The hoarse voice spoke up dully, Claire was once again surprised and her footsteps were successfully
stopped.
She paused and turned around, raising her brow as she appraised Bella from head to toe again.
Suspiciously, she asked,
"Excuse me! What did you say just now?"
"Madam, I have come here to work as a cleaner."
"What's your age?"
With her head low all the time, Bella humbly replied, " Twenty two".
Though Bella looked like she was in her mid thirties but still Claire believed her and said,
"I have never seen any woman in her twenties, who is willing to lower her head and her dignity and
take a tough job of a cleaner and that too in a night club."
She continued, "the youngest cleaner aunty here is also forty two years old and you are just twenty
two! Why??"
This girl may have a hideous scar on her forehead and a dead stick - thin body, but she was still only in
her twenties.
They had plenty of women of this age in her club. Some were attendants and some were waitresses
but never a cleaner.
She thought as soon as she finished speaking, this girl will start telling her , her sad story and Claire
has planned to throw this girl out of the club if she does that. Who cared about the life of a stranger
they just meet?
But ya for sure, these stories do help the girls get money out of the riches pockets.
But to her surprise, the ugly woman didn't utter a word regarding her past.
She humbly said in a hoarse voice, ,"I have nothing left to loose. I will be glad if I am able to sell my
body, only if I could."
She paused. Its very hard for Bella to speak long sentences now, her throat hurts.
"Before I entered your office, I saw many young, beautiful and vibrant women around. I know the
standard of my looks. I know I can't sell my body even if I walk naked with my legs separated, so I can
only do what no one else wants too."
She spoke again, in even more unbearable voice, "Madam, I am in need of a job and shelter...
desperately.. I won't cause any trouble and bear all the consequences."
She has no identity now. She did not have a home, or a file of her existence or any qualifications. Who
will hire her? The only identification she has now is Convict No 2409. What dignity she is left with?
There was a flash of self-deprecating humor in Bella's eyes.
Claire was surprised again. Though this woman infront if her is ugly and humble but there is something
unusual about her. She appraised her again from top to bottom, frowned and shook her head. Tilted
her head and while giving a smirk , she returned to her table.
She picked her pen and started filling her form.
'What's your name again?"
"Bella"
"Bella! Just Bella? Miss I am filling your employment form. Even though you are going to work as low
as fourth standard worker in this company, formalities need to be done."
She continued, " Your full name?"
"Bella Evans" Bella hesitated for a second. But then thought there can be thousands of Evans in the
country, so she need not worry. But can there be thousands of Bella Evans? Silly girl!!
"Bella... meaning Beautiful" she laughed. " Your parents must be really in love with you that they kept
such a name for you! Right?"
Bella's eyes were dead. There was no sign of life in them. "Do they love me???" , now she really knew
the answer.. NO.
" I don't have any family." Bella said calmly.
Claire looked at Bella once again, frowned and said, "Go to HR department, which is to your right, once
you are out of my office and get a copy of your ID and your residential proof."
"Madam.." Keeping her head down, Bella spoke again, "I don't have a place to live. I don't have a
home..... hmmm... I don't have a residential proof." Her residence was cell no.16 , which was also
changed time to time as per the requirements of others, for last 4 years.
Claire didn't ask anything further. She called up her subordinate and said, " Lilly come over to my office.
Yes, yes.. I have finally hired a cleaner for floor 6th to 10th. Please come and show her the dorms."
She placed her hand on the phone and said, "Have you eaten anything?" she just asked, but somehow
she was sure of the answer. Bella looked down and shook her head as no. Claire understood and
asked Lilly to take the cleaner to canteen first and then the dorms.
Then she got up and walked across Bella. She suddenly stopped her five inches heels, turned around
and said, "Bella, do you know, inspite of your looks and voice, why did I hire you at this place, where
only looks is money?"
She did.not expect an answer, so she continued, "It's simply because you said one right thing. If you
could sell your body then you would. But you know you can't, so you just want to do what you can to
make a living."
"Many people, twice your age also, doesn't understand this. They actually doesn't know where they
stand and take up something which is beyond their capability and falls hard."
"You know yourself and you look at yourself and your capability honestly. I believe when someone
knows what they can do clearly then they also knows what they can't do." while speaking she narrowed
her eyes and continued,
"Don't take me or LAS DEUX casually."
Hearing all this, Bella answered as slowly as ever, "Madam, I know I am ugly, so I won't go to places
where I am not needed. I know I have an unpleasant voice and my throat hurts whenever I speak , so I
wont speak anything unnecessary." so there is no chance of gossiping.
Saying that Bella looked at the water jar which was kept on the guest sofa of Claire's room. In last 4
years, this was the 1st time when Bella actually had verbal conversation with someone. Earlier
whenever she was with someone, it was always physical abuse with her mouth tied or tapped.
Claire was satisfied with her decision. She noticed that Bella was standing and speaking for a long
time. She walked upto the glass jar. Poured a glass full of cold water and handed over to Bella. Bella
gave her a thanking gesture and took the glass.
As soon as she touched the glass, her hands started trembling. Cold water was so soothing for her
throat that without even noticing she drank 4 glasses of water one after the other. Since her voice box
was broken, whenever Bella had water in the prison, she was given boiling water to drink. Which slowly
slowly burnt her entire throat to an extent that now she can't even eat plain rice without feeling pain in
her throat.
Claire looked at her. Gave a smile and thought, such a silly humble girl. She should have told me that
she was thirsty a long back.
"Go ahead. Now go to HR department. Give them this form that I have signed and also give them your
ID to make a copy of it. And also there is no need for a residential proof. I am trusting on you for this."
Bella was deeply touched by this simple word "trust". No one trusted her in her life. This woman , whom
she has just met said that she trusted her.
"And ya, you will find Lilly there, ask for her, and go to dorms after your dinner. And rest for today."
"Come to work from tomorrow, sharp 4 o'clock in the evening"
"Thank you madam"
"You can call me Claire Jones. Now leave."
Bella left the office and straight away went to the HR department. She gave her ID and was asked to
pick it up later from Claire's office. She was then handed 3 pairs of her cleaner's uniform in a cloth bag.
The bag also contained 2 pairs of shoes and socks. 2 set of gloves. 2 sets of keys. One of them was
for her dorms and her room, whereas the other set was keys of all the washrooms and utility room
which was made inside one of the empty bathrooms' which were assigned for the staff of the club.
Bella nodded with her head down , as she was given all the instructions. Everyone in HR department
including Lilly were surprised to see how ugly she was and were disgusted by her voice and thought
that Claire must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed today, that she selected such an ugly
duckling in a place like this.
But no one dared to speak against Claire.
She was the second in charge exactly coming after the Boss of the club. Everything happening in the
club was done under her sharp eyes. Boss really appreciated her work. She was equally held for all the
praises of working hard and bringing the club's name to the peak of what it was now. Everyone in the
club respected her and at the same time were scared of her.
Lilly unwillingly took Bella to the canteen. She dared not walk beside her as she didn't wanted to be
seen with this ugly creature.
She showed Bella, the section which was made for cleaners and sweepers to sit and eat, either their
own meals or canteen's and she also showed her the counter from where she was suppose to take her
food.
This canteen was not very huge but had clear demarkations between the sittings and collection
counters. One of the most luxurious counter was for the Bosses and shareholders. Then was for the
managers. Then came for the attendants and waitresses and lastly for the cleaners and sweepers.
Bella kept her bag, which was given to her by the HR department , on one of the most remote seat of
the canteen and washed her hands and went to the counter.
There was an old woman at the counter for cleaners and sweepers. She looked at Bella. At the same
time Bella looked at her too. Their eyes met and for the first time, in place of seeing disgust , she saw
pity.
Bella immediately lowered her eyes. The old lady, called, Mrs.Pots, who was also the manager of the
canteen, somehow felt love and sympathy for this child.
She softly told her, "My child, this is not the right counter for you. The counter for attendants and
waitresses is no.3. You must go there and collect your coupons."
Bella lowered her head even more and her entire body was trembling. In the past she was always
betrayed by this act of love, from Henry to the warden of the jail.
The old saw it then she looked at the bag which was kept at the most remote seat of the canteen. So
this child is really a cleaner now. She is surprised and sad for Bella.
She gave Bella a booklet of coupons which she was to use everytime she entered the canteen.
Bella took it and started looking at the food counter. And slowly picked up a bowl and pour little rice and
a small glass of soy milk. She turned and started limbing towards her seat.
The old lady noticed this also and also that Bella drank almost a glass of water after every bite of the
rice. She took almost an hour to eat quarter bowl of rice and slowly limbing picked her bowl and her
bag and left the canteen.
Later she was taken to the dorms. As soon as Bella entered the dorms, she felt so happy that she
began to cry. See saw her room and there was a STREAM OF SUN SHINE coming through the
window of her room.
She slowly opened her window and sun shined directly on her. After 4 years of darkness there was light
in her room.
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