AUTHOR’s POV.
FLASHBACK- Two years ago.
–
With a sense of impending urgency, Trinity sprang into action, leading a team of maids in a flurry of activity to prepare the mansion for Hardy’s imminent return from his six-month vacation. As the maids worked diligently, a distinct humming noise pierced the silence, heralding the imminent landing of Hardy’s private jet.
Rushing outside to greet him, Trinity’s dress billowed in the relentless wind, the fabric dancing in playful rebellion against her attempts to tame it. Joining the rest of the mansion’s maids, she stood poised in anticipation, awaiting the arrival of her boss.
She was so focused on getting her dress better that she didn’t realise when Hardy had started to walk into the mansion with a young lady beside him.
And immediately, Trinity took sight of them; she hopped on her feet and dashed up to them.
“Hardy. You’re home,” she sounded delighted, trying to help him with his suitcase.
Hardy disagreed.
“I’ll take them in myself,” Hardy said, grinning from ear to ear.
He looked happy; he had looked happy before going on his six-month vacation, but now he looked like he could burst out wings and start to soar into the sky.
Trinity wondered what his happiness could be attached to.
Stepping into the mansion. Hardy let other maids take care of his luggage and turned to Trinity.
“Trinity. I want you to prepare her a bath.” referring to the lady standing beside him, Trinity decided to take on the woman’s face.
Standing tall and slender. Very slender. The lady was gorgeous; she had bright blond hair and ombré eyes that could light one’s soul up. As it did, it lit Trinity’s soul up.
Pretty women had always taken her by the bell.
“Hi. I’m Lisa, Lisa Shapiro.” The young lady had a dimpled smile that would make anyone’s eyes focus only on her.
“And I thought I was doing the introduction,” Hardy sighed before planting a kiss on her template, causing Lisa to giggle.
“I’m Trinity. The head maid” Trinity had stretched a smile and taken her soft hand in her hand that had been through all the works of the world.
She even felt a bit guilty for letting such a pretty lady shake such rough hands.
“Trinity, meet Lisa. My fiancé,” Hardy introduced.
Fiancé?
Six months away and he came back with a ring on it? Hardy really knew how to play his cards right. Not only was Lisa smokin’ hot, but she was also a total sweetheart. Who would’ve thought that Hardy of all people would want to marry so soon.
“Trinity’s like family here. So please don’t panic and be comfortable around her.” Hardy beamed.
“It’s nice to meet you, then, Trinity; don’t be shocked that I like you already.” Lisa beamed and shared a soft laugh with Trinity.
Trinity has never seen Hardy give his interest to any woman before; if it wasn’t business, he wouldn’t speak to a lady. And Lisa was not just pretty, but also a nice woman. She didn’t know how she and Hardy had come to love each other so well. Even getting engaged in the process, but she wouldn’t mind serving her.
Lisa was everyone’s favorite. Whatever she had done to charm Hardy, had definitely worked on her too.
***
Days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into months, and the only thing that echoed throughout the mansion was the upcoming wedding of Hardy and Lisa.
Lisa had woven herself into the fabric of Trinity’s life with ease, their friendship blossoming into an inseparable bond that knew no limits. Theirs was a sisterhood forged in shared giggles and whispered secrets, a safe haven in the midst of Hardy’s busy schedule. Lisa’s warmth and charisma extended far beyond her relationship with Hardy, ingratiating her with everyone she met, all except for one.
Theodore.
Theodore was different and a new kind of stubborn holdout glassed him, his shoulders remaining perpetually hunched with disdain for the delightful Lisa, no matter how hard she tried to win him over.
But Hardy knew one way or the other, Theodore would come around.
Hardy loved Lisa because she was like a friendly golden retriever, always eager to fetch the ball he threw. She never got tired of fetching balls, no matter how deep they were buried in the mud! Hardy thought this was so cute, but sometimes he worried that she might get too dirty if she always agreed to it.
If only he knew his soon-to-be bride wasn’t interested in the majority of men.
–
The days ticked away, rapidly counting down towards the impending wedding of Hardy and his enchanting fiancee, Lisa.
In a rare moment of privacy one night, Lisa had slipped away from the grandeur of the mansion to slip into the smallness of Trinity’s room.
Her long, lustrous hair cascading about her like a golden curtain. She pranced upon Trinity’s bed, her effervescence and youthful energy filling the space.
“Lisa, you should be resting. You have your wedding dress fitting tomorrow. Why are you here anyway? It’s currently one in the morning.” Trinity didn’t look pleased.
“You literally worry about everything. I’m the soonn-tobe bride here,” Lisa tugged at her shorts.
“And you’re under my care. If anything happens to you, Hardy might get me arrested.”
Lisa laughed. “That’s funny.”
“It’s not; go back to your room. I have things to do.” Trinity begged.
“And what do you have to do? It’s almost one a. m. in the morning.” Lisa arranged eyebrows furrowed in furry.
“Just things.” Trinity shook her head.
“Well, to be honest, I hate my room. It’s big, and I don’t always fall asleep until 3 a. m. But I like that it’s here; it’s cosy and comfortable. No big space creeps you out and makes your thoughts run at a distance.”
“So what now?” Trinity rolled her eyes. “You’re going to sleep here?”
“What else?” Lisa hurried to lie down and covered herself with the bed’s duvet.
“Suit yourself.” Trinity sighed before walking into her closet to change.
As Trinity emerged from the closet in her nightgown, she paused, her eyes falling upon the vision of beauty before her. The lady in the bed, slumbering peacefully, possessed an angelic grace that rivaled the finest of pageant queens, even in her sleep.
She couldn’t help but marvel at Hardy’s good fortune, despite the twinge of envy that stirred in her heart. She knew all too well the toll that such feelings could take on one’s soul, and she couldn’t bear to find herself in that state once again.
She was going to let the pretty lady be.
Grabbing her pillows to manage the floors.
Lisa opened her eyes, shocking Trinity.
“What are you doing?” Lisa asked softly.
“Oh,” Trinity was surprised. “I just wanted you to be comfortable on the bed alone.”
“It’s okay. You can lie on it too. We’ll share”
Not declining, Trinity got on the bed, lying quietly next to Lisa.
They were both quiet for a while. Staring at the ceiling above their eyes, Lisa broke the silence.
“Do you think marrying Hardy in two weeks is a good idea?”
Shocked by the question. Trinity turned abruptly to face her.
“What do you mean? What are you talking about?”
Lisa scoffed.
“I mean, he-
“What do you mean, don’t you love him?” Trinity asked.
Lisa finally turned to look at Trinity.
“Does it look like I do?” She scoffed.
“I don’t understand. Don’t you?” Trinity pressed.
“It looks like I’m doing a great job.” Lisa chuckled. “But anyways. I understand why I need to marry Hardy. He’s a Bensimon, and I’d be a fool for missing this opportunity.”
“What?” Trinity scoffed. “An opportunity?”
“Let’s keep this between us.” Lisa smiled.
The smile that adorned Lisa’s lips was not the wide, genuine grin of a golden retriever, but rather, the wily smirk of a fox, cunning and untrustworthy.
It was a smile that stretched across her face, not with exuberance or happiness, but with a deviousness that was both alluring and unsettling. Trinity watched her closely, unable to shake the feeling that this new Lisa was a fox in the henhouse, waiting to pounce.
“Men bore me, Trinity. And Hardy is not an exception. I just want a better future, and he’s ready to give me all that. I am a very beautiful girl, and I am allowed to brag because I know that I am. But I don’t like Hardy. Don’t get me wrong; he’s wonderful in every aspect. Every woman in my place would be thrilled to have him as a husband. He’s powerful, in and out. He lightens every showdown. But no” Lisa shook her head with a smile.
Was the woman speaking really Lisa?
The same soft-hearted woman, Lisa?
“My time here would have been completely tedious. If it wasn’t for you, Trinity,”
Trinity shook her head. “So you’re only going to marry Hardy for his money?”
“Why do you sound offended? What’s it to you?”
“What’s it to me? Hardy’s like a-
“I know Trinity.” Lisa cut her off. “But shouldn’t this give you more thrills than offence?”
“What?” Trinity grimaced.
Lisa shook her head against the press of the pillow.
“I just told you I was never in Hardy. And you’re trying to ask me why?”
Lisa scoffed. “Trinity. I have seen the way you look at me.”
Trinity’s soul almost left her body.
“What are you trying to say?”
“Don’t try to sweat,” Lisa gently said. As she rested her fingertips on Trinity’s dress button, she sat underneath the tiny dress’s hand.
“I have seen and felt the way you touch me when you wash my body during baths. How you looked at me in every single outfit How you actually looked like you would start drooling when you dressed me up to go out with Hardy.”
Trinity immediately forgot how to breathe.
She had noticed. Lisa had noticed, despite trying to hide it, that part of her people had been tagged as weird.
She wanted to disappear, but froze when Lisa’s hand rubbed her open arms.
“But how come your gazes and your little touches excite me more than getting married to Hardy?
–
*