Secrets In Chopard Manor

Chapter 2

As promised, here's your daily chapter :)
-
L e d g e r

I kid myself for being disappointed that the other side of my bed was empty when I woke up. It was a ritual, although it felt more like a loop, that Sairose would take off at an ungodly time in the morning so that she could sneak back into her quarters unidentified.

It was that time in the morning when I questioned whether or not I truly had to keep us a secret. Whether or not I could just walk up to my parent's room, and tell them I've fallen in love with Sairose, and they have to accept it.

But then the sly reminder would come, warning me not to overestimate my role. An heir to the family, a sure one, but my father was clear in his thoughts that we should not fraternize with the maids.

"Do not engage in long conversations, do not touch them, do not sleep with them, that's all I ask."

He said it to two teenage boys who stood in front of him without a care in the world and although only one remains now, at the time they both thought that that wouldn't be a problem. Why would they even want to communicate with the maids?

How wrong I was.

With a single groan, I threw myself out of bed and hit the shower. My sheets smelled like Sairose, but even in the bathroom, every cornered seemed to be bathed in her scent. It felt like torture, the heat of it forcing me to close my eyes as I placed my weight onto the wall, letting the water fall over me.

I could see her – feel her hands rubbing her favorite Dove body wash against my skin. I saw her naked', from head to toe, every curve, her cellulite, every stretch mark, and she let me see it all. She's long past the days of shying away, Sairose stood in front of me with a beaming smile, little quiet giggles escaping her lips —- no matter how many times I told her that my entire room was soundproof.

My sweet, careful girl.

It enraged me that this is how we had to be, but I'd fix it soon enough. I'd get us there.

"Legder," my father's deep voice, accompanied by his loud, fistful banging on the door prying my eyes open. "We're running late, boy. Don't forget this meeting is important!"

I held my breath, pushing myself off the wall. In ten minutes I found myself downstairs, hesitating at the stairway to fix the watch on my arm. My next stop would be the kitchen, where I pushed myself against the frame of the door, leaning in at the sight of my unsuspecting girl. So deep in thought as she wiped over the counters, I frowned slightly.

"Good morning."

Sairose jumped out of her skin, turning around with wide eyes and parted lips.

"I'm sorry," I stifled my chuckle, holding out my hands. "I'm not sure how you didn't hear my footsteps."

She placed a hand on her chest, her brown eyes pinning me with a glare. "You walk like a thief, that's not my fault."

"Mm," I hummed. "How are you? How'd you sleep?"

"Ledger," she drawled. "You need to leave, my mom could be back any second – your mom –"

"Just tell me you're good, and I'll go."

My hands itched to reach out and touch her. To pull her into my body, and keep her against my chest. Sairose's face softens, and with a small smile, she nods.

"I'm good, my love," she whispered. "Thank you."

I placed my hands against my chest and nodded. "I will fulfill my part of the promise then... and leave you be."

"That would be best," she says, holding in her own smile.

With my heart in my throat as it was every morning, I left for the company.