Chapter 7 The boss

"Marry her Sandro, we cannot have a better groom for Edith than you. You have known her since her childhood being the best friend of Charles you are affiliated to each of her tantrums." Edith's father Allen Rodriguez insisted. "Man, I always wished you to be my brother-in-law. She is the only princess of our family. Can we trust anyone better for her than you?" Charles asked his best friend Sandro. "She is innocent and we know she behaved like a child in running away. Please excuse her and accept her as your wife." Henry seconded his older brother Charles.

", you are glorifying me too much," Sandro added timorous running a hand in his hair. Allen patted the shoulder of Allesandro. "Son, you deserve it. Please accept her." His aged eyes held a request looking at Sandro. "She had been living with you all this time, no one in this world knows her better than you apart from us." Charles supported his father. He brought Allesandro to a side hug to which Sandro reflected a magnificent smile. "Of course, I love her too." He declared finally to everyone in the house and the entire Rodriguez family was caught unawares.

"Hey, three cheers to our princess for getting married." Henry rose for a toast. Soon there was the clinking of glasses. Allen hugged Sandro with a proud smile. There was fatherly affection held in his orbs. Arianna followed her husband. "Son" she looked up at Sandro and ran her fingers slowly on his hairy cheeks, her eyes welled with tears oozing love. Sandro bent his head and kissed the forehead of Arianna holding her in his arms. "I will always keep her safe Mom." He promised her. Charles hugged him and patted the back of Charles. "Welcome to the family, my friend." The drinks were served in a festival of the moment.

"Unlock the door of the Princess." Allen voiced to one of the servants who was serving snacks along with cocktails. The house of Rodriguez suddenly felt like an abode for celebration. Festive glitter rolled along the walls of the opulent mansion. After all, it was the marriage of the only daughter of Allen Rodriguez, the world-famous orthopedic surgeon and underworld leader.

Charles brought his sister into his arms and hugged her. "Stay happy....always." He nods and kisses her forehead. Allen comes to stand beside Edith and runs his hand softly on her hair in affection. "What is happening?" Edith stared around at the members of her family asking them innocently. The room instantly vibrated with everyone's chuckles. "You're getting married, Princess," Allen informed his daughter.

******

Charla?" Aliza asked, stupefied. Charla nodded in happiness and hugged Aliza. "Boss sent me here to help you with the packing." Aliza's admiration for Charles increased substantially for his generosity and concern. "Our boss is a very caring person." She declared to Charla in an emotion-filled with tears. "Yes, he is!" Charla supported her friend recollecting the discussion she had with Charles about Aliza.

Aliza waved to her uncle after giving him a goodbye kiss on his cheek. Both the friends kept chatting endlessly throughout the ride. Aliza breathed a new lease of life. She felt like a bird released from a cage. Her happiness was boundless and gratitude towards Charles was immeasurable. Aliza's limitless joy was all seen in her glittered eyes.

Half an hour later they reached the premises of Orchard House - the name of the bungalow where the prestigious CEO of Richmond Industries lived. As soon as the Gray limousine arrived the guard opened the gates of the massive estate. Aliza had her jaw open looking at the enormous Terra and splendid greenery around her.

To the right were huge trees with extended long branches and to the left side were pleasant green pastures with flowers in between of different varieties and colors. Aliza wondered how many acres the bungalow was situated. Words fell short in her dictionary to describe the goofy ambiance of the United States' richest billionaire Charles Rodriguez house. She was dumb and at the same time infatuated. The pathway to the house was long enough for more than twenty minutes of ride from the entrance gate.

Finally, the car stopped in the parking lot where several other latest model cars, sports cars in different colors, were parked in pride. Ethan went inside the bungalow to get the keys to Aliza's accommodation while she and Charla waited outside the limousine. In front of them was situated a marvelous fountain of a lady holding a water pot that poured streams of water on all four sides. Aliza's eyes were on stalks amazed at the beauty of the habitat.

"Hey ladies, here are the keys." Ethan played a set in his hands. "Follow me behind." He told them enthusiastically. He opened the locks of four employee quarters one after another to give a choice of selection for Aliza. The first one was in a Gray and white theme - a quarter that looked completely of a male's choice. The second one was pink and blue, too girlish. Aliza did not like the choice of colors. The third one was completely cream - looked bland like an old man's house with no combination and the fourth quarter presented its best for Aliza.

It was a combination of Gray and turquoise color, a small two-room set with a kitchen. It has an attached bath, a bedroom and a small sitting room which could accommodate a sofa and a TV. Aliza liked her new home very much, cozy and comfortable away from the abuse of her tyrant fiance and her treacherous aunt. But she did not even get a chance to say goodbye to her cousin. Aliza misses her uncle and cousin Andrew.

Within two hours of arrival, Aliza settled her luggage and styled her new home with the little stuff she had taken with the help of her best friend Charla. Beside Aliza's quarter were other staff's residences including the cooks, butler, housemaids, and security guards. After helping Aliza Charla left for her home before she prepared a simple meal of spaghetti for both of them.

An hour later of settlement Aliza received a call. A landline intercom was arranged in all employee quarters of Orchard House so that the boss could communicate with his employees whenever required.

"Hello, Aliza.." A deep male voice was heard on the phone. Aliza would blatantly recognize the dominant masculine voice that is always filled with control and power in each syllable uttered even in her sleep. "Ye...yes sir...Good morning sir....I mean good evening sir." Aliza stuttered. Damn you girl, why do you keep stuttering in front of him? He is not going to eat you. He is only your boss. Aliza's inner self intervened.

"Good Evening Ms Stelwart, I'm sending a physician to your quarter. I think you had a huge fall because of that limp in your leg but now that you are under my supervision I will take care of it." Charles spoke in a double meaning but Aliza was too naive to know that her boss already had a version of her perilous past. "Yes sir...no sir...I...I will take care of my leg, sir. You need not bother sir" Aliza replied breathlessly one after another four statements like a military junior answering his commandant.

They heard a sigh on the other side. "Ms Stelwart I do not take orders, I'm sending a doctor to you. You need not pay him anything and give him the truth about the problem you have been suffering." He stressed the word 'truth'. "And one more thing you need not come to the office for the next two days. Charla will manage." Saying those words Charles cut the call giving no place for a contradiction from Aliza.

Ten minutes later a knock was heard and Aliza opened the door for the doctor. Just as her boss ordered she told the truth to the doctor. It was for the first time in her life that Aliza spoke without hiding anything about her health. Since the age of six she was trained to hide her problems and live with her worries but today after so many years of trouble she felt good days have finally arrived in her life.

She called Andrew, told him how happy she was feeling, and spoke to her uncle too with complete smiles. Nelson felt joy hearing his niece so cheerful after decades of torment that she had to face his wife. In the background, Aliza could hear the grunts and curses of her aunt but this time she was not going to spoil her mood by thinking about the evil lady. "Shall we have a shopping and weekend lunch together Uncle Nelson?"

Fredrick wasn't able to digest his defeat in the hands of Aliza. A girl who even feared his shadow became a cause of his peril. The very thought made the blood run cold in his veins. He wasn't able to move his arms. There was an ache in every part of his body. How could she have the courage to quit the house and leave him to suffer? He felt like a butchered bull and expected Aliza to serve him night and day until he became hale and fit again. But Aliza left him to suffer his hell and that was the biggest blow to his ego.

Fredrick was seeing red with every passing second. He decided to teach Aliza a lesson and immediately called his sister Stella to discuss his next course of action. Stella wasn't present when he reached Aliza in his brother-in-law's home. On the contrary, when he calls her now she is no more active like always. The bodyguard Ethan hadn't left his chance to discipline her either. The news about his sister's sick state added fuel to the already existing fire in Fredrick's stance. You are over Aliza. Fredrick to himself.

She took the medicines the doctor gave to her and was about to sleep when Aliza heard her phone ring again. Without seeing the caller-id she picked up the call and spoke groggily. "Hello?"

The words the speaker spoke next made blood drain out of her face.