Chapter 8: CODE OF CONDUCT

She had sometimes long for a straightforward relationship with a promise of some permanence in it, but she did not let it spoil her pleasure in the present until she came face to face with reality mirrored in the accusing eyes of Adonis.  

“Tonight,” she continued, “I want to feel silly and wanton; I want to wave your magic wand and carry me into a dreamland where I can lose myself completely. I have missed you, darling. Haven’t you missed me?” 

“I’ve missed you too, immeasurably. It’s been a long time. Come closer angel, we have a lot of ground to cover.” But even after taking her in his arms, he looked closer at her and leaned, taking her lips on his, merging the two broken pieces until the Sun rose again. 

Ashley had been awakened from her sleep by the noise of her ringing phone. She looked at it only for her to discover it was her mom. 

“Good morning mom,” she said, wincing like an infant. 

”Good morning love, how are you feeling? You know I care about you? And I want the best for you. I don’t want what happened to your sister to also happen to you.” 

“But mom, I’m not a child anymore, and I don’t want you worrying about me. Trust me, mom,” she added, 

“I won’t let you down, I promise.” But the last words came out as she felt tears on her cheeks. She whipped them off with her left hand while using her right hand to hold the phone.

She looked at the time and realized it was her duty time soon and dashed to the bathroom for her morning ablutions after bidding bye to her mother

As soon as Ashley entered the kitchen that morning, the piles of work awaiting her brought on a colic attack. About thirty minutes of working, Miss Clara summoned them all and announced Master Adonis had summoned all the maids. She was surprised to hear but resumed her work. While walking towards the dinning a hand draws her to a corner. She found out that it was him.

“Damon?” she called restlessly, looking uneasy with his hold on her. He let her go.

“Adonis just summoned you all. He wants you to be his personal maid. I could convince him.” Her face ran out of color with unexpected things, making her eyes bulging out. She was already terrified of that mountain man. 

“what!!” she shrieks.

“I will get caught. You said I won’t have to be close to him and now you are saying I have to be his personal maid?” An apologetic expression ran over Damon. He lied to her and deceived to come here to proceed with his plan.

“try not to get caught,” he sneered as he grab her arms,

“don’t you want your sister out of there?” he asked her, looking irritated by her action. Her eyes descended to the ground at the mention of her beloved sister. 

“You’re hurting me.” He immediately released her wrist. He was afraid to leave a mark on his friend’s new toy.

“But please don’t get caught doing this for your sister and your parents.” He requested. He knew he was lying to everyone around him, making him extra cautious. 

“fine,” she said when she remembered her promise to her mother this morning, 

“But please, can I at least see her?” Her pleading eyes made him feel guilty, and he nodded. 

“You will, but not now. Run down. Adonis doesn’t enjoy getting delayed.”

Ashley quickly ran into the field where master Jeremy had assembled them. She had never been to this part of the mansion as she probed everywhere. “when you’re always in the kitchen all day,” her subconscious mocked her. She smiled timidly as she stepped in. 

Twenty people were inside. On her side, there’s Miss Clara of course and other maids standing there holding their heads down, waiting for Master Adonis and the heavy footsteps rumbled in the quiet environment. 

She thought He never noticed her, not until he called her name. “Ashley, you’re unpunctual. You know the regulations, of course you know.” Her head jerked up with her widened eyes. She never thought he would know her name. 

There was a palpably uneasy silence between them before he went on and stood before her and her head bowed down unknowingly. Her shivering hands were something his attention made him wonder about her. 

“Today is your lucky day. I will spare you, maybe because you’re now my personal maid.” Gasps left from maids, but his words from him tickled her skin. 

“Me?” She tried to act surprised and dared to look into his green chaotic eyes, in search of a more chaotic storm. 

He gave a little hysterical laugh and then gulped down the amber liquid drink he was holding in his hand. His face went expressionless, as usual. He raised his hand as a signal and a guard passed a booklet to him. She lowered her head a bit, staring at his wide chest instead of his piercing gaze, which wasn’t intending to leave her. 

“Here is your code of conduct,” Adonis said, pushing the paper on her desk and sitting down over his chair, trawling the glass of alcohol and flicking his finger to adjourn them all. 

Ashley and the remaining maids left his office while filling their lungs with new fresh air, trying to calm them. Everyone was staring at her with a curious and somewhat envious gaze. Few of them were excited, but Ashey was worried that her duties had increased, so he had to make a room from her schedule to sneak and rescue her sister. 

Ashley and Chloe returned to their room, and both resumed their seats, automatically eyeing each other warily as neither of them said a word to each other.

“Hey,” Chloe said, noticing Ashley’s fidgety manner. She understood her hesitation, but there was nothing she could do for her. Everyone has to do whatever Master Adonis told them to do. 

“Chill. Go through the paper first.” Cloe didn’t sympathize with her and left, patting her shoulder, leaving her with conflicting thoughts. 

Ashley looked at the article showing the heading, CODE OF CONDUCT, and opened the first page collecting so much courage. 

“As my maid, you need to apply the rules and regulations written in this book. You are expected to resume duty by 6:00 am any seconds delayed, you will be penalized for it.”

“Note that as my maid, I own you and anything I ask of you should be granted immediately, with no delay. Stealing is highly prohibited. If you are found stealing, you will be prosecuted. You are to serve me my meal at 7:00 am. And last, do not talk when I am talking unless you are asked to.”