THE FIANCÉE

You wouldn't compare an apple to an orange, so why are you comparing yourself to someone else, babe?

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CHAPTER XX

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THE CUT THAT I had acquired was deeper than I had thought which led to a larger, much more bulky plaster since I kept bleeding through the smaller ones.

It was also wide - too wide for the all the plasters in the box - so Anna ended up having to place some medical cotton onto it and then wrapping it up with gauze.

I hated it, but I really couldn't complain because it was my fault. Lola threatened me with a knife, yes, but nobody asked me to grab the blade of the knife and cut myself just to try and scare her.

If that didn't shout stupid, I had no idea what did.

I was just glad that it wasn't deep enough to leave a permenant, nasty scare. It hurt like a bitch, though. I couldn't use the hand properly for the first day I acquired the cut. Luckily, La Bruja had one of her days off on Monday, so Anna-Maria covered for me.

Tuesday, though, there was no hiding it, so I worked through the pain with minimal complaints.

A part of me was beginning to feel like, perhaps, I was having a good week because Tuesday, I was only on laundry duty and through the piles and piles of laundry that I had to do nothing needed to be hand washed and only three garments needed to be presoaked.

I realised that 'good week' and 'luck' didn't run in my vocabulary, though when Wednesday arrived.

No later than ten o'clock in the morning, I found myself and the rest of the other maids who weren't off waiting in an orderly line at the door to greet Daniel's guests; his father and his fiancée.

I didn't know how to feel about her. The past few days, I had forced myself not to think about her. Whenever I found my mind wondering off into her direction, I always pressed my thumb into my injured palm painfully before going back to my task.

It was effective, but never lasted long so that explained why the area around my wound ached whenever I flexed my hand.

I really didn't want to meet her. I didn't want to see the woman that had successfully won over Daniel's 'loyalty' and made him like her so much, he gave her his word to marry her. I knew that setting my eyes on that woman would be an instant reflection of every good thing that he wanted, but I failed to be.

But through those negative feelings, I still wanted to meet her as well. I wanted to look into her eyes and figure out what flaws she may have had that made Daniel want to cheat on her with me.

Not that cheating was excusable in any way. There was just a deep rooted anticipation settled in my stomach and a nagging curiosity that could only be satisfied with laying eyes on her. I knew that if something was to suddenly come up and I wouldn't end up seeing her, I would feel like I was duped.

Suddenly, the front door flew open, snapping me out of my rapid thoughts and making me focus on whoever was stepping in.

The first to come inside was the driver. He had two suitcases in his hand and he wheeled it to the side of the door before making room for a security guard with two suitcases as well to come in. He copied the drivers actions and then stepped aside just as a familiar figure let himself in.

He hadn't changed a bit in two years. His grey hair was still grey and his vibrant brown eyes were still brown. His face didn't seem to have anymore wrinkles than it had two years and through his age, his jawline was still sharp.

Lucien towered over many all with height, intimidation and just plain status. That's why when his eyes met mine, I instantly looked down at my feet.

It wasn't a rule to not look any of the top dogs in the eyes, but I felt like it should've been. For my protection. Not anyone else's.

The sound of heels on wood filled the silence and before I could stop myself, I was looking at the woman who had just stepped in through the open door into the house.

I regretted it almost instantly because she was drop-dead-gorgeous. There was no doubt that she was Daniel's fiancée. There wasn't anybody else who was more suited.

She had fiery red hair that was curled to perfection and reminded me of a women I knew a while back and wide brown eyes. Her nose was small and button like and her lips were pink and full while a white, designer women's suit adorned her body.

The pants were high-waisted and flared down to her ankle and the suit jacket only had one button, revealing her stomach and chest and only covering her breasts. She wore black six inch stilettos and had a simple, silver chain around her neck which complimented her skin.

I was jealous of her looks, her sense in fashion and her money. All I wanted to do was run and hideaway so no one could see the failure of a person I was. In that moment, I felt that the most expensive thing on my was the bloody bandage around my hand.

I joined the other maids in bowing and giving them both my greetings before walking away to the kitchen to continue with the cooking. I wasn't completely sure of the details, but I knew that they were going to meet Daniel and Emma for a bit before they all came down to dinner which I was going to assist in serving.

I focused all my attention on my cooking because I knew if I didn't keep myself busy, I would start shining a light onto my flaws instead.

And my stew would burn.

***

I walked out of the kitchen at six pm sharp with two trays of steaming hot food in my hands. I made sure to take cautious steps because spilling food all over myself would not be a good thing.

Both for my looks and for my pain tolerance.

Along with the other maids, I placed the silver trays on the table before grading back to the kitchen to get the jar of water on the counter.

Suddenly I felt someone place their hand on my arm and I whipped around to see Anna-Maria by my side.

“Will you be okay, Ara?”

“It's just a jug of water. Why wouldn't I be okay?” I asked, turning around to meet the pointed look she was giving me.

“You know that's not what I mean.”

Did I?

I looked at her with furrowed brows before looking out the kitchen into the dining room. Lucien and Daniel were just beginning to sit themselves at the dining table with his fiancée and Emma tagging close behind them.

“I'm okay, Anna,” I said, rolling my eyes when I realised what she was implying. “He fucked me and said it was nothing. Not kill my grandpa. Give the guy a break.”

“I know you,” she said as she continued to glare at an oblivious Daniel from the kitchen. “Sometimes you take these things to heart and whatever you're thinking this situation makes you is not true.”

“I'm taking nothing to heart and you're just worrying too much. He's allowed to not like me.”

“I just don't see why he couldn't have told you that before he fucked you, that's all I'm saying.”

Even if he let me know before he fucked me, I would've still let him bend me over his desk because that was the best sex I had ever had.

I bit back that remark and instead gave her a grateful smile as I turned to walk away.

“Don't worry about me, Anna. I'll be fine.”

I ignored the worried look on her face and walked away with the jug of water in my hands. I made my way out of the kitchen and into the dining room, keeping my eyes away from anybody else's as I placed the jug in the middle of the table.

Neither Lucien, nor Daniel, nor Emma, nor the fiancée acknowledged me, making me both relieved and a little bit upset. I shook away the thoughts and instead joined the two other maids were the stood by the door, standing at command in case any of them wanted anything.

I didn't want to do this because standing and watching people eat wasn't the coolest of things, but La Bruja had a specific hatred for me. There were only so much good days that I could have.

One of the maids stood out and started dishing the dinner, making me slightly grateful that all I had to do was stand there and wait. I would've hated to be the one in the middle of the awkward silence the three bosses were sharing, the only sound coming from that direction being the serving spoon on a white ceramic plate.

I let out a shudder and stood still, thanking God that I wasn't her. Sometimes I forgot to count my blessings.

When the maid had taken a step back, they all began to eat and I instantly averted me eyes because watching people eat was disgusting.

“So Daniel, how is everything?” I couldn't help but snap my eyes up at the newly feminine voice that entered the silent conversation.

I surpressed a groan and fought the urge to roll my eyes. Of course she would have a voice as soothing as honey as well. Of course.

While I sounded like Goofy from mickey mouse play house.

“Fine,” was Daniel's simple reply, his voice never failing to erupt a tingle inside me.

Snap out of it, Ara. He hurt you, remember?

The table descended into another awkward silence then and even though I wasn't a part of it, I was suffering from the sidelines. I just wanted someone to talk.

“And what about you, Celeste? How's college going?” Emma asked, obviously saving the dying conversation as the fiancée - Celeste - beamed at her inquire.

“It's going great! You should definitely consider a college in Europe when you graduate high-school,” she said.

That seemed to rub me the wrong way.

Not only was she there successfully stealing Daniel from me, but she was also trying to steal his sister from me too? Emma probably preferred her more as a sister in law instead of me anyway.

I mean, she was educated. I didn't even finish high-school.

I squeezed my hands into fists and gritted my teeth, not wanting to think back to then.

“I am. Actually, I wanted to ask you about something.” And then the conversation carried on as if they were the best of friends for the longest of times.

I couldn't help but feel a bit of jealousy boil within the pits of my stomach as I watched them converse. A part of me wanted to act up and pull them away from each other and another part of me wanted to pull myself away from the situation.

I was supposed to be happy that Emma was branching out. Not trying to break up whatever friendship she was developing.

It was just whenever I looked at Celeste, all I saw was a woman that was miles better than I was. A well established woman, educated and independent.

While I was me. Araceli. A simple maid who would let her boss bend her over his table. And then talk trash to her face when he was done.

The conversation simmered down after a while and even though the tension around them seemed to have lifted, the awkward air was still there.

“Daniel,” Lucien suddenly said, finding a way to gain everyone in that rooms attention except for the one person he was calling for.

The silence continued for a beat before Daniel let out what I could only assume was an exasperated exhale and looked up slowly. “Yes?”

“Are you and Celeste planning on spending the night together?” the man asked, looking over at his son as I felt something in me start to snap.

I had no idea why I was getting so jealous. It didn't have anything to do with Daniel being with someone else because I had seen him with many other people. I think it had more to do with him being with this woman in particular.

This Celeste.

She was so much better than me in so many ways that I didn't even stand a chance. I never did. I was only playing a game that I knew I wasn't going to win.

“I don't think we are,” Daniel answered plainly, dropping his gaze back down to his food.

“Why not? It's not like you're going to be with someone else?” Celeste said jokingly, laughing at her own words but nobody else found it funny.

In that moment, Daniel's head snapped up and before I could look away, his eyes met mine.

I felt my breath hitch and, as if catching on to the affect his gaze had on me, a small cocky smirk grew onto his devilishly handsome face before he turned back to the redhead and shrugged.

Not giving her a definite answer.

The conversation shifted from that to business with Daniel barely participating. I found myself slipping off into a trance before I felt a maid nudge me in the arm.

I turned to her with a glare as she beckoned to the table, making me realise that it was time to clear up.

I shook my head and let out a sigh because my daydreaming was beginning to become a problem.

*****

I had the immense urge to update again I don't even know why. This is riddled with mistakes since its unedited so read with caution.

Next two chapters will be posted on Thursday. They're both very heated so prepare yourselves ;) and the whole 'marriage' situation will be explained then haha see ya