Neveah felt her heart skip as she watched the person standing by the door take a few steps into the room.
Mr Simon!
"Good morning, madam," Simon greeted with a small smile as he stared at the woman stiffly sitting on the bed, staring at him with bulging eyes, before his eyes slightly darted towards the phone in her hand.
"G–ood morn-ing," Neveah stuttered, slowly rising to her feet as she hid the phone behind her back when she noticed his gaze on the phone. Shock and surprise were clearly written over her face.
Her shaky voice, nervous eyes and the movement of her hand didn't go unnoticed by the butler, who quickly and apologetically bowed to her.
"I'm sorry for interrupting you, madam. I knocked, but there was no response, so I entered to check if everything was fine with you." He explained and bowed to her again, but Neveah wasn't concerned about his apology. She was too fazed to ponder on that right now.
Did he overhear my conversation? Was all she could ask herself.
Neveah felt cold chills crawl over her as her insides quivered at the possibility of that.
How could she have been this careless?! She scolded herself.
Her scared and nervous eyes closely narrowed at him as fear engulfed her entire being.
"Are you fine, madam?" Simon asked when he noticed how oddly she was staring at him.
"Y- Yes." She stutteringly replied, but hell, she wasn't. The man narrowed his eyes at her for a moment before he continued.
"Master has requested your presence at the dining hall for breakfast. And he had asked me to inform you to take a look at the dressing room." He said, pointing to the double-sided door on the right.
"Dressing room?" Neveah muttered as she turned to look at the door, he was pointing at thus missing the awkward look that flashed through his eyes.
"Yes." He replied.
"He'd be expecting you in an hour." He said, drawing Neveah's attention back to him, while she slowly nodded.
Her heart pounded heavily with fear as she didn't know if he had heard her conversation over the phone.
"Madam, is there something you might need?" The butler asked when she continued to stare at him in that same oddly manner.
Wanted anything? She didn't think so. If there was anything she desperately wanted was for this charade to come to an end as soon as possible. She was already feeling suffocated.
Neveah intently and cautiously observed the man's expression, her eyes profoundly searching his for some clue, but there was nothing revealed on his face other than the modest smile which he had on. She still couldn't tell if he had heard her over the phone.
But what were the chances that he hadn't heard her?
Next to none?
Mr Simon patiently waited for a few more seconds before she finally replied with a shake of her head.
Broadening his smile, he said, "Then I'll let you be madam." He bowed one last time before exiting the room.
Neveah watched the man's disappearing silhouette. Her heart pounding with unease and fear. Should she stop him and ask?
Hell no!
She rubbed her sweaty palms on her nightgown, one which Dale had provided her last night. He had placed it on the bed for her before leaving her alone to do her business.
Was there a possibility that the butler had overheard her conversation and was pretending? Her hands slightly trembled at that thought. The pounding of her heart increased erratically.
God! She should have been a bit more careful.
She can't afford to be careless here.
She had heard what her father had said. Dale might harm her family if he learns the truth. If the butler had indeed heard her, he could tell Dale, right? After all, Dale was his master.
What would happen to her?! Neveah swallowed nervously.
She doesn't know what kind of trouble her family was in, and exposing herself on her first day would probably worsen the state they were already in.
No, she couldn't let that happen!
Doing something as fraudulent as this wasn't something she'd do, but right now, she was helpless. This was the burden, joy and curse of having a family. One could never look away, especially in times of trouble.
Her eyes burned with resolve—a resolve to protect and help her family.
She isn't sure if he has heard her or not. But whatever the case may be, she was going to prepare herself for it.
Taking a long breath to calm herself, she turned towards the dressing room to see whatever Dale had wanted her to see. Her eyes widened the moment she opened the door.
Was this a dressing room or a clothing store? It seemed like a clothing outlet.
Neveah took a step into the enormous room, which was filled to the brim with luxurious racks of clothes, bags and shoes of all kinds and colours.
It was all glamour.
'He did this? He bought all this?' She was utterly surprised. Her eyes scanned the room with awe as she turned around.
Her hand slowly moved across the fabrics. Though the price tags had been removed, she could tell how expensive they were.
'What was he thinking buying such expensive clothes?' She asked herself in horror.
Why would he do this for her?
Her? All these weren't for her. They were for Elle! This made her wonder if what her parents said was true.
Whatever tiny glint that sparked in her eyes moments ago completely dwindled.
Did he really like Elle? Was he truly going to take care of Elle as her parents had said?
Whether he liked her or not wasn't going to change the fact that he would be furious with her family when he found out he had been tricked. And that was what she had to avoid at all cost. This brought her mind back to the butler.
What was she going to do about him?