A Wife for the Billionaire
Chapter 97: SOFIA

Chapter 97: SOFIA

"Sofia!" Alicia called from the dining table.

"Oh shit!" I cursed, realizing that I’ve been standing and idling time away and that was the kind of thing, that Alicia’s attentive ears never missed.

Turning on the tap, I soaked the dishes and added soap, making sure to laden it to foams, I dashed out of the kitchen, foams coating my hands.

"Yes ma’am" I answered, wiping my hands on my apron, but not before I made sure that she saw.

"Don’t your lazy ass have to prepare for work, or do you want to lose this job I secured for your ungrateful soul?"

From one time I had browsed a dishwasher on Amazon, it wasn’t that expensive. At least not expensive that Alicia couldn’t afford, but she would never buy it.

I don’t even think, the Blake Mansion has ever owned a dishwasher, Alicia was too cruel to aid her servants in anyway.

"No ma’am, I’m just finishing up the dishes. Once I’m done, I’ll go get ready" I replied, piling my hands behind me in servitude.

"Doing the dishes?" She repeated, "Felix, do you hear her, since she disappeared through that door" she pointed to the lacquered door that served as the door to the kitchen.

"she’s still doing the dishes," she continued, "I wonder how long it takes to wash and dry a mug, a plate and cutlery? Felix, you’ve done dishes before, how long do you think it takes?"

"Less than a five minutes, ma’am" Sir Felix answered, mechanically, dooming me.

"Exactly," Alicia agreed, but before she could continue, Sir Felix quipped,

"If I may, ma’am?"

"By all means, go ahead" Alicia said, lifting her teacup and saucer.

"It appears based on my recent observation that our dear Sofia has caught feelings for someone" the old man said.

I get that he was trying to please Alicia and at the same time, save me, but wasn’t that a bit much.

Settling her tea gently without as much as a click, Alicia asked, genuinely curious,

"Really? Isn’t that fortunate, pray tell, do you know who?"

Leaning close as if to whisper, I strained to hear what Sir Felix told her, but couldn’t.

"Charlie, you say?" Alicia announced, making my efforts to catch what he said, wasteful.

Turning to me, Alicia said,

"Is that so, Sofy? Do you love your boss?"

At my feigned anger at the old man’s false breach of confidence,

"Ma’am, I don’t really know what I feel for him" I answered, shyly.

"Oh, don’t be shy, Charlie’s a good man and he’s kinda cute too, I guess. Don’t you think so, Felix?"

Moments like this were rare in Blake Mansion, Alicia inquiring of Felix opinions like it mattered and her interest in my love life, be it false or genuine.

Savoring the moment, Sir Felix concurred,

"Indeed Madam, Charlie is wonderful lad who knows how to treat a woman"

Her lips curved at the edges, and she crooned,

"Dear old Felix, how would you know a man that treats a woman right?"

"It’s simple, ma’am. How he treats his mother. The secret is always on the relationship between him and his Mama."

Alicia reclined in her seat, her expression serious. Weirdly, it felt like she was considering Sir Felix’s words.

Lifting her saucer, she drank, then almost inaudibly, between sips, she said,

"I think you are right, Felix."

Shook masked my face, I stole a look at Sir Felix, but his expression remained stoic. He heard those words, but his expression said otherwise. I guess that’s what happens when one has served as a house Steward for a very long time, the flat look of servitude becomes a neutral expression.

I wasn’t really worried, because I knew that afterwards, we were still going to laugh on the same words we never thought to hear from the lips of Alicia Blake.

I was reminiscing on how boisterous late Agatha’s laughter would have been, when Alicia snapped her fingers,

"Earth to Sofia. How pathetic, you are indeed swoon by Charlie, you were thinking about him just now, weren’t you?"

Someone once told me that I was a spectacular actress and that with my beauty and grace, I would give the movie industry a run for their money.

Switching to the act of a teenage girl in love, I muttered,

"I don’t know what’s happening to me, ma’am. My mind feels like it has separated itself from the commands of my brain"

"You are indeed pathetic, but have you told him yet?" she asked.

"Not yet, and I don’t know how to do it"

She paused as if considering this, then without preamble,

"Go and get dressed, it seems I will be paying Charlie a visit to thank him for the job he offered you, run along now."

Still very much acting, I raced up the stairs and when I was sure that I was out of view from those below, but within earshot to hear what they were saying,

"The sooner I have her married off the better, I just can’t stand her. She bears a strong resemblance to a man I don’t like recollecting."

"Yes, she does look like the late master" Sir Felix lied.

"Senility doesn’t look good on you, pour me another cup. And I want silence now"

Whether or not, Sir Felix knew who my actual parents were, I don’t know, but that lie has been more than obvious. I looked nothing like Francis Blake, nothing at all.

Hurrying into the bathroom, I turned on the shower to full rush and dialed Charlie’s number. He picked up almost immediately,

"Hello, Sofia," he gruffed.

"Charlie, I don’t have much time to tell you all the deets, but please I need you to play along with whatever Alicia and I start on entry to the Vet shop, please"

"What?!, I can’t hear you, where are you that’s so noisy?!"

Of course, he couldn’t hear me from the rush of the shower, how nerves has me blundering and making silly mistakes.

Without another word, I ended the call and messaged him. He called twice before I could finish composing the text.

That was how much he cared. Suddenly the decision to turn down the job offered by Richard and work at Charlie’s didn’t seem ideal anymore. It was going to be torture for Charlie. How could he keep his feelings boxed up while seeing me day after day?

Allowing the shower slap my face, I pondered how quickly my life had went from trying to get by, to caprices that involved the lives of others.

As much as I wanted to stand there and let water fall and drown my torn emotions, I couldn’t keep Alicia waiting. She was the pressing issue, I could handle the other situation afterwards.

Since I was going to see Richard at noon, I opted for an attire that hinted at officiality. A pink silk blouse with customized lapels for twisting into a bow, and a black straight cut skirt that cling to my skin.

My hair, I pulled to a loose bun, allowing strands to fall on both sides of my face. I didn’t bother with makeup, I looked pretty and I didn’t need to overdo it so as not to give the wrong assumption.

"No, no, no," Alicia repeated, shaking her head in disapproval as if waving a finger wasn’t enough.

"You look like his secretary" she went on, as I stared down on my attire, "and not someone who wants to be noticed by her boss, go back and give me something better and you best get it right this time or... I don’t think you need to know the rest of that sentence and for fuck’s sake, apply makeup. No wonder he hasn’t noticed you yet"

I didn’t want to point out that Charlie has fallen mad over heels over me without makeup or slutty clothes. In the issue of love, I don’t think those things even matter. Not that I’m an expert on the subject.

Retreating back to my room, I selected a cropped orange top that said the words I couldn’t say to Alicia’s face,

"Not your Bitch"

Complimenting it with black high waist jeans and my Nike Blazers, I ditched my handbag and went for a purse.

"Better, but not quite right," Alicia intoned as I descended the stairs. She wore a chocolate brown corporate gown that somehow managed to offset her auburn hair and her curves.

I stood before her and watched in surprise as she reached out and tugged my hair free, then she plaited a few strands like a miniature crown around my head, keeping my hair away from my face.

"There, you are ready now, though you could have done better on your choice of footwear, a tennis shoe would have sufficed, but we are running late already. Hopefully he’ll be too enamored by your face to look down"

With a silent prayer that Charlie would play his part to perfection, I crossed the threshold after Alicia.

Heaven knows, I need it.