Maid for Me (16 page)

“Father, don’t be a spoilsport. Besides, I very much enjoy Mina’s company.” Jaiden placed his hand on Mina’s shoulder. “I might just keep her around even after Madison’s gone and my life is no longer in danger.”

“You make me sound like a pet.” Mina frowned. After the short exchange, both Daniels were quiet. Tangible tension between them made Mina shift in her seat. She had noticed they hadn’t talked to each other much at the manse the past few days. Just like now, they seemed like strangers.

Hor d’oeuvres and refreshments were served and everyone at the table ate in silence.

Mina wiped her mouth, dabbing it gently like Jaiden did every time after he ate. He ate small portions, preferring seafood to meats, especially salmon, yellowtail and tuna tartare. If she ate the way he did, she was sure she would lose weight in no time.

Jaiden drank bubbly champagne and conversed with another guest at the table. To occupy time, Mina people-watched and looked around the Chateau.

Kit?

She spotted Kiterin standing alone in a corner of the ballroom. He wore a white formal shirt with a black tie and black slacks. Kit’s eyes locked with Mina’s from across the room. Recognition did not shine in his green eyes.

My best friend can’t even recognize me. Then again, I don’t blame him. Regular Mina looks nothing like me now.

Alyssa had mentioned something about attending a charity ball last week, Mina remembered. Even with the distance between them, Mina could sense Kit felt uncomfortable—underdressed, perhaps and unable to mix and mingle with all the VIPs in the room.

Which was exactly how Kit felt at the moment. He sighed, holding his girlfriend’s glass of pink champagne in one hand and her designer clutch bag in the other. Standing next to him with her back toward him, Alyssa openly flirted with an older guy. The guy wore an eighteen-thousand dollar watch and was supposedly a movie producer.

Tonight, Alyssa’s little black dress was too low-cut in the front and the back. Earlier, Kit had offered her his tuxedo jacket to cover up. Besides, the AC in the ballroom was a bit too strong and Alyssa had decided not to wear a bra.

Alyssa took Kit’s jacket, tossed it on the floor, and stomped on it, complaining about how he should have rented a designer tuxedo like she had told him to instead of borrowing his father’s old mothball smelly one.

Kit would rather sit on the rooftop and stargaze with Mina instead of spending the rest of the evening here with Alyssa. Thinking about his best friend, he missed her. Mina was loyal like a puppy. As his number one fan, she made him feel like a celebrity.

What comes around goes around, Kit. So this is how it feels like to be played.
And yet he wouldn’t dump Alyssa for treating him like dirt. She had him under her spell and wrapped around her pretty finger. Her kisses were like ambrosia to the gods. Her face possessed the golden ratio and her body was a painter’s dream.

“I said I’m thirsty, Kit.” Alyssa snapped her fingers. She pouted, upset the movie producer had left her to chitchat with other people who looked like supermodels and celebrities.

Alyssa scanned the ballroom with her heavily made-up eyes. The young gold-digger in her went to work. Her daddy had spent a fortune to buy a ticket to this event.

Kit was like her personal assistant tonight, her wing man.

At age five, Alyssa won third place at a Little Miss Uptown Pageant. At age ten, she knew she could not live without designer bags and shoes. At age sixteen, she was ready to live the life of the rich and famous. Her daddy made a six figured salary annually but she knew he couldn’t support her for life.

Hence her sole purpose here tonight was to find a sugar daddy.

Or a billionaire bachelor. Then it’s to hell with normal guys like Kit and semi-rich guys like Jake.

“Oh my god—that’s Jaiden Daniels.” Alyssa almost squealed. “The tabloids love him—he’s like the Prince William of the Uptown.” She knew he would be here—the guy of her dreams. Money signs replaced her eyes for a nanosecond.

“Never heard of him,” Kit said.

“Of course you’ve never heard of him, bumpkin.”

“I like it when you call me pooki more.” Kit chewed the inside of his mouth.

“If you’re a good boy, I’ll call you pooki all night long at home.” Alyssa squeezed Kit’s left cheek. “Come along and let’s make friends with our Comptroller and his son.”

Mina had kept her eyes on Kit and her heart fluttered when he walked toward their table, following Alyssa. Bubbly, Alyssa sauntered over and waved her hand like a pageant-queen to attract attention. She made eye contact with the Daniels, father and then son. Mina was completely invisible to Alyssa.

Mina kept her eyes on Kit and even smiled. He looked at her and smiled back, but still didn’t recognize her.

“Comptroller Daniels, it’s my pleasure to meet you. Thank you for doing so much for our city,” Alyssa gushed, offering Jameson her hand to shake. “My name’s Alyssa Rabinkaya—I’m studying finance at school and would love to intern for you next summer.”

Jameson smiled, his eyes admiring the young woman from head to toe. “It’s wonderful to see how young people these days are ambitious.” Jameson gave his son a glance. “Unlike others.”

Jaiden looked at Mina for sympathy. Mina patted Jaiden’s shoulder.

Alyssa nodded and winked. “That’s because I have great role models. And this must be Jaiden Daniels—no wonder the tabloids call you the Prince of the Uptown. You’re even handsomer in person.” She bit her bottom lip. Jaiden, accustomed to all sorts of flatteries and flirtation, grinned and said nothing. Alyssa had the same shade of blond hair like Emma Daniels. The way she moved and spoke reminded Jaiden of that woman. Paying Alyssa no more attention, he turned to Mina and said, “You still hungry, Mina?” He raised his hand to summon a waiter.

Mina shook her head. Kit lifted his eyebrows and did a double take. His eyes widened. Alyssa, finally seeing the girl next to Jaiden as a “love-rival”, fixed her eyes on Mina. Never in a million years would Alyssa have imagined Kiterin’s frumpy girl next door could end up sitting next to Jaiden Daniels as his date tonight.

“Mina?” Kit said, blinking. “It is you. Wow.”

Mina dipped her head coyly and nodded. In the past five years, Kit had never used the expression wow to describe her like so.

“You know them?” Jaiden asked, subconsciously sizing Kit up by subtly sitting straighter.

“No way,” Alyssa muttered, frowning. Faster than one could say
fruck
, Alyssa turned her frown upside down and flashed her teeth at Mina. She planted herself behind Mina and hugged her. “You look amazing, love. Why didn’t you tell me and Kit you’d be here? You look just like a big-boned Audrey Hepburn.”

Mina pried Alyssa’s arms away from her neck and shoulders—if Alyssa showed any more feigned fondness, Mina had a feeling she would be strangled.

“Thanks but I’m not used to this sort of affection from someone who had slapped me,” Mina said, looking at the empty dance floor. “Let’s get the party started.” She took Jaiden’s hand and stood, hoping to one-up Alyssa and make Kit jealous of Jaiden. She prayed Jaiden would play along. Luckily for her, he did.

“Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to dance?” He led her to the center of the dance floor. Mina didn’t turn her head to look back at Kit when they left the table.

Sorry Jaiden, but you might end up in a wheelchair at the end of the night. My heels are going to puncture his feet!

Alyssa stopped herself from blowing up. She fisted her hands by her sides. Jameson offered her a seat next to him and she obliged. If she couldn’t have the younger Daniels, then she would just have to settle for the older one.

Both were the most eligible billionaire bachelors in not just the Uptown, but the entire world. Flirting with Jameson, Alyssa ignored Kit, who didn’t seem to mind. He watched Mina move away and painted a picture of her in his mind. His eyes focused on his ugly duckling best friend who had turned into a swan worthy to be his new muse.

Meanwhile, on the dance floor, Mina stiffened and held her breath. She inched away when Jaiden placed a hand on her lower back.

“Just relax. Think of dancing as fighting. Step by step, very coordinated and fluid.” The past few nights, Jaiden had caught glimpses of Mina practicing martial arts moves in the gardens from his bedroom. Despite her clumsiness, he noticed she could move with balanced ease and agility. To him, she was like a female version of Bruce Lee, strong and full of surprises.

“Just follow my lead.” He smiled and took her hand, their fingers entwining. As if on cue, music played in the background—soft and slow, perfect for a romantic dance.

Mina took a deep breath and stepped back as Jaiden took a step forward. The dance floor seemed to melt beneath her feet. Jaiden took a step back and led her to take a step forward. She looked up and saw her reflection in his eyes. He blinked and smiled. “You’re doing great. So, what’s the deal with the bimbo? She slapped you?”

“Yea, I really don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay. What about your boyfriend then?” Jaiden shot a glance back at their table and narrowed his eyes at Kit.

“You mean Kit?” Mina looked down at her feet. “Kit’s not my boyfriend.” She pressed her lips together. “He’s my best friend actually and Alyssa is his girlfriend.”

Jaiden smiled. “Are you happy for them?”

Mina shrugged. “I guess. I mean they look good together.”

“Do you think they’re happy together?” Jaiden spun Mina around.

“They should be.”

“Then why is the girl hitting on my father and Kit keeps staring at you?”

Jaiden could see Mina’s face turn red behind the thin layer of foundation she wore.

“Probably because he’s still in shock I’m not dressed like a tomboy? What’s with all the questions, Jaiden?”

“Just want to know my employee better. Besides, we’re friends, right?”

“We are.” Mina smiled back. To her surprise, she only stepped on Jaiden’s foot once.

They danced another dance before they decided to go to the second floor balcony overlooking the hedge-maze garden. In the center of the maze, Jaiden pointed out, was a knot-garden surrounding a marble statue of a forest nymph and her child.

“You ever went into the maze?” Mina breathed in fresh summer night air. The sun was just about to set. “We should skip the ball and just run around the maze.”

“I’ve navigated the maze before in less than ten minutes. Want to give it a try? I can be your guide.” Jaiden offered Mina his hand to hold. Instead of taking his hand, Mina walked over to the edge of the balcony and held the golden rails. Light summer winds hit her face and stray strands of curly hair danced in the air.

Jaiden tilted his head and felt strong heartbeats against his chest.
Just shut up
, he told his heart. He paced the balcony, visibly uncomfortable as strange feelings rose in him. He stared at Mina again. By their society’s standards, she wasn’t a beauty. And yet there was always a spark of life in her exotic eyes. Her face could express a million feelings. When she cried, Jaiden wanted to comfort her. When she was angry, Jaiden shivered. When she was happy, Jaiden just wanted to smile with her.

And tonight, she looked incredible.

Oh god.
Jaiden gulped.
Does this mean I…

Mina sighed. She hoped Kit was jealous of Jaiden. She hoped the way she looked tonight would inspire Kit.

Why am I even still thinking about Kit?

“Yea. We should skip the party and navigate the maze.” Mina smiled and looked down. Blood drained from her face. She jumped backward and cursed.

“Call 911,” she said, her lips quivering.

Jaiden looked down over the railing. Like a red rose petal, Madison lay flat on the ground two stories down with her red dress fanned and blood pooling around her.

Jaiden fumbled to retrieve his cell phone and called the police. Ten minutes later, the UPD force arrived and placed the Chateau in complete lockdown mode within half an hour, escorting every guest out of the ballroom. With the charity event canceled, the guests huddled outside around the hotel. Some left while others stayed to watch EMTs carry Madison into an ambulance. Bloodstained and unconscious, the young beauty was lucky to still be alive after jumping off the balcony.

Michael lost all composure as he entered the ambulance, clutching his daughter’s hand. Tomorrow’s headlines would all involve Madison Helwick and the Mayor. Everyone would ask the same question:
how could someone continue to run a city like the Uptown if he could not even take care of his own daughter?

Like a hawk, Driver’s eyes scanned the crowd. He pushed through the crowds and put his hand on Jaiden’s shoulder. “Let’s get out of here,
Young Master
,” he said, pulling Jaiden toward the limo and separating him from Mina.

“Wait for Mina,” Jaiden said, standing still. Detective Graham had some new information for Jaiden regarding Driver. That information made Jaiden rethink about entering the limo alone with Driver.