THE MAID'S BILLIONAIRE

CHAPTER FOUR

Brian's POV:

We returned from the hospital/date, which didn't go as planned. I couldn't believe Thelma had called Cindy and claimed to be my girlfriend. How desperate was that girl, honestly? Thanks to her, my progress with Cindy had been ruined. I never officially broke up with Thelma two years ago when I was in the country, but she has been Lisa's best friend for as long as I can remember, and she has been throwing herself at me since day one. After much pestering, I decided to give her a chance, mainly for the physical aspect. However, after six months into the relationship, she became overly clingy. She also started accusing me of cheating, which was completely untrue. I was tired of her games, so when my dad sent Lisa and me to the States about a week later, I left without saying a proper goodbye, and now she thinks we're still together. I really need to clear things up with her and explain to Cindy why Thelma called me her boyfriend. Thankfully, Cindy advised me to sort things out with Thelma before we pursue a real relationship, and that made me happy. It meant that she liked me as much as I liked her, and it wouldn't be long before I made her mine.

"Where were you?" Mother asked as I climbed the stairs, attempting to make my way to my room.

"Mum, I took Cindy to the hospital. She had a cut," I replied.

She glared at me. "Brian, that was 5 hours ago, and you know there are drivers who could have done that."

I didn't realize it was that late. I should have called home or something. "Mum, I caused the accident, so I thought it would be more mature of me to take her to the hospital myself," I explained.

Mum and I didn't get along well. She always said I was too kind for my own good. She believed that being rude and ruthless was the path to success, even though her own husband proved otherwise.

"Brian, I don't want you associating yourself with poor people. It will ruin my reputation, and I don't want..."

I cut her off. It was too late to listen to her nonsense. "Mum, it's late. Goodnight."

I hurriedly climbed the stairs, making my way to my room before she could say another word. I changed into loose shorts and jumped on my bed, with Cindy still on my mind. Cindy, what are you doing to me?

Cindy's POV:

It's been a month, and not much has happened. I've been occupied with cleaning the house, helping Mum in the kitchen, spending time with Janet, and avoiding Brian, which hasn't been too difficult since he started working at his father's company. He always comes back late when the maids are done for the day, making it easier for me to avoid him.

Today, Lisa informed me that Mr. Smith would be having important visitors and asked me to prepare a room. She walked away without waiting for a reply. I don't know what I've done to upset her, but it's clear she doesn't like me.

I got up from the kitchen stool, leaving Janet behind, and headed upstairs to fulfill Lisa's request. Janet couldn't help but express her disdain. "That girl needs a reality check. Who does she think she is?" she said, disgusted.

"Janet, lower your voice. She might hear us," I whispered fearfully. Janet never hesitated to voice her opinion, a trait I admired but often got her into trouble.

I walked towards the guest room, about to open the door when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

Startled, I jumped up. "Hey, it's just me," Brian said.

I turned to meet his eyes, my hand still on my chest, still in shock. "You've been avoiding me," he accused, sounding sad.

I felt the need to defend myself. "That's not true. I've been busy."

"Don't give me that. I know it's because of what happened a month ago. If it makes you feel better, I broke up with her," he revealed.

I looked up at him, displeased. "Brian, you don't owe me any explanation. You can honestly do whatever you want."

He sighed and reached for my hand. "Cindy, you know I like you. It's very obvious. Come on, give me a chance. Let's go out on a real date," he proposed, leaning closer, his smile charming. "My heart skipped a beat when he admitted he liked me. I mean, he could have any girl he wanted with his looks and money, so why would he settle for a girl like me? A maid?"

"Brian, you and I both know that's impossible. I'm a maid, and you're essentially like my boss. Whatever you're suggesting can't happen," I replied, trying to be realistic.

"Cindy, your being a maid doesn't change the fact that you're still human, and it doesn't change the fact that I like you very much. Please, just one date. If you still think we shouldn't hang out, then I'll back off," he pleaded.

I gave it some thought and nodded in agreement. "Give me some time to think about it," I whispered, then opened the door to the room I was supposed to clean, quickly closing it behind me.

It was six in the evening when the visitors arrived. Janet and I stood at the entrance, ready to welcome them. A middle-aged couple stepped out of the car, followed by a beautiful young woman around my age. "Welcome, sir and madam," we greeted.

They smiled kindly and handed us their coats. The young woman walked past us as if we didn't exist. Janet was about to say something, but I subtly kicked her shin to stop her. She stared at me with wide eyes, then scowled. I shot her a bored look, and her scowl slowly turned into a sheepish smile.

The couple headed for the hall, and once we hung their coats, we were practically free to leave. I felt Janet reach for my hand. "Thanks for saving my ass back there," she said.

I smiled. "What are best friends for?" We both laughed and headed to the kitchen to eat. After finishing our meal, we rushed to clear the main dining area, assuming they had finished by now.

Brian was still in the dining hall when we arrived, and he didn't look pleased at all. "Sir, we came to clear the table," Janet said, but he paid her no attention. Instead, his eyes were fixed on me.

"Cindy, can I have a word with you?" Brian asked as he walked out of the room.

I glanced at Janet and followed him, a little confused. He went straight to the point. "Cindy, I need your help."

I raised my eyebrows, waiting for him to continue.

"My mum invited Thelma to stay with us for a few days, and I think she's up to something," he explained, sounding frustrated.

"But what's wrong with Thelma staying here?" I asked, my arms folded.

"Cindy, she's my ex-girlfriend, and I know she wants us to get back together," he revealed.

I scoffed. "And what's wrong with that? She's pretty

, and definitely your type."

Brian came closer and lightly stroked my cheek. "You know I don't like her. It's you I like. I don't know when it happened, but I know it's you I want. And stop saying I'm your boss because that's not true. You work for my parents, and that's it. To me, you're just the girl next door that I like very, very much. Be ready at 6 p.m. tomorrow. We're going on that date you owe me," Brian whispered and walked away.

I returned to the dining hall to help Janet and was surprised to see that she had finished and retired to her room in the servants' quarters. I didn't even realize we had talked for that long. I decided to make a stop at Janet's room to apologize for leaving her to do the cleaning all by herself. I knocked and entered when she asked me to.

"Janet, I'm sorry I didn't help with the cleaning..." I began, feeling guilty.

"It's okay. I'm rooting for you and Brian, and I'll do anything for you guys to have some alone time," Janet said, cutting me off. A smile lit up her pretty face as she lay on her bed.

I nodded in appreciation. "Alright, goodnight then," I said as she yawned her goodnight back. I turned off the light in her room and stepped out, ready to head to mine.

As I walked back to my room, my mind was filled with a mix of excitement and uncertainty. Brian's confession had caught me off guard, and now I found myself considering the possibility of going on a date with him. The idea both thrilled and scared me. I couldn't deny the attraction I felt towards him, but the circumstances made it complicated.