Chapter 272: Stop It With The Bandages!
*Flashback*
Zara had always been a very observant person, she knew how to read between the lines and knew at first glance that Cassie was a cruel person. She also knew that Ethan was shameless, but as she had observed growing up, the purest of angels were always bound to the foulest of demons.
It wasn’t coincidence that she ended up saving Brooke the night she nearly committed, she had made a routine to check up on Brooke every night. The woman was in a fragile frame of mind, and she couldn’t afford to be negligent.
"Zara. I can’t stand it anymore. I want to end it all. I can’t keep living like this."
But Zara would never let her think that way, "Mrs Halton- Brooke, things will get better. One day, this will all end, I swear it, you just keep holding on." She said bandaging Brooke’s wounded wrist.
But even though she said that, she had no clue where help would come from. Ethan was rich and powerful, he was untouchable.
A mere maid like her and her helpless mistress couldn’t possibly fight against him.
However...
She hugged Brooke to her chest, and patted the back of her head, "I have an older brother, he’s going to be transfered here next year. He’s a detective. He’ll help you take down that monster, I swear it." she would tell Brooke whenever her pain was too much that it caused her to break down.
But then, it wasn’t like things were any easier on Zara....
*Smack*
Serena cracked a slap against Zara’s cheek, "How many times have I told you to stop it with the bandages?! Ethan’s said it makes him uncomfortable! Stop making it look like he’s abusing his wife!"
Zara rolled her tongue around her mouth, feeling the sting from the slap.
"He isn’t abusing his wife? Then what do you call that?! The poor woman she...she..." Zara couldn’t bring herself to speak. The head maid had warned her not to tell anyone that Mrs Halton had tried to commit.
She had advised Zara that if she still needed the money to pay back her sibling’s student loans, she had to keep quiet and act like she didn’t see anything.
But they did see everything, and they felt everything too. Zara had seen some of the maids cry themselves to sleep after watching what Mr Halton did to his wife. Others took to taking sleeping pills to help them cope.
Because after all, everyone saw everything, but at the same time they saw nothing.
"Are you talking back at me?! Do you want me to take care of you myself?!" Serena threatened.
Zara bit her cheeks, "No, ma’am." If she got fired, she doubted anyone in this house would care for Brooke, to feed her or give her her medication on time.
To make certain that Zara wasn’t conniving with Brooke, a newly hired maid, to replace one of the others who had dropped out was assigned to her to instruct.
Zara hissed, looking at the younger woman, ’I’m sure she’s been told to keep an eye on me. I won’t be able to see Brooke with her on my tail.’ she figured.
Hence, for the first week that Zara had the maid in her care, she tended to her, teaching her how to do the work properly, and instructing her on how to maneuver around Cassie’s tantrums.
"She cut my hair!" The maid came crying to her one day, her long silky hair which danced at her waist, was now jagged, uneven and barely kissed beneath her ear.
She sobbed harder. "I-I accidentally...d-dropped her phone and she...she..." the girl hiccuped in-between words.
Zara hugged her tightly, "It’s okay, I’m here." But she knew there wasn’t much she could do. "Don’t worry, from now on I’ll handle all chores related to Cassie. You can take over my duties."
It wasn’t like hers was any better. Zara was one of the maids responsible for attending to Luther Crane, and just like with Cassie, all the maids despised him.
But the switch had to be made. Zara could only hope that the young woman would do better fighting off an old perv than handling his deranged brat.
After the switch was made, Zara and the young maid barely spoke to each other. The young frail girl spent her time with Luther, and was made to stay in the maid’s quarters closer to his side of the house.
Whilst Zara who could finally see Brooke again regretted it, because now she watched Brooke get hit and berated by Cassie and could do nothing to stop it.
-"You’re still trending after a week, is there anything you can’t do?"-
Zara inwardly rolled her eyes when Cassie’s ’friends’ flocked around her, each one more classless than the other. The topic of discussion, the award that Cassie had won, the one no one saw coming.
Zara couldn’t care less about them, and simply waited to be excused. However, the moment she saw Brooke weakly trying to descend the stairs, her heart went out to her.
’Miss Brooke no! Don’t come down here!’ she pleaded in her head, hoping Cassie wouldn’t notice her.
But such hopes never came true. Not only did Cassie notice her, she dragged Brooke across the room over to the little gathering happening. Then, she forcefully tried to make a starved and weak Brooke drink on her behalf.
Zara was close to snapping and throwing caution to the wind when Cassie slapped Brooke across the face! In the presence of her mindless followers!
The other maids had disgusted looks on their faces, they all looked to Zara as though seeking approval. They were all thinking the same thing.
They were fed up with this treatment and wanted to help. Even if it costed them their jobs.
Right as Zara made the first step to say something, the sound of heavy blades fanning from above.
Zara looked at her colleagues who had just realized that a helicopter was landing on their rooftop!