Esther's lips twitched as she read Dahra's text the next morning:
"Your boss is hot!!!"
Followed by a series of lewd emojis.
Esther sighed and dropped her phone as she remembered the events of the previous night. During dinner, she had been nervous, expecting a few questions, but she was barely noticed. His cold gaze acknowledged her entrance, and that was it. He didn't notice when she dropped her fork or when she left the table.
Returning to her room, which, by the way, was nearly the size of her studio apartment, she couldn't sleep. She lay in bed staring at the swirling curls of the ceiling.
Unsure when she would start working, but assuming it would be tomorrow, she tried to get to bed early. But sleep was far from her.
Her stomach grumbled. She sighed in resignation and stood up from the comfy bed. Pulling her room door open a smidge she peeped through the crack, the hall was empty and dark. Her room was on the second floor while the kitchen was on the first. She stepped out and gently shut her door. As she walked to the stairs, she noticed a light at the end of the hall.
The maid who showed her to her room had mentioned that the little miss stayed in that room. Esther wondered why the little girl was still up so late. Tempted to take a look but changed her mind, she really didn't want to be seen.
Heading down, she made her way to the kitchen. It was empty. Although it was impolite, but she needed something to eat. She had been so nervous during dinner; she barely chewed her rice. Hesitating, she pulled open the large fridge. The bright light stung her eyes. When her vision adjusted, she gasped. It was food heaven, or at least close to it. She had never seen a fridge so beautifully stocked.
Filled with meat, veggies, eggs, and fruits, she calmed her excited heart. This wasn't her house. She wanted to keep her midnight snack minimal, best if it wasn't noticed.
Aside from art, her next love was food. That's why a journey to Pahree was her dream, the land of good art and even better food.
She picked a few vegetables and a packet of noodles from the pantry. She would normally make her noodles with meat, but taking meat from the fridge as well felt too much. She did take an egg, or else the noodles would be too pitiful.
Chopping the vegetables and stir-frying them, then cooking the noodles, her movements were swift. She washed up immediately, leaving no evidence behind. As she carried her steaming bowl of noodles up to her room, she vaguely felt like a sneaky thief, but there was no helping it. She couldn't sleep on an empty stomach, and her anopsia would be triggered if she didn't sleep. Sneaking food from the kitchen was a lesser evil.
Ten minutes later, she sank into the soft bed and ran her hand over the small bump of her stomach. She was full, but her eyes were still bright, and she didn't feel sleepy. Like a mouse, she snuck out of her room with the empty bowl. Returning it to its place after washing it, she went back up.
When she passed the corridor, she saw the light at the end of the hallway was still on. By now, it was already very late. She couldn't help but wonder if the little girl always slept so late. Boredom and being unable to sleep must have given her a dose of courage because she slowly made her way to the little girl's room. The door was slightly ajar, so she could peek into the room. She couldn't see much, just a whole lot of pink. She couldn't help the tug at the corner of her lips; the little girl must be well-pampered.
Although she couldn't see much, a mirror happened to be at the far corner of the room. Squinting her eyes, she could see the reflection of the bed. A large figure in black lay on it. Esther blinked and stepped back. She looked at the door with a slight frown. Didn't the maid say this was the little daughter's room? Why was Mr. Narok here then? Was this his room?
At the thought, she felt her worldview crumble. He had appeared so cold and unapproachable; who knew he had such aesthetics? She tried to see more of the room when, through the mirror, the figure on the bed moved. Her chest thumped, and she turned to run away. But immediately she turned, she collided into something soft.
The thing fell back with a loud "oomph." She wasn't spared either because she fell back towards the door, crashing it open with a loud bang and landing in the room. She lay on her back, the soft pink carpet cushioned her fall, and all she could see was the small baby pink chandelier above her head. From the corner of her eyes she could vaguely see the figure on the bed get down and walk towards her, still she didn't move.
Where was an earthquake when you needed one?
"How long do you plan to lie there, Miss Powés?" Mr. Narok asked, his voice coated with impatience and a hint of anger. Esther snapped out of her daze and scrambled to her feet.
Esther stood on shaky legs and looked up at the tall, imposing man. Her lips moved, but no words came out. She could feel her cheeks flush red, and dark spots appeared in her vision, making her panic even more.
When she didn't reply, Mr. Narok's expression darkened even further.
"Phoebe, please escort Miss Powés to her room and ensure she doesn't go lurking around."
Esther's lips jerked at his words. Great, day one and she already made a bad impression.
But his words also made her turn to look at the figure sprawled on the floor in what can best be described as a sultry position. It was a maid in a dark ruffled gown. Her hair was up in a loose bun, and bangs framed her small face. Her cleavage was in full view, and the lacy thong exposed by her lifted skirt left little to the imagination. She was glaring up at Esther.