Chapter 2 - The Pantry ConfrontationThe heavy oak doors of the pantry blocked out the polite, brittle laughter of the dining room, but they couldn't muffle the venom in Serena Vale’s voice.
Serena cornered Maya right by the industrial sink, her silk designer dress rustling as she stepped forward, blocking the exit. Her painted fingernails tapped rhythmically against the marble counter.
“Do you actually understand what just happened out there, little maid?” Serena hissed, her voice dripping with venomous amusement. “Victoria didn't pick you because she likes you. She used you as a weapon to humiliate us—to show us that even a girl carrying a silver tray is a better option than any woman sitting at that table.”
Maya didn't flinch. She deliberately set down her stack of crystal plates, the ceramic clinking softly against the granite.
“Then why do you look so frightened, Ms. Vale?” Maya asked smoothly, her dark eyes locking onto Serena's wide, startled gaze.
Serena’s smile sharpened into a furious snarl. She stepped closer, invading Maya’s personal space. “Because common servants sometimes forget where the doors are. You’re playing a dangerous game, girl. Victoria might be eccentric, but Adrian will never marry a housemaid. The moment this month is up, you’ll be thrown out onto the street with nothing.”
Maya held her gaze, her expression completely unreadable. “A month is a long time, Ms. Vale. A lot of things can happen in thirty days.”
Serena scoffed, tossing her head back. “Enjoy your little fantasy. By Monday, we’ll make sure Victoria’s ‘joke’ is forgotten.”
May you like
She turned on her heel and stormed out of the pantry, her Christian Louboutin heels clicking furiously against the tile.
Maya waited until the swinging door clicked shut. Then, she reached into her apron pocket, pulled out her small digital voice recorder, clicked it off, and slid it back into the secret lining of her uniform.
