[REBECCA]
I was drifting in and out of sleep when a knock jolted me awake. Startled, my heart raced as I sat up in bed, struggling to fully grasp my surroundings.
“Becca?” Lynda’s voice came from the other side of the door.
Relief flooded over me, and I closed my eyes briefly, placing a hand over my chest in an attempt to calm my pounding heart.
“Yeah, I’m coming,” I replied, my voice thick with sleep.
“Okay, hurry. It’s almost time for lunch.”
With a burst of energy, I hopped out of bed and hastily tidied myself, fixing my dress and hair. Opening my bedroom door wide, I found Lynda leaning against it, her face breaking into a smile upon seeing me.
“Hey there, sleepyhead,” she greeted, and I returned the smile before closing the door.
“Let’s go. Mom is waiting for us,” Lynda urged, grabbing my arm and pulling me down the hallway.
As we made our way towards the stairs, I noticed that Artemy and his men were nowhere in sight. Normally, Brayden, Avim, Leon, and Milandro would accompany him everywhere as his trusted associates. Of the four, Milandro seemed to be the friendliest, perhaps because Lynda was often by his side. Avim, on the other hand, perpetually wore a scowl, hardly ever showing a hint of a smile. The only time I witnessed him speaking kindly was with Nona, the mother figure of the household. No one dared to speak harshly or be rude to her, not even Artemy.
Just as Lynda and I descended the final step, Artemy entered the scene, followed closely by his men. They conversed in hushed tones, but when Artemy’s eyes met mine, his mouth froze, and he stared at me intently, taking in my appearance. His lips curled into that infuriating smirk I despised.
Avoiding his gaze, I trailed after Lynda and headed to the kitchen, ready to start our duties. It was time to work.
As the meal was being served, I prepared to retreat back into the kitchen when we were halted by someone. It was Aly, one of the other maids, who spoke up.
“You and Lynda stay back this time,” she instructed. During each meal, two of us had to remain behind in case the men needed any assistance. For the past two days, Lynda and I had managed to avoid that duty.
“Okay,” I responded, acquiescing to the request.
Lynda’s scowl mirrored my own disdain. It was no secret that I despised being in the same vicinity as Artemy.
Suddenly, Artemy’s demanding voice broke through my thoughts. “Becca, pass me the garlic bread.” Startled, I looked up at him, bewildered by his request.
“Huh?” I stammered, caught off guard.
“I said pass me the bread,” he repeated, sounding irritated. Lynda happened to be closer to the basket.
I glanced back at Artemy, but he continued to gaze at me with expectation, raising an eyebrow when I failed to comply. Swallowing hard, I turned my head and nodded at Lynda, silently conveying my decision. She appeared amused, her eyes widening.
“Lynda, could you please give Artemy the bread? You’re closer,” I whispered as softly as I could, my voice barely audible. Lynda’s jaw dropped in shock, and from the corner of my eye, I noticed the men smirking at the scene. It was unbelievable-I had just challenged Artemy’s authority right in front of his own men.
The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted uttering them. Lynda’s mouth snapped shut, and she chuckled quietly. Before I could change my mind, she swiftly took hold of the basket and walked over to Artemy at the far end of the table. Placing it in front of him, she adopted a sarcastic tone as she spoke, “There you go, Artemy. Your hot, crispy, buttery garlic bread. Enjoy.”
Artemy redirected his gaze from me to Lynda, his glare intensifying. Lynda responded with a wide smile before gracefully retreating, sauntering off to stand behind Milandro.
She was playing a dangerous game, fully aware that Artemy wouldn’t dare confront her. Artemy, Brayden, and Lynda had been inseparable in their youth, growing up together like siblings. Lynda often recounted stories of their mischief and how she always tagged along with them, getting into trouble together.
My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a gentle poke. Turning my head, I found Lynda standing next to me. “You’re playing with fire, babe. Don’t provoke the beast unless you’re prepared to face the consequences,” she whispered in my ear before walking away and positioning herself behind Milandro.
I sighed heavily, my shoulders slumping in defeat. She was right. I didn’t know what had come over me.
Standing there, I fidgeted nervously, feeling increasingly self-conscious as I noticed the attention focused on me. Brayden smirked briefly before returning to his meal. When Artemy cleared his throat, everyone averted their gaze.
I deliberately kept my focus away from Artemy, but I could still feel his eyes boring into me. With each passing minute, my hands grew colder, and tension gripped my insides.
“Becca, could you bring me the rice?” he suddenly requested.
I knew it. I had known he would do this.
I gazed upward and found his eyes filled with amusement, their twinkling nature giving away his sense of mischief. His right eyebrow arched, daring me to engage. My gaze shifted downward, revealing the proximity of the bowl right beside me.
Letting out a slow breath, I cautiously reached for the bowl of rice and began my measured approach toward him. Throughout my movements, his eyes remained fixated on me, accompanied by the return of his sly smirk. He moistened his lips in anticipation.
When I halted beside him, carefully setting down the bowl, he made no effort to budge. Artemy’s expectant gaze locked with mine, and then he gestured toward the rice, nodding ever so slightly.
Exhaling with a sigh, I tightened my grip on the spoon and scooped a portion of rice onto his plate. Suddenly, a sensation brushed against my leg, startling me, and my gaze instinctively darted downward.
Artemy had shifted closer, his thigh now pressing against mine.
Gripping the spoon tighter, I hurriedly returned it to the bowl, taking a step back with haste.
“Thank you, Becca,” he smoothly uttered, his voice dripping with charm.
Feeling a blush creep onto my cheeks, I nodded and made my way out, leaving Artemy behind. The remainder of the meal passed uneventfully. Artemy didn’t call for my attention again, nor did his gaze linger on me.
As the others dispersed, I finally regained my composure, allowing my breath to steady itself.
“Wow, babe. That was…” Lynda began, searching for the right word. “Intense.”
I couldn’t find it in me to disagree.