Chapter 34
It seemed like the entire mansion was too quiet for her liking as she roamed around the hallway. She checked the living room and the waiting area before going to the kitchen, but no children were loitering around.
She thought her son might be outside, playing with his new friends, but when she looked outside the house, by the pool or in the garden. Oliver was nowhere to be found.
"Have you seen my son, Oliver?" She asked the staff she bumped into, but they seemed to have no clue.
She could not blame them. They seemed busy with their responsibilities to deal with the little boy. Besides, this place was huge. Her son could be anywhere.
But then again, where was Nelly? She should be watching him. Maybe they had an early therapy she did not know or forgot about as she recalled her son's schedules.
She guessed she could only blame herself for waking up late. But she hardly had enough sleep since she lived in this house. But still, she hoped her body would soon adjust to her new situation.
"Philip, have you seen Oliver?" Jules finally asked when she saw the man in charge of running the mansion.
She heard that nothing happened in the mansion that he did not know. He was one of Damon's most trusted assistants, acting as his eyes and ears in this place.
Therefore, if someone could tell her where her missing son was, it was him.
"Yes," Philip answered as he stood imposingly as usual, not even bothering to look in her direction. However, he did not provide additional information as he continued giving instructions to another uniformed staff.
"Ssshhh!" When she tried to speak, he stopped her by moving with a zipping motion with his fingers on his lips, not wanting to get interrupted. She guessed she had no choice but to wait.
But, of course, she believed the older gentleman knew about her arrangement with his boss, just like he knew everything that happened in this house.
Moreover, she got the impression the man was also protecting his boss, probably from girls like her, judging from how he looked at her.
After all, she believed he still saw her as an outsider. She was the woman his boss thought of as a gold-digger and hired to pretend to be his wife.
"Well?" She looked at him questioningly when he dismissed the other woman from his presence. "Where is Oliver?" She repeated, hoping she would get a more detailed answer. She was not exactly in the mood for a guessing game.
Truthfully, she could not help but worry when she lost sight of her son. After the accident, she had been paranoid, always thinking of the worst scenarios.
She supposed it was a traumatic experience that had permanently left a mark on her system. Now, she could not help but imagine her son in trouble when she was not watching.
"You have nothing to worry about. Your son is safe." He casually said, while his face remained stoic.
She could not read anything from his expression as she stared into his face. She had no idea if she should be relieved by his words.
Should she even take his word for it? Could she trust this man?
"Then, where is he?" She asked, becoming slightly frustrated since the man was not forthcoming with the information she needed.
"If you must know, Oliver is with his father." He squared his shoulder as if he was not standing straight enough. "Sir Damon took him for a ride."
She did not know how to react to that. For the last few days they had lived in this house, Damon did not seem interested in their son. She barely saw him talk to their boy.
Therefore, it surprised her that he took his son for a ride or even bothered to entertain him. But still. "Where are they? When will they be back?" She asked, appearing a little concerned.
She knew she should be happy that Oliver finally had a father. She knew how hard it was to grow up with a missing parent.
Losing her parents at a young age was difficult, but she was thankful that someone else took her father's place and raised her like his own.
Still, she hoped that Damon would be the father that her kid needed.
"I don't have that information, but Oliver is in good hands. Damon will not let anything happen to him." Philip seemed to tone down his voice, probably seeing the worried lines on her face.
She could see that this man might look and act tough, but he still had a soft spot somewhere in there. Nevertheless, she guessed she still needed to earn this man's trust.
"He should have informed me before taking my son..." She stopped. "...our son out." Quickly, she corrected herself.
She knew that Damon had a right to their son, but that was not the point. He should not set her aside as if her opinion did not matter when Oliver was concerned.
"That is a matter that you should discuss with Sir Damon. He is a fair and just man. I am sure he will listen to your concerns." The butler gave her what seemed to be sound advice.
She supposed that was the closest to a piece of fatherly advice she would get from this man. She was about to thank him when someone interrupted them.
"Excuse me, Sir. But we have a guest." A woman in a black and white uniform with an apron on her waist approached him.
She heard the clicking of pointed shoes on the shining floor before seeing the stunning, beautifully dressed woman walking into the room.
"Good day, Ms. Judson." Philip quickly greeted the newcomer, appearing like she was a regular guest from the familiarity.
"Philip. It is indeed a good morning." The woman greeted back with a beaming smile. "Where is Damon?" She asked as she walked closer. This time, the unknown woman finally noticed her.
Jules noticed how the woman turned to her. Her intrusive stare traveled from her head down to her toes as if examining and judging her.
The friendly smile the woman gave Philip was gone, replaced by a suspicious grin on her lips. Jules could tell that the other woman did not like her presence.
"Are you the new maid here?" She asked, but instead of waiting for an answer. "Why don't you get my things at the..."
But her words died when a loud childish squeal echoed in every corner and wall of the room, interrupting her before she could finish her order.
Save by the bell.
But for whom?
For her or this woman?