Chapter 1(Piya's POV)
I pushed through the massive crowds of people to the center of the city, where the largest and most famous casino was located. Hotel Hidden Secrets, Goa. It was my first day and I was already late. I didn't want to work in a casino, mostly because I wasn't comfortable around strangers, let alone drunk gamblers. If you don't know a person, you don't know what they can do to you. My parents forced me to take this job. I couldn't refuse them, as I would receive beating after beating until I agreed. The bruises on my side ached at the thought. I was at least glad to get out of that house for most of the day...and night.
I stumbled my inside the casino doors, catching my breath. I looked at the clock ticking away nearby. I was 10 minutes late. Everyone was staring at me with weird disgusted faces. I tried to act natural and get to someone else who worked here. I approached on of the bartenders. He gave me a warm, charming smile.
"Hi. My name is Piya Dobriyal. I'm a new bartender here." I said.
"New here...I see." He held out his hand. "Hi, I'm Kabir." He smiled, flashing his bright white teeth.
He was fairly tall, his hair was styled, and he had playful eyes. He was handsome.
"Hi, Kabir." I said, shaking his hand. He had a strong grip.
"Let me take you to ma'am." I looked at him, puzzled. He understood my confusion. "I mean the owner of this casino. Come."
He stepped out from behind the bar and ushered me to the elegant staircase leading to an upstairs balcony, overlooking the entire casino. I gazed in awe at the staircase, running my hand over the smooth surface. It was golden, the actual stairs covered in a antique carpeting. I never seen anything like it before.
We reached the balcony. There was a woman, possibly in her forties, sitting on a large leather chair that was facing the adjacent window. She was typing away on her laptop.
"Ma'am, this is Piya Dobriyal. She is here to work as our new bartender."
Staying silent, she rose from her seat and stretched her arms. She turned to us and gave me a small smile. She looked like a queen, with her elegant sari.
"A pleasure to meet you Miss Dobriyal. I'm Nandini Ambolkar." She shook hands with me. "Very looking forward to working with you." She said.
"Thank you ma'am." I said.
"Kabir, explain the job to her."
"Yes ma'am."
We went back downstairs into the main casino. People were yelling and shouting left and right. Some were winning their fortunes and some were losing them. It was surprisingly interesting to watch...watching people play with their luck. Kabir returned to his position and handed me my uniform from a small cabinet in the back. It was a black mini skirt and a white blouse.
"Piya, you can go change in the back." He pointed toward the room behind him. "I'll make sure no one else comes in."
I nodded and went into the room. It was empty, except for a few tables and chairs. The board read "staff room." Some staff room it was...
I quickly took off my clothing and put on the uniform. Before I did, I looked at my damaged body. It was covered in bruises and scars. I was immediately reminded of my abusive family. I had never been loved in that house, but I still listened to every word they said, to avoid beatings I suppose. But I felt that my fate would change today, just like the people gambling in the casino. It could change for the good or the worst, or maybe even both. I finally put the uniform onIt was a little revealing. The skirt was above my knees and the neckline of the blouse was too low. My cleavage was showing a little. I pulled up the blouse to try to hide it, but in vain. Kabir called me from outside. I gave up and went back to the bar.
"Good. It fits. It was the last uniform anyways." He said. "Let me explain the work to you." I gaped at him.
He took me to the selves of alcohol and wines. He asked me if I knew about which one is which. I did, because papa has all kinds of alcohol in his bar at home.
"Wow Piya! I must say I am very impressed with how much you know already. Usually it takes forever for newbies to learn which drink is which." He praised.
"How long have you been working here?" I asked.
"About 2 years now. My family needed financial support after my dad's death." He looked at me curiously.
"How about you? What made you want to work in a casino."
He told me a few more things about what I was expected of and a little about the casino. The lower floor of the casino interested me.
"That's where all the auctioning takes place. One day of every week. But all things auctioned there are acquired using black money. So to make a long story short, it is illegal to do that, but they still do it anyways."
"And ma'am allows it?" I asked, confused.
"Yeah, but for her own reasons. One of her investors for the casino is one of the people present at the auctions. If she stops that racket, then that investor will stop funding the casino and it will shut down."
"Who is that investor?" I asked, curious.
"He is one of the youngest billionaires in Goa, but a recluse. He only comes here at nights, not letting many know that he even comes here. His name is Abhay Raichand."
"Abhay Raichand..." I repeated. That name sounded so nice to me for some reason.
"He is a weird guy. He lives alone and has an such and attitude that girls die for him. Ma'am has met him personally a couple times. She tells me that he has a dark and cold personality."
"Weird." I said. But this guy, Abhay Raichand, was set in my mind completely. I was drawn to him for a moment. I wonder why? I never even met him.
Just then, a guy in a gray suit and tie came up to us. He was wearing sunglasses and had a cigarette hanging from his mouth. I gagged when I breathed in the smoke.
"Kabir, bring 15 glasses of wine downstairs. We are waiting." He said.
"Right away, Mr. Mehra." He began to unload the red wine bottles from the shelf, while I handled the glasses.
"Is there an auction today?" I asked.
"Guess so." He shrugged.
We began to fill each glass with wine and set them on the tray. I picked the tray up, but something caught my eye. A man was staring at me from a distance, all the way from behind the stairs. I could only see his eyes. He had bluish-grey eyes, reflecting no sort of emotion. But it was a possessive stare. I was captured in his gaze, almost drowning in it, when suddenly his eyes blazed into a dark cobalt blue. I recoiled in fear. The tray shook in my trembling hands. The possession and desire in his gaze was evident now. He watched me for a few more moments and proceeded down to the lower level.
Kabir patted my shoulder.
"Piya! Are you okay?"
"Yeah...I'm fine." I said, brushing a lock of hair away from my face.
"Let's go then, we don't want to keep them waiting." He warned.
We took the serving trays and went to the staircase that led to the lower floor, where that man went. I braced myself for the worst. The image of his dark blue eyes flashed in my mind over and over again. I couldn't get over them, as if that gaze was meant only for me...
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Edited by Abhiya4life - 9 years ago
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