The Billionaire's Rules
953 Words
Sally stood in front of the mansion’s gate; it looked less like a residence and more like a small government headquarters.
She checked her phone again to ensure she wasn’t at the wrong address and walked towards the gate. A security guard approached.
“Miss Williams?”
“Yes.”
“Come with me.”
She followed him through the gates, walking behind him as she scanned the environment. The house was enormous, with perfectly trimmed grass.
She thought of how much it cost to water the flowers. Nothing seemed out of place.
Her eyes wandered down to her sneakers. One had a small tear near the toe. She considered turning around, then she thought of Maya and what the money would do for her. So she kept walking.
The front door opened, and a woman in a black suit stood there. “Mr. Kaplan is expecting you.”
Sally nodded and walked in.
Inside, everything was quiet. The kind of quiet that made you feel as if the walls were listening. The woman led her into a study.
“Wait here.”
Sally sat.
Five minutes passed, then ten.
She looked at the wall clock: 8:18.
At 8:22, the door opened.
And Colten Kaplan walked in. Sally had seen the pictures of him online, but nothing had prepared her for what was in front of her.
He was tall. Dark hair, chiseled jaw. He had on a white shirt with the sleeves rolled to his forearms, no tie, no jacket. His stern expression suggested that the entire universe had personally disappointed him before breakfast.
Sally stood. “Mr. Kaplan.”
“Sit.”
She sat, while he remained standing.
“You have no experience with housekeeping?”
“No.”
“And you’ve never worked in a private residence?”
“This would be my first experience.”
His expression hardened as the silence stretched. Then he walked around the desk and picked up Sally’s application. “You live in Queens?” He asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“With your sister.”
“Yes, with my sister.”
“It says here that your parents are deceased.”
Sally’s expression hardened.
“Yes.” She replied.
He placed the application down while his gaze remained on hers. “Your job is simple; so are the rules… You will live on the property; your duties are housekeeping, laundry, organizing the kitchen, and preparing meals occasionally.”
“Okay.”
“Do not go into my private office, or the east wing.”
“Okay.”
“This is not a vacation; you’re here to work. Do not invite guests onto the property.”
“Okay.”
“Discretion is important. Do not discuss anything you see or hear here.”
“Okay.”
“Do not ask personal questions. And do not attempt to become my friend.”
Sally blinked. “That wasn’t on the job advertisement.”
“It should have been.”
Something about the seriousness of his face almost made her laugh. She wasn’t here for familiarity anyway; she just needed the money for her sister. “When can I start?”
Colten stared at her. “You’re accepting?”
“I need the job.”
“Don’t you want to know the salary?”
“I saw it before applying.”
He studied her for a few seconds. Then picked up a pen. “You can start today.”
She blinked. “Today?”
“If you don’t want it…”
“No, I’m good.”
He signed something on the application. “Your room is upstairs.”
“Thank you.” She stood and walked towards the door, then stopped. “Mr. Kaplan?”
He looked up. “Yes?”
“One question.”
His expression hardened immediately.
“You said no personal questions. This isn’t personal.”
“Then ask.”
“Why does a man who can afford an entire staff need a live-in cleaner?”
Silence. His face became unreadable. “Because I don’t trust people who work in my house.”
Sally frowned. “But you’re hiring me.”
“I never said I trust you.”
“Good.”
He looked at her. “Why is that good?”
She opened the door. “Because I don’t trust you either, Mr. Kaplan.”
She said and walked out.
~
Sally stepped back into the hallway and released the breath she’d been holding. She had gotten the job, and she was supposed to be relieved. Instead, she felt strangely uncomfortable.
The mansion was quiet. And Mr. Kaplan, her employer, had spent more time explaining what she couldn’t do than what she could. She looked down at the folder in her hands. The bottom caught her attention - HOUSE RULES (CONFIDENTIAL).
She scanned it.
No visitors.
No social media.
No personal questions.
Under no circumstances should the employee enter the east wing. Sally frowned.
“Why have an entire wing of a house that nobody is allowed to enter?” She was jolted out of her thoughts when she heard footsteps approaching. The woman who had escorted her earlier appeared at the end of the hallway.
“Your luggage will be brought up.”
“Thank you.”
Before she could say anything else, the woman walked away. Sally looked toward the hallway leading to the east wing. A closed set of double doors stood at the far end. There was no sign. No security camera. Nothing to indicate why the area was forbidden. Then she heard it…
A faint sound from behind the double doors.
Music. Piano. Slow. Beautiful. And painfully sad.
She forced herself to look away and made her way upstairs.
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