Chapter 4 Something fishy

"Brrrrrrr!" Her phone alarm rang.

It was dawn, already. She stretched out of the sheets, rushing into the bathroom. She needed to be at the main house before Reynaldo was out of bed.

She stood in front of the bathroom mirror taking out the mouthwash and suddenly paused, staring at her reflection. Her mind scrolled back to Rey's behavior the previous night and she shrieked. She imagined she stayed longer, watching him strip shirtless and her mind wimped.

Dealing with Rey shouldn't be so difficult, she thought. After serving as his cook for five years, dealing with the alluring effect he had on her shouldn't be hard. After all, they had lived as strangers for so long just as they should, if not for her services in the kitchen. She rinsed off the remnants of the mouthwash after brushing and settled in to shower.

Coming out, she slipped into a black-themed dress worn by every other worker in Reynaldo's villa. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and smiled, adjusting her hair.

Stepping out of her room, her gaze met Gary, the old gardener, who was watering the tulips and daffodils on the other side of the garden.

"Good morning, Milady." He greeted Mia, smilingly.

"Good morning, Gary. How are you doing?" She asked.

"How can I be anything but wonderful when your beauty graces my morning?" Gary said, gesturing, dramatically.

"Oh, please, Gary." She said, laughing.

"You make the day so beautiful, Mia," Gary added.

"Awww...thanks, Gary."

"How's Mr. Rey? I heard of what happened last night from Andrews."

"Oh, he's fine now."

"Fair enough."

"Yes. See you later, Gary."

"Alright, Milady."

Once she got to Rey's, she didn't make a move to greet him with a cup of hot coffee as she usually did, informing him of her arrival. She went into the kitchen, checking up for empty ingredients containers, before preparing breakfast.

She prepared breakfast and quietly served him. She stayed beside them, watching him eat, as silence owned the room. She stared at him on intervals wondering if he had forgotten what he said last night.

Her eyes moved steadily noticing his bandaged hand tremble.

"Mia, get me a glass of water." He ordered.

"Okay, sir," turning the water from the jug into a small glass cup.

"How are you feeling, Sir?" She asked trying to ease her worry.

"I'm fine. You should not be worried about me." He said, gulping the water with ease.

"I know but I just felt I should." She bit her lip in embarrassment, but continued,

"About yesterday, I saw your bleeding hand, so I thought I should-"

"That's. None. Of. Your. Business." He interrupted her, stressing on each word.

"I'm sorry, Sir," she said, mentally withdrawing herself.

Rey had left for work, silently, without even glancing at Mia. He had watched her come of out the kitchen with a tray of egg-benedicts, poached eggs complimenting toasted English muffins. Her expression was calm and collected as usual, although he felt something was off, anyway, it didn't matter.

Sitting on his desk chair, warm booting his desktop, his mind wandered to the expression on her face last night, his lips curved into a sneer. He picked up his phone and sent a text to his secretary.

Today, 9:20 am.

You: [Send in the remaining files from yesterday's meeting.]

Andrews: [Alright, boss. And by the way, why are you at work today? You should be at home, Mr. Rey Rey.]

You: [I'm fine, dude! Just get me the fuckin' files!]

Andrews: [Okay!]

In a few minutes, Andrews dashed into the office, gasping.

"You...made...me...run!" He said, gasping in between each word.

"Well... that's none of my business. Can I see the files?" Rey asked and Andrews yielded the files into his hands.

"By the way, don't tell me you won't be breaking the ice of yesterday's accident to me. I have never been a lover of suspense. Please spare me some words." Andrews bent his wrist and wiggled his fingers, rolling his eyes in a girlish manner.

"And what's this about?" Rey asked, feigning ignorance.

"Oh, don't tell me you don't understand my point. I, for a fact, know you were wasted yesterday." Andrews responded, "a matter of fact" he said like he just forgot he should have added that.

"Man, look, we are not having this conversation right now."

"Oh, yes we are! So why did you drink?" Andrews's voice overlapped the last part of Reynaldo's sentence.

"You know I hate you, right? Rey said, rhetorically, squinting his eyes.

"And I'm good with that." Andrews's face wore a pleased look.

"Well... it's my Dad."

"Again?"

"Yes. Again. He has practically threatened me to get married. Otherwise, he'd hand the power of attorney over to my little sister, Sabrina." Rey sighed at the thought of it.

"And what do you plan to do?"

"Well, I don't know. What do you advise I do?"

"Do you have any girl in mind?"

"Why would I? I don't even want to think about it. I mean, all those bitches just want money and a luxurious night."

"Maybe not all girls are like that. For a fact, your cook's a nice girl."

"You mean Mia?"

"Of course! She's so beautiful too."

"Nah... She's a low class. Not my standard."

"If you say so." Andrews shrugged, "got to go back downstairs. Call me if you need anything." He said, pointing his thumb towards the door behind.

***

One evening, a few weeks later, Reynaldo visited the bar. Soft melodies of hip-hop music, clinking of wine glasses, rants of drunk business tycoons, and laughter of their ladies flooded the room, welcoming Reynaldo.

"Isn't he gorgeous?" A lady said scanning Rey, who ignored her.

"Wtf! He's so hot." Her friend said, looking in his direction.

"And that attitude of his makes him even hotter!" The girls kept chatting.

He walked in the direction of a blonde lady in a dark corner of the bar.

"Rey Rey! It's been a whole year dude! You're up to no good, uhh?" The Blondie remarked.

"It's just been two weeks, baby, and I don't think I could have survived another day without you," Rey said.

"You need a bitch for the night, don't you?"

"You see it in my eyes, do you?" He teased, holding her gaze.

"Oh, please, Rey Rey, you know I have been waiting for the last two weeks. They were like hell without you."

"I know you like it when I play around." He said, running the pad of his palms from her waistline, pinning her to the wall.

"If you don't mind I'd like to take the lead." The Blondie smiled and Rey responded with his signature smirk,

"The stage is all yours, honey."