Chapter 7 - Lick It Up

“Go to Master Dylan’s room and see if his window is properly closed or not.”

“M-Me?”

“Yes, you. Who else?”

Anna’s expression turned pleading and she pointed at her soaked clothes. “I’m sure I’ll get in trouble if I walk around looking like this, though,” she said.

Samantha was away at the moment attending to Madam Jane’s call. A girl with yellow hair came over, and Anna was worried she was going to be scolded for getting the laundry wet with the rain, but she ended up getting pushed into the metaphorical lion’s den instead.

“And what does that have to do with me?” the blonde shrugged, smirking.

In the end, Anna had to put all her strength into wringing the water out of her hair and skirt before heading up to Dylan’s room on the third floor.

Desperately hoping he wasn’t present, Anna knocked on his door, but God didn’t seem to be on her side because she heard Dylan’s voice telling her to come in shortly afterward.

Anna bowed her head low as she entered. “Since it is raining, I will close the windows,” she said courteously.

Although he had been treating Anna like some parasitic bug disturbing his garden upon every encounter, he was being pretty quiet. He must not have realized Anna had been the one to enter his room because he was concentrating on reading his book. She was determined to close the window and leave before he recognized who she was.

Samantha had told Anna once before that she had to put the flower pot on the windowsill down onto the floor before closing the window. Anna always considered having to do that as annoying as needing to serve every dish in a full course meal.

Crash!

Up until the pot fell and shattered on the floor, that is.

Even without turning her head, Anne could tell Dylan had stood up from his chair. She could feel it.

Anna desperately began pleading for forgiveness, despair encroaching upon her heart. “I apologize, Young Master,” she said.

Before she knew it, however, he had reached her, tilting his head as he studied her dripping wet attire. She felt just as embarrassed as she would’ve had she been completely naked.

“You’re a complete mess,” Dylan said, and Anna hated that she couldn’t reply to his insult. “I definitely warned you, didn’t I? That I was only going to give you one chance?”

Dylan thought about what happened on the day David and Carol left the mansion by carriage. David had pulled a white envelope out from his inner pocket, handing it to Anna, who then promptly accepted the envelope with visible glee. She placed it in her pocket, and as she did so, David lifted his hand calmly, settling it upon her shoulder.

Dylan continued. “I’ve been hearing from others that you’ve been making messes at work this whole time.”

Undoubtedly, she had been able to get away with her incompetence because David continued to take her side, just like how he covered up Anna’s mistake of spilling water yesterday by overturning his glass of white wine. Although she had shamelessly utilized Dylan’s brother to her advantage, Anna still stared up at Dylan with an innocent look in her eyes, acting as if she were ignorant of her transgressions. What a manipulative woman she was.

“I treasured that plant,” Dylan said.

As if to convey that she was willing to take any kind of punishment he would give her, Anna bowed her head. Dylan picked up pieces of the broken pot, scooped the dirt and the plant into his hands, and handed them to her.

“Hold it,” he commanded. “Since you broke the pot, you’ll be the pot instead.”

Anna held the plant and the mound of dirt close to her chest. Unsatisfied, Dylan frowned, furrowing his brows. He grabbed Anna’s hands. “Lift it higher. Above your head,” he said, as he positioned her.

“H-How long do I need to hold it like this?” Anna asked. He could already hear the whine in her voice.

“Until you announce that you will no longer work in this household.”

There was a frightening brand of sincerity in Dylan’s voice as he spoke, leaving Anna confused.