8

"Has she left yet?" Jayden asked curiously.

"I don't know, it's late, and I don't think Mr Smith will let her go." Sellyna spooned more food into Jayden's mouth.

"I'm full!" Jayden refused.

"Just one more bite, sir." Sellyna pleaded.

"No way!" he refused again.

Sellyna let out a heavy sigh. "I've already fed you..."

Jayden took a bite.

Seeing Jayden take the last bite, Sellyna kept her word. "I'll take care of it."

"Make sure you told her to leave," Jayden said.

Sellyna was stunned. "I'll make sure, but only if Mr Smith doesn't throw her out. You won't be angry with me, will you?" she asked doubtfully.

"I don't know," Jayden said as he turned away.

Sellyna, who had finished clearing the dining table, quickly excused herself and left the room. She went into the main house to return the tray of food.

"You haven't eaten yet?" asked Mr Smith when he saw Sellyna coming.

Sellyna turned her head and nodded. "Here, I'll get my food."

"Would you like to eat with us then?" asked Mr Smith.

Sellyna was silent. It was the first time Mr Smith had asked her to eat with him, and she usually ate alone in the pavilion dining room.

"She's the girl you told me about, isn't she?" a female voice asked.

Sellyna looked down as the woman approached.

"Yes," Mr Smith replied. Come, Sellyna. Zenayya wants to meet you!"

Sellyna was silent; she decided to comply. After all, she was only a maid here.

After sitting together in the dining room, Sellyna was very nervous.

"So it's not Jayden doing the work, is it, Dad, but her?" asked Zenayya.

"Yes, something like that."

"But it turned out well," Zenayya said. She looked at Sellyna, who was busy eating. "You must be very close to Jayden, which makes me even more jealous. I wish I weren't so busy..."

"Your family needs you, Zenayya. You've survived this long by being loyal to Jayden; that's impressive." Mr Smith praised her.

"But... they refuse to speed up the wedding," Zenayya complained.

"I refused, too, because I don't want to make things difficult for you."

"Father, can I stay here for a week?" Zenayya asked. "I want to see Jayden, even from a distance."

"Of course you can," Mr Smith said.

Sellyna can't say anything.

"I would also like a room in the pavilion."

Sellyna was surprised but hid her shock.

"I'll have Karin prepare it for you."

Sellyna was even more surprised but had no power to throw Zenayya out as Jayden wanted. She was only a maid, a contract woman who had to obey her master's orders—not a legal wife with authority in this house.

After dinner, Karin took Zenayya to the pavilion. Meanwhile, Sellyna went to the pavilion alone. That night, Sellyna slept restlessly.

The next day, Sellya began her work.

"Good morning, sir," Sellyna said after opening the door. She went to the curtains and opened the glass cover.

Sellyna looked over at the bed; Jayden was still curled up.

"You should get up and start breakfast!"

"Has she gone home?" Jayden asked to confirm.

"Miss Zenayya has asked permission to stay here for a week."

"What?" Jayden was so shocked he woke up.

"Mr Smith gave her permission too."

"Don't let her in the room!" Jayden said irritably.

"Why, she's your fiancée."

"I said don't let her in, so don't!" he grumbled.

Sellyna pursed her lips, then thought of a topic to change the subject. "Sir, it's breakfast time..."

"I don't want to eat; I don't want to shower either!" Jayden lay back down and covered his entire body with the blanket.

"Oh, my goodness. How are you going to get better like that?" Sellyna pulled on Jayden's blanket, but Jayden held on tight.

"Don't do that, you'll have trouble breathing!" Sellyna still tried to pull the blanket off.

"I don't want to eat."

"Tsk. The food hasn't been brought here yet!" Sellyna said.

Jayden stayed hidden under the covers.

Sellyna let out a heavy sigh. "Never mind, if you're not hungry, I'll do something else first." Sellyna picked up the broom and mop and began to clean the room.

The faint sound of Sellyna's voice made Jayden open the blanket covering his body.

"Sellyna, do you have a boyfriend?" he asked.

Sellyna, sweeping the dust from the table, turned to Jayden in surprise. "Um, not yet."

"Why did you accept that prenup?" he asked curiously.

"Um, because I think it's better here."

Jayden was stunned for a moment. "If you have a girlfriend..."

"I've never had a boyfriend!" Sellyna said quickly. "Do you think someone like me deserves a boyfriend?" she grumbled.

"You don't have to be angry." Jayden was a little offended.

"I'm not mad!" said Sellyna. "Especially when you want breakfast!"

"I have no appetite!"

Sellyna chuckled. After sweeping and mopping, she left Jayden's room and returned with a food tray.

"Sir, you'd better take a shower first," Sellyna said, taking the blanket that covered Jayden's body.

"I don't want to!" said Jayden, still clutching the blanket.

"Hurry up and shower, or shall I make you?"

"You're too much!" Jayden still refused. Even after Sellyna managed to grab the blanket, he gripped the back of the bed tightly as Sellyna pulled at his body.

"I'm doing this because I care about you; let's take a shower!"

"No way!" Jayden said, pushing Sellyna's body away.

Instead of getting angry, Sellyna was eager to force Jayden to shower, as Jayden was currently more energetic and had begun to rebel.

"Let's take a shower!"

"No way!"

"You're like a child who's afraid of water!" said Sellyna, successfully removing Jayden's hand from the back of the bed.

"You're not going to bathe me, are you?"

"Of course, you should be bathed, especially in such a rebellious manner!" said Sellyna.

"All right, I'll take a bath!"

Sellyna smiled. Then, she led Jayden into the bathroom.

"Why didn't you obey earlier?" asked Sellyna as she prepared the hot water in the bath.

"It's cold!" said Jayden.

"I would have heated the water!" said Sellyna. "I'll put the clothes and towels in the usual place," she said, then left the bathroom.

Jayden was reluctant to bathe; he was still angry at Sellyna for not wanting to kick Zenayya out of this house.

Sellyna was changing the sheets and blankets. She also took the dirty blankets and sheets to the back room to be washed.

"That man took so long in the bathroom!" muttered Sellyna as she approached the bathroom door. She knocked on it. "Sir, have you finished bathing?" she asked.

"If not, I'll help you!" Sellyna opened the bathroom door to make sure.

However, Sellyna closed it again as Jayden was soaking in a bathtub full of suds.

"Why did you come in before I answered?" Jayden shouted in annoyance.

"It's your fault for not answering for so long!"

"Go away, I want to soak first!" said Jayden from the bathroom.

"OK, but don't take too long. Your skin will wrinkle from being in the bath for so long!" said Sellyna. She left Jayden's room. Her stomach rumbling, Sellyna walked into the pavilion's dining room.

"Would you like some breakfast?" asked Zenayya.

Sellyna jumped in surprise and turned to her. "Ah, I'm sorry, miss. I was surprised because usually no one eats breakfast here but me."

Zenayya smiled. "How old are you?" she asked curiously.

Sellyna froze for a moment. "Um, twenty this year."

"I heard you were not Mr. Ferdinand's stepson. But as far as I know, Mr. Ferdinand's biological daughter died a long time ago. Are you not deceiving my father?" asked Zenayya.

Sellyna looked down profoundly. "As you know, miss. I did not deceive Mr Smith. But I accepted this contract because I needed money for the rest of my life."

Zenayya nodded and began to understand. "You didn't have any feelings for this job, did you?" asked Zenayya. "You can see that my fiancé is very handsome and kind. At the moment, he's temperamental because he's recovering."

Sellyna was silent. Did Zenayya not know that Jayden was blind?

"I hope you don't want more status than a contract wife!" Zenayya reminded.

"Of course, I'll keep that in mind, Miss!" said Sellyna, bowing respectfully.

"Jayden's mobile phone is with you?" she asked.

"Um, yes, but I don't open it unless Mr Jayden tells me to."

"Can you give it to me?" she asked.

"Sellyna!" Jayden called into the pavilion dining room.

"I'm sorry, miss. I need to see Mr Jayden!" said Sellyna, quickly excusing herself as she carried a piece of sandwich for her breakfast.

Zenayya let out a rude sigh, both incredulous and annoyed at Sellyna. She was supposed to look after Jayden until he recovered from his illness.

Sellyna returned to Jayden's room.

"Sellyna!" called Jayden in a loud voice.

"Yes, sir!" said Sellyna as she opened the bathroom door.

"What's taking you so long?" he grumbled.

"Sorry, I had my breakfast first!" She took a bite of her sandwich, walked over to Jayden, and led him out of the bathroom.

"You didn't have breakfast?" asked Jayden.

"Hmm, hmm," Sellyna mumbled as she bit into her sandwich.

Jayden frowned, and Sellyna helped Jayden get into the chair. Then, the girl brought the bowl of porridge in front of Jayden. Then, she sat down on the floor to enjoy her breakfast.

"Sellyna?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Why aren't you feeding me?"

Sellyna was taken aback. "Oh, all right!" said Sellyna. "But on the condition that you finish your meal," Sellyna said.

Jayden didn't answer, so Sellyna began to feed him carefully.

"When will my food change? I'm tired of eating porridge all the time!" whined Jayden.

"I don't know; the nutritionist hasn't approved it yet. Because you don't want to eat all the time, you must eat porridge so your stomach doesn't get shocked like it did back then."

"You're so talkative," Jayden said before taking his food.

"I'm worried about you," Sellyna said. She took a bite of her sandwich as she fed Jayden.

"What did you eat?" asked Jayden curiously.

"The sandwich Karin made."

"I want to try it!" he begged.

"Not yet, sir. I don't want you to get sick again from eating the wrong thing!" said Sellyna.

"Please!" he whined.

Sellyna gave him some porridge. "Later, when the porridge is gone."

"Aren't you going to finish the sandwich?" asked Jayden curiously.

Sellyna frowned. "Plenty of sandwiches are in the dining room; don't worry!"

"I want the one you're eating!" said Jayden audibly.

"I've finished it!" said Sellyna, quickly taking the last bite of her sandwich.

Jayden looked grumpy but continued eating the porridge Sellyna gave him. When he was finished, Sellyna began to tidy up.

"I'll get the sandwich. Wait a moment."

Jayden did not answer.

Sellyna left the room. Outside, Sellyna saw where Zenayya was, so Sellyna excused herself.

There was a knock at the door, and Zenayya knocked.

"Jayden!" called Zenayya.

"Go away!" shouted Jayden from inside the room.

"Let me come in for a minute!" said Zenayya.

"I don't want to see you!" said Jayden firmly.

"Don't you miss me? I'm your fiancé!" said Zenayya.

Jayden did not answer; he missed Zenayya. But for now, Jayden was very shy about showing himself to his girlfriend.