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And that was the case.

“The boss says I can’t return if I don’t bring you downstairs,” The woman confessed, shaking like a leaf in autumn. It made Arianna feel guilty knowing this was someone’s mother and she has always treated older women with respect.

And Marcel must know that which is why he intentionally sent the woman to get her. He wanted to guilt trap her. Fortunately, she had her plans as well.

“Then you can sit with me....” Arianna tapped the side of her bed, “I’ve been craving company for a long time now.” She assumed that would work but Marcel was much smarter than she gave him credit for.

“You don’t understand young miss...” The woman shook her head, her eyes threatening to water, “He’s going to fire me if I don’t carry out this task. Sadly, I can’t lose my job now, I need the money to feed my children, not to mention I’m the breadwinner of the family. Please help me.”

The guilt trip was successful.

Marcel won this round because there was no way she would stay still after hearing what that woman just said. If not for anything, the thought of the children starving if she loses this job. Arianna couldn’t accept it.

Having grown up on the streets, Arianna understood how hard it was to survive and parents scraped by with whatever they could get their hands on. Thinking of it now, she was kind of grateful her father left something behind even though her uncle hogged everything.

.....

Arianna might have slept in a smaller room compared to Claudia’s lavish one but she didn’t have a leaking roof over her head; she was schooled compared to others who dropped out due to lack of resources; She had a trust fund to forward to, unlike the others who inherited nothing from their poor parents. In one way, she was blessed.

She had to help this woman.

“If I had dinner with him, he wouldn’t fire you again, right?” Arianna wanted to be sure of what she was doing knowing Marcel was good at tricks.

“Yes, miss,” She nodded.

With a sigh, Arianna followed after her. Her plans of going on a hunger strike were now ruined. Marcel must have predicted that she would take that route and stopped it before she even started.

But then, Arianna came to a startling discovery on her way down. Her room was directly above Marcel and for some reason, it felt intimate and annoying at the same time. How can she escape when he was this close to her? Well, don’t give up hope now, Arianna, we are just starting. She comforted herself.

Arianna found him in the dining room already digging into the meal without her. Heck, why the hell was she annoyed about that? Why should she care that he didn’t wait for her? They weren’t friends anyway.

Yet she couldn’t help but drink him in, especially the casual shirt he was wearing; the way it fits snugly, displaying the hard muscles there. But then, his eyes suddenly connected with her, and Arianna’s heart slammed into her ribcage.

She turned away at once while hoping to God he didn’t catch her staring at him. God, this was so embarrassing, she shouldn’t have come here. Now, he was going to think she was going soft on him. So annoying!

Arianna made sure she looked calm and in control even though her heart was still pounding in her chest. She can’t show she was flustered by his appearance. No, she can’t fuel his already huge male ego.

“You’re here,” He said, rolling the spaghetti in his fork, “Join me,” He put it in his mouth.

But Arianna didn’t join him, she said instead, “You resort to lowly threats now?”

Marcel wiped the corner of his mouth with the napkin, then looked up at her, “Don’t you know your table manners, Arianna? No talking during mealtime,” He said casually and that irked her the more.

“You were going to fire her!” She raised her voice but instead of Marcel reacting with the same intensity, he asked calmly,

“Who said anything about firing her?”

She shut her eyes, trying to rein in her anger, “Don’t play the pretense game with me, Marcel. I know that you threatened that poor woman to -”

“I’m sorry I lied to you,” Someone said from the side and Arianna turned to discover that it was the woman from earlier and she was getting more food on the table as if the ones there weren’t enough. Would more people join then because she was sure she and Marcel wouldn’t finish that – that is if she even lays a hand on the food.

Arianna’s brows furrowed at that statement and she couldn’t help but feel something wasn’t right – like a sense of betrayal. She stared at the woman hard, “What are you talking about?”

“Young Master Marcel did nothing like that, I was the one who told the lie,” The woman said and her jaw almost dropped to the ground.

Why would anyone lie for Marcel without him forcing them? It was utterly ridiculous! That was until she saw the both of them exchange looks and knew there was some sort of connection between them. Arianna could almost liken it to the relationship between Marcel and his cousin, Victor – she hasn’t seen for a while now. One thing was for sure, they were close.

“Arianna, let me introduce my Head Housekeeper, Beatrice. She just returned from her long break and has been there for me over the years. I hope the both of you get along,” Marcel introduced her.

“Nice to meet you, dear,” Beatrice extended her hand for a handshake but Arianna just stared at her skeptically.

She was not keen on trusting and getting attached to people nowadays especially since the Cassie incident. Would getting to know this kind-looking elderly woman come to bite her in the ass later?