“I told you it’s embarrassing.”
I tried to hold it back in; I really tried.
A strangled laugh burst out of me, my shoulders shaking so hard.
“It’s not funny, ma’am,” she said, her voice low and polite.
“I’m sorry,” I replied amidst chuckles, drying the tears that dotted my lashes. “Sit down. Please.”
Her lips pursed into a fine line as if suppressing her own laughs. She sank into the sofa across from me, hands on her lap.
“Tell me, what happened?” I sat down, watching her. “And who’s the lucky guy?”
“Well…” she began. “That’s why I think I’m in trouble.” She raised her head. “It’s Sergei.”
“Sergei?!” My brows arched in disbelief, my tone rising a bit higher than normal.
“Shhhh. Keep your voice down,” she whispered.
“Sorry,” I replied, my voice low.
Sergei was Karik’s right-hand man, always so serious and stoic. He was the last person I expected to be caught in a compromising position with a woman.
“Are you two like…dating?” I asked her.
She swallowed. “No. Not really.” A pause. “But we’ve been…sleeping together for quite some time now.”
I listened in silence.
“We’ve been very careful, ma’am,” she added, her tone tinged with a hint of fear. “Nobody knows about our affair. But a few nights ago, he caught us red-handed.”
I cleared my throat. “Did he say anything to you guys?”
She shook her head. “That’s why I’m worried. What if he decides to fire us both—me and Sergei?”
“Hey, listen to me.” I leaned in, elbows on my knees. “You didn’t do anything worth getting fired over. What you do with your private life is none of his business.”
“But it’s his roof,” she said, her face masked with subtle anxiety. “I’m just a maid, and Sergei is his bodyguard. I think we crossed the line.”
I paused, thinking about the best way to handle this without escalating the issue.
Agata was the closest thing to a friend I had in this mansion, and I didn’t want her to get hurt. She loved her job and somehow believed that I had the capacity to help her, maybe put in a good word for her.
“Relax,” I said to her, wearing an encouraging smile. “He won’t fire you. Or Sergei.”
She stared at me, a glint of hope flickering in her eyes. “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “I give you my word.”
She bowed her head, a quiet sigh of relief escaping her lips.
“Just be more careful next time,” I added.
She gave a curt nod, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“You’re welcome.”
She exhaled sharply, as if a heavy burden had been lifted off her chest. She rose to her feet and headed out, her flats almost silent against the floor.
