Chapter 3 Annoying Mr. Montague

Fyre

I wonder what would've happened if Ethan didn't hurry up with his men. I mean, they are usually lazy when it comes to urgent matters like this, which is why being someone he fancies sort of has its perks.

I even trusted Daniella with him before I left. Whatever happened to that man, I hope he gets locked up for good.

The towering gates of the grand Victorian mansion stretched from one end of the hill to the other. The guards guarding the gates allowed me through immediately after I gave my name.

I knew I would be working for family but wasn't expecting this type of family; it's rare they hire anybody without due process. By that I meant connections.

Mrs. Hawthorne, who had written to me days back, stood at the entrance waiting for me with a smile on her face.

"You came quite early," she said, holding her hands out to me. "Are you scared of dogs? Forget it, I will need you to come in quietly, not a single sound."

I followed, not giving me the chance to even greet her.

When we entered, I was stunned by the opulence of the entire house, from the chandelier to the marble floors, and I've barely seen anything yet, but I was very much impressed.

"So when do you wish to start, dear?" Mrs. Hawthorne brought to me a glass of orange juice and biscuits.

"Thank you so much," I said, sitting down on the chair she pulled for me.

"I see you are quite young, but you have so much experience," she said, impressed but still surprised by it.

I already had my story planted in my head, so I was ready for it.

"I started working with my hands when I was twelve," I replied.

"My dear... Yet your palms feel so soft, like you haven't labored a day in your life. I'm so happy to have you here; we were really in need of a replacement since the other lady who filled the position had chosen to leave after a month..." Mrs. Hawthorne sighed.

"She didn't like it? Did something happen?" I asked, though I wanted to know more.

She breathed out, "It's been like that... Nothing new... I hope you will be different, dear; I do feel bad for the little one; she's the one having to deal with it all the time."

OH... So I'm guessing the family has a child. Bella wasn't wrong to have thought of that after all.

"As you can see, I already like you; now it all depends on the master of the house. I'll go call him." As she was about to turn, she stopped at the foot of the stairs, seeing who was coming. "He's already here; just be yourself."

"Mrs. Hawthorne, she's here?" the voice came down, calm, deep, and authoritative.

When my eyes fell on him, there was something that certainly felt amiss; I wasn't surprised, nor was I shocked.

I was just there.

It was him.

The tall, mysterious man from the last three nights, the one who I got arrested-I never actually got his name, not like I was bothered by it; I already knew I wasn't going to see him again, except now.

"I see you don't stay with your employer for more than three years; why is that? The day care was a surprise." He said, coming down the stairs with my file in his hand, having a smirk stuck on his lips.

"You also don't keep your employees for more than a month; why is that?" I asked back, already knowing I wasn't getting the job, so why don't I tire him out with my miserable life?

"I see someone has been doing a lot of talking..." His eyes shifted to Mrs. Hawthorne, who pretended like she was dusting the banister.

"I'll leave you two then, and you, be nice to her," Mrs. Hawthorne warned.

He gave a warm smile, which sort of hinted that he will be nothing short of nice.

"Do you have something to say?" He closed my file, resting his arm on the rail, feeling like some kind of god right now; it made my stomach churn.

"You aren't going to hire me," I said with a nonchalant shrug.

"Don't say that... I was expecting you to give me a speech about how you lost your parent or your uncle or someone is suffering, or something to convince me to give you the job, but you just gave up," he mused.

"Because I know how entitled people like you get, all high and mighty, always wanting to-"

"Is your real name Lara?" He interrupted me just to ask, "I sort of feel like it is something else." He left his comfort zone to get closer.

I was puzzled how that was in any relation to the job.

"How is that your concern?"

He lifted his shoulders. "I don't know, I normally do not even get this invested in anyone Mrs. Hawthorne tries to hire... but you... You should be pleased." He leaned forward, nowhere close to me but poised in an intimidating manner. "Lara..." he just called and then paused; he kept staring into my soul as though he was trying to read me. "Your face sort of gives off Margaret, maybe Agatha... or Eleanor, not Lara."

"Well, Lara is my name..."

"I know, but if I were to have named you, I would have given you that," he said simply.

"Why? You hate the names, don't you?"

He was taken aback by how quick I was able to read him.

He gave a slow smile, as though he was sort of pleased by my sharp wit.

"How did you know?"

"It's easy; men like yourself think the same; it's not that hard to decipher." I took a deep breath. "I should go home; I'm clearly not getting the job, and I don't want it either."

"What if I want to give it to you?"

"I would still reject it; nobody in their right mind will become a maid in a house where the house owner requires you to do all of the chores all by yourself because they can't stand humans."

"Mrs. Hawthorne already briefed you?"

"She didn't exactly have to; I've got eyes. I can see there is no one here except Mrs. Hawthorne," I replied sharply.

"True, but where did you get the idea that I can't stand humans? You are human, and I can stand you... That's why I want you to stay... I'll pay a hefty price if you don't mind," he added.

This man... He really is not going to ask about the whole child trafficking thing or how he managed to get out.

Oh, how silly of me to think someone who lives here won't be able to bribe his way out.

This could be a trap.

He draped himself over the rail, surprisingly intrigued for some reason, wearing a grin on his lips. Amused for some reason.

"What was your first opinion of me?" He asked.

I was taken aback as to what he meant by that; seriously, he didn't want to hear what I had to say.

"I'll take a quick guess: tall, brooding... mysterious, arrogant... arrogant. I kind of get that a lot; people often misunderstand my confidence for arrogance. What other thing... Mhm... handsome too." He finally walked down the stairs. "I should kick you out of my house, agreed?"

"I was already leaving."

"No stay, I'm just saying there is a possibility of that happening, but I'll let it slide since you already apologized."

"I never apologized."

"But you will," He said with absolute certainty; he was indeed arrogant. He glanced at his watch. "Still have time... Come, Margaret, I mean Lara..." He said with a chuckle, "I think I can spare a little of my time to give you a tour of my abode and show you to your room. I never do this for anybody; you should be delighted."

"Why?" I hissed, rolling my eyes.

He mistook my tone for a question, thinking I'd ask that, wanting to know why he never did a tour for others. Meanwhile, it was just rhetoric because why on earth should I be delighted to have him give me a tour?

"Why? Why because it has a tail and two branches?" he replied. He turned to catch me utterly confused. "Danielle would've laughed, even Mrs. Hawthorne. I see you are very hard to please, Lara."

"I didn't understand," I admitted, my forehead furrowed, because I genuinely wanted to.

He paused mid-step, seeing my expression, to try and explain what he meant.

"You ask why? What letter sounds like why?" He asked, giving me a soft lecture on his supposed joke.

"Y?"

"Correct. So Y has a tail and two branches, see... " He demonstrated with his hand before walking away, "Even now you still couldn't laugh."

I mean, I get why Danielle or Mrs. Hawthorne would've laughed; Danielle probably won't understand, and Mrs. Hawthorne fears for her wages.

I almost wanted to force a laugh, but then he said, "Don't try to fake it, Lara; it won't feel genuine."

We stopped at a room, which was closed and was on the second floor of the house.

"So this is where you will be staying." He opened the door to reveal a large bedroom. The decor was beautiful; you would think it belonged to a guest. I mean, I've lived in better places because I can afford it, but this was a better upgrade, I guess.

"It's nice," I said.

He chuckled, finding that amusing, I suppose.

"Very Lara... I would've expected a little bit of enthusiasm, but I guess it being nice is alright." He added, "Oh, that is Danielle's room. The closer you are to her, the faster you attend to her needs. When it's time, you pick her up from school, and also... I think you get it-"

"I should-" I stopped myself from speaking as it seemed he had more to say.

"I just wanted to let you know the room at the extreme end is mine, the master bedroom..." He continued.

"Okay,"

"Great. I think I'll hand over to Mrs. Hawthorne now." He took a step back from my room in case I wanted to go in.

"I haven't said that I wanted to work here; the work is still a lot."

"It's not. You only get to manage this part of the house; the other side is off-limits, and I wouldn't want you going there." His words were firm as he emphasized "off-limits."

"Okay, Mr. Montague,"

He still had the smile from earlier stamped on his face; it was hard to tell exactly what it was for. Was he amused, or was it genuine?

Why was he even smiling so much? And has he moved on from that day?

Even when he walked away, I couldn't stop trying to read him. He was like an open book.

I rubbed my obsidian bracelet to ease the worry creeping inside of me, hoping I was making a good choice by choosing to stay here, something I've never done.