The Grand Mistress

The words that Primo told her shut the hell out of Gabriella and so she ended up so quiet and obedient the whole journey. She was stunned and was left thoroughly repeating over and over what the man had said.

Did he just say he was serious with her?

Like how serious?

Now that he said something really weird—at least for her, she felt so awkward around him then and for the first time in her life, she felt so conscious being around another man rather than Erwan. In their long years of being together, Gabriella had never thought about any other men aside from the Zhao's young master and as her eyes were all fixed upon him and their future that somehow it felt so awkwardly different being subjected to another man's attention.

"Were here," Primo's announcement stopped all her contemplation and when she dragged her eyes outside, she was so shocked to see the big property in front of her.

"You brought me to your house?" Gabriella's eyes couldn't believe it. She was expecting he would bring her somewhere, a hotel or an apartment probably but not to his residence because she thinks the level of their relationship had not yet reached that part where he can officially introduce him to everyone in his side.God! They don't even have a formal relationship yet!

"Is there a problem?" El Tigre raised a brow at her question. Seeing how tensed she became he caressed her arms and said, "Relax dulzura, there's no one else here but me,"

His words only made Gabriella shrinked in total helplessness. If no one lives here other than El Tigre himself then that means he can do whatever he wants with her without no one intervening right?

The moment they got out of the car, a butler and a few maids welcomed them at the door. They all lowered their heads but even so, they clearly saw Gabriella was deeply deeply surprised that their master had brought a woman.

"You came early, sire," The butler said and turned to receive his suit that El Tigre gave him. "Do you wish us to serve you dinner?"

"Do you want to eat?" El Tigre handed the question for Gabriella to answer and she answered it by shaking her head. Of course she didn't want to bother the whole house for another dinner even when she felt a little hungry. Truth was she had not enjoyed the dinner at the party that much and so she ate only a few bites, right then she was hungry again but dare not to bother them.

El Tigre just assessed her demeanor for a while and only sighed. He then turned to the butler and charged. "Just bring some food in my room and ask the maids to draw your miss a bath,"

Your miss? Everyone's eyes twinkled at the Primo's words except of course for Gabriella who at the moment was oblivious to how frantic the staff in El Tigre's mansion were when he said that. 

In the middle of silent stares and Gabriella's hesitancy, Primo's phone suddenly rang and so he excused himself while the Monteria heiress was left to the care of the servants. 

"You heard the master, draw the miss a bath and have someone serve some food," The butler announced and as if on cue, the maids behind him moved. The other one left to instruct the kitchen while the other led Gabriella upstairs. While climbing up, the maid that was left to tend to the heiress went and whispered some concern to the butler.

"Sire, which room should I let the Miss settle in?" She asked the butler as she didn't want to decide on her own.

Her question made the butler think for a second but he immediately instructed upon careful consideration. "Let's not waste the opportunity! Bring her to the master's room. She must sleep there tonight no matter what!"

"Yes sire," She answered obediently. The butler, who was kind of reminded of something, gave up accompanying Gabriella and the maid and ran down toward the kitchen himself, which by then had gone chaotic because of the news that the master had brought a woman. Even when the instruction was only to prepare a dinner, the main chief himself rushed in to cook one of his specialties, making sure that the best food will be served.

"Is it true? Is it true?" The mansion's lady maid rushed in to hear the news himself from the butler. "Did the master indeed bring a woman?

"This is not a time for words Marie. Go and make sure the master can have a sip of ginseng tea tonight," He went on instructing her. "Force it on him. He must have the energy all night,"

"Alright leave it to me," The lady maid felt everyone's panic and so she moved according to the rush. She had been in this mansion ever since Primo built it and for years, she had longed for the day he would bring a woman and God heavens! All their prayers had been answered just then!

***

"Whose room is this?" Gabriella noticed that the room where the maid brought her was not a regular guest bedroom. It was just too big and too classy for a regular bedroom that she immediately thought the maid had been mistaken.

"Don't worry about it, miss," The maid answered politely. "This is the room the master wanted you to sleep tonight,"

"But, isn't it too big for me?" Gabriella asked but even before the maid could answer, the door of the bathroom flew open and two other maids emerged. They all bowed at Gabriella and said in unison, "Miss your bath is ready, please come and let us help you,"

"You'll help me?" Gabriella raised a brow at it. What is she? twelve? Does she really look that messed up that these servants needed to help her bath? 

Even though Gabriella was brought up as an heiress, their lifestyle was very far from the Umbresio's. If the Monterias lived with all the comfort and luxury, the Umbresio's however lived like royals and excessive wealth and so although she was used to having servants attend to her needs, she wasn't used to having too many of them.

The maids chuckled a little at her response, thinking she was making a joke. They all guided the confused Gabriella to the enormous big bathroom, carefully undressed her and untied her hair. Then the maids lead her to the tub that was filled with lukewarm water. As soon as she settled, the other maid attended to her hair while the other took charge of asking her what fragrance she wanted for the bath.

Gabriella was so overwhelmed by the kind of hospitality the servants in the house gave her. She just basically laid herself in the bath and did nothing, as all the servants did everything for her and all she did was just nod or shake whenever they asked her something. 

While her bath was going on, the door suddenly opened and Primo's face appeared at the door.The servants all halted what they were doing and all lowered their heads to greet him. Gabriella however, knowing she was all naked, sunk lower her body to the water to hide it from him.

"Master, the Miss isn't finish it," The senior among the maids answered, very willing to go if Primo allows it so the two can have their privacy. They all made sure their miss was all filled with enticing fragrance, something that he could not resist. "But if you wish to join her we can leave,"

"Does your miss want me to join her?" Primo teased looking at Gabriella who had gone red at his sudden intrusion. How shameless was he to enter a bathroom where a woman was taking her bath? 

"Miss?" The maid turned to Gabriella to ask her.

"What?" Gabriella pretended as if she didn't hear anything at all.

"The master asks if you want us to go so you can have a bath together," The maid almost giggled at her own statement but chose not to. Even her comrades hid a laugh as they didn't want to disrespect their masters.

"No…" Gabriella answered without a second thought and even went to grab the maid's hand so she could not leave if she planned to. "I want you girls to stay here with me,"

"Fine," Primo let her have her way but he remained standing at the door to watch the whole routine and Gabriella could only curse him in her head. Pervert! She thought and even made a conscious effort not to let any of her skin go above the bubbled water. 

"Primo," Someone called his attention and an old woman appeared to approach him with a tray in her hand. "What are you doing there watching a woman take a bath? Give the miss a break and drink this tea,"

"Marie," Primo acknowledged her presence. She was the mansion's lady maid, the one which the butler asked for help with the tea. She was one of the oldest servants in the Umbresio's family and Primo's primary nanny while he was young. Primo valued her a lot that even when he decided to be independent, he brought Marie with him to manage his household.