CHAPTER 4: BREAKFAST

Lauren lay on her bed in the small quarters provided to her by the Burlington mansion. She thought about her day at work and wondered about the Burlington family.

She had always been curious about the cold-hearted CEO, Damien, who had ignored her earlier after tasting the beef Wellington. Lauren couldn't shake the feeling that the dish reminded him of his late wife, maybe even the way she used to cook it.

Lauren's mind wandered as she lay in her bed. She couldn't get a good night's sleep, so she decided to get out of bed and take a walk outside. As she walked, she noticed Damien sitting outside with a picture in his hand. She approached him and saw that it was a picture of his wife.

"Mrs. Burlington was so beautiful," Lauren said, acknowledging the picture. "I can only imagine how much you must have loved her."

Damien looked up at Lauren, his eyes darkening. "That's none of your business," he said, through gritted teeth.

Lauren took a step back, surprised by Damien's sudden change in demeanor. She saw the anger in his eyes and knew that she had touched a nerve.

"I'm sorry," she said, trying to make amends. "I didn't mean to upset you. I also know how it feels to lose someone you love. I've lost my mom too. "

"I don't care," he said. His expression was still cold, "And I don't want you to bring it up again. Understand?"

Lauren nodded, feeling a little intimidated. She knew she had crossed a line, but she couldn't help but feel like she needed to understand the family she was working for. Damien stood up and walked back into the house, leaving Lauren standing alone on the balcony.

As she made her way back to her quarters, Lauren couldn't help but wonder about the family she was working for. She knew there was more to them than meets the eye, and she was determined to find out what it was. But for now, she had to keep her questions to herself

and focus on doing her job the best she could.

***

Lauren woke up with a start, realizing that she had overslept. She quickly rushed to the kitchen, where the spoiled three kids, Amethyst, Carson, and Casper, were already seated at the table waiting for their breakfast. Lauren was still half asleep and was making everything fast, so she wouldn't be late for her next task. She prepared pancakes and scrambled eggs, although she was not fully alert and didn't do it well.

Amethyst took a bite of her pancake and scrunched up her nose in disgust. "This is burnt!" she exclaimed, and her siblings looked at her with dismay. Lauren held her aching head, feeling embarrassed as she realized her mistake.

"I'm sorry, Amethyst," she said, genuinely apologetic. She tried her best to think of a solution. "Maybe we can order some takeout?"

Amethyst shook her head. "No, we can't," she said. "Dad said we're not allowed to buy food outside. He wants us to appreciate the meals that our maids prepare for us," she sarcastically added.

Lauren sighed at this statement. She knew that the these kids were very privileged and often took their privileges for granted, "You know, you guys should really try to be more appreciative of the food that we serve you," she started. "Some people don't have anything to eat at all."

Amethyst rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, we've heard that a million times," she said, dismissively. "But we don't have to eat burnt food, do we?"

Lauren felt frustrated and was silently thinking of a way to ensure that they understand that not everyone has the opportunity to eat three meals a day, let alone being picky about the quality of the food.

"Maybe you guys could try thinking about appreciating the variety of food on the table instead of just looking for your favorite dishes. It's essential to appreciate every meal you have, especially when there's someone out there struggling to get by with barely any food. she finally said, hoping that they would understand the impact of their words.

Lauren cleared her throat and said, "Kids, before you leave, can we talk about something?" Amethyst groaned.

"What is it now, Lauren? We have better things to do than listen to you." Carson muttered.

Lauren took a deep breath and said, "I want to talk about the reason why your dad doesn't allow you to order food outside."

Amethyst mimicked her and said, "Yeah, because we're so unappreciative and picky over foods. So what?"

Lauren sighed and said, "Well, it's important to appreciate what we have, especially food. Not everyone is as lucky as us to have food on their table every day. And when we order food outside, we're not only being wasteful, but we're also taking away the opportunity to learn about different foods and cultures."

Carson said, "But we don't like the food you cook, Lauren. It's always burnt and tasteless." Lauren understood how the kids felt and said, "I understand that, but we can always learn to appreciate food by trying different recipes and cooking methods. We can even ask your dad to hire a cook to teach me how to cook better."

Casper, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, said, "I like the food you cook, Nanny. It's yummy." Lauren smiled and said, "Thank you, Casper. I'm glad you enjoy it. Maybe we can all cook together sometime and learn new recipes together."

Amethyst scoffed and said, "As if. I have better things to do than cook with you, Lauren." Lauren understood the challenge she was facing in trying to change the kids' perspective on food, but she wasn't going to give up.

She said, "I understand that cooking may not be everyone's interest, but it's important to know the value of food and cooking. Maybe we can start small, like trying one new food every week. Who knows, you might find something you like."