Beneath Her Gilded Mask

Chapter 6 You're Hired

The young woman's words immediately drew everyone's attention to Calista.

Molina's expression turned stormy, and she shot a sharp, hostile glance at Calista.

Calista lowered her gaze slightly. The scene before her felt eerily similar to five years ago—dirt thrown at her, and Molina humiliating her all over again.

"Madam, you've misunderstood." Calista lifted her head to say, hiding the bitterness in her eyes. "Perhaps this young lady simply wanted to present her best self. After all, who wouldn't want to make a good impression on their potential employer during an interview?"

She paused for a moment and continued, "But, Madam, with your grace and elegance, even without makeup, you stand out in any crowd. A true aristocrat like you surely doesn't understand those who attract attention through their appearances."

Her words seemed to defend the "peacock", but they hit home with Molina, flattering her vanity while subtly belittling the young woman.

Molina, who had always been insecure about her lack of aristocratic upbringing, especially resented the idea that she wasn't as polished as the true elite. She didn't know much about etiquette and luxury stuff as other elites did.

And more than anything, she was envious of women who were naturally beautiful.

Calista's words both undermined the "peacock" and elevated Molina, feeding her vanity and leaving her satisfied.

"Well, you are indeed honey-mouthed," Molina muttered, her mood lightening slightly, though her gaze still held some disdain.

"But don't think I don't know what's running through your mind. You better keep those improper thoughts to yourself while you're working here!"

Calista bowed her head respectfully and carried a smile that was just the right mix of humility and poise. "Madam, you can trust me. Since I've come here for this job, I will stay within my role."

"And with your discerning eye, I'm sure you'll see I'm the right person for the job. By the way, that bag you're carrying, though it's limited edition, it..."

She paused just long enough to observe Molina's reaction.

Sure enough, Molina bit the bait, her eyes betraying a hint of unease. "What about it?"

"Well, the stitching on the bag seems slightly off compared to the authentic version. Madam, could it be... you were fooled?" Calista's voice was light, but her words hit their mark.

Molina's face instantly went pale.

That bag was a gift from a powerful man's wife at a recent dinner party. She had claimed it was an exclusive, limited edition she had personally sourced through her connections.

She even said if it weren't for her urgent request, she wouldn't have parted with it.

"How dare you!" Molina snapped, her fingers digging into her palm, her expensive crocodile leather purse crumpling in her grip. "This was a birthday gift from Mrs. Claire! Her aunt is a long-established aristocrat who frequents Versailles!"

Though she said this, her mind was screaming, 'Mrs. Claire used to be an aristocrat. How could she have given me a fake bag? It can't be! It's got to be real.'

Calista remained calm as she answered, "Perhaps Mrs. Claire was also fooled? You know, many merchants create counterfeit limited editions to..." She paused dramatically before adding, "cater to the nouveau riche who don't know better."

Molina's throat tightened, and her words were choked in her throat.

At a party the other day, she remembered the Duchess eyed her bag with more than a passing interest. She had thought the woman was just admiring it. Now, thinking back...

Her teeth clenched so hard that she almost drew blood, and she thought bitterly, 'How dare she deceive me!'

Calista asked, "Madam, would you like me to contact an appraiser? Don't worry, the Countess of Beirut had a similar issue last month. No one will blame you for appraising the bag."

It was a subtle way of offering Molina an out.

Molina's expression flickered, and she fought to suppress her rage.

"Forget it. We'll deal with this later. You're Calista, right? You're hired," announced Molina.

Molina didn't want to drag the matter any further and risk making herself look foolish. She'd made her point. Besides, she thought Calista indeed had some potential.

"Thank you, Madam."

Calista nodded, but inside, she couldn't help but sneer.

She mused bitterly, 'So you think it's over, Molina? The real show has only just begun.'

The end of the flashback.

*****

The next morning, as Molina walked out of her bedroom, Calista greeted her. "Madam, good morning. Breakfast is ready."

She then set the breakfast on the table.

Ellet was already up. He was sitting at the table with a newspaper in hand.

When he saw Molina walking over, he surprised everyone by giving a rare smile. "Molina, did you sleep well last night?"

Molina, clearly flattered, quickly responded, "Yeah, I did."

Calista watched all of this quietly, thinking to herself, 'Looks like last night's events have made Ellet soften his attitude toward Molina.'

This wasn't the result she wanted.

She needed to deepen the rift between the couple and make it wider until they completely split.

She wanted them to feel the sting of betrayal from the person they trusted most.

But to make that happen, she couldn't rush it.

Over the past four months, Calista learned that Ellet had a habit of reading in his study at lunchtime.

She timed it perfectly, brewed a pot of coffee, and walked into the study with the coffee tray in hand. "Sir, you're reading?"

Her tone was light, with just the right touch of subtle allure.

Ellet looked up and felt a bit surprised to see Calista.

He noticed right away that she was different today.

Though her face was still makeup-free, her lips, plump and rosy, were incredibly inviting, making him want to kiss her.

"Just browsing," Ellet replied, setting down the book in his hand as he took the cup from her.

Taking a small sip, he asked, "What's in the coffee? It tastes really nice."

"Just bergamot oil, sir. Try this."

With a smile, Calista slightly leaned forward to add a spoonful of honey to the tea.

No one knew that Ellet had a sweet tooth.

Her hair fell gracefully over her shoulder. It brushed against Ellet's hand, sending a soft, teasing itch through his skin.

"Be careful, it's hot," Calista warned in a gentle tone.

As she spoke, her body leaned in, and the neckline of her blouse unintentionally shifted, revealing a small patch of her smooth skin.

Ellet's throat tightened as he subconsciously swallowed hard. He then raised the cup to his lips to hide his body's reaction.

"Mmm, it's really good," he said, his voice a bit rough.

Even he himself could notice the change in his voice.

"You're so young. What made you want to be a nanny?" Ellet suddenly asked.

"Well... My family's not well off," Calista replied.

Her eyes flickered, a hint of embarrassment flashing across her face.

"But you're very capable. Didn't you ever think about doing something else?" Ellet looked up at her and asked again.

Calista hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "Sir, I think this job is just fine for me."

"But... Don't you want to have a better life?"