"Sir…"
"Hmm," he murmured as he put out the cigarette, walking toward her with slow, deliberate steps, closing every inch of space between them. The heat of his presence was suffocating, and in that moment, she found it difficult to breathe.
"Maidi?" he whispered, his voice like silk and smoke, sending an unexpected chill down her spine.
She composed herself quickly and stepped back, but he continued advancing, never breaking eye contact. She was frozen in place, caught in a whirlwind of emotions. Why was he following her like this? Isn't this exactly how those boys act when they stalk a girl? Her mind was flooded with questions she couldn't answer.
Her back hit the door with a soft thud, and her eyes snapped shut. Her palms grew clammy, her lips trembled.
What the hell is going on with him?
"All happy while I'm suffering?" he asked in a low, almost broken tone.
She slowly opened her eyes. "What do you mean?" she asked softly, confusion knitting her brows.
Opening them fully now, she dared to meet his gaze—and was instantly spellbound. He was even more beautiful than she'd imagined. No words could describe the kind of effortless beauty that stood before her. She had a hard time believing he hadn't done any surgery, as he once claimed.
Swallowing hard, she tried not to blink, mesmerized by the storm in his eyes. Instead of backing away, Maximus leaned in, drawing closer until his breath mingled with hers. He inhaled deeply, as though breathing her in.
Is he going to kiss me?
She closed her eyes in nervous anticipation, her lips parting slightly, waiting for his gracious lips to meet hers.
But nothing happened.
She opened her eyes slowly, just in time to feel a sharp flick to her forehead.
"Ahhh," she winced, rubbing her forehead as her eyes widened in disbelief. He stood there, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"What did you do that for?" she asked, stunned.
"Because you're stubborn. And a kid. A stubborn kid needs discipline," he said coolly, walking away toward the bed and throwing himself down with lazy indifference.
"I am not a kid!" she snapped, instantly offended.
He ignored her protest, leaning his head back against the pillow. Then, with two fingers, he signaled for her to come closer.
She hesitated, unsure of his intentions, but eventually moved toward him. The moment she got within reach, he pulled her down gently but firmly, until she found herself on top of him, caught in a tangle of limbs and confusion.
"What are you doing?!" she yelped, struggling to sit up, but he held her there with ease.
Then, a voice rang from outside.
"Ella!"
They both froze.
"Ella, are you in there?" Bella called out from the hallway.
Ella didn't move a muscle. Her breath caught in her throat as she heard the door creak open. Bella stepped inside, took one look at them, and, without skipping a beat, said, "Max, you're here. You guys have fun, okay? I'll go."
With that, she shut the door and left the villa.
Ella lay motionless in Max's arms, her body stiff with shock. Her heart pounded as a surge of realization hit her.
Was this a setup?
Her jaw clenched. Maximus and Bella… they planned this? That thought alone made her blood boil. Her trust in Bella shattered in an instant. She'd been sent here not just to work as a maid… but for something else?
Prostitution? Was that what this was all about?
Fury replaced her embarrassment.
She pushed herself off Max and stood up.
"Sir… can I ask you a question?" Her voice cracked, disappointment weighing heavily in each word.
Max sat up slowly, immediately sensing the shift in her tone. His expression darkened.
"What?" he replied flatly.
"Was I sent to your mansion for prostitution… or to be your personal maid?"
Max looked at her for a long moment, then let out a small smirk, the kind that chilled her blood.
"Both," he said, as casually as someone predicting the weather
"What??" she gasped.
"Should I repeat myself? You're a prostitute, right? You sold your body to me already, and I paid a lot of money." He leaned forward, watching the tears begin to pool in her eyes. "Do you even know how much I gave Isabella?"
Tears slid silently down her cheeks.
Cheeks damp and burning, she didn't utter another word. Instead, she turned sharply, opened the door, and slammed it behind her.
Storming outside the villa, she blinked away the hot tears blurring her vision. That was when she saw Bella, casually leaning against the car with her arms crossed, as if she'd been waiting for her. But the moment Bella saw the tears running down Ella's face, her expression changed, and she rushed over to her.
"Is everything alright?"
"Why do you do this to me?! How stupid was I to think we were friends?!" Ella shouted, her voice trembling with pain and fury.
Bella wasn't naive. She knew Maximus inside and out. One look at Daniella's devastated face and she immediately understood. Maximus had fed her some ridiculous lie. No hesitation. She cut straight to the core.
"What did Max tell you?"
"Why did you sell me to him for prostitution?" she demanded bitterly, her voice cracking under the weight of betrayal.
Bella blinked, stunned for only a second, then shook her head. "Why would I ever do something like that? And you believed Max? He's a liar. He lives to make people cry."
"Then why didn't you save me from him back in that room?" Ella asked, her voice smaller now, fragile and unsure. She wanted to believe Bella, needed to, but the doubt was still clawing at her.
"Why should I?" Bella challenged. "You weren't even trying to break free."
"I don't believe you," Ella whispered.
"Believe whatever you want, Ella," Bella said with a quiet hurt in her voice. "But at least have a little trust in me."
Without waiting for a reply, Bella turned and got into the car. After a moment of hesitation, Ella followed.
Once inside, Bella finally explained. "One day, I was stranded on the roadside. No phone, no money, nothing. Max came out of nowhere and lent me twenty dollars. But he said I'd have to repay him with my life, or by giving him someone to provide… 'pleasure.' When I met you that night, I offered you to him as a maid. I told him you were only temporary until I found someone for the job. You were never meant for prostitution. You're just his personal maid."
Bella's voice softened. "Max loves twisting people's minds. He loves making them cry, making them doubt everything. That's his game."
Ella stared at her for a long moment, searching her face. Bella had never been anything but kind to her. Slowly, Ella nodded.
"I believe you." And with that, she leaned in and hugged her.
Bella let out a sigh of relief and smiled faintly. "Do you want to see more places tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow," Ella echoed quietly.
The driver started the engine, and the car hummed down the road, back toward the wooden house. The day had been long, draining both mind and body. By the time they arrived, the sky had turned a soft shade of purple, the sun slipping beneath the trees.
Dinner was already served on the small dining table. The three of them sat and ate in silence, the weight of the day still lingering in the air. Afterward, they each retired to their rooms, and for the first time in a long while, Ella slept peacefully. No nightmares. No fear. Just calm.
******
The next morning, the village was already alive with the sound of chores and movement. Ella stirred awake slowly, the memory of yesterday still flickering in her mind. She freshened up and wandered toward the pool. There, she saw Ace, slouched back in a chair, smoking a cigarette while watching something on the outdoor TV.
"Sister-in-law," he called out casually, blowing a puff of smoke into the air.
The smell made her wince. "Do you want to die young? Why are you even smoking?"
She frowned at him, genuinely concerned. He was just a kid.
"Oh, it's all my brother's fault, you see?" Ace replied, quickly putting out the cigarette. At seventeen, he knew he shouldn't be smoking but blaming Maximus was easier than justifying himself.
"Come on. Let's eat," he said, standing up and walking toward the dining area. She followed behind.
"What about Bella?" she asked.
"She went out to take care of something," he replied with a shrug.
Ella just nodded and sat down. They ate quietly, and afterward, she and Ace chatted a little more. She tried convincing him to quit smoking, even sharing some health facts she remembered from her classes. He listened, half-serious, half-joking, but she could tell he appreciated her concern.
Later, back in her room, she sat on the edge of the bed, sighing as she picked up her phone. It began to ring an incoming video call.
Her eyes widened when she saw the name.
"Brother??" she gasped, startled and thrilled all at once.
"Babe," the voice on the other end smiled.
"Nathaniel!" she breathed.
His tone grew serious. "I think you need to come back to school. You're a surgeon student you can't be gone for too long."