Chapter 3 Two

• Lena could now see why Dante kept saying “we” when he was the only one who came into the house. He had her cramped between himself and another man who hadn’t glanced at her when she got into the car.
• ‘What was inside the briefcase that needed so many men to come get?’ Lena thought. But that was the least of her problems.
• It was pitch black outside, and they'd been driving for what seemed like an hour. She'd have been certain of the time if she had a phone or wristwatch, but all she had was the fading top and pants she wore, as Dante hadn't given her a chance to take anything from the house.
• He told her it was Thane's orders.
• “Bulldoze the house and build something else on it,” she’d heard Thane instruct when he was done speaking to her. "Bring her straight here before getting the package to where it should be.” After that, he'd said something she hadn't paid attention to.
• But Lena didn't mind, she was finally out of that place.
• With zero expectations, she stared straight ahead as the car sped along the tarred road, not daring to look to her right where Dante sat or her left, where she felt the other man steal occasional distrustful glances at her.
• She wouldn't blame him, though. Who in their right senses would plead to follow strange men to a location they were uncertain of?
• It seemed the activity in her head was a good distraction as soon enough; she felt the car slow down in front of a gate which was too dark to see at night, but she could tell its height.
• Just as the car came to a halt before the slowly unfolding gate, Dante and the other man alighted, leaving a confused Lena, the driver, and the other man sitting at the shotgun.
• “Take her in.” Dante ordered and walked towards another car waiting outside.
• Lena's body unconsciously stiffened as soon as the car began slowly entering the compound. And when the gate closed behind them, she realised that she might have begged the devil.
• For some reason, the only place with light was the main house and through the light, she could make out its size. For as long as she could remember, she'd never seen anything like it.
• Slowly, accompanied by the man from the shotgun of the car, she walked through the door of the house and her breath seemed to seize immediately.
• Adrian, her ex-husband, was an extremely rich man and his house contained about fifteen bedrooms. But what Lena's eyes stared at was no fifteen bedroom building.
• What her eyes were taking in was the kind of house king Solomon and his first hundred wives would have lived in; if her exaggeration wasn't so much.
• It was beautiful, large and the interior decorations screamed luxury and money.
• All that came to Lena's mind was ‘How the fuck was the man who owned this place in her kind of jail?’
• “You must be Lena.” The voice of a lady interrupted her thoughts, and she brought her gaze down to view a middle-aged woman dressed in an ash gown which almost hung loose on her body but painted a great picture of her age, and also someone who was well taken care of.
• Lena's eyes locked into the woman's and she nodded “Yes, ma’am."
• "Very well then, come with me.” She had the voice of a typical elderly woman. Not harsh and not too jovial, but pyhad a commanding tone to it.
• Lena, still wallowing in her astonishment, followed the woman up the stairs and as they were about to turn a corner, a lady brushed past Lena, hitting her on the shoulder in the process.
• “I'm so sorry." Lena apologised quickly and was about to say something when the lady's eyes locked onto hers.
• Lena didn't know why, but something about the lady's honey eyes sent shivers down her spine, making her swallow her words and just watch the lady leave without a word.
• “It's alright, that’s Bridget, she's kind of Mr Moneau’s favourite,” the woman explained without looking back as they continued down a hall of rooms.
• “Is she alright?” Lena asked, genuinely concerned, as she was still a little shaken by what she’d felt.
• “Oh yes. She's usually just sour around newbies, but you'd like her once you get used to her.”
• ‘Newbies?’ Lena thought, ignoring the rest of what the woman had said just as they stopped in front of a door and the woman knocked on it twice.
• The door swung open immediately, revealing a blonde standing at it.
• “This is your room, Lena.” the woman informed, ignoring the blonde who had a brow raised, eyeing Lena with curiosity. "According to Mr Moneau, you'd resume work as his maid.”
• “She doesn't look like maid material to me, Marie.” The blonde mocked and rested on one foot with her arms folded.
• Marie just ignored her and turned to Lena, giving her a warm smile. “Not just any maid, dear. You'll be Mr Moneau's personal maid. So you'll take care of his personal space." She said in a giddy tone, which got Lena confused, but she nodded anyway.
• “Now, Alexandra.” Marie turned to the blonde. “Treat her nicely or you'll have me to contend with.” She warned and patted Lena on the shoulder, then began walking away.
• Alexandra stared at Lena and flashed her a wry grin. “We're going to be such besties." Using her leg, she kicked the door wider for Lena to come in.
• *****
• In no time, Lena dressed herself in the maids’ outfit, a straight light blue gown that stopped just above the knee and had a zipper at the back.
• She made her way to where they'd described as Thane and his fiance, Tessa's room, where she was told to go clean up the mess in the room. She couldn't help but feel honored that she'd be in the presence of Tessa Maddox, supermodel and six times influencer of the year.
• Tessa was one woman Lena admired and wished to be like; pretty, happy and fulfilled.
• She reached the large door, took out the keys that were given to her, and unlocked the door.
• Even though Lena was caught breathless by the decor, beauty, and size of the room, she couldn’t help but notice the broken wine bottle and the red liquid that had spilled all over the white tiles.
• ‘Who drinks at this odd hour of the day?’ she thought.
• Without wasting much time, she set down her equipment and got to work. But in the middle of it, she heard the door slam behind her.
• “And who are you supposed to be?”
• Lena turned around at the sound of the irritated female voice, to view a pale, swollen-eyed, scattered haired Tessa who looked nothing like the person she usually saw on TV.