Chapter 94: Did I keep you all waiting?
"Nelly, the madam’s going to the ball tonight, right?"
Nelly paused mid-work and turned his head, only to see his colleagues—and even some maids—staring at him intently. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say their eyes were twinkling.
"From what I know..." Nelly hummed, glancing up as he recalled the date from when his alarm woke him that morning. When he looked back at them, he nodded. "I think it’s today. So don’t expect her to come by. She’ll be busy preparing."
"Nelly, what are you saying?!" one of the gardeners exclaimed, making him flinch. "It’s not like we’re expecting her to come!"
"He’s right. We don’t want the madam to come by here!" one of the maids added eagerly. "It’s her first ball, and knowing how much she prepared for it, the least we want is for her to worry about the plantation!"
They all nodded in agreement while Nelly bit his tongue.
Even though Ashley had been busy with lessons and playing mannequin for the designers, she still always found time to come here. She would even arrive in her heels, using her precious breaks to check on everyone and rest with them for a bit.
An awkward laugh escaped Nelly as he watched the gardeners and maids chat casually. Not long ago, there had been a clear boundary between them. But somehow, their relationship had grown comfortable, as if they had been working together for years.
"But I want to see the madam..." one of the maids whispered, pouting. "She’s probably very gorgeous tonight."
She clasped her hands together, looking up dreamily. Her eyes sparkled as she imagined Ashley. Meanwhile, the men blushed as they imagined it too.
It made everyone curious.
"What are you all doing?"
Suddenly, Betty’s voice cut through the chatter, snapping them out of their imaginations. But instead of dispersing, several of them rushed toward her.
Betty flinched as she was surrounded. "What? Did something happen?"
"Miss Betty, is it possible to catch a glimpse of the madam later?" one of the maids asked eagerly. "You’re her secretary, so you probably know what she’s going to wear, right?"
"The madam is already very pretty, but she rarely wears makeup! Just a bit of blush and light lipstick. We’ve never seen her dressed like a real madam!"
"Who knows? There might even be a second young master after tonight!"
One after another, they voiced their excitement.
"..." Betty’s lips twitched as she realized they were getting ahead of themselves. In the end, she could only glance at Nelly, who shrugged and raised his brows.
Betty let out a deep breath before offering them a gentle smile. "If you’re all that curious, then stay a little longer by the mansion’s driveway later. I’m sure we can see her off from there."
"But until then, get back to work!"
Suddenly, Castor’s voice echoed through the greenhouse.
He chuckled as he walked in, clearly having overheard everything. Stopping before them, he looked at the enthusiastic workers.
"Even in heels, the madam comes here to check our progress," he said with a smile. "We don’t want her worrying about the plantation. She should focus on expanding this business. So, chop chop!"
"Yes, sir!"
Everyone responded enthusiastically, some even saluting, before dispersing to their stations.
But as they turned—the maids especially—their expressions soured when their eyes landed on Sally, who was working alone.
They scowled at her and rolled their eyes before walking away. "Goodness. Why do I have to see her here?"
Betty noticed it and couldn’t help but glance in Sally’s direction.
Sally kept her head down, silently working at her station, ignoring the side comments that even Betty could hear.
How the tides had turned.
Ashley had kept those three around despite everyone’s protests. The only reason people accepted it was that she had said, "But if I do that, wouldn’t Lucian find out? He’ll definitely ask."
And if Lucian knew, things could escalate further.
What they didn’t know was that Betty had approached Ashley about the decision. From her perspective, it would’ve been better to dismiss them. Sure, Ashley wanted to recover damages through salary deductions, but it also risked them causing trouble again.
Ashley’s response?
"Don’t worry about it, Betty. It’s a good thing the workers like you. They’ll help you keep an eye on them."
And just like that, word of the incident spread.
Now, everyone was watching those three—assigned across the plantation, soil packing area, and garden—very closely.
Ashley had also added, "If I kick them out now, that’s not punishment—it’s a reward. Betty, do I have to keep repeating this? I won’t tolerate anyone bullying my people. Let them have a taste of their own medicine first. And if they become troublesome again... you’ll deal with them for me, right?"
So far, they hadn’t caused any trouble. Instead, Sally and the other two kept to themselves. They had even cut ties after trying to blame one another.
Now, they understood what it felt like to be ostracized.
"Betty."
She snapped out of her thoughts at Castor’s call. "Ah—sorry. I zoned out."
"Haha, it’s alright," Castor chuckled. "By the way, what time will the madam and master leave?"
"Huh?"
Castor scratched his cheek awkwardly. "I’m also curious about how she’ll look. After all, she’s been preparing for this. I’m sure her appearance will tell me whether this plantation will expand again—and if I should start calling in extra manpower."
"Oh..." Betty nodded slowly, then glanced upward before smiling. She turned back to Castor and noticed Nelly quietly listening.
"Castor, you don’t even need to see her to know it’ll go well!" she said, her excitement raising her voice enough to catch everyone’s attention. "I can tell you—she’s going to kill it!"
It took her a second to realize how loud she’d been when faces suddenly popped up around her, all wearing intensely eager expressions.
Then, as if possessed, they roared,
"Tell us more!"
*****
Later that night...
Lucian required little preparation.
The designers knew him well, and with his face and build, dressing him up was effortless. It wasn’t like he needed much—his presence alone was enough.
Wearing a black tuxedo with his hair brushed back, Lucian stood in the lobby. Nolan stood beside him, while Gustav, also in a formal suit, waited near the open door. Primo stood close to the head butler.
Seeing Lucian dressed up wasn’t new, yet Nolan and Primo still looked unusually eager.
"Gustav, have you prepared the team for tonight?" Lucian asked, adjusting his cufflink, his eyes on Gustav.
Gustav lowered his head. "Yes. I kept them at a minimum, as you requested, Master."
Lucian nodded in satisfaction before checking his wristwatch. They would be late, but he said nothing. Instead, he shifted his gaze to his son, who looked up at him expectantly.
He reached out and ruffled Primo’s hair. His son’s eyes clearly told him to take care of her.
"Do not worry," he said. "I won’t..."
...take my eyes off her.
Before he could finish, Nolan’s voice rang out, "Madam!"
Everyone—even the maids and butlers—turned toward the stairs. Gustav raised his head and froze the moment he saw her.
As for Lucian, his pupils slowly dilated, his breath halting at the sight of a goddess descending the stairs as if she had come to rule the world.
"Sorry," Ashley paused midway down, one hand resting on the railing. "Did I keep you all waiting?"