Chapter 22 : DARKNESS WITHIN

Jonathan's words sent a chill down Mia's spine. She began looking for a place to hide in the bathroom but found none. "I'm sorry, just stop," she said, losing hope. "I'm going to open the door now, just... don't do anything we'd regret," she said, her voice trembling, as she slowly opened the door.

Revealing Jonathan's annoyed face and stained shirt, she forced a smile and said, "Hi." The contrast between her cheerful greeting and the tense situation was unsettling, and Jonathan's expression faltered, confusion evident across his face.

Mia took advantage of the distraction and tried to step back, but her legs gave out, and she crumpled to the floor, fainting. Jonathan's anger seemed to dissipate instantly, replaced by concern as he rushed to her side, calling out her name. "Mia! Mia, wake up!" he said as he lifted her up to the bed, before rushing out to call Anita.

Anita arrived quickly, concern written on her face. "What happened, sir?" she asked, rushing to Mia's side.

Jonathan's face was a mix of worry. "I...I don't know, Anita. She just fainted while talking."

Anita's expression softened a bit. "Don't worry, sir. I'll take care of her. You go wait outside for a bit." Jonathan hesitated for a while before nodding and stepping out of the room, leaving Anita to tend to Mia.

As soon as he'd left, Mia opened her left eye to peek at the room and sighed in relief, shocking Anita. "Thank goodness he's gone," Mia said.

"I...I thought you fainted," Anita said, confused.

"Hell nah, this was the only way to escape him," Mia said, trying to sit up. "He sounded angry after what I did."

"Well, you shouldn't have done that, my god, Emilia! You have no fear," Anita said. "No one has ever done the things you've done and still remained alive. You've got charms, Emilia. First, you disobeyed his orders, you talked back at him, and now you poured his drink all over him..."

"Yeah, so much for a day," Mia said, yawning. "Well, I'm tired, and I need to sleep. Good night, Nita." Mia lay back on the bed.

"Yeah, good night, Emilia," Anita whispered, smiling to herself.

***

it's 10:35 in the morning, Jonathan's dressed for work, because he hasn't been in the office for a while - not that it mattered, since he was the boss anyway. As he made his way downstairs, he was greeted by Anita, whom he ignored as usual.

"Breakfast, sir?" Anita asked.

"No, just coffee," he said coldly. "And Emilia?" he asked, receiving a confused look from Anita, who quickly looked away, not wanting to meet his gaze.

"She...she's fine, she just needed to rest, that's all," Anita said, handing him the cup of coffee.

Jonathan took the cup of coffee and nodded slightly, his eyes narrowing as he watched Anita hurry away, her eyes cast down. He knew she was hiding something, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

"Good morning boss," Brandon said walking towards him hastily.

"you're late," Jonathan Said coldly, "what's your excuse?".

"None, sir," Brandon said with his head down. "It won't happen again."

Jonathan sipped on his coffee. "I believe you've already prepared my schedule," Jonathan asked.

"Yes, sir. The board of directors, whom you dismissed in the previous meeting, are willing to comply with you, and I scheduled the meeting for 12 p.m.," he said, as Jonathan smirked.

"Well, then, what are we waiting for? We wouldn't want to keep our board waiting," Jonathan said standing up as he took long strides out of the penthouse as Brandon followed him, telling him the next schedule.

After a few minutes, Emilia peeked through the stairs as she tiptoed down.

"He's gone, Emilia, you can stop doing that," Anita said, giving her a slightly disappointed look.

Emilia let out a sigh of relief, staring at Anita. "What's with that look?".

"Really, I not only lied to Sir Blacksmith, I also fooled him. What if he realizes—"

"Relax, Nita, stop overreacting. What you did isn't that sinful; it's simply a friend covering up for another friend."

"Friend?" Anita asked.

"Yeah, friend," Emilia said. "You're the only friend I have around here, so yeah, we're friends." Emilia said, making Anita smile.

"It's just that no one has ever considered me a friend before," Anita said.

Mia's expression softened as she saw the hint of sadness in Anita's eyes. "Well, I'm glad I could be the first then," she said, smiling warmly.

Anita's face lit up with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Emilia. That means a lot to me, I made breakfast Anita said, as she led her to the dining room. Mia got shocked to see such a variety of food, ranging from fluffy pancakes with fresh berries and whipped cream, to crispy waffles, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and cream cheese, avocado toast with poached eggs and even a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, chorizo, and cheddar cheese.

Mia's eyes widened, "Wow, Anita, you really went all out! This looks amazing."

"It's no big deal, that's how breakfast is made under the Black's roof, same goes with lunch and dinner," Anita said.

"oou," Mia said.

"But most times, it goes to waste," Anita said sadly.

"Wait, you mean this whole thing is not appreciated?" Mia asked, surprised.

Anita nodded, "Yeah, it's sad. But it doesn't have to be that way, it looks too appetizing to be wasted." Mia said, as she began to eat. With every bite, she moaned in enjoyment, giving out compliments.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," Anita said, standing a bit away from her.

"Yeah, come join me," Mia requested, with a mouthful of food.

"Not allowed, Emilia. Maids are not allowed to eat with superiors," Anita said, declining her offer.

"Well, I'm not your superior, I'm your friend," Mia said, smiling.

Anita's expression softened, and she smiled back at Mia. "I wish it were that simple, Emilia. But the rules are clear. Maids and superiors don't mix."

Mia's face fell, but she didn't give up. She gestured to the empty chair across from her. "Just this once, then. Please, Anita. I hate eating alone, and I love your cooking. It's a shame to let it go to waste."

Anita hesitated, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for an excuse. "my god Emilia, you're making me do the impossible". Finally, she walked over and sat down, a small smile playing on her lips. "Just this once, Emilia. But don't tell anyone."

Mia grinned, thrilled to have won Anita over. "My lips are sealed," she said, taking another bite of her breakfast.

As they ate together, Mia's curiosity got the better of her. "Isn't this penthouse just so large?" she said, her eyes sparkling with mystery. "I was hoping you'd give me a tour around—"

"Well, I could, but it's not allowed," Anita replied. "You see, the Black family is really tight and secure."

"And why is that?" Mia asked, as Anita cleared her throat, as if she had gotten choked by the meal.

"I'm sorry, so sorry." "It's okay, it's fine," Anita said, drinking water. "So... you're still showing me around, aren't you?" Mia said slowly, smiling at Anita, who was still contemplating if she should or not. "Come on, it'd be fun."

***

Anita finally gave in, and soon enough, she was showing Mia around the enormous penthouse. The first stop was the gym, which was filled with state-of-the-art equipment, along with a private sauna and massage room.

"Wow, this is insane," Mia said, clearly impressed. "I mean, it's not like I'm a fan of working out, but this is one gym I wouldn't mind visiting."

Anita chuckled. "I'm glad you like it. Mr. Black takes his fitness very seriously."

As they left the gym, Anita led Mia to a sleek, modern bar. "well, you've been here"

"yep, I've been here", mia said as she replayed what happened last night.

Next, they entered a private movie theater, complete with plush seats and a massive screen.

Mia's eyes widened in awe as she took in the luxurious movie theater. "Whoa, this place is a movie lover's dream come true!" she exclaimed. "If I ever make a run for it from this place, I'm definitely taking the movie theater with me." she said dramatically, " Anita, do you think Jonathan would watch some of my favorite movies in here"

"That i do not know Emilia," anita said not knowing what to say, "moving ahead", Anita gestured for Mia to follow her out of the theater, leading her back into the hallway. As they walked, Mia eyes wandered taking in the lavishing decor and artwork adorning the walls, yet there was a chilly and dark aura tha filled the whole place. Mia felt a shiver run down her spine. But then, her gaze landed on a door that caught her attention. It was pure black, with no handle, no lock, and no keypad, just a small fingerprint scanner on the side, gleaming in the dim light like a cold, metallic eye.

"what's behind that door", mia asked, her curiosity sparked.