One of the only neighbours who actually sympathised with Aveline, helped her up, and dusted her body.
"Thank you, madam Alice," she whispered in a hoarse voice, as the older woman led her into her house.
A couple of minutes later, Aveline stepped out again with Madam Alice.
"Thanks once more for allowing me to take a bath and change my clothes in your house. I really appreciate your kindness," she said sincerely.
Madam Alice looked at her with a worried expression on her usually blank face. "What are you going to do now, Aveline?" She asked.
"I'll go to the cleaning agency where I work, and beg my boss to help me out."
"Hmmmm," Madam Alice mused, just as Laura's mother walked by.
She made sure to eye Aveline, and hiss loudly before walking into her house.
"What was that?" Madam Alice asked.
Aveline forced a smile. "It's nothing," she said.
It was either that, or having to tell madam Alice that her best friend's mother suddenly hated her because her best friend was now with her boyfriend.
"It's not nothing, but I won't force you to tell me anything. Go sort yourself out, I'll find someone to help gather your things."
Aveline sniffled, stifling the tears threatening to spill out. "Thank you," she said for the umpteenth time.
Deep down, she couldn't believe madam Alice of all people had been the one to come to her rescue.
The older woman waved her away, as she began her journey on foot to her workplace.
Aveline was deep in her head, not paying attention to anything else around her.
She just wanted to remember the name of the hotel she had found herself. But before that, she needed to see her boss.
After half an hour of feet motion, she finally walked into the building that had cracks all over because the foundation was falling apart.
The lobby was empty, and she was grateful for that. Mostly because she simply wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone other than the manager.
Taking a deep breath, she walked straight to the manager's office, and knocked on the door.
"Come in!" He called from within.
Aveline opened the door, and walked in.
"Good morning Charles." She walked over to the desk, and took a seat.
"Morning, Aveline. Why did you clock in today? It's your day off," the slightly older man asked, as he stared inquisitorially at Aveline.
"I kn-ow," her voice cracked.
"Aveline? Are you okay?" His eyes squinted, then bulged pointedly at her. "Now that I'm looking closely at you, it looks like you've been crying. Who hurt you?"
"I lost my card. Half of the loan I took out can only be accessed with the card. Well I think half because I don't know how much I drank and how I was charged. My purse and phone are gone too. My landlord kicked me out of the house because my rent is due. I caught my boyfriend and best friend in bed together. I—" her words strained as her lips began to quiver.
"Oh Aveline," Charles rose to his feet, and walked over to her. "Don't cry. You know I hate to see you cry," he hugged her with one arm, while the other hand rubbed her back soothingly.
"But I don't know where to start from. I don't know what to do. I know it took a lot for you to approve that loan. I'm so sorry for being that careless." She burst into tears.
"Don't you dare cry Aveline. It's really nothing. You know I've got you. Don't cry." His comforting hand brushed against her breasts, and Aveline froze.
"Charles?" She called, alarm bells ringing in her head.
"Don't be this way, Aveline. How many more times do I need to tell you that if you give me what I want, you won't lack anything ever again? Just give in to me." He pushed her head up from her chin, and tried to kiss her.
Aveline's fist moved faster than her brain, as she punched him right in the face.
"You bitch!" He raged, staggering back.
Adrenaline rushed through her, propelling her to jump to her feet.
"Come back here, you filthy whore!" He cursed, and followed after her as she ran.
In her desperation for help, she had almost forgotten what a dog Charles was.
"You're so stupid, Aveline!" She cursed herself.
"Aveline!"
His voice felt closer than ever, and so she increased her pace.
Her desire to break free was so great, she didn't realize she had run outside the building, until she almost bumped into a hard surface.
Two hands grabbed her shoulders, ending her swift motion.
"Please don't hurt me," she muttered with her eyes shut tightly.
"You?" She heard a slightly familiar voice say, and her eyes popped open.
"Oh no!" Her heart skipped a beat. "Not you please," she continued to mutter in her mind.
"Aveline?" Charles ran out too.
"Boss, thank goodness you're here. They're going to take down our building!" One of the three other staff present, rushed forward.
"What? No one is bringing down my building. What are you talking about, Grace?" Charles turned to the trio.
"This man, and his friends. They say the land belongs to them," Grace explained.
Charles' gaze returned to the stranger who was holding onto Aveline's shoulders, while his dark mysterious eyes bored into her soul.
"Hey man, who are you?" He called for his attention.
"Why did you sneak out?" Atlas ignored Charles, focusing all his attention on Aveline.
"You must have gotten the wrong person," she quickly replied, coming out of the shock of seeing him.
He scoffed. " Do you think you're talking to a fool? We—"
"Let me go please. You're hurting me," she said, cutting off whatever crazy thing he was about to say.
Atlas exhaled, and took his hands off her shoulders. "Now tell me why you just left," he said.
Aveline took a step back, creating space between them. "I don't know you sir."
His eyes widened. "Have you been crying?"
"Hey, look Mr man. Are you going to tell me why you're here? What the hell are you doing in front of my building with my staff?!" Charles cut in.
Atlas briefly glanced at Charles, before returning his gaze back to Aveline. "You work here?"
She sniffled. "Yeah I do. Why?" she answered, putting some more bass in her voice.
"Intersting," he muttered, and looked at Charles. "You're the manager here?"
Charles cleared his throat, and stepped forward. "I am. Charles Turner. I'll also have you know you're making a scene. So why don't you come in and tell me what you want?"
Atlas looked behind his shoulders to see that more people had gathered around.
"No," he brusquely replied.
"What?" Charles' eyes bulged.
"You heard me. Thankfully, all of you are here already so I'll make this very clear. I want all of these buildings gone by the weekend," Atlas raised his voice to pass across his message.
The crowd began to mumble between themselves.
"You can't do that! Who are you to do that?" Aveline bravely asked, her face completely bewildered by his staggering audacity.
Atlas faced her with a smirk on his face. "I'm Atlas. Atlas Sinclair."
Everyone gathered gasped in unison, but Aveline's shock was the most evident.
"Atlas Sinclair," she repeated under her breath. "Oh God!" The realisation of who she had slept with, hit her like a brick.