"Rose said to take care of the bottom part of the fridge," Lilian called out, giving me a quick wave as she stepped out the door. I waved back distractedly, glancing at my phone. The time blinked: 4:00 PM. The estate began to quiet down as the other employees trickled out.
I watched Lilian disappear down the yard, the faint hum of a cars engine fading into the distance. The estate was still again, morphing back into what Aiden probably considered a "home." I could see his point: the place felt like a bustling office during work hours, crowded with strangers coming and going. But for me, the silence left behind wasn't peaceful—it was isolating. I wished I could leave with the others, and not feel this constant weight of expectation pressing down on me.
Maybe it was because I hadn't even been paid yet.
I unlocked my phone and opened my calendar, scrolling quickly to the end of the month. A grin spread across my face when I realized there were only four more days until payday. Relief bubbled up, and I exhaled, a small, happy hum escaping my lips. "I feel good," I sang softly, spinning on my heel toward the fridge.
The large, stainless-steel refrigerator I had to work on stared back at me and as I opened it, the cold air hit my skin, bringing with it the faint tang of food. I pulled out a few nearly-expired items, stacking them on the counter. A glance inside made me recoil, not because they are bad yet but nobody eats this. Not once had I seen Aiden eat any of this.
His meals were always meticulously prepped—protein, vegetables, grains, like that. So why did we stock all this other food if no one, especially him, touched it?
Was this just how Rose ran the house? I mean i get it, money is accessible but.. Maybe it worked when she managed Aiden's family home before, but here it felt absurd. Piling up ingredients only to toss them as their expiration dates loomed...what was the point? But I doubted Rose would appreciate me saying that out loud.
Yesterday, Lilian had mentioned needing a specific cleaning solution, and Rose shot her down so hard everyone in that room felt the rejection. "Use what we have," she'd said curtly, offering an alternative that clearly wasn't up to the task.why hire a professional cleaner then.
And now this fridge.
I opened another section of the walk-in and froze. Shelves stacked with canned tuna stared back at me. Dozens. Rows and rows of them, . I blinked, my hand hovering over one of the cans.
Tuna?
What in the world was Rose up to? Rose must love them. I couldn't shake the feeling that she controlled every decision the chefs made, probably down to the salt in the soup.
Honestly, it seemed like Rose ran this entire house as if it were hers, stepping well beyond what her job should be. Sure, she'd been with the family forever—practically raised Aiden, from what I'd heard—but at the end of the day, wasn't she still just an employee?
Not that Aiden would notice. I doubted he even had a clue about half of what went on here.
I let out a sharp breath, reaching for the next item to clean. "Just four more days," I muttered under my breath, letting the thought of my first paycheck steady me.
I grabbed the celery stalks and some other vegetables from the fridge, determined not to waste them like Rose had insisted. We can't just throw these away, I thought, setting them down on the counter. I began chopping and mixing.
Finally, the tuna salad was ready. I took a bite, the tangy, savory flavor brightening my mood. "so good," I murmured.
The spoon was still in my hand when the faint sound of footsteps reached my ears. My hand froze midair, the cold metal of the spoon brushing my lip. The steps grew louder, steady and deliberate.
It was him.
The rhythm, the weight—there was no mistaking it. Aiden was home.
I moved quickly, tossing the empty tuna cans into the trash. They landed with a loud clatter that made my heart jolt. Why is that bin always so loud? Grabbing a dishcloth, I wiped down the counter as fast as I could.
The footsteps approached the kitchen door.
I barely had time to grab my salad bowl and crouch behind the island before the door swung open. My pulse hammered in my ears as I held my breath, waiting.
The steps stopped.
Silence pressed against the air. Was he just standing there? Did he notice someone was here?
I stayed frozen, clutching the bowl of salad like a lifeline. I'm going to stay out of his way, just like he wanted. No drama. No mistakes. Not this time.
The seconds felt like hours, but eventually, the door closed. I exhaled shakily, listening to his footsteps retreat upstairs.
"So much for a private house," I muttered under my breath. "Selfish."
Even as the words left my mouth, I bit my lip. I understood him a little—or at least, I was starting to—but that didn't mean I couldn't cuss him out in my head. The sting of his words from last week still lingered, raw and unforgiving.
I stood and set my salad on the counter, my appetite dimmed by the tension. It had been over five days since I'd last seen Aiden, and honestly, I preferred it that way. Let him enjoy his lonely, curated life. I wasn't going to make the mistake of crossing paths with him again.
No way.
Not after the humiliation. The memory threatened to surface, but I shoved it back down. I wasn't going to think about it—or him. My job, my paycheck, and avoiding Aiden. That's all that mattered now.
***
The house had been silent for hours. The kind of stillness that felt extra sharp, especially after Aiden had finally stopped taking calls about an hour ago. I'd been scrolling aimlessly through social media in my room, but the quiet was starting to suffocate me.
Sliding my phone into my pocket, I stepped cautiously out of my room and crept toward the living room. It was empty. The coast was clear. With a small breath of relief, I headed to the kitchen, fixing myself a cup of tea.
On the way back, two thin blankets in the laundry room caught my eye. I grabbed them, and as I turned to leave, I spotted a camping chair leaning against the wall. Grinning to myself, I grabbed that too and headed outside.
The night air was cool against my skin, crisp and refreshing. Most of the lights from the house had dimmed, leaving the stars to dominate the sky. They glittered, endless and breathtaking.
I walked further into the open yard until I found the perfect spot. Spreading one blanket on the grass, I set the camping chair on top and carefully placed my tea on it. Wrapping myself in the second blanket, I sank to the blanket, letting my body relax as I tilted my face toward the stars.
"Now this is life," I murmured, a smile curling my lips.
Just as I was settling in, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and smiled when I saw the name flashing on the screen.
"Liam!" I answered, my voice instantly brighter.
"You good?" he asked.
"I am," I replied, then added playfully, "not as good as you, though."
"I mean, I expect that—you live where you work."
"Exactly. And Danielle?"
"Working late. Steve too. Everyone except me," he said with a hint of smugness.
"What are you up to? You miss me?" I teased, grinning to myself.
"You always move ahead of yourself," he shot back.
"I mean, I've been working so hard these days, I barely have time to talk to you guys."
"You enjoying the job? Your boss isn't giving you a tough time, is he?" His tone shifted slightly, hinting at concern. "Danielle said his wife's... controlling."
"What?" I frowned, sitting up straighter.
"Rose, I think that's her name," he replied, sounding certain.
"Danielle said Rose is my boss's wife?" I repeated, confused.
"That's not her name?" Liam asked, his voice puzzled but confident, like it wasn't just a simple mistake.
"It's... manageable," I replied.
"Come visit soon," Liam said, his tone lightening again.
"And you won't admit you miss me? Or is it that you love me?" I teased further.
"You're annoying," he replied with a soft chuckle. "I hit 100k subscribers on YouTube today."
"What?!" I exclaimed, sitting up straight again. "The knowledge channel?"
"No, the fantasy one," he said casually.
"What? You literally just started!"
"I'm surprised too. It went viral."
"Don't sound so humble! You worked so hard to start that—oh my god, congratulations!" I gushed. "Wait, I'm subscribing right now. How did I miss it?"
"You won't find it," he said, laughing under his breath.
"What? Why?"
"Bit cringe. I wouldn't want you to be my test audience."
"That's not fair! You can't hide it from me!"
"Try looking for it, then," Liam teased.
I was about to reply when I felt it—a presence.
My smile faded as I turned my head. Aiden was walking toward me, his silhouette stark against the dim glow from the house.
"Liam, I'll call you back," I whispered into the phone. "Love you, Missed you alot! Tell Danielle to call me," I added quickly before hanging up.
I was cornered, and he was getting closer. My pulse quickened, confusion and something else knotting in my chest.
As his face came into view, my heart leaped.
Was that... relief?
Happiness?
I didn't know. But I couldn't look away.