Chapter 127: Family Night
"Hehehe..."
Nolan and the other maids stood near Ashley, watching the madam pace back and forth in the mansion’s lobby.
Even Gustav was there. Not because he had to watch her, but because he needed to report to the big boss.
What in the world had she done this time?
Gustav narrowed his eyes, assessing Ashley from head to toe. His face twisted at the big-mouth monster onesie she was wearing. Her hood was pulled down, dangling on her back, but Gustav had seen it earlier. If she pulled it up, it looked like a full costume, with the giant mouth positioned where her head would pop out.
As for Betty, who stood with Nolan—she was there to update Ashley about the business’s successful shipping today and the sample being ready—she also stared at Ashley.
"Madam," she called, stepping forward. "Why don’t you just wait for the master and the young master in the family room?"
Nolan nodded. "Yes, Madam. We’ve already prepared everything just as you requested. The Master and the young master will be there soon."
"Shh!" Ashley shushed, waving her forefinger in the air. She briefly closed her eyes, shaking her head.
Nolan, Betty, Gustav, and the rest of the maids and butlers—who were also there for some reason—raised their brows.
"I need to see it first," she said, her eyes cracking open.
"See... what first, Madam?" Nolan asked in confusion.
Seeing Ashley in a weird onesie didn’t surprise anyone. They had seen worse.
In the six months she had been here, she had gone through different phases as if she were having an identity crisis. This was still better than the exaggerated goth style she had before.
Ashley smirked smugly.
Her reaction made the others exchange glances. Confusion quickly overtook their expressions, unsure why the madam looked so pleased with herself.
Their confusion, however, was short-lived when they heard Lucian and Primo coming down the stairs.
"We’re here," came Lucian’s usual cold and distant voice.
Everyone instinctively turned their heads in his direction. The second they saw him and Primo, their jaws dropped. As for Gustav, his breath hitched, his heart clenching as his eyes widened.
There, coming down the stairs, were Lucian and Primo, wearing the same onesies as Ashley. The only difference was the colors.
"Ma—Master," Gustav blurted, stuttering in utter disbelief at what he was seeing.
His boss? Wearing those ridiculous onesies like Ashley? And why was his hood up, covering his head?!
"What..." Gustav trailed off, glaring in Ashley’s direction. "...has she done?"
Nolan opened and closed his mouth as he stared at Lucian in pure horror. Then, when his gaze dropped, he gulped because Primo also had his hood up, covering his face.
As for Betty, she covered her mouth to stop herself from blurting out her thoughts.
The rest of the maids and butlers bit their tongues, their minds going blank at the situation.
"Kyah!" Ashley squealed as soon as she saw the duo wearing the same onesies as her.
She sprinted toward them, cupping her cheeks. She jumped around the father and son like a fangirl, squealing in delight.
"You guys are so cute~!" she squealed. "I knew it! I got the right sizes—aww! We look like such a cute family~!"
"Cute?" Gustav blurted under his breath, only for Betty to continue weakly, "...where?"
Everyone’s eyes constricted as they darted their gazes between the trio.
This was not cute at all!
The master and the young master looked ridiculous, especially with how stiff they were standing. Ashley? Sure, it suited her.
"Ah, wait!" Ashley suddenly stopped and pulled her hood up until it covered her head. "Look at me!"
As she did, she started doing small dances. Her arms swung left to right while her hips moved in the opposite direction.
Watching her, everyone’s faces twitched. Even Betty, who was pro-Ashley, could only purse her lips and lower her head in secondhand embarrassment.
"Hehe," Ashley giggled, stopping her little dance before pointing a finger at the father and son. "Now, you do it—"
Before she could finish, Nolan, Gustav, and even Betty stepped forward.
"Ahem!" Nolan cleared his throat. "Madam, the snacks in the family room have been prepared. I think you should go there now."
Betty nodded profusely. "And the juice too! The ice will soon melt and dilute the drink!"
"It’s getting late," Gustav added coldly.
The three of them kept their focus on Ashley, silently agreeing that they needed to save Lucian and Primo from doing that dance. They had already failed to protect them from wearing those onesies. At the very least, they had to protect them from that.
Ashley pulled her hood down, frowning. "But—"
"Madam!" Betty rushed forward, grabbing Ashley’s arm. "Please, just... just go."
Ashley narrowed her eyes at the usually panicked Betty and clicked her tongue.
"Fine," she shrugged, then turned to Lucian and Primo. "Let’s go~! I prepared lots and lots and lots of games for tonight~!"
She bounced back to them, humming happily. Squeezing herself between the two, she wrapped one arm around Lucian’s and held Primo’s hand with the other.
"What do you guys want to play first, hmm?"
As she dragged them away while talking about her plans, Primo and Lucian discreetly turned their heads toward the people behind them.
Even though no one could see their expressions, everyone felt it...
For once, Lucian and Primo were grateful.
"Goodness," Betty exhaled, patting her chest. "Madam... why would she... oh my goodness."
"It’s the first time I’ve seen the young master wear something like that," Nolan whispered, his face twisting as he recalled Lucian. "And the master..."
Betty shivered. "That gave me goosebumps."
But unlike them, Gustav remained deeply displeased.
"How could she make the master wear something so ridiculous?" he snapped.
Lucian was the feared big boss of Dominion. And yet, that woman was making a mockery of him by forcing him into that... thing!
Little did he know that the rest of the maids and butlers exchanged glances and kept their mouths shut. As the ones who had arranged Ashley’s purchases earlier, they knew...
There were more onesies. In different styles.
"Who is going to tell him?" one maid whispered.
The other shook her head.
Another butler muttered, "Sir Gustav is gonna have a heart attack if he finds out."
After all, Ashley hadn’t just splurged on clothes for herself today.
Most of what she bought were matching outfits—for men, boys, and women.
Not just onesies.
Matching outfits for all occasions.
"He’s going to die of high blood pressure," one of them whispered, and somehow, everyone in their line nodded. "Definitely. No doubt about that."