"Oh darling you should have called her out right then and there. It's better for them to learn their place," Cassandra spoke. I slid back down, hiding behind the couch I had been sitting on.

Across from me, there was a huge space for any meditation or yoga sessions. They all were equipped with mats. I crawled over to peer over, seeing them sitting around one another. I wanted to kick myself for not leaving sooner.

"Aren't you cruel, Cassie..." one of them chirped. "The poor girl didn't know any better... she was just a little naive," they were all giggling. It felt like I was witnessing a scene straight out of a bickering, power-tripping rich women's club.

"We all know our husbands get tempted and for the sake of our positions we can endure. Sometimes we can even allow it so long as we still have our place. But she over-stepped. Had emotions. That was her mistake. I would have crushed her... made it so she couldn't lift her head up in my presence," they all continued to cackle. I held my hand to my chest. My ears felt violated. It all sounded so twisted...

"Well, it's not like he would leave me for her. He knows what would be at stake. If I told my father he would be let go of at the company. He would return back to the squalor state he was before I met him. He knows better. All for a useless woman. She doesn't even have money..."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Do people actually talk like this? Not just in dramatic, over the top dramas or films? Have mercy...

"Has he already come crawling back?" another one asked. I peered over again, and they were all in downward dog positions.

"Of course he has!" they all chuckled again. "Besides, we all know I've been having some fun with my assistant," I rolled my eyes, hoping they would finish soon. It felt like I was losing multiple brain cells at once...

"You see, they all eventually come back... but we need to re-assert our dominance otherwise we lose our credibility..." Cassandra concluded.

"Darling, on another note, did you see Helena the other day? She was wearing a piece from last year's Gucci's spring collection. Tried to make it out like it was an accident. I think her company's having trouble."

They all continued to speculate, gossip, and tear people down. They talked about who looked good and who didn't. Who was getting lip injections and fillers. Who was getting boob jobs, or a new butt or face lift.

"I think it's about time I get some botox."

"It's really life-changing honey, you won't regret it."

"Doesn't it hurt?"

"Just a little more than a little tuck here and there," and more laughter ensued...

I tried to not follow along, but by the end of it all it felt like my soul was creeping outside of my mouth. Before it felt like I would lose my sanity the door opened again and it was Edna, with a tray of cold-pressed juices. They were all sitting up now. I crawled onto the couch again, peering over.

"You see, with Edna here... although we only have an employee-employer relationship, she will still serve me as her duty, even if we do not like one another?" everyone around her was silent.

Cassandra stared up at Edna as she took her drink. The tray wobbled a little and Cassandra cursed at her, "be careful!" I was about to leap out, but Edna looked over and saw me and shook her head. With as much effort as possible, I tucked myself behind the couch again.

"Ma'am, my apologies" she coughed, and I could feel the air in the environment change.

"Are you sick?" Cassandra nervously laughed: "well now, people are going to think I let ill people in my house work..." I thought she might have some shame, but it was probably to save some face.

"You should go rest. Leave this here," Edna nodded and put the tray aside. I was fuming on the inside. When she left, Cassandra chuckled nervously again.

"Sorry ladies, of late, as you all know, things have been tense around here. Edna has grown fond of that... cunning woman living in my house."

I wanted to leap over and shake some sense into that woman. She was just as bad as I initially thought she was.

"Well, we all know how much I want to get rid of her, but when someone like Edna agrees with her... my hands are tied for the moment..."

"Well, dear, you know we support you," one of them said. I thought I was at my limit, but some of their phones started mutually ringing and they all had to excuse themselves. They cleared out without the next 5 minutes. When they left, I leapt forward. I glared at the spots they used to sit, both of my fists balled together.

Does she want me out of here? Wants to get rid of me? Okay... I brought my hands up pressed them together.

Bring it on, plastic Barbie...

After I cooled down, I decided to find Edna. When I did, I told her it was difficult for me to leave when they came. She patted the top of my head affectionately.

"You probably had a hard time, right?" I nodded, thinking of all the things they were saying. I wanted to disinfect my ears out with alcohol. Edna coughed again and I held onto her arms.

"Let me finish the rest of your chores... there are only a few hours before dinner. Rest up before that, alright?" she looked at me, trying to understand why I needed her to compromise with me. But I had assumed it was because she was always already taking care of other people, and not herself. Later, I would convince her to ask another staff member to make dinner. But for now, I needed to get her out from the kitchen and into her room.

"Alright, dear, I'll make a list..." after she handed me her list, I looked over it. What the hell was a nearly 70 something-year-old doing with this massive chore list? By choice? I sighed, thinking about how it would be another early night for me. I was going to be exhausted.

I realized that the bigger the house the more cleaning responsibilities, but the fact that she took on a lot more spaces in the house than she should... I wondered if I could talk to Nathan about getting her some more help...

Soon, I jumped into what was left on the list. A lot of dusting, polishing, and window cleaning.

I shimmied myself around the house, taking my time to make everything sparkly. It felt repetitive and tiresome after about an hour and I still had about an hour to go. When I was almost finished, sweat was pouring off of my body again. I had switched into more agile clothing earlier but it still felt like I should have been wearing a tank top and shorts...

I grabbed a hold of one of the ladders in the storage room and lugged it over to the foyer. I couldn't believe how heavy it was. I had hoped someone was helping her... especially considering how high this chandelier was hanging... this woman needed to retire into the lap of luxury for doing this for so many years.

After making my way up to the top with my cleaning supplies, I started dusting. Little specks of dust sprinkled down to the floor. I had to look away since I forgot my mask. When I believed I had done a thorough job and started to head down. I realize I only had the front windows left to clean.

When I got down to the last several steps I lost my footing and my body stumbled backwards. I was preparing to smack into the marble floor, but someone was behind me, as impossible as that sounds, bracing me, and preventing my fall. When I slowly turned my head around, I saw Kai, holding me up. I was being held tightly in his arms.