Patricia felt a deep sense of guilt as she realized the pain she had caused her daughter. She wondered how badly Alice must have felt. Overwhelmed, she stepped into the house, unsure of how to face her. But at the same time, she wanted to let her know how truly sorry she was.
She walked towards Alice’s room, her heart racing, afraid that when she opened the door, she’d find her daughter crying or feeling sad. Patricia wanted to assure her that she would make things right, that she would get back what was rightfully hers. But as she gently cracked the door open and peered inside, she saw Alice dancing and doing a TikTok challenge.
Patricia sighed in relief. I’m glad she’s having a good time, she thought to herself and quietly closed the door behind her. A smile crept onto her face as she felt a sense of relief seeing her daughter in a cheerful mood.
“Don’t worry, Alice. Christian is yours, and I’ll make sure of it. Don’t worry, baby, he’s always been yours,” she muttered to herself with a smirk.
Meanwhile, the maids watched Clarisse, who was still sitting quietly, not picking any dress. One of the maids walked over to another, who was dusting a portrait on the wall.
“Hi, Blue,” Sandra greeted with a smile.
“Hey, Sandra! You’re back,” Blue said, her face lighting up with excitement.
“Yes, I am. Why is it so noisy around here?” Sandra asked, curious.
“OMG, you missed so much!” Blue exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement.
“I know I missed something. Everyone seems to be gossiping. And who’s that?” Sandra asked, noticing Clarisse sitting in the room as they passed by in the corridor.
“Boss brought home a woman last night,” Blue said, practically bouncing with excitement. “A woman?” Sandra frowned.
“Yes, but do you know the most surprising and beautiful thing about it?”
“What’s that?” Sandra asked, getting frustrated.
“I think she fell asleep on the way here. And guess what?” Blue said, her voice practically singing with joy.
“What?” Sandra replied, becoming impatient.
“He was carrying her in his arms like a baby! It was so beautiful and romantic-a truly beautiful sight!” Blue said, grinning as she demonstrated how he carried her.
“So? What’s so romantic about that?” Sandra scoffed.
“Don’t be boring, Sandra. You need to see it. The way the helicopter blades stirred the air, ruffling his hair and clothes as he walked, the woman in his arms. The sight was breathtaking-how he carried her, the way he moved, it all felt like a dream. Sandra couldn’t help but blush at the image.
She glanced at Clarisse once more, but this time it wasn’t out of curiosity. She was glaring at her.
“And who’s she?” Sandra asked, her tone sharp.
“Some say the master is married,” Blue replied nonchalantly.
“Married?” Sandra almost shouted in disbelief.
“Yeah, but others say she’s just a mistress. And some claim she’s part of his family. Honestly, I don’t care either way,” Blue continued. “Mrs. Bree said if we serve her well, we might get chosen to go back to the penthouse with them.”
“The penthouse?” Sandra echoed, her eyes widening.
“Yes, the mansion, and serve right under the master.”
This was the only piece of good news Sandra could find, and she smiled, replying, “That means I can get closer to the master.”
“Yes and no,” Blue replied, continuing to dust.
“What do you mean?”
“Whoever is chosen isn’t serving right under the master. We’re serving under that woman, who I personally believe is his wife. I overheard Mrs. Bree mentioning something about a honeymoon. But honestly, I don’t care. I see this as a promotion, and I can’t wait,” Blue said, returning to her work, leaving Sandra lost in thought.
She was still with Blue when Christian arrived. The moment they knew he was nearby, they immediately composed themselves, standing straight and bowing their heads as he passed by. Sandra raised her head slightly, watching him walk by with subtle interest, as she always did.
Christian frequently visited the resort since it was one of his properties. He would stay there whenever business brought him to the area. He liked the environment; it was one of his favorites, so he thought it would be a nice place for his honeymoon. During his visits, Sandra had developed a serious crush on him. She had read countless novels, particularly her favorites about how a billionaire falls in love with someone of a lower status, like a maid, and how they overcome challenges together. She often dreamed and wished that could be her story.
Every time he was around, she’d do everything she could to catch his attention. She would even work double shifts just for a chance to get close to him, but each time she tried, there was always some interruption-either a phone call he had to take or another maid stepping in. She didn’t rush things, though, knowing that he was single and seemed to have little interest in women. She felt she still had time, but now, like always, he would walk by, unaware of her existence. The worst part was that now, he had a wife, and Sandra couldn’t accept that.
Clarisse looked up when she heard Bree greeting someone, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw him again. She quickly looked away, trying to avoid those eyes that made her feel seen-and uncomfortable.
She saw Bree whisper something to him out of the corner of her eye, and then, as always, they all left, closing the door behind them, leaving the two of them alone. This was the last thing she wanted-being alone with a man. She wished the maids wouldn’t leave.
She heard him approach, but she refused to look at him.
“Hi,” he said, squatting down in front of her. She kept her gaze fixed on her fingers.
“Hi,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Is my princess angry with me?”
Not again with the “princess,” she groaned inwardly. “No,” she muttered, her voice still faint.
“Then why are you avoiding my gaze?” he asked, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear slowly, giving him a better view of her delicate, yet beautiful face. “I’m sorry.”
And once again, her heart skipped a beat. She felt so uncomfortable. Why is he apologizing? she thought. Stop apologizing.
“I’m so sorry, mama,” he said gently, his tone calm and soothing as he noticed she still didn’t meet his eyes. He guessed she was upset with him for leaving her without a word, especially on their honeymoon and wedding night.
Mama? Why does that sound so pleasant to the ear-and yet, so annoying? Clarisse thought to herself.
“Why?” she asked, her voice wavering.
“Huh?”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Huh?”
“Why is it you who’s apologizing?” Finally, she looked up at him, and the tears in her eyes broke Christian’s heart.
‘That must have hurt her so much. What have you done, Christian?’ he groaned in his mind. He felt terrible, and the last thing he wanted was to hurt her. He wanted to make her happy, to love her, not do the opposite.
‘Why are you the one apologizing? Why are you the one saying sorry when you did nothing wrong? They were supposed to apologize. They should be the ones saying sorry to me, not you. Do I even deserve one?’ Clarisse thought to herself, letting out a sigh.
“Don’t apologize. You did nothing wrong,” she said, looking away again. The tears that had filled her eyes were gone, replaced by a blank, emotionless stare.
“Of course, I did something wrong, and I’m sorry, mama.”
“Don’t, don’t call me that,” she said sternly.
“Okay…,” he surrendered. “I already wronged you, so I shouldn’t try to provoke you. I’m sorry, Ari.”
“You did nothing wrong. Stop apologizing.”
“Of course, I did. I left on our wedding night and on our honeymoon to go to work.”
She scoffed. “That’s nothing, judging by who you don’t want.”
“I… I don’t get what that’s supposed to mean.”
“I know it’s Alice that you want. I’m sorry that I’m the one here.”
“What?! Who the heck is Alice?” he asked, but then he remembered the information he was given. “Oh, you mean your cousin?”
‘I knew it. No one would ever want me,’ she thought to herself.
“I was never interested in your cousin,” Clarisse looked at him. “Liar.”
“And I’ve never met Alice. It was an arranged marriage, and I had no idea who I was being married to, but…” He paused, then smiled. “I’m glad it’s you.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.