Dedicated to Aires12_23

I wake up to an empty bed.
The only thing that greeted me was a note left on the bedside table.

"Gone to work hun, I'll be back tonight. Your things are in the closet."

Oh.

I look at my phone to see that it was 8am.
Oh shit, I'm gonna be late for work.

I shower which took a fairly long time because of all the buttons in there.
I put on my uniform and try to find the kitchen. I don't quite remember from lastnight.

I was turning the corner when I bumped into something, or someone rather.

"Good morning ma'am" she says. She was dressed in a black dress with a white apron.

"You work here right?" I ask and she nods while looking down at the floor.

"Can you show me the way to the kitchen?" She nods again.

She leads me to the kitchen doorway and points for me to go in. I can see Vincents back from here as he works over the stove.

"Thank you, what's your name?" I ask and she looks taken aback.
Just like Vincent when I told him thank you yesterday.

How strange.

"Mimi ma'am" she says nervously.

"I'm Martina" I say and she nods then walks off.

I walk into the kitchen and Vincent turns to look at me.

"Morning" I say.

"Ok" he answers.

Seriously? Who responds ok when told good morning?

He turns his back to me once again and turns back to the stove.

"I'm not eating breakfast, I'm gonna be late for work" I say to him.

He shrugs and continued cooking.
I shake my head and head out the door.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I see my car in the driveway. He must have brought it here last night.
I get in and make my way to work.

●●●

I get to work just in time. Damn that car can go fast. I see Pierson and go to hug her.
She moves away from me.
"Aunty wants to talk to you" she says.

"Umm ok. What's wrong?"

She just shrugs.
What's up with her?

I make my way to Barbaras office and see her sitting at her desk, typing on her laptop.

"You asked for me?" I say and she gestures for me to sit.

She takes a deep breath." Martina, you're fired" she says, getting right to the point.

"Fired? But I-"

"Sorry Mart, you can't work for me anymore"

"But, what did I do?" I was starting to get frustrated. How can I get fired when I didn't do anything.

"Sorry, but I'm gonna need that" she points to my nametag. "You can bring the uniform back tomorrow"

I take my nametag off and hand it to her. This job was the last bit of independence I had. I was making my own money and now...

I walk out of Barbaras office not even telling her bye.

On my way out of the restaurant, I see Pierson again. She looks at me and sighs. I roll my eyes and step out of my resturant.

Before I could get to my car she comes running through the restaurant doors.

"Tina, wait!" She says.

"What?"

"I-.. ok, don't tell anyone I told you"

"What? I'm confused"

"Your husband, he was here this morning. He- he told my aunt to fire you"

"Wait, what!?" I say angrily.

"He also told me not to talk to you I- sorry Tina" she runs back inside.
I'm not gonna say I can't beleive this, cause I totally do. The question is, how will I confront him?
●●●

I reach 'home' about an hour later. I'm suprised to see a plate on the table with a cover over it on the dining table. It has a little note on it. It has just three letters on it and I immediately know who put it there.

A regular polite person would say hey, left some food for you.

But Vincent wasn't regular or polite. I stare at the note,

Eat.

I shake my head and sit down to eat the now cold food. I don't even bother to heat it up, I'm too hungry.

I was washing the dish that I just ate out of when Mimi, the maid from this morning, walks in the kitchen.

"Oh no ma'am, you shouldn't be doing that" she tries to grab the dish from me.

"It's ok to call me Martina you know, and I can wash a dish myself"

She twists her fingers nervously but eventually nods.
Just then, Vincent walks into the kitchen.

He and Mimi share a brief look before she leaves.
"Lunchtime" is all he says to me.

I sit across the counter.
"So where do you live?" I try to make conversation.

He looks at me before answering "guesthouse"

"Wait, you mean there's a guest house here?" I ask and he nods.

"Like for all the staff?"

"Just me" he says.

"Where is it?"

"Around the back."
Wow, four syllables. We seem to be making progress.

Hmm. So Richard gave him a whole house for himself? Seems weird.

"How old are you?" I ask.

"24" he answers.

"Oh, I'm 21- I'm almost 22."

"Didn't ask" he answers.

I look at him."You know it wouldn't hurt you to be nice sometimes"

He lets out a humorless chuckle. It sounded like the sound a serial killer makes before they kill you. If you can imagine that.

"What?" I ask.

" Stand up to me, but not your husband" he says before walking off, leaving me with my mouth open.

How did he even-
●●●

Richard actually came home early that be evening.
Vincent left after he cooked dinner. Mimi left only 10 minutes ago.

"Hi honey" he greets me.

"Hey, I got fired from my job today" I say to see what he'll say.

"Oh really? That's sad to hear honey"

"I know it was you" I finally say.

He sighs."ok, it was me, but I really don't like you working"

"Why?"

"I don't see the point. I have money"

"I'm looking for another one tomorrow" I say

"No"

"I-"

"Ok, how about this, don't work for one week and see how you feel?"

Uhhh "fine, but I doubt I'll change my mind"

"Oh you will, anyway, let's go to bed"
●●●

I was awoken by the sound of Richards phone ringing. He wasn't in bed. I guess he's in his study.
After we 'made love'-his words not mine,twice (thank god for birth control) that's where he went. He must have forgotten his phone.

I look at the clock. 1:21 AM.

I go to answer it but like some sort of demon, he suddenly appears in the doorway, panting like he had ran all the way here.

"I'll take that" he says and looks at the phone." Oh, it's work"

"This late?"

"happens all the time" he says and leaves the room.

It's ok, you can trust him. My subconscious tells me.

Can I?
Should I?

___________________________________________

Vincent: Vote.

Howdy. What do you think of the story so far? Not sure how I feel about it yet but I'll continue.
I love all my readers! All 3 of you (I hope I get more)

-Kadi♥