Make Me Your Villain

Chapter Eighteen

Hayat Azhar

Sameer was sick.

A part of me said he deserved it.

The other part disagreed and decided to make me feel guilty about him being sick.

I couldn't help but think he'd caught a cold because I had accidentally drenched him in the garden the other day.

But on a more positive note, I could avoid him since he'd be locked in his room, resting up and regaining his energy which he'd waste by being the impudent little kitten he was.

Or so I thought.

I sighed in exasperation, holding the plastic bag with Sameer's medicines inside which dadi told me to fetch from the driver.

Rounding the hallway, I almost crashed into aunty Zohra but managed to jerk back on time.

"Are you blind?" She gasped in surprise. "Use your useless eyes."

Her unexpected hostility stunned me. "I'm sorry."

She flared her nose, looking me down. "What do you have there?"

I peered at the pharmacy bag in my grip and pursed my lips. "Some medicine for Sameer."

My words made her narrow her eyes. "What did you say?"

Did I say something wrong?

"Uh...I said it's some medicine for Sameer dadi told me to fetch from the driver," I hesitated.

In the next second, she pushed my shoulder back, startling me. "Look at this mannerless brat. How dare you call him by his name? You're forgetting your place."

I could only gape at her, staggered at the harshness and belittlement her behavior held towards me.

"If we're nice to you, it doesn't mean you can say whatever you want. You are a servant here. And it's 'saheb' and 'saheba' to the servants, understand?"

My chest tightened.

I should know my place.

"Yes, saheba."

She sneered in disgust and shoved me out of her way. I gawked at her retreating figure in shock, shaken up by her abusive action.

All that because I was a servant in their house?

My eyes burned and I gritted my teeth, holding the tears back. My shift had barely started and I wanted to go home already.

"You got the medicine?" Aunty Tabassum looked up when I went to the kitchen. "Give this to me and bring water to Sameer's room."

She left with the pharmacy bag and I turned to pour water into a jug with a heavy heart before following her trail.

Reaching the second floor, I glanced up to knock on the open door when the sight ahead made me pause.

Dadi sat beside Sameer on the bed. He was tucked away in his plushy blankets. Only his head was poking out, his eyes closed.

"My poor baby," she cooed. "He's so fragile. Look how easily he gets sick. I told you to take care of him, Tabassum! As soon as he steps out of the house, he returns out of sorts."