CHAPTER 3. THE DEAL WITH THE DEVIL
“Are you okay, sir?” I blurted innocently before I could stop myself.
His eyes flicked up to mine.
“Interesting… So you speak without being asked?
“So….so ..sorry sir.” I stammered.
I didn't…..
“You’re not here to care. He cut my words immediately.
I placed the tray on the desk carefully and swiftly turned to leave.
His words stopped me as I headed to the door. You cooked this? He asked
“No, sir. The kitchen staff did.”
“Good! Because I don’t eat lies for breakfast.”
He stood, circling the desk like a predator, while his eyes fixed on me.
My stomach trickled as I wish he would shift his gaze.
“Elena Cruz from Sacramento. Your parents are dead and you are raised by an aunt. Right?”
I froze. The story Andrey had fed me with. I flashed back.
“Yes… sir.”
He adjusted and stepped closer. “Then tell me. What is the street in Sacramento? He asked, looking sternly in my eyes.
My mind went blank. “Uh…”
He smirked. “That’s what I thought.”
He turned away, but then his voice hardened.
Look, Whatever secret you’re hiding, I’ll find it and if you’re lucky, I’ll let you leave this house alive. He said coldly.
My stomach itched, my spine shivered and drops of sweats made their ways to my pores.
Before I could respond, a door by my left creaked open.
A woman stepped in. She was elegant. Dressed in regal authority, looking quite younger than her age but influenced by so much power and authority.
Lady Bishop. Nathan’s mother.
“Is this the new help?” she asked, eyeing me with so much disdain.
“Yes, Mother,” Nathan said. “She lies, but at least she does it politely.”
Lady Bishop’s lips pursed at the response of his son.
“Keep her away from the east wing”. Nathan’s expression darkened.
“I’ve warned her.”
Their eyes met and something electric passed between them more like a silent war.
Then she turned to me.
“You’re pretty, but don’t confuse usefulness with importance. This house has swallowed many girls better than you.” Don't also be a scapegoat!
She turned and walked towards the entrance door, her heels tapping softly against marble as she walked out.
:
:
The next three days blurred into vigorous activities, from cleaning, serving wines, and watching. I learnt really fast the few days I was here.
But Nathan was unpredictable, in a moment, he was cold and next warm and then got colder. One moment he would ignore me completely. Next, he will call me out just to question things I didn’t understand.
Just once, I caught him standing alone in the garden at night, staring at the stars like they owed him answers.
Another time, he caught me humming to myself while dusting the hallway and made me stop mid-note.
“You’re not here to make music,” he said quietly.
“You’re here to survive.” He said with a pale face.
As time went on, I couldn’t stop thinking about the east wing. Every time I passed it, the door stood still, black and humming with tension.
And sometimes, at night, I heard things like footsteps, whispering, faint piano and sometimes a sobbing voice that sounds very much like that of a woman. I couldn’t tell.
One evening, I asked one of my fellow maids, Janie.
Do you know about the east wing? I asked curiously.
She went pale instantly. “Don’t ask me.”
“But what’s in there?”
She dropped the glass she was holding as it shattered on the floor.
“Nothing. Don’t ever ask again.
Janie, my fellow worker who ever since I stepped foot into this house has given me so much reason to hate her. She seems so cold anytime I was called or seen around Nathan for special duties.
Her words pierced into me like a knife. Everybody seems to be avoiding something but why is her own c
oming with so much anger and disdain?
This mansion obviously had secrets.
What could that be? I thought.
:
In the night I had a dream.
You’re not Elena Cruz. Leave this job before the Bishop family eats you alive."<
I jitted and woke up. I turned to see if anybody was inside the room. My eyes searched around, nobody was there. I made to stand up and I saw a paper laying in the middle of my bed like it belonged to the bed.
There was no crease, no smudge, not even a sound from the door, all was still,and yet I wondered how someone slipped this inside and it was right on my bed.
I picked it up. My fingers were trembling even before I unfolded it. The handwriting was sharp, scribbled and the tone from the writing came as a warning.
Leave here or you will die! It wrote.
My heart hits hard on my chest. One could even hear the sound at a very close range.
Who could this be? I was anxious and curious.
My eyes swept across the room, over all the corners. The closet, empty. The bathroom, empty, but the air felt heavier and charged.
I was still pondering on this and I heard my phone buzzing from the corner of the table beside the dressing mirror.
I rushed quickly to get to know the caller. As I approached and saw the name.
Mother? I shouted. I clutched my chest, as if holding my pounding heart in place as beads of sweat slide down my temples.
I hurriedly placed the phone on my ears.
Hello! Mother, are you okay?” My voice was already cracking.
“Clara…” Her faint voice came through the side of the caller, she sounded deep in pain and her words broke.
“Clara, the pain is getting worse.
I… can’t breathe without…..
A harsh cough cut her off immediately as if it ripped something inside of her.
“Don’t talk Mother,” I whispered. “Please, save your strength. I’ll send you some money. Mother, I'll fix this.
I said as tears crawled through my eye balls and my voice sounded cracked.
“The nurse says… she continued .
I need stronger medicine now… Without it I'll…… Her voice broke.
You will what? I responded almost screaming with my eyes wide open.
Mother! Are you there?
Mother!
I called but no one answered. My stomach itched and I held my throbbing heart again.
I squeezed the phone until my knuckles turned white.
Momma! You are not leaving me. I swear I will get this money.” Please stay strong for me… I said (wishing my mother could talk to me again as the phone hung up on my ears).
Tears rolled down my cheeks uncontrollably as I laid down there sobbing and thinking of a way I could solve this puzzle before me.
My body sank into the ground as the cool earth pressed against my back as I stretched out, one hand gripping the paper, the other clutching my phone, as if both could stop the world from collapsing.
Two threats in one night? One shadowy and the other real and both of them all coming at once.
Lord! Why me?