Chapter 3

Ivy's POV…

“You'll be in charge of taking care of the house. You'll dust, sweep, mop…”

"I know what taking care of the house means” I cut her off.

I accepted Julian's offer to be his housekeeper. Caroline, the mean old lady, was taking me round the house. She was the cook.

She glared at me when I cut her off.

"As I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted by some street rat, you take care of everywhere. Let there be not a single stain in sight”

I swallowed the insult. I didn't want to cause any trouble. Today was still my first day.

“You'll meet the rest of the domestic staff by next week. Mr Julian laid off some workers and he's hired new ones" 

She stopped walking and looked dangerously at me. “Guess who advised him to lay them off…I did. I'm the oldest staff in this house and I've served Mr Trahan since he was a young teenager”

I won't be intimidated at all. I knew what she was implying and I wouldn't give her that satisfaction. "So why are you telling me all this?”

She eyed me. She probably wasn't expecting that.  

“While performing your duties, I'd advise you to only pay attention to your work and not try to snoop around. You'll be gone before you know it"  she snapped her fingers.

"You don't have to worry about that. Julian made it clear what he expects from me…" 

“How dare you refer to him by his first name, you mannerless thing" she snarled. “You refer to him as Mr Trahan" 

It seemed she was going to be a problem. I'd try to avoid her. 

“Little Miss Tracy likes her morning privacy, so you clean her room when she's having breakfast, and you should be quick about it" she continued.

“I'm not little Miss Tracy. I've told you that. I'm just Tracy” I looked up towards the stairs and saw the little girl.

"I'm sorry. I apologise" she bowed and left in a hurry.

I watched her leave. The way her tone and composure changed from arrogance to fear was too obvious. 

I looked at the little girl again. Her hands were on her waist and she wasn't smiling.

“Hi Tracy" I waved my hands.

"Yeah right” That was all she said and walked away.

She appeared to be a spoiled little child. I can't blame her though, her father was rich.

I sighed and went away. I needed to save from this work so I can start a life somewhere else, far from Mary and her children.

********

In less than twenty-four hours of having settled in the house, I had received several insults from Caroline and her daughter, Celine.

The doorbell had rung, and as the housekeeper, it was my duty to receive visitors. I had no idea that was part of my job, until Caroline shouted at me from the kitchen.

"Get the door, you silly child" 

I glared at the kitchen door, wishing she was there to see me glaring at her.

The doorbell rang again and I hurried to get the door.

I opened the door and a young girl of about 21 years walked in.

“You're welcome dear" I said in the most polite and humble manner I could muster. "Here, you can sit down,” I gestured towards the cushion.

She didn't smile at all. 

“Who do you want to see?" I asked. “I'll get you a glass of water" 

I said and rushed into the kitchen. The young lady looked like someone important. Could she be Julian's… Mr Trahan’s wife or girlfriend.

I entered the kitchen and immediately Caroline saw me, she blocked me.

“No intruder is permitted entry into my workspace, especially not you" she snarled.

“There's a young lady in the living…" 

“Oh, she's here already" she pushed me aside and locked the kitchen and went to meet the girl.

“Oh my darling" she said as she embraced the girl. “You look amazing and some rat had to keep you outside waiting" Caroline said and glanced my way.

I sighed and went back to my work. I was sweeping the house. 

“Who is she mom?" The girl asked.

Oh, that's her daughter. No wonder they have the same attitude.

“She's just a nobody whom Mr Trahan found on the streets and had pity on her and brought her in" 

“It's so obvious in her dressing and skin. She looks tattered. I wonder if she's a thief too" the daughter said.

“My Celine, you worry too much. There are cameras everywhere… and I'll be watching her too" Caroline said.

All the while this was going on, I didn't raise my head. It was just a lot. The insults were too harsh and the worst part, it was just my first day. I didn't want to get too offended and do something I'll regret and cause Mr Trahan to send me away.

I had finished sweeping the dining area and it was left to sweep the living room. 

I approached them.

"Um. If you'll excuse me, I'll need to sweep this area, then when I'm finished, you can come back”

"When did imbeciles get the guts to start talking?” The daughter snapped.

"Imbecile” I repeated. I smiled with the corner of my lips in anger. If there was one thing I wasn't going to tolerate, it was getting insulted and these two women have done enough.

"What did you just call me?” I asked and approached her slowly.

She stood up in a challenging manner. “I called you an…”

Honk. Honk.

"That's enough,” Caroline said. "Mr Trahan is back”

Celine fixed her dress and sat on the cushion with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Mr Trahan came in. 

"Good evening, Mr Trahan. How did your day go?” Caroline asked as she collected his briefcase from him.

"Great,” he muttered.

“How have you been Ju… Mr Trahan?” Celine asked in a very soft and alluring voice. She looked harmless and you wouldn't believe she had uttered such hateful words.

"Celine, it's been pretty long since you came around. It's great to have you here. Just relax and if you need anything…” he looked at me. "Ivy is here to help you”

She nodded and looked at me with a wicked glint in her eyes.

"Good evening sir” I curtisied when he looked at me.

He just nodded and headed upstairs. Celine was smiling sheepishly. I understood what was going on.

He stopped by the stairs. "Is Tracy sleeping?” 

"Yes sir” I answered.

He just nodded.

I started moving up the stairs when Caroline blocked me. Why was she always blocking me?

"Where do you think you're going?” She asked.

"I'm going to clean his room. It's been locked since morning so I couldn't clean it, now is the perfect time”

"Listen” she said as she handed the briefcase over to Celine. "You don't need to do that. You're still new here, so my daughter will be the one to do anything involving Mr Trahan and that includes cleaning and serving him”

I looked at Celine. She was smiling. 

"But I'm the housekeeper here and it's my duty to clean his room, not your daughter's. Besides, you were the one who told me to perform my duties perfectly, so…" I snatched the briefcase from Celine and walked upstairs.

I heard Celine grumbling. "Mom" 

“Don't worry. She doesn't know who she's going up against" 

When I heard that, I turned and looked at her. She was looking at me with a dangerous snare in her eyes.

I turned around and kept on walking. I didn't know which one was Mr Trahan’s room. I walked past several doors then stopped by one that was slightly opened.

I pushed the door open a bit, just enough to fit in my head. I looked around the room. It looked masculine, the paint and the scent. 

My eyes settled on the suit laid neatly on the bed. It was the one he had worn earlier.

Then suddenly, the bathroom door opened.

Mr. Trahan stepped out with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

My breath caught.

Before I could pull back, his gaze snapped to the door.

“What are you doing there?” he demanded.

My heart beat so fast and slammed in my chest. I realized too late that only my head was inside the room.

It looked exactly like I had been spying on him.

“I…I was…”

“You were peeping?” he said, his voice sharp.

Oh no.