Capítulo 83: Caught
Melina moved quickly from one button to the other, gritting her teeth in annoyance.
She sure needed a cold bath after today's stress and for that, she needed to be fast and leave here before Nikita and Leanna got to the room.
From the way she was undressing him, Albert could tell she was in a haste.
For what? He didn't know. But he was certain he would make sure to waste her time here. He had his suspicions to clear and he would make sure he did just that.
"What is a pretty lady like you doing working in a palace as a servant?" he suddenly asked and stared intently at her as he waited for an answer.
Melina raised her head and blinked at him confused at what he was talking about. Was being pretty a leverage to getting to live a better life? She didn't know that.
"I grew up here," she stated which was the truth. However, Albert wasn't convinced.
He continued his investigation, "You don't have parents?" he asked again and Melina almost snapped.
"Of course, I do but I didn't know them," she tried to sound calm as she spoke but Albert was very observant and he took note of the change in her voice.
She was angry.
Melina was now getting fed up with everyone asking about her parents. Were they supposed to be some sort of attachment in her life? Was she the only one whose parents weren't with her here? There were a lot of maids in the same situation as her!
So why did people particularly care about her parents?
"You didn't know them?" he posed a question again, taking note of how she used a past tense. "Why? Are they dead?"
"I don't know," she said again.
Albert narrowed his eyes at her, trying to search for any change in her expression but she looked the same as if she was saying the truth.
Was she?
She had finally undone all his buttons and reluctantly, she raised her hand to his shoulders to pull down the shirt.
Albert let her do as she pleased and the fabric slowly slid down his arms before completely coming off, exposing his toned body to her bewildered sight.
His unswerving gaze was still plastered on her and Melina was beginning to notice how he looked at her like he was suspicious.
Suspicious of what exactly? She asked herself, not knowing what she could have done that would make a king who had just arrived in her kingdom suspect her.
Now left with his taut and hard bare chest gaping at her, her cheeks flushed and she gulped hard before she turned her gaze away.
God... How was this man even...? This morning, she had been rushed by the valet while dressing the king so she didn't get the chance to look at his well-sculpted body that held no blemishes.
Compared to this man's body... She began comparing.
She could say Leon's body was much more toned and defined, even smoother than King Albert's.
King Albert had rough lines to his skin like he had been to war countless times. His torso was leaner
Albert noticed this and said, "You shouldn't blush like that in front of a man. You might send the wrong message." His words made Melina straighten and reply,
"I wasn't blushing, Your Highness." Didn't she tell him earlier she had never done this for a man before?
Why was he saying such a thing? By the way, it had only been out of embarrassment she had turned red, she lied to herself.
She looked down at his black pants that hung delicately against the dip of his hips. Innocently and without warning, she stretched her hand to the belt and began to unfasten it, startling Albert.
"What are you doing?" he asked her as he stopped her trembling hands with his larger hands before shoving them away.
Melina blinked at him. What was she doing? Wasn't she doing what she was supposed to do?
"I was... about to take out your lower cloth off, Your Highness," she said like it was very obvious.
Though that had been what she was trained to do, she didn't understand the gravity of seeing a naked man yet.
She thought it was similar to bathing a woman since Paloma had never talked about the actual difference between a man's and a woman's body.
She only grazed the surface of reality to the young girl, feeling it to be inappropriate to tell her about manhood.
"Are you crazy or just feigning to be stupid?" his question caught Melina off guard as she knotted her brows.
Perhaps she was not supposed to remove a king's pants? Was that why he was enraged? But no one had told her that! Ms. Carlos didn't even inform her.
"I-I am sorry, Your Highness." she gave a small bow. She was about to ask a question when he said,
"I didn't know Regaleon harboured indecent maids. Do you plan to strip me naked?" Melina stood under his intimidating gaze which she had only noticed until now.
"Y-yes?" she answered. "W-what else was I supposed to do, Your Highness?" she didn't understand. Was he planning to bathe with his trousers on?
That was not customary. She had never been told someone could bathe half-naked.
Albert sighed seeing that she was truly clueless. He looked at her for a while before he let out,
"I would bathe with my lower cloth on." his words left no room for questioning and Melina immediately nodded before making her way to the bathroom with Albert trailing behind her.
She went to the cupboard again to collect soap and Albert used the opportunity to submerge himself in the middle of the bathtub with his trousers on, monitoring how she fumbled with unfamiliar soaps and oils.
Finally, she placed her hand on the fragrance: Lavender.
She grabbed a cloth before she made her way to where he sat in the bathtub and began splashing water on his chest.
Usually, she started with the legs but with his trousers on, she placed the cloth she had rubbed with soap on his chest first.
Albert just closed his eyes, letting her do what she knew best. To be honest, he was surprised that her skilled hands could make him feel so relaxed and peaceful.
But that wasn't his aim of sending her here. It would be useless if he just laid and let her wash him when he was supposed to be focusing on something else.
With that thought, he abruptly opened his eyes to look at the girl who was caught off guard as she found it easier to bathe him when she wasn't under his scrutinizing gaze.
"What is your name?" he raised a question that had Melina almost roll her eyes.
Seriously? Was that why he had scared her? To know her name? What was this king up to?
"Melina," she replied before she continued washing his upper body, moving to his shoulders.
Albert felt the urge to simply close his eyes and enjoy this bath but he fought that instinct.
"Why didn't you resign from working in the palace and get a better job with this pretty face of yours?"
Was he asking her that question again?! God! The people who worked for elites had a lot of patience because what were these silly inquiries he was making?
Albert raised a brow at her waiting for her reply and she could tell he wanted a different type of response.
"I didn't know beauty could be used that way and the palace doesn't let servants leave till a certain point?" she informed him.
"Quite unfair," he commented.
Right?! How could they just lock her up like a caged bird in here? She was supposed to have a life too!
Finally, she had something she supported this king on but she didn't voice out anything and just stared at him.
Albert kept looking at her with curiosity.
He didn't know why but his uncertainties weren't clarified yet. Maybe he should go for a much more straightforward approach. He told himself.
As the young girl began to wash his body down to his back, she felt his watch on her intensify making her uncomfortable. Though his gaze held nothing lustful unlike the way the other men stared at her, she still didn't like being looked at that way.
Without warning, she saw him suddenly bring his hand forward to touch her hair and she froze in place, the cloth she had been using to wash him hung midair as she dilated her eyeballs.
What was he doing?
"Red hair..." he finally heard him speak as he curled his fingers around her fiery-looking hair.
Seeing her shocked reaction that he had been waiting for all along, he supposed that his assumptions were right.
"Are you going to tell the truth now?" his face suddenly turned serious like he was seeking answers from a criminal who had been caught.
"Don't even attempt to lie to me or I will snap your neck with my bare hands." his tone sent a chill down Melina's spine as he glared at her before she moved away from him, petrified.
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