Chapter 9 Bbmr Nine

• That morning, the dining room was calm, filled with the warm aroma of toast and coffee. Elise had just finished attending to Reiner’s needs and quickly hurried to bring a breakfast tray to Mr. Abraham. Unlike the rest of the household, Abraham had his own habits—he always preferred having his breakfast in his private study, away from the noise of the grand house.
• Elise knocked politely on the door.
• “Come in,” came Abraham’s deep voice from within.
• When Elise entered, she was greeted by the stillness of Abraham’s study, surrounded by tall bookshelves. He was seated in his recliner, his gaze shifting from the book he was reading to Elise.
• “Good morning, sir,” Elise greeted softly as she placed the tray on the small table beside his chair.
• “Morning,” Abraham replied, folding his book and setting it on his lap. “Have you gotten used to working here, Elise?”
• “I’m starting to, sir. Although… there’s still much for me to learn,” Elise admitted honestly, bowing her head slightly.
• “Good. Don’t let anyone here make you feel small. You work for me—remember that,” Abraham said with a brief smile.
• Elise felt a bit relieved at his words. After offering a respectful nod, she left the room and headed back to the kitchen.
• The moment Elise returned to the kitchen, the atmosphere turned cold. Greta, Clara, and Sofia were already there, busy dividing tasks. Yet, Elise’s presence seemed to act as a thorn among them.
• “Look who’s back,” Clara said with a saccharine tone full of mockery. “The special maid for Mr. Abraham and Mr. Reiner.”
• Sofia added sharply, “You’re so lucky, Elise. Just a few days here, and you’ve already caught the attention of the two most important men in the house.”
• Elise sighed softly, trying to ignore the taunts as she grabbed a cloth to clean the table. But Greta’s jab was sharper.
• “Do you think we don’t know your intentions? Starting with serving Mr. Abraham and then moving on to seducing Mr. Reiner, huh?”
• Elise paused briefly, looking at Greta with steady eyes. “I’m only doing my job as instructed—nothing more.”
• But her answer only made Clara chuckle softly. “Oh, listen to her. So obedient, huh? You must be thinking you can replace us here.”
• Elise bit her lip, choosing to remain silent and focus on her work. Yet, her heart raced, holding back the emotions building up.
• The tension in the kitchen broke when a commanding voice called out from the dining room.
• “Elise!”
• All eyes turned toward the kitchen door. The voice unmistakably belonged to Reiner. Clara and Sofia exchanged glances, hiding their laughter behind their hands.
• “Looks like you’re being summoned,” Greta said mockingly.
• Feeling anxious, Elise quickly left the kitchen. Reiner was standing at the dining room doorway, his serious expression intimidating anyone who saw him.
• “Yes, sir?” Elise asked, trying to keep her voice steady despite her pounding heart.
• “Get my bag from the bedroom. Hurry,” Reiner ordered curtly.
• Elise nodded quickly and ascended the stairs to the second floor. Entering Reiner’s room, she found it just as it had been left that morning—neat and cold. She located his bag in the corner of the wardrobe. But as she was about to leave with it, the sound of footsteps came from behind her.
• Reiner was already at the doorway, leaning casually with his hands in his pockets. “You’re so slow,” he remarked flatly, his eyes scrutinizing her every move.
• “I’m sorry, sir. I’ll take it right away,” Elise said hastily, though awkwardly.
• Reiner smirked faintly, his smile carrying a hidden meaning. “You’ll need to be faster if you want to work for me.”
• Elise nodded quickly and hurried out with the bag. But as she descended the stairs, she could still feel Reiner’s gaze following her from above—a gaze that left her confused, torn between feeling intimidated or… intrigued.
• When Elise returned to the living room, she found Reiner standing near the front door, looking impatient. She handed him his bag with both hands, keeping her usual respectful distance.
• “Thank you,” Reiner said briefly, not looking at her. He took the bag with one hand, but before he could step out, Barbra’s voice echoed from the hallway.
• “Reiner, wait.”
• Reiner froze in place, letting out a long sigh as if he had already anticipated what was coming. Elise remained standing behind him, silent and unwilling to eavesdrop, but the proximity made it impossible not to hear.
• Barbra approached gracefully, her pastel silk gown emphasizing her commanding presence. She looked at her son with an expression full of expectation.
• “You remember what I told you yesterday, don’t you? You must meet Eva.”
• Reiner raised an eyebrow, his face turning cold. “Eva? I don’t have time for that, Mother.”
• “Reiner,” Barbra’s tone softened but carried a clear warning. “She’s been waiting. Do you think you can keep avoiding her? This meeting is important for our family.”
• Reiner let out a small scoff. “I don’t care about Eva or whatever you consider important. I have other, more interesting matters to attend to.”
• The sarcasm in his voice made Barbra narrow her eyes. She seemed ready to retort, but Reiner deliberately glanced back at Elise with slow movements. His gaze locked onto her like a predator spotting its prey.
• “I’ve already found something… or someone far more intriguing,” Reiner said in a low voice, loud enough for Barbra to follow his gaze.
• Elise froze. His words were too ambiguous, and his piercing look made her feel increasingly uneasy. She quickly lowered her head, wishing she could disappear from the situation.
• Barbra rolled her eyes, then swiftly dismissed Elise’s presence as if she weren’t worth her attention. “Stop being vague, Reiner. I’m serious. Meet Eva, or I’ll arrange the meeting without you.”
• Reiner smirked faintly but didn’t reply directly. Instead, he slung his bag over his shoulder and walked toward the door. Before opening it, he glanced back at his mother.
• “We’ll see, Mother,” he said casually. “Oh, and don’t worry—I always know what I’m doing.”
• With that, Reiner stepped outside without sparing his mother another glance. Elise, still standing frozen in place, only dared to lift her head when Barbra let out a loud sigh. The woman shook her head, her face betraying emotional exhaustion.
• “So stubborn,” Barbra muttered before turning away, not even sparing a glance at Elise.
• Elise remained rooted to the spot, confused by what had just transpired. Reiner’s earlier gaze lingered in her mind, unsettling her thoughts. What did he mean by “something more intriguing”? Why did he look at me like that?
• But Elise quickly shook her head. She shouldn’t dwell on it. It wasn’t her place to understand what went on within this family. Especially with the way Mrs. Barbra looked at her, Elise knew she couldn’t let her thoughts wander too far.
• With slow steps, she returned to the kitchen, trying to push all the chaotic thoughts from her mind.