My Husband Is A Stranger

Chapter Three - Step niece

Morning came and Clara was interrupted in her sleep by the soft knocks on her door, “Good morning ma’am Clara, are you awake?” Clara yawned before raising her body on the bed.

“Y-Yeah, I am now,” she solemnly replied. Clara’s not always in a good mood when she was woken up by someone so early in the morning.

“O-Oh um, I’m sorry ma’am, did I wake you?” The maid sounded apologetic, “It’s just that your aunt told me to wake you up before 8,” she informed Clara, so her eyes widened before glancing at the wall clock on the top right corner of her room.

It’s almost 7:30 in the morning, why would her aunt want her to be awake that early? Maybe there’s something important her aunt needed to discuss with her, she thought.

“I-It’s no problem, I’ll be down there in a second,” she informed the maid before she started doing her morning rituals.

It took her a while because some of the toiletries were quite unfamiliar to her and had different language labels. She almost used a lotion for her hair, which pissed her off for a moment.

After she finished taking a bath and brushed her teeth, she rummaged in the suitcase near her bed to wear decent comfortable clothes.

She stopped wearing her shirt when she remembered her aunt doesn’t like her wearing such clothes. Clara bit her lip as she stared at those paper bags near her bed that she still hasn’t touched yet.

Clara sighed as she started looking for the plain black dress she chose for herself that her aunt was so close to not approving of buying.

She slipped onto that and combed her hair before running out of her room when she saw the time was almost at 7:55 AM.

After Clara descended downstairs, she was greeted by many maids, which she greeted them back with a huge smile.

Some of the workers inside that house were surprised to hear Clara always greet them, they’re also wondering why because they have never experienced that with Serene that screams at them when they did something wrong.

Clara arrived near the dining table as she was surprised by the hundreds of food that are prepared over there.

She swooned at the sight of familiar foods that she’s been craving, there’s even cupcakes that she always liked to bake when her parents were still around.

“W-Where’s aunty?” She roamed her eyes around the table and noticed that there’s no one there aside from the chefs and maids in their fancy uniforms.

“She left early a while ago ma’am, but she left us an order to take good care of you today,” one of the maids answered while lowering their head, so she just nodded at her.

Her aunt’s a billionaire, so she thought shouldn’t be shocked at how often she’ll see her aunt here inside this mansion.

She felt lonely for a moment just thinking about eating breakfast alone once again, she shook her head before sighing.

Clara bit her inside cheeks while gazing at the feast before her, “Am I also going to eat this alone?” She glanced at the maids before her, so they just stared at each other before nodding.

“Is that so? Have you guys eaten yet?” Clara politely asked while sitting comfortably on those metal chairs around the dining table.

“N-No ma’am,” the maids answered in unison, so she smiled at them before motioning her hand on the seats around them.

“Well don’t be shy and sit down everyone, I’m not going to finish this all by myself,” Clara chuckled as the maids, butlers, and chefs looked at one another. They’re wondering why Clara’s acting so different than their boss.

“We can’t ma’am, madame Serene would be furious,” one of them stated, so Clara tilted her head at the one who said that. She’s wondering why her aunt would be furious, her aunt is such a very generous woman.

“She won’t, I’ll be your alibi if she questions each one of you, so everyone just join me to eat for today, please?” Clara glued her palms together to plead them, so all the maids had no other choice but to abide at her request.

They also don’t want to upset their madame’s niece, thinking that they might lose their jobs if they didn’t fulfill her request.

All of the maids, butlers, and chefs had the hesitations to sit on the chair, they were used to standing and watching their madame Serene eat her daily meals.

“Come on now! Sit down everyone, don't be shy, we have a freaking feast here,” Clara sounded so nice and inviting, so all of the maids just smiled at her and started sitting right beside her on the freaking huge table.

“Thank you for the food and for the people who made this,” Clara politely acknowledged the food and everyone sitting beside her seemed confused if she was related to her aunt. 

Serene never thanked everyone around her, she’s even complaining if the dishes didn’t taste as good as what she eats at a fancy restaurant.

“Wow, this tastes amazing!” she beamed happily while munching her meal. The maids, butlers, and everyone eating right beside her smiled secretly. For the first time, someone appreciated and treated them well inside of that manor aside from each other.

Clara doesn’t like to eat breakfast alone. She was used to eating with her parents every meal, but now that they're gone, that old habit withered away with her parents' ashes.

She never eats at her apartment either every morning, she chooses to go out to fast food stores so that she wouldn’t be lonely when she eats.

“When will aunty return?” Clara stared at the people eating right beside her. She feels so overwhelmed because there are many of them right beside her.

“We have no idea ma’am, she usually just calls us if she wants anyone of us to pick her up aside from her guards,” one of the drivers politely replied to her.

“But she’s always home late ma’am,” one of the maids informed, so she just nodded at them before biting her lower lip.

She’ll probably be bored inside this huge manor, it would be nice to look around but it’s not in her best interest.

“Oh I see then, can I go out today while waiting for aunty? I have to meet with a friend,” Clara mentioned, so the drivers who were eating beside the maids glanced at her.

“Where exactly ma’am? We can take you there,” one of them suggested, so Clara’s eyes widened.

“A-Are you sure that’s alright? I’m planning to commute though,” she informed, so all of the drivers shook their heads at her. She planned to commute, but she thought that it’ll be hard to find a taxi or transportation near here. So being taken there would be really convenient.

“We can’t possibly let you do that ma’am, madame Serene told us to keep an eye on you,” they informed her, so she tilted her head for a moment before nodding.

She didn’t know her aunt was so caring about her safety, but who would dare to kidnap someone like her? Clara didn’t have anything aside from her parent’s money on their accounts and that small apartment that her aunt probably already checked her out of.

“Well then after breakfast, I’ll just get change, and please wait for me on the front door,” she smiled before finishing her meal.

“It’ll be our pleasure to wait for you ma’am,” the drivers smiled.

Clara immediately excused herself after she finished her food, she was about to wash the dishes for herself on the huge shiny sink when the maids stopped her from what she’s about to do.

They told her it’s their job to clean the house and the things in it, so she has no other choice but to descend on her room and get ready.

It didn’t take her a while to get dressed, she wore a simple black dress and took a bag from the paper bag that her aunt bought for her.

She doesn’t have any small bags, to begin with, so she’ll use them even if she thinks this type of expensive thing doesn’t suit her.

Clara fished out her phone in her bag and called Julie, a few rings were to be heard before her call connected.

[Girl! What’s up? Are you ready to go?] a loud voice was to be heard on the other line, so Clara just smiled.

“Yes, I’m already dressed, see you on the usual spot?” she excitedly asked, so her friend on the other line squealed.

[Oh you bet! See you girl!] The line was cut off before Clara could even warn her that she doesn’t have any money for food. She just sighed and shook her head. She’ll figure it out later after she goes downstairs, maybe she’ll withdraw some cash later.

Feeling confident that she looks decent, Clara reached out towards the handle of her door and she was astounded after seeing three maids waiting for her on the outside after she opened it.

“O-Oh um, may I help you?” Clara asked, unsure if those were the right words she needed to ask.

The maids just smiled at her statement, “Ma’am Clara, do you want us to help fix your hair and face?” one of them politely asked, so she gasped before sprinting towards her vanity mirror inside of the walk-in closet.

She freaking forgot to comb her hair and fix her face, though it isn’t a big deal since she’s just meeting with Julie.

“Let us fix you, ma’am, though you look well even without these makeups, madame Serene just told us to always make you look fabulous,” one of them informed her, so Clara tilted her head at them before nodding.

She’s confused why her aunt always wants to make her look presentable. Is she going to be introduced to some people? 

She shrugged at her thoughts, that’s pretty impossible. Who is she to be introduced to?

Clara talked to the maids while they’re busy fixing her lustrous fawn hair while the other one was busy putting some concealer underneath her eyes. It didn’t take them a while to fix Clara up because she’s gorgeous enough to make a simple makeup look so glam.

“You’re done ma’am, you look so pretty,” one of the maids smiled, so Clara looked at the vanity mirror and gasped.

“W-Who is that?!” she exclaimed because she had never seen herself looked so decent aside from yesterday. The maids just laughed at her remark before escorting her out of her room.

Clara descended downstairs and she was almost surprised to see that all the maids and butlers lined up to bid her goodbye, “Take care ma’am Clara,” they all said in unison, she felt so overwhelmed as she bowed to them as thanks.

“Thank you! I’ll see you guys later!” she waved her hands before stepping outside of the main front door that was opened for her.

The Ferrari she rode yesterday was prepared below a few flights of stairs where all of the drivers were lined up to open the door for her.

“W-Woah, is this really necessary? People would think that I own this,” Clara tried to joke, but the drivers just smiled at her.

“But you do ma’am, now that you’re madame Serene’s niece, she told us that everything around here is yours too,” one of the drivers said, so she was confused for a moment and didn’t say anything until she seated on the passenger seat and buckled herself with some seatbelt.

“Where exactly are you going today ma’am?” the driver asked while turning the steering wheel to the right.

“To the cafe here called, Cookies and Tell, it’s near Langkaan,” Clara informed thoroughly, so the driver just nodded until she felt someone tapping her from behind.

There was a butler over there sitting on the back waiting for their conversation to finish, “Oh um, is there something wrong?” Clara curiously asked, so the butler just handed her over some red pouch.

“What’s this?” she’s still confused and curiously checks what’s inside. She was astounded after seeing loads of cash in it that she probably couldn't count easily, so she closed it and looked at the butler who’s just smiling at her.

“W-Whose money is this?” Clara nervously asked. She didn’t want to hold that much money, afraid that someone would think that she’s selling expensive drugs.

“It’s yours ma’am Clara,” the butler informed, so Clara’s eyes widened before taking it back to him, “I-I don’t have this huge money even in my bank account,” she claimed.

The butler just shook his head, “Madame Serene said to give it to you if you’re going out, she said that you have to accept it or she’ll be upset,” the butler said while reading a paper, so Clara just pouted.

So this money was given by her aunt, she bit her lower lip because she knew she couldn’t spend way too much money.

“W-Well tell her, thank you, but I don’t think I could spend this all at once,” she reassured the butler, so the butler and the driver just glanced at each other before smiling at her.

“I apologize if this is rude, but are you sure you’re really madame Serene’s niece?” the driver curiously asked while pushing the horn of the car to open the main silver gates.

They’re wondering why this lady beside them is so different compared to the boss that they’re serving. The difference was like choosing between a rock and a diamond.

Clara wondered for a moment because that question was weird, “W-Well I am, though not biologically because I heard my mom’s adopted, is there like a step-niece?” she replied, so the butler and driver just nodded.

They thought it made sense.

To be continued...