The Bruise
1003 Words
After catching a few hours of sleep, Evangeline stood in the kitchen preparing dinner. Since Kylian's ulcer flared easily, she kept the meal simple. A pot of chicken and rice porridge simmered gently on the stove, the scent of fresh ginger filling the quiet penthouse.
The sound of the front door opening broke the silence.
High heels clicked rapidly against the floor, and expensive perfume reached Evangeline before she did. Vanessa walked into the kitchen, sunglasses pushed up on her head and a luxury bag slung over her shoulder. She stopped at the island, looking around the apartment with a frown.
"Where is Kylian?" Vanessa demanded, throwing her bag onto the counter. "His car isn't downstairs and his secretary isn't answering my calls."
"Mr. Moreno left early this morning, ma'am," Evangeline answered quietly. "He didn't say when he would be back."
Vanessa stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. "He never works this early on a Saturday. Who else was here last night?"
Evangeline saw no point in lying. "He had a guest over. She left this morning."
Vanessa clenched her jaw. "Who? Don't tell me it was Natalia. That cheap b***h was in his bed again? Answer me."
"I do not know the guest's name, ma'am," Evangeline replied quietly. "I only heard her leaving the apartment this morning.”
"You're lying," Vanessa snapped, leaning over the marble island. "You see every single person who walks through that door. He pays you to manage his food, not his secrets. Did he take her out to breakfast? Did they leave together?"
"I don't know, ma'am. I am just the cook. His personal life is not my business."
Vanessa walked around the island, stepping right into her space. "Then act like the cook. You think you're clever, don't you? Standing there looking all innocent in that rag you're wearing. You girls are all the same, you get hired to chop vegetables and suddenly you think you own the place."
"I am simply doing my job, ma'am," Evangeline muttered, not understanding why she was being ridiculed. "If you wish to wait for Mr. Moreno, you are welcome to use the living room. But I need you to step away from the stove so I can finish his meal."
"Excuse me?" Vanessa’s voice rose, her face twisting in disbelief. "You do not tell me where to go in this apartment. I have been coming here since before you could even dream of a place like this. Move out of the kitchen right now. I am going to wait for him here, and I want you out of my sight."
Evangeline didn't move. "I have to finish preparing his dinner, ma'am. Mr. Moreno expects his meals on time."
Vanessa's lips tightened. The refusal to back down made her snap, and her hand swung hard across Evangeline’s face.
The slap was loud, and the gold rings on Vanessa's fingers cut into Evangeline’s left cheekbone, sending a sharp burst of pain through her face and knocking her back against the refrigerator.
Vanessa stood there panting, her face twisted in anger. She snatched her bag off the counter, stormed down the hallway toward Kylian's bedroom, and slammed the door shut behind her.
Evangeline stayed pressed against the refrigerator for a minute, waiting until the worst of the pain eased. She dabbed away the thin smear of blood, rinsed her hands under cold water, and returned to the stove.
By eight in the evening, the penthouse was quiet when Kylian unlocked the front door and walked in. His tie was pulled loose, his suit jacket draped over his arm, and a black paper bag hung from his other hand. His stomach had been burning since noon, leaving his face twisted in irritation.
He walked into the kitchen and tossed the bag onto a barstool. "Is the food ready? My stomach’s been aching all day."
"Yes, sir," Evangeline said, setting the warm bowl of porridge on the table in front of him.
The smell of ginger and fresh garlic hit him first. He reached out to take the bowl, but as she got closer, the purple bruise stretching across her cheekbone stopped him. The swelling was obvious, with a small cut right in the middle.
The ache in his stomach suddenly became irrelevant.
"What happened to your face Evangeline?" he asked.
Evangeline quickly tilted her head, letting her hair fall forward to hide the bruising. "It's nothing, sir. I just bumped into a cabinet door while I was cleaning earlier."
Kylian walked right around the island, blocking her path. "Do not lie to me, Evangeline. A cabinet door does not leave a mark like that. Who hit you? Who was in my apartment today?"
"Nobody, sir. It was just an accident, nobody hit me." she said, keeping her eyes on the floor. She gripped her skirt tightly to keep her hands from shaking.
"Look at me."
When she didn't move, Kylian reached out and grabbed her chin, his large fingers forcing her face up. His thumb pressed against the swollen skin, and the sudden, sharp pain made her gasp. A single tear slipped from her eye and ran down her bruised cheek, wetting his thumb.
Kylian stared at the wetness on his thumb, then his eyes snapped back to her face, lingering on the cut.
"Cabinet?" His voice dropped low. He leaned in closer, his thumb tracing the areas of the swelling. "No. This can’t be from a Cabinet. This is a ring imprint."
Evangeline kept her mouth shut, but her eyes darted past his shoulder, landing on the closed door of his bedroom down the hall.
Kylian followed her gaze, his brow furrowing.
Right on cue, the bedroom door opened, and Vanessa stepped out into the hallway, a smug smile on her face as she looked directly at the two of them in the kitchen.
"She's right, Kylian," Vanessa said, crossing her arms as she leaned against the doorframe. "It was just an accident. The help simply forgot how to speak to her employers."
- Writer
