A Message

In front of the mirror, Yara studied herself, thinking if she should take the offer of disguising as the daughter of the wealthy family. Her experience of living in a toxic world taught her not to trust people easily, especially those who came out of nowhere.

"The way he treated me yesterday clearly shows that he has another agenda which might be able to put me into trouble in the future." Yara talked to her reflection in the mirror.

Yara yanked her body away from the square object before her at the yell of a stout woman - her boss - who impatiently knocked on the door where she was locked inside. She just rested after her morning routine of cleaning up the toilets of the hospital.

"Yara….Yara….!" That girl rushed out of the room in panic and worried as this woman could cause the reduction of her salary if she made any mistake her boss did not tolerate.

"Y-yes, Ma'am."

"What were you doing inside the restroom? Can't you see the dirt on the floor and the mess in the corner of this chamber? How many times have I told you that you have to switch the bin with the new one every day? And this ... .how can you explain to me about the dust on the sink?" That woman pointed at the objects she mentioned one by one while scolding her.

"I do apologize, Ma'am. I'll do all you said." Yara chose not to confront the woman even though she had the desire to do that for her annoyance at her who always created a mess in her life almost every day.

Following her boss' instructions, Yara dragged the big trash bin in the restroom out to throw away its contents. Yet, as it was too heavy for her to push, her feet slipped on the slick floor and her body pushed the bin forward which hit a girl who, by any chance, passed by.

The trash spread out and the girl she hit wailed at the liquid from the waste which spilled on her white blouse. Yara, with guilt, approached that girl whom she realized was the fiancee of doctor Durmaz.

"I am sorry…I'm very sorry," expressed Yara with a pale face toward the girl who was busy cleaning her clothes with her handkerchief.

That girl, stopping her activity, lifted her gaze at her; Yara found no fury in the brown shade of her orbs, but agreeableness instead.

"It's ok. I can handle it. You didn't do it on purpose after all." She responded with a genuine smile which attracted Yara to look at her in awe for her good demeanor.

Unlike her assumption of the first class families who tended to show their arrogance, this girl whom she once had the desire to loot all her happiness from, treated her so kindly. That hypnotized Yara to ask for her forgiveness once more but before her words came out of her mouth, a man she admired the most appeared among them.

"Esma, what's happening? Are you alright?" A man in a white cloak, Erhan Durmaz approached his fiancee; Yara dropped her gaze to the floor, resisting her urge to look at him. "If you need to get your clothes changed, I will take you to the boutique around here. I will buy you a new blouse." Yara bit her lower lips in a response to her jealousy toward Yara for having that caring man as her fiance. Yara wished Erhan was hers but she briskly shook her head, smashing away that thought.

"No…no…you don't have to. It's clean now."

"Be careful in doing your job next time, Ms." That man clearly warned Yara that undeniably hurt her but her head only nodded, responding to his alert.

"It is not her fault, Erhan. It is mine. I didn't pay heed to my surroundings when I was walking. So, don't blame her."

"Let's go from here, then." That man, called Erhan, took Esma's hand with him and strode away, leaving Yara with the trash on the tiles she had to pick up and collect.

It was not her work of cleaning the floor that wrecked her but the truth of her as no more than a stranger before Erhan's eyes which marked the pain in her chest. Yara carried the bin with her heartache after putting all the rubbish into its place. Along the way, bummer and anguish filled her head.

If only she were a daughter of a rich family, she would experience this. Should she accept and sign the agreement with that man whom she did not know well to change her life? Yet, what if that man was a liar who just used her to accomplish his goal and kicked her out after he reached the peak of his desires?

***

"Don't you think what you did to her is too much?" Esma initiated a conversation as soon as she and Erhan settled on a bench under one of the trees of the hospital park.

The crowds of the medical professionals as well as the visitors did not bother them who spent their short moment of togetherness in that public area. Esma's arrival was a part of her routine just to see her lover before their wedding which took less than a month.

"I just did what I should do to protect you from any danger, Esma." Erhan turned his head at the girl he loved with his incredulous eyes, for Esma questioned his action of showing his care.

"But, that girl is not a peril." Esma stared at him back, convincing him that the girl was not a threat to her.

"I know. But still, I want nothing bad to happen to you." A shooting smile grew on Erhan's lips which calmed her down.

"I am so fortunate to have you in my life." She returned his smile with the sweetest smile she had.

Erhan held Esma's hand in compassion to assert how much he loved her and to emphasize his fear of separation with her. That girl sitting on his side rested her head on his shoulder, shutting her eyes in peace as if being with him comforted her.

Behind them, Yara stood, watching their back in mixed feelings she could not describe. Their sweet relationship ignited something negative in her to emerge with which she was able to rob their romantic moment.

"Why are you doing there, Ms. Baiq?" A remark jerked Yara out of her reverie; it was one of the employees just like her who worked as one of the janitors in this hospital who disturbed her. "Just focus on your job."

"I am just wondering about the perks of being a rich girl." Yara almost blurted that sentence out but fortunately she managed to swallow it back. "I'll get back to my work." Yara immediately walked away abandoning both her colleague and the lovebird.

Meanwhile, Erhan and Yara surged from their seats as Erhan had to return to his duty as a doctor after one hour of break. He sent his fiancee to her car in the parking lot before he strolled back to his office.

***

Yara could breathe in relief as her mother had discharged from the hospital. She could focus a hundred percent to her work in the hospital.

In her working uniform, Yara did her tasks as she usually did, doing the cleaning up and throwing away the garbage. She sometimes had to give herself a rest while doing her routines and it was on the rooftop she normally did; with a bottle of mineral water in her hold, Yara stood up, facing down the hospital area from the tenth floor.

From there, he beheld a man who once kidnapped her, talking to someone on the floor below her. That man was the one who offered her a job which could give her an opportunity to have luxurious life. Before she averted her eyes from that person who seemed busy with his phone now, a text popped up on the screen of her phone.

"If you are still interested in my offer, see me at the Rise and Shine cafeteria near the Istanbul Center Hospital in one hour."