Strawberry Island
A red sports car zoomed into the entrance gate of a manor on Strawberry Island—The Ambry's. An opulent manor adorned with a variety of flowers and precious stones of all kinds, adding fragrance to its surroundings. The manor itself was neatly tidied up with the help of the employed staff in charge of household duties.
Zakira got out of the car with the help of Dimitri, who was both efficient and diligent in his duties. Finally, she was home at long last. Gazing at the magnificent manor, Zakira felt a tinge of sadness, the feeling of guilt clouding her sense of reasoning. Not much had changed. Everything regarding the manor was retained and placed in its usual spot. Flawless as ever, the outstanding look of the manor was unmatched. Her father, a very detail-oriented man, appreciated having his things kept in accordance with the memory of his late wife, Claudia Stark—the love of his life. It was a pity. Her demise had been a devastating blow to Thomas Ambry.
Lana Butch, impressed with today's atmosphere, stepped out to enjoy the cool breeze, which was breathtaking. To her dismay, she was stunned to see everyone outside. In their numbers, they stood awaiting the young Miss, who had been away for such a long time.
Neatly dressed in their immaculate uniforms, pretentious smiles played across their faces as they gossiped in low tones. They put on a show to impress the young Miss, but it was barely from their hearts.
Lana was about to interrogate the staff when she spotted the red Acura parked in the manor's lot. However, what truly exasperated her was Dimitri—ever loyal, guarding and following behind Zakira like a slave boy attending to his mistress.
"Why is he so loyal? I wonder… Is it just me seeing things, or maybe I'm just overthinking? Of course, it wouldn't be…"
"Lana, calm down," she muttered to herself, composing her expression into a subtle smile as she threw a glance at Zakira, who was making her way to the manor. She approached the crowd like a goddess, her flawless smile unshaken.
"Finally, at long last, that spoiled brat thought it wise to return home," Caroline spoke in a more bracing tone, seemingly agitated by Zakira's behavior.
"Hush," Butler Daniel shushed her.
"Do you want to get us into trouble?" the security guard inquired. He was sure enough that he cared only for himself—he couldn't afford to lose his job over someone else's mistake.
Doris also joined in the welcome ceremony, though it came as an impromptu event for her. Being newly employed, she had a lot to learn, such as the manor's Rules and Regulations. As the replacement for the former head chef, she performed her duties diligently, speaking less and observing more, which made her more favored than the others—creating a rift between them and her. She distanced herself to avoid any future conflicts.
Quietly, she stood, pretending to be distracted by something while attentively listening to their every detailed chit-chat. From her observations, she noticed that none of them truly liked the young Miss. In their eyes, she was nothing but a spoiled child.
Doris's frown deepened. She didn't appreciate their judgment one bit.
"How could they be so sure? Judging her from afar without even getting close to know her personality…"
Unknown to her, Lana was glaring intently at her. She was sure that the new maid was a killjoy.
Meanwhile…
Olsen arrived twenty minutes later than the initial time he had promised to pick Tania up. She was on the verge of losing her cool after waiting for what seemed like forever.
A sleek black Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of Tania at the given address she had sent to Olsen—opposite a canteen beneath a canopy tree. Tired of waiting, she had decided to rest for a while, skimming through her phone to find something captivating online to keep her busy.
Totally engrossed, she failed to hear the hum of the car.
Olsen stepped out almost immediately.
"Get in," he ordered, not sparing her a glance.
Tania, her head half-bent in concentration, with a few strands of hair stuck to her forehead, quivered at the sudden coarse voice. Startled, she couldn't help but pat her thumping chest.
Lost for words, she remained perplexed.
"Why is he acting up? I'm the one who should be aggrieved, not him! I waited all day for him, abandoning my job, just to be treated like some kind of joke?"
Olsen had taken only two steps away from his car when he realized Tania wasn't behind him. Looking back, he found no trace of her.
"What on earth?" he exclaimed, fully enraged.
Tania was still in a daze when his sharp voice rang out again.
"Are you deaf or something? Didn't I just tell you to get in the car?"
"That's it!" Tania retorted harshly, getting up from where she sat, unable to suppress her anger.
"Mr. Olsen Richard, I have had it up to here!" She demonstrated with her hand, running it across her throat in a cut sign.
"How dare you? The audacity! What gives you the right to talk to me in such a manner? Yeah, right—I get it. Even if my family owes you a huge debt, does that mean you should vent your frustration on me? I'm just a victim, paying the price for something I know nothing about!"
"I'm sorry."
Those words came out of the blue. He wasn't used to saying those simple words to people—certainly not just anyone.
"I have a lot going through my mind. I'm sorry once again if I overreacted."
With that, they both got into the sleek car. The engine hummed to life as Olsen played a soft tune through the dashboard, which did justice to the prolonged silence.
Olsen was driving today. Tania indulged herself in the music playing. It took all her self-control not to fling herself out of her seat—the beats were truly a key motivation. Olsen, busy with the steering wheel, caught sight of her from the corners of his eyes. She was shaking her head side to side, waving in rhythm with the song.
Amused, he stared.
"I never knew you were a fan of music. Can you also dance?"
Tania chuckled silently, realizing she had been caught.
"There are so many things you don't know about me."
Her words piqued his interest.
"What else am I unaware of?"