Bounded by Duty

Visitor

Amaya's POV

I didn't see Nathan for the rest of the day, and I was grateful for that because having him around was like a pain to my sight. I just wish we'd not see each other unless it's important.

The house is big enough to stay weeks, months, years in it without running into each other. I would love to have the other wing of the house if possible.

It's not a love marriage and I don't need friends, I have enough. No, I don't need a liability.

After staying locked up in my room for hours, doing nothing but reading the comments under blogs that try to speculate the switch in groom.

I realized my sister and ex-fiance didn't go public with their relationship. I couldn't help but smile when the idea of ratting them out to bloggers. Hinting on how they both betrayed me and were caught cheating, it sounds so good that I'll love to see the public reaction change from calling me a betrayal and gold digger to seeing my sister's true color.

Gold digger? Like my father is not wealthy on his own. Yes_ we aren't as rich as the Bertarelli, but we're good enough to be counted among the top ten richest families in the city.

I was almost at the end of the stairs before noticing the buzzing in the mansion. It was not dead silent, unlike a few hours ago. All the workers are back, and they're busy doing one thing or the other.

“Good day ma, do you need anything?”

“Hmm?” she was looking at me weirdly. I realized I was looking lost.

“Do you want me to get you something? Anything?” she repeated, patiently waiting for my response, but I was more bothered by how Nathan could call them back.

“No…..” I said at first. “wait” I called her back and asked for a freshly squeezed orange juice with cookies.

“Bring them to my room when you're done” I finished with my eyes wandering around the house, stretching my neck to see if I could get a view of the kitchen, but I couldn't.

I turned on my heel, heading back to my room, but all through, I was thinking if my words had hurt Nathan earlier.

Was that why he called all the staff back? I thought they were supposed to be on break? Did he cut their break short to attend to him?

Well, that's okay. It better be because of the last one. I said out loud.

I took a pause at the entrance to my room and a thought struck me.

He could have just hired a caregiver for the day or week before the staff returned, right? I asked nobody in particular.

Was he really expecting me to take care of him while the staff were gone? He should…

I twisted the lock and slid inside as soon as I heard footsteps almost on the last step of the stairs.

I picked up my laptop as soon as I entered, pretending to be going through something when a knock hit my door.

I muttered a small “come in”, I could barely hear myself.

The door opened, revealing another maid with a tray of juice and a plate of cookies. I pointed to the bed standing beside me without looking up.

One would think I was busy doing something important, but I was just staring at a picture of myself on a beach just to look busy.

As soon as she closed the door behind her, the first thing first was to grab the cold juice and gulp it down halfway.

Why was I pretending to be busy? I didn't do anything wrong, did I?

I was bored and decided to continue reading a tabloid about me and my ‘sudden wedding’. The comments are mostly entertaining. I laugh at some and others I either scroll or insult them.

Yes, I comment to support myself, but not with my real account.

Call me crazy, but I'm my defender, so I have my second account, which is my fake fans page. People think it's my fan account that's been run by a fan, but it's just me being messy.

I spent almost an hour countering hate comments on posts about me and my husband. My fingers are cramping badly from typing fast and for long.

I lay down on the bed with my arms wide apart. I'm exhausted, my tensed muscles were beginning to relax and I could feel relief washing over me and sleep trying to take over.

I let myself slip into the most satisfying rest I'm about to have, just then ….. right in that moment when I'm about to give it all up. I heard a knock on the door.

All the connections in my head were about to go off, I ignored the knock, channeling my focus to slipping off to my dream land.

The knock came again and this time louder and repeatedly.

“Who's there? Who the f**k is that?” I yelled out frustratingly.

“I'm sorry ma'am, Master wants you to come down for dinner” a soft voice answered, but it couldn't soothe the anger in me.

“Dinner? Tell him I'm fine. I'm not eating dinner!”

“There's a visitor around, he wants you to come and say hello” her soft voice came again.

“I don't care, tell them I slept off or something” I shouted, drawing the cover over my head. I expected to hear her voice once more but nothing.

I breathe out under the cover, I close my eyes and wait for the sleep to slowly take me away. After another few minutes, I felt the sleep taking charge again.

I snuggled close to my pillow with a smile, but the knock on the door dragged me out of whatever dreamland I was about to go into.

The knock was more aggressive than that of the other girl.

“Who's that mother fucker?” I didn't get any response, instead a louder and harder knock sounded. I jumped into a possible sitting position in fear.

“Who's that maniac? "Knocking like an animal?” The door was pushed open roughly, and my mouth was left hanging from shock.

I wasn't expecting who was standing at the door.

“What did you say?” His deep voice undid a lot of things that had no business with him. His voice sends chills down my spine and signals where it's not supposed to be sent to.

He wasn't smiling, yet he wasn't frowning.

My heart was beating too fast.

Ethan!

I hate him! And that's why my heart is beating this fast. Right?