Forced Marriage To The Billionaire (Book 1)

Chapter 11: The Brashness

The smell of waffles woke Lorena up. She opened her eyes to see Tanika setting a small table beside her bed.

"Good morning, my lady." The maid bowed when she noticed Lorena was awake.

Lorena rolled her eyes in between a yawn and a stretch combo. "We're not in the sixties, Tanika. You don't need to bow to me."

"Oh." She blushed and bowed her head in wait for Lorena's following command.

Shaking her head, Lorena pulled out of the bed into a sitting position. "These smell good." She said, rubbing her hands together, her feet wobbling beneath her.

"Go on, and take a bite." Tanika urged on happily, with a big smile on her pretty face.
Lorena returned her smile and took a massive bite from a piece of the waffle. Her eyes widened as the flavors hit her tongue. She broke into an even wider smile.

"Tanika?"

"My lady."

"Did you make this yourself?" She asked, taking a more significant bite.

"Yes, my lady." The happy girl bobbed her head in excitement. She wanted to be on good terms with the future lady of the house. If her culinary skills could help her with that, she would gladly cook every hour of every day.

"It is delicious, Tanika! Good job." She struggled between words with a mouthful of waffles.

"Gracie, my lady. I'll leave you to eat your food now."

"Before you leave, Tanika, I have something to ask you." She stopped in her tracks and turned around to face her madam again.

"Si madame." She bowed again.

"Raise your head and look at me, Tanika." She ordered, taking a sip of the best cappuccino she ever had.

Maybe coming here wasn't bad after all, she thought. She had not tasted food this good since her mum died. She could already tell she would adore Tanika. But first, she had to win her loyalty.

"Where is Makris?"

"Master Andino left for work about an hour ago." She said, looking everywhere except at her madam. She was still uncomfortable with the pressure of the woman she had only read of until recently.

Lorena let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. At least she wouldn't deal with her arrogant husband-to-be and his flirtatious remarks.

"Did he leave a message for me?" As she asked, her mind flashed back to the previous night.

"Arrogant bastard!" She thought, chewing more furiously now. Who did he think he was to assume she would want to follow him to the luncheon? Just because her father was dead set on seeing them wed didn't mean she wanted to be even an inch close to him.

"My lady, are you okay?" She followed the worried look in Tanika's eyes and realized she had left scratches on the plate with her tight grip on the fork.

"It's nothing," She faked a laugh and sipped from her drink. "So yeah, did he?" She asked, a little too sweet, a smile enveloping her face.

"Actually, yes."

"Oh?" Her brow raised as she waited for Tanika to pass on the message.

"He said to remind you of the luncheon today. He wants you to get ready on time cus he'll be back before noon to pick you up."

"Stupid!" She muttered under her breath, seething.

"My lady?"

"Oh, it's nothing, Tanika. Just, what is the time now?" She asked, chewing the last piece of waffles on her plate.