CHAPTER TWO

Robert left Cassy to see to the task Mrs Alice gave to him.

There were forty rooms in the mansion, and as he walked into each of them, he noticed how clean the room was, this was his punishment for something he didn't do, nor said.

He let out a sigh as he switched on the vacuum cleaner, then he began cleaning the floor.

"Need any help?" He heard a voice and he turned to face the person.

"Hazel." He called, she was one of the maids.

"It's fine, I'll manage on my own," He declined.

"Well how can I let you do this alone, I still remember how you helped me the other day, I had too much work and you assisted me."

"So let me help you too Sir."

"Robert," He corrected.

"Huh?"

"Just call me Robert, there's no need to be formal, after all, I'm just a nobody." Robert replied with a sad smile.

"You're not just a nobody, you're married to Ma'am Cassy."

"And I'm sure you're also aware of the bad treatment I do receive, so let's just leave it at that, Cassy doesn't see me as her husband so there's no use calling me that."

Hazel could notice the hurt in his voice and she felt sorry for him, they treat him like an animal and it's not fair, Robert is a nice person and he deserves more than what he's getting.

"I overheard what Ma'am Alice said, well let me give you a hand, and besides I'm sure you're tired by now."

"Why?" Robert asked and Hazel furrowed her brow in confusion.

"What do you mean? Why what?"

"Why do you still want to help me, knowing it'll get you in trouble if they find out."

"Well I don't care about them, I'm not in support of how they treat you Robert, you're a nice man and you deserve good treatments, not bad ones."

"You can just take this as me repaying a favor." Hazel shrugged.

"I still think you should stay away from me, I don't want you to get into trouble."

"Well let me worry about myself." She replied.

She picked up the mop stick to mop the places he had already cleaned.

Robert looked at her in disbelief, such a nice lady with a good heart, he just hoped she wouldn't get into any trouble for helping him.

"Get to work, there's so much to do." Hazel said, jolting him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry." Robert smiled, then he joined her.

They spent hours cleaning the whole house, and before they could finish, it was late at night.

"I think I'm gonna die soon". Hazel groaned as she sat on the floor, looking so tired and weak.

Robert looked at her with a smile on his face, she looked so funny.

"I did warn you, you should get some rest," He said.

"You're right about that." Hazel replied, then she stood up.

She was about leaving when Robert stopped her

"Please wait."

"Yes Robert."

"I'm truly grateful for your help, thank you so much, I wouldn't have been able to finish all this without your help."

"You don't have to thank me Robert, it was nice helping you, and I'll always help you if you need it."

"Well not for long." They heard someone said behind them.

Robert and Hazel both turned only to see Mrs Alice and Cassy walking into the room.

Cassy and her mother both had a furious look on their faces.

Mrs Alice walked to Hazel and she slapped her hard across the face.

"Mrs Alice!" Robert half yelled.

"Enough! Not a single word from you Robert, it'll be best if you keep your trash shut because I'll still get to you." She fumed.

"And you, who asked you to help him huh? Who gave you that order huh? Have you no fear at all? Didn't you think twice before involving yourself in his punishment?"

"I'm sorry Ma'am but the work was just too much for him alone, we have forty rooms in the mansion and you expect him to do the work alone? It was too much and I decided to help him, there's nothing wrong in what I did."

Mrs Alice looked at Cassy in surprise, she couldn't believe the audacity of Hazel, even Robert was shocked, he didn't expect her to talk back.

"What are you doing? You'll get into trouble." Robert whispered to Hazel's hearing alone.

"I don't care Robert, it's time someone tells them the truth, what they are doing to you is totally wrong and you don't deserve any of it." Hazel said out loud.

"Oh! I see, someone finally has the guts to talk back to me, in my own home?" Mrs Alice asked, and the next thing Hazel felt was a sound slap on her cheek, which sent her to another direction.

Before she could withhold her stance, Cassy gave her another slap which sent her to the floor.

"Cassy!!" Robert screamed and he wanted to help Hazel up.

"Don't you even dare! Else I'd feed you to the vultures," Mrs Alice stated, and Robert immediately halted, not moving an inch.

"You're fired!" Cassy yelled.

Hazel stood up from the floor, and she dusted her clothes.

"I don't wanna work here either, I just can't stand this, you treat everyone as if they're dirt, you should have some respect for us, because we're humans," Hazel yelled.

"We aren't dogs that you can just order around," She added and she started crying.

"Stop it Hazel," Robert said, he knew he'd end up being punished for what she did.

"You said you're resigning right? Then get the fuck outta here now!" Cassy barked.

"Yes I'm leaving, but I need my pay, since it's due," Hazel said.

"I'm supposed to pay you tomorrow right?" Mrs Alice asked and Hazel nodded.

"Well, ask Robert to give you your salary, since you're now working for him, my mum is not paying a dime," Cassy said with no sense of pity.

"What!!" Robert half yelled.

"You dog, you better shut up your mouth, because I'm not done with you yet!" Cassy said angrily.

"Ma'am you can't do that, even if you don't wanna pay in full, you can just pay half for the work I've done!" Hazel said.

"Now you're pleading, right? No matter what you do, my words are final, I'm not giving you anything!" Mrs Alice emphasized.

"No, no, that's a lie!" Hazel said.

"You still have the guts to challenge me right? Cassy, call the guards, I want her out of my mansion this instant!" Mrs Alice stated.

"Yes mother," Cassy said and she left.

"Please ma'am, don't do this to me, I resigned peacefully, that doesn't mean you won't pay me," Hazel tried to explain, while Robert stood there doing nothing.

His hands were tied, the only thing he could do was to watch them.

Even if he wanted to do something, what would he do? What he can do should be the actual question.

He warned her about this, but she still insisted on helping him, now he felt stupid for not standing by her side.

Cassy walked into the room, with two security guards beside her.

By now Hazel was already crying, as she stared pitifully at Robert who moved his gaze away from her.

"Get her out of here!" Mrs Alice yelled and the security guard immediately went to Hazel, they made to drag her out, but she pulled her hands away from them.

"Don't!"

"I'll go out myself, just know that karma is real, and when it comes knocking on your door, I hope it consumes you, without pity, because you deserve worse than hell," Hazel stated looking directly at Mrs Alice.

"Get out!" Cassy screamed.

Hazel turned back at Robert and their eyes met.

"This is not your fault, so don't feel sorry for me, and also try to be strong because the world itself is wicked," Hazel said and she cleaned her tears with the back of palm.

She glared at Cassy, then she walked out of the room.

Robert stared at her back until she got out of sight.

"And you!" Cassy said and Robert flinched.

"We aren't done with you yet, I see she's your fiance right? You're having an affair right under my daughter's nose," Mrs Alice said and Robert's eyes widened.

"No, that's not true, I'm not having an affair with anyone," Robert said.

"Mum, I guess you're right, because I should have thought about this, but not to worry mother, big brother is coming back tomorrow, I guess he'd put Robert in his place," Cassy said and Robert immediately knew he was done for.

This mansion is gonna be hell for him, Cassy's elder brother is someone who hated him for no reason even without him doing anything wrong to him.

"But believe me, I'm not having an affair with anyone," Robert said.

"We'll find out about that tomorrow, just wait for my big brother to return," Cassy said and they left.