The servant's daughter and the aristocrats' son engage in a prohibited bond.
Melanie moves in with her mother to work in the Kingstons' household, who have just had their son, Kai, come back from a mysterious absence.
After Kai walks in on her at...
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⚠️ TW: MENTION OF SUICIDE IN THE END.
. . .
When I came back home, I wasn’t the only campus girl there.
I was standing at the double doors of the living room, watching Massie sit in the centre with Mrs Kingston. Unluckily, my mother was to serve them some drinks. The older women gave me apologetic looks as if feeling sorry for me witnessing my colleague in such conditions.
If only they knew.
“Melanie, how lovely seeing you here!” Massie chirped. Her fake tone made me sick in the guts. “Came to visit your boyfriend?”
I trembled, bracing myself for their reactions. My legs could barely hold me. I contemplated whether I should turn around and run back to wherever I came from, maybe back to where Mum and I once were before that whole mess started. That would have been lovely.
“Sorry?” Mrs Kingston first interjected. Her wrinkles were more evident than before.
Massie faced her again. “Oh, you didn’t know?” She feigned innocence. “I thought… I thought Kai tells his mum everything, especially… after what happened last year.” She looked up to my mother, who stood there unsure of what to do or say. “I know you’re her mother, by the way. Did she not tell you too?”
My mother’s face was drained of colour, but she didn’t say a word. Our mouths as the bottom class could be the end of us. She looked up to me, sorrow evident in her heavy gaze. I could see her lips quiver, but she tried to keep them in a straight line.
And right then, I knew I failed my mother. I avoided any possible eye contact with her.
Mrs Kingston put down her teacup, willing to dwell on Massie’s words. “Massie, dear, are you okay? Are you serious?” she demanded.
Massie’s face was no longer kind and friendly. Her brows met, and her lips puckered, creating an ugly scowl on her face. “Are you serious? Suggesting to me your son as a nice guy although he is with someone?” She stood up, clutching her purse to her side. “You’ve humiliated me. Thank God I made no serious public advancement. I will not let this pass.”
Massie stormed out of the place and bumped shoulders with me. I didn’t dare to look up the whole time while every cell in my body shook in fear.
“Come here, Melanie!” Mrs Kingston ordered after a minute of silence. Her fists clenched.
I obeyed.
“Is what she said true? Are you dating my son?”
I didn’t reply. My lips opened and closed, but no words came out. Her slap to my face came alarmingly, my second slap of the day. I felt like unwanted trash. My mother yelped, rushing to my side as I fell to the floor. She whispered to me everything was going to be okay, but I still didn’t reply.
