• WATTYS 2022 WINNER •
When Iris Monet married millionaire Jared Darling, she had only one rule - that he could cheat on her with anyone except the household staff. This arrangement of theirs would have gone on quite happily if she hadn't caught him...
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iris 👁
ONIISAN means brother. That's the line that keeps repeating in my head. Oniisan means brother.
The man with the sharp cheekbones and dark brown hair. The man who reached down into my shirt, whom I consequently slapped. The man who, in hindsight, was just trying to help.
He's the little girl's brother, which means he's the Satohs' only son, which means he's my target.
And I called him a molester.
Burying my face into the pillow, I scream in frustration. As first impressions go, this has got to be at the bottom of the list. No, it's not even on the list. Showing up with food stuck in your teeth and being accidentally rude – that's a bad first impression. What I did just now was a terrorist act, that's what it was. A terrorist act that's shot down all my chances.
No. Stop. Think positive. There may be a slim chance for me to redeem myself yet. I sit up. All I need do to is apologize and clear up the misunderstanding. That's it. Apologize for my ratty old sandals, ungainly screaming, and that slap to the face ... I place a hand to my mouth in horror. It had been such a forceful slap too.
The door of the bedroom pushes open, and Anita enters. She stops in surprise.
"You're still here? I was just about to clean up the guest bedroom. Weren't you leaving on the first train this morning?"
"Not anymore. Things, um, changed. It looks like I'll be staying in Ryefair indefinitely."
"I hope you're not planning on being a permanent guest," Anita remarks in that brusque fashion of hers. "There's a limit to kindness, you know."
"Of course not!" I say hastily. "But I heard you guys were looking for a farm helper?"
"Where'd you heard that?"
"This little girl with yellow pigtails ..."
"Ah! I see you've met our young lady. Satoh Chihiro, that's her name. She was supposed to help advertise the job today in the village. Instead, she spent her morning chasing a frog, I heard."
I wince. Oops.
"But that's just Chihiro for you. A madcap of a child if I ever seen one." The affection is plain in the housekeeper's voice.
Anita pauses in between folding bedsheets to eye me suspiciously. "You know, you never did tell us how you came about Ryefair. A runaway princess in a ridiculous ballgown."
I frown. Hey now, that's a bit rude.I look at where the dress is hanging, freshly cleaned in the wardrobe. The only physically tangible link to my London life. That and the broken Jimmy Choos, which I'm still hoping desperately that I can get fixed.
