The moment I heard Ma’am Elena’s last statement, I froze in shock, standing still for a moment.
*”She must like me,”* I thought to myself, my mind racing. *”I need to take full advantage of this, but I also need to stay alert. Mohandia won’t just lie low. She’ll come after me. I must find a way to put her in her place before she becomes a bigger problem.”*
After gathering my thoughts, I continued walking into the building. As soon as I stepped inside, I saw Liza and Kaitlyn standing near my room, waiting for me. I wasn’t surprised by their presence. I had a feeling they’d be there.
They smiled as they walked towards me.
“We’ve been waiting for you!” Kaitlyn said with a cheerful smile. “We thought you might not come back soon.”
“Sorry for keeping you waiting,” I replied, smiling back. “I had to get some instructions from Ma’am Elena and the chief maidservant.”
Liza’s expression turned serious. “Kimberly, we need to talk. Let’s go inside your room.”
Her tone made me curious. I quickly unlocked the door, and we all entered. Once inside, we sat on the floor, and I focused my attention on Liza, waiting for her to speak.
“Kimberly,” Liza began, her voice full of concern, “what’s really going on? Why are you challenging Mohandia and her group? We’ve told you how dangerous they are.”
I could see the fear in her eyes. She was genuinely worried.
“Relax, Liza,” I said softly, offering a reassuring smile. “I’m not trying to pick a fight with anyone, especially not Mohandia. I just need to put everyone on the same page. Don’t worry. Everything will work out, and soon we’ll all live together peacefully.”
Kaitlyn didn’t seem convinced. “But what’s your plan? I don’t think Mohandia and her group want to live peacefully like you just said.”
I smiled at both of them. “I must say, I’m blessed to have you both as my family here. Don’t worry about what’s happening. Just sit back and watch as things unfold.”
They both looked at me, still a bit concerned, but they didn’t press the issue further.
“We need to take our baths before it’s time for breakfast,” Kaitlyn said, reminding us of the time.
We all nodded, and they left to get ready. I quickly headed to the bathroom, washed up, and dressed in my new maid’s apron. By the time I stepped out of my room, Liza and Kaitlyn were already waiting for me.
Together, we made our way to the canteen for breakfast, moving quickly to get a good seat near the front as usual. We were lucky enough to find seats in the fifth row.
As we settled down, we noticed Mohandia and her group walking into the canteen. There was something about the look on their faces-trouble was brewing.
They marched straight to the first-row seats, where three other maids were sitting, and demanded they move.
“Get out,” Mohandia snapped, glaring at the three maids.
The maids, clearly terrified, quickly vacated the seats. I could feel Mohandia’s eyes on me the entire time. She wanted to provoke me, to see if I would react.
The three maids, heads down, started walking past our table, but I called out to them.
“Wait!” I said gently. “Don’t go. Please join us at our table. We still have room for more beautiful ones like you.”
The three maids looked shocked, as if they didn’t expect kindness. Grateful, they sat with us.
“Thank you so much, Kimberly,” one of them said. “We wouldn’t have gotten enough food if we had to sit at the back.”
I smiled at her. “You’re welcome.”
As we continued our breakfast, I couldn’t help but notice that Mohandia kept glancing at me, expecting a confrontation. But I refused to give her what she wanted. My calmness only seemed to confuse her more.
When we finished eating, I stood up to clear the table, even though everyone tried to stop me.
“Kimberly, let us help,” Liza insisted, but I ignored them and took the plates to the washroom myself.
As I returned, Mohandia stormed towards me, her face red with anger.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she spat, standing right in front of me.
I met her glare with a calm, mocking smile. “What am I doing? You’re the strong one here. Figure it out. Don’t tell me you’re not smart enough to recognize what’s happening.”
I could see the embarrassment flash across her face. Before she could respond, I walked away, leaving her standing there humiliated. Her friends quickly followed her as she stormed out of the canteen, clearly furious.
I smiled to myself as I returned to my seat. Mohandia had wanted a fight, but I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction.
A few minutes later, Liza, Kaitlyn, and I stood up to leave the canteen. To my surprise, the three maids who had joined us also stood up, as if they were planning to follow us.
I turned to them, confused. “Are you heading back to your rooms?”
They looked at each other before one of them spoke, her voice timid. “No, we wanted to follow you and your friends. Wherever you go.”
I tilted my head, sensing their fear. “What are you afraid of?”
“You should know,” one of them replied, her voice shaking. “Since we arrived here, no one’s ever stood up to Mohandia. And now you have. Please, let us stay close to you.”
I gave them a reassuring smile. “You don’t need to be scared. Just stay calm. If anyone’s going to get in trouble, it won’t be you. Go to your rooms and rest.”
They hesitated but eventually nodded, thanking me before heading to their rooms. I watched them leave, feeling a sense of responsibility for their safety.
Once they were gone, I headed to my room to rest. But as soon as I lay down, my thoughts drifted back to Ma’am Elena’s strange words.
*”Why would she say that? And why is the chief maidservant coming to pick me up later? What does she want?”*
I frowned, feeling a mix of excitement and concern. Something big was about to happen, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it.