Chapter 12 A PRAYER FOR RAFAEL
I jumped out of the water immediately, mortified by the chief maid— Madam Adele's action towards Leah.
“What do you think you're doing?” I shouted at her in Leah's defense, extremely angry at how inhumane she had just treated the poor girl Leah.
Madam Adele folded her hands before her in a respectful manner and a smile formed in her thin lips.
“I hope you have not fallen for the sob story of this girl as she has nothing but a lying tongue to deceive you which perhaps she must have attempted to build up sympathy from you.”
“What?” I growled, my eyes squinting into angry curves.
I was dazzled in sheer unbelief at her words.
She wasn't showing any form of remorse for what she had done either, rather, she was trying to buy more time to justify her vile action.
“Leah is the youngest recruit in the Devereaux's family maid cohort and the take she has just told is nothing but made up lies. The other girls can bear me witness to this.”
I looked around at the girls. They all avoided my gaze as I turned at each of them.
They were indeed feeble, fearful and avoidant but they all nodded in agreement, confirming Leah's story as nothing but a great white lie which was extremely far from what was true.
I was immediately thrown into a pandemonium of confusion.
I wasn't sure who or what to believe anymore.
The feeble, weak, pitiful Leah who was still lying in the pool of her blood at the base of the bath tub almost drained of life within her.
Or Madam Adele who's intimidating presence has just made the other maids out a confirmation to her own end of the story.
If Leah was indeed lying to me, then she would have to prove herself, but first, I couldn't watch her die.
“Get her treated immediately and send her to my room the moment she becomes fit enough for a visit.” I said, oblivious to the fact that I had just made my first order.
A command which none of them could defile as long as they thought I was a betrothed to their master— Rafael.
—
I didn't pay attention to this or realize I had just given out my first command.
It was simply pushed out by a sudden burst of adrenaline which had forced those words out of my mouth.
Perhaps, it was more than I had thought it to be.
I couldn't stand the sense of injustice that has been done to Leah regardless of the quality of truth in her story.
No amount of backend caused by other people as regards her story could make me turn against her within a minute.
The look she had in her eyes when she was telling the tale… how long she had hesitated before making an attempt at it.
They all were something I put into consideration and never let others opinions cloud my judgement.
So I made a decision within myself—
Until Leah regains consciousness and confirms the credibility of her already told story, I should assume she was telling the truth and only Leah herself could change my mind.
No one else.
Not the other girls.
Not Madam Adele— the chief maid.
It was after the home doctors had appeared to cater for Leah and whirled her out of the bathroom for proper treatment that I was ushered towards where my room in that mansion would be.
“I should be by her side.” I had said to Clara as she led me away from the bathroom— away from getting any close to Leah.
“You're doing her a favor by not being by her side, Miss Vanessa.” Clara spoke in response.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Going on, Leah will forever be in trouble with Madam Adele because you stood up for her in the presence of lower ranked maids— us!” She whispered softly but hastily.
“Is it true then” I questioned, stopping in my tracks as I turned towards Clara, demanding an answer from her at once.
“Leah's story… was it made up or you all have ganged up against her to save your heads?”
Clara remained silent.
It was evident in her expression that she wouldn't breathe a word to me.
I huffed, clearly not in the mood to press on further or force her to speak if she didn't want to.
I was furious.
Extremely angry with how dealing with the people in the mansion was slowly becoming too strenuous.
All I wanted was a calm, happy life for myself, but what situation I am currently in showed no promising signs to grant me my wishes.
—
Then it struck my mind.
A single thought.
A single variable that could actually set me free from this prison Rafael had locked me in.
The company…
My family's business…
The shareholders…
My employees…
Yes!
They all were aware about my wedding to Dylan Smith, but none had been invited because it was meant to be a very private wedding strictly based on invitation.
The only guest list that was made was filled with the members of the Smith family alone, but as the days continue to grow older, perhaps someone will find it odd as I have not returned.
That was right.
The game maze of Santiano Rafael Devereaux will soon crumble the moment a spark of my prolonged absence lights up within someone back in New York's head.
Anyone.
This thought travelled fast within me, gladdening my heart as I settled into bed with a thin smile on my lips which was grateful for reigniting a spark of hope due for freedom within me.
Despite the absurdity, I decided to make Rafael's request come into existence.
He had told me to pray.
It was either going to see him back alive in the morning in his glorious armour or he would face the wrath of death.
With a deadly grin formed at the corner of my lips, I began to pray,
“Dear Lord…”