The Maid and the Millionaire

Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

“BELLE…. Belle…”

Belle suddenly opened her eyes. Her heartbeat was racing. She had a nightmare again.

She sat up when her mother opened the door to her room. “Oh, it’s good that you’re awake already. You told me that you have some interview for work this morning.” Her mother told her. She was looking pale and coughing a bit.

Belle suddenly got up from her bed and walked towards her mother. “Mom, you shouldn’t be getting up. You need to rest. Just like what the doctor said. Did you drink your meds already?” she asked worriedly.

Her mother swished her left hand. “Don’t you worry about me. I’ll be fine. And I already drink my medicine, but I still have some work to do.”

Belle’s mother was a baker. She was selling pastries online and delivering baked goods for several coffeeshops.

Belle sighed. “Mom, your doctor said that you need a full rest with no stress whatsoever. So that means you need to stop baking for a while. Your health is more important.” She reminded her mother.

Her mother nodded. “I know, but I can’t just suddenly quit baking right away. My clients are expecting their pastries to be delivered. I need to let them know about the reason why I won’t be able to baked for a while. Besides, we also need the extra money.”

“I know, mom. That’s why I’m going to this interview so that we’ll have an extra money while you’re resting.” Belle assured her mother. “Promise me that you’ll rest after you baked some pastries today, and that this will be the last time for a while that you’re baking something.”

“Fine, I promise.” Her mother smiled before sighing. “I’m sorry that I’ll be a burden to you starting today.”

“Hey, mom, you’re not a burden. I don’t mind helping out. I only wish I can baked as good as you, so I could just take over on your baking, but it seems that baking cakes and pastries is not my specialty.” Belle assured her mother.

“I can still teach you how to bake, dear.”

Belle grimaced. “I don’t have the right hand for baking, mother. They all ended up burnt or as hard as a rock.” She pouted. “I guess baking isn’t really for me. My friends back in high school always said that I got a heavy hand. I remembered I’m not also good in planting trees, they all ended up drowning or dead.”

What Belle said was the truth. She was a bit clumsy or heavy handed. She still remembered the pet rabbit and fish she used to have when she was a kid. After less than a week under her care, they ended up dead. Same goes with the owl and love birds she had as a pet next.

Her mother smiled softly as she pat Belle’s cheek lightly. “Maybe you’ll be able to learn how to bake one of this days. As long as your determine and willing to learn.”

Belle nodded with a smile. “Yeah, maybe when you’re feeling fine then you can teach me how to bake, but for now, I really need to prepare to go for my interview with my future boss.”

“Go ahead and make your preperations, your breakfast is already ready.”

“Thanks, mom!” Belle kissed her mother on the cheek before making her way to the bathroom.

“IT’S GOOD that you’re finally here.” Belle’s best friend Dana told her when she opened the main door of the mansion inside the subdivision in Alabang. “I thought you’ll be late in coming here. Sir Carmine will be leaving soon.”

“I’m sorry for worrying you. I almost got lost coming here. There’s a lot of huge mansions in this village.” Belle said apolegitacally while scratching the back of her head.

“Well, the important thing is that you’re finally here. Come inside and I’ll call Sir Carmine so you can meet him and have that interview before he leave the house to go to his company.” Dana said as she started making her way into the receiving area. Belle was following behind her. She was looking around the huge mansion with awe.

The whole house had a minimal design into it. It was obvious that it was a guy who owned the mansion. It has a neo-modern design into it. A black and white designs.

“You can sit and relax here while I tell Sir Carmine that you’re here,” Dana told her.

Belle nodded while she was still looking at the pictures and paintings that was displayed on the wall.

“Okay, thanks,” she said to her friend before she left her at the receiving room.

Belle recalled that she and Dana became the best of friends back when they met at the public high school they both went to. They’ve been best of friends since then, they’re almost like sisters, that’s why it was not a surprise that Dana helped her to look for a job. Dana was the one who told her that her boss, Carmine, was still looking for some house helpers for his mansion.

They only graduated high school and never made it to college, even if they wanted to, because of the college expenses that they won’t be able to afford. That was why it was not easy for them to find work. Well, work that pay much better with lots of benefits and perks.

Since Belle’s mother was hospitalized and still recovering from her illness that was why Belle needed to find work fast. Her mother was as not as strong as she used to be and she’s not getting any younger at the age of 64. Her mother got married on her late 20’s, had a great and happy marriage, but they never got the chance to have any children. That was why they decided to adopt Belle when they were already in their late thirties. When Belle reached the age where she can understand their reasons, her adoptive parents decided to tell her that she was adopted by them. Belle was thankful that they became her adopted parents. She might not still remember about her past, and she was still curious about her past, but she was also grateful that there was also some people that loved and cared for her.

Her parents used to be well-off, if not one of the most richest person in the country, that was why Bella lived a pampered life when she was still young until during her junior year. Everything started to change when her stepfather was diagnosed with cancer. Most of their money was used for her stepfather’s hospitalization and chemotheraphy, until the day he died. They ended up almost declaring bankruptcy after everything was paid and settled. That was why her mother decided to bake some pastries for a living, at first she was working at a bakery shop, but later decided to make an online business until coffee shops were starting to order her mother’s pastries. Business was doing fine and Belle sometimes do the delivery, but then her mother was hospitalized because of too much stress and her health was not as good as it used to be.

While Dana decided to leave her home after her stepmother, her father’s wife number 5 after her mother died, decided to be mean to her, and her father always took her step mother’s side. Since Dana’s father didn’t want to leave her stepmother, that was why she decided to leave home and went to Belle.

That’s why Dana was also a part of their family already and they treat each other like real sister’s. That was also why Dana decided to look for work, to help out with the household expenses and to save some money for her future plans. Like Belle, she also dreamed on studying and graduating to college in the future.

Based on what Dana told her, Sir Carmine just bought the mansion, that was why he needed a lot of staff. After Dana got hired as one of the household staff, she decided to tell Belle about it. Dana said that she also mentioned Belle to Sir Carmine already.

And since Belle can’t cook even if her life depended on it, well she knew how to fry some frozen foods, but other than that, she was hopeless. That was why she her work, if she got hired, will be cleaning and changing some beddings on every room at the mansion. She believed that during the 1800-ish, it was called the upstairs maid. Since she will be only responsible for the upstairs section of the house.

Dana also said that besides their salary, they’ll also get some perks and benefits, just like those people working at the office.

That made Belle excited and eager to be applying for the job, that was why she was here now and hoping that she’ll be hired, too, just like Dana. Since she really needed a job at this moment.

Belle was still looking around the house, noticing the wine bar at the corner, and also the glass door at the right side of the room. Out of curiosity, she walked towards the glass door, what she saw outside was an Olympic size swimming pool. One corner of the pool had a jumping board.

“Ms. Belle Santiago, I assume?” a manly voice suddenly said from behind Belle.

Belle almost jumped from where she was standing. She was startled from after hearing the voice suddenly behind her. She couldn’t help but feel like she was a cat burglar that was caught in the act of thieving.

She slowly turned to look at the person behind her. What she planned on saying was caught inside her mouth after seeing her soon-to-be boss face to face.

Belle had a feeling that she looked like a fish out of water because of slightly open mouth and rounded eyes, while looking at Sir Carmine.

Why, Dana didn’t tell her that Sir Carmine was so damn handsome!

It seemed like handsome was still the right description for the man. He like one of those mythological god. Maybe like that Loki-guy from the movie. Specially with those shoulder-length brunet hair, dark brown eyes with thick lashes, thick brows, straight knows, firm lips and squared jaw.

Sir Carmine was drool-worthy!

And Belle wouldn’t be surprise if she could be drooling right now while looking at this handsome specimen of a man.

She blinked at the thought. Embarrass of what she was thinking and acting at the moment. She could feel herself blushing.

Belle suddenly closed her slightlty open mouth. She smiled instead. She was thankful that she looked presentable with her red doll shoes and white summer dress. Her hair was curl and let loose on her shoulders. She had a fair and smooth skin, light brown doe-eyed shaped eyes with thick and long lashes, shapely brows, patrician nose, kissable lips and pore-less looking skin. Despite being poor, she still looked beautiful, like a porcelain doll.

Sometimes, Belle couldn’t help but think that maybe her real parents was rich or they have beautiful genes.

That was why one of many times, Dana urged her to try being a model and an actress, but she refused. Besides being shy and she hated attention, Belle can’t act to save her life. So, that was a no. Same goes with modeling, she prefer wearing canvass or flat doll shoes for comfort, instead of those torture devices other called shoes.

Belle blinked from her musings when she saw Sir Carmine waving his hand in front of her face. He looked amused while looking at her.