Chapter 186 petty drama

Simone, a severe woman in her 40s who oversaw the cleaning staff, seemed to take an instant dislike to Luna from her very first day. Her scowling gaze followed the newcomer's every move, lips pursing disapprovingly at the slightest perceived infraction or mistake. "You there, Cisneros!" she would bark, singling Luna out during group tasks like stripping bed linens or polishing floors. "What kind of half-rate work is this? Even my abuelita could manage better!" The jabs and nitpicking escalated to open hostility after only a few days. Mariama realized it stemmed from petty jealousy over Luna's youthful looks and perceived favor from Javier, the leering head of the male staff who oversaw maintenance and security details. "Careful with that one," Carmelita, an older maid with a look of permanent exhaustion, warned Luna one day in the laundry room. "Simone used to be Javier's...how do you say, querida? Before you came along and caught his eye." Mariama kept her expression carefully neu