"Where is she?" Louis directed his question to no one but Mrs. Alisa knew he was asking about Skylar.
"The garden." Mrs. Alisa replied faintly.
The look on Louis's face told her that he wasn't interested in where she was; he was only asking.
"Hm," Louis turned away, preparing to leave but Mrs. Alisa called him back.
"Breakfast is served."
"I'll pass." Louis ambled out of the manor with his assistant immediately trudging after him. The guards also followed behind him as he hurried off.
His expression was complicated. He had a disappointment, anger, resentment, and disdain on his face as he walked out.
His eyes looked around for Skylar but he didn't see her. Louis shrugged the thought off his mind and prepared to go in the car when he suddenly noticed someone crawling underneath the tall flowers.
He turned away from the car and his feet moved involuntarily like he was being controlled. He went towards the garden and found Skylar kneeling.
Her hands were busy. She had dug up several holes with the small garden shovel. She had planted several flowers and was now working on another one.
Louis looked her down and his lips curled up involuntarily.
His eyes went to her bosom which was slightly exposed as she bent over. His eyes became glued to that spot. He couldn't look away and the only time he broke the contact was when her hand went over her face.
She was struggling to take a strand of hair off her face so she brushed the back of her hand through her face.
He found her face attractive.
It felt like he was seeing her for the first time; something was different about her.
"I will take care of you all from now on, okay?" Skylar catered to the flowers like they were kids.
Louis stopped. His eyes darkened as he realized what he was doing.
How could he abandon his work just to watch this silly girl?
Louis straightened himself up. He buttoned his suit and walked back to the car.
"Keep a close watch on her." He ordered before the car zoomed off.
Skylar looked up as soon as she heard the sound of the car. She stood up and watched him leave. She was relieved that he was finally gone.
She was trying to hide from him but she found something worthwhile to do.
"Ma'am!" Alice hurried towards Skylar.
"Oh, Alice it's you." Skylar turned to see Alice.
"Yes Ma'am, I've been looking all over for you." Alice smiled.
"No, I have searched everywhere for you. In fact, I came here in search of you but I'm happy I met my new friends."
She noticed that Alice and Helen interacts less with her lately. Her heart was hurt by this because she has come to see them as her confidant but it seems like they were starting to avoid her.
"I'm sorry ma'am, I was busy arranging your things," Alice explained.
"What things?" Skylar wondered what Alice was talking about.
"Some dresses have been delivered for you along with accessories." Alice relayed.
"More dresses?" Skylar didn't expect that Louis would get more clothes for her after all the dresses he got stuffed in her closet.
"Yes Ma'am, the boss wants you to look good always."
"I see." Skylar nodded halfheartedly.
Was that what she wanted? To look good?
No. Looking good wasn't part of her dreams at all. She wanted to live. Free and Happy but Louis got her stuck here in his manor.
"What are you doing here?" Alice looked around and gaped at the wonders Skylar had performed in the garden in such a short time.
"Oh, my bad." Skylar tapped her head. "I forgot to introduce you."
"Huh?" Alice looked around in amazement.
She was wondering who Skylar wanted to introduce her to.
"Meet Janet, Phillipa, and Sonya." Skylar pointed at the three tall flowers standing uniquely amongst the rest.
"Huh?" Alice's eyes widened. She couldn't believe that Skylar would go as far as naming the flowers.
"You named the flowers?" She eyed unbelievably.
"Yeah, isn't that beautiful? Skylar beamed with excitement.
Planting the flowers took her mind completely off Louis and the trouble he brought.
"Yeah, it is." Alice smiled in surprise.
"Ma'am!" Skylar turned at Helen's voice.
She was glad to have her handmaids with her at the moment. She was lonely before but now that she found her handmaids she's made some new friends, she can relax.
"Hey Helen," Skylar waved happily as Helen approached them.
Alice on the other hand was busy checking out Skylar's new friends. She had several thoughts in her mind as she watched the flowers.
Was Skylar crazy? Has the boss tortured her too much that she can't distinguish between a living and a non-living thing?
"Hello ma'am," Helen smiled as she joined them in the garden.
"Hi, Helen." Skylar waved again. She was happy to see Helen.
The two ladies have come to matter so much to her, after all, they were her. newly found friends and confidants; also the only people who truly care for her there at Louis's Manor.
"What are you doing out here?" Helen asked the same question as Alice.
"Come, meet my friends." Skylar again introduced Helen to the flowers.
Helen exchanged a look of astonishment with Alice. The two ladies couldn't believe their eyes and eyes but they couldn't doubt it.
Skylar was indeed speaking to flowers.
"Do you think they're beautiful?" Skylar asked expectantly.
"Huh?"
"Yeah." The ladies replied respectively.
"Which is prettier?" Skylar looked from Helen to Alice then back at the flowers.
She loved planting flowers but her parents never allows her. They say it does not work for a lady of high class. Hence, Skylar was excited when the opportunity presented itself right here.
This place was supposed to be a prison but with this, she felt a lot better.
"Huh, I think it's that one!" The ladies pointed at different flowers at once.
Skylar could tell that they were not being honest with their responses. She knew from their responses that they were only trying to please her.
"What happened? Aren't they good?" Skylar looked from each lady to the flowers.
She felt bad.
The flowers were a result of her hard work and she was expecting them to appreciate it wholeheartedly not pretentiously.
"Huh Ma'am, it's beautiful. Trust me." Alice began.
She knew that her response hurt Skylar so she prepared herself for damage control.
Skylar smiled but the light in her face was dim. She was thrilled by the response.
"It's true ma'am, you did a great job." Helen supported but their responses weren't happily received.
"Let's just go back." Skylar turned away with dejection.
She was sad that no one valued her hard work. The ladies felt bad for ruining Skylar's joy but what could they do?
They were surprised to see someone name a flower.
Alice nudged Helen and they both blamed themselves for ruining Skylar's mood only then did Helen remember that she was out there for a reason.
She rushed forward to catch up with Skylar.
"Ma'am."
"Hm?" Skylar replied without looking at her. She had her head hung sadly as she sauntered back to the room.
"Ma'am, your tutor is here."