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“How much did you tell her?” Irina sat by her bedside as one of the maids in the mansion oiled her legs smoothly and gave them a soft massage, her posture rigid and her eyes sharp as she scrutinized Audrey. “I told her nothing. I swear,” Audrey, who had been standing before her for what felt like hours after she sent for her, gave a response, her cowering eyes twitching under the weight of her mother-in-law’s scrutiny. Irina's lips curled into a tight sneer, her eyebrows arching high so contemptuously, “How am I supposed to believe you?” her tone dripped with condescension and suppressed disdain. “I promise I didn't,” Audrey raised her eyes to meet Irina's in a convincing way, even if she knew there was no way to move the frigid woman's heart if she chose not to believe her. Irina's eyes narrowed doubtfully, and she tilted her head slightly, studying Audrey with a critical gaze, “You both were seen together in the kitchen, and she talked over your shoulders,” her voice was grave
Zoe drove down the sloppy, lonely road, through the beautiful sea that seemed to bring some kind of happiness that she couldn't quite describe. The beautiful sight of the water made it feel like she could breathe without being under the scrutiny of anyone she knew at that moment, as she moved along the road leading into the small countryside town where she was led to by what was mentioned on the news Martin showed her. She stepped out of the car, her eyes scanning the old, quaint houses that were around, nestled between rolling hills and vast fields of wildflowers. Cobblestone streets meandered through the town, flanked by charming cottages with ivy-clad walls and neatly trimmed gardens arranged in vibrant blooms.The town seemed eerily quiet with quite a few shops along the main street, barely with any customers, the smell of newly baked bread waffling from the small bakery which stood in an open space, while the local café which was a few feet away, seemed to have a few people seat
Tired of spacing out and getting roped into more confusion, Zoe made her way back to the large oak tree that had stood at the entrance of the town, and parked her car a few miles away from it. She slumped against its sturdy trunk that had been made into a fine chair, and stared at the patchwork of fields and meadows that were around where she sat, as the scent of wildflowers and fresh hay filled the air, mingling with the distant, earthy aroma of tilled soil. As she gazed out at the peaceful landscape, trying to enjoy the sight that she was looking at, the silence around felt so heavy upon her, reminding her that she might have been plunged into an illusion that had been created in her head just because of some cheesy news. Zoe struggled to focus on the beauty of what she could see and not the pain that had settled in her heart, as she brought out one of the breads she had purchased a few hours ago, and began to eat the cold dough. Sighing wearily and heavily the more she thoug
Malcolm had been unable to come to terms with the fact that Zoe had asked to stay separately, and it had been eating him up in sadness even if he didn't show it. It was so unexpected that it was the first thing she requested after she returned home, which to him was a way of severing the smallest tie they had with one another. He thought of how cold and lifeless his room would be once again without her, even if he had loved his space in the past without any disruptions in the order of things. But now, he loved sharing his space with her more than not doing that. His mind had been trying to piece together the puzzle of her sudden coldness and distancing, which had him wondering where she had gone to, and what she had gone to do. The thought of saying yes to her gnawed at him as a persistent and painful thought, and saying ‘No’ to her wasn't even a choice, because he was now learning to respect her decisions and wants, regardless of how inconvenient it was. ‘What could she be up to
It had been a few days since Zoe returned to work and started coming home, and things had slightly changed as preferred by her. She had a new room across Malcolm's perfectly decorated and set up to her taste, and the only maid that was permitted to come to their lounge area was Erin, and the newest one, Hailey, which made others oblivious of the room split between the two. However, Malcolm made it a routine to go and visit Zoe at her office after work, even though she ended up giving him a few excuses regarding work as to why she couldn't spend more than a few minutes with him. And as for Martin, they had been unable to meet since the last time, because he had been busy shooting his restaurant promotional commercial. Retrieving the card and other documents which she had taken a picture of inside Irina's safe had been her utmost goal in the house again, but it was almost impossible because getting into Irina's room without her being there was more difficult than before, and it seemed
The gleaming marble floors of the high-end shopping mall echoed with the clicking of designer heels of different sophisticated and alluring wealthy ladies, who moved from one luxurious store to another searching for the perfection they all sought. The air was permeated with the whiff of different expensive and luxurious cologne, and the huge neon-lighted banner was intricately designed to highlight the exclusivity of each boutique they entered. Amid the opulence of the mall, a lady was seen trudging behind her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, her arms laden with countless shopping bags as she struggled to keep up with them. “Hold these properly for goodness’ sake! Is it so difficult to do?!” Irina snapped in anger as soon as she turned behind her to see Audrey slacking off, her voice laced with disdain, “And do not drag your feet like a filthy maid!” She spat. “Tsk,” Ivy rolled her eyes spitefully, her rosy red lips curving to a sneer, “Such a dummy!” She hissed and began to wa
Audrey's days at the Meyers mansion had become harder than they had ever been in her entire life, and she soon realized the pain of having to be treated like a piece of trash by the family. She had to get up from her bed as early as 4:00 AM to begin to cook three-course dishes for everyone, and she had to complete each variety before 7:30 AM, when everyone would come out to eat breakfast. She worked tirelessly every morning, the clock ticking mercilessly forward. It became worse because it was hard to keep up with the unnecessary meals that would end up wasted that she had to cook, and Isla, who had been away from home for about two weeks, suddenly returned, making her work more hectic. Every time in the dining hall where she stood to confirm if everyone was satisfied with what they got, she would watch Zoe walk into the dining room, take her seat, and barely eat much from whatever was served for the day without complaints before turning to leave. And, she never met her eyes no
Sinking at the edge of her bed, her hand trembling with the phone she held in her hand, tears streamed down Audrey's cheeks, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she buried her face downward. It was two days after she had accompanied Irina and Ivy to the spa, and nothing had gotten better ever since that time. The transfer of aggression multiplied and got worse, which had the clueless maids gossiping about what was going on. Audrey had never felt so alone, and utterly desperate in her life as she sat in the melancholic darkness of her room, sobbing endlessly and uncontrollably. Her son had asked her what happened and why she was suddenly being treated in such a poor manner by his grandmother, but she was unable to give him answers. Every moment, she could hear the gossip of her flying around the mansion, as she had now become a laughingstock among them. She decided to make up her mind. ‘She would rather become a slave to someone else.’ Audrey stared at the screen of her phone