Chapter Two

Bella waited impatiently in the Grande's large kitchen for the chief of maids. She had gone to the Grandes mansion for a job as a maid. The job was recommended to her by her close friend, Christine, who was already working there.

Bella had heard so much about the Grandes from Christine. Christine had told her much about them, how they are among the top industrialists in the country. Christine always ranted about them, how big and exquisite their mansion was and how well they pay their servants and employees. That was what attracted Bella to apply for a job there. 

Bella as well as Christine lived in the mountains with their families. Their parents as well as the rest of the townspeople were farmers. They cultivated fruits and vegetables and supplied wholesale to markets in the main city. This occupation of theirs was not so lucrative as one would think it to be, and so Bella's father was not earning much. He was able to train Bella up to her secondary education but could not afford her further studies, hence, Bella had to take it upon herself to go out and get a job to put herself in school. She had a dream, to be a chef and a renowned one. Cooking had been her passion from the onset. She started cooking at a tender age of six together with her mum before she left. Once they had a small cooking contest in their little settlement and she won the other children and was given a small price of a set of cooking pots which was cherished the most by her mother.

Bella kept admiring the extremely large kitchen in the mansion. She calculated that its size  would be nothing less than ten times the size of her entire house. As she kept looking round, lost in the awe of what she was seeing, she felt a hand on her shoulder and startled back to reality. It was Christine, dressed in the maids uniform of the Grandes. 

"Hey there" Christine took a kitchen stool  beside Bella.

"Wow! Christine, this place is out of this world. It's so big" she shone her bright eyes expressing her amazement.

"I told you" Christine smiled.

"I really hope I get accepted. I'm tired of this job hunting. I didn't know it's very difficult to get a small job in this city. Even a job as a janitress is like gold" Bella shrugged.

Christine held her hand, "I know you'll get accepted. Don't worry too much." She assured her.

"I pray so" Bella clasped her hand together.

"After you're taken in, I'll show you around and give you some Grande mansion gossip." Christine winked.

"You love gossip, Christine" Bella shook her head, suppressing a smile.

"Oh trust me, you would love to dive into some Grande gossip. These wealthy people are always very interesting to talk about" Bella watched her friend as she continued, "Like Alexander Grande for example…" 

"The only son of the Grandes?" Bella interrupted.

"Yes'' she quickly replied and dived back into her gossip, "he is a lot" she said and took a pause. Bella watched her for more words but their conversation was disturbed by the arrival of the chief of maids.

Bella was accepted as a maid for the Grandes and would be staying with them in their mansion except when she is on a leave. The pay was good, more than what others would pay a maid and Bella was very much grateful. She left the mansion to get her things as she would be starting work the next day. She could then see her dreams coming to reality. In no time she would be able to enrol herself into culinary school of her choice and become a chef. That night, her father, Eugene, watched her as she expressed her happiness. They had a little gathering by the fire after dinner to joke and tell stories before going to bed. This was a norm for the people. They believed it was things like that's, that kept them together in unity and oneness.

The next morning, Bella was already at the mansion, bright and early. She was taken to the maids quarters and shown her room. After changing into the maid outfit, a perfect blend of a black gown and a white apron, Celia, the chief maid took her to her duty post. She was assigned to the kitchen, washing the dishes and preparing the Grandes meals. As she started on her assigned duty that morning of washing the dirty dishes, she heard a little commotion going on. She was lured to go and to take a peek. She set the dishes in the washer and turned it on. Then she walked towards the living room to see what the cause was. Getting there, she saw some other maids already spying the scene from that secluded corner. Even Christine was not excluded.

Before her was Mr Felix Grande, the head of the Grande empire and also Alexander. They were in a heated argument. That was the first time Bella was ever seeing the infamous Alexander. He was indeed handsome as Christine had said. His eyes were deep, his nose pointed and his skin was fair and smooth. Bella seemed to be a little lost in his physique. He had left the buttons of his shirt undone and his belly packs and sturdy chest were revealed. Bella wondered why the handsome guys were usually the bad ones. She felt someone lean in closer to her. She turned, it was Christine.

"That is Alexander" she whispered into Bella's ears.

"I figured" Bella replied.

Bella watched Alexander keenly. She sensed a lot about him but could not yet draw a conclusion as to the kind of person he was. If he was really a trouble as Christine had said, then Bella thought it prudent to stay completely away from him.