Chapter 3
1152 Words
Annabel felt nervous about meeting the madam. She hoped the madam wouldn't suspect anything and discover that she was not actually married.
"I'm a bit nervous," Annabel whispered to Juliet.
"You don't have to be nervous. She'll ask you a few questions, and you have to answer confidently without showing any signs of nervousness," Juliet whispered back. "And no matter what happens, she mustn't find out that you're single," she added.
"I'll try my best not to be nervous," Annabel muttered in a low tone.
"No more talking. We're almost close to the living room. We don't want her to know about our lies," Juliet urged her to be quiet. Annabel nodded lightly.
Finally, they reached their destination, but they were both confused because they couldn't see any trace of the madam.
"I think she has finally caught onto our lies," Annabel said, pacing around.
"I think she stepped out for a moment," Juliet declared, trying to convince herself that the madam would come back.
Juliet and Annabel were worried, especially Annabel. Questions flooded her mind.
Where is the madam?
Did she find out I'm not married?
What if she doesn't give me the job?
These questions raced through Annabel's mind without any answers. She was about to complain to Juliet when a tall, slender woman in her fifties approached them.
The relief on Juliet's face was evident. She couldn't hide her happiness as soon as she saw the madam.
"You must be..." the woman started but was cut off.
"Anna... Annabel," Annabel eagerly answered, trying her best not to stammer.
"Oh, Annabel, that's a lovely name," the woman complimented before sitting on the couch.
"You both can have a seat," she told them, pointing to the couch opposite hers.
"Thank you!" they replied simultaneously.
"I'm guessing Juliet has told you a little bit about the job," the woman firmly stated with a gentle smile.
"Yes, she did," Annabel stammered.
Juliet held her hand, signaling that everything would be okay. The madam noticed Juliet's gesture and a gentle smile embraced her lips.
"You don't have to be scared of anything. Just try to calm down a little bit," the woman assured her with a smile.
"She gets shy," Juliet giggled a bit, glancing at Annabel.
"I just want to be sure of one thing. Are you indeed married?" she suddenly asked, making Annabel's jaw drop a bit.
There was silence for a few minutes. Annabel's heart raced, unsure whether to lie or tell the truth about her current status.
"She's asking you a question. You need to answer," Juliet told Annabel with a nervous smile.
Annabel took a deep breath and finally said, "I am married," managing to force the words out.
"Is your husband okay with the idea of you working here as a housekeeper?" the woman asked suspiciously.
"Yes!" Annabel answered without hesitation.
"Juliet did mention how much you needed this job. The job is yours, and you can start tomorrow," the woman declared, feeling pity for Annabel.
"Thank you so much, ma'am," they both thanked her simultaneously, excitement in their voices.
"Please call me Mrs. Torres," the woman stated. "There are rules you have to abide by in this house," she added coldly. "Since you're married, you shouldn't have any problems with my sons," she sighed with disappointment in her eyes when mentioning her sons.
"You don't have to worry about that. Annabel will never overstep her boundaries," Juliet assured her as she stared at Annabel.
"The head housekeeper will provide you with all the necessary information to get started here. You will have your own room, and you will be given a uniform," Mrs. Torres explained. "And one more thing, never enter my sons' rooms when they are around. You'll only clean when they are both at work," she added.
"You have nothing to worry about, Mrs. Torres," Annabel assured her with a smile.
"With that settled, our meeting is concluded," Mrs. Torres announced, preparing to leave.
"I don't think I want to take this job," Annabel told Juliet as soon as Mrs. Torres left.
The smile on Juliet's face immediately dropped when she heard Annabel's words.
"What did you just say? You must be joking," Juliet frowned, surprised by Annabel's sudden change of heart.
"I don't know, Juliet. I'm just a little bit scared," Annabel murmured.
"What are you scared of?" Juliet impatiently asked.
"I'm scared of everything. What if she finds out about my lie? She seems intimidating," Annabel replied, fear evident in her voice.
"Are you kidding me? Mrs. Torres is one of the nicest women I know. I think you're just being paranoid because we started this with a lie, but you don't have to worry. Just do your job and follow the rules, and you'll be fine," Juliet reassured her, trying to convince her.
"I do need the job, and this is the only way I can start a new life. I wasn't thinking straight. I definitely need this job," Annabel finally came back to reality.
"Now you're talking. Let's go home and plan how your stay here will be," Juliet said. They both stood up to leave the house and returned to Juliet's apartment.
Back at Juliet's house, Annabel began packing her belongings to prepare for her new job the next day. Juliet's house wasn't spacious enough for two people to comfortably live in.
"I'm also happy you got the job," Juliet told her with a smile. "I hope you remember the plan: focus on your job and mind your own business at all costs," she reminded Annabel.
"I got it. I'll mind my own business," Annabel surrendered, raising her hands in the air.
"And remember what she said about her sons, right?" Juliet warned.
"Hmm," Annabel hummed.
"What do you mean by 'hmm'? You mustn't have anything to do with them. They're trouble," Juliet sternly warned her.
"How do you know so much about them?" Annabel's curiosity kicked in.
"Who doesn't know about the Torres brothers? They're the most eligible bachelors, but they're also womanizers and have no respect for women," Juliet explained, her expression filled with disgust.
"Are you sure about what you're saying?" Annabel asked, doubting Juliet's words.
"I'm positive. They're the reason many young ladies lost their jobs," Juliet frowned. "I've even heard stories of girls having to abort their pregnancies because they weren't fit to bear the brothers' children," she added.
"That's terrible," Annabel said, shocked by the revelation.
"That's why you need to stay away from them. Mrs. Torres may be nice, but when it comes to her sons, she can be ruthless," Juliet sighed, emphasizing the importance of keeping her distance.
Annabel nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. She knew she needed to focus on her job and avoid any entanglements with the Torres brothers.
"Now, let's get some rest. Tomorrow is a big day for you," Juliet said, trying to lighten the mood.
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