3. Madame Theresia Anger

The address Katie gave led Amelie to a simple house with gray paint and grass growing in the yard.

The house looked deserted, and Amelie doubted if the address Katie had given was wrong.

But wouldn’t it be impossible for the girl to forget the address of the house where she was raised by her parente?

Amelie looked around to wait for someone to pass by on the street. The girl wanted to ask, is it true that the house in front of her right now is Katie’s parent’s house?

Unfortunately, the street was deserted.

The sound of a door knob moving made the girl turn her head with sparkling eyes. She hoped to get a definite answer about Katie’s parents’ house.

A woman around 50 years old appeared from behind the door. She smiled kindly and immediately approached Amelie.

“Are you Amelie Anderson?” the old woman asked with a tilt of her head.

“That’s right, ma’am, I’m Amelie Anderson.” Unfinished with her speech, the old woman cut Amelie off.

“Katie has told me a lot about you; please come in.” the woman took Amelie’s arm enthusiastically.

Seeing her presence welcomed, Amelie smiled.

“My name is Matilda. Just call me Auntie; don’t call me Madam. Do you understand?”

Amelie responded to Matilda’s words with a nod of her head.

The woman was a little Kattie. Amelie could confirm that her best friend’s fussiness was inherited from Matilda.

“Let me show your room.” Matilda helped Amelie carry one of the large bags of clothes as she showed the girl the room she wanted to stay in.

Throughout the hallway, Amelie couldn’t stop looking at the rows of photos taped to the walls. Countless times, she saw Katie’s face dominating almost all of them.

“What a narcissistic girl,” Amelie muttered with a smile.

Ameie’s steps came to a halt when she found a picture of herself on the wall as well.

The girl smiled. The photo shows Amelie and Katie wearing the same dress at a church in Auckland.

“You probably won’t be surprised. All the pictures on the wall are almost ninety percent of Katie. You know ho narcissistic that girl is.” Matilda chuckled as she shook her head.

Amelie laughed at that. What she said was true.

“This is your room.” Matilda opened small room with a single bed, and furniture on the side of the bed.

Amelie nodded. It was not much different from the room she had stayed in working at the Hayes’ house.

“Get some rest, Amelie. You must be tired. Let me prepare dinner.” Matilda said before finally leaving Amelie’s room.

***

Prang!

The sound off glass clashing with the floor rang out loudly in the kitchen of the Hayes family residence. All the workers turned their heads towards the source of the sound. But not a single person dared to approach, apart from Katie and Irene, who were tasked with cleaning the inside of the house.

“Katie, it’s time,” Irene whispered as she picked up her usual cleaning kit.

“Wait! Let me do it, Auntie,” interrupted Katie, who was already preparing her ears to listen to Jonathan and Theresia’s conversation.

The workers were sure that there was an argument going on inside between young master and the great lady. Because those were the only two people there.

Katie nodded her head in exchange for an excuse. Excuse me while I clean up the broken glass on the floor. No, more like excuse me to listen to the argument between mother and son.

Katie picked up the pieces of glass slowly to buy time.

“Can you stop putting on a sad face and keep asking me to approve of your relationship with that bitch, Jonathan?” Theresia screamed at the top of her lungs. “I’m so sick of it.” Theresia added before slamming a glass vase not far from where she was standing.

The atmosphere of tension was palpable Katie’s guts instantly shrank at the sight of the fiery Theresia.

“Mom, can’t you say Amelie’s name properly? She’s not a bitch, Mom!” Jonathan replied with a trembling voice.

“You’re starting to dare me!” Theresia landed a slap on Jhonatan’s cheeks before returning to throwing the glassware within her reach. There was another sound of glass hitting the floor.

If Katie had run as soon she heard the sound of breaking glass, but not this time. Katie’s gluts shrank. She chose to stay where she was and clean up the broken glass while the cold war between Theresia and Jonathan was over.

“What will people say when they find out that my only son impregnated the maid’s daughter, and even intends to marry her? Don’t be naïve, Jonathan, that’s a disgrace! Tell that girl to abort immediately!” Theresia sarcastically threw a murderous glare at her son.

“I won’t, Mom!” screeched Jonathan with both eyes wide open, before he finally added; “Has your conscience died, that you want me and Amelie to kill innocent baby?!”

“How dare you defy me?!” screeched Theresia as she landed a slap on Jhonatan’s cheek for the umpteenth time.

Theresia’s slap was so hard, it left a blush on Jhonatan’s cheeks. The man just held his cheek without whimpering in pain.

“If you can’t do it, let Mommy di the talking. Katie!” Theresia exclaimed loudly, which managed to make Katie flinch, almost jumping.

Jonathan just grunted as he folded his arms across his chest. He cursed himself for repeatedly telling Amelie that everything would be fine.

‘I’m sorry, Amelie.’ Jonathan moaned silently.

The maid-clad girl took a deep breath to dispel the crashing fear and immediately ran to fulfill the big madam’s call.

“Yes, ma’am,” the girl nodded her head respectfully to the haughty woman who walked back and forth with her waist girded.

“Call Amelie right now,”

“Yes, ma’am,” the girl replied and walked away.

Katie, who already knew what was going on, pretended as if she really didn’t understand anything.

Katie walked towards Amelie’s room so that Theresia would not suspect her. Her acting skills were needed right now.

As the girl walked into Amelie’s room, Robert and Irene immediately rushed towards Katie. The look of anxiety on their faces was clear.

“How? Does Madame Theresia’s anger have anything to do with Amelie?” asked Irene in a whisper. The woman turned her head in all directions, making sure that Theresia was not watching their movements.

“That’s right, Aunt Irene. That terrible possibility really happened.” A look of sadness also graced Katie’s face. Even though she was certain Theresia’s anger would flare up once she found out Amelie was pregnant with Jonathan’s child.

“Katie!” Theresia called her name again.

“Uncle, Auntie, I must see Madame Theresia immediately. I’ll let you know if there’s any information that’s important for you to know,” said Katie, who ran off to answer her employer’s call.

Robert rubbed his face roughly. While his wife twisted her finger to express her anxiety.

“Amelie is not her room, ma’am. I’ve searched the garden, but I can’t find her.” Katie said, trying to sound calm even though her heart was fillet with her.

“Really? Did you look for her properly? What if she’s in the stables?” urged Theresia.

Katie tried not to roll her eyes. She was the one who had suggested the girl leave; surely Katie knew that Amelie was not at the stables.

“I looked there too, ma’am, but I didn’t see Amelie.”

“Call her parents here,” pleaded Theresia as she looked away in all directions.

Katie nodded before going to call Robert and Irene.

“How did it go” asked Robert and Irene simultaneously, once they saw the girl coming.

“Theresia called Uncle and Auntie.”

Robert sighed as he landed a punch on the wall. It made Katie and Irene grimace, imagining how much Robert’s fingers hurt.

“Uncle, don’t worry. Just be calm and pretend like you don’t know Amelie went.” Said Katie, trying to reassure Irene and Robert, before she finally added, “I believe Uncle and Auntie can do it. Let’s go now, before Madame Theresia goes berserk.”

The three of them hurriedly came to see Theresia. Once there, they were presented with Theresia’s sharp gaze. Meanwhile, Jonathan was no longer in the room.

“You already know, Robert, that your daughter has seduced my son. And now she claims to be pregnant with my son. I find it hard to believe that Jonathan, my handsome son and scion of a wealthy family, would fall in love with your daughter. Who is nothing more than a maid in her own house.” Theresia waved her hands haughtily.

Robert’s hands clenched into fists. He wanted to punch her in the mouth until all her teeth fell out. But what power? But if he did, Theresia would definitely not hesitate to fire Robert on the spot. Robert really needed this job to support his parents.

Robert took a deep breath to calm his frustration.

“Tell your dirty daughter to abort her pregnancy immediately. Her pregnancy only adds to the burden and tarnishes the good image of my family.” Theresia said this with both hands floded in front of her chest.

“Why the silence? Yau’re not deaf, are you, Robert Anderson?” Another cutting remark escaped Theresia’s mouth.

“I think you’re overreacting if you say Amelie has seduced your son, ma’am.” Robert replied while trying to remain calm.

“So? You’re accusing my son of being wild until he impregnated your daughter? Don’t be crazy, Robert!” screeched Theresia as she landed a forefinger on the old man’s forehead.

Robert just bowed in resignation to Theresia’s treatment. Meanwhile, Irene and Katie continued to swear silently at Theresia, who said and acted arbitrarily.

“Whatever happens, Amelie must abort the pregnancy right now. I don’t want her running around telling people that Jonathan got her pregnant. Katie, give me your cell phone.” Theresia held up one of her hands.

Katie could not refuse. In resignation, she reached into her apron pocked for her cell phone.

Katie’s heart was racing, making it difficult for her to swallow saliva.

‘I hope Amelie didn’t forget to change her phone number. Oh god, I just want to get out of here.’ Katie prayed silently.

Thresia made repeated phone calls to Amelie, but not once did she hear a connected tone.

“Shit! Take this thing; I don’t need it!” Theresia returned Katie’s hand phone and left without permission.

The trio breathed a sigh of relief as the woman disappeared from sight.

“My heart almost jumped out of my chest,” muttered Katie as she smacked lips.

The trio returned to the maid’s room to discuss what Amelie should do next.