every penny counts now more than ever.

Somehow, I managed to scrape together enough for this month’s rent. I must be the only girl in the world paying rent for a house that is supposed to be her own. I’m Lilly Carter. I live in New York and once had a beautiful, loving family.

That life shattered when my dad passed away from a sudden heart attack when I was only eight. Eventually, my mom fell for another man, and things seemed stable for a while, until she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She passed away five years ago, leaving me at twenty-three to live a life that can only be described as hell.

All because of my step-father, Anthony. He was decent enough while Mom was alive, but the moment she was gone, the mask slipped. He spiraled into alcoholism, coming home drunk every single night. He even sold my father’s house to settle his gambling debts.

They had a daughter together, my stepsister. She was my little doll, so tiny and sweet. Despite the chaos, we grew up loving each other deeply. College wasn't an option for me. Anthony claimed it was a waste of money, so I started working as a waitress in a café owned by one of his friends.

I toil there all day, and every cent of my salary goes directly into his hands. I don’t get a penny for myself, though I suppose I should be grateful he hasn't resorted to hitting me for money yet. Today, I took permission to start my shift late so I could visit my mother’s grave.

Standing there, I realized it has been five years since she left me alone in this world of trouble. I cry almost every night, plotting my escape, but I always stop myself because of my sister. After leaving the cemetery, I headed home to freshen up, but my heart nearly stopped when I saw two goons waiting by my front door.
I bolted.

I ran blindly until I slammed into someone, falling right on top of him. When I opened my eyes, I found myself staring into a pair of dark brown eyes, so soothing and deep that I almost forgot to breathe. Snapping back to reality, I mumbled a quick apology and fled, hiding behind a parked car. I watched as the men approached the stranger, asking if he’d seen a girl.

To my shock, he pointed them in the wrong direction. I was paralyzed with gratitude as I watched them disappear.

Eventually, I made it to work, my mind still reeling.

“Lilly, thank God you’re here! I’ve been waiting for you!” Andrew, my co-worker, called out as I walked in.

“Hey, Andy. What’s wrong? Why do you look so worried?” I asked.
“There’s a mountain of work. A customer is proposing to his girlfriend tonight, and the decorations need to be perfect.
Hurry, hurry!” he urged, rushing toward the kitchen.

I sighed, hung my coat on the hooks in the employee area, and tied on my apron. As I stepped back out, I bumped into the one person I loathed: Steven.

“Hey, beautiful. I missed you this morning,” he said seductively, crowding into my space.

I backed away until my spine hit the cold wall. He caged me in with his arms, and before I could protest, he began kissing me. Tears blurred my vision. His lips felt disgusting, leaving me feeling physically dirty as his hands roamed over me. I wished the earth would simply open up and swallow me whole. Finally, he pulled back.

“We’ll continue this tonight, okay? Daddy is a bit busy right now,” he whispered darkly against my ear before sauntering away.

I stood frozen, trembling as I pulled a tissue from my apron pocket to scrub my face and neck.