maid chapter 17

“No.” Daniel’s denial was sharp. No matter how much safer it was to let the misunderstanding continue, he absolutely, positively did not want to admit the truth aloud. Ellie tugged at the ribbon of his waist, pleading, “Come on, just tell me. I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

“No.” At Daniel’s stonewalling, Ellie pouted. So mean. He should trust her by now. Well, she was getting used to his prickly side. Recovering quickly, Ellie changed the subject. “But isn’t Daniel more handsome than Ian?”

Daniel, who had just reached the top floor, flinched and stopped. Had he heard correctly? For a moment, his mind went blank. Ellie finally caught up to him. Catching her breath, she continued casually, “You know, the gardener? Thick eyebrows, intense eyes? Don’t you know him?”

“No.” He walked away abruptly. Ellie rolled her eyes behind his back. He’s been here for days and doesn’t know him? His social skills are seriously lacking.

Daniel gritted his teeth. He was annoyed that he’d been startled, especially by her. He tried to hide his momentary lapse by speaking in a clipped tone. “I’m going to change. Go wash up first.”

“Fine.” Ellie grumbled as she headed to the servants’ bathroom. She was already exhausted, and this was making it worse. How much longer would they have to take turns changing and bathing? Daniel was meticulously keeping the promises he’d made on their first day: separate changing times, separate bathroom use, and absolutely no leaving washed undergarments out in the open.

Still, Ellie believed that if she kept cooperating, the day would come when he’d treat her like a real friend. She had no doubt about it.

Deep in the night, when the mansion was quiet, Ellie tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Food and sleep—these were the two forces sustaining her in this demanding environment. For the first few days, she’d collapsed onto her pillow and fallen asleep instantly. But now that she was accustomed to the work and eating properly, she wasn’t as exhausted.

And Ellie’s later bedtime was not welcome news for Daniel. He couldn’t fall asleep before her. He stared at the ceiling, wide awake.

After shifting positions restlessly, Ellie suddenly spoke. “Hey.”

“No.” The curt reply came instantly. Offended, Ellie pulled the covers over her head. Daniel sighed deeply. He was withering away from lack of sleep, while she seemed to be getting more energetic every day. It’s better to just humor her and get her to sleep. Staring at the ceiling, he spoke again. “What?”

Ellie peeked her head out from under the covers. She’d initiated the conversation, but now she hesitated. After a moment, she spoke again. “Diana, have you… dated a lot of men?”

“What?” Daniel, who had been silently staring at the ceiling, turned his head sharply. Dating men? The phrase was utterly incomprehensible to him.

Ellie mumbled, her mouth covered by the blanket as if sharing a secret. “Have you… ever had a boyfriend?”

Daniel was speechless. Dating? In his situation, such a thing was unimaginable. And even if he had, the object of his affections would certainly not have been a man.

While he remained silent, Ellie whispered, a shy expression on her face, “I haven’t.”

“I didn’t ask.” Daniel replied, feigning disinterest. He genuinely wasn’t interested. But Ellie wasn’t easily deterred anymore.

“I mean, I’ve thought about it…”

“I said I didn’t ask.”

Ellie, who had always been timid, scowled. Couldn’t friends talk about these things? Even if he didn’t consider her a proper friend yet, surely she was at least a temporary friend.

“Can’t you just listen?”

At her protest, Daniel closed his mouth again. How could he stop her from chattering on her own? As long as she didn’t pry into his affairs, he had no choice but to endure it.