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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I found a new job at a nearby retail store.
My work would be easy, consisting of organising shelves and guiding customers. Whatever it was, I wanted to stop relying on Kai and finally see my account balance go a little higher. It would be a temporary job before I graduated and worked with my degree.
“I didn’t think you were this serious when you first mentioned it,” Kai commented once I delivered the news. His forehead was lined with creases. “But I’ll repeat—you don’t need to.”
My thumb reached up to massage out the wrinkles on his forehead. “Relax. I want to, Kai. I can’t depend on you or anyone forever. I don’t have stocks and investments to feed me forever either.”
His fists clenched harder with a frown, and the creases returned. “You’re my girlfriend, so it’s my job not to let you need anything. Let me be.”
I smiled. “That would be a husband’s job,” I emphasised. “And even then, I’d like to make my own money with my degree.”
“I’d marry you.”
I blinked and took a little more space away from him on the sofa. “What?”
He sighed and looked away. “Look, I don’t like you working. Please, don’t.”
I stood up, infuriated by his rush. “You look, I made my decision already, and I’m merely telling you. This is my life, my decisions, Kai. And don’t rush yourself into choices you’re not sure of yet. That was immature of you.”
His jaw clenched, and his hand ran through his hair. “Well, you don’t wanna negotiate. You just wanna tell.” He got up. “Your call, Melanie,” he finalised and walked away.
“Kai—”
Give him time, Mel. That’s all he needs.
He barely talked to me for the rest of the day. He gave me his back when we slept, didn’t flirt with me, tell me I looked good in an outfit, or even eat much at home. I was held back by the sudden change of mood in our place. That was his reaction to me merely saying I got a job. How about if I ever mentioned I might want my separate place someday?
Was it my fault? Did I do anything wrong? Did I not have the right to make decisions independently? The questions stayed in my head and bugged me wherever I went. I couldn’t focus on classes, nor on what Massie was blabbing about in the cafeteria at lunchtime.
“I’m thinking of making my twenty-first birthday more special this year,” Massie chirped with an excited smile.
I hummed.
“I’d like to spend time with my friends somewhere with a nice villa, a pool, and a place outside to discover. Maybe we could go hiking again.”
I hummed again.
“Maybe we could bring Queen Elizabeth with us, too.”
