La Familià (Lim X Vergara Family) Au

XL

Over the week, Selah has become more bold and smug around Mairwen, almost enjoying the strange power she holds by keeping her identity hidden. Whenever they cross paths, she can’t resist making little jabs, trying to get a reaction from Mairwen.

One evening, as Mairwen is sitting in the living room, focused on her book, Selah walks by and lets out a loud, exaggerated sigh.

"You know, for someone who lives in a place this fancy, you’d think you’d know a little more about cleaning up after yourself," she says with a smirk, tossing a cloth onto the table near Mairwen.

Mairwen doesn’t even glance up. She simply flips a page, her face calm and composed, as if Selah isn’t even there. The snub stings, but Selah doesn’t back down. She leans a little closer, her voice dripping with mockery. "What? Too good to talk to the help?”

Mairwen remains unmoved, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. Without lifting her gaze, she finally speaks. “Oh, Shaniah, I thought you were a professional. Are you here to work or to whine?”

The comment catches Selah off guard, and Mairwen’s quiet confidence only fuels her frustration. Selah can feel the irritation simmering, but Mairwen doesn’t stop there.

She closes her book, stands up slowly, and with a calm, dismissive look, brushes past Selah as if she were nothing more than an invisible annoyance.

Over the days, Selah’s frustration only grows. She tries every tactic she can think of to provoke Mairwen, her remarks becoming sharper and her tone more mocking.

But Mairwen, with her infuriating calm, never rises to the bait. Instead, she brushes Selah off with the same cold indifference, each snub more infuriating than the last.

One morning, Selah decides to push further. As she’s cleaning in the study, she notices Mairwen’s laptop left open, a stack of papers beside it.

Mairwen walks in, but before she can say anything, Selah casually nudges one of the papers off the desk, letting it flutter to the floor.

“Oh, oops,” Selah says with a smirk, not bothering to pick it up.

Mairwen raises an eyebrow, giving Selah a slow, measuring look. “Careful, Shaniah,” she says, her voice soft but edged with steel. “You wouldn’t want to make a mess you can’t clean up.”

Selah stiffens but tries to hold her ground. “Are you threatening me?” she scoffs, putting on a bold front. “As if you could.”

Mairwen just smirks, her gaze unwavering. “No need. You seem to be doing a good job of that yourself.”

Selah feels a prick of irritation but also a strange pang of uncertainty. It’s clear Mairwen’s not afraid of her if anything, she’s amused, as if Selah’s antics are nothing more than a passing amusement.

The more Selah pushes, the more Mairwen calmly deflects her, sometimes even turning Selah’s own words back on her in ways that leave her speechless.

Then, one afternoon, Mairwen takes it a step further. As Selah walks into the living room, she finds Mairwen lounging on the couch, scrolling through her phone.

Without looking up, Mairwen speaks, her tone casual. “Could you bring me a glass of water, Shaniah?”

Selah’s fists clench. The request is deliberately condescending, and Mairwen’s tone makes it clear she’s fully aware of the power play.

Still, Selah has no choice but to do as she’s told. She storms into the kitchen, grumbling under her breath, but when she brings the glass back, Mairwen barely acknowledges her.

“Thanks,” Mairwen says absently, taking a small sip before setting the glass aside as if it were nothing.

Selah seethes, the humiliation biting deeper each time Mairwen acts as though she’s beneath notice. But deep down, she realizes that Mairwen’s refusal to engage in her games is a game of its own a game Selah is slowly, painfully losing.

And the more Mairwen ignores her, the more Selah finds herself frustrated, caught in a battle she didn’t expect… and can’t seem to win.

As Selah finishes tidying up the living room, she feels a small tug on her sleeve. She looks down to see Iyah, Mairwen’s younger sister, holding a workbook in her hands, her eyes wide with hope.

“Miss Shaniah,” Iyah says sweetly, “can you help me with my assignment? I’m having trouble with the answers.”

Selah hesitates, her initial instinct to refuse. She doesn’t like the idea of being at anyone’s beck and call especially not for something as trivial as homework. She opens her mouth,

ready to tell Iyah to ask someone else, but then her eyes drift to Mairwen, who’s standing a few feet away, watching her closely.

Mairwen’s gaze is sharp, serious, as if challenging her to refuse. There’s a silent expectation in her expression, one that makes it clear she won’t let Selah off so easily.

It’s as if she’s waiting to see if Selah will act on her stubborn pride, knowing it will only confirm what Mairwen already believes about her.

Swallowing her irritation, Selah forces a strained smile. “Alright, Iyah,” she says, taking a seat beside her. “Show me what you’re working on.”

Iyah beams, clearly thrilled, and eagerly opens her workbook. As they go over the assignment together, Selah can feel Mairwen’s gaze on her the entire time, her eyes never leaving her.

The intensity of Mairwen’s stare makes her skin prickle, but she keeps her focus on Iyah, walking her through the answers and explanations, though every word feels like a concession.

When they finally finish, Iyah gives Selah a bright smile. “Thank you, Miss Shaniah!” she chirps, running off happily.

Selah’s forced smile fades the moment Iyah leaves, and she looks up, expecting to see some hint of gratitude or even acknowledgment from Mairwen.

But Mairwen simply nods, almost imperceptibly, before walking away, leaving Selah with nothing but the lingering feeling that she’s once again fallen into Mairwen’s silent, calculated trap.

In that moment, Selah realizes that Mairwen isn’t just ignoring her to be dismissive. She’s using every opportunity to keep Selah in line.