CHAPTER NINE
As the aroma of the creamy pasta wafted through the air, a smile played on his lips as he unveiled the delectable dish. "Nice," he murmured, chopsticks in hand, ready to savor the flavorful delight.
Meanwhile, Aurora found herself in a moment of vulnerability, her eyes welled up, and she couldn't contain the repetitive motion of wiping away the tears. Beside her, Nicki, the head maid, observed in silence, uncertainty etched on her face.
Breaking the heavy quietude, Nicki's impatience surfaced as she probed Aurora about the cause of her sudden emotional outpouring. They sat amidst the tranquility of the flower garden, a customary nightly retreat from their bustling responsibilities.
"I think I am doomed," Aurora confessed in a hushed tone, her fingers delicately tracing the soreness on her left cheek. The pain was palpable, a physical manifestation of the emotional turmoil within. The mention of "Ma Alabama" hung ominously in the air, a foreboding presence that spelled trouble for Aurora, intensifying the weight of her whispered revelation.
Nicki's eyes widened in disbelief as she processed the revelation. "What! I mean, did you do anything to her or say anything to her?" The shock in Nicki's voice mirrored the incredulity etched across her face. Meanwhile, Aurora, visibly distressed, sniffed and wiped her nose, a vulnerability laid bare.
Aurora, looking down at herself, sought some understanding. "No," she explained with a hint of frustration, "she saw me leaving her brother's room and ordered me to stop going there. I mean, what is wrong with me being Sir Richmond's Maid?" The question lingered in the air, an inquiry into the injustice of societal perceptions.
Nicki, sensing the turmoil in Aurora, offered a comforting touch, rubbing her shoulders. "She is just feeling insecure," Nicki reassured, her voice softening with empathy, "that her brother might fall for you."
It was a simple analysis, an attempt to make sense of the complex web of emotions that had woven itself into their lives.
Aurora, however, scoffed in response, her eyes revealing traces of both hurt and defiance, as she continued to wipe away the evidence of tears.
Aurora's voice cut through the tension, a rasp of frustration echoing in the room as she stood, anger etched across her face.
"Can you all just stop making assumptions, please? I don't want to get into trouble," she declared, the plea laced with a sense of weariness.
Nicki, attempting to intervene, called out desperately, "Aurora! Hold on!" But Aurora, already walking away, paid no heed, leaving Nicki with a sigh of resignation.
"Why is everything suddenly turning around?" Nicki muttered, a rhetorical question hanging in the air as she shook her head, grappling with the unforeseen twists of the unfolding drama.
Meanwhile, in another part of the story, Alabama stormed into her room, a tempest of fury evident in the way she stomped her feet angrily on the floor.
"I can't believe these! My blood brother sent me out of his room? Because of that lowlife?" Alabama snarled, her disbelief palpable, as her two personal maids watched in silent bewilderment.
"You are the only daughter of the Herdon family, my lady, and you can do anything you like to Aurora. I pledge my loyalty," one of the maids reassured, attempting to console Alabama. She stared at them, a smirk playing on her lips, a spark of determination in her eyes.
In the intricate web of relationships and conflicts, emotions surged and alliances shifted, weaving a tale of unexpected turns and the complexities of familial bonds.
In the dimly lit room, the atmosphere hung heavy in a palpable tension. Alabama, her resolve unyielding, spoke with a quiet determination, "I won't let that lowlife trample on my family, especially my brother. Her name alone could tarnish our family's reputation. She is doomed."
Kina, standing by her side, echoed the sentiment, "I'm in too, miss." Alabama, feeling a weight lifted, breathed out, rubbing her palms slowly, a gesture of newfound assurance.
With a wry smirk, Alabama seized the moment, "Then I have a job for you two." The air thickened with anticipation as she laid out the plan.
Meanwhile, in another part of the house, Aurora, teary-eyed, repeated the motion of wiping her eyes before mustering the strength to enter Richmond's room. Her purpose was simple – to retrieve his dishes.
As she stepped into the room, she found Richmond, still seated, having just finished his meal. He looked up, a hint of surprise in his voice, "You are here?" Aurora, undeterred, nodded silently, acknowledging her presence with a respectful bow. The unspoken tension between them lingered, setting the stage for what lay ahead.
As the recollection of Alabama's words surged through her, an abrupt shiver coursed down her spine, an involuntary reaction that hinted at an unsettling revelation.
The discomfort etched across her cheeks intensified, manifesting as an acute throbbing sensation.
In response to Richmond's probing gaze, she uttered a simple affirmation, "Yes," and swiftly immersed herself in the task of organizing the dishes. Her movements betrayed an urgency, a palpable haste that permeated each action.
Richmond, observant and concerned, detected a furrow forming on his brow the moment his eyes caught sight of her aching left cheek. Reacting instinctively, he reached out and firmly clasped her arm, a silent gesture that sought to unravel the enigma etched upon her countenance.
Richmond's inquiry sliced through the air, draped in a husky timbre that mirrored both concern and suspicion. His scrutinizing gaze homed in on her reddened eyes and flushed cheeks, the subtle aftermath of an emotional storm.
The telltale imprint of a hand adorned her skin, a silent testimony to a tumultuous encounter. Aurora, grappling with a cascade of conflicting emotions, averted her gaze and gingerly shook her eyes, lips tightly pressed together in a palpable unease.
In the wake of her hesitant response, Richmond's frown etched deeper lines upon his forehead, a manifestation of the growing disquiet within him.
Unyielding in his pursuit of understanding, he pressed further, his voice edged with a mix of compassion and urgency, "I... Did anyone inflict harm upon you?"