SINFULLY YOURS

Chapter 4: Chapter 4. Why Comfortable?

Chapter 4. Why Comfortable?

Rosa Lin’s POV

I froze at her words. ”Is this an acceptable time to go check it out?” I asked.

She frowned at me. ”Of course, you can check it out anytime. The lady in charge of the villa was actually requesting you come over as soon as possible. So, I guess now should be a good time before she finds someone suitable for the job. I don’t even think she’s going to find someone suitable for the job as long as she mentioned your name, which is weird. Perhaps when you get there, you can ask how they got to know about you,” she said.

I looked towards the side for a while and nodded my head before looking ahead. I guess it was a great idea—better to go check out the weird live-in housekeeping job that was going to earn me $50,000 per month. I couldn’t wrap my head around that fact. I hadn’t been able to sleep very well last night all because of that fact. It was weird, absolutely weird.

It didn’t take too long before we moved across the city and finally got there. Oh, and it was a very big estate, far much larger than the Lees’. It was a sprawling, large compound that looked like it could contain two to three football fields. My eyes were wide as saucers as I looked through the window. The vehicle moved through a courtyard with rows of flowers on either side surrounding two large fountains. The edifice at the far end of the estate was something else. I could only gape at it with my eyes wide.

Mia chuckled beside me. ”Beautiful, isn’t it? This is where you’re going to be staying and working from now on,” she said.

My heart was pounding fast in my chest. This has to be a dream, I thought to myself. There is no freaking way.

We finally got to the parking lot, and she parked the vehicle to the side. A butler walked over and stood by the door, opening it for Mia. She turned to look at him with surprise.

”Oh, wow, that’s surprising. Thank you,” she said.

The butler chuckled and bowed.

I was about to turn to open my door when it opened by itself as well, and I saw another butler standing on the other side. Oh, great. Never expected some princessly treatment or something. I grinned nervously and stepped out, bowing down towards him.

He frowned at me and bowed as well. ”You shouldn’t do that, ma’am,” he said kindly.

Mia handed him the keys, and he smiled. We headed over towards the entrance, and then she turned to look at me when we stopped there. ”Are you ready?” she asked.

I couldn’t help but to feed my eyes at the beauty of the entrance.

I finally looked at her with wide eyes. ”No,” I replied.

She chuckled and shook her head, brushing her palm against her forehead. ”Just relax, okay? It’s going to be fine. Think of it as your first step into freedom and living the life you want,” she said. ”It’s going to be amazing. Just follow my lead.”

Then she pressed the doorbell by the side of the door.

We waited for a bit. It didn’t take too long before the door clicked open, and we saw an older lady dressed in an immaculate, tailored official suit and skirt, her gloved fingers laced together, staring at the both of us with excitement. Her eyes landed on Mia, and a broad smile expanded across her lips.

”Oh, Miss Mia Chen,” she said calmly. ”You came.”

She and Mia shook hands as Mia bowed, and then she turned her eyes to look at me. ”And you must be Rosa Lin?”

I smiled and nervously extended my hand to her. bowing as well. ”Yes, it’s me, ma’am. Rosa Lin,” I said.

She chuckled and took my hand. ”Well, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” she said.

I blinked rapidly. Well, she knows my name, but she doesn’t know my face. Isn’t that so awesome? I thought sarcastically. I really had a lot of questions for this lady.

”It’s a good thing you came by. I’m thinking you must be here to figure out about the place,” she said.

I turned my head to look at Mia. Mia was grinning at me.

”Come on in,” she said and stepped aside.

We both went in, and then she shut the door behind us. As she moved in, I quickly stretched out my hand. ”Um, excuse me, ma’am,” I said.

She turned around to look at me. ”What is it, dear?”

I chuckled. ”Yeah, I just wanted to, you know, make some confirmations because I heard from my friend that the pay for the job is $50,000,” I said.

She smiled at me. ”Yes, it is, dear.”

No way.

I tilted my head to look at Mia with wide eyes. Mia was grinning at me, trying to stop herself from laughing.

I turned back to the woman. ”I just want to understand because, well, how do I say this? I want to know what work I’m going to be doing, you know? Are there private jets involved for me to clean?”

Mia snickered beside me.

At the mention of that, I noticed the woman closed her eyes and then looked down at the ground, chuckling with her head shaking from side to side. ”I actually expected that question,” she said. ”I understand you must have so many doubts because the money is too big for just live-in housekeeping. But come on, girl, be wise about it. Look around,” she said, gesturing around. ”You are going to be cleaning this entire mansion consistently, almost every day. You’ll have a schedule—you’ll get that later on. But do you really expect us to pay you a little amount for cleaning such a very big place as this? You have to be paid handsomely for the stress. Trust me, it’s not going to be easy.”

I tilted my head to the side, my eyelids squinted together as I nodded my head slowly. ”Okaaay,” I said.

She chuckled. ”Relax, okay? I know you must have so many doubts. The money is too big, and you are thinking maybe it’s just a scam or something. To prove how legit it is, I can pay you $10,000 upfront and then give you the rest by the end of the month once your work is done very well.”

My eyes widened, and my jaw dropped when she said that. ”You would really do that?” I asked.

She chuckled. ”Yes, of course. We always do well to ensure that those who work with us are paid very well.”

I am short of words. I turned to look at Mia. She looked at me with a smile.

”Come on, girl, what are you waiting for?” she asked.

I chuckled nervously and looked back at the woman. ”Well, that... that would actually be very nice,” I said.

She smiled. ”It’s all right, girl. Whenever you’re ready, just say the word and we’ll wire the money straight to your account immediately.”

I nodded my head slowly, my eyes wide, totally dazed.

She chuckled. ”All right, come on, let me show you around.”

I looked at Mia, who grabbed my arm and began to lead me forward behind her. ”You’re going to love this,” she said.

Before we could walk any further, we heard a ringing tone. The woman dipped her hand inside her pocket and took out her phone.

”Oh, I’m so sorry, I need to take this,” she turned to Mia. ”Can you show your friend around?”

”Yeah, sure, of course,” Mia replied.

Then she walked off, placing the phone against her ear and saying, ”Hello,” into the phone.

Mia grabbed my hand and began to lead me towards a far space across the large living room of the mansion, which almost looked like a ballroom. ”Come on, there’s something I want to show you.”

Confusion clouded my mind as I followed behind her. She led me up a spiral staircase which looked like it must have been dressed in marble. Oh my God, this place was a wonder. That was all I could think about as my eyes raked everywhere. I couldn’t see any sign of cemented walls—all I could see were tiles, marble, glistening emeralds. Was this place built in marble and diamonds? I asked myself.

She led me across a long corridor now on the first floor until we got towards a particular room with a door designed in total gold.

”Okay, this is the moment I’ve been so happy to show you about. You’re going to love this,” she said. She unlocked the door and then pulled me inside.

The room was dim for a while, but when she clapped her hands, the lights instantly came on automatically. I gasped.

Oh my God.

It was a music studio—a very large, dimly-lit, opulent music studio filled with standard industry musical instruments, complete with a studio mic and a recording booth at the far end, all occupying a wide, yet confined space. The coolness of the AC hit my skin, forcing me to hug myself as I stood frozen, rigid to the spot.

Mia walked around, her hands spread and gesturing all around. ”Isn’t it lovely?” she said.

I really had no words. My eyes were wide as I took it all in.

”This is the perfect description of destiny and fate coming together to make things work out for you,” she said.

I scoffed and shook my head. ”There is no way,” I said, unable to keep the laughter away from my face. I stepped closer and walked over towards the grand piano at the far end. I stopped by it, looked at it for a while, and traced my fingers against it, popping in a few notes and listening to the melody I made with my fingers.

Mia leaned against the other side of the piano. ”Well, aren’t you so good?” she said.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes, looking around with a big smile.

”And you are going to have access to all of this while working here at the same time,” she added.

I frowned. ”Is that really possible? I mean, it’s not mine. I’m only meant to take care of this place,” I said.

”Come on with it, girl. Don’t be so stupid,” she said. ”It’s not like the owner is going to be here grilling you behind your back and telling you, ’Do not touch my things,’” she said, mimicking a manly tone, and I couldn’t help but snicker as I covered my mouth.

She smiled. ”Just take the chance, okay? As long as you don’t damage anything and you keep everything clean in a way he’s not going to suspect anybody came in here, you’re going to be fine. Come on, you are an adult.”

I hesitated for a while, gazing at the keys.

”This is destiny speaking to you, Rosa.”

I honestly did not know what to say. I just stared at the keyboard, tracing my fingers against the keys. I’m going to be in charge of this for literally as long as I work here, I thought to myself. I chuckled and shook my head.

”Isn’t it great?” she asked.

”I... do not know what to say,” I replied.

”Well, you can simply say you are happy that destiny is making things work out good for you when the world turned against you,” she said. Before I could reply, she stood up and then began to walk over towards the door. ”You can take your time by getting familiar with the equipment. I’m going to go get your luggage,” she said.

I turned to look at her sharply, my face twisted. ”Yeah, right. That is your indirect way of telling me you no longer want me in your home. Look at you, so in a hurry to push me away,” I said with a pout. ”I haven’t even settled down yet, but you’re already kicking me out.”

She scoffed and laughed out loud. ”Don’t be so silly, girl. This is me telling you I want what is best for you. You really cannot achieve anything by staying in my home, let’s face the fact.”

I hesitated and then looked at her before snarling and turning away.

She chuckled. ”I’ll be back, girl. Take your time.”

The moment Mia was gone, I relaxed back and took a seat in front of the piano. I began to play some key notes and some chords, feeling excited about the joy of the melody that flooded my ears.

”This is so good,” I whispered to myself.

I don’t know how long I had been there playing some chords, but then I forgot that the studio was actually left open.

”I can see you’re already getting familiar with the things here.”

I recognized the voice—it was the voice of the woman in charge. I quickly froze and got off the chair, turning around to look at her.

She chuckled and raised a hand. ”Relax, girl. Don’t be so scared. This place is yours as long as the owner is not around— and as long as you don’t damage anything, too,” she said, laughing softly, and I smiled nervously, lacing my fingers together.

She came closer with a drink in her hand. ”Want a drink?” she asked.

I blinked. What? I looked from her back to the drink at intervals.

I was dumbfounded. I wondered why she was offering me something to drink; I was only being offered a job as a housekeeper here.

”Um... Ma’am..”

”Take it,” she said with a smile.

I nervously scratched my neck. Is this a test?

She chuckled. ” If this was a test, I would have picked a better one. This is lame.”

I raised an eyebrow at her. Weird how she knew what I was thinking. My face must be giving way too much info.

I hesitated, but gently lifted my hand and took it.

She smiled with amusement. ”If you want to eat anything, there is a lot in the kitchen. You can just head over and serve yourself,” she said with a bright smile.

I didn’t know what to say right now. Why was she treating me like this? She observed me, and I suspect she must have been able to read my mind from the expression on my face.

She chuckled. ”Relax, girl. Nobody is trying to kidnap you. Everything I’m doing right now is all based on the instructions of my boss. He asked me to treat you best and ensure you are perfectly comfortable.”

Comfortable? I thought. As a live-in housekeeper?