To Love A Maiden: An Enemies to Friends to Lovers Romance

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It was the first week of August. The Kingsley household was bustling with maids moving on and about their duties.

The cooks, pastry chefs, cleaners, were all busy in the well-conditioned and massive kitchen and living room space. Some of them were still in the employee quarters. The ones who were inside the mansion were the ones scheduled to work for the first half of the week.

And Angel was among them.

She was busy replacing the flowers in one of the drawing rooms. A moment later, she stood aside, admiring her finished work, her heart swelling with satisfaction.

She'd been working for the Kingsley's for four years now, and even though Mrs. Kingsley was kind to her, she couldn't wait to graduate college and not have to work as a maid anymore.The pay was good, and she only worked Monday to Thursday.

Nevertheless, she still wanted to do something different. She sighed at the thought of considering how long it would take before she graduates. Five years? Maybe six? Going to school part-time was never really a choice she wanted to make.

Despite all this, she was grateful.

She took in the rest of the drawing room. The Red and White colored curtains outlining most of the doors and windows were sparkling clean, just the way Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley like it for their visitors.

Almost every other week, the Kingsley's had some form of celebration or another; so there was always something to do around the house. It kept her mind focused on work and school and nothing else.

Not even the shadows of her past. Another reason to be grateful.

The Kingsley's had two sons. The older one, Hano, runs the company with his father, and the younger one lives and works abroad, from what she'd been told. Nevertheless, the mansion was always bustling with people and celebration.

She walked towards the grand piano with a double keyboard at the corner of the room, and ran her fingers across the keys. She lifted it for inspection with her eyes, and her mouth curved into a smile. Good. It wasn't dusty. She'd indeed done a great job. Mrs Kingsley loved her baby staying clean. The piano was her baby.

Angel continued smiling as she bent over and inspected the chair in front of the piano; but was startled when two large hands circled around her waist.

She quickly stood up and turned around.

"You seem to be enjoying your job way too much, Angel."

Angel stared at her boss, anger riling up inside of her, her pulse raising in an attempt to calm her raging nerves. She took a few steps back.

"I've told you to let me be, Mr. Kingsley -"

"Oh, I've told you to keep calling me Hano. Mr. Kingsley makes me feel old." Hano cut her off, taking a step closer to her.

"And that title is for my father." He added. Angel only got more irritated.

She briefly closed her eyes and opened them.

"Stay away from me, Hano."

She watched as a smirk formed on his face.

"That's more like it." He winked and she took another step away from him, going around him, her back now facing the direction of the doorway.

He drew closer.

"I'll give you anything, Angel. Anything you ask for if you only but agree to me. You know that. You know me."

Oh but she knew him well. Too well. All the more reason she wouldn't fall for his tactics.

"I'm not interested." She simply stated, her eyes shooting daggers at him.

"Oh but what happened to the Angel I used to know? The not-so-spiteful kind. She was sweet, you know? I want that Angel back."

Angel gritted her teeth at the words coming out of his mouth.

"She grew up. Stay away." She spat the words and quickly walked away but not before she heard the beginning of his hysterical laughter. She closed her eyes, shutting away the sound as she quickened her footsteps and ran. She ran and ran, only to run into someone.

"Hey, slow down, hare." Melinda said, studying the younger woman, a frown forming on her own face.

"Hano?" She asked as she waited for Angel to catch her breath.

"I hate that man. He makes me sick."

Melinda sighed as she pulled Angel into a hug. After a brief moment, she released her.

"I know what you'd say if I told you to just quit -"

Angel raised her head, and Melinda just shrugged.

"I wish I could, Mel." Angel sighed. "You know I need the money. Nobody out there pays us like the Kingsley's do."

"I know." Melinda sighed. "And I'm here to teach that beast of a son a lesson if I ever catch him laying hands on you." Melinda added.

And Angel smiled.

"Thanks, Mel. He knows he can't get me like he's gotten most of the others." She motions with her head in the direction of the kitchen down the hall where two of the other maids were busy cooking. Mel smiled and nodded. "Anyway," She released air from her mouth. "Are you done for today?"

Angel checked her wrist watch.

"Yes. We have only twenty five minutes now. Can you still do it?"

"Yes." Mel answered. "It shouldn't take too long."

"Okay." Angel replied as they both walked out of the mansion and into their own quarters.

When they got to the room they shared, Melinda pulled out a chair and then placed a hair band on the bed as she waited for Angel to get settled on the chair. Then she took out a hand mirror and placed it on Angel's lap.

"Look, and tell me if this is what you wanted." She said before placing two hair pins between her upper and lower set of teeth.

"Okay." Angel replied.

Then she began sectioning the younger woman's hair and then wrapped one section around the other. Some tendrils of hair fell on Angel's back but within a few minutes, Melinda was able to gather the strands, pinned the right parts, and finished the bun.

"Here." She said as she placed another mirror behind Angel. "How does it look?"

"I love it. This should hold for a few days, right?"

"Right." Melinda nodded.

"Good. 'Cause I don't want to have to deal with this in class."

And Melinda smiled at the younger woman.

"Are you always going to keep your pretty red hair in a bun or ponytail?" Melinda asked, studying the reflection of the younger woman.

"I just prefer it this way. And my mom was a red-haired too, you know." Angel said, fighting the thickness that was threatening to gather in her throat.

Melinda made an "oh" sound as her heart filled with compassion for her friend.

"I didn't know that."

"Yeah." Angel said.

"And it's grown even longer, girl." Melinda added, and Angel just smiled.

"You know, for an eighteen year old, you sure have more sense than some of the maids here. I'm just saying."

And Angel laughed as she placed the mirror back on the bed. Then she noticed the time on her phone laying on the bed.

"Oops, we are going to be late for sure if we don't leave in like five minutes." She said as she stood up and removed her apron covering her dark blue lace knee-length dress.

"Yes, right. Let me get my purse." Melinda said while also unbuttoning her apron. But before either of them could reach the door, a knock came in.

"Yes?" Melinda asked impatiently.

"It's Claire." The voice behind said, and a sigh followed. Melinda and Angel quickly exchanged looks before Melinda opened the door.

"Is everything okay, Claire?" She asked immediately as Claire strolled into the room, quickly stealing a glance at Angel and rolling her eyes. Angel just raised a brow, and Claire looked between both women as she asked, "where have you two been? And why were you not answering your phone, Mel?"

"Claire, it's our break. What's up?"

"Oh, right." Claire said as she crossed her arms.

"Anyway, I know you two probably wouldn't be bothered by this. But I thought I'd come here and tell you in person. I mean, you'll be working the kitchen for the most part of next week anyway "

"Okay..." Angel began to say, dragging the word as she took another glance at her phone.

"We have to leave, Claire. We'll see you on Monday."

Claire scoffed as her eyes focused on the younger woman, eyeing her like she just spilled gibberish.

"Anyway, " she began again, "the other Kingsley is coming home." She finally said, and then added, "and we are going to have a lot more work to do."

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