~CHAPTER 16~
Killer~killer~ killer.
The words spun around my head, haunting me, growing more louder and rapid.
"I wasn't the one who killed"
"But you were the cause."
"Stop. Get out of my head, just go away to wherever you crawled fro...."
"Katya!"
Ouch, I yelped in pain as the knife sliced my middle finger, quickly pulling my hand to my lip to suck on the wound. I looked to my side to see Miss Stella frowning at me but amusement dancing in her eyes.
"I said help me with the veggies, not add more flavor," she said with a smile, walking over to me.
She pushed me over to the sink, turned on the faucet, and made me put my cut underneath.
It had been three days since the incident, and three days since I last saw him – my tormentor.
Yeah, I said it; he was my tormentor, dragging the position with my dead father.
Remembering how he had brought that horrible gift made me want to puke. How heartless could he be to do that to his own man, just to make me break? Or what?
"You should be more careful, I don't want your beautiful skin all injured; your wrist is still healing." Miss Stella said while wrapping a cloth over, which I don't know how she got it so fast, over the cut, closing it.
Beautiful, sureeeeee, Sarcasm.
Miss Stella has been the sweetest to me since that incident. Not long after, I ran into the bathroom to have another episode. Miss Stella came with her shiny armor, saving me before I did something stupid, but since then, I have noticed a sad glint in her eyes every single day, but she tries to mask it every time I'm around.
She left my side and went over to the meal being prepared by her and me, the little assistant. I had become her little assistant, following her everywhere, all while secretly working on my escape plan.
"Pass me the salt, dear," she asked and I quickly walked over and handed it to her.
We were currently making dinner for the huge household. Having stayed here for three days, I learned some things about the place.
Miss Stella is the head maid, and she had only one child, whom she rarely spoke about because she had recently lost them and she's also a widow, which was so sad for a kind lady like her. I respected her deeply as She slowly became my motherly figure.
"Bring over the spice," she requested, making me hurriedly pass it over. I had also discovered that this house – or rather, a mansion which is located in an estate – had five floors, which was huge.
Miss Stella said the main house-This house- was where the boss lived, and the first/top floor was for him and me, which gave me a shock but given my tormentor's nature, I suspected he wanted me close for quick access.
Thinking about him, I realized I didn't even know his name. Looking over at Miss Stella. "Miss Stella," I said, bringing her attention to me.
"Yes, dear?" she replied, looking over at me as I leaned against the counter.
"Um, can I ask some questions?" I couldn't just ask about the evil being's name outright. Miss Stella dropped her cooking spoon and looked at me. "Of course, dear. Go ahead."
Here goes nothing. "I would like to know the name of our boss."
Our boss, I didn't know where that came out but if I had said her Boss, she would have suspected that I wasn't the regular hired maid but a forced servant here and basically his slave. I don't want Miss Stella to have any additional pity she already has for me.
I watched as her eyes darkened, and her usual smile dimmed – a rare expression I hadn't seen before. She took a minute before answering in her calm voice.
"Mr. Salvatore."
Her body language screamed, "Change the topic," and I didn't want to dwell on it. And I had other questions, so I asked them instead.
"How often do staff members leave the estate?" I asked, helping Miss Stella who was now arranging the food on the trolley.
She glanced at me briefly before responding, "When we get a day off. We all have a room here and only go out on a day off." Her words implied that staff members were largely confined in this estate.
And that leads me to, How the hell am I going to leave, when only if it's a day off and considering I'm a different case, how am I going to get a day off?
"So, we can't just leave?" I pushed for more information.
Miss Stella's expression was neutral, but her tone hinted at a warning. "Not without permission, dear." We finished filling the first trolley with the food and I asked my next question, trying to sound nonchalant. "Who do we ask for a day off?"
Miss Stella's eyes snapped to mine, piercing. I bet she is wondering why I was asking about days off when I'd only just started working at the estate.
"You can only get a day off once a month," she said finally, "and only with Mr. Salvatore's personal assistant's approval." Nope, I'm never getting a day off then but I filed away the information, already thinking of my next question.
"How many people live here, just in the main house?" Miss Stella looked at me, like really looked at me with narrow eyes and a hint of suspicion. Damn, Was I being too obvious with my question, or was my questions getting too many?
"At least 50, but that's for another time, dear. Let's take this to the dinner hall." She clearly dismissed my question and began pushing the first trolley. I followed with the second.
We entered the dinner hall and I took in the grandeur of the room. A single dining table dominated the huge space, with - I quickly counted- 20 seats arranged around it, making me wonder about the smaller number of seats and Miss Stella's earlier statement about 50 people living here.
Did the remaining 30 people - at least, according to Miss Stella's count - consist of servants or others that were deemed as less important? This was obviously my first time entering the dining hall.
"Quickly, help arrange them onto the table before they arrive." Some other maids were already present and We began to arrange the meals.
The dinner hall doors pushed open as soon as we were done arranging and I turned to see both men and women walking into the hall.
All the maids, including Miss Stella's head, were down, and they quickly began to leave the hall. I didn't need to be told as I quickly followed them, but before I could pass through the door, someone held my arm.
"You, You're serving" serving? Serving what? can't they serve themselves. Slowly, I looked up to see a very beautiful lady with red hair looking back at me with a sharp gaze.
And at the corner of my eyes, I could see Miss Stella looking at me from the door with a concerned face.
I'm Doomed!