Chapter 3 The Executive Housekeeper

• “You're Theros, right? Come with me. Mr. Hackett is waiting for you!”
• I swallowed nervously and followed the man, silently trailing behind him as we ascended to the third floor.
• During the entire climb, the man remained quiet, his gaze intense. Though he was thin, he had a commanding presence, especially with the scorpion tattoo on the back of his hand, which made it clear he wasn't someone to mess with.
• We reached the third floor, passed through a dimly lit lounge where customers were resting, and walked down a hallway until we arrived at Tigre's office.
• The man knocked on the door. After hearing a voice from inside granting permission, he pushed it open and led me in.
• The moment I stepped inside, I saw Tigre, whom I hadn't seen in a year. He had put on quite a bit of weight since we last met in prison and was sitting in an executive chair, legs crossed, puffing on a cigarette.
• When he saw me, Tigre stood up, a big smile on his face. He walked over, slapped my shoulder, and said with a sigh, “Theros! Long time no see, man. Sometimes I even dream about those days we spent in the cell together!”
• I smiled back, unsure whether he meant it from the heart or if it was just small talk.
• Tigre had a shaved head and small eyes, and now, with the extra weight, his head looked like a shiny boiled egg. But the scar on the right side of his cheek was just as I remembered it when we first met.
• “Mr. Hackett, you've put on some weight!” I said, grasping for something to say.
• Tigre grinned, flashing his teeth. “Yeah, man, I've been eating well since I got out. It's nothing like being inside!”
• “Okay, let's talk business,” Tigre said, changing the subject. “Theros, now that you're out, come work for me. You'll be the executive housekeeper. I'll start you off at one thousand a month, and if you do a good job, I'll raise it. Tigre always takes care of his own!”
• Hearing that, I was overjoyed. A thousand a month was no small amount at that time.
• “Thank you, Mr. Hackett!” I said, feeling grateful.
• Tigre patted my shoulder again and said earnestly, “Theros, treat this place like your home. You're new, so there's a lot you'll need to learn. Watch, listen, and try to avoid getting into conflicts with the guests. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask. Got it?”
• “Don't worry, Mr. Hackett!” I replied with a smile.
• Tigre nodded and then turned to the man who had brought me in, giving him instructions. “Matthias, take Theros to get cleaned up and give him the full VIP treatment. From now on, Theros is like a brother to me, so look after him.”
• “Got it, Mr. Hackett,” Matthias, whose full name is Matthias Carlson responded.
• “Go on, Theros. If you have any questions, just ask Matthias,” Tigre added.
• I turned to Matthias and said politely, “Mr. Carlson, I'll be counting on you for guidance in the future!”
• Matthias gave me a cold glance but said nothing, his expression as stiff as ever. It seemed like he never smiled.
• Following Matthias, I went to the front desk to pick up a wristband. Matthias instructed the front desk, “This is the new executive housekeeper, Theros Skye. He's Mr. Hackett's buddy. Make sure everything is arranged for him properly.”
• Hearing myself addressed as the “executive housekeeper” made me feel a bit giddy. After all, I was now some kind of superior.
• Matthias handed me the wristband and said, “Theros, enjoy yourself today. Do whatever you feel like. I've arranged everything. If you need anything, just call the attendant. Relax today, and get ready to start work tomorrow!”
• “Thanks, Mr. Carlson!” I said gratefully.
• After taking the wristband, I was led by an attendant member to the spa area in the basement.
• The moment I entered the dressing room, an attendant rushed over, eagerly calling me “Mr. Skye” and personally unlocked my locker. He even helped me take off my coat, acting so attentive that it felt like he was one step away from undressing me entirely.
• The sudden VIP treatment made me feel a bit lightheaded. After all, I was only twenty-one and had spent three years in prison. My heart was still quite innocent.
• As I stripped down, the attendant tossed my clothes into the trash. Confused, I looked at him, but he smiled and explained, “Mr. Skye, Mr. Carlson said that new clothes will be brought to you soon!”
• I liked this young attendant, who seemed to be about the same age as me.
• “What's your name, buddy?” I asked with a smile.
• “Mr. Skye, my name's Ryan Gingrich. You can just call me Ryan. Go ahead and enjoy your spa. If you need anything, just let me know,” he said.
• I smiled and headed into the shower area. After rinsing off, I made my way to the body scrub area and lay down on a table.
• The scrubbing attendant, a middle-aged man in large shorts, started scrubbing me down while cracking jokes.
• “Mr. Skye, it's been a while since you've had a scrub, huh? I'll add more salt for you!”
• “Thanks, Sir!”
• I was surprised to see that even the staff here knew who I was, which caught me off guard.
• The attendant was a bit of a chatterbox, making small talk while he worked.
• Seeing him working hard, I got curious and asked him, “How much do you make a month doing this?”
• He slapped my back, telling me to flip over while complaining, “Ah, it's barely enough to scrape by. It's just manual labor, not like those girls up on the third floor making easy money!”
• “Huh? What do they do on the third floor?” I asked.
• I was naive and had no idea what he meant by the “third floor.”