Peeking at her sleeping mother made Madison at ease. When she was a child, her mother always loved to read her the story of sleeping beauty, which is how fate stirs their life in the present. Her mother becomes the sleeping beauty in the story; she sleeps peacefully on the white bed inside a white-walled room. Madison can't hide the tears already crawling on her hazel-nut pair of eyes because this will be the last time she will visit her before going to Manila. Her Aunt helped her get a job in the city where she could work as a maid.
"Will you be alright there? Are you sure you don't want to wait for your sisters before departing?" As she held her niece's face and handed Madison's baggage, Sabina, Madison's Aunt, asked.
Madison cleared her throat and breathed, "I can't see them like this, Auntie." Madison's voice trembled as her left-hand lay on the glass window of her mother's room. "My mother always told me that, in life, we can't always remain in the same phase we had today. The path changes as obstructions continue to test a person's faith."
When she was a child, she thought their life would remain at peace permanently. Not until her father died in an accident, and that was the last day that she saw her father's smile. Since then, she has carried all the burdens as the family's breadwinner and supports her siblings in pursuing their education by working day and night.
Their life was simple, not in the higher or middle class, whereas they managed to sustain their daily lives. However, one day, her mother fell short of breath and fainted. She suffered from a heart attack and stroke. As a result of these ailments, she was hospitalized in a coma.
However, Their expenses continued to mount, and the money she made from selling fruits and vegetables wasn't sufficient to cover the cost of her mother's medications.
"Auntie, I have to go now. I'll entrust my mother under your care." Sabina pulled her niece into a warm embrace before seeing her off. With a heavy heart and uncertain journey, Madison travels alone, under the instruction of her Auntie.
Madison may not finish her studies due to the unexpected events and circumstances that change their life; however, she was gifted with beauty and perseverance. She can keep in mind her Aunt Sabina's Instructions on how she can travel and arrive at her new workplace's location.
While glancing from the bus window, Madison couldn't help but be amazed at what her keen eyes had seen. Tall buildings almost bussed the clouds, the people on the streets were busy, the vibrant colors of the surroundings and the cars that she had only seen on flyers.
When the bus stopped, the passengers carried their bags and started to march out. Madison, who had arrived in Manila for the first time, got her baggage and followed the man in front of her until she got outside.
She took a tiny piece of paper from the pocket of her long sleeve polo and checked the address of her new workplace. She saw how a woman who suddenly passed beside her raised her hand until a taxi stopped in front of her.
"Whoa! That's awesome!" Madison exclaimed as her eyes sparkled in amusement. In their town, people can only use a bike for transportation or ride a cheap vehicle.
So, Madison does what the lady did earlier; she raises her hand until she sees a white car parked in front of her. She asked the driver to open the door because that was the first time she would be riding a Taxi. She handed the piece of paper to the driver. "Here's the address that my aunt gave, S-Sir." She said, swallowing the lump forming in her throat.
When she arrived at the location, a vast Spanish-based mansion welcomed her from a distance. It was huge that even twenty people could reside in it, and it was twenty times bigger than the apartment where they live. Madison gulped in nervousness as she set foot outside the vehicle, holding her baggage.
A woman in her mid-40s welcomed her; she opened the gate and smiled. "You must be the new Maid," she stated.
Madison nodded, trying to remain calm despite uneasiness. "Y-yes, my Aunt instructed me throughout my travel."
"I am Mila, The Head Housekeeper. Come! You must be exhausted. Give me your baggage; allow me to carry it for you." Madison handed her baggage to Mila. At first, her hands were shaking due to her fidgets, but the Housekeeper just gave her a reassuring smile.
Madison's nervousness subsided as Mila introduced her to the other housekeepers and toured her around the Mansion. She couldn't stop but admire the whole place because this was the first time she had entered such an enormous and extravagant house. Her Boss is indeed wealthy.
"By the way, Madison. Follow me, and I'll introduce you to the young Maste—"Mila's words were interrupted when a woman in Maid uniform rushed towards her direction. The lady's expression was awful.
"Ma'am! Our new Gardener made a huge mistake! He trimmed all of Madam's favorite topiary plants in the garden!" The woman said hysterically while catching her breath.
"What?! That was Madam's favorite plant. Where is he?" The two panicked as if the Gardener had made a grievous mistake that cannot be pardoned nor forgiven. Madison seemed clueless but remained silent.
"Madison, My apologies; I can't come with you because of the urgent matter that should be
resolved immediately," Mila flashed an apologetic expression before she spoke again, "You see that hallway? The last room was the Young Master's chamber. He must be waiting for you."
"No, you don't have to apologize, Ma'am Mila. It's alright!" she chirped, flashing her perfect white teeth.
Mila excused herself. Madison searched for the last room at the end of the hallway until she reached it. To her surprise, the young master must already be waiting for her because the door was partially opened.
She was about to pull it, but to her realization, how bold of her if she strode inside without knocking. So, she was about to knock when a soft and raspy voice of a woman came from the room. It seemed like something was aching on her, or she was feeling bliss.
"What was that?" she whispered to herself while trying to digest what she had heard, or her ears were just playing tricks with her.
"Mm..."
Out of curiosity, Madison took a peek; her eyes almost gazed off when she saw a figure of a man and woman sharing heat. The two exchanged hot fiery kisses while the man's hand was caressing the woman's body.
"What was just I've seen?" She burst out in her mind. This was the first time that she had seen a situation like that. Madison's cheeks flushed as she was about to walk away and close the door with trembling hands. When she accidentally missteps and falls, causing some noise that interrupts the two people inside the room.
"You have doomed Madison! Why are you so clumsy?!" She panicked as she quickly stood up, but the man's gaze pierced her. She could feel the cold tremor in every fiber of her body when his voice echoed on the chamber's four intersections.
"Who's there?" He asked in a dangerous tone.
"…"
Madison froze in her spot because she didn't know what to do or how to act. Does she need to apologize and ask him to spare her life? Does she beseech him not to fire her on the first day of her job?
Madison's heart stammered inside her chest when she heard a sequence of footsteps coming near her, and as the sound that the steps produced, her heart pounded harder as if it wanted to get out of her ribcage.
She was about to escape when she could feel a man's figure behind her.
"So, you are the one who interrupted my time. What's your name, and what are you doing here?"
"…"
"Are you deaf?"
"…"
"Show me your face," Dylan ordered.
Madison wanted to smack herself at that moment. She had no choice but to obey the Young Master, or she would be kicked out of her job.
Madison couldn't help but hide her face and look away. The man in front of her was half-naked, exposing his toned muscular body, and his lower part was only covered with a towel.
"Now, answer my question, who are you?" Dylan seemed to be running out of patience. Madison could feel his sharp gaze, but she remained looking away.
"Hah," Dylan scoffed. "Let me change my question. Are you the new maid?"
Madison nodded, which added curiosity to Dylan. He traced where Madison's eyes were directed, and a grin morphed on his lips, discovering that she was staring at his body.
"Eyes up here, lady," He sneered, making Madison halt and peek at him. Dylan couldn't help but seem to have fun with the new maid. Madison's cheeks turned into the color of cherries that urged Dylan to tease her more.
"Is this the first time you have seen a man's body?" Dylan asked with a playful tone.
Madison nodded in embarrassment, so she turned her back. "P-please, Young Master, Wear something decent, I-I h-have to go!" Madison couldn't hold the shame that she stirred up through herself; she didn't even glance at him in the eyes due to embarrassment and just bid him goodbye.
Dylan, on the other hand, amusement glinted in his eyes. He couldn't help but observe the maid escaping from her embarrassment.
That was the first time he met a woman who ordered him to wear something decent. He had never met a woman as innocent as Madison, and Dylan couldn't help but find himself smiling genuinely because of a mere Maid.
