Chapter 9
1198 Words
Geraldine’s Point of View
I stared at him, lips parting in shock. Was it just me, or had he become even more handsome than I remembered? Maybe it was because of my disguise— I didn’t look like the woman he once married. That disguise was the only reason I dared to be standing here now.
“Bow,” Estrella, the head maid, hissed under her breath.
I immediately lowered my head, heart pounding, especially when I caught the faint crease of disapproval on Mike’s forehead. Did he recognize me already? Was I caught this quickly?
“Manang,” he called.
Manang or Big sister is the same name called in Philippines.
“Yes, Master,” Estrella replied with perfect obedience.
See? Even she called him that, though she’d frowned when I jokingly used the same title.
“I heard a new maid applied today.”
His voice carried that commanding tone I remembered too well. My eyes flickered up, only to meet Estrella’s sharp glance that silently ordered me to stay quiet.
“Yes, Master,” she said, motioning toward me. “This is Miss Girlie Dell.”
Mike’s gaze rested on me for a moment, as though weighing something. Slowly, he nodded.
“Send her to the training grounds with the others.”
The words made me freeze. Others? I wasn’t the only new recruit?
Before I could ask anything, he turned and walked away. The atmosphere shifted with his exit, and the air seemed lighter. Still, the word “training grounds” echoed in my mind.
Training? What exactly did that mean?
“You heard Master,” Estrella’s curt voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
“Yes,” I murmured quickly.
“Then what are you standing around for? Go.”
I pouted slightly, exaggerating my innocence. “But Manang, you know this is my first time stepping inside the mansion, right?”
“I’m aware.”
“And you also know I have no idea where the training grounds are, correct?”
Her brows knit together as if she’d just realized I was stalling. With a sharp turn, she began walking ahead.
I bit my lip to stifle a laugh and hurried after her, my suitcase bumping along.
When we arrived at the training grounds, I saw four other new maids standing with their own luggage. I approached them with a cheerful smile.
“Hello!”
Most of them rolled their eyes at me, clearly unimpressed, but one girl smiled warmly back.
“Hi. You’re the last one. That’s why they’ve been impatient.”
“Really? I didn’t know there was an official appointment. They could have at least sent a group chat invite,” I whispered, making her chuckle softly.
Before we could talk further, Estrella stepped forward, her tone sharp and businesslike.
“Now that everyone’s here, I’ll tour you around the mansion. There are areas you’re allowed to enter, and there are areas strictly forbidden.”
We nodded obediently as she began explaining the rules and regulations.
As we moved through the corridors, I noticed a set of massive golden doors carved with lions. They seemed to radiate importance.
“You must never enter here,” Estrella warned firmly. “This room belongs only to Master and, of course, to Madame.”
My brows furrowed. Madame?
“Master has a wife?” one of the new maids blurted, echoing my own shock.
“Yes,” Estrella said flatly. “She’s abroad right now, attending to business. But word is, she’ll be returning this month.”
The other maids suddenly squealed with delight. “Wow, we’re so excited to meet her!”
I rolled my eyes inwardly. Their eagerness smelled like flattery.
“Remember,” Estrella continued coldly, “if anyone dares enter this room without permission, the price is your life. You’ve heard the rumors about this mansion, haven’t you?”
The others nodded nervously.
“Good. Then you know I’m not exaggerating.”
Fear flickered in their eyes, but I merely raised an eyebrow.
“You don’t look scared,” Estrella noted, her gaze narrowing at me.
I met her eyes calmly. “I grew up in the mountains. Survival is second nature to me. I’ve faced danger before, and I know how to respect boundaries. If entering that room means death, then I’ll simply avoid it. That’s the easiest way to survive.”
Her expression softened ever so slightly, and she gave a small nod. “At least you understand.”
We continued the tour until we reached the servants’ quarters. Along the way, I noticed something odd— the halls had more men than women. Guards, drivers, gardeners. Even inside, the male staff seemed to outnumber the female servants.
“Why are there so many men compared to women here?” I asked aloud, my curiosity slipping through.
The group gasped. One of the maids whispered, “Did you just call her Manang?”
“What’s wrong with that?” I replied innocently. “That’s what Master calls her, isn’t it?”
Their eyes widened. “You’ve already seen Master?”
“Actually, yes,” I admitted. “He’s the one who told me to come straight here.”
Their envy was obvious. “Wow. You’re so lucky!”
I grinned at them, then turned back to Estrella. “So, about my question, Manang?”
Her lips tightened before she finally answered. “Master doesn’t want flirtatious women around him. That’s why the few women who remain here are the ones who focus only on work. The rest are men.”
We all froze, startled by her bluntness.
“If he ever suspects a maid of harboring romantic feelings toward him,” she added, “that maid is dismissed immediately.”
The others gasped, horrified, while I simply nodded thoughtfully.
“So that’s it? That’s all it takes to stay? Just do the job and keep emotions out of it?” I gave her a confident smile. “That’s easy. I can handle that, Manang. Now, shall we head to the quarters so we can start unpacking?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Are you giving me orders?”
I pouted playfully and softened my tone. “Not at all. I just don’t want to stress you out. You need to relax too— beauty rest is important.”
Her hand subconsciously touched her cheek.
“I’ll even help you with beauty products, if you’d like,” I added with a wink.
She squinted. “I thought you were from the province.”
“So? Just because you’re from the province doesn’t mean you can’t know skincare. Look at my skin, proof enough, isn’t it?”
The others leaned closer, surprised at how smooth my complexion was.
“Ahem,” Estrella snapped, breaking their admiration. “Enough chatter. Follow me before I regret allowing you inside this house.”
I only smiled and trailed behind her, my eyes glinting with determination.
This was it. I wasn’t alone— there were five of us new recruits. That fact made my cover even safer. With everyone’s attention spread out, my mission might just become easier than I thought.
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