You Need Me

Chapter 9

"I'm going to report this to Master!" Mrs. Ellis, the head maid of Oliver family, cried.

"Mrs. Ellis... it's really okay." Viola tried to calm down the situation.

The 64-year-old senior attendant was furious when she found out Leon had left his bride for work on their wedding night.

Nadia Ellis had been working for the Olivers for almost her entire adult life. She was initially hired by Leon's grandfather to keep an eye on his frivolous teenager son but had since been a trusted confidant to Ian Oliver. Nadia was later entrusted to take care of Leon after his mother died in an accident. She treated Leon like her own son and would not shy away from scolding him if he misbehaved.

"But, Madam..." Nadia protested.

"You know we are only husband and wife on paper. Besides, I don't think I will feel comfortable with him around me now." Viola assured her.

"Madam..."

Viola looked around the house and turned back to Nadia.

"Perhaps you can show me my room? I think I'll get some rest."

***

It was almost midnight when Leon came back with his assistant, Tom.

"Should I push back your schedule tomorrow, Sir? Today is your wed..."

"Just prepare everything like usual." Leon cut Tom's sentence and walked towards the double staircase in the main hall.

Tom wanted to advise otherwise but decided not to challenge his employer. He excused himself and left the house quietly.

Leon walked past the dimly lit hall and was only a few steps away from the staircase when he sensed someone else was behind him.

"What is it, Nadia?"

"What do you think you are doing, Young Master?" Nadia came out to light.

Leon looked at her, annoyed. He knew a long lecture was coming.

"You left your wife alone on your wedding night for work. What would Master say if he finds out?" Leon could tell Nadia was disappointed with his conduct.

"Don't tell him then." Leon continued to climb the stairs.

"Young Master!" Nadia softly cried from below.

Leon stopped and looked at his bedroom door which he could see from where he was. "Is she asleep?"

"Madam is..." Nadia looked down nervously. She could not find the right explanation for Leon.

Leon noticed Nadia's sudden change in attitude.

"Did something happen?"

"Actually..."

Nadia repeated her conversation with Viola this evening. Leon learned that apparently, his wife had proposed to use a small bedroom near the kitchen as her room rather than the master bedroom that had been prepared for the couple.

"I tried to stop madam, but she wouldn't hear any of it..."

Leon paused to think.

"She can do whatever she wants. This arrangement is fine by me." He continued to walk to his room.

"Young Master! Not you too!" Nadia was horrified by Leon's response. "How can we let madam stay in a room designated for the maids? What will people say?"

Leon ignored her and closed the bedroom door behind him.

He took a cold shower to clear his mind. What is that girl thinking? Is she still angry because I looked through her phone without permission? But that is what we call a background check! Someone else would do it anyway if they got the phone before me.

A few minutes later, Leon was sitting on the bench in front of his bed, drying his hair with a towel. There were some documents beside him. He picked them up and flipped through a few pages. They were new partnership proposals for Uni Infinitus' Mir Islands Project. Looks like everyone has read the news. He then put the paper back beside him, threw the towel on his bed and walked to the door.