I sighed deeply when I saw the look on Michelle's face that said;
You brought it upon yourself.
"I can't remember you were sentenced to ten years in prison.I can't believe you've changed so much within these few years" I uttered with a certain vulnerability in my voice.
"I would like you to marry me so we can get rid of any suspicion" The lady reply brought a rumbled laughter inside me. "We need to clear Sua's name from the case and you need my help just to do that"
"I don't need your help.I can bury the case with my money"
"It's never going to be easy because Sua's family are never going to back down, we need to fabricate evidence"
"But Sua killed my mom,so why should I stop the investigation"
"That wasn't the whole truth, I saw when it happened,Sua didn't try to kill your mom" She brought out her phone and placed it on the table for a better view of a video.In the video was mum grabbing Sua's hair from behind to expose Sua's neck as mom attached her lips to sua's exposed skin just below sua's ear.It was forceful and brutal.I gasped at the sight of how mom fought to take advantage of Sua, I could feel a stab in my heart,telling me to grow hatred for the one who took care of me as a mom.Her body was placed against Sua and got her pinned up against the wall in mom's room,their lips still attached, but was now at the base,fumbling to turn Sua around with full control. She pulled Sua closer and their lips almost met,but hovered a bit towards Sua's face just to mutter,
"You shouldn't have married my son in the first place"
"I never knew he was your son.Please just stop. I can't give you my heart. We are both women and I despair such romance" Sua's glare was turned away from mum's advancing lips as if she was rejecting mum which angered mum so much that she took the moment to bash her lips against hers like she wanted to flatten them,gripping Sua's hips before holding up her butts.Her head rolled back and forth and I could see Sua struggling to win over mom's mischievousness while clinging to the wall and forcing her lips away from Mom's kiss.
"Why are you doing this" Sua yelled, trembling on the spot before pushing mom aside to take her leave, but she was pulled back by the hair and got captured in mom's strangle, they had a battle to gain rummage for escape. "Please we shouldn't be doing this"
"If I can't have you,then you must die"
"Please" She got hold of a flower vase and bashed it over her target which sent mom to the ground.There was blood shed around,dripping down to her target's jawline, "You shouldn't have continued when i told you to stop"
She snatched some pills from a tub just as she forced them down mom's throat, watching her beg for forgiveness, unable to breathe.Her voice gradually seized and I had to pause the video in order to face Michelle.
"How did you get this video?"
"I was at the scene when it all happened.I filmed it secretly,I know you won't want your mom to be exposed of her deeds" The lady called Agnes kept ranting over the investigation of mom's case which convinced me completely.
"So how does marrying another wife relate to the case? What are your intentions?"
"No one knows how Sua looked like except the bereaved family, so it's your chance to fake everything.Take me as your new wife,so the bereaved family will be blocked from bringing up the case"
"What if they don't back down,who shall take the fall?" I questioned,taking a sip of liquor from the goblet.
"I have a reputation to secure and if the evidence gets aired,my company will have to shut down"
"I promise to take full responsibility of all"
"Why should I trust you?"
"I know you have no choice than to believe me because everything you own are at risk"
"A marriage contract" Michelle suggested. "Let's meet tomorrow, so we can seal the contract" I responded nastily
"Alright" We all dismissed like nothing ever happened.
BRIANN P.O.V
¤THE NEXT DAY¤
I and Mrs Angeles stayed at a hotel for the night,the flight to Ontario was a pain in the ass.We reached our destination by noon which caused us to stay at any hotel nearby.We didn't had the chance to find a home.Falling down from the bed, a sudden knock on the door brought my eyes to open wide while massaging my shoulders.
"Briann!! it's time to wake up, we have to go now" I heard Mrs Angeles voice and she entered,heading straight to the window, "Sleepy head,get up"
My body was slowly responding to reality,groping to stand on my feet before dragging myself out of the room.
"Where do we have to go so early this morning" I asked with lust,not minding if she heard, "I thought today was your off at work"
"There's no time to waste.Mr Mason will be back to Ontario in no time and he must not know i took a leave" she was pacing around just to set all our belongings into a bag.
"Who's Mr Mason? Your boss!??"
"Yes, of course.He is a cold-hearted boss and also hot tempered, I just hope he doesn't find out about you"
"What's do you mean?"
"I'm taking you in as a secret cook and he must never see you in that house or else we are both going to pay with our lives"
"That's scary" I spoke out of surprise and went into the bathroom just to freshen up. "Does he have any sister called Michelle?"
"How did you know?"
"I have no idea, but the name seemed familiar!"
"We need to leave before 7 o'clock"
"I would like to meet your boss" i pulled off my wears,picking a toothbrush and poured paste over. After cleaning all that was necessary.I went under the shower.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
We boarded a cab down to Mrs Angeles workplace with our bags taken along.The journey was boring than ever.
Only the radio was turned on as i could hear them making a broadcast about Damel investment business rates which sounded so much familiar as if I had visited there and they got mentioned of the Founder of the company who turned out to be Mrs Angeles boss,Mr Mason.It was said that his mum was gay before she got poisoned,but most of the news cast seemed to be filled with gibberish rumors that are too impossible to be real.I kept up listening ears,wondering the kind of situation that might befall me when I get into somewhere new.
They spoke a few facts relating to how much Mr Mason lost Just to call off his late wife wedding and the settlement of the bereaved family.This felt like the beginning of my problems,i wish I don't run into him again.
The news was on broadcast from Billboard to billboards,already taking over the city with every rumors on the internet.
My gaze could not escape the shock on people's faces by the roadside, It do seemed that Damel investment was way too popular than I expected,more than a million streams all over Canada and the cab finally got right in front of an unimaginable mansion as gigantic as a skyscraper,structured to be surrounded by tall cherry trees illuminating the sunlight.My jaw dropped,amazed by the way the walkway was made of mable.
"Wow, what's a great view! This is paradise" My voice echoed through the day air-spruce due to the silence that caught the area with loneliness and I alighted from the cab,dawdled about just so I could get a better delight from every angle.Mr Mason must definitely be an old man. Mrs Angeles showed up by my side and we went straight to the doorstep. They had gardeners and maids categorised in most house chores, as they all stared,talking amongst themselves while i went to ring the doorbell.She opened the door cautiously before giving me the look that said;
Follow me.
And i did.There was no one who seemed to be the owner of the house except the maids,new faces everywhere when she took me into the kitchen and turned to face me.
"You shall be working here as a cook and remember...he must never find out"
"I can't do this! What if i cause any problem and you know I'm short-sighted,i shouldn't be the cook, what about being a maid?"
"The doctor already told us that you are better now, so please hide here till I find you a better job,try not to cause any trouble"
"Do you expect me to cook in the most expensive house and burn it down?!" I spoke with great fear.
"I shall find a way to help you out"
"This is worse"
"Mr Mason will be back to Ontario by mid day, so I would like you to prepare something special and more expensive. Here's the list" She said,handing over a menu for Mr Mason weekly meals.By the look of his meal plans,he seemed to be a strict vegetarian which would be difficult for me,but I had no option than to try.
"He hate fish in his soup and prefer ketchup"
"I hope I get it right" I replied, watching her leave.
MASSILO P.O.V
"Ain't you leaving for Ontario?" Michelle's voice interrupted my sweet dream and I rolled tiredly so as to match the direction of the speaker and she was standing next to my bed, folding her arms over her chest.
"you drank yourself till stupor last night.What if you were caught on camera, you should be careful" A pain striked my head when I tried to sit upright and later vanished like an ache,curling up the duvets over my body before I responded, "Who brought me home?"
"Thanks to Ms Agnes,you were brought back home safe"
"My head hurts"
"Breakfast is ready and you're leaving before eight! You have a meeting to attend"
I got up from bed yawning twice before heading for the door as far as i could surg.I went into the living room,scurried down to the dinning.My breakfast was already served on the table.So i took my seat for a quick refreshment and began to eat immediately I drank a bottle of water,it wasn't long enough when I was done.I trudge back to my room so as to freshen up,taking off my clothes along the way. I was on only pants.
The endless ringing of my phone could be heard under the bed and i went over to get it.There was a slight crack over the screen,but that didn't move me and I realised the caller was Agnes Adams.
"Mr Mason, I thought your workers were fired,why are they still hanging around your home"
"Why does Michelle keep going against my words? I want them out immediately" I yelled on the phone and ended the call before she could say another word.Walking into the bathroom,my pants was eventually pulled off and I went under the shower.
BRIANN P.O.V
I squinted at the recipe card held inches from my face,the faint scrawl of handwritten instructions blurring into a mess of loops and lines.The writing had vanished sometime between the frantic name over the spice packet,losing the sight of what i saw and nearly knocked over a pan of boiling water.Now,i stood in the kitchen,determined but slightly disoriented,trying to piece together a meal by memory and instinct.
Short-sighted and clueless of what to do next.I leaned close to the chopping board,inspecting the onions with exaggerated care before beginning to dice.Every so often,i'd pause,holding a jar of herbs up to my nose,relying on scent more than sight.My movements were careful,cautious and measured not just by need, but by the blur of the world around me.
Despite the visual chaos,my intention was clear.I wanted the meal to be good.Not perfect,maybe not pretty, but heartfelt.I tasted as i cooked,adjusting the flavors with slow precision.And though i couldn't quite see the details,but i poured all of myself into the dish.Blurry hands,half-guessing eyes, and a whole heart.But then,Mrs.Angeles rushed in,sweating profusely.
"Briann Briann!!" Her voice was so loud that I almost felt the fear in her.
"You need to leave immediately. Someone is here to look around the house and all the maids were fired. If you are caught,our jobs will be endangered,please leave quick"
"What's about the meal?"
"I shall take care of that, get out now, today isn't the right day to sneak you in"
"What's wrong"
"The Mason family lost a life, and I realised they are on their way.You must be on cover"
"I never wanted to do this in the first place" I smirked warily and stood aside to give Mrs Angeles the chance to go on with the cooking.
"Why did you all stayed when you've been given orders to leave?" I heard a strict voice from the living room, which sounded so bossy as if she owned the house.She must be the sister of the most popular Mason.
"Oh my.....she's here,you have to hide, she's coming into the kitchen" Mrs Angeles pulled me into a small narrow room that looked so much like a store,shutting the door on my face as i could see through the rim of the glass door and a tall lady in suits walked in, she had a narrow look with a mole at the corner of her nose,giving Mrs Angeles a stern look before she uttered out of pride. "Are you the new cook Michelle assigned here?"
"New cook!?" Mrs. Angeles asked.
"Oh, you aren't the new cook, then you must be the head of chef"
"yes ma'am" She bowed so low.
"get back to work" Those glares she displayed and rude expressions triggered my cold sense of anger, thriving for a nonchalant mindset when she wandered about like she noticed something suspicious. "The breakfast settings will definitely change when I come into this house"
"But it was arranged by Ms. Michelle"
"That doesn't matter.The boss meals are meant to be healthy enough.I must make a total change" She walked away,still busy scrutinising everywhere and she left the kitchen just to stroll around the building which she did till it turned twelve at midday.She was eventually heard going to the upper floor which gave me relief and I rushed out quickly, my legs were sore due to so much standing and Mrs Angeles threw a bag of ice cubes to me,giving the look that said; Go now.
I waited for a while,expecting a farewell hug,but she just chased me out with a knife,telling me to wait by the roadside and I didn't hesitate than to leave.I sneaked out of the apartment through the window.
It was silent with no one around while I was being so careful in case I find anyone related to the owner of the house.
When I got to the end of the large walkway,i decided to take a look at the whole building one more time.The double-hung windows beautified the surrounding especially the floor made out of marble stones were used as designed, even the turret was never left out,it was made to be gleamy and I was surprised to see a little golden statue of the Damel investment logo which was positioned over a fountain at the center of the compound.
I gasped,lust in amazement that I didn't notice a sudden car heading towards me from behind,just a blur of motion and the screech of tires slicing through the quiet afternoon.One moment I was stepping off the curb,my thoughts adrift,the next,my body was weightless for a split second before everything crashed into noise, pain, and then silence.
I hit the ground hard, limbs sprawled,my chest rising in shallow,uneven breaths.A small trickle of blood crept from my temple, trailing into my hair like a red thread.My face was pale,slack,eyes shut tight as if still caught in the moment of impact. Around me,Mrs Angeles shouted.
"Briann!" Distant and muffled as if underwater,her panic unable to stir me.I laid still as the world blurred around me and the car halted, phone dialing as a tall guy squatted beside me.I was quiet and became fragile in a way i had never been before,caught in the stillness that followed sudden unawareness.