Octber, 2022
"You're the most arrogant, selfish, and immoral human I have ever met." The maid spat in utter hatred glinting in her eyes. Her breathing was still ragged, her uniform disheveled and torn until her skin was exposed too much for someone's eyes to feast.
"I've met so many women who played hard to get but they bent their knees at the sight of these." He said in a condescending tone, confident that she will be another typical woman.
Money flew in slow motion between them. It came in endless rain like petals coming from a tree in spring. But it didn't obstruct the view of the maid who was glaring passionately at the man who showered the whole place with money bills.
Those were enough to buy one's soul and even the devil can't afford such an amount just to avail one sole person who wasn't even a bit amused at the sight of crisp bills dancing, twirling beautifully and swaying down one by one to her feet.
Nefer regarded the money landing where she stood with disgust as if those insulted her very presence in the room.
"Take it and you don't have to work all your life," Gaston smirked darkly, confidently staring down at her.
"While I can't change who you are because the darkness of this world has already seeped deep into your skin, know this, master Gaston, that I am no other woman you can easily bed with just because of poverty." Nefer gestured to the heap of money before her. "Don't you dare insult my honor and my morality with mere papers."
Nefer turned away from him, too angry to even contain herself before him. She was afraid that her temperance might lead her to do something terrible to a man who was just supporting himself with a cane.
"You stupid fool! This will save you from living in a slum! Honor? Ha! As if it can feed you and the people who depend on you!" Gaston finally lost his cool, hitting his cane hard to the floor.
To Nefer, honorable living was always her family's way of life. It was in fact the only reason why she lost her real family in a disaster that still pained her even though years had passed.
Nefer abandoned exiting that huge room of the master as she bent down to the floor, scooping as much many as she can. She saw the victorious look on Gaston's face as she intentionally met his eyes. Without many words, she walked towards the direction of the chimney and threw everything in there.
It was quick and easy.
The fire consumed everything she had thrown and turned every bill into a worthless ashes. It took her three times before she got rid most of the money before she looked him in the eyes again.
"There. I cleaned your room for the last time. I will show myself out, master Gaston. Hope you live your life more honorably rather than shame people who truly have it." Nefer said, despite the fact that he appeared to be of no need of her unsolicited advice.
"Come back here this instant, Nefertiti." Came a firm command from Gaston but Nefer didn't listen to him for the first time and slammed the door hard of his room.
With determined steps, Nefer walked the dark and dreary hallway where curtains were never drawn to let the sun shine it. It was almost like a haunted mansion where no one wants to live. She served the only master in the house for months and tolerated his temper and outburst.
But when he dared to cross the boundary just a moment ago, she had enough. Now, as she passed by the door where the butler waited in bowed head, Nefer stepped out the large door.
"Perhaps you want to leave at the break of light tomorrow, Nefer. It will be safer." The butler suggested.
"You can't stop me from leaving, Hector." She said.
"I am not allowed to give you a carriage to take you down the mountain, Nefer. It's order from the master."
"I am not surprise. But it won't still stop me."
"The road is dangerous at this hour, Nefer. You know that more than anyone else." The butler said in a grim expression. "I know this is just an attempt to stop you from leaving but please, listen to this old man's wish."
"I can't stay much longer here when I am this livid. I might end up killing the master in his bed." Nefer said, turning away from the butler. She made determined steps away from the door. But before she could even walk past the huge fountain at the center, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her back inside the house.
"Master Gaston!" came the startled exclaim of butler Hector as he hurriedly stepped down the stairs.
Nefertiti regarded Gaston with wide eyes, too stunned to react immediately. He moved rather fast for someone supporting himself with a cane.
"Stay for the night. It will be stupid to go out there." Gaston drawled an angry expression.
Nefer regained herself and removed his grip from her arm. " Consider me resigned from my job. Expect my replacement tomorrow and you don't have to worry about your daily routines."
"Who gives a f*ck on that?! I am telling you to stay for the night and not force your stubbornness!"
"I can take care of myself," Nefer said.
"Fine. What I did is stupid. I'm sorry. Can we leave it at that?" He said in quiet desperation marring with other emotions running down his face. He had his other hand supporting himself heavily with his cane.
Nefertiti knew that he can't stay standing for too long since his knees would ache. She had furrowed brows on her face when he tried to reach for her arm again and that was when she literally ran closer to his direction along with Hector upon realizing that the master Gaston was falling to the ground.
Hector tried to stay a little closer behind Gaston when Nefer already supported the master. He looked at the master who hugged Nefer now and murmured something under his breath into Nefer's ear.
"You're my world now. Don't leave me like that."
Having heard it from Gaston with sincerity he never showed before, Nefertiti's heart started to race as her eyes glinted differently as his heat met with her. In a subtle way, she was panicking upon realizing how something unexpected thing happened under the moonlight. In him, in whom who had a disturbing background as a gang lord and a violent reputation for a human, Nefertiti had imprinted into him as a mate.
Gaston suddenly became her mate!