“Alejandro, why did you bring your domestic staff here with you? What is she to you?" His dad yelled.
"Papa, calm down Zoëlla is my friend and a nice person, you'd like her when you get to know her." He reasoned.
"I can see where this is headed, you'd end up falling for her and would want to marry but I don't approve and would never." The man barked.
"Querida, cálmate, es una Buena chica y sería una Buena esposa. (Darling, calm down, she's a good girl and would make a good wife). ” His mom said.
“Never would I agree for that buscador de Oro para casarse con mi Hijo. (Gold digger to marry my son.)" He added walking out.
"Ma, No tengo intenciones de casarme con Ella. ( Ma, I have no intention of marrying her)." Ale reasoned.
"Just give it time and you'd realise I was right." She said as she walked off.
Zoëlla lay on her bed talking to her best friend Sia.
"I hope you're having a good time there?" She asked.
"Sia, I'm not. A su papá no le gusto. (His dad doesn't like me)." She finally said.
"Aw, mi Novia (my friend). At least his mom likes you and so does he." She said.
"The only one that sees me as a probable daughter-in-law is his mama, he just sees me as a friend and his maid. Nothing more or less." She explained.
"He'd come around. Don't you worry?" She assured.
"Sia, No todos son bendecidos Como tú. Pero Estoy agradecido por su Gracia en mi Vida. Dentro de un par de meses, me iré para Empezar Una Nueva Vida con el dinero que he Estado ahorrando. Tal Vez inicie mi propio Negocio. ( Sia, not everyone is blessed like you. But I am thankful for his grace in my life. In a couple of months, I'll be leaving to start life afresh with the money I've been saving. Maybe start my own business.)" Zoëlla said.
Meanwhile, Alejandro stood behind her door and listened to her conversation.
Did she love him?
And she was planning on leaving?
He asked himself. He had grown fond of her company so much that he didn't want her to leave. But she was right. She needed to start a life for herself.
But what qualifications does she have to set up a business of her own? He chuckled.
She was just a common maid with no qualifications he thought to himself as he walked off.
"What of those applications you sent out? Are there no news or replies?" Sia asked.
"No querida, nada. (No dear, nothing)." She sighed.
"Don't you worry dear, I'd talk to Miguel about it, maybe he can do something," Sia added.
"Graçias Sia," Zoëlla said.
"Mi Amor," Luciano said hugging his 3-month-old pregnant wife from behind as she smiled.
"Querido, how was work?" She questioned.
"Estuvo Bien. What of you? Didn't you go to work today?" He asked taking a carton of blackberry juice from the fridge as his wife prepared dinner.
"No, I wasn't feeling so well, so I called in sick and went to the hospital for a check-up." She added.
"Are you sure you can continue with these chores and your work at the same time? Consignors una sirvienta." He reasoned.
"I have been thinking about it. The doctor even said I need more rest." She concluded.
"So you see, contact the agency to see if they can get you one as soon as possible." He added as he climbed up the finely polished marble staircase to their room.
Despite the Betrayal of Daya to her friend, she had helped Luciano get up on his feet. She helped him set up his own game company and it had become one of the biggest within 48 months.
~~
"Mamá, déjame ayudarte con eso, (Mom let me help you with that), " Zoëlla said as she entered the kitchen to see the woman preparing dinner.
"Oh, graçias mi querida." The woman added. She was preparing paella which was Zoëlla's speciality.
Ale's mom sat on the kitchen stool and watched her prepare the meal.
First, she heated one tablespoon of oil in a large paella pan over medium-high heat. She then added chicken and sauteed it for 2 minutes on each side.
She then took out the chicken from the pan and added sausage and prosciutto then sauteed for 2 minutes.
Then took it out from the pan and added shrimp, and sauteed for 2 minutes. Remove from pan. Then reduce heat to medium-low.
She added onion and bell pepper and sauteed for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then added tomatoes, paprika, and 3 garlic cloves and allowed to cook for 5 minutes.
She added rice and allowed to cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
She stirred in herb blend, broth mixture, chicken, sausage mixture, and peas. And bought to a low boil; cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
She added mussels to the pan, nestling them into rice mixture.
And allowed to Cook for 5 minutes until shells open. She then discarded any unopened shells. And arranged shrimp, heads down, in rice mixture, and cooked until shrimps were ready.
She sprinkled 1/4 cup lemon juice. She then removed it from heat and covered with a towel, and let stand 10 minutes.
"So, Zoëlla what made you work for my son?" She asked as they set the table.
"Mama, I used to work in a company, Zealots and co for about 5 years as their Managing director but one day my boss called me to his office and fired me for no reason. Well, I searched for other jobs but I didn't get any so my ex-best friend advised I apply because Alejandro was looking for a maid so I accepted the offer and now I'm here." She added as Alejandro's father joined them at the table with disdain in his eyes, Alejandro following suit.
"Debo decir que esto sabe Bien, pero no pienses que ganarías el corazón de mi Hijo con Este buscador de Oro de Buena Comida. Estará Sobre mi cadáver. Eres solo una sirvienta y nada más. (I must say this tastes good, but don't think you would win my son's heart with this good food. It will be over my dead body! You're just a servant and nothing more.) " The man said as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Perdóneme (Excuse me), " Zoëlla added as she pushed her plate aside and got up from her chair running up to her room. She locked the door behind her and slid down unto the floor crying.
"Fernando, ¿Qué his Ella para merecer tanta humillación? ( What did she do to deserve so much humiliation?)" Jimena asked.
"I wonder what you see in that girl, she's a gold digger that's what she is." He said firmly.
"Basta padre, Basta!"Alejandro yelled banging his hands on the table.
"You've humiliated her enough, hated her enough all she wanted was to be loved and she's no gold digger. Saldríamos de tu casa mañana. ( We are leaving your house tomorrow!)" He finally said.
"You can do whatever you like, you are not marrying her." His dad added.
"And who said I will?" Alejandro asked.
"Soon enough, you'd begin falling for her and when you do just remember that it will be Sobre mi cadáver Que te permito casarte con Ella (Over my dead body will I allow you to marry her )," Fernando said as Alejandro stormed off.
He knocked on Zoëlla's door for a while but she didn't answer. He quickly sent her a text message telling her they were leaving tomorrow as he left to his room.
Zoëlla picked up her phone as she had a new message. She knew it was from Alejandro and didn't want to read but decided to. It read "Hey love, Iremos a casa mañana, así que haz las maletas Porque saldríamos Temprano. Duerme bien y no llores Demasiado.( We're going home tomorrow, so pack your bags because we're leaving early. Sleep tight and don't cry too much.)"
She got off her bed and picked her suitcase and packed her stuff.
“I would prefer working from home for now.” She told Sia through the phone. Ever since they came home from Barcelona, Alejandro had gone back to his bipolar self but it didn't bother Zoëlla that much because she expected it.“Okay, that would be no problem... I'd explain it to Miguel and his parents, they'd understand,” Sia assured.Zoëlla was not from a poor family at all. Her parents and two siblings had died in a fire outbreak. She escaped this because she had travelled to see her Abuelo and Abuela. On her return, she met the demise of her once loving and caring family. She had to go and stay with her grandparents who adored her. They were against her leaving home to start life afresh, but as stubborn as she is, she still decided to leave and experience life.Her grandad was angry when he learnt his precious jewel was a maid to someone else. He just wanted her home where she belonged. She convinced him she'd be home when she had achieved what she wanted.“Thanks, Sia, you're a lif
“Hey Sia, I just sent you the files on the work you gave me,” Zoëlla said through the phone while typing on the laptop. “Okay, thanks love I'd check my e-mail and get back to you, I was in a meeting, I'd talk to you later,” Sia said hanging up. She had saved the other copy to her laptop and sent the original copy to her. Alejandro had given her some files to work on so she began with that. Carlotta sat on her bed exhausted. Zendaya had worked her to the bones. She was mad at how sometimes she was treated in her own lover's house. Yes! Her lover Luciano. He had called her up one evening asking her to pose as a maid to be sent to their house. He claimed Zendaya no longer made love to him with the excuse of being too tired from work and chores. She accepted the offer besides the pay was good and she was going to be with her lover again. Es hora del show. Carlotta thought to herself as she went back to her duty post. ~ “Tío, she's a good woman and would make a good wife to Ale. Al
“I talked to your dad about Zoëlla and convinced him that she wasn't a gold digger, but a wonderful woman. You have to prove your love for her to him so that he would be convinced the more. He still has doubts, it's up to you to clear those doubts, Ale.” Kathy added. “¿Y si Ella no me ama igual?” He asked. “Can't you see the way her eyes light up when you enter the room, or how she smiles when you acknowledge her? She clearly likes you and it's up to you to make you and her happen. Don't screw this up, Ale.” Kathy added as she walked out. Alejandro broke out of his trance when his secretary walked into his office. “Sir, you have a meeting with the Nolan group of companies in a few minutes, so I suggest we head there now,” Layla added. “Alright Layla, lead the way,” Alejandro said as he followed suit. “Abuelo, Estoy Bien, volvería a casa Cuando haya logrado todo lo que Quiero.” She added relaxing by the poolside. She was done with all the files Sia and Alejandro had asked her
Dante and Zoëlla's friendship had grown into a beautiful one and so had her love for Alejandro but he didn't seem to notice it. He was just blinded by jealousy because of the friendship she shared with Dante.He had stopped complimenting her as he used to do before Dante came in. And they didn't hang out that much as they use to do. She was working on Sia's files as she sat in her room typing. Alejandro had also stopped giving his files to her to work on anymore.What was happening? She asked herself. Her grandpa had sent her everything about the company and information on everyone she needed to know.“Does he suspect you two have something going on?" Sia asked Zoëlla and Dante as they sat at a nearby café.“I guess he does." Zoëlla sighed.“Then talk to him Zoëlla, make him understand how you feel," Dante added.“You guys are right, I'd talk to him about it tonight," Zoëlla said happily as they talked about random things.Alejandro came back from work exhausted and with a guest. He p
“¿Que está pasando aqui? (What's going on here)?" Zendaya asked almost dropping her newborn. She had seen Carlotta and Luciano having sex on the couch in their living room. “What does it look like puta?" Carlotta challenged. “¿Vas a Dejar que me hable de esta manera? (Are you gonna let her talk to me this way?)" She asked an unperturbed Luciano who shrugged his shoulders at her. “You, you're leaving this house this minute!" Zendaya screamed as she rushed upstairs and carefully put her baby in her court. Then rushed downstairs. “Puta, are you still here?" She fumed. “If anyone is a bitch, it's you. You just don't know how to treat people, you treat them like trash." She spat. “Luciano baby, I'd see you tomorrow night, I'm out of this hell hole." She sashayed into her room as Luciano got up stark naked and walked up to his room. Zendaya sat on the floor sobbing. What had she done to deserve this from Luciano? After all, she had sacrificed for him is this how he repaid her? Or
Alejandro's wounds were healing and he was thankful to Zoëlla. Their bond had become shaky because of how he had humiliated her. He had broken things off with Jovena even though she wasn't getting the hint and was coming unto him in the office. He found every means possible to avoid her at all costs. “Note estás volviendo más joven necesitas casarte.( Note , you are getting younger you need to get married)." His dad said through the phone. “Dad, you know I love Zoëlla and she's the one I want." He replied. “No hay forma de que te deje casarte con esa perra(There's no way I'm letting you marry that bitch), over my dead body. There are decent girls out there, get one to marry." He demanded. “I'm sorry dad my mind is already made up, it's Zoëlla or no one else." He hung up angrily. ~~ Luciano walked into the house and met the house in a mess. His wife was nowhere in sight. He searched their room but she wasn't there. He checked his daughter's room and there she
“Jovena, Jovena, Jovena, jeez can you stop!" Alejandro's raised his voice. “Can't you see it was just a fling? I don't feel anything for you, nada." He said to her as she sat on the couch. “What about what we shared?" She wiped her tears. “Look, it was fun while it lasted, but for now, I feel nothing for you, absolutely nothing. You better get your act together or you might lose your job." He told her. “Fuck this job Ale, te deseo." She said as his father walked into his office. “Alejandro Antonio, ¿Es así como tratar a una mujer? ( Is this how to treat a woman?) " He asked as he helped Jovena up. “No Papa, but what we had is over I love someone else." He said walking towards his seat. “That maid, that bitch? Can you compare her to this Mujer guapa?" He said as a smile was forming on Jovena's lips. She was glad she had his father by her side. That way, she could have Ale all to herself. “Dad, you cannot just come into my office and start taking sides with this Bueno para nada p
“My son is not going to marry you, you see this lady here? She's going to be my daughter-in-law, she's pregnant for him." Fernando said thinking Zoëlla would run off crying. “Congratulations Miss Jovena, I'm happy for you." She smiled at her shocking both of them to the core. “I, erm whatever, pack your things your leaving." She smirked as Zoëlla burst out into laughter. “Baby mama, the only one who can ask me to leave is Ale or myself, not even his father because he didn't employ me, so once again you're welcome." She sat down as she sipped her orange juice. “Perra irrespetuosa.( Disrespectful bitch)" His father cussed as he stormed off with Jovena in tow. “You can come out guys, they're gone," Zoëlla called as Ale, Dante and Coco came out of the kitchen. I'm sorry about this, Zoëlla, I just..." He trailed off as she hugged him. "Nosotras Estamos en esto junta (We are in this together), I saw this coming actually, so don't worry about this I've got you and I've waited long enou