Ouch! my ceo fiancé fell for his maid by Lisa alman

97- Fifth Stick

Ashley Walters pov

The elderly woman was still the same. Except, she was no more wearing the maid uniform. Her white hair was still tied back in a bun. One or two more wrinkles had appeared on her face, but she still was the same. Her posture was straight, at least better than mine, her chin was up and that might be the reason. she still didn't have a double chin.

"Hello, Ms. Walters." She said with a cordial smile. Unexpectedly Edith didn't take time and brought her to me within one hour, "I have heard you want to talk to me?"

They both took their seats before us.

"Please answer whatever she wants to know." Said Justin sitting beside me. All this time, his hand never left mine, "Also she is NOT Ms. Walters. You can call her Mrs. Deluca."

The way Justin told her, made my heart flutter in my chest. A smile started teasing the corner of my

mouth.

"Oh," she nodded in understanding, "I am sorry, Mrs. Deluca," my heart was racing by now. A person calling me Mrs. Deluca was something I never imagined.

I knew what Justin was trying to do. He was doing everything in his power to win my heart.

"Edith and I think that you heard our conversation when we thought you were sleeping," Justin turned to me with questions in his eyes. I never told him that I heard something about the curse before.

"Ms. Walters... I mean... please excuse me. Mrs. Deluca. The curse has been with the Deluca family for generations. Deluca people own an empire but always prayed for daughters. They had no problems if instead of a male child, their daughters would inherit their properties. According to the curse, the daughter -in-laws must bear its consequences, but the son-in-laws are safe. If a generation will have a daughter as their first born the spell can be broken."

What? A firstborn daughter could break the curse? Then why Delucas never went for gender selection?

"I know what you are thinking, ma'am." Helga cleared her throat, "But it must be a natural birth. Even IVF or any other technique won't work. The older generations got alarmed when they started putting the pieces together. They went to palmists, fortune tellers, Astrologists, and whatnot. Every one of them advised Delucas to make their sons marry some other girl and then later they could marry their beloved." She paused for a moment, "After so many generations, the young master was the first male child who not only married the girl but also started falling for her."

I felt Justin squeezing my hand and I squeezed it back.

"Nobody wanted you here because we all knew what would happen to you. None of us was expecting that he would fall for you. When he heard that I could not give your luggage bag to you, he was mad at me. He warned me and then tossed me out of the household." She sighed and then tried to hide her shivering hand, "I have got sons who were never ready to support me. I did their upbringing single- handedly." Her lips quivered for a little while.

After I was sent away, I tried fitting into my sons' families because I was not left with any means of earning. My savings were spent on their studies plus I also gave them loans to build their houses. That was when I went back to the young Master Deluca and apologized.

I wanted help. A job to sustain myself. He told me that he would never take me back on the job but would help me with my finances. He started paying me my salary and arranged a small place where I could live peacefully.

Now my sons love me again because now their mom has her own money. But by this time, I have also learned my lesson."

I was aware of her teary eyes but didn't remark. She was a woman with pride and would never like it if someone would point out her flaws.

"Ms. Helga... I..." She didn't let me finish.

"Please call me Helga, Mrs. Deluca." She said with a smile, and I nodded at her.

"Helga. I didn't call you here to know about the curse," her eyes snapped up in disbelief, "I never wanted to know about the curse. But thank you for letting me know." I said with a smile, "It was very helpful and explains why you two were talking about me."

"Then may I know why you called me here? Edith asked me to..." She seemed confused now. Even Edith seemed puzzled.

"Edith must have misunderstood. I heard your conversation and don't have any problem with gossiping too. Unless you are not planning anything against your master or his family." I assured her.

"I will never do that, ma'am. I practically did his brought up and would never wish ill for him or anyone of the Deluca." She gestured towards Justin and me. She was including me among the Delucas

"Helga. The first day I entered the Deluca mansion as a bride," Getting to the point, I tried to remind her." my luggage went missing and after a lot of requests I only got my one suitcase while the other remained missing till this date."

Helga stayed silent staring at her lap.

"You need to answer her, please," Justin said in an authoritative tone.

"B... but young master... I..." Poor woman got easily intimidated by Justin, but I didn't want that. I wanted her to trust me that nothing would happen if she decided to be truthful.

"Listen, Helga." I leaned forward, propping my elbows on my lap, "I need honesty from you. Not for me but for the sake of young master." I tilted my head towards Justin, "You did something against the mansion rules and were sent away. He stayed kind to you and is still paying you. He is still better than your sons. You don't want to end up at their doorstep again, Helga. You need to speak up." She exhaled a deep breath and rolled her lips between her teeth. It showed her inner battle, but I was positive that she would spill the beans.

"The senior Mrs. Deluca. She asked me to hide your suitcases."

"Mrs. Electra Deluca?"

"Granny?" Justin and I both asked her at the same time, and she nodded her head.

Flashback starts:

"No need to send her suitcases, Helga. She doesn't need them. We have provided her with a luxurious room and an attached bath. She must have experienced such luxury only in her dreams." "But Mrs. Deluca. Young master won't like it if he would come to know." Helga tried to reason with the elderly lady. Though she was the owner, but Helga knew this wasn't right.

"And who will tell him? Sarah is not here. She is on vacation. Justin already told me not to involve him in this mess. So, no one knows." Electra Deluca smirked sarcastically.

Helga loved Justin but she also feared Sarah and Electra Deluca. Justin was never interested in family politics. For him, only his business mattered most.

On the other hand, Sarah used to give her handsome tips so Helga could not go against Sarah's wishes. That evening a young maid came to her, "Ma'am. The girl in the young master's bedroom. She is asking for her luggage."

Helga didn't know what to say, "I asked you not to communicate with the girl. Just drop her meals and get done with it. Show her as if you haven't got a tongue."

Helga hissed at the young girl and turned to leave, "What if ..." the girl's small voice made her stop, "What if I go to deliver her next meal and she again asks for her things?"

"Then skip the meal! Got it? Now shoo away and do your work," As a head, most of the maids used to bring their problems to her but this problem seemed to get out of hand.

She was planning to deliver at least one suitcase when she decided to call Sarah who was on vacation. The reason for calling Sarah was to inform her about Ashley. The girl got married to Justin. She took the advantage of Justin's presence and demanded her suitcases from Helga.

"How is that maid, Helga? Is she beautiful? Cunning?" Sarah asked her on the call.

"The girl might not be as pretty but she sure is too cunning," Helga informed her. She also informed Sarah that the girl's suitcases were still with her.

"Helga! It's not good! That's a breach of privacy. It's her right to get her suitcases back." Helga wanted to involve Sarah so that she could put some sense into Electra Deluca's head.

Because of Justin, Helga decided to return only one suitcase. Later when Sarah returned, Helga was already kicked out of the house.

Soon after, Sarah called her and instead of asking about Helga's well-being, she straight away asked about Ashley's other suitcase.

"Ms. Sarah. The suitcase must be still there in the storeroom located in the basement." She informed Sarah, "Her stuff is not returned yet?" Helga asked her.

"No, Helga. Her one suitcase is still missing."

"If

you want, you can ask Maria to bring it to you," Helga suggested on the phone. After Helga, Maria was the second senior maid of the mansion. When Helga left, Maria started heading the servants. "No, Helga. I want to do it on my own without involving anyone. I will myself go to the storeroom and get her suitcase." Before Helga could say anything else, Sarah hung up the phone. Flashback ends.

"So, you mean to say is..." I closed my eyes thoughtfully, "Sarah might know about my stuff?"

"Yes," Helga nodded, "The last time I talked to her she asked me about it and never called me again." Then she stopped and became a bit hesitant, "I am sorry... I am just a servant, and Ms. Sarah is one of my employers who used to pay me generous tips. But depending on her nature, she would have called me again if she hadn't found the suitcase. If there is no call that might be possible that she still has the other

suitcase."

After Helga and Edith left the room, I looked at Justin questioningly, "Will you ask Sarah, or should I talk to her?"

"Go ahead." Justin held my hand, "You can talk and ask her. I can be there for you if you want. Or I can talk to her on your behalf. Do whatever your heart desires."

I wish I could tell him that my heart desired him. Only him.

"Let's go out. Get up!" Justin suddenly started pulling me on my feet.

"B...But Justin!"

"Stop whining, kitten. Don't be a bummer. Come on!"

Holding my hand, he was dragging me into the market. On one hand, it was giving me anxiety because we discovered the place before he ditched me.

On the other hand, I was excited that he was with me. A few minutes before last night, I was so deeply. hating him that I could not even think of looking at his face.

But now?

Now, I could not take my eyes off his face.

So, I came up with something to divert my attention away from his face, "Justin! Take me back. I missed my classes today and I don't want to miss them tomorrow." "Shh," he held my face and looked into my eyes, "Now what's done is done! It can't be undone!" I pouted but couldn't negate him.

"So be a good girl. Enjoy the moment!" he gave a quick kiss on my lips and started walking while still holding my hand.

Grinning like a silly ape, I kept walking beside him when suddenly my gaze fell on a familiar stall.

"Justin!" I jumped up with excitement, "Cotton candy! Look!"

Justin followed my gaze and shook his head, "Cotton candy! Ashley!" but now he was grinning too, "How many?"

After a few moments, he was rolling his eyes when I was holding four sticks in my hand, "Buy your own. I won't give you mine!"

I said tilting away a little to keep my cotton candy safe, "All of them are mine!" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"There is a fifth stick that also belongs to you." My hand froze midway, and I turned to him. Did he just...?

He had gotten busy inspecting another stall that had colorful vases.

"Wh... What did you just say?" I blinked back as if I was in a dream.

"Nothing!" he said with a poker face, but his voice was laced with amusement.

"Justin Deluca!" Shifting the candy sticks in one hand, I screamed and hit his ass with my free hand, "You are an as*shole!"