Chapter 4

“Mr Liam! What is the meaning of this?” Ava jerked up. Under his bed was a pile of sour meals. They were very slimy, and some had grown molds over them. No wonder the room smelt, under his bed were all his spoiled foods.

Liam's ears tingled listening to her quickened steps. Mr Liam….how interesting.

“Are you deliberately dumping all your food under your bed? Do you know how unhygienic that is? No wonder your room stinks so much; you're doing this on purpose, aren't you?..”

She scolded him but he kept calm and replied “I am crippled and I am blind, it is because I cannot do anything that's why you can speak to me in the manner you like”

Ava pinched her temples, her raged tone faltering. “Even if you weren't of prestige status, I'll still scold you. This is really bad for you. Do you wanna die in the dirt? Cause I don't want to..”

“If it's bothering you, use the door,” he said rudely. 

Ava clenched her jaw, suppressing the sudden urge to strangle him. She stomped back to his bed. “I'm not leaving.” 

It took hours but she finally cleaned the room spotless. The bathroom, though not as bad as the room, was dirty and she cleaned it up also. 

Exhaling In satisfaction, she scrutinized the room. The bed was made, the room looked fresh, and not a single spider web in sight. 

She glanced at Liam, he hadn't flinched since she started cleaning, and it's been hours. She felt pity for him; he hadn't even uttered a word. 

From Liam's perspective, Ava did a good job; she even added scented candles. But that doesn't mean he'll treat her better “You're still here..” he said

“Yup” she answered proudly, “and I'm done cleaning”

He gave her a side glance, Ava stood with her hands akimbo. “You can move to the room next to this one”

She tilted her head, and her brows drew together. “I get to stay here?” She asked

The side of his lips curled up. “How am I supposed to taunt you if you're so far away?”

Made sense. Not him taunting her but her caring for him; it would be difficult with her living so far away, and besides, the journey seemed long and stressful.

‘I get to live in the Blackwood Mansion, huh?’ the thought of it was thrilling, but Liam, as he had said, would make life here difficult for her. Regardless,

“I don't give up easily, Mr Liam.” Simply put, the eight hundred thousand dollars will always be her motivation. 

“We'll see..” Liam smiled, he couldn't wait to break her. She wasn't the first one to say those words, he'll see if she would be the first to keep them. 

Ava's eyes went round. She picked up her phone and exclaimed, “5 pm already?, It's past lunchtime,” She hadn't noticed. She looked up to Liam and asked, “Mr Liam, do you feel hungry? Should I get your dinner?”

He responded with silence. She exhaled, ‘eight hundred thousand dollars’ she reminded herself. “I'll bring dinner” she announced and left.

She found her way to the stairs and walked down. She arrived at the dining where the Blackwood family sat and ate. 

Her sudden presence was greeted with questioning stares. 

Thelma dropped her cutlery; she even looked fearsome while eating. She smiled widely “Ava”

“Ma’am” Ava responded

“How is he?” She asked, still smiling

There was something about her attitude that didn't sit right with Ava; it looked like she was smiling, but was she really smiling? This strange question caused Ava to hesitate “he's.. doing well”

She nodded. “Why are you here then?”

Ava brushed the feeling away and went straight to the point “I'm here for Mr Liam's dinner”

There was a slight change in Thelma's expression, so slight that if Ava wasn't paying attention it would have slipped past her. 

Thelma snapped her fingers and a maid came in from the kitchen. She was the same maid from earlier. Her hands carried a well-prepared tray, and her face held a small smile. 

Ava had a bad feeling when taking the tray. She went ahead to see what his dinner was, and she gulped. She removed the lid, her eyes widened and a quiet gasp escaped her lips.