Chapter 5

The rest of the day passes with much more ease than it started with. I don’t cross path with Ivan again and his brothers aren’t as cruel as he is, even though they don’t show much sign of kindness either. Valentino acts as if I don’t exist, except for the few nasty glances he will throw my way when we run into each other in the various hallways of the mansion. Nico on the other hand surprised me the most with his sudden coldness. The kid is only five years old but his skill in imitating his older brother’s murderous glares is very impressive. He suddenly changed from the cute little boy who was so eager to introduce himself earlier. Now, he doesn’t even want to talk to me anymore. I suspect his father and brothers have something to do with it. They probably told him that he is not to befriend the maid since I am only vermin meant to serve them. I really hate the way I’m being treated by this family. If it weren’t for my mother’s debt, I would have quit on this very first day. Plus, the work is tough for only one girl. I still haven’t gotten to dust the entire mansion by nighttime and I have no choice but to leave some of the chores for tomorrow. Alongside the cleaning duties, having to cook large pots of food is also quite a struggle. I made stew for dinner and by the time I serve the Whitlock family in the dining room, the guards have already inhaled their bowls and asking for more. Luckily for them, I made enough food for an entire army but it took the life out of me. “You’re a great cook, Catalina!” Ricardo compliments me with a huge grin. At least, words like this make the struggle worthy .I can say with confidence that Ricardo is the one who appreciates me the most in this mansion. The other guards are kind too but a little rough. They don’t really talk to me but I often catch them looking with interest. Specially Hector. He is the most dignified of the lot but he is always observing me. I wish I could read his mind and know what he thinks of me exactly. I sit at their table to eat my own stew. Some of the guards take meat to the dogs outside. Those dogs are also making me very anxious. Ricardo swears that they won’t attack me but I just can’t trust him with that. I’ve always been wary of Belgian Shepherds. There are lots of terrible stories about them where I’m from. It’s rumored that they don’t hesitate to bite into people’s flesh, even the innocents. “Don’t worry.” Ricardo tells me with a wink. “I will keep you safe.” His comment makes me laugh while some of his peers just roll their eyes in exasperation. Ricardo isn’t even trying to hide his little crush at this point. He refills my cup with cool water and I thank him. Suddenly, a presence brings silence to the otherwise noisy dining room. I turn toward the entry door and see Ivan. He is standing there with his arms behind his back, sharp eyes squinting at the guards and lingering on me. His mouth turns into a scowl. “There aren’t anymore bread on our table, Catalina.” He mutters through gritted teeth. “Oh. Okay. I’m coming, master Whitlock.” He turns and leaves immediately. I excuse myself from the guards and go to the kitchen to get more bread for the Whitlocks. Their table is awfully quiet and the air is tense among them. The hair on the back of my neck stands. I put the basket of bread at the center of the table. “Is there anything else?” Ivan turns to me. His jaw is clenched tight and I ask myself why he looks so pissed. Did I do something wrong again? “As the oldest son of this family, my father just authorized me to maintain the order in this mansion, Catalina.” He informs me. “That means that I take all the decisions from now on and they are not to be questioned.” “Hmm...Sure.” The old master Whitlock nods as if agreeing with his son. I don’t care whichever of them takes the decision. They’re both as insufferable anyway. I just don’t understand why he is telling me. “My first decision is that you’re not to eat with the guards anymore, Catalina.” “E-excuse me?” “You heard me. You will eat alone in the kitchen from now on. Or wait until they are done if you prefer the dining room. No more shared meal.” “But...” I flex my fingers and draw a deep breath to calm down. “May I know why, master Whitlock?” I end up asking. Ivan’s fingers tap repeatedly on the wooden table, making a very disturbing noise. The corners of his lips rise in a smirk. “It’s because you’re a distraction to them, Catalina. The guards are supposed to eat their meals in quiet and in a short time, so as not to be distracted from their jobs. Eating with them will make them lenient and risk putting all of us in danger. Does that sound reasonable to you or do you want to question my decision again?” I look at the other people at the table. Valentino and Nico are picking at their food without meeting my eyes. The old Whitlock just sneers, mocking me. I swallow and nod. “It’s understood, Master Whitlock.” Ivan waves his hand lazily and I understand that I can finally leave. So now I have to eat on my own, huh? As if this mansion wasn’t depressing enough. At least I found companions in the guards but Ivan snatched that from me in mere seconds. What an asshole. When I tell the guards about this new decision, they all seem to be thinking the same thing as me but they don’t say anything bad about the Whitlocks. I understand why, of course. It only took a foolish man to curse his boss, after all. We finish dinner in a sour mood and this time, no one helps me with washing the dishes, certainly to keep themselves out of trouble. I think this new decision of Ivan has just labeled as unapproachable to the guards. After washing all the plates and cleaning the kitchen again, I deem myself too exhausted to lift another finger. It’s around ten in the evening and all I want is to get to bed. I check the rooms on the first floor first and don’t find any of the Whitlocks. I guess they went to their bedrooms or something. The guards are still patrolling outside, though. Are they even allowed to sleep? I get to my own room and sigh in relief after closing the door behind me. All the stress from the day lifts from my shoulders. Being in my personal space makes me smile despite the exhaustion. First of all, I brush my teeth and take a warm shower in the bathroom. It really helps with the muscle cramps. One of the pajama sets in the closet is a cute pink and grey short with its matching top. I wear it and tie my hair up in a loose ponytail. A sound coming from outside my window makes my heart skip a beat. It sounds like a knock. I push the curtains and immediately see Ricardo’s smiley face. He waves at me and I chuckle before opening the window. “You scared me.” I tell him with a grin. “Sorry...I just want to wish you goodnight before you went to sleep.” “That’s very sweet, Ricardo. Thank you for being so caring but...Maybe you shouldn’t be, after all. I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble with the masters because you speak to me.” He clicks his tongue with his brows furrowed. “I’m not scared of them, Catalina. I want to be your friend and there is nothing wrong with that. Unless you don’t want it, I will always be kind to you.” His words warm my heart. I reach out to hold his hand. “Thank you, I really appreciate it.” “You know...” He whispers. “I don’t like the way master Ivan treats you.” “Well...I don’t either but that’s just how it is with rich people. They treat people like me with no respect.” “No.” Ricardo shakes his head, holding my hand in both of his. “Master Ivan has never been so cruel with the maids before. I hear the guards say it, you know. He always ignores the personnel but with you, he is being very difficult.” “Really?” “Yes...You should be careful with him. With all of them, actually. The Whitlocks are a dangerous family, Catalina.” I nod, feeling a nasty twist in my stomach. I do think that the Whitlock family is carrying darkness that I’m sure I do not want to discover. “Don’t worry about me, Ricardo. I’m very cautious and I’m not about to put myself in danger. I’m here to work and that’s all I will do. I won’t give Ivan the opportunity to mess with me.” Ricardo beams, happy with my response. When we hear someone walking nearby, he wishes me goodnight again, kisses the back of my hand and leaves running. I close the window and the curtains before going to bed. Yet, my encounter with Ivan keeps replaying in my mind. Is it true that he’s never been so harsh with a maid before? Then, I would like to know why he chose me as his scapegoat. I have been respectful to him but he went ahead and called me a slut before I even got to introduce myself. He clearly wants trouble but I won’t participate in whatever game he is playing. I just want to be left in peace. I lie under my covers and check my phone for the first time since I arrived this morning. I gasp at the sight of fifteen missed calls from my father. He also left me many voice mails, the most recent one stating: “How could you abandon me like this, Catalina?! You left me to die, just like your mother did! Go to hell! And don’t you dare come back and beg me for help when life will punch in the guts. From now on, consider yourself an orphan. You have no father anymore!” My eyes fill with tears after listening to that horrid message. I guess papa didn’t take it too well that I left for this job... I know this is not him, though. It’s the alcohol that is making him say things he doesn’t mean but God, it still hurts me. I cry more, realizing that he is not wrong. I’m definitely an orphan now, without a mother or a father. I’m all alone in this cruel world. My hand flies to the cross I’m always wearing and I squeeze it tight in my fist. At least God is still here for everyone, even for those who lost all. I trust that he will bring better days to me when the time is right...