'MAID FOR THE BILLIONAIRE

I placed the breakfast I cooked in front of him before he entered his office. He stared at me intensely before paying attention to what I had prepared. I didn't know what kind of look he was giving me right now, but all I knew was that whenever he looked at me like that, my knees seemed to weaken.

There was something different in each of his gazes, as if telling me that I couldn't afford to make a mistake when I'm with him. I felt inexplicable emotions, and sometimes, I really couldn't understand.

I straightened at the sound of the shattered plates. "How many times do I have to tell you, that for once, you have to properly serve me as I am your boss!" He yelled, sending shivers down my arms and legs. I admit I felt a little scared because of that.

"I don't know how to cook, okay?!" I shouted back at him. What did he think? Even though he looks at me like he's about to kill me every time, I won't back down. I will never give in to him. "Why don't you cook? Aren't you good at it? Then you do it!" I raised an eyebrow, and now he was clearly struggling to contain himself.

"Why can't you fucking learn how to cook? You're my maid!" He shouted at me again. The other servants and workers also looked at us, some of them gathering not far away, listening to our argument. It's a situation everyone has gotten used to.

It hurts my ears every time he says I'm his maid, his personal maid. It's true, but it's degrading to end up like this. It shouldn't be like this, because I have more dreams beyond this.

It's too early in the morning for his temper. It's ruining the day! Nothing new though, I've gotten used to this situation between the two of us.

"Excuse me, Sir! I'm not the only maid here! Why do you always insist on having me cook for you?! I don't even know how to cook!" I yelled again! I don't care if he curses at me now. It's probably better this way. Why does he always insist that I cook when he has a personal chef, and this whole mansion is equipped with high-tech appliances?

I've wanted to leave here for a long time! If it weren't for that contract I signed back then, I would have left this mansion of the annoying Cray Laxer Del Valle! Just mentioning his name annoys me.

He wasn't like this before. As far as I can remember... we were still okay back then? Sort of? I sighed, we really didn't get along when we were kids.

"This looks better." He said to me as we looked at the paintbrush with Mama, who also serves as Laxer's nanny. I raised an eyebrow and pouted for a moment.

"This looks better." I picked up a different paintbrush. He raised an eyebrow before furrowing his brows.

"Who's going to use it? Isn't it me?" He said, holding Mama by the shoulder. I smirked.

"There you go! Pay for it! Next time, don't ask me which one looks better, if you're just going to contradict my opinion." I rolled my eyes at him. "Mama, I'm just going to buy ice cream, my blood's boiling because of this one." I grinned, which irritated him greatly. He really didn't like it when I did that to him.

"Son, Cray... stop that. It's not good to argue all the time, you should always get along. It's just a paintbrush." I chuckled slightly, Laxer couldn't do anything when Mama herself defied him. He always follows Mama. "Come here Cray, and you too, Art... come back right away." I smiled immediately because of that.

"Yes, mother." Laxer remained silent on the side. I felt like I had won against him. As I moved away a bit, I faced him and realized he was still looking at me with a furrowed brow. Annoying, he still looked handsome even from a distance... "Bleh!" I teased him and quickly ran off to buy ice cream.

"What the hell Jearri! Are you even listening? I am here talking to you and you're spacing out?" He said irritably. "I'm just wasting my money on you!" He added. His words seemed to sting my ears. I was about to lash out, but something held me back. Maybe it's because he's a billionaire, he's so arrogant, acting like he owns the world!

Not everything can be bought with money. Some things require hard work that doesn't involve money. There are things more valuable than money and material possessions, and those are the ones that should be valued most.

"Damn it! You're just going to fry a fucking bacon and egg, and you still managed to burn it! That's all I asked you to do and you can't even do it right!" The servants, driver, gardener, and whoever else was working in this mansion watched our argument. I wanted to retort that he has a personal chef who should handle his cooking, but he would probably just say that I'm his personal maid and it's my job to serve him.

Those who witnessed our argument are used to it. After all, I wake up here every day and serve this Cray who does nothing but shout and yell at me! It's like I never do anything right.

I paused for a moment, realizing that I really don't do anything right. I thought that if I annoyed him and didn't serve him properly, he might kick me out of the mansion. But it seems like he has no intention of doing so.

Every time I confront him, I feel like I'm just being pushed further into serving him.

Annoying! Why did he have to take mother away so early? I just couldn't refuse her request to accept taking care of this man she had cared for since childhood, especially with the 5-year contract I signed as his personal maid.

I owed him so much for the time he spent treating mother's brain tumor. I know how to be grateful because that's what mother taught me, but with someone like him, I just find it harder.

Since childhood, we've been together, but all he does is annoy, tease, and fight with me. That's why I really can't stand him. He's too attention-seeking, always observing my every move and action.

He's older than me, but when it comes to arguments, he's more immature than I am. It would be fine, since I do get paid fairly by him even though I haven't done anything right. All I have to do is be his personal maid for five years.

Those five years feel like a hundred each. After that time, I'll be free from my debt to him. But I just can't bear to serve him, especially since we don't see eye to eye on many things.

We're so opposite. But I never believed in opposites attract, we're an exception to that. We don't attract each other, we repel, even though we are total opposites.

"Well then, find someone else to replace me!" It seems like this argument will never end. He looked at the other workers who had been watching our fight and they all scattered. I let out a sigh. Even they got dragged into my mess.

"Artzell Jearri Lacsamana!" He called my full name sternly. He slowly approached me, a mischievous smile playing on his face.

I felt my heart pounding again. Even my knees started to tremble, but I forced myself to step back. He's so close, it's like he's cornering me. I avoided looking at him because I couldn't think straight. He firmly placed both hands on the wall and stared at me with an intense gaze.

I tried to meet his gaze, but I kept getting distracted by how handsome he is. I admit, he's good-looking, something I can't deny despite his rough personality.

And now he's so close that he's practically about to kiss me, how can I concentrate?

I looked at his face, his long eyelashes enhancing his eyes, his nose perfectly shaped. His complexion is just right for his physique. My gaze wandered to his jawline, which I must say is perfectly sculpted, emphasizing his ruggedness. His lips are just the right shade of red. His slightly tousled hair seemed to highlight his whole face. Despite the slight disorder, his face still looked radiant, but you couldn't deny the unique aura he exuded.

He stands tall and handsomely professional, announcing that you should respect him. He is intimidating, not just to me but I'm sure to everyone who'll get the chance to meet him.

I bit my lower lip. "What's your problem?" He asked in a seductive tone. I swallowed hard, feeling my heart race. He said this so close to my ear that it sent shivers down my spine.

I think I might faint.

I'm nervous because we're so close, even though there's centralized air conditioning in this mansion.

What's happening? Why am I feeling so warm?

"I just want you to serve me... what's wrong with that, Baby? Hmm..." He bit his lower lip. I swallowed hard, feeling my heart pounding. He said this close to my ear again, almost making my hair stand on end.

I might actually faint.

I pushed him forcefully, but he didn't budge. "I don't want to!" I shouted at him again. Even though we're so close, I don't have bad breath, so it's okay.

"I. Only. Want. You." He said slowly and firmly. "Tell me, baby, what's hard to understand?" I was surprised when he suddenly walked out, loosening his necktie in irritation.

I was left with my mouth agape from what he said. It seems like I really angered him. It looks like I have no choice but to serve him properly, after all, I'm the billionaire's maid.

Maybe it's better if I serve him well and maybe, just maybe, our 5-year contract could be shortened by a year or two. I'll just be his personal maid. There's nothing hard about that. But there's one thing I fear, something I know about myself.

But we're not the same as before. We may be of similar age, but now we're really far from each other. He's grown up to be a great young man while I'm stuck with the same old me. And I don't even know if I did grow.

I let out a sigh, thinking about the new day ahead, where I'll be serving him again.

I used to be his childhood friend. Now he has become the youngest billionaire of our generation. This makes me the billionaire's maid. And it makes me feel like I shouldn't cross the boundaries and walls I've built between us. It's just me, Jearri, nothing particularly special... and he is Laxer, the billionaire. I placed my hand on my chest, feeling the rhythm of my heartbeat. Dear heart, please understand your limits.