Tiana heaved a sigh of relief as she watched him walk away; thinking about it, she would have to remain in her room whenever he was home, to avoid him seeing a glimpse of her. Now, she can’t ever leave the mansion without him knowing about it. Sighing, she stood up, unsure of where to go to.

She hadn’t taken three steps down the road when two guards approached her;

”Miss, we were told to escort you out to the city this way Miss. ” The guard pointed towards the first gate, as though to tell her to go on first. Tiana stared at both of them for a split moment before walking forward.

At the first gate, a black car was waiting; the first guard sat in front with the driver while the other, sat with her at the back seat. Tiana was almost suffocating in the car, she would have preferred to go alone but now, there were three men wearing heavy cologne asphyxiating her inside a car! She can’t even breathe properly.

”Where to? Miss ” The driver asked, and she told him the address of their home. When they arrived, Gwen was hanging her clothes on the dry-line, she looked towards their direction when she heard some screeching sound and her brows creased, her face was in a panic as she wondered if they were among her father’s creditors.

The car parked by the orange tree which provided a little shade and the engine went off; in the next second she saw someone step out of the car; her eyes widened in surprise;

”Tiana, is that you? Tiana!! ” she exclaimed happily, dropping the clothes in her hand, she ran towards her sister and flew into her embrace; tears dropping from her eyes.

”I missed you! ” She cried, holding her tight; Tiana felt tears seep from her eyes as she held her sister in her embrace;

”I missed you too; let’s go in, we’ll talk inside. ” She said, knowing that his men were there, she could not afford to say something indicting. Her sister got her signal and nodded.

They entered their small home and locked the door, the guards remaining outside.

”How have you been? How are you? Are you okay? Did he harm you? Tiana, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have let you go in my stead. ” Gwen asked a lot of questions, guilt overflowing her.

Tiana smiled; her sister was so gentle and harmless, she couldn’t even hurt a fly. Her eyes were scrunched up in fear as she asked a million questions; at that moment, Tiana knew within her she had to do all she could to survive. She wouldn’t let her sister go through what she was going through now.

”I’m fine, I’m okay, Gwen, you don’t cry okay? I’m fine. Everything would be alright, okay? I’m sure he’ll soon tire of me and let me go; and then we’ll be free from the debt. I just have to be alive and sane for five months; then we’ll be free.”

Tiana explained with a smile on her lips; she was sad but she wouldn’t tell her sister that, she didn’t want her to worry. Gwen wiped her eyes; ”You sure? ” She asked; a hint of doubt on her face.

”Yeah, I am. Has father’s creditors come by? ”

Tiana asked and Gwen let out a sigh;

”She sat down on the couch beside her sister as she explained;

”our neighbors heard what happened to us, so they opted to pay some debts, but there were still a few remaining, some came by to ask for their money and I promised to pay before the end of the month. ”

Gwen explained, and Tiana’s brows creased;

”How do you intend to do that? ” She asked wonderingly;

”I work at the local restaurant down the street, I’m looking forward to using my pay, although it’s not a lot, it will go a long way. ” She explained, and Tiana sighed;

”It’ll be over soon, okay? Now that I’m staying there, I’ll look for a way to get something doing; I’m sure he wouldn’t prevent me from working, he doesn’t pay me, so I don’t see why he would prevent me from doing something. ”

She explained; although at the back of her heart, she feared that he might not allow her work. No matter how much she didn’t want to ask him for something, there was really no way she could not ask for something in that house. They talked for long before Tiana finally left the house, but not after promising to get in touch if she gets a job.

When she went home, Nicklaus had left the house; she was relieved.

She met two maids sitting in a shade and since she was less busy, and she needed someone to talk to, she joined them.

”Hi, I’m Tiana.”

She introduced herself with a small smile;

”I’m Bella, nice to meet you. ” The first maid who was a little chubby with short hair replied with a smile;

”I’m Veronica, nice to meet you too. ” The other who had red hair said.

Tiana was glad that they weren’t rude, although they looked at her the same way everyone had been looking at her since she came into the house; she didn’t mind.

”Can I sit? ”

She asked, pointing to a spot beside them.

”Sure! ” Bella replied. She shifted a little, making enough space for Tiana to sit down.

”I hear you are the boss’s mistress?”

Bella asked, her eyes wide open; Tiana nearly coughed; Bella was so straight-forward, it was as though she had wanted to ask her that question for a while now.

Although she was surprised by her question, she nodded slightly.

Bella turned to look at Veronica, as though telling her that their assumptions were true.

” I heard that you were taken to his room last night… ”

As soon as she said that, Veronica’s hand moved to cover her mouth as though telling her she was saying too much; Tiana glanced at Veronica who had on a sorry expression but she didn’t blame Bella; she was just inquisitive.

”Is that what everyone is saying? ”

Bella nodded, forcing Veronica’s hands away from her lips;

”Yes, there was a rumor that the boss is gay so everyone was surprised when he brought home a mistress, and an exquisite one at that, most people think he is just using you to disperse the rumors,” Bella said in a hushed tone;

Tiana felt like laughing, Bella was really talkative! She couldn’t blame Veronica for covering her mouth, but she had begun to like her already. She was the perfect tool for getting information.