Chapter 5 : Woke up a maid

The morning sun cast its golden light upon the mansion, as the flowers swayed gracefully in the garden.

"Gracious Lord, my rice porridge on the fire!"Mrs Sophia exclaimed as she set down the watering can heavily on the ground and quickly rushed through the garden to enter the house...

…...

"This is it, I need to get out of here," Kristen whispered to herself, darting out from her hiding spot. The entrance door was ajar, and with a surge of urgency, she sprinted toward it. Just as she reached the threshold, ready to make her escape, a voice pierced the air.

"Excuse me, who are you?" The voice halted her in her tracks. Kristen froze, her breath catching as she turned slowly to face the speaker.

"Oh, you must be the maid that the 'Your Home We Care' agency sent,"Mrs Sophia’s voice softened as she hurried over.  Kristen nodded her head quickly and frantically.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she swallowed hard, forcing a nervous smile on her face while

Mrs Sophia approached her.

"We need to talk about your salary, from 1,000 dollars weekly to 1,200, depending on how well you good..."

"Uh... yes, that’s right," Kristen stammered. "I’m... the new maid."

Mrs Sophiatilted her head, narrowing her eyes slightly. "They didn’t mention you were coming today. And why were you sneaking around the garden like that?" She eyed Kristen up and down.

Kristen bit her lip and glanced quickly at the door behind her. "I...um...got a little lost. This place is... big, you know?"

"It sure is. Well, come on then, we don’t have time to waste. The young master got back from a business trip at the crack of dawn and is currently asleep . I want everything in order before he wakes up... And why do you look like that, anyway?" She gestured for Kristen to follow her deeper into the mansion.

As Kristen's hurried steps resonated through the winding corridors of the mansion, her eyes quickly took in the elegant decor, crystal chandeliers, polished marble floors, and framed paintings that all spoke of old money and luxury.

"Now, listen closely," Mrs Sophia said her tone brisk as she stopped outside a large kitchen. "The young master is very particular. He doesn’t like things being out of order. You’ll start by helping with breakfast prep, then move on to cleaning the study. And for goodness’ sake, don’t wander around where you’re not supposed to, got it?"

Kristen nodded quickly. "Got it."

"Good. Now, put on an apron and get to work. After that, I'll have you send a cup of coffee to his room for when he wakes up. And remember...no noise. Make sure your steps inside are quiet,"

Mrs Sophia added as she handed Kristen a plain white apron, then bustled off, muttering something about burnt porridge.

Holding the tray of coffee tightly, her feet moved slowly against the floor, making sure she didn’t make any noise or mistake, as she stood in front of his steel door.

With a deep breath, she gripped the handle, her heart pounding in her chest as she stepped into the room, the tray of coffee balanced carefully in her trembling hands. The air inside was warm and carried a faint, intoxicating scent. The space was pristine white, every object meticulously placed, giving an air of control and order.

She tiptoed further into the room and approached a sleek side table. But as she reached out to place the tray, a shadow loomed behind her, startling her. Her grip faltered, and the tray tipped, sending the coffee splattering across the floor.

Hot liquid spilled over the edge, soaking into the spotless carpet and splattering across his shoes.

"What the...?" a sharp voice cut through the silence, and Kristen spun around to see him standing there, his dark eyes blazing with anger, his jaw clenched as he glared down at her.

"Who are you, and what the hell are you doing in my house?!"

Kristen opened her mouth to stammer out an apology, but before she could get a word in, he stormed forward, his face twisted in fury. Without a word, he grabbed her by the wrist, his grip harsh and unyielding, causing a jolt of pain to shoot up her arm.

"I... I'm sorry! It was an accident..." she pleaded, but her words were drowned out by his rage.

"You're sorry?" he snapped, dragging her roughly towards the door. "Do you have any idea how much this place is worth? You think you can just waltz in here and make a mess?"

His grip tightened, making her wince in pain as he yanked her through the door, practically pulling her down the hallway. Kristen stumbled over her steps as she tried to keep up, her heart racing in her chest.

"Let me go, please, you're hurting me," she cried out, but he didn’t listen and continued to drag her until they reached the entrance of the house. He slammed her hard against the wall, and she let out a soft, pained cry.

Just as panic clawed at her chest, Mrs Sophia burst through the hall, her face pale with shock.

"Mr. Anderson, what are you doing?" she exclaimed as she rushed toward them.

He turned, his eyes still blazing, and his grip on Kristen loosened slightly. "Is this your idea of a maid?" he snapped, his eyebrows furrowing. "When I said composure and intelligence, I meant someone who could be like a statue not a walking disaster," he said, glaring down at Kristen’s outfit, which had beads around it.

"I'm sorry, Sir, she's the new help... I’ll handle it. Just let her go," Ma’am Noami said with worry, glancing at Kristen’s red wrist.

With one last glare, he released Kristen’s wrist and she stumbled back, clutching her aching hand.

He shot her a withering glance, then spun on his heels and stormed out.

Mrs Sophia gave Kristen a worried look…

"Come with me, my dear," she murmured gently.

….…………………………

Meyer’s Residence

“Yes, girl, that’s exactly why I came after you this morning!” Chloe said with a bright smile as she led Lena into the room where she had carefully laid out eleven stunning wedding gowns. Each one was more breathtaking than the last, shimmering under the soft light. “So, let’s finalize which one you’re going to go for.”

Lena followed her, still in her pajamas and wearing golden eye patches under her eyes. Her gaze swept over the array of gowns, her eyes glittering with excitement. “I want you to choose, Chloe. That’s why I trust you with this. Pick the one that makes your eyes beam the most. And make sure it’s the most expensive one... I want my gown to be the talk of the town for ages,” Lena declared.

Chloe chuckled and shook her head lightly. "Well, that’s going to be difficult... they’re all my favorites," she replied with a teasing wink.

Lena’s lips curled into a smirk as she moved closer to the gowns, gently running her fingers along the delicate lace and intricate beading. "Let me have a look at the royal one over there," she said, nodding toward an elegant gown draped in rich satin with intricate embroidery and a cascade of pearls.

Chloe reached for the dress, lifting it carefully off the display. "Good choice, Lena. This one’s definitely fit for a queen, and it’s sure to make everyone remember your wedding for years to come."

Lena's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she reached out to touch the fabric. "Perfect," she whispered. "This is the one."

….……………………..

Max Ethan Anderson mansion

Wham! A sharp slap echoed through the hallway as Valtor’s hand landed on Ethan’s cheek. Ethan staggered slightly as his father grabbed him by the collar, shaking him roughly.

"How dare you? I came here right after I heard you’d returned from your trip, just to see the face of what is going to end me," Valtor spat, his face flushed with anger as he breathed heavily.

"I know exactly what I have done, Mr. Valtor Anderson," Max Ethan said, his expression hardening, but he didn’t break eye contact with his father. He then removed his dad's hands from him and adjusted his collar.

"Do you have any idea what you’ve caused? I put you in charge for only two weeks, and you’ve decided to end the company... do you even understand what that means for us?" Mr. Valtor snapped, his voice trembling with frustration.

"Mr. Creed was a parasite, draining the company from the inside out. I found a lot of illegal deals in his files. If you hadn’t been too blinded by his promises, you would have seen it too. I did what I had to," Ethan shot back, his tone firm.

"You have no idea what you’re talking about, boy. Without Creed’s influence, we’re vulnerable. Every deal, every contract we have could fall apart! And for what? Your pride?” Mr. Valtor retorted, his anger unyielding.

Mr. Valtor shook his head, taking a step back. He looked at his son as if seeing a stranger. “You’ve put us all at risk, Ethan. If we fall, you’ll have no one to blame but yourself. Remember that.” With that, he turned and walked out, leaving Ethan standing alone in the hallway.