Beneath the Billionaire's Pride

chapter 6

As I arrived at Xavier's mansion, my expression transformed instantly. The grandeur of the building was imposing, but I was relieved to see that it seemed deserted. I hoped Xavier was already at work, as I didn't have the emotional bandwidth to deal with his constant nagging. Stepping into the sitting room, I was greeted by an unsettling silence. Everyone appeared to be absent, which was a welcome respite for me.

As I sat on the sofa, eyes closed, my brief moment of peace was shattered. "And who the hell are you?" a voice demanded.

I opened my eyes to find a striking young woman, likely in her mid-twenties, standing tall with an air of confidence. Her makeup accentuated her features, but I wondered what she'd look like without it. Her expression seemed arrogant, and I felt a spark of irritation.

"Good morning," I replied calmly. "Who are you?" she repeated, her eyes narrowing.

"I'm Leah, the new chef," I explained.

The woman raised an eyebrow. "What happened to Grace, the former chef?"

"She's ill and can't work for now," I replied.

The woman scrutinized me, her gaze lingering. "Hmm, I see," she said coolly. "You're the chef, yet you're lounging on the sofa instead of being in the kitchen. Is this what you're paid for?"

Her tone was condescending, and I felt my patience wearing thin. "I just arrived and needed a brief rest before starting work," I explained politely.

But before I could continue, she cut me off. "There's no rest on the job, especially in this household." Her voice was firm, and I wondered who this woman was and why she seemed so invested in my work ethic.

"If you need to rest, go to your room," she snapped, her voice dripping with annoyance. "Don't get on my bad side this morning." With that, she turned on her heel and strode out of the sitting room, heading upstairs to Xavier's room.

I watched her go, my mind racing. She must be Xavier's girlfriend, I thought, trying to make sense of her hostility. Why was she acting like I'd wronged her in some way? I felt my anxiety spike, my mental health already fragile from dealing with Xavier's attitude. How was I supposed to handle her rudeness on top of this?

I hasten my work, eager to avoid another encounter with Xavier's girlfriend, whose name I still didn't know. I was preparing a new meal, having learned that Xavier had rejected all the dishes I made the previous day. His excuse - "it's just my taste" - rang hollow, especially since Margaretta had assured me he'd love the food. But as soon as he discovered I'd prepared it, he changed his mind. It was clear he was intentionally trying to frustrate me, but I refused to give in.

I heard Xavier's girlfriend call out, "Hey, Leah, come up." I wondered what she wanted now. I made my way to Xavier's room, knocked softly, and waited for her response. "Come in," she said reluctantly.

As I entered, I saw her wearing Xavier's shirt, laptop on her lap, eyes fixed on the screen. Without looking up, she said, "Let's get straight to the point. I'm not going to sugarcoat my words. You're not worth it."

Finally, she looked up, her gaze firm. "Firstly, Leah, know your place. Secondly, stay away from my man. Don't dare me," she warned, her voice icy.

"That's all for now. Go get me a glass of water. I'm thirsty," she said, returning to her laptop.

I left the room, letting out a loud sigh. "Pathetic," I scoffed. "Who wants her man? Definitely not me." I thought, rolling my eyes. "Birds of the same feather, so annoying." She's worried because she knows Xavier's true nature, I thought, shaking my head.

I seethed as I retrieved the glass of water she'd demanded, my mind still reeling from her audacious request. I handed her the glass, and with a careless flick of her wrist, she let it slip from her fingers. The glass shattered on the floor, water splashing everywhere, including on my feet.

"Oh, it fell," she said, her voice dripping with scorn, a smug smile spreading across her face. "Clean it up. Don't just stand there, staring at me like a ghost."

I bit back my anger, but my emotions simmered just below the surface. I spun on my heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind me.

"Don't dare do that again," she called after me, her voice laced with venom. "You can't afford to replace the door if you break it."

Her parting shot only fueled my anger, but I refused to give her the satisfaction of a reaction.

I wondered what kind of person would speak to someone like that. Was she always so condescending, or was I the only one on the receiving end of her disdain? I decided to keep the encounter to myself, knowing Hannah would urge me to quit if she found out.

Despite not getting along with my boss' son and girlfriend at work, I loved my job. It gave me a sense of purpose and allowed me to earn my own money, rather than relying on handouts from Mom and Hannah's dad. Focusing on the positives, I reminded myself that this job was an opportunity to gain valuable experience and take control of my finances.

After my last discussion with Margaretta about staying over on weekends, we hadn't come to an agreement. I decided to wait for Xavier's return to head home, as Margaretta was nowhere to be found and her phone was unreachable.

As I sat on the couch, waiting patiently, exhaustion caught up with me, and I dozed off. The loud noise of Xavier and his friends jolted me awake. I glanced at my wristwatch to find it was already past 9.

Time flies, indeed. I swiftly gathered my belongings, ready to head home, as it was getting extremely late. My mom must be frantic with worry. I checked my phone and, as expected, found 5 missed calls from my mom and 4 from Hannah. They must be worried sick.

I quickly regretted letting sleep get the better of me. I dialed my mom's number to reassure her that I'm okay and would be returning soon. After finishing the call, I was about to dial Hannah's number when Xavier finally entered the sitting room. The noise level escalated, and I thought, "This call will have to wait until I'm on my way home.

"Good evening, sir," I said to Xavier, then turned to his friends and greeted them as well. They responded in unison.

"Have we met before?" one of them asked.

Oh no, not again! "No," I replied firmly, keeping my expression neutral.

"I'm Liam," he said, extending his hand. I shook it, introducing myself. "I'm Leah, the new chef here."

Liam smiled. "That's great to hear. I must say, you're not what I expected." He seemed friendly and approachable, unlike Xavier, who always appeared grumpy and ready to lash out.

"We'll be seeing each other a lot," Liam said. "I'm looking forward to trying your cooking."

"I'm excited to have you try my dishes," I replied, smiling back at him.

Xavier interrupted our conversation. "That's enough chit chat, Leah. Get drinks and food for my friends and me. We're starving."

What does this guy want from me? I thought, frustrated. Can't he see I'm about to leave?

"Excuse me, sir," I said, using my most polite tone. "It's already past 9, and my working hours are over. I'd like to head home now, as my mom will be worried sick."

I hoped my reasonable explanation and courteous demeanor would help Xavier see things from my perspective.

But of course, Xavier will always be Xavier.

Xavier's expression remained unchanged as if my words were irrelevant.

And what does that information have to do with me? He said feigning confusion.

Didn't Margaretta inform you that you will be staying for the weekend? be asked his words dripping with entitlement.

I raised an eyebrow,we are still discussing that, we haven't come to an agreement yet I said dryly.

Xavier shrugged. “Not my problem, you'll have to stay for the night . My friends are already here, I can't send them back. If you insist on leaving, then you are free to go whenever we are done.

I was taken aback by his audacity.

Excuse me, I asked incredulously, “you expect me to wait around until God knows when, just to accommodate your social plans, while my mom is sick at home waiting for my return, don't be ridiculous Xavier I lashed out frustration etched on my face.

I won’t have you speak to me in that manner, leah he said with a stern look, you do as i say and that's final.

His friends stood speechless which made me regret my outburst earlier.

Is everything okay with you? I heard Liam say. I'm very sorry Liam, my hands trembled, as I fidgeted with the hems of my shirt, fearing that Liam might have also misunderstood me just like Xavier. I'm just stressed out, could you talk to Xavier on my behalf, I said worriedly.

Don't worry he will come around, he will be fine, you can go home, we can take care of ourselves.

“I let out a slow breath, feeling the tension on my shoulders ease. My eyes met Liam's and I offered a weak smile, grateful for his intervention”.

Thanks, I said , exiting the house almost immediately.