Fall for My Face? Or My Soul?

Chapter 7 Make a Deal

From a villa not far off, Donald, Amanda, and Melanie were watching through binoculars, their eyes trained on them.

"Daddy, Mommy, why didn't anyone tell me Mr. Field was such a handsome man?" Melanie's voice, full of fascination, cut through the silence as she gazed at Orlando through the lens.

Her swollen cheek was the least of her concerns now. She was transfixed by him, almost forgetting the sting of her father's slap.

The truth was, for the first time, she felt a strange balance inside her. She had been struck by her father, but it was for a man like Orlando, someone far more powerful, more alluring than she had imagined.

Years ago, all she'd heard was that Orlando was a brutal, violent man, which was why her father had arranged her marriage to Layla instead.

And now, with Layla gone, Melanie couldn't help but feel a twisted sense of relief. 'At least Layla's dead, or I would've regretted it for the rest of my life.'

The jealousy that had been simmering inside her boiled over when she remembered that Emilia had already been with him.

"That slut Emilia," Melanie muttered. "She's just like Layla. She has that face that can lure any man!"

Amanda, standing nearby, pressed ice to Melanie's face. She froze for a moment when she heard Layla's name. The memory clearly hit a nerve.

Amanda was still stunning for her age, her skin flawless, though her figure was a little too thin. The elaborate clothes she wore were a little too flashy, giving off an impression of wealth but a kind of garish, almost tacky wealth.

"Mel, your father told you not to speak of her again. Why can't you ever listen?"

She was irritated. Her daughter's rebellious, reckless nature had always been a source of frustration for her.

Melanie, however, wasn't listening. She grabbed her mother's hand desperately, her eyes burning with determination. "I don't care. I'm going to be Mr. Field's bride. You'll see."

"You know, I think that's a great idea," Donald said, his voice filled with new hope.

Donald pulled out a cigar and lit it, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

Not long ago, because of Layla, he'd been convinced that any chance of becoming family with Orlando was completely out of reach.

But today, everything had shifted.

Watching Orlando accept Layla and even the maid had rekindled a spark of hope in him. If Orlando could embrace them, then accepting Melanie wouldn't be such a stretch after all.

Layla's POV:

Amanda poured me a glass of red wine in the study, her demeanor unnervingly gracious, as if nothing were amiss.

"Emilia," she said, her voice soft but firm, "about what happened earlier... my daughter was thoughtless. I hope you won't hold it against her."

Amanda had always presented herself as the perfect image of a woman controlled by her husband, Donald, submissive and trapped, like a modern-day Nora.

If I hadn't lived through those hellish days, I might have been deceived by her delicate, fragile façade, too.

Even though she'd never stopped Donald from treating me cruelly and never intervened when Melanie tormented me, I couldn't bring myself to hate her.

Instead, I pitied her. Like my own mother, Amanda seemed a victim of marriage, a casualty of a life she couldn't escape.

But I could hardly believe the depths of the woman standing before me. Behind that pristine exterior, she was secretly orchestrating smuggling operations, willing to sacrifice lives for profit.

I would never forget that night, the cold fear that gripped me as I hid trembling in the closet, praying she would spare me.

But she didn't. Instead, she drugged me, forcing the bitter concoction into my throat.

The taste choked me, burning in my throat and nose, making it impossible to breathe. The face hovering above me, perfectly made up, with sharp, calculating eyes, twisted and blurred as I lost consciousness.

Donald, that fool, never realized that the woman sleeping beside him was a ticking time bomb.

Amanda had been running illegal schemes under his nose, and if she wanted to, she could ruin him in an instant.

"Mr. Field and I... It was all just an accident. There's nothing else between us."

I glanced at her, feigning panic, playing my part. "I'm so sorry for all the trouble I've caused your family. Please don't fire me. I really need this job."

"Oh, dear," she said with a warm smile, though there was something calculating behind her eyes. "You're being too sensitive."

Amanda added, her tone switching to something kinder, "You know, with Mr. Field's position, he'd never marry a maid. You should really start thinking about your future, don't you think?"

Her eyes flickered over my face, lingering on my lips.

The faint redness there, a reminder of Orlando's strange sleepwalking kiss, was still visible.

'So much for any excuse.'

She was convinced now. She thought I was having an affair with Orlando.

"You're a smart girl," she continued, her smile turning sly. "Why don't we make a deal?"

She raised her glass of wine, and I reluctantly clinked mine against it.

The deep, crimson liquid shimmered like blood in the glass, reflecting her twisted smile.

"Madam, I..."

I hadn't even finished my sentence when Amanda was suddenly behind me.

Her fingers brushed my neck, nails cold against my skin, sending a chill down my spine.

"Don't underestimate yourself, my dear," she whispered, her voice almost a hiss. "You've got the chance to get close to Orlando. A chance most people would kill for."

Her thin and sharp voice was laced with the faint scent of her overpowering perfume, which made me want to pull away.

"If you help Melanie become the next Mrs. Field, I can promise you, what I offer you will be far better than just being a mistress with no title."

I almost laughed out loud at its absurdity. 'The Field family, such a tantalizing prize, huh?'

After failing to use me, his own sister, Donald was finally willing to sacrifice his precious daughter, Melanie.

In Amanda's mind, being nothing more than a pawn in her game was supposed to be a great honor to me.

"Madam, I'm sorry. I'm just a maid. I have no say in Mr. Field's decisions."

I clenched my fists, looking down, trying to look as obedient and fearful as I could.

"Please, don't make this harder for me."

Her breath hitched behind me, and I could feel the anger building in her.

"Fine. You can go now."

She didn't explode, though. It wasn't time yet. But I knew the storm was coming.

Back in my room, I wasted no time dialing Catherine's number, my hand shaking as I pressed the phone to my ear.

"Catherine, I need more information on Orlando."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" her voice was filled with worry when she answered.

"If Amanda finds out you not only turned her down but are also trying to steal her daughter's love, you're going to be in serious danger."

"I had no other choice, darling."

I sighed, feeling the weight of the situation press down on me. "I've been at Glen Villa for a while now, and Amanda's been flawless in her behavior. The only real opening I have right now is Orlando."

I needed to study his tastes and understand what made him tick if I was going to have any chance at all of... seducing him.

Only then would Amanda be forced to make a move and driven by her ruthless need to protect her interests? 'And when she does, I'll be there, ready to expose her for the monster she truly is. The sooner she shows her hand, the better.'

Looking at the hundreds of pages of emails Catherine had sent me, I couldn't help but feel absurd.

'Not long ago, I swore I would never get involved with him, not in any way. And now? Now, I had to find a way to get closer to him. God, please forgive me for allowing my hatred to blind me this way.'