You are mine now, Deal?

Chapter 3

A New Home

I was red mad at the kidnap that just happened but the heaven on earth I was carried to made me pause and stare, mouth agape.

I was led into the house by a bodyguard. At the door was a maid wearing a white apron on a white dress with a pink towel hanging over a big pocket in front of the apron.

As I step into the house she gestures that I sit at the chair nearby. The bodyguard went back to his position which was outside the room in front of the door.

He was standing two legs apart from each other and two hands together draped in black suit with a matching bow tie.

“Miss Dana, we've been waiting. Welcome. Please have a seat,” she pointed with a beam. She looked very associable.

“Thank you,” I responded. She drew the seat out of the table and gestured to me.

“Do you have something in the car you would like me to pick up?” She queried gazing out of the window to check if there's any luggage the bodyguard brought down from the car.

“No. Not at all. Nothing.” I answered waving my hand at her in refusal.

“Nothing?” She asked with a scowl as though she was expecting something but was now disappointed by my response.

“Yes, none. Is there a problem with that?” I asked, trying to understand the reason for her negative countenance.

“We were instructed to pick your things from the car once you arrive,” she revealed.

For a moment I was surprised and wondered whether I was the one accorded such a level of respect and servitude which I have never received before.

“Well, that will be for another day.”

She bent low to remove my shoes but I refused.

“Please don't do that. I have my own hands.”

“My master, Chief, will sack me if I don't do my job. As his new wife I owe it to you because I'm getting paid for the services I render.

“New wife?”

“Yes.”

I didn't want to act in a way that would suggest the opposite so I didn't press ahead.

I bent and pulled the buckle of my fancy shoes, carefully arranging them by the corner. She approached the table and picked it up.

“What for?” I asked.

“I need to clean it properly,” she said, heading towards the room.

I remained mute and allowed her to do her thing since my constant objections were becoming annoying to her.

“You're not a guest. I can show you around.”

Don't worry. I can go around myself and I wouldn't want to disturb you. You can go on with some other things.

I went down the steps slowly barefooted. I walked to the arranged chrysanthemum flower kissing the walls of the house but halfway my insecurities kicked in reminding me of how I forgot to trim my toenails.

The sucker flies perched on the flower petals refusing to fly away on my gestures.

I stepped back into the house and beckoned the maid to bring my sandals. She brought them and offered to help me wear them which I refused.

I put them on and headed outside once again. The views were tempting.

I made my way around the house. I got to a spot where I started hearing voices. I stopped and remained calm in order to hear what was being said.

I guess the room is soundproof because from the inside you would never notice someone was inside or a meeting was going on in the other room. Nothing was heard.

“Eavesdropping?” a lady asked, peeping from the window.

I turned around looking for the person asking the question by tracing their voice.

“No,” I lied.

“Quinn,” she said, stretching out her hand for a handshake through the window.

“Dana. My hand can't reach there.” I responded.

“Oh my, height problems?” She said with feigned pity. Her face brightened up after a while, with a beam she said “just joking. You are taller than me or same as me,”

“I'm taller,”

“Let's not drag it. You won. Take your cup,” she said, lifting the glass of wine she was sipping from. We both laugh.

“Who are you? You seem lost. Is today your first time here?”

I didn't know the right words to respond because I don't know her either. So I kept mute and answered the second part of the question ignoring the first.

“Yes. Today is my first time here. Who are you?”

“I am Talis girlfriend,” she called his name with utmost familiarity.

“Thank God I didn't answer the first time,” I thought. I would have made a big joke out of myself.

“That's good. You look beautiful.” I admired her glittery lipstick which added form to her lips. She was so beautiful and that intimidated me for some time but I quickly summoned my confidence from wherever it hid to come back.

“Thank you. Who are you?” She asked again.

“I am the new cook, sorry I meant maid,” I stammered not knowing the exact one to choose.

“I heard something about getting a new maid from him. That's you? Welcome then.”

“Thank you.”

“Hope you have been shown your room?” she queried.

“Not yet but I will get there,” I excused the topic to ask another burning question, “must the maids live here?” I inquired.

“Yes, although it's not a strict rule, the cook must live here due to the nature of the job.”

After the few exchanges we had. I saw some men coming out of the house flanked by their bodyguards into their respective cars.

Mr. Talis was the last to come out.

“Miss Dana, a brief moment with you.”

I stepped into the house to his study where he offered me a seat.

“You did not come with your luggages. You are so poor that you have nothing to your name,” he mocked.

“I won't come fully when you haven't fulfilled your end of the deal. Why Should I come with my ” I huffed.

“Your money?” He asked. Without giving me a chance to answer, “I will do that now.”

He beckoned one of his guards to pick up his iPad from the glass table. He requested my account number and did the transfer.

I checked my phone for confirmation when I got a call. I wanted to reject it to confirm the transfer but I did otherwise.

“James Hopkins Foundation, I'm I speaking with Miss. Dana?”

“Yes,”

“Your attention is needed in a few minutes' time.”

I flew away from his presence ignoring my name which he was shouting