After cleaning the rest of the house, I slowly walked to the office. I reluctantly headed there, but there was no other way of informing Dominic that I was leaving. I knocked on the door and did not hear a reply, but I heard as if something was being played on his laptop or phone. I knocked again, only a little harder. Still, nothing. I slowly twisted the door handle, but the door was locked. I turned away automatically, assuming that he was not in the office. But where would he have gone? I never saw him leave the house. I never saw him go upstairs, and I never even heard his footsteps. I walked back to the office door. I gently knocked on it again and tried twisting the handle. Then, whatever sound came from his laptop or phone suddenly stopped, and I heard the sound of his feet walking on the floor. He unlocked the door and then looked at me. “Perfect timing…” he said sarcastically“I just came to inform you that I am going home. I am done for the day.” I answered He pushed m
I unlocked the door, and we entered my house. “Adam, what are you doing here?” I questioned “I figured that if I tried to call you, you would not answer your phone or if I came knocking on your door, you would peep, see me and decide to sit quietly in your house until I leave. So, I knew the only way to have a word with you was to come to your place, sit by your door and hope that you were coming home that same night,” he answered. I stared at this weirdly shaped and odd man in my living room. He was standing there in his light blue, tattered and faded jeans and a random white shirt and his ugly grey boots. I was pretty sure they were once my former neighbour’s boots, but Adam had a sneaky trait about him. He looked like he was fresh from work, although I did not know what he even worked as. However, often, he would complain to me that he had a long day at work and just wanted to rest. “What do you want to speak about?” I askedHe looked around my place first, like I was checking
Adam had finally left, and I was stuck in my house wondering what he meant by saying that someone else was going to own the apartment. Part of me did not want to believe him because Adam was such a sneaky thief but then again, he looked genuinely serious as he broke the news. But anyone could put on a serious look and act like they are telling the truth. I picked up my phone and tried to call Emma. The phone rang and rang, but she did not pick it up. I tried again, waiting hopefully she would pick up that time but there was still nothing. I sighed and scrolled to Lizzie’s contact. I did the same, and the phone rang and rang, and she did not pick up. Were they hanging out without me? Did they both decide not to answer my calls? I pressed on Lizzie’s contact again and waited for her to pick up. “Harper… are you good?” she asked after the phone rang for about 3 more times“Yea, I am good. Are you good?” I asked back“Yea, I am just in the office trying to finish off work before I go
“Uh…” I wondered what I was going to tell Dominic. “I will be there in a minute.” Then, I quickly ended the call before having to hear him grill me a little more. The agent had only opened the door to the place. I had not yet even seen the place, and Dominic was there attacking me and expecting me to show up in a minute.My phone started ringing again but I just chose to put it on vibrate. “Where are the switches?” the agent asked as he felt around on the wall. “Ah! There it is!” The lights came on, and the living room was plain. It had no furniture. No couches, no curtains, no tables. It was just white walls, a dry wooden floor and a white ceiling. “Where is the furniture?” I asked as I continued to peep around the house and noticed it was plain. I continued to walk around. I reached what looked like the kitchen because of the change of tiles, but there was no stove or fridge. “Sir?” I called out“Yes?” he replied“Why doesn't it have furniture?” I queried “Oh no, sweetie. Th
I was completely shocked and worried. I was actually more worried than shocked that Dominic was going to replace me. Technically, he had already replaced me with some lady called Stella who seemed shy and all innocent, but if there was one thing I learnt in recent times, it was to not judge a book by its cover.“So, should I go and change?” I finally asked after gulping a huge gunk of saliva and began to quiver in front of him. “What are you? Pressed? Desperate?” he asked when he saw me nervously shaking. I may have also been desperate to use the toilet on top of everything else, but that was the least of my worries. “You see, if Stella had come in and already found you mopping, she would not have asked what to do. She would have known straight away. She would have confidently swayed her way through the house and into the bedroom there, changed into her maid uniform, and started sweeping and cleaning around even though you were already doing it just to prove her worth,” he responde
What did Dominic mean by that? “Just don’t give me an excuse to get rid of you. I brought you in to make her worried, and now you’re doing this.” Dominic continued to speak Wait!Was he just going to let her free? I was almost fired when I was caught in the office. Now, Dominic does not even let me clean there without his supervision but she was let in the first day. Who is she? “What were you even looking for?” Dominic asked “Nothing, sir. It’s all good. I think I was just a little lost. You see, this house of yours is very huge and I think I got lost just trying to find my way around. But all is good.” she answered, back to her little squeaky voice pretending to sound innocent“Great, anyway, let me know when you’re done cleaning,” he said And then the sound of the door opening scared me and I jumped. “Now, who is the one snooping around?” Dominic said, sounding annoyed. He went from the soft and worried tone he was having with Stella back to the irritated and annoyed tone. S
Dominion Heights was a new company, according to Adam, but I had heard the name before. It was not the first time. After finishing my conversation with Adam, I went back to my crappy house and slowly packed everything of mine that I owned. Even if Dominic had paid me triple out of nowhere, I would not be able to keep up with monthly rent. Adam may have been somewhat understanding and was not too hard on me when I could not pay on time, but if the apartment were being handled by someone else, they would probably not be as understanding. Luckily, I was just a woman with a suitcase. I did not have many things. All I had were my suitcases, a few clothes and shoes. That is why it was important for me to find a place that was already furnished. When everything of mine was packed, I looked at my uncomfortably naked house and cringed. Even though I did not move into the house much, I still managed to make it homey during my stay, but now that I packed my things, every tiny sound echoed off
He had long casually brought up the offer, but I still could not concentrate as I tried to clean the kitchen. I did not want to press any further about it lest he removed the offer, so I just had to stick with what I heard and believed. Still feeling completely taken aback by him casually walking in and telling me to stay, I picked up the mug he used and started to wash it. Clunk!The mug slipped out of my slippery hands and landed back into the sink. “Must I change my mind?” Dominic asked as he casually sauntered back into the kitchen“I am so so sorry, sir.” I apologised profusely Dominic was a very difficult person to read. He did not really have moods per se, but you just did not know what mood he was in. When he bought a new laptop, he was all happy and cheery. It felt weird and uncomfortable, but then he could be in such a happy mood, and then someone sneezes and yells at them. “Don’t break anything,” he said as he reached out for the glasses and poured himself a glass of w
“My my, this looks cosy.” Dominic faked a chuckle. I broke eye contact with Joshua and hurried to the kitchen and reached out for a bowl. Because Dominic is much taller than me and has a certain order for how his things should be organised, he placed all the bowls towards the back, causing one of them to slip out of my hands and fall to the ground. “HOMER!” Dominic yelled at me while I stared at the broken pieces of glass right at my feet. “I am so sorry.” I hurried off to get the broom and dustpan. “It was an accident.” Joshua sighed as he came out of the bathroom to peep at what happened. Dominic, on the other hand, did not look too pleased. He had already worn his grumpy face by then and was starting to growl. “I am so so sorry, sir.” I apologised as I started to sweep up the mess. “Why are you so clumsy?!” Dominic asked angrily“Look, these things happen.” Joshua started to defend me“Joshua, it’s okay. You don’t need to speak up for me.” I quickly snapped at him“I am only
“I am sorry sir, for lying earlier. Emma Scorsone is a good friend of mine.” I finally answered “Then why do the records say that she is your sister?” he asked. I felt like everything was just getting worse and worse and going against me. Anything I said would just make everything much worse. I imagined if I had just settled for telling the truth from the start, I would not be in such a messy situation. “I don’t know. Maybe when she was arriving, she must have said something about being my sister to Wilbur and Stanley. I am not sure.” I twisted some few words around hoping it would not come back to haunt me. “Okay,” he said I remained standing above him for some more time. “Can I help you with something?” he asked “I just wanted to know where else the cameras are,” I said worriedly “They are only in the kitchen, living room, dining room and like the corridors. I am thinking of installing at least one or two in here,” he replied “So, there is none in the room I sleep in?” I as
“Homer, who is Emma Scorsone?” he asked again, only his face was starting to get a bit more serious.I knew I was definitely getting into more trouble by pretending to not know who he was talking about. “Uhm…” I still wondered what I was going to say“You know, this could end quicker if you just told the truth.” he sighed “I don’t know who Emma Scorsone is, sir?” I lied quickly “Really?” he queried I nodded. I wondered how he discovered the name and why he was asking me about her. Did the Stanley or Wilbur tell him about Emma coming over? I assumed he had surveillance cameras around the house but he would have probably asked who I was with and not the name. So, I decided that Stanley or Wilbur most probably told him about her. “Finish cleaning up the dishes and then we will come and have a talk,” he said and walked out of the kitchen. I gulped nervously. I had no way out. In times like that, I wished I did not live with him because I would have probably ran off and pretended to
“What a day!” the sound of Dominic’s voice scared me from a deep sleep. “Homer, you can’t be sleeping on the couch!”I slowly opened my eyes and rubbed them to find an angry Dominic standing above me. “There is a room for you to do all the sleeping you want to do,” he said. “I am really sorry, sir.” I stood up and apologised. He walked away, clearly irritated while I debated if I should go and take a nap, or just shower and get out of my maid uniform and call it an early night. “I am so exhausted!” Dominic groaned “How was it?” I asked “It was actually really lovely. I enjoyed it. We went to an art gallery. Her younger sister just actually just opened an art gallery so we saw a few pieces, might buy a few for my house and then we went for lunch to this Japanese restaurant. I was not really a fan of the sushi. I have better sushi but she enjoyed it and then after all that, we went to the park and walked.” he answered “So, it was a date?” I asked “No, no. Not a date. I am not th
As soon as Dominic’s car disappeared, Emma’s car showed up, all before Stan and Wilbur could close the gate. So, Dominic must have passed Emma. “Ma’am, you’re lost. You might want to make a U-turn.” Wilbur said“No, I am not lost. I believe I am at the right place,” she answered. Emma was the last person Stanley and Wilbur wanted to fight with. Even if they were just doing their job, she would still manage to find a way to fight them. “Do you know anyone here?” Stanley asked “I am here to see my sister, Harper Holmes.” She answered “HOLMES!” Wilbur called my name. I walked out of the house nervously. I did not know what Stan or Wilbur could do now that Dominic was not around and Rebecca had stopped showing up. I did not know if Dominic had left either of them in charge. “Yes?” I replied as soon as I reached them. “Well, don’t you look adorable in your little uniform,” Emma said excitedly “Is this your sister?” Wilbur asked. I mean technically she was not my sister but if I s
“I am sorry sir,” I blushed as I asked him to repeat what he had just said “I was saying that we need to come up with a plan for your sleepwear,” he repeated while his eyes traced all over my body once again“Why?” I looked down at my outfit as I felt my cheeks heat up. He kept quiet and continued to look at me. “Because…” he finally shrugged “Because what?” I questioned, “Did Sadie say something?” “No, no.” he laughed “Okay, the both of you guys need to stop with your weird competition or whatever it is.” I wondered what he meant. Did Sadie also ask if I had said something to him? I mean, most definitely if he was saying that we need to stop with our competition. I did not want to ask him what he meant by the competition because he would start talking about that and forget the whole conversation about sleepwear. “So, why are we coming up with a plan for my sleepwear?” I dared to ask again“I don’t know. I just guess we should come up with one.” he shrugged “Then what if I ref
After devouring the very spicy food, I washed up the dishes and went to the room to sleep. I could hear Dominic and Sadie laughing from upstairs and I wondered if they were laughing at me. But eventually, I was beyond fatigued and dozed off. ***I woke up early the next morning to the sound of footsteps and laughter in the house. I got out of bed and walked out of the room to find Sadie in the kitchen, laughing. But there was no Dominic with her. I noticed she had her phone on her ear and was laughing loudly. “Wait, I will talk to you later.” she said and then ended the call and looked up at me “Humiliating Holmes, did I wake you up?” “Uhm… yes actually.” I sighed tiredly “I am sorry or am I really sorry? Anyway, isn’t it time for you to get cleaning? I suggest you start on it sooner before Dom comes downstairs and starts reprimanding you.” she said with a fake smile on her face. I found myself rolling my eyes at whatever she said. Sadie just annoyed me. She had been annoying me
I was left to stand in the living room, wondering what I would make for dinner and how much I would need to make. I had already struggled to make breakfast the other day, now he wanted to me to make dinner. I walked over to the kitchen trying to scratch my head for any possible recipes I might have known. All I knew how to make was mac and cheese where the instructions were neatly printed on the box. And I just knew that Dominic would not have cheap mac and cheese boxes in his pantry. I opened his pantry and found a variety of things to make but I had no clue of how to make them. I wondered if I should bother dressing back up into my clothes to head back to the eating place. But I did not have enough money for that. My phone was too full to download a delivery app. I stood in the kitchen, wondering what I would do as I searched the pantry. Until I found a packet of noodles shining at the back and quickly grabbed them. They looked like a unique type of brand to me. They were definite
We walked out of the restaurant in some awkward silence. “Okay, why are you quiet? What’s wrong?” I asked, feeling confused and annoyed“Nothing is wrong.” he shrugged“No, something is wrong. You were all happy and laughing and smiling and then after the phone call, you went dark.” I answered “Nothing is wrong,” he repeated “Okay then, so can we go back to how things were before?” “Look, I think you should head back to work or wherever you were before you get in trouble. Besides, I am also busy too. I have somewhere to be.” He slowly started to walk away - the opposite direction of where I was going. “Well, thank you for today,” I said awkwardly before he pulled out his phone and started to speak on it. Of course, he would have that expensive type of phone while I was using my brick with cracks all over the screen. I walked down the road and headed back to Dominic’s house. At least Hale’s car was not there anymore, meaning that he had left. There was something about Hale that