“Would you like me to request some breakfast for you?” she asks as soon as I sit down, her gaze raking over me disapprovingly when she sees I don’t have any food in front of me.
I shake my head, replying as politely as I can. “No, thank you. I’m not very hungry.”
I don’t bother telling her that my nerves are making me nauseous, or that there’s a good chance I would throw all the delicious food back up again, if I were to try and eat anything.
She narrows her gaze at me, tutting in an almost motherly way that makes my orphan heart ache. “You have to eat, Dear. You’re far too thin as it is, and you are always in that bloody gym. Mr Morelli will not be happy to learn you’re skipping meals.”
I’m in the process of lifting the mug to my lips when her words have me freezing, the mere mention of him capturing my attention. “How would he know if I skip a meal?” I ask.
Mrs Branch’s gaze flicks around nervously as she shuffles in her seat, suddenly looking very uncomfortable. She avoids meeting my inquisitive stare as she answers my question. “He likes to be kept up to date with all aspects of the house.”
“So you’re his spy?” I snap.
Her gaze quickly flicks up to meet mine, and she looks properly offended as she pulls her shoulders back straighter, her voice taking on a stern tone I’m not used to hearing from her. “I am not. But he is my boss, and I do as I’m instructed.”
There are so many questions running through my head that I want to ask her, as I’m almost certain she’d know the answers.
How many visitors does he have?
Do they come over regularly?
Do they sleep here at the Mansion too?
Does he ask about me?
Is he avoiding me for a reason?
I quickly decide against voicing any of the thoughts, as Mrs Branch would almost certainly know that I had broken the rules to even find out aboutthe other women. I like this warm, almost maternal lady, and I’m not ready for her to learn just how crazy I really am just yet.
Instead, I force myself back to the conversation we were having before my thoughts ran away from me. “Fine, I’ll grab a croissant or a muffin and eat it while I’m walking outside. I fancy getting a bit of fresh air this morning.”
Even though I’m safe in the Mansion, it can be a little stifling, particularly when I feel like I’m trapped here. But the grounds are expansive, with beautiful flower patches and stunning water features, so there’s always something to explore. Particularly as I have no intention of going beyond the walls of the estate whilst my stalker is still out there.
I don’t think I’ve even come close to seeing all of the grounds yet, but I enjoy being outside with nature whenever the weather permits it. Today, there’s enough sun, and very little wind, making the ideal conditions for a stroll.
I notice Mrs Branch tapping away on her phone, and only a couple of minutes later, a young girl about my age, wearing chef’s whites, walks into the kitchen, carrying a plate of pastries.
She hold them out in front of me, and I’m overwhelmed by the pile of baked goods in front of me, the tantalising aroma making my mouth water as I realise I’m more hungry than I thought.
“Pick whichever you’d like,” Mrs Branch says, ignoring the way I glare at her for giving me so much choice.
When faced with this many delicious-looking baked goods, there’s no way I’m going to be able to choose just one, no matter how delicate my stomach is feeling.
There’s a cinnamon bun and a pain aux chocolate that are calling out to me, so I quickly reach for them. The girl, who is rather impressively still holding the large tray with just one hand, uses her other to hold out a couple of serviettes for me to take.
I place the pastries onto the napkins, and give her a smile as I thank her for the food. When she’s sure I’m not going to take anything more, she gives both me and Mrs Branch a polite nod, before leaving the room.
“What the hell just happened?” I say, more to myself than anyone else.
Mrs Branch laughs, before going on to explain that there’s a whole level to the Mansion that I know nothing about. “There’s an underground level that is exclusively for the staff who work at the Mansion. It has its own kitchen, which is where the chefs prepare all of the meals. There are also living quarters for anyone who chooses to live-in.
“We have a group text that we use to issue tasks. I knew the chef would have a selection of fresh pastries available, as they often cater for Mr Morelli’s meetings, and they feed the staff too. So I issued a task to have someone bring you a selection.”
I shake by head in confusion, trying to wrap my head around the amount of information in one sentence. “Why the hell do you have a beautiful, grand kitchen like this if nobody even uses it?”
From the moment I walked into the kitchen on my first day, I fell in love withit. Even though I’m not a very good cook, I know my way around a kitchen, and I really enjoy baking, when I’m in the mood. This room is exactly how I would design it if I were given free reign to create my dream kitchen.
It has sleek white wooden cabinets, with black and white marble countertops. The built-in appliances are all modern and chrome, where they’re not hidden behind the white wood. There’s a floating island in the middle, with tall stools on one side for people to sit on.
