Chapter 3 MONTANARI'S MANSION

Rosalia's POV

I had gotten the job.

It was a pretty speedy process. According to what the labor company said, the former housekeeper of the household had suddenly left the job. And they needed a replacement as soon as possible.

And so, here I was. Standing alone in the grand foyer of an ancient villa, my heart violently pounding in my chest. The butler, a tall, stern-looking man whose Grey-streaked hair spoke of his age, gestured for me to follow him.

"This way." he said.

I followed behind him as he led me down long corridors. The opulence of the villa was very overwhelming, with high ceilings adorned with luxurious chandeliers and walls lined with art that seemed to display immense wealth and power.

On the walls, portraits of somber-looking ancestors of the Montanari family, each with seemed to follow me with their eyes, their silent judgment adding to my anxiety. If I was already so anxious just because of the portraits, how would I be able to even appear in front of their descendant?

The butler soon led me to a spacious, elegantly furnished room. "This will be your room," he declared. "Please settle in. I will return shortly to give you a tour of the mansion."

I nodded to show my understanding, and he left.

As soon as he closed the door behind him, I fell boneless on the bed. I felt like the atmosphere of the villa had robbed me of all my energy. This, along with the fact that the bed was large and inviting, seemed to encourage my fatigue.

But I soon stood up. I couldn't afford to be lazy.

I quickly settled down, I decided to take a look around. The butler was waiting just outside my door. "Ready?" he asked.

I nodded, and we began to walk through the labyrinthine hallways of the villa. I noticed how the staff moved in an orderly, efficient manner. Despite their large numbers, there was almost no sound at all from their movements.

It was almost as if the mansion were stuck in a silent movie.

As we walked, the butler spoke, "In the future, your job will be overseeing the work of cleaners, maids, and the chefs. You'll also help the Master and his daughter coordinate their meals and health. You'll report to me, if there's any problem with the staff coordination."

I nodded repeatedly. I was aware of all this.

We soon reached a corner and stumbled upon two maids whispering to each other. They didn't notice us at first, too deep into their conversation. When we got closer, I could hear what they were saying.

"I heard there's a new housekeeper. I don't think she knows that the last one was killed by Mr. Montanari." one of them said, pity evident in her voice, "She'll probably end up like her also."

"Shh, keep your voice down!" the other maid hissed.

My heart skipped a beat, the fear, and unease I had tried to remove from my sunk to my stomach like a stone.

The butler frowned and cleared his throat loudly, causing the maids to jump.

They both look frightened. I mean, why wouldn't they? They could be killed! Just like I would be when I was finally caught!!!

"Get back to work." he ordered sternly. The maids scurried away, their trembling figures seemed both fearful and relieved.

"Do not pay attention to such idle gossip, Miss Caruso." the butler said, turning to me. "In such a large household, rumors have a way of spiraling around. Let's continue the tour."

I nodded, but deep inside my unease grew. We walked through more hallways, the butler pointing out various rooms and features of the villa. But after what I had heard, I could hardly concentrate.

You wouldn't blame me. Who would be able to focus after hearing that they could probably be killed?

We finished the tour, and the butler left me in the drawing room, instructing me to wait while he attended to other duties. I sat down and took a deep breath trying to relax, but my thoughts were interrupted by the noisy sound of stomping feet.

A little girl who looked about 8 or 9 came in, her dark curly hair bouncing with each stomp. Her face rosy and flushed with anger. She paused abruptly when her eyes met mine.

Brown and blue eyes; This was Lilianna Montanari.

"Who are you?" she asked sharply. Her hands placed on her hips. She did not seem pleased to see me.

I blinked unsure if what to do for a while.

"Hello, I'm Rosalia," I said gently. "I'm the new housekeeper. What's your name?"

She said nothing walking directly in front of me. Her large eyes squinted as she looked at me carefully.

Finally, she replied. "I'm Lilianna. " She seriously.

"That's a really nice name. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lilianna," I said softly. "I'll be living here with you so I hope we can be friends, Lilly. What do you say?"

I put out my hand for a handshake.

She shook it briefly but added after, "I'm not a child. Don't talk to me like one." She said.

I could tell that this was a highly intelligent child. She had her opinions and was very independent. Gaining her trust would not be as easy as I had assumed.

But it was expected. After all, she was the daughter of a mafia lord. She had to be intelligent.

I nodded in agreement to her words. "Well I wasn't treating you like a child. I would really love to be your friend."

She hummed and said nothing else, taking a seat beside me.

"Well, tell me about yourself? So I know if I like you or not."

She sounded serious, but there was something about those words coming out in a soft childish tone that seemed to be quite adorable.

I hid a smile. "Well, I already said my name and why I was here. About what I like, I love flowers and greenery and I also know how to draw. If you'd like I could teach you sometime." I offered.

She huffed, her chin raised arrogantly. "You can't teach me. I'm a very talented artist, and I'm probably better than you."

Her childishness seemed to come through with her arrogant words.

I smiled. "Well then, you'll teach me instead." I said.

She nodded. "As it should be."

We continued talking. Lilianna was a smart little girl. And although she was arrogant, she was quite a delight to talk to. Soon, my anxiety and unease seemed to disappear.

My confidence seemed to increase. Well, she was such a darling. The mission would definitely not be that hard. Would it?

As we talked, a deep voice suddenly sounded in the room, steady footsteps accompanying the voice.

"Lillianna-"

I raised my head abruptly, my eyes meeting an icy blue gaze that seemed to freeze the entire room.