Chapter four

"And I told myself today was going to be a good day." She sighed and walked briskly to the black gate that stood tall among the other gates around it.

It had golden flower designs at its tip, the strong metal was coated with a shiny black colour that made it glisten under the bright sun.

Madeline arranged her rumpled skirt to straighten its hem, took deep breaths, paused to take a careful look at herself, and after some moments passed, she proceeded to knock on the gate.

Soon, the lock on the other side of the gate was dragged to the left side, and someone pulled the gate slowly.

"Madeline Miller?" a woman's voice asked in a low tune. She had a smile that could be considered fake.

"Yes. Yes, that's me."

"Come with me." She turned quickly as she walked towards twin doors that had guards protecting the house. "Mr Hill had been waiting for you. If I must say, exactly thirty minutes before the time set." Her voice was commanding.

Madeline wasn't a fool. She knew exactly what the woman was hitting on. "Oh, that is kind of him. I'm sure he won't mind my tardiness, unlike some people that feel entitled to people they do not know," she said, trying to keep her breath stable.

The woman raised her eyebrows and smirked. "If you say so." Then she stopped when she reached the end of the hallway. "Continue onwards from here. In the third room, you will find him." And she left without sparing a glance.

"Humans," Madeline muttered under her breath as she continued walking to the mentioned point.

She reached the third room and had barely walked in when she heard the man's voice.

"There she is. Miss Madeline. Welcome." Mr Hill's voice rang in glee.

He sat on a chair made of steel. His arms were long not muscular like the man that almost hit her. He had dark brown eyes, that appeared like small openings on the face. His jaw was outlined, with less broad shoulders, a flat chest with a quite lanky body built.

She returned the smile and walked towards where the table had plenty of food to call breakfast. She started thinking if he knew it was a meeting they had, not a feast.

"Thank you, Mr Hill. You are too kind." She feigned a smile and sat opposite Hill. "I'm sorry for coming late, I had forgotten the files, then today's traffic, and I almost had an accident–"

"Madeline." She stopped talking as he called her without adding the title. "You worry too much, and you almost had an accident. Did you sustain any injury? He inquired.

"Oh." her eyes filled with uncertainty. "No. I'm fine, thank you, Sir–"

"Just call me Hillary." He stretched his hand to touch her fingers that were placed on the table but she jerked it away and placed it on her lap.

"Mr Hill," Madeline pressed on, not minding his questioning gaze. "This is the contract. You will just need to sign at the end there; you can read through if you want."

He stared at her for a while making her very conscious of herself and suddenly smiled taking the file she had slid on the table. "These are what the orphanage needs?"

Madeline's eyes shifted to his face, then back to the file and said, "Yes…that's all, Mr Hill."

"I'll sign the documents, of course, if you accept my proposal," he said, dropping the file on the table.

"Which is?" she said, grabbing the bottled water beside her.

"Be one of my mistresses." He said, curving the brightest smile Madeline has ever seen on him.

At once, her eyes widened. She choked on the water she was drinking. He quickly stood up to pat her back but Madeline jumped back, creating distance between them.

She vigorously shook her head "Excuse me, Sir. We are here for business proposals not–" she coughed again and took deep breaths to steady herself.

"Oh, Madie. Don't pretend you never knew about my interest towards you–"

"I'm sorry, Mr Hill. But I think you have greatly misunderstood my politeness for something far-fetched," she said, balling her fingers into a fist.

He noticed it and stepped back carefully. "Madeline." He dragged her name smoothly. "I have loved you for a while–"

"If you love like the way you claim to do, you won't use assisting my orphanage as a condition to accept your proposal!" she raged.

He stood still and glared at her before hiding it with a smile. "You must not accept me now. You can think about me, I'm sure you will see me in a positive light next time.

Her eyebrows furrowed in anger as she walked towards the table to grab her files, her bag and the bottled water. "Goodbye, Mr Hill." And she left the house with not as much as a second glance.

***

Mrs Miller was in the kitchen, busy with lunch when she heard the door bang loudly.

"Madie, dear, is that you?" She removed the food that was heated, and killed the fire, before cleaning her hand on her apron.

"Madie?" She called again and made her way to the last room in the building. "Madie, how did the meeting go?"

Then she pinned her ear on the door and heard silent cries, murmurings and sobbing coming from the room. She opened the door and found her daughter lying on her bed, with sweat and tears drowning her face.

She walked towards Madeline and placed her head on her lap.

"Shh, now, it's ok. There's no need to cry. Everything will be fine." she whispered, stroking her.

They say there in silence. Mrs Miller knew her daughter hardly cried and when she did, it would have gotten much of her.

"Can you talk now, Madie?"

She nodded, cleaning her nose.

"So, tell me. Was it the meeting?" She asked.

"Yes. Mr Hill asked me to be one of his mistresses. That will make him sign the contract." She bent her head low to hide the tears that kept flowing down.

Her mother sighed heavily. "Don't let that bother you. You already have an alternative — the work. You will gain so much money in the next few months you will work there. And the orphanage will be fine in the end." her mother offered.

Madeline looked at her mum that had always been her beacon of hope. She nodded. "That's true, mum. Thank you so much. I love you." She moved closer to wrap her hands around her mother.

"I love you too, Madie." She responded.