Chapter two

Layla

“There she is, take her” one of the bodyguards instructed and the rest of the guards came to me to seize and drag me away with them, well they actually lifted me cleanly off the ground, up for about at least a foot and some inches, it would have felt like I was a music star on a live performance, the kind Lady Gaga does with beefy men lifting her about, but this wasn’t the case, this was a much more dire situation, but wait, what did I actually do wrong? My thoughts asked a question I was clueless about, this possibly couldn’t be how they welcomed their guests after all, besides, the one in the lead had said “There she is, take her” and I believe they only say that kinda thing to offenders. “Wha… wha…” I kept trying to ask what I did wrong but the words just caught in my throat.

“You’ll be punished for daring to disturb the whole mansion, you think this is a place you can come and start playing pranks, we’ve had offenders like you before that comes around to ring the bell and run away, you’ll be their scapegoat” a guard said like he was reading my thoughts and giving answers to them, or maybe he deducted what I wanted to ask from my stammering, but then what in the actual fudge was he saying? My mind inquired.

“But… I wasn’t playing pranks, I was only ringing it so I’d be allowed in to attend the interview that I was meant to be here for… I rang multiple times because I received no feedback, and what do you mean by I’ll be punished?” I ask already breaking down in tears, I was no crybaby but when it came to people of riches and power, I’d rather not get in their crosshairs, and it already seemed that I’m definitely going to face the wrath of the Lockwoods today, the guard had said I disturbed the whole mansion after all. How was that even possible just from ringing an entrance bell? My mind inquired yet again.

“I would have you know that in here, visitors are not supposed to ring the bell more than twice but you did it multiple times like a kindergartener playing with a favorite toy, so you’ll be punished like the unruly toddler that you are” the bodyguard that was replying me said.

“But I didn’t know about that” I said and in my mind I was rolling my eyes, I’d have done it openly for them to see if I hadn’t already been taken as an offender, I didn’t want to provoke them any further, but then, I mean who the heck sets up rules like that, what is it with rich people and all these little things that makes absolutely no sense at all, Don’t ring the bell more than twice? Yeah fuck that, they should have written that on the device as well then, my mind raged.

“Ignorance is not an excuse” another guard said with a barking voice, I tried to turn my head to look at him, he sounded like someone that should be avoided at all times, but the vicelike grip of those carrying me disallowed me from being able to shift not to talk of turning.

As I was being dragged on though, something came to my mind “But wait, who is going to punish me?” I ask as I suddenly realized there were many things still unknown to me even including the type of punishment I’d get, who would do the punishing? Do they have a dungeon here that offending servants are punished? Or is there a torture room and a torturer? Or would it be these bodyguards that would mete out the punishment?

“Mr. Lockwood's son of course, the young master” another guard reply with a tone that implied that the answer to that was supposed to be obvious enough and I'd probably just asked a stupid question, but wait, did he actually say Mr. Lockwood’s son? Mr. Lockwood has only one son and… OhMaGawd! I’m going to be punished by the hot model and most eligible bachelor in the city, Victor Lockwood.

A lot of thoughts started going on in my head, firstly, I thought I had heard that he was the one to conduct the interview since he is actually the one in need of the maid, then again, if he is as good looking as he is in the screens and magazines (and I see no reason why he wouldn’t be), then I really want to be punished by him, I just don’t think it’s the same form of punishment we have in mind here as at now. Wait, my mind of reason halted my rambling thoughts, what if he is not as good a guy as he seemed to be on the internet and on the television? After all if he is the one in charge of punishing offenders in their household then what does that say about his character as a person? It is only just my first time meeting him and being able to be here at the Lockwood’s mansion and I’m already in trouble, even with everyone’s celebrity crush, someone people would do anything just to see him.

Damn. Why hadn’t I been patient enough after ringing the first two times, curse my tardiness for this, if I had arrived earlier, then I wouldn’t have been in a hurry, and maybe I’d have enough patience with the gatebell or something. Phew, I’m in trouble alright.

As they kept dragging me on, carrying me mostly though, I still actually couldn’t help but be in awe at the beauty of the mansion especially the gardens and flowers planted all about, I could just stand in one spot and marvel all day long, taking in the beauty but I’m in actual trouble at the moment so I won’t have the time to do that now.

We finally got to a building, the main building right in the center of the whole expanse actually and we went inside with me still being carried along. Then moving along through the house, we came to a stop at a room and a guard knocked, almost immediately following the knock, a muffled voice answered “Come in, the door is open” and I swallowed hard. At that point though, I was released enough that my feet were touching the ground so I could walk but my knees were feeble and wobbly already and I actually wished they would still lift me up, although the grip on my arms still remained there so I used that as a sort of crutch to keep myself balanced.

One of the guards opened the door and we all went inside, I immediately decided to be as meek as possible so as to get the smallest possible type of punishment which I hope would be the case if they see that I wasn’t putting up a fight or being rude and being very accepting, I brought my gaze downwards not looking at the simple yet elegantly furnished room. It was more like an office, all that I noticed from the first few glances I took as we entered.

“Young master, here she is” the one that seemed to be the head of the group of bodyguards that was with me said in amore refined voice than he had used with me, I guess since he was talking to his boss now and not just a commoner, an offender at that.

“Leave us” I heard him say and I as well heard the chair he was seated on squeak as he turned around to face us, if he had been looking out the window, then he must have seen how his bodyguards had bundled me along to get here, I started to feel embarrassed. Then the guards left the room slamming the door behind them as they left and I remained there alone with him still bowing my head, my embarrassment added to the reason why my head remained bowed, now I just couldn’t bring myself to look him in the eyes. Damn, I couldn’t even start to imagine how it would feel to gaze into his eyes, heck, I was in the presence of the main topic of any group of girls that are gathered and gossiping, my breath start to get caught in my chest, I couldn’t take in as much air as I would like to, cos I felt that might make a sound and this dream slash nightmare might abruptly come to an end.

A whole minute passed without him saying anything and I started wondering if he was still there, I mean I couldn’t even feel his presence, it was like he was there yet he wasn’t, well I didn’t want to raise up my head, considering that I know for a fact that someone is actually sitting in front of me, oh wait, was he observing me or looking me over? I couldn’t help but think and at that thought I got a bit uncomfortable and shifted a bit from foot to foot, wait, maybe he isn’t even bothered with me, maybe…

“So, you are the one bold enough to disturb me from having my morning rest huh?” I heard him speak suddenly into the silence, breaking into my train of thought and I actually got so startled that I flinched. I quickly relaxed though after hearing his sweet baritone voice that gave off a dreamy vibe, it was the kind of voice that you wanted to hear before going to sleep and after waking up.

“I’m… sorry… sir, I did not mean to” I said and my voice betrayed me by wavering so I cleared my throat. Then I thought about what he had just said ‘morning rest?’, but then I thought we were supposed to be having the interview by 8 o’clock this morning and he was the one to conduct it, so how come he is having a ‘morning rest' by this time? I dare not ask him out loud though but I slanted my hand to glance at my watch it was about some minutes to 9am.

“I don’t think you understand, sorry is not going to cut it, you disturbed the whole mansion with that prank you pulled, not just me, so you have to be punished somehow for doing that” he said and I sensed him standing up after which he came from behind his desk to stand in front of me, his well polished suede shoe came into my view brandishing their peak style and showing his incredible fashion taste, wait didn’t he say he was resting? How come he is all dressed up? Or does he sleep in his shoes? I tried to think but I couldn’t and I as well couldn’t hold myself back anymore, I brought my head up to try to appeal to him while looking in his eyes and beg him with tears in my own eyes. But instead, my words caught in my throat as I got to actually see him in real life for the very first time.

First, it was the skin, caramel and slightly pale (he actually managed to pull that off), it looked really sweet and seemed to be glowing as it pulsed with grace, it was deeply enchanting as much as I could see from his arm because his shirt sleeves were rolled up and from his neck and face. Then it was actually his eyes, strangely magnetic, a very light brown color full of sweetness and peace and deadly calm, I could drown in there if I stayed too long, so I looked away fast, but then my gaze fell on his lips and slowly, unconsciously I was leaning in like I had no will of my own, it was calling onto me so softly and tenderly, I traced it with my finger in my mind, I could almost feel its softness and it was so lush and so full and a beautiful pink rimmed them in a way that went along perfectly with his skin.

The outline of his face, all angles and edges were perfectly defined, his prominent cheek bone, perfect, his hair full and brown, we get a lot of black and blonde in guys but this kind of brown was not so common, but then again what’s with this guy and brown? that soft, soft and arousing color, I just want to run my hands through his hair and feel the texture even though they look so soft in their curls, his beautiful nose bridge purrrrrrfect…

He also sported short and trimmed beards, that had it’s own ting… I started to imagine it softly brushing me as we kiss, his small ears I’ll place sweet soft kisses on, his small almost invisible mustache, his beautiful full eyebrows I want to trace its carve softly whilst he’s asleep, and that graceful neck, all these I actually managed to imagine and daydream while totally forgetting my current situation, he was just that much compelling, this perfect gentleman before me, a spec of my very own perfect man.

Then he smirked as if what had just happened to me was something he was familiar with, or maybe it was just my imagination and it was really just an ordinary smirk, then, he brought his phone up

to type in something and then brought it to his ears, ‘dammit’ I cursed inwardly, I just missed my chance to beg while I was drooling over his features, so I brought my head back down in more shame.

“Come and take her to the dark room” he said simply and dropped the phone back on the table then he folded his arms across his chest and just looked at me, I had brought my head back up in shock upon hearing the words ‘dark room’ but I remained speechless as I just gaped at him, what does that even mean and what exactly have I gotten myself into, my thoughts ravaged.

A few seconds later, some other bodyguards came and dragged me away and this time I had no choice but to really cry as I started to say “Please, please, please…’’ over and over again, I didn’t know what else to say. What does this mean for me? What will happen to me and what if I’m not released today and my mom and brother has to start looking for me? I kept thinking as I was dragged along through the house, this time, I really couldn’t see anything because of the tears streaming down my eyes.

They threw me into a very dark place that looked like a cell without windows and left me there, it got really dark when they closed the door. Dark room indeed! I couldn’t help but just cry though. I cursed myself for being so weak in front of Victor, but then, if my dad was still alive, I wouldn’t be in this situation, I’d have never even thought of coming here to look for a job and that’s all the more reason why I’m going to root out those scums that murdered my dad, but that is only if I make it out of this, somehow though, I knew I would.