Falling in Love : I love you, Today and Forever

Amber plopped on the bed as she stared at the ground. The man's warning kept running in her mind like a broken tape recorder, and she knew he was joking when he threatened to kill her if she were to fail in her mission. Amber had seen him kill people when he had first sought her out, and the scene was etched in her brain. She even got nightmares about the day and the dead body lying at her feet with blood all around.

Amber's lips quivered just at recalling the dreadful day, and she made a vow to not cross the man ever again. But that did not mean she would sit still and watch him command her as he pleased. No. 'Just you wait and watch, you asshole. Once I get back to Joshua, I will take my revenge. I will make sure to return every suffering you have given me by tenfolds." She clenched her fists as she stared hard at the ground.

Amber was startled when the door to her room opened and the maid entered with cleaning tools in her hand. "What are you doing? How dare you enter the room without knocking?" Amber unleashed all her pent-up fury on the poor maid who stood expressionless before her. Her anger did not affect her as she turned back and waited for the butler to enter the room. And the moment Amber saw the butler, her lips sealed tight.

"Master has ordered you to clean this room." He pointed at the cleaning tools and folded his hand, his face stoic and impassive. Amber's arrogance evaporated into thin air, and she was at a loss of words. Although she wanted to throw the tools on the man's face and hurl curses at him, she knew he had orders to kill her if she were to step out of the line. So, she swallowed her anger and smiled sweetly at him, making the man wonder what she was up to now.

"You can keep the cleaning tools over there. I will clean the room in a while." She stated, wishing the man to leave the room as soon as possible. But the butler guessed right through her act, and he shook his head at once.

"No, Miss. I am to watch you clean the room myself. I will not be leaving the room until the room is back to normal." He did not budge from his place, and Amber had the sudden urge to kill the man right away. 

"I told you I will clean the room. You can leave now." Amber forced the words out. But the man stood rooted to her place, irking her all the more. "Why aren't you leaving?"

"Do you think you can bribe the servants in the mansion once I leave from here?" The butler narrowed his eyes, his question sending chills down Amber's spine. "Let me remind you, Miss. We do not work for you. So, unless the Master orders us nobody will help you. None of the maids or the servants in the mansion will fall for the meager amount you throw at us. So, you better start cleaning the room or I will not hesitate to shoot you." He pulled out the small pistol from his waistband and aimed it at Amber.

Amber's face lost all its color as soon as she saw the pistol, and at once, she picked up the broomstick. "Can't you just give me a vacuum cleaner? Wouldn't it be easy for me and I can finish it soon?" She complained, and the maid stifled a laugh.

"No, Master has ordered you to clean using the broomstick. You will not be provided a vacuum cleaner or any other advanced cleaning devices. Since you had the audacity to break things that did not belong to you, now face the consequences." The butler spat. He knew how valuable most of the things were and how much money his Master had spent in collecting them. Although the money did not matter to his Master, that did not mean he allowed people to do as he pleased.

"Fine, at least provide me the gloves."

"No, you will clean the room with your hands bare." 

"What?" Amber dropped the broom to the floor and glared at the man who was smirking at her. "Are you playing games with me? How can I clean all this mess with my bare hands?" He wriggled her hands in the air, pointing to the mess she had created.

"You were the one who created this mess, Miss. So, you must have been prepared to face what lay ahead for your actions." 

"You... I am sure this is not what your Master has ordered you. This is your plan to humiliate me. I am not going to tolerate this." Amber stepped away from the mess and sat on the bed with her legs crossed.

"Are you sure you will not follow my instructions?" The butler narrowed his gaze when Amber nodded at him. 

"And don't threaten me with your pistol. I know you will not kill me." Amber had no idea where she got the sudden courage from. It was as though she was confident that the man would not kill without his Master's permission.

"You are right. I will not kill you."

Amber smirked as soon as he heard his words. But I can do other things that are more painful than killing you. He tilted his head and nodded at the maid beside him. Amber watched the maid walk towards her with raised brows, and even before she knew it, the maid slapped her hard.

"What the fuck!!" Amber jumped to her feet and glowered over the girl who had dared to hit her.

"Again." The butler order and the maid slapped her again.

"What are you doing? How dare you slap me?" Amber raised her hand to slap the maid back. But the girl was faster than her. She blocked her hand and slapped her again, rendering Amber speechless.

"If you want her to stop slapping you, you will start cleaning the room without complaining. Otherwise, you can say goodbye to your beautiful face." The butler's voice resonated in the room, and Amber realized that he was serious. She could not play her games now. Her cheeks were already throbbing, and she could taste blood on her lips. She knew that her face was now swollen and red, and if the maid continued to slap, she would be bruised for sure.

"I give up. I give up. Stop hitting me." She relented finally.

"Stop," The butler ordered and the maid walked back to him. "Start cleaning now."

Without another word, Amber picked up the broom and started to sweep the floor. She wiped the stream of tears that had started flowing due to the pain she was in. But more than the pain it was the humiliation she had suffered that had made her let out her frustration. 'Just you wait and watch you stupid bastard. I will not spare anyone. Joshua will avenge the injustice I have suffered. That day, I will laugh at your state while you will cry tears of blood.'