CHAPTER TWELVE: THE HELP
1816 Words
LYRA
“You are the new hire I have heard so much about?”
I looked up, and Vivienne Vale, Soren’s stepmother, stood at a distance. Three men older than her stood behind, shaking like a leaf about to fall from a tree. She raised her nose in the air, which looked almost too perfect for me to behold. Her face was spotless and tight for a woman her age, and I was envious.
She had heard so much about me? I just began working there; what the hell has she heard about me already?
I had done my research on his family because I had to know who it was I was dealing with. Soren’s father, the founder of the Vale corporation, had remarried after his first wife died to Vivienne, who was ruthless in business—at least that was what all the tabloids claimed of her.
“Mrs. Vale,” I stuttered as I stumbled to my feet.
Her eyes run across my body before a smile breaks on her face. She turned to the men, one of whom held her bag like it was something precious.
“See that, you research.” She smacked her lips and strutted until she was at my table, stopping just with enough distance not to touch it.
“You know who I am?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I nodded, trying to keep my cool. Seeing how the men stayed with their heads down, I was not sure what kind of woman she was supposed to be.
“Good then.” She turned on her heels, which clicked against the marble floor as she walked into the office. When she was finally out of sight, the men raised their heads with a sigh. I wanted to ask what about her was so scary, but I doubt if these men would like to answer my question.
The intercom on my table turned red and then buzzed before Soren's voice came through.
“Ms. Alcott, can you please bring something to drink for my mother?”
“Yes, sir, what would…” I stopped when I saw that the communication line had been cut. I was supposed to serve the queen of the Vale Foundation something to drink, and I had no idea what.
My eyes met the men's, and they shrugged with a slow head shake. They seemed to know her, so what was that supposed to mean? Were they just being mean, or was this some kind of test? I swallowed the hard knot in my throat and walked to the kitchenette on the floor.
My fingers moved rapidly on the phone; all the gossip forums still didn't know what her favourite thing to drink was. I took a deep breath and made the coffee just the same way I would have made it for Soren if he had let me do my job.
My hands shook against the tray as I walked up to the door; my knuckles left a light knock before I pushed the door open.
“Is that for me?” Her eyes twinkled as if she had not requested it.
“Yes, ma’am,” I muttered as I dropped it onto the table in front of her. She looked down at the tray, the playful smile on her lips disappearing.
“Do you want to kill me?” Her tone suddenly went up in anger. How could she switch so easily?
“Ma…ma’am,” I managed to stutter as I took a step back, afraid she might get so angry and hit me in the process. “What do you…”
“Did your little useless research not tell you that I am allergic to coffee?”
“No, ma’am,” my voice shook as I realised what had just happened. “I am sorry, Ma; I just thought that…”
Her sudden rise made the words hook in my throat. “This is the reason I insist on hiring the help myself.” Her eyes snapped to Soren. “So they won't make any mistakes.”
She closed the gap between us, and her finger caught a lock of my hair, twirling it in her hand before she yanked it hard and pulled it towards her.
“Not some lowlife who is probably in love with you,” she added.
The way her eyes stayed on me, she had heard something, but the only question right now was what she had heard.
“Enough!” Soren slammed his fist onto the table, and even though Vivenne seemed to terrify me, I wished he wouldn't help me out; that would only make things worse, even though I had no idea how bad it was already.
“Enough! Are you going to w***e around with this one as well?” She asked, and her eyes snapped to me. “Little one, don't think you are special; he always uses them like this.”
“Mom, that is a lie.” Soren finally got up from the chair he had been firmly placed in. “I do not use anyone.”
“Don’t believe men,” she said, letting go of my hair and patting it down. “Am I right?”
A hiccup escaped my mouth, and her gaze on me made me nod. “Good.” She pointed to the tray. “Serve it.”
“I thought you were allergic?” The words managed to flow out of my mouth in fear.
“You brought it, so I might as well drink it, right?”
“No, if you tell me what to get, then I’d hurry to make sure that…”
“Save your breath, Lioraé; she isn't allergic.”
I turned to Soren and back to his mother; she had this mischievous look in her eyes. Like she had me right where she wanted me to be. What was this game? Instead of bursting with all of the emotions, I just take a step back and serve both coffees.
“The gala tonight; Elara would be there. I think it is time that you both made it official.”
“Made what official?” Soren asked absentmindedly. When I looked up at him, he was staring at me, not in the kind, complimentary way, but the kind you felt even when not looking that dug holes into your skin.
I cleared my throat and shifted uncomfortably. I wanted him to stop, and I knew the quicker way out of there was to finish the coffee faster.
“Your relationship, you know, pretty well that she is the only woman fit for you, don’t you?”
“Nothing is going on between us,” Soren dismissed.
“Then make something start going on between you both.”
“I have no idea what you are trying to say, but I can assure you that Elara and I aren’t an item,” he emphasised, and she sighed.
“We can change that, can’t we?” I did not know if Vivienne was delusional or if she seemed to have a plan to get them together.
Of course, a man like Soren should be with a woman who fits his status, like that Thai Elara girl I had never met. Why did I even consider the possibility of his words coming true? I got up, ready to leave, when Soren stopped me.
“Lioraé’ I turned to him, ready to run out of here on whatever errand he deemed fit. “She will be my date to the gala tonight.”
“Soren?”
“It’s an official function, and that clearly falls under her roles,” he said, holding my eyes while I could see Vivienne shift uncomfortably from the corner of my eyes. “Isn’t it, Mother?”
She seemed to be trapped by the words; perhaps they were her words she had once used against him.
“Very well, Soren,” she said as she picked up the coffee to her mouth and sipped on it. She rolled her eyes back in pleasure and nodded. “The help sure does make perfect coffee, doesn’t she?”
“If that would be all, Mom, you should return to work.”
“I guess,” she said, dropped the coffee she barely touched to the table, and walked out of the room without a word. I always thought I had family problems, but this was really on another level.
“Lioraé…”
“Mr Vale, I…”
“I can explain.” He cut me off, and I am grateful he did. I had no idea what I was supposed to say now. “Elara is nothing but a childhood friend whom everyone thinks I am going to end up with.”
“And you probably should,” I choked out. He stood up once again and walked towards me. “She should be more on your level,” I added.
“On my level, what does that mean?”
“We should be truthful to ourselves; that night meant nothing to you or to me, and we should keep it that way.”
He stopped in front of me, his heat spread across my entire body, which I would like to ignore. I turned my head to the side, and his fingers trailed against my face gently. “Are you saying that meant nothing?”
‘Yes,’ I lied, but my thighs trembled and my core shook violently. I took a step back and pulled all the willpower I had. “I'd better get back to work,” I said and turned, but his hand caught me and pulled me into himself.
My back collided with his chest, and even with my back, I could feel how toned he was. His fingers played playfully against my wrist, and my breath hitched in my throat.
“I am a patient man, so I am going to wait for you, but you are going to come to me and be mine,” he murmured against my ear; his lips grazed the tips of my ear slightly.
My mind ran wild with ideas, but I couldn't; this man wasn't mine to claim. He was never in the first place. I held my breath, and his grip on me loosened. I pulled away at once and shook my head.
“I am afraid there is a family emergency tonight and I don’t think I can escort you to…”
“No, no, no, princess, if you don’t, then you'd have to pay.” He winked at me. What did he mean by 'pay', and why did I want to know what it meant? “You are going to stand by my side as my date tonight,” he finished, and even though I wanted to run, I knew there was no way out!
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