chapter 2- The Job proposal
1436 Words
She opened the door slowly and gazed at the huge manly figure in front of her, her heart racing and her lips shaking. She wonders what's so important that he had to come knocking on her door.
“Can I come in?” He asked politely
She staggered backwards and left the door open.
He went directly towards the cushion and sat down with his legs crossed and waited for her to sit.
She sat opposite to him with her legs crossed too.
“The reason I'm here is simple, I should have summoned you but I know it's being a rough journey and you needed rest so I'll hit the nail on the head, When they told me about you and your mother, I decided to take you both in because of you” he paused and waited for her reaction but her face was blank.
“Your mother was never a priority, I have a position for you as my Personal Assistant already and obviously the pay is huge” he smiled sheepishly.
Maria looked at him in disbelief and confusion.
“I've made this position available right from when your mother's friend sent me your picture and qualifications but it's still up to you to Accept, so what do you say?”
“I'll think about it sir” she replied sharply that his smile disappeared almost immediately.
“Why not now? It's like what you've probably wished for” he looked confused.
“Yes, I do not want to be rude, but I don't know your intentions towards us yet and I feel this is too early, I barely just got here and you don't even know me” she replied softly.
Hutton Marshall squinted like he was trying to see through her and said calmly.
“I don't know why you're being so defensive and rude, I am giving you an opportunity anybody would want out there, I can't force you” he walked hurriedly out of the room and bumped into Gabriella by the door, she has been eavesdropping the whole time.
“Both of you in my study tomorrow morning” he barked at her.
She nodded and was visibly shaken. She looked at Maria with pity and disgust. Gabriella entered the room and sat on the bed.
“Why did you talk to him that way? He has been kind enough to take us in when he clearly doesn't know us from anywhere” she tried to compress her anger towards Maria.
“Yes, that's where the problem lies and you're refusing to see it, why do you think he is doing all of this? Clearly he has something up his sleeves. I refuse to be a s*x object to any old man” she folded her arms and turned away from her mother.
“Is that what you've been thinking? You do not trust me? Why would I lead my daughter astray?” She is now sobbing.
“Here she comes” she thought
“I'm sorry” she said after watching for a few seconds, she knows she's being gaslighted by her mother, it is what she does everytime she is losing.
Gabriella stood up and wiped and tears then walked slowly out of the room.
Maria sighed and watched her walk away.
Maria went through the front door to go have a tour for herself first before tomorrow. The compound is so big that it would easily house two more mansions. She avoided the workers outside as she felt they wouldn't allow her late evening wandering. She walked past the backyard bar and pool where they met Marshall Snr earlier. She walked towards a barn with a bamboo fence, she couldn't guess what was in the isolated barn, she wanted to find out badly. Her thoughts wander to the fact that he might house kidnapped girls there. She shivers as she knocks on the front door, there was no answer and she pushed the door open slowly. There was a loud animal sound and out of fear she tripped backwards hitting her head on an iron bucket. She heard faint footsteps coming fast towards her until she passed out.
She woke up on the bed in her new room with her mother walking around impatiently, Marshall Snr sat on the couch, he was speaking to a man on white overalls. He is probably his doctor.
“She has no internal injury, her head is a little swollen, she's going to be fine soon” he stood up
“I have a pregnant patient who will due this midnight, I have to go home first to rest for a few hours” he extended his hand and Marshall Snr took it.
“Thank you doctor, I want you to come check her again as soon as you're free”
They both went out and Maria looked at her mother, eyes swollen like she has been crying all day.
“What is the time” she asked
Gabriella stood up almost immediately and ran to the bed.
“I thought I was going to lose you for a moment, Thank God you're awake now!”
“Is it that serious? I mean I only feel a little headache, I'm fine”
“What were you thinking? Why did you have to go in there that late?” She gave Maria a concerned look.
“I don't know, I just wanted to see around, tomorrow sounds a little too late, I'm sorry I got you worried”
“It's fine my daughter, As long as you're okay”
“Is he angry at me?”
“No, Even if he is, he didn't show nothing, he was so troubled all through, he is a good man”
“No mom, you can't judge people so easily like that, I don't trust him yet, I wish I'll be wrong in the end”
“Why was he in your room earlier?”
“Nothing mama, he told me he was just passing and decided to check if I'm settled”
Maria couldn't tell the truth because Gabriella will be so upset that she turned down a life changing opportunity”
There was a mild knock and someone pushed the door open slowly, it was Marshall Snr, he walked on his toes with exaggeration like he really cared not to make any noise.
“I'm just going to grab my phone and exit, Are you feeling better Maria?”
Maria nodded slightly and watched him exit in the same manner he entered, when he closed the door behind him, she giggled.
“What?” Gabriella looked at her in awe.
“I just thought about something funny”
“Don't start again” Gabriella frowned at her
“I'm going to sleep now, Goodnight Mama”
Gabriella kissed her on the forehead and left the room.
Maria sat up and made an attempt to stand up but she couldn't, her head felt heavy. She succumbed to her physical weakness and tried to force herself to sleep. After an hour of trying and not being able to sleep, she called the number written on the paper by the telephone and a woman picked it.
“This is Maria, I was told to call this number if I need anything”
“Okay, what do you need?”
“Triazolam and a glass of water, I can't sleep”
“Okay, I'll be with you soon”
“Thanks” she dropped the phone.
There was a mild knock and an elderly woman in her sixties came in. She looked like she had been sleeping all day.
“Sorry, I think I woke you up”
“It is fine my daughter” she smiled and sat on the bed edge. She carefully removed two tablets and handed them to her with a glass of water.
“This will make you sleep”
She made to stand up and Maria called out to her.
“What do I call you Ma’am”
“Eunice, I'm the Nanny, I brought up Jace, the heir of this empire”
Maria noticed how she felt proud of herself the moment she mentioned Jace, she continued.
“You can call me Nanny, I'm fine with it”
“Okay Nanny”
The old Nanny smiled and left the room. Maria took the drug and tried to sleep, her eyelids were heavy and she felt weaker, her heart began to beat faster, she tried to get the phone but fell back on the bed and lost consciousness.
- Writer
