CHAPTER ONE

MARY LYNELLE

I was sleepy when I woke up the next day. I turned my gaze to the one next to me on the bed. She’s gone. Nanet's blanket was already folded, a sign that they woke up first, along with two other maids.

I rolled my eyes around. I glanced at the bathroom and heard someone pouring water, a sign that someone was taking a bath. ‘Nanet maybe?’ I said to myself.

I sat down and arranged the things I used to sleep. After a while, the Comfort Room suddenly opened and Nanet came out. I looked at her and smiled.

"Good morning," she greeted.

"You're awake Lynelle, you are sleeping soundly so I took a bath first. You can take a bath now so we can have breakfast! Before we start working," Nanet said.

I think she forgot that she was the reason why I was awake the whole night. She gave too much information and gossip about the handsome children of our boss even though I am not interested in it.

‘So what if handsome? I came here for work! But it is true. I saw him last night. He really is a handsome guy.’ I thought.

“Wait so what Lynelle? Does that mean you admit that he's really handsome? ” I said softly to myself. I couldn't help but pat my forehead by what went through my mind.

I take a quick shower. I caught Nanet sitting on the bed and already dressed after I came out of the bathroom. It seems like she is only waiting for me. I got the dress and entered the bathroom to fix myself. I no longer bothered to look in the mirror.

We’ll just clean, so there is no need to have a good posture. Nanet's gaze hovered over me as if she was thrilled.

"You’re really beautiful Lynelle," she praised.

"I've known for a long time that I'm beautiful, you are just late in the news." I said while rolling my eyes.

"Come on, you’re talking too much again. Let’s go out before nanny Cora came here and think that the new maid is lazy." The witch just laughed. We've been friends since elementary school. No wonder we are used to joking with each other.

We lost communication when she worked in Manila and I was left in the province.

I didn't want to work far from our home even though I didn't earn much at the grocery store. It's okay to see and be with my parents and siblings. If my father is the one to follow, he also wants me to study.

The factory where he works is already closed. I let my two brothers study first, I am still young though. I can also help with the expenses and since they are both studying at the same time, it is even more difficult for us to sustain our needs. One is in college and the youngest is in elementary school. Even though I stopped studying, I also dream of coming back when my father is ill. For now, I will think about his recovery first.

After we had breakfast, butler Cora taught me what to do every day. She said I should put the yard and the garden first so that's what I did. I swept their wide yard even though it wasn't too messy. Then I followed the garden, the flowers were strangely beautiful. I remember Mom like this, she had a lot of plants in our yard, that's her hobby every day.

They are fun to watch. I can’t stop myself from talking to them.

"You're all beautiful." I spoke to the flowers as if they understood me.

Then I removed the dried leaves that were close to falling off. I will do the watering afterwards.

When I took the hose, I didn't realize that I was turning it harder. I could no longer control the handling so the water went to my right.

I was shocked and could not move at the strength of his shout. My eyes widened. His clothes were soaking wet. I don’t know what I’m going to prioritize over what happened. All the water really went to him and he was dressed very well.

"Are you stupid? Look what you’ve done!?" He shouted like a dragon that was ready to spew fire.

"I'm sorry sir." I said softly. I turned pale and couldn't move because of the loudness of his shout. I couldn’t stop my tears from dripping.

I cringed in fear that he would see my tears. He was still not satisfied because he looked at me so badly and the darkness of his face could not be hidden as his two eyebrows met.

"Sh*t-what a bad day!" He whispered.

"Sir Henry what happened?" nanny Cora asked him nervously.

"Is that woman new here? Because she’s so stupid!" He said in angry tone.

‘What the? He keeps saying that I’m stupid. I already said that I'm sorry and I didn't mean to dump him. Why did he come there in the first place? It’s his fault he passed by while it was away from the garage.’ I thought.

"I'm sorry Sir she’s just new here, please forgive her sir and I will tell her to be careful next time." Nanny Cora explained.

The old woman hadn't even finished speaking when he left immediately, he was just rude and disrespectful. He probably thought that he was handsome in that kind of behavior? I simply wiped away my tears.

"Are you okay Lynelle?" She said as she caressed my back because I was still bent over until now.

"Yes." At the same time I nodded softly "I'm sorry," I said shyly to her. I’m new to this work yet I already made a mistake, I will do my best next time especially when the dragon boss is around.

"Cheer up Lynelle, maybe he was just shocked and in a hurry earlier and was about to enter the office that is why his head heat up right away." She said while patting my shoulder.

"I'm going to go inside and you should finish that right away before the sun's heat will catch up." She said to me as she walked towards the house.

I just speeded up the watering so that the dragon wouldn't catch and scold me again. After watering the plants, I fixed the hose and put it in its place. But suddenly I glanced out the window because I felt someone was watching me.

I don't think so.

"What are you, Lynelle? You’re just imagining because there's no one there," I said to myself.

I ignored it and hurried inside the house because butler Cora said I should help to clean the living room when I finished the work outside. She said that I would clean on the stairs and while other maids would clean the whole living room.

I patiently wiped the stairs. Why do their stairs go round and round!? I feel bad as if the stairs are to blame for my tiredness!

This is like a building because a house shouldn't be like this.

“They are really rich huh,” I said to myself.

"Lynelle, are you finished wiping the stairs?" She asked as she carried the food on a tray.

"Yes Nanny Cora." I said.

"Can you do me a favor? Can you take this to Sir Jude Henry on the terrace? He wants to have breakfast there." She said.

"All right," I replied.

I brought breakfast for my rude boss. Is this the rich man’s breakfast time? It's almost 10 in the morning.

I slowly and carefully walked towards the terrace where he is because it's hard to throw away what I'm carrying and he might scold me again. He must have sensed my arrival and suddenly turned his attention to where I was standing.

I cough weakly before heading to the table. Lots of papers scattered on his table. Maybe he is working while at home.

I put down the food while he followed me with his gaze. I couldn’t help but be misled into what he was doing. I hope I'm not mistaken, it will definitely start a fire. I was secretly pissed. Why does it look like he's a lion that wants to eat me? ‘What the heck am I thinking?‘ That’s my mind.

I was about to leave when he suddenly stood in front of me. He looked at me from head to toe. I was taken aback by his actions. I was swallowed. "Sir Henry, I'm leaving if you don't need anything to order?" I said to him in a low voice and bent down.

"What’s your name again? Can you please look at me while I’m talking to you?" He seems problematic.

I looked up at him because of his stature. His eyes seemed amused while he stared at me.

"Are you dumb? I've been asking you questions before but you did not answer me." It speaks and does not take the look away from my face.

"I’m Mary Lynelle sir." I answered.

He approached me. I swallowed as he stared me in the face even harder. I couldn’t read what was playing in his mind.

"Beautiful." He said. I couldn’t help but blush. 'Omg, Is he talking to me?' I secretly pinched my palm.

'You’re just assuming, girl!' my mind croaks.

"Your name suits on you." He looked at my lips at once. My cheeks flushed at what he said. I suddenly looked at his lips. It is red like the lips of a woman.

I am conscious of my appearance. I was sweaty because of work. Suddenly I bit my lower lip because of the thrill. I looked at his serious face while his jaw clenched.

"Don't bit your lips or else I'll kiss you right now." His words made my face even redder. Even if he said it softly, it is clear to my ears. 'My gosh, you're feeling like he's going to kiss you, admit it, girl.' I said to myself.

"All right I have nothing to order." He said softly I breathed a sigh of relief as he sat down immediately and went back to what he was doing. I touched my heated cheeks. 'It can't be like this Lynelle its wrong.' I said to myself.