Chapter 6

Her heart nearly stopped as she opened the door. Standing before her, a tall, striking figure, smartly dressed in a tailored suit, was her boss—and apparently now her husband—Ralph. 

Behind him, his sleek black SUV was parked, and it reflected the late afternoon sun. Even his bodyguards drove in luxurious cars, parking them behind him while keeping their trained eyes on her. 

What was this? Had he thought she would breach their agreement and make a run for it? Panic surged through her. She couldn’t let her mom see this scene, or else she would be worried. She wouldn’t believe the lie she had spun about going on a business trip.

“Sir, you’re here,” Silvia, stammered. She swallowed back an urge to say something more. "What are you doing here?"

His hard, dispassionate expression made her stomach drop. Her heart raced as she recognized the storm brewing in his eyes. It seemed like he was in a terrible mood.

“What are you still doing here? Did you forget what was stated in the contract?” he asked rather angrily.

She nodded gingerly. “Yes, please just give me a minute. I’ll be out in a moment.” That was all Silver could say before gently shutting the door, as if doing so would make him disappear.

Without him telling her, she knew the time he had given her ran in minutes, and if she didn’t come out quickly, he might come in and give her poor mother the fright of her life.

She quickly went back to her mother, who still lay on the bed. The idea of a long separation from her made her heart ache right away. Bonded through years of laughter and challenges, they had always been together. Never been separated from her mother before, she questioned whether she might be able to live without her. But it was the sacrifice she had chosen to make.

“Mother,” she sat next to her on the bed and tenderly caressed her face.

“Who was it? How come you looked so tense?” her mother asked, her tone dripping with worry.

“It’s nothing, Mother. It’s just our neighbor. She came to check up on you after hearing what happened,” Silvia lied smoothly, although the lie made her heart feel too heavy, dragging her down deep into a pit of guilt.

Her mother nodded in understanding. Silvia felt like she was betraying the one person who had always been there for her as time to say goodbye to her mother ticked by.  Her bags had already been packed.

“My boss from work just called me. The schedule has been renewed. The trip is only an hour away, and I have to get going, Mother,” Silver said, watching as her mother’s eyes welled up with tears.

“So soon?” she said, sadness evident in her voice. “Alright, dear, take care,” her mother said.

She pecked her mother on the cheek, and with a heavy heart, went to her room to carry her luggage. As much as she wanted to go back to see her again, she knew she would end up breaking down. So, she hastily dragged her box behind her and left the room.

As she neared the exit, she took time to saturate with the very life of a home she had known for so long. In those familiar surroundings, a swirl of nostalgia and sorrow knitted together tightly within her heart. 

Memories crashed back - a kitchen bursting with the mouth watering aroma of mother's cooking, laughter resounding through the house, and conversations long into the night that ebbed into dawn. Surely, how could she forget every moment of happiness these walls seemed to nurture?

Then, in the corner, she could see her frail mother standing against the doorframe of the room, now weak but projecting strength in silence.

She choked back a slew of tears, her gut sinking.

With every resolve she could summon, she steeled herself and walked outside, gently shutting the door behind her. 

The wind was crisp and stirring with leaves above, carrying the scent of autumn leaves and her heart thudded with excitement and a bit of fear at the face of the sudden adventure awaiting her. 

She got into the car with Ralph, her new husband, and just like that, the driver started the car and drove them away from the only place she would ever consider home.

Never had she envisioned her life like this. After high school, she had wanted to go to college, but with her father dead and her mother struggling to pay bills, she knew she had to scratch that idea out of her mind. 

After giving up her dreams of going to med school and becoming a doctor, she had at least thought she would have some luck finding a love that would anchor her and getting married. But that hadn’t materialized either. All she had was this rather cold and calculated contract.

She had seen Ralph. She had observed him at the office, and she could confidently say he was an emotionless man. The only emotion he managed to display was one of annoyance and agitation when something wasn’t done the way he wanted it. 

That aside, he had clearly told her this was a contract marriage—hence, a loveless marriage, childless marriage. Therefore, she wasn’t to expect any bit of love in this marriage. Clearly, she had sold off her last hope of happiness to him.

It took thirty more minutes, and then they arrived at Ralph’s villa. Her eyes widened at the luxurious sight of the building—everything about it screamed wealth, class, and luxury. The driver parked the car in front of the villa, and he opened the car door for them. Ralph stepped out first, and then she stepped out next, dragging her pitiful box behind her.

She followed him inside, but somewhere deep within, she knew she didn’t belong there—and she was right. She stood out like a sore thumb in this magnificent edifice.

A chubby lady quickly came to meet Ralph. “Good evening, sir,” she said, bowing slightly. She was the housekeeper at the mansion, and her eyes briefly fell on the girl who was standing behind her boss. Pity flashed through her eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.

“Donna, show Silvia to her room in the servants’ quarters,” Ralph said, and with that, he walked away like she was nothing—like they weren’t newlyweds. Was Ralph simply a heartless businessman, or was there a story behind his stoicism waiting to be unveiled? 

She let out a bitter laugh and shook her head. Servant's quarters? Was this what this man had married her for? To be a servant? What a way to spend her first night with her 'husband'. 

Silvia gulped down nothingness at how her freedom was snatched away in the blink of an eye. She had expected nothing from this marriage, but being demoted to a maid left a sour taste in her mouth. 

It was only for a year, she reminded herself. She was used to doing hard labor already, so she was sure she would survive.

Donna led Silvia to her room while explaining things that she was too lost in thought to hear. Eventually, she was led to a small room, almost the same size as the one back home—or even smaller. But she didn’t complain. She didn't care.

As soon as Donna left the room, reality slowly began to sink in for Silvia. This was her life now. How could she find happiness here, with no one to keep her company? The thought of finding happiness in such isolation felt daunting. 

Everything happening so quickly, leaving her with little time to reach out to the only other person she trusted -Rebecca- and share the truth of her situation.

~~~~~~

The next day, Silvia was asked to wash the dishes, clean the entire villa, and even wash Ralph’s car. Her hands became sore from the work, and her body ached from it. She had done nothing but work all day long without even as little as water to drink. 

It was then Donna told her this would be her everyday routine, directing her to the staircase to be cleaned. 

She got on her knees and began shinning the stairs. Her other hand swiped over her sweaty brow as her gaze turned back to the grand staircase, where she saw that Ralph was standing observing her. His pose was quite stiff; his expression let nothing out. 

"You appear to adapt well," he finally added, his tone composed and indifferent. 

Silvia pushed herself to stand straight; she would show weakness. "Is this your idea of well?" she inquired, speaking barely above a murmur. 

Ralph's lips twitched nearly a sneer. "You signed for this, didn't you?" 

She had a queasy sensation in her belly. She could not resist but yell that she never consented to this, to being handled like a maid. Ralph took an imposing step before she could say more. He cut in, his voice sinking into something dark. 

"Get used to it, Silvia. This is only but the beginning." Turning on his heel, he walked off leaving her there—trapped, paralyzed, and drowning under the harsh reality that she had no idea exactly what she had subscribed for.