As the next day dawned, there was silence and smell of chill in the atmosphere. It seemed as if even the universe mimicked the tension already felt in the house. Very early that morning, Zoey woke to staring into the note Alex left for her it had been put under her pillow: a slight act of kindness in a world set to break her into pieces. But she knew it better; she avoided it. The kindness is temporary, could very well be dangled like bait in a position like just she was.
________________________________________
The Unspoken Rift A calm and quiet breakfast. Mr. Sinclair was busy with the morning newspaper, while Mrs. Sinclair directed her normal cold glare towards Zoey, as if her very existence was an offense.
Not so with Lily and Alex, though. Lily stabbed her eggs viciously with a fork, her lips a straight white line. Alex would not lift his eyes from his stare of concentration on his coffee. Tension hung thick and heavy around them, and from that, it felt pretty much like the invisible thread that tied them apart to Zoey.
Later on, after breakfast, Lily trapped Zoey in the hallway.
"Whatever's happening between you and Alex:" her hissing voice went on. She glared with furious eyes. "But if you think you can come into this house and-"
"I'm not doing anything," interrupted Zoey in a calm voice as the storm within her gathered strength. She added, "I just happen to work here, Miss Lily. Just something more."
"Good. Because if I even suspect you're stepping out of line, you'd hate yourself for it." With that, Lily just cast her off. Zoey nodded with her head down, but her brain whirred; she really needed to be careful-this time more than ever.
Contracts To Security That evening, Mr. Sinclair sent for Zoey into the study. Dimly lit in the smell of leather and cigar, the air dense with aroma. Zoey added as sparse as she could on the door, clasping hands in front of her. "You know," he started in his measured tone, "I have heard a lot of good things about your work. You really have proven yourself reliable, at least more so than some of the staff in this place."
Zoey stood dumbfounded, at sea with what was happening.
"I have something for you," goes further. "Well, I have an important event coming up, and I want to have somebody trustworthy with whom to share the arrangements for it. Therefore, I want to assure you-that it is going to be a very big opportunity that would eventually lead towards something better for you."
She was puzzled. "What exactly is that, sir? An event?"
"A business gala," he said. "You will be working very closely with the family and particularly with Alex. He is the one supervising the guest list and the remaining arrangements."
Zoey's heart sank. That was the last thing she needed right now, having to work so closely with Alex. But then again, there wasn't any way she could say no to Mr. Sinclair.
"I will do my best, sir," she said, her voice completely steady.
He nodded, with a slight smile at the corners of his mouth. "Good. I expect nothing less."
__________________________________________
Worlds Colliding
The days leading up to the gala spun madly around Zoey. Organizing paperwork while bearing with Lily's incessant whining. At the moment, Alex-the immobile figure, standing solidly out of the surrounding chaos.
For all that, though, Zoey couldn't deny that this attraction was really growing in her. It was certainly not a kindness, but because he largely viewed her as a person, not as servants. But then, she knew better than to let those stir.
One afternoon, sitting in an unfinished seating arrangement, Alex leaned into her and said softly, "How are you doing with this so far?"
Zoey looked around and made sure no one was eavesdropping. "I'm good."
"You don't have to pretend with me," he added, seeker eyes with hers.
But before she could think of a response, the door burst open and Lily stormed into the room.
"What is going on here?" she questioned at that time, glaring at them.
"What?" said Zoey, quickly backing away.
But Lily wasn't convinced. She flounced over to Alex and said with acid in her voice: "You're spending a lot of time with her. People might get the wrong idea."
"Then maybe people should mind their own business," was Alex's iceberg-cold reply.
Flamed hot but didn't say anything, but whipped around and stormed off the room-stage, slamming the door behind her.
Zoey breathed out shakily, her nerves reaching the end of the rope. "This isn't going to end well," she managed to mutter.
"Maybe not," Alex replied, casting a look at her, with an unreadable expression on his face. "But some things are worth taking a risk for."
________________________________________
A Glimpse of Trouble
The night of the gala had come, and the mansion was hence an opulent-glistering night. Zoey danced with the sliding mass of people, ensuring that everything was, quite literally, right on schedule. She was dressed more formally than usual-a simple black dress that almost made her look like a guest.
But she always felt as though someone was watching her until the night dragged on. Just every time she turned her head back, she found Lily's scrutinizing gaze, a combo of suspicion and compulsion painted on that face.
Clearly, Lily was not going to leave it at that.