Mr. Jenson came to visit Camellia a couple of days later to see how she was adjusting. Camellia thanked him and as he was leaving, Camellia asked if he would help her find a job, as she had no money. He looked at her oddly.


    "The late Mr. Shaw gives you a monthly stipend of $5,000."


    Camellia gasped in disbelief.


    "I don''t want any of Mr. Shaw''s money, Mr. Jenson. I still don''t understand why the late Mr. Shaw is helping my father, but I am not taking any of Mr. Shaw''s money, even if he left some for me in his Will, which I doubt it anyway."


    Mr. Jenson sighed.


    "You have every right to this money, just like his children, Miss Quintana."


    "Please, if you can help me find a job, I would be grateful. I want to earn my money with my own two hands," Camellia quickly replied.


    Mr. Jenson seemed hesitant, then remarked, "What can you do, Miss Quintana?"


    "I was studying Child Therapy in the states. Can you see if there are any positions opened for me to apply for in a clinic or hospital?"


    Mr. Jenson thought for a moment.


    "Mr. Shaw has a friend who works in a clinic nearby here, perhaps he can help you," Mr. Jenson remarked. "I can give you the address and phone and you can contact him, or you can have Mr. Shaw set up an appointment with him. Dr. Sirimon, that''s his name, is a gracious man, and could probably help you out."


    Camellia quickly nodded her head and said, "Thank you, but I can take care of this on my own if you can give me the information."


    Mr. Jenson nodded and opened his briefcase to get out a pen.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Camellia hesitantly picked up the phone and dial the number on the sheet of paper Mr. Jenson had given her.


    "Hello, I would like to speak to Dr. Sirimon."


    She listened for a moment, then replied, "Can you tell Dr. Sirimon that Mr. Jenson, Mr. Shaw''s lawyer, referred him to me."


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Camellia was formally dressed when she came out that afternoon and found Sam cleaning the car. She hesitantly went up to him.


    "Sam..." she began nervously, "Are you Mr. Shaw''s personal chauffeur?


    Sam smiled and nodded. Camellia swallowed.


    "Will Mr. Shaw be returning soon today?"


    "He usually returns around six in the evening, Miss."


    Camellia looked at her watch. It was only 1 O''clock. She breathed in relief.


    "If that is so, can you take me somewhere?"


    Sam quickly jumped up in delight.


    "I''ll only be glad to, Miss."


    Camellia smiled in relief as Sam opened the door for her. She quickly got in.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    The clinic was a medium-sized place, with patients that looked like they came from a more impoverished background. Camellia went up to the front desk and asked for Dr. Sirimon. The secretary asked her to wait for a moment as Dr. Sirimon was with a patient.


    Camellia waited on a chair next to an elder woman who was sunburnt. She smiled to the woman kindly and stared at the papers she brought with her. She hoped Dr. Sirimon would be kind enough to give her an opportunity to work with him, as she was desperate to earn some money. She was penniless and would rely on the Shaw if she did not have her own income. James viewed her with little respect as a free-loader, and she did not like it. Though she did not care for the Shaw or what they thought of her, she did not want their charity as well.


    "Miss Quintana?"


    Camellia looked up and found a young man kindly looking at her. He was dressed in a doctor''s white coat.


    "Yes?"


    "I''m Dr. Sirimon."


    Camellia gasped in surprise. She was expecting an older man, one who probably was the late Mr. Shaw''s doctor. This doctor looked no older than thirty years old.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Dr. Sirimon''s office


    "How is my friend James doing?" the kind doctor asked from across his desk, as he curiously regarded Camellia.


    "He is well," Camellia remarked. "I studied Child Therapy in the US—."


    He smiled.


    "I remember," he slowly replied. "How are you related to the Shaw, Miss Quintana?"


    Camellia frowned.


    "We are not related at all, Dr. Sirimon. You said on the phone that there was a position in your hospital that you have available…?" Camellia quickly asked, not wanting to talk about her relationship with the Shaws.


    A knock came at the door and interrupted them. A nurse came in with a folder for the doctor. He thanked her and looked at it. Camellia impatiently looked at Dr. Sirimon.


    "As I was saying, I studied Child Therapy in America, Dr. Sirimon. I have interned in a hospital and worked with some children," Camellia remarked, hoping to convince him.


    He laid the papers down and smiled at her.


    "I''m sure you must be very talented, Miss Quintana, if you are a friend of the Shaws," he remarked, not knowing that this comment was rather an insult to her.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    He placed the papers away and earnestly looked at her.


    "I have a position for you if you are interested," he began.


    Camellia''s face brightened.


    "Do you know what autism is, Miss Quintana?" Dr. Sirimon asked her kindly.


    Camellia nodded her head. She had met many children with that condition in America.


    "For years, I have been trying to work with autistic children to understand their condition and perhaps help them integrate into society," he continued. "I need someone to continue working alongside these children, if not to help improve, then perhaps to guide them."


    Camellia''s eyes lit up.


    "I would only be happy to work with them, Dr. Sirimon," she quickly remarked, then continued, "Though many have viewed autistic children to be slow in thinking, I have found some of them to have the brightest mind."


    Dr. Sirimon smiled.


    "I have an eight-year-old child whose mother brings her here every day. She is autistic and does not say much to anyone but frequently talks to herself. You will find that she is very bright as well, but unmoving in other areas that she is not so interested in."


    Camellia nodded in enthusiasm.


    "You can leave your papers and references here for me to look at. I''ll call you tomorrow to tell you when you can come in," Dr. Sirimon replied.


    Camellia smiled, nodded, and handed him the papers. Thanking him, she left as the phone ranged and he picked it up. She walked out of the office in high hope.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Camellia returned at three that afternoon, relieved to have probably found a job and hopefully have some spending money. Bow was nowhere in the house, and since it was such a beautiful day, Camellia changed and went outside. She found a man working on planting flowers. She found it odd that the flowers they were planting were her mother''s favorite flower, the camellia, which she was named after. Bow came toward her and she joyfully picked him up and went up to the man.


    "The flowers are beautiful. Who chooses them?"


    The man turned to her and kindly smiled.


    "These were the late Mr. Shaw''s favorite flower. The young Mr. Shaw still honor his father''s taste."


    Camellia found it strange to have the camellia flower planted around the Shaw mansion. Wouldn''t James be offended to know that their rival''s daughter is named Camellia, after the flower? She quickly changed the topic.


    "Does Mr. Shaw''s younger brother come home at all?"


    "No," the man carefreely replied, "Mr. Mark hardly comes home unless there is a paycheck for him, or Mr. Jenson comes here. You see—"


    The man seemed to notice that he was speaking too much, and he gave Camellia an uneasy look.


    "This Mr. Mark—does he work somewhere in the city?" Camellia asked.


    "No. No," the man started again. "He goes to the University."


    "And Mr. Shaw''s sister? Where is she?"


    The man looked at Camellia as if he were not sure if he should say anymore.


    "She has her own group of friends which Mr. Shaw doesn''t approve of. They are rowdy and stay up too late partying. Mr. Shaw doesn''t like that, so Miss Amy also has her own place somewhere in the city where she stays most of the time," he carefully stated.


    Camellia nodded her head and thanked him. She asked if she could help him plant the flowers. Though the man, whom she learned named Leek, refused, Camellia offered to help anyway. After a moment, a Mercedes-Benzes drove up into the driveway and parked in front of the house. Camellia wiped the dirt from her hands and stared at the car, knowing that he had returned.


    James got out of the car and looked at Camellia. He called his dog and Bow went running up to him. Sam took his case and brought it inside. After a moment, James entered the house without another glance at her. Camellia sighed in relief as he went inside. She turned to find Leek looking nervous.


    "Please, Miss, I can plant the flowers on my own," he remarked.


    "Are you afraid of Mr. Shaw?" she asked curiously.


    "No," Leek quickly replied. "He is a kind man, but it is not right to find a guest working on the house. And Mr. Shaw would not be happy to see it too."


    Camellia clapped her hands together to wipe off the dirt.


    "I am not like the other guests here. I can come and help you if I like, Leek. Besides, I enjoy working with flowers. Whether or not Mr. Shaw likes it, I will help you. But you need not worry, for Mr. Shaw will not care what I do."


    Leek unsurely smiled. After a moment, Sara came out to inform Camellia of dinner.


    "Tell Mr. Shaw that I won''t be having dinner tonight," Camellia told the kind maid.


    Sara went back hesitantly, and to Camellia''s relief, did not return.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Camellia''s hands and clothes were full of dirt when she entered the house. She wanted to take a shower, but Sara came up to her and informed her that Mr. Shaw wanted to see her immediately in the library.


    "Tell him I''ll come to see him after I''ve cleaned myself," she remarked, annoyed that he wanted to see her immediately, as if she was an employee of his.


    The maid looked nervous and did not move.


    "I want to see you now," came the voice from behind Sara.


    Camellia looked and saw James coming towards them. Sara quickly left them alone. She embarrassingly hid her dirty hands as he shamelessly looked her up and down, noticing how her clothes were stained with dirt and her hair messy and uncombed.


    "You wanted to see me?" Camellia coolly remarked, dismissing the look in his eyes.


    He showed no expression on his face.


    "I had a phone call from one of my friends today," he slowly began.


    Camellia looked surprised.


    "My friend, Dr. Sirimon, said that a friend of the family came looking for a position at his clinic," he remarked, slowly stretching the words. "He said her name was Camellia Quintana and my lawyer referred her to him."


    Camellia stood her ground and lifted her chin up, unhappy that he should care to get in her business.


    "He was impressed with you and said he has offered you a job," James continued.


    "Why do you concern yourself with my affairs, Mr. Shaw?" she remarked, annoyed that he knew what she did this afternoon. "You have made it cleared to me you didn''t want me to inherit your father''s wealth. You should be glad I am looking for a job."


    He looked annoyed.


    "I have told Dr. Sirimon that you won''t be taking that position," he stated plainly. "And I have told him you are living under my roof and I will be responsible for any of your actions."


    She glared at him in horror.


    "You have no right!" she exclaimed, moving up to him angrily. "How dare you tell him that!"


    James grabbed her arms.


    "I have every right, Miss Quintana. If you have been enjoying my father''s wealth all this time that you were in America and will even get a hold of it when you reach twenty-five, I have every right to make your life miserable, until I can''t no more."


    She stared at him in disbelief.


    "What are you saying?"


    He gave her a cynical half-smile.


    "I am saying, Miss Quintana, that my father also paid your education."


    She looked horrified.


    "I don''t believe you."


    "And why not? If my father paid $10 million of your father''s debt, why not also your education?"


    She pulled her arms away.


    "I will pay your $10 million back, Mr. Shaw. I''ll make sure of it, plus my education expenses too if you so claim it," she slashed at him.


    He laughed.


    "And how do you supposed you will pay $10 million? By working in a clinic?" he laughed, mocking her. "Even that won''t help you pay your education."


    She hatefully stared at him.


    "You have no right, Mr. Shaw, to interfere in my life. I will return to Dr. Sirimon and see that I get that position," she challenged him, "Even if I have to work all my life in that clinic to pay that $10 million, I will do it."


    She looked at him in triumph and moved to go, but he grabbed her back.


    "You''ll waste your time going back to Dr. Sirimon. He is my loyal friend," he remarked, then he thought of something. "And how do you also propose to get to the clinic if I won''t allow Sam to take you. You have no money and can''t also pay for a taxi."


    Camellia frustratingly looked at him, knowing how much she wanted to slash at him.


    "You can''t keep me as a prisoner here."


    He laughed and released her arm.


    "I am not keeping you as a prisoner here, Miss Quintana. You are free to go wherever you want with the finances you have," he remarked with a smile and moved to leave in triumph.


    Angry, Camellia could not stop herself from saying, "Mr. Jenson says I am to receive some monthly wages from your father, is that correct, Mr. Shaw?"


    James stopped. He did not look happy, as he looked at her.


    "Those are also my father''s money. What right do you have to receive them?"


    Camellia smiled as she looked at his angry face.


    "How kind of your father to think of me living here. He must know that his children would treat me unkindly and not allow me to use any of their family transportation," Camellia remarked with a huge smile. "I believe I can now take the taxi, Mr. Shaw."


    Camellia smiled and turned to go but thought of something and turned back to look at him. James had a look of horror.


    "I think I also need a couple of pretty dresses, don''t you think Mr. Shaw? After all I am living under one of the most prestigious family, I must look glamorous to fit in."


    With this, she gave him a charming smile and turned and went up the stairway. James glared at her. He was incredibly angry. [Author: uniqnovels.com.]