CHAPTER 22

Amist the entire chaos that was happening at home, I still maintained my peace. I tried distracting mum with things to get busy with. Luckily, she was finally at peace again.

**At The Robinson's Mansion..

All the workers of Mr Robinson, were called over to his mansion for the monthly salaries. Mother had pleaded with me, to go for her. I went alongside with Rachel. Rachel was collecting for both her and her parents. She was now working for herself. Mrs Robinson had refused employing me on countless times. I knew she didn't like me and wouldn't bother giving me an ear. I really wished to be in Rachel's shoes atimes. I wanted to be paid for my work too. It was really hurtful to me, because after working off my butt at the ranch, I only get paid on behalf of mother.

We stood in a queue, while Mrs Robinson and her head servant shared the salaries to us equally. Getting to my turn, She gave me a stern stare. I turned away my face, stretching forth my hands to collect the sum in a brown khaki envelope.

After collecting it, I decided to leave the mansion with Rachel but somehow, those witches ; Anna and Angela Kristine had seen us from a corner.

"Here comes the two rascals." Anna said aloud, getting Rachel infuriated by her presence.

"Why keeping such a face? Are paupers allowed to keep such face huh?" Kristine asked Rachel in disgust.

"Do you need anything from us?." I asked Kristine.

Kristine chuckled loudly, approaching me majestically. She raised my face up with a tip of her finger, while I looked down staring at her with so much anger within me. Anna stood behind Kristine, enjoying the entire drama. Rachel was trying her best not to get angry. She had promised me some time ago, to learn to keep tame when facing these people.

"Yeah, Anna I remember now. I and mother-in-law would be visiting a goldsmith today." Kristine said to her with a low tone.

"I remember. You needed someone to go with you right?". Anna asked her.

"Obviously. I want you to visit the goldsmith with I and mother-in-law." Kristine said to me, while I looked at her surprisedly.

Rachel exchanged glances with me, while I made an eye contact with her, to go home alone. Rachel refused at first, but later consented. Rachel left the mansion alone, while I followed Anna and Kristine into the mansion. Kristine insisted I follow her into her bedroom, while I watch her prepare the outfit she would be wearing for the outing. I stood at a corner, admiring the room's decoration. During my stay at the mansion, I had never come across this particular bedroom. Kristine was that lucky I guessed.

Few minutes later, Kristine sent me on an errand to the kitchen, to prepare a brown hot coffee for her. I sluggishly headed downstairs to the kitchen.

On my way down the stairs, I bumped into Damian as my heart escaped. I gasped out on seeing him.

"Julienne?!!. What are you doing at the mansion?." He asked me surprisedly.

"Your fiancee is the reason I'm here. Let's not talk now please." I pleaded with him, walking away.

Damian hurriedly went up the stairs to Kristine's bedroom. He wanted to find out from her, the reason she had kept me back at the mansion. He couldn't bear seeing me going through hell, in the hands of Kristine. Kristine was painting her toe nails, with a set of new nail polishes she had bought earlier.

Immediately she set her eyes on him, she left what she was doing. She stood up from where she was seated, approaching Damian seductively.

"For the first time, you came into my bedroom. Have you fallen deeply in love with me now?." She asked him, caressing his lips with her fingers.

"Stop it!, I'm only here because of Julienne. I want to know the reason you called her here." Damian said to her, removing her fingers off his lips.

"She reported me to you right? As her saviour, you came to punish me on her behalf." Kristine replied him sarcastically.

Angela Kristine finally opened up to him, about the reason she had called me over to the mansion. Damian insisted to go along with us, because he couldn't imagine leaving me all alone with Kristine. If he goes along with us, he would rest assured that I'll be safe in his sight.

Damian told me about it at the kitchen, and I didn't find it as a good idea though. I had no choice, but to let him do whatever he wanted to do. Not like I had any choice though.

★★Three hours later at the goldsmith shop...

Finally, we all arrived at the goldsmith shop. Mrs Robinson and Kristine entered inside, while I and Damian followed them from behind. I was carrying Kristine's handbag, and it was very expensive from just a look. Kristine was really classy and good at showing off her riches.

The goldsmith shop was a very large one, and very intimidating to enter. Everyone inside there, was putting on expensive cloth unlike me, wearing my rags.

"You should have refused Kristine from going with her." Damian whisphered to me.

"Not like I have a choice. After all, it's her wedding ring your mum is trying to get for her." I replied him with a croaked voice.

"You sound jealous. Ain't you in support of us getting married?." He asked me.

I looked at him, shaking my head laughing to cover up my mood. I denied being envious of their upcoming wedding. We have never been in any form of romantic relationship, so there's no need acting like I was jealous of whatever Damian shared with Kristine.

We got to where the goldsmith was seated at, with his working tools.

At his domain, were showcases of expensive rings and different gold jewelries. I couldn't stop admiring them from a corner. They were so amazing to watch and I wished within me, that one day I would be in a position to afford it all.

"Mrs Robinson it's been a while. Good morning ma'am." He exchanged pleasantries with her.

"Obviously Mr Rogers. My son would be getting married soon. I'm here to get a suitable wedding ring for his wife to be." She replied him with a smile.

Mr Rogers congratulated the couple to be, while I threw my face to the air. Kristine compelled Damian to sit next to her, and he had no choice but to comply. I was standing behind them, still admiring those jewelries lying in the showcase.

A magazine of new designs of gold rings were handed over to Mrs Robinson to make her choice. She handed it over to Kristine, while she used her eyes to go through the magazine.

"I'm really confused Aunt. Maybe Damian should select one for me. I'll go with whichever one he chooses for me." Kristine suggested.

"Damian please assist her in choosing a perfect wedding ring for your fiancee." His mum added.

"..but Mum." Damian nagged but his mother had her way of forcing him to do things he didn't want to do.

After much pleas, he picked one of the newly designed rings in the magazine. I was already tired of standing there, watching them like a fool. I tried distracting myself, but I couldn't ignore the fact Damian and Kristine were seated there, acting like they were already a couple.

The goldsmith took a measurement of the size of her finger and recorded it down somewhere. Mrs Robinson also explained to him in details, how she wanted the design to be. She wanted it to look exactly like the one Damian had selected from that magazine.

After a successful visit to the goldsmith shop, we returned back to the mansion. I returned Kristine's handbag, and was off from the mansion. It dawned on me for sure, that Damian was going to be married to the love of his life. It wasn't just a statement anymore, but a reality.