CHAPTER 14

"Warehouse?" I asked.

He looked around as if someone were watching me before he answered. I also looked at what he was looking at. He nodded and looked down at his watch before answering.

"Yes. Let's go. It's already night. I need to take care of something first, then we can discuss your job."

"Okay," I replied, trying not to smile. "I have some requirements with me, Atlas. What do I need to be interviewed?" I asked.

"I will tell you later. Do you need to do something now or do you need to go somewhere?"

I shook my head. "No. Let's go."

He turned away and started walking. I followed him until we reached his car. It was parked on the side of the road, and he just paid a young boy who I think was guarding his car. I stepped back when he opened the car door for me in the passenger seat, and I got in.

"Thank you," I got inside, and the sweet scent of his car immediately filled my nose.

I couldn't look inside his car because I felt like moving even a little would make it dirty. I waited for him to get into the driver's seat because it seemed like he was talking to someone on his cellphone when I looked at him outside the car.

I was so excited that I would finally have a job. This is all I want to help my mother with all her expenses. When I looked at Atlas outside the car again, he was still talking seriously to the person on the other line, and sometimes he would look at me. I swallowed when I saw his serious face towards me.

I quickly looked away and unconsciously held my chest. Atlas seems kind because of what he did for me, but why am I nervous now? Is it because I don't know him very well?

After a couple of minutes, the driver's side door opened, and Atlas got in. He started the car immediately and headed to the warehouse he mentioned.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

The ride was pretty quick because it was already late at night and there weren't many cars on the road. We were in Austria City, the city in our barrio. The ride was quiet until we entered a road that looked private.

The archway we entered had a rare name. The road was wide and surrounded by trees. There were no other vehicles passing by except for Atlas' car.

"Are we almost there?" I asked, even though I was nervous. "This is my first time here."

Anyone would be nervous when passing through a place like this. Especially if you're with someone you just met. I might be stupid, but I need a job. He's the one who sponsored my scholarship, so maybe that's why I feel a little comfortable with him.

He nodded. "Yes, and this is a private area. I own this."

I was shocked by his answer. I couldn't say anything and just closed my mouth.

Is he that rich? He's so rich that he can buy this place?

Just as he said we were close, we arrived at the warehouse he mentioned. It was a small, modern warehouse. It was gray on the outside and had a sliding steel gate. There was no fence around it, and the only light came from the lamppost next to a gray steel door of the warehouse.

He parked his car on the side of the road. When I heard the faint click, I got out on my own without taking my eyes off the warehouse he was talking about.

Atlas is rich, but he stays here? Maybe he just likes to save money. I shook my head at the thought. Maybe he just works here—

"Sarah, let's go."

I snapped back to reality when I heard Atlas call me. His face was still serious when I looked at him. He put his hands in his pockets and walked ahead of me.

He opened the steel door and gestured for me to go in first. I was greeted by storage racks. I also saw people reading the boxes on the storage racks while reading the paper they were holding.

Some were wearing lab gowns, while others were wearing simple white t-shirts and black slacks.

"Atlas, good evening."

The people here seemed to notice us. They stopped what they were doing and greeted Atlas.

"Good evening," Atlas replied.

After he said that, the people went back to their tasks like robots. I wondered what Atlas's real job was and what the others were doing here.

"Let's go this way so you can go home after we talk about your job here. Don't worry, I'll take you home. Is your family looking for you?"

He held my elbow, and we walked to the end of the warehouse. We entered a small office where I thought we would discuss the things that I'm going to do when I'm working with him, but it wasn't.

There was a large table in the middle of his office and a swivel chair. There was a painting hanging on the side of the wall, and Atlas went there. I was busy looking around his small office. It was empty except for three white folders on the table and the painting.

I frowned when he removed the hanging painting, and I saw a silver button there. He pressed it, and I suddenly heard a faint hum, like a machine opening, but I didn't know where it came from. I took a step back because of that while looking for where it came from.

And there it was, behind where the swivel chair was displayed, the metal wall suddenly opened. A large, elegant elevator greeted me. I heard a familiar sound, you would hear it whenever the elevator reached its destination.

"Let's get inside," he invited me.

"W-what is that?" I asked nervously, looking at him.

I stepped back again as I watched the open elevator in front of me, and it seemed like only Atlas and I were waiting for it to close. There was no second floor in the warehouse when I looked at the whole place outside.

If there was no second floor, we would only end up in one place if we went inside. I looked down at the floor, where I was standing.

We're going down.

Atlas stood beside the elevator, looking at me. He furrowed his brow now. He didn't get an answer from me and turned away to rehang the painting he had removed to hide the silver button.

"Do you really want a job or not, Sarah? If you're having second thoughts and don't want the job here, you can now leave."

I swallowed when I heard the tone of his voice.

"I know that you want to help your family," he added. He turned to me and crossed his arms. "Am I right?" he asked.

I slowly nodded. "Y-yes."

The corners of his lips rose, and he nodded. "Then why don't you trust me and work for me? Accept the job, and you can help your family."

"How can I accept the job? I don't know what job I'll be doing," I replied.

"I know, Sarah. That's why let's go inside so I can discuss the job that you will do."

He went inside and waited for me to follow him. My breathing was fast because of the nervousness I was feeling. These kinds of things I only see in movies, but can they actually happen in real life?

He gestured for me to come closer inside the elevator. It didn't look scary inside. It was similar to the metal wall. I was still hesitant to continue, but I had no choice because I was already here.

Maybe my life will change if I try to work for Atlas. My dream is giving my mother a comfortable life—maybe I can do it. Nothing bad will happen if I don't try, right?

"Don't be scared, Sarah. Don't worry, I'll guide you while working here. I promise," he reassured me.

I followed him, keeping my eyes on Atlas. He was probably the most mysterious person I've ever met. When we got inside, he pressed the down button, and the elevator automatically closed. I couldn't help but look around the elevator.

My eyes were fixed on the back of us. There was a gap there, like the door of the elevator in front of us. Two doors? I looked up and was about to ask, but Atlas spoke.

"Accepting this job will help your mother pay her debt. I hope you are going to accept this because I sponsor your scholarship," Atlas suddenly said, looking at the closed elevator door. "I'm looking forward to it and happy if you work here."

I couldn't answer what he said. I just looked down and played with my fingers.

Is this the right thing for me or not?

SHANGPU