Stab in the back

Giselle looked over at Laila and they both exchanged a glance with each other as they saw that they were both looking at the same thing. By communicating with their eyes, Laila let Giselle know to keep an eye on the woman that was avidly doing something on her phone. Giselle nodded ever so slightly to let Laila know she understood and was on it. After that exchange, Laila focussed on the rest of the guest and they chatted away quite happily.

As lunch was wrapping up, Laila thanked everyone for coming and shook everyone's hand as they made their way out. Some informed them, that if she would really have them, they would be glad to return and work for her and Noah. Others said they were happy at their current place of employment and appreciated the offer. But most were already part of the team and were simply grateful to have their old employer back.

The only person who had a scowl on her face from beginning to end, was a woman in her early forties. Her name was Fiona and she had apparently been one of the members on the cleaning staff back when she and Noah first moved in. She was also one of the few people that most of the current employees weren't too sad about when she was asked to leave by Laila. So, they were all quite surprised when Fiona called Giselle back up and agreed to come to this lunch. Their lack of understanding Fiona's reason for coming today grew, when she seemed clearly unhappy to be here during the full one-and-a-half hours that lunch lasted. But even though she was the first to get up when lunch was finished, she surprisingly was the last to leave.

This was of course very suspicious to Laila but with so many guests here to see her, she couldn't possibly leave them to see what Fiona was up to. Fortunately Giselle was taking her task of keeping an eye on Fiona very seriously. With this reassuring thought, Laila was able to keep her mind at ease and her focus on her precious employees and guests. One by one Laila said her goodbyes and watched as ten of the twenty people present for lunch, left one by one. When she said her final goodbye to the woman in question, Laila closed the front door and immediately turned towards Giselle to find out what had happened with Fiona.

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Giselle had followed after Fiona shortly after she had gotten up from the table and had left the crowded dining room. From a short distance she had kept an eye on Fiona and used her wits to figure out what she was saying and who she was saying it to. Using the intercom system around the house, Giselle had managed to listen in on Fiona's phone conversation, while staying out of sight. What she heard was quite shocking and proved to her that not all people can be trusted. Some will try to stab you in the back even after you extend an olive branch to them. Fiona appeared to be one of those people.

Giselle told Laila about how she had managed to overhear what was being said on Fiona's phone conversation and how she could deduce who she was saying it to by the things she was saying. It appeared that the person she had been talking to, had been none other than one of the staff members at Olivia's house. One that happened to be on Olivia's side and had apparently promised Fiona employment at the Smith residence before Laila had been able to extend her offer.

In an unnecessary hushed tone, Giselle was repeating the words she had overheard to Laila and the other staff members that had gathered around to listen in as well. "I heard her say that you were plotting something and had gathered everyone here for some fake act of kindness. That she hadn't been able to figure out what you were aiming to do exactly but that she didn't trust you and that she should inform lady Smith to not trust you either. Mumbling about a fake Samaritan act and that it was a little too late for you to be acting all holy. She also asked her whether she should take up your offer, to come back as part of the team, in order to keep an eye on what was going on around here and report back to lady Smith. Asking if that would allow her to get a higher position at the Smith residence or a higher pay."

With a frown Giselle added, "I was truly disgusted with her behaviour. I didn't think someone would be so malicious and would come to such a love filled event with such evil intentions. That she would be willing to corrupt such a harmonious team, betray the person who is trying to make amends for past mistakes and would be the person keeping a roof over her head is mind blowing to me. I never like to think that a person bad. I always want to believe that a person has good intentions even when doing bad things. But Fiona has shown me that her intentions are nothing but evil and based on personal gain."

Again Giselle's, otherwise always smiling, face showed a different emotion. This time one that seemed saddened, touched by a hint of guilt, as she said, "I am sorry I brought such a person into your home madam. I never, not in my worst nightmares, thought that your kindness would be repaid by such ungrateful behaviour and hostility."

Laila smiled gently and placed her hand on Giselle's trembling one as she said, "You don't need to feel sorry at all. You did nothing wrong. Your purity and blind faith in a fellow human being is what I love most about you. So, don't let one bad person ruin what makes you, you."

Giselle looked up with tear filled eyes, wondering if she could truly be forgiven so easily for her mistakes. But saw nothing in Laila's eyes that could give her any reason to doubt that she didn't mean what she had just said. Gratefully she let her professionality drop as she hugged Laila as she said, "Thank you. Thank you so much." in an emotional tone of voice.