"H-Huh? Are you sure, Mother Sharn?" I stammered, trying to recover from that light shock.
"Yes! You're assigned to clean the 2nd floor, including the master's room," she affirmed, her decision already made.
"I-I can't refuse?" I asked, still filled with doubt.
"Yes! You can't! I'll tell Raze to record your fingerprint, use voice recognition, and set up a face scanner. You'll need those to enter his room. You can't say no to me, okay!" she continued firmly, closing the topic.
I didn't want to ask her anymore or try to convince her. I knew I could do nothing since I was just a newbie here.
"HE IS THE BOSS?" I chimed in, shocked.
"Yes! He is señorito Pryce Raze Coleman. He's been one of the top business tycoons since 2016," she introduced, smiling proudly.
I wanted to answer, "Yes! I know, and he's the most ungentlemanly man in the whole wide world," but I couldn't. I couldn't tell her that we had already met, and it was a bad first meeting.
I secretly rolled my eyes as I remembered what happened yesterday. That was kind of embarrassing. SUPER!
"He works hard to have more than enough, but there's no real satisfaction," she added, sighing.
What's wrong? He is not contented with his property? Damn!
He's lucky to have everything, though, but I don't know the real story. I can't judge.
"What do you mean, Mother Sharn?" I asked while looking at his portrait. He was a real masterpiece.
His portraits were so cool; I'd make him one if we became friends, but that sounded impossible.
"Time will answer your questions. You'll see, just wait," she replied. What?
"Should I ask that to the elegant wall clock?" I joked, noticing how serious she was.
She shrugged.
"Give it a try, and I'll send you to the mental hospital right away," she said, chuckling. Finally, I heard a sweet chuckle today.
I missed Stacey, Toby, and the rest of the family.
"I'm just kidding, Mother," I laughed, seeing her smiling. I loved seeing that over and over again because seeing everyone around me smiling made me very happy, especially if I was the reason behind their beautiful smile.
"I know, he needs you," she whispered.
"Huh?" I asked curiously.
Did I hear it right? Why? Why would he need me?
Conscience: He needs you to clean the house, maybe to cook also, to feed his pets, to clean the pool, to clean the car, to water the plants and to--
Lorence: STOP ITTTT!
Conscience: In short, he needs you because you're a maid.
Aish! That thought was so stressful.
END OF THE FLASHBACK
"Everything is easy here; all you need to do is follow the master, señorito Raze, and work under my guidance. If you need something, don't be shy to approach me or the others. Okay?" she stated.
She was really qualified to be a butler. Maybe at the age of 40, I could be a butler too, but HELL! I really wanted to be an animator and not just a maid for a lifetime.
I couldn't let the years I spent studying go to waste.
We roamed around, surveying everything. It took hours to walk to the first spot since the place was as huge and amazing as my brain. Just kidding!
I swear, this place is pretty awesome as well as very peaceful.
It felt like I was living in heaven, listening to the birds singing, watching the plants dance, and feeling the wind as the best music.
Everything here was set up perfectly and nicely, but I didn't know about the señorito.
"Good morning, señorito," I heard the group of maids greet him, bowing as they did.
Was he a god? Or were they performing as if they were on stage? Ah! He's a judge.
They don't need to bow for me, at least.
"Hurry, you need to meet him now," Mother Sharn suddenly sounded excited, giggling like a kid.
"What? Do I?" I asked nervously.
Help! I'm not ready yet.
"A-ah! I think I need to pee," I blurted out, just wanting to get out of his way for today.
"What? Come on, hold it until I'm done introducing you to him," she said with authority. Is she the boss too?
"Please, I can introduce myself anytime since I work here," I protested.
"Ok—" She was cut off by a question.
Honestly, my heart really went "ops."
"She's the new servant??" That's Raze.
I looked sideways as if I was checking something.
How could I forget that shameful first meeting? How?
I was in front of him, but I didn't have enough strength to explain, at least to clear my name.
Damn!
"Yes! She's Loren—" He cut her sentence off again. That's rude, dude!
"I'm asking her, Masha," he said, grinning.
Masha? That's kind of funny... Why Masha?
I slapped my forehead gently because of the thought.
"Good morning, señorito," I forced myself to greet, which I must, so I gave him a wide, awkward, fake smile.
"Hmm, chump! Are you the new HELPER?" he really emphasized the word "helper."
Tsk! If he hadn't rejected my forms, I may not have ended up as a helper as planned.
My mind ranted for some unacceptable reasons.
"I am!" I answered proudly.
I needed to show him that I didn't regret it. I wouldn't allow my pride to be hurt.
"See! Masha, can you please tell Randy to finish cleaning my car," he commanded.
Mother Sharn nodded and bowed, smiling at me before leaving.
I was in front of a creepy billionaire.
"What?" I asked as if he were just an ordinary man.
"Don't give me that damn attitude of yours!" he snapped.
Ouch! I tried to stay cool as we both exchanged stares.
"Ahem," I cleared my throat and looked away. I couldn't take it.
He is so handsome. That's bad, Lorence.
"Do you need something, sir?" I asked formally.
"Yes! Wait for the moment," he said.
"Okay," I replied.
He grabbed his phone from his pocket and dialed something.
"Royce? I can't check the company today. I have unfinished business here, so I assign you to check the new products. You know the proper thing to do. Bye!"
Talking about business? Why was he so cool?
His business attire really suited him. Was he a fallen angel? But he was an ungentle man, obviously not an angel in attitude, I guessed.
"Okay? Who are you again?" he asked, furrowing his brows.
"Uh, I'm Lorence Catherine Celo, señorito! I am the new helper. Twenty-three years old and always available for you, sir," I replied, noticing the rise of his right brow. He looked like a hot chick.
"I mean, sir, I'm always available for you if you need something, since you're the master," I replied, faking a laugh.
"Tsk! Since you're ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR ME! I need you to do all the house chores today. ALONE!" My eyes widened, and even my lips couldn't move for rebuttals.
Guys, tell me, he's just kidding me, right? House chores? Why alone? I might go crazy and die.
"Pardon, sir," I said, desperately needing clarification.
"I won't repeat it again!" Why was he so snobbish? I hated him!
"ANNOUNCEMENT! Announcement! Everyone except this brave girl in front of me may rest the whole day; you all can go somewhere if you want," he announced through the small black remote-like device, his voice echoing all around as if there were speakers everywhere.
I felt like I was frozen.
"…Seriously?" I couldn't believe it. I didn't think I could do it.
"I'm not playing around," he clarified.
Did I deserve this kind of punishment?
"Really? Is this your revenge? Am I right?" I talked back, though I knew it wasn't wise.
I held back my irritation because he was the boss, but was this treatment fair? Damn!
"Why should I? Come on, do your job. I'm here to witness if you really deserve the job!" Was he insulting me?
This felt like revenge.
He left me, again!
"I hate you!" I yelled out of irritation.
I entered the mansion, hating to see the other maids smiling at me as if I were their hero for saving them a day.
I really wanted to cry. I knew my life here would be messed up because of that handsome, ungentlemanly Lucifer.
What should I do first? Should I cook? Sweep and mop the floor? He's a billionaire; he must have a vacuum for sure.
Hell! How could I do all the house chores?
Mother Sharn suddenly appeared and looked saddened by the master's announcement.
She gave me my uniform and said that I must cook first since the chef was also taking his rest.
I couldn't believe this was happening on my first day.
I had to cook a main dish, so I decided to make something easier to prepare. I settled on tuna, and I made tuna nuggets, tuna belly, and tuna balls.
I hoped he wouldn't complain.
After that, I cleaned the house, starting at the top floor of the mansion. It took hours to finish vacuuming.
My back hurt, my legs ached from all the walking back and forth, and my shoulders were sore.
"I'm really sweaty, haggard, and really tired."
"It's already 11am and here I am, trimming some plants."
"I'm tired!" I complained, just talking to myself.
I sat on the ground, feeling like I had lost all of my stored energy.
I wiped my sweat using my maroon headband, though it looked more like an eye mask. Rich sometimes had a weird taste in things.
"Here!" a guard handed me a bottle of water.
Is he Felix? I forget. It's hard to memorize all the names easily.
"Are you sure you didn't put something like poison?" I joked and laughed, trying to lighten the mood.
"Thank you," I added as I took the mineral bottle from his hand.
"He asked me to," he replied before leaving.
Huh? What's the meaning of that?
Oh?
I see! I noticed Raze watching from afar.
He really wastes his time just to witness me suffering? He's a crazy billionaire.
I empty the bottle of water and clean the ground.
I'm not a landscaper but here I am. I can really do nothing against him.
"Lorence, Señorito told me that you should come inside. ASAP!" another guard approached me.
"R-really? Wow! Thank God, I can rest!" I exclaimed happily and gathered all the gardening tools.
"Sebastian, please put back all the tools in their proper area," he commanded, gesturing towards the tools I was holding.
I sighed with relief as Sebastian gathered the tools.
"Can I rest?" I asked, trying to sound pitiful.
"No! Masha told me that she assigned you to clean the 2nd floor, including my room. Am I right?" he informed me, his hands in his pockets.
Is that his habit?
"Yes, Ra- ah! Señorito." Aish! I hate calling him señorito because Lucifer--Uh! I mean Raze suits him well.
"Follow me, I'll register you with security so you can access the system." What? I don't get it.
Do I really have to? That's his room, right, and his privacy as well. Does he trust me? That's kind of fast, though.
He guides the way while I follow him silently, feeling a bit nervous without knowing why. Is it just palpitations? I didn't drink coffee this morning, so I could avoid this crazy feeling.
Conscience: Are you in love?
Lorence's mind: Hell! NO!
He's busy at the computer, working on something.
He scans my face with the face scanner and records me saying "Señorito is handsome." He made me say that and then replied, "I know, thank you!" I can't help but laugh at his antics.
I can't believe it; he commanded me to say those words, and then he responded as if I had meant them seriously. He's unpredictable.
"A-ah!" I stop laughing when he holds my hand and gazes into my eyes. It's like there's electricity flowing between us. It's strange, and I can't quite understand it.
"What?" I ask, a bit taken aback.
"Fingerprint," he says, guiding my thumb to the fingerprint scanner.
"We're done now."
"We haven't even started," I retort.
"Tsk! Do your job!" he snaps, clearly irritated.
"As what? As your wife? That's a great job according to my mother," I joke, laughing at the furrowed brows he shoots my way.
"Why? Don't look at me like that, Raze. I'm just kidding, and your stare is deadly," I admit, chuckling before leaving him behind.
"Don't call me Raze."
"Raze! Raze! RAZE!" I say repeatedly, teasing him relentlessly.
"I said DON'T!"
"RAZEEEE! You're Raze, and I must call you that," I reply, arching my right brow defiantly.
"CHUMP!" he yells, clearly annoyed.
He deserves it, right?
"I'm Lorence, in case you didn't know. RAZE!" I utter, just to annoy him further.
I keep calling him by his name repeatedly before darting away.
I feed his 6 huskies and 5 ragdoll cats.
Kyaaaahhhhhh~ I want to stay with them.
The ragdolls are lovely, with their beautiful eyes, and the huskies are very friendly.
"That's Cally," suddenly there's a voice from behind.
It's Raze, and he's referring to the cat in my lap.
"Can you cook tuna nuggets again?" he asks.
"Are we friends?" I inquire.
"Why? Can't we be more than that?" he replies seriously, and my heart thumps like crazy.