It was Monday, so Agnes had to wake up early once again; in fact, it was only five in the morning. She was back to work, and unfortunately, that meant serving the arrogant Acosta family once more. She knew all too well that they would treat her like a slave.
Even though she knew exactly what awaited her at the Acosta mansion, her mind was made up. She was determined to return to work there, even if Brianna and her parents made her life a living hell. She needed the job; she needed the money for her and Islaw to survive.
"Big sis, are you leaving already?" She stopped when she heard Cholo's voice.
She paused her morning routine to look at Cholo, who was still rubbing sleep from his eyes. Cholo had slept over at her house so that Islaw wouldn't be alone when he woke up. She knew Islaw would surely look for her the moment he realized she was gone, especially since she would be at the mansion all day.
"Yes, Cholo. I'm all ready, so I'm heading out."
"Good luck, Big sis. Just don't take it to heart when the Mayor or their bratty daughter mistreats you."
"Thanks," she answered briefly.
Instead of heading for the front door to leave, she went somewhere else. She entered the bedroom to check on Islaw, who was still fast asleep. She sat on the edge of the bed and smiled, watching his incredibly handsome face.
"Islaw, I'm leaving now. I'm going to work for you."
"Oh. My big sister looks like she's in love with big brother," she laughed and shook her head as Cholo poked her in the side.
"Honestly, Cholo, you're full of nonsense."
"Nonsense? Big sis, I'm telling the truth."
"And how exactly can you say that what you're saying is true?" She crossed her arms and playfully arched an eyebrow.
"I can tell just by the way you look at big brother. Your eyes get so soft when you stare at him, like they're whispering, and it's like he's the only one you see," he said, leaving her speechless.
She was stunned by the boy's observation.
"I know that you know deep down that what you feel for him isn't just pity, Big sis. I know and I can see that he's slowly finding his way into your heart."
Words failed Agnes even more under Cholo's intense and earnest gaze. Cholo might not be the smartest when it came to school, but when it came to things like this, he knew a lot. The way he looked at her made it feel like he could read the very beat of her heart.
"Y-you and your observations. You're going to get me into trouble, kid. You should just focus on watching over Islaw," she said, trying to change the subject.
"Big sis is in dial, eh?"
"It's in denial, Cholo, not in dial."
"Same thing."
"Fine, fine," she surrendered.
What was the point of arguing with a child? Knowing Cholo, he wouldn't let her win anyway. He often tried to get ahead of her. With all the mischief he knew, he had practically become Islaw's teacher in naughtiness. It wouldn't be long before Islaw became his star student.
"I'm leaving. He's in your hands now."
"You got it, Big sis."
Agnes simply smiled at the boy and turned away. She walked toward the door to leave, but she couldn't help but glance back at the sleeping merman. She was about to step out of the room, but something whispered in her mind, telling her to kiss him. But she couldn't; Cholo was sitting right there on the edge of the bed, watching the cute merman.
She took a deep breath and bit her lip, but her feet seemed to have a life of their own as they walked back toward him. Without a word, she leaned down and pressed her lips against his forehead. She heard Cholo gasp, followed quickly by a giggle.
She slowly pulled away from Islaw's forehead. She straightened up with a smile and looked at Cholo, who was wearing a mischievous grin. His look alone was enough to tease her. She didn't say a word; instead, she gave him a wide smile and motioned for him to be quiet. This had to be their little secret.
He nodded repeatedly, almost non-stop. Cholo even raised a hand as if making a solemn vow. She was satisfied with that simple gesture. She turned around and finally left. Little did she know, Cholo had his fingers crossed behind his back—a sign that he had no intention of keeping his promise to stay quiet.
Agnes was nervous as she walked toward the Acosta mansion, a place she hadn't visited in months. With every step closer to that house, her heart pounded harder with the anxiety and fear she felt whenever she had to deal with the family that did nothing but enslave her.
Her resolve to return and serve the Acostas—the very people who had only ever maltreated her—suddenly felt shaky. But she would try again because she had to. She needed a job, not for herself, but for Islaw.
Just thinking about Islaw's face when he struggled to carry that heavy furniture into the restaurant Erick and Brianna were building gave her the courage to enter the mansion again. Islaw wanted to give her a good life, and she would do the same for him.
She looked up at the towering mansion in front of her once she finally arrived. She walked straight through the gate as if she were fearless. She admitted to herself that she was afraid of the Acostas, but whenever Islaw entered her thoughts, that fear began to fade.
"Agnes, why are you just getting here now?" An angry Madame. Beattrice greeted her the moment she stepped into the living room.
"I'm very sorry, Madame. It won't happen again."
"I don't like your answer!" the woman screamed, suddenly slapping her across the face.
The slap was so hard that Agnes nearly fell over. Her head spun, and for a moment, she felt like her head was going to fly off. Despite that, she forced herself to stand straight and faced the woman with an expression of deep apology.
To be honest, she was shocked by the physical blow. The woman was cruel, but she had never laid a hand on her before. It wasn't because she wasn't capable of violence, but because she never wanted her soft palms to touch her skin. To Madame Beattrice, Agnes was nothing more than filthy trash.
"Give me a proper answer!"
"I'm sorry. I woke up late and couldn't find a vehicle to ride, so I arrived behind schedule," she explained with her head bowed.
"You're such an irresponsible woman!" The woman raised her hand to strike her again.
"I'm sorry, Madame."
"I'll let it slide for now, Agnes. But if you do this again, you'll taste something far worse!" the woman threatened, pointing a finger in her face.
"I'm not going to be kind to you anymore! After what you did to my daughter, you're going to suffer even more under our roof!"
Agnes remained silent until the woman roughly pushed her aside and left her to weep alone. No matter how much she wanted to let out all the pain and resentment she felt, she forced back the tears that were threatening to fall. She hurried to the kitchen to start cooking for the couple.
She ignored the stinging of her swollen cheek.
The hours that followed were a blur of grueling labor. Between the cooking, the heavy cleaning, and the constant fear of another outburst, Agnes lost track of time—until the heat of the midday sun began to pour through the windows.
Agnes had been restless for a while, her eyes darting every few minutes toward the large, expensive clock hanging on the living room wall. Lunchtime was fast approaching, but she was nowhere near finished with the mountain of tasks Madame Beattrice had assigned her. There was so much to do that it felt like some chores wouldn't be finished until tomorrow.
Immediately after she finished cooking, the couple ate their meal. Following her old routine, she quickly washed their dishes, cleaned their room, swept the floors, wiped the windows, and watered the plants—even though their garden was vast.
She thought her morning work would end there, but she was stunned when the mistress ordered her to scrub the floors with a wet rag, despite how massive the mansion was.
"Why do you keep looking at the clock?" Brianna's mother's angry voice snapped her out of her scrubbing.
"I... I was hoping to go home and get some rest, Madame," she answered as bravely as she could.
In truth, she didn't mind skipping the rest; she was used to working all day at the mansion. But she knew a stubborn and adorable man was waiting for her right now. She knew Islaw—he wouldn't eat unless she was there with him.
He was surely hungry by now.
"No. You'll be staying here. I have plenty more orders for you."
"But—"
"Are you talking back to me?!"
"I-I'm sorry, Madame."
The woman didn't bother to reply, so Agnes continued her work. She heard footsteps approaching her; she thought the woman would simply walk past, but she was shocked by what happened next. The woman kicked the bucket beside her, sending the dirty water flying.
Agnes instinctively squeezed her eyes shut as the filthy water splashed across her face and body. She opened them only when she heard the woman's mocking laughter. She couldn't find the words to speak; all she could do was let out a silent, trembling sob. Why were they so cruel to her?
"You smell terrible, you clearly needed a bath."
"But Madame Beattrice, I showered this morning."
"Is that so? Because you reek of fish." The woman laughed again. "When you're done here, start the laundry. There is a lot to wash."
The woman gestured toward the top of the grand staircase. Agnes's mouth dropped at the sight. Piled on the upper floor were mountains of dirty clothes, along with thick bedsheets and comforters. Even from a distance, she could see the massive heaps of laundry waiting for her.
It looked like a job for at least three people. In short, there was no way she could finish it all alone. It looked like the dirty laundry of an entire neighborhood. She would surely be there until nightfall, and her hands would be covered in sores if she washed every single piece by hand.
"What are you waiting for? Once you finish the floor, go to the laundry room. You are forbidden from using the machine and dryer, and everything must be dry by this afternoon."
"M-madame Beattrice, what you're asking is impossible. With this much clothing, I might not finish until tomorrow. I won't even get through half of it without the machines—"
"Shut up!" She couldn't finish her sentence because the woman snatched the rag from her hand and tried to shove it into her mouth.
"S-stop it, please!" Agnes wailed, nearly swallowing the dirty rag.
"I never want to hear you talk back to me again!"
"Y-yes, madame!" Agnes clasped her trembling hands together in fear.
"You are not leaving this mansion until I say so!" With that, the woman left her again.
Once she was sure the woman was gone, Agnes let out the sobs she had been holding back. Not too loud, but not too soft—just enough for her to hear. Her hands were still shaking as she wiped her mouth with her wet arm. She felt so dirty.
She hadn't brought a change of clothes, so she had no choice but to let the dirty water dry on her skin. Weakly, she stood up from her knees and finished cleaning the floor before hauling the heavy loads to the laundry room.
She was in the middle of scrubbing one of Erick's shirts when she noticed a red stain on the collar. Brianna had likely left that mark. As she stared at the lipstick stain, she couldn't help but reflect on her own feelings.
She wouldn't lie to herself. She felt nothing for the man anymore except anger; the pain of his betrayal that used to consume her was gone. It meant only one thing: her love for Erick had completely vanished, leaving only resentment behind.
That was an achievement for her.
She smiled, relieved to finally be over that jerk. But the smile quickly faded, replaced by a grimace as her stomach growled. She felt a sharp pang of hunger; it was already one in the afternoon.
"I wonder if Islaw has eaten?" she whispered to herself.
The merman had suddenly popped into her mind.
"What if he hasn't eaten yet? What if he's been waiting for me all this time?"
She suddenly stood up from her small stool. She remembered telling Cholo to tell Islaw she'd be home by noon to cook and eat with him. She hurriedly wiped her hands before slipping out of the laundry room; she didn't care if the madame found out she had left without permission.
As she passed the kitchen, her eyes caught sight of an expensive cake on the countertop, with a slice already missing. She knew it was wrong to take money, things, or food without asking, but she thought of Islaw. He had never tasted cake before.
Knowing the Acostas, they'd surely just have her throw it away if it wasn't finished within the day, just like they always did.
"I'll just take a little bit," she whispered.
She was about to cut a slice, but a loud thud from the second floor startled her. Terrified of being caught, she abandoned the cake and ran. She kept running until she reached her house, exhausted and out of breath.
"Big sis, why are you only getting here now?" Cholo asked, his face full of panic.
"I'm sorry, Cholo. Madame Beattrice wouldn't let me leave."
"What? Then how did you get home?"
"I sneaked out."
"What?! What if they hurt you?!" he exclaimed.
They already did, Cholo.
"Where's Islaw?" she asked, changing the subject.
"I locked him in your room. He's been acting like a tantrum-throwing kid, crying his eyes out looking for you."
"W-why did you lock him in?" She hurried inside.
"He kept trying to leave the house, Big sis. I couldn't stop him because he's bigger than me. So I locked him in the room," he explained as she untied the rope holding the door handle shut.
From outside, she could hear Islaw's soft sobbing and sniffing. It seemed he had been crying so long he had finally grown tired and quiet, unlike the chaotic scene Cholo had described. When she got the door open and stepped inside, her heart sank at what she saw.
Islaw had his back turned to her, tucked into a corner and facing the wooden wall. He was sitting on the floor, hugging his knees. She couldn't help but step forward and wrap him in a hug from behind, causing him to freeze.
"Agnes!" he cried out when he saw her.
"Why is my Islaw crying?"
"I missed you, my Agnes!" he wailed through his tears.
"Missing her already, Big brother?" Cholo teased, but Agnes shot him a sharp look.
"I'm sorry, Islaw. I had to work."
"I d-don't want it. Don't go to work anymore!" he stammered.
"I have to, Islaw. I need to work for our future and for our daily lives. Islaw, even if it's not for me... let it be for you."
"N-no. I don't want it! I won't let you work a-anymore. You look so tired! And you're so f-far away from me b-because of your work!"
"Don't be stubborn, Islaw. I'm doing this for you. Besides, I'll always come home to you."
"No. You can't l-leave here anymore. You're not a-allowed to go out." He quickly wrapped his arms around her in a crushing hug.
"PFA!" Cholo shouted.
"It's PDA, Cholo. Public Display of Affection," she corrected, even in the middle of her emotional moment with Islaw.
"Same thing, Big sis. Look who's correcting me, like you're not the one being all lovey-dovey."
"Agnes, you're not allowed to go to work anymore, okay?" Islaw pouted.
"Islaw, let go of me. I'll cook for you, and then I have to leave again."
"No!" His voice cracked, which made her stop. The "crybaby" merman began to wail even harder.
So many tears were being wasted.
"Islaw, stop it. Didn't I tell you I don't want to see you crying?"
"You're b-bullying me!"
"I am not bullying you, Islaw."
"Yes! You a-are! Just don't leave anymore."
Agnes didn't answer and simply wiped her face with her hands. She knew Islaw had no intention of letting her go. He wouldn't stop crying until he got his way. She sighed, a sign that she had thought of a plan.
"Islaw, didn't you tell me you wanted us to have a baby?"
"Hmm-hmm." He nodded like a child.
"And I told you we needed to plan and save up first?"
"Hmm-hmm."
"And to save up, we need money, right? And to get money, we need a job?"
He tilted his head, thinking, and then nodded.
"I agree. We'll make a baby," she said with a smile, pinching his soft cheek.
She heard Cholo gasp.
"Really?! Okay, go to w-work now, and when you get h-home, let's m-make a baby."
"Whoa! Don't get ahead of yourself, Islaw." she laughed awkwardly.
"Don't be flashing, Big brother," Cholo chimed in.
"Just because I agreed doesn't mean we're doing it right away. We need to plan and prepare. Besides, you still don't even know how to make a baby."
"Oh no, I d-don't know!" he panicked.
"Didn't I teach you already, Big brother?"
"W-what was it again?"
"Cholo?" Before the boy could speak, Agnes gave him a warning look.
"Shooting. Just like basketball."
"Cholo!" She glared at him.
"He asked!"
"That's enough. Let's get up, I'll cook our lunch."
"No need, he already cooked," Cholo said.
"Really? You cooked?" She turned to Islaw in surprise, who was now giggling.
"Let's go eat."
She and Islaw walked hand-in-hand to the kitchen. During lunch, Cholo secretly handed her eight pearls. Her eyes softened as she watched Islaw eating heartily, but her face was clouded with worry because Islaw had wasted so many tears again. It couldn't go on like this.
Islaw couldn't keep crying all the time.
They finished their meal. She didn't have time to clear the table because of the unfinished work at the mansion. She left Islaw in Cholo's care, said a quick goodbye, and hurried back to the mansion.
Standing before the front door, she said a quick prayer that the mistress wouldn't catch her. But when she opened the door, Madame Beattrice was already in the living room, sitting regally. Beside her was Brianna, and both were glaring at her with such intensity it felt like they were trying to kill her with their eyes.
"Be ready, you need to be rewarded for running away from your job," Brianna said with a venomous look.
She knew they were going to punish her.