Thanks for the reviews:

Yes, yes, I know I should've done this sooner but I was a bit forgetful. No, really who can forget all those supportive reviews that gave me courage to carry on with such a stupid story (lol). Anyway, thank you everyone.

Hutchy- I'm very surprised to notice that you're been following my story from the start. Note: I'm a very bad writer but I'm glad that you like my story. I hope I won't disappoint you or sth. About the security system, I know it's a bit too much but to think about it, who knows what you can do in a bathroom? So they had to be careful, that's all.

Sparkling-Ruby Gem- Enrique is just being a BOY. Trust me, I've seen worst. Anyway, I'm not so sure about the couples yet. I'm hesitating between Hilary/Enrique, Hilary/Tyson. But I can tell you something, there'll be Max/Mariam (the classic couple), maybe Kenny/Emily and later on Tala/Mariah. There might be more. Anyway, if you have any suggestions do make yourself heard (or if you're against sth, please say so.)

Siretra- You've said the 2 sentences I thought I'd never hear. Thank you so much for giving me hope

Kami's right hand girl- Well, I guess you know that Enrique is a pervert by now but in the next chapters, he'll be seducing girls…

Once again, thank you!

So here's the story:

Chapter 4: Hidden Secrets

Hilary sat uncomfortably in her new crisp uniform in front of Signora Tornatore's study. It was nearly a week since she started working and this was the first time she was going to see the mistress of the house. Apparently the master wasn't back yet. Hilary remembered how painful the week was, from cleaning the 2 dining room, doing the laundry, feeding the dogs (didn't mention it in the previous chapters but the Tornatore have 11 dogs, not to mention the cook's cat family), etc… even though, there were other maids too, the villa was so big it took half a day to finish the chores. She nearly slept at the mass on Sunday if it wasn't for Mariam to poke her awake. Mariam worked on the other side of the villa so she didn't see her so often but she seemed to be more fit than herself. Hilary guessed it was just a question of time. Suddenly the door opened.

"You can come in now" Emily said as she went out.

Hilary glanced at the bespectacled girl. She hadn't changed since their last meeting: the same superior look. Hilary entered the study. She quickly noted a desk of mahogany and Louis XIV furniture. A handsome woman in her thirties, was sitting in the armchair behind the desk, a poodle on her lap. She was wearing an emerald suit with a dragonfly brooch on the right flap (is this the word?) and her dark caramel hair was wrapped in a strict bun.

"Hilary Brown" Her voice was smooth like honey.

"Yes, Signora" Hilary answered.

"Come and take a seat."

Hilary obeyed. She felt the mistress's gaze on her.

"Have you read the rules"

"Yes, signora."

"So why do you have a bubble gum in your mouth"

Hilary jumped in surprise.

"Sorry, signora. I… I've forgotten."

"So what are you waiting for"

The mistress handed her a piece of paper for her to spit in. Hilary blushed with embarrassment.

"What do you think of here" the mistress asked

Hilary looked around.

"Quite big, signora."

The mistress let out a crystallized laugh. My God, she's so beautiful, Hilary thought to herself, I wonder if the famous young master Enrique looks like her.

"I see. Did you make any friends" she asked

"I know Mariam Merzougi, Max Mitzuhara, Tyson Granger, Salima Mikori. I've met Kenny Marple and Emily Watson…"

As she was saying this, the mistress nodded at each name and her poodle seemed to do as much. When she finished enumerating the names, the mistress spoke"You know well how to choose friends. Among those you have named, are my closest servants and some are my son's playmates. Well, I don't think I have anything to say anymore. You're starting well. I hope you'll like your new home."

The last sentence meant for Hilary to leave. As she was getting up the mistress added"Oh, and never forget the first rule: no wandering about." As Hilary looked at her with a puzzled look, the mistress smiled"The villa is big, as you say, we don't want people getting lost."

The mistress's words pampered in Hilary's mind as she made her way to the East Wing. She suddenly came by Mariam and Salima, a girl Mariam introduced to her during the mass. The blue-headed and the red one were cleaning the grand steps that led to the West Wing where she had just left. They were chatting animatedly but when they noticed her, they fell into silence.

"Hey, what's up" Hilary asked

"Nothing" Salima and Mariam said in unison.

Hilary raised her eyebrow.

"What were you talking about"

"Nothing much" Mariam answered.

"So how did it go" Salima fended asking.

Hilary decided to give in.

"She is lovely but she doesn't say much" she answered

"Yes, the mother is a quiet one but wait till you meet the father, he's a lady's man, like his son" Salima said.

"So that's what it's all about" Hilary realized"Master Enrique is a playboy"

"Yep, and my God, every girl falls for him" Salima said dreamily.

"Did you" Hilary teased.

Salima hit her arm, giggling behind frustration.

"I guess that's a yes" Hilary laughed.

"What about yourself, Miss brown" Mariam asked"Do you have a thing for Tyson Granger"

Hilary glared at her, eyes wide.

"Mariam Merzougi, I never thought… How dare you"

The girls giggled as they pushed each other on the steps.

"You shouldn't be talking like this" Salima said after she recovered from the fit of giggles"Everyone knows you're going out with Mitzuhara."

"Shut up" Mariam blushed which made them laugh even more.

"Hem hem"

The girls looked up and saw Emily, hands on hips, staring down at them.

"Chatting is for break, but you are in working time so please go back to work" Emily ordered

"Yes, Miss Watson" Mariam said sarcastically

Emily chose to ignore her and turned to Hilary.

"Miss Brown, I believe you must clean the hunting room along with Miss Giuseppe and Miss Bianco in the East Wing."

"Too right you are, Miss Watson" Hilary answered, with an innocent smile.

Emily glared at her.

"So what are you waiting for"

Hilary got up and said goodbye to her friends. The villa was divided in 4 major parts: the South Wing, where the servants lived, was used as the office and included a library; the north wing composed the ballroom and the dining rooms; the West Wing was the masters' quarters and the East Wing was used for receiving guests and other past time activities. She was walking through a gallery of Renaissance paintings when she felt as if she was being followed. She looked back but couldn't see anyone. She hated walking in the corridors of paintings. She always had the awful feeling about those painted eyes looking down at her. Suddenly, she noticed a strange tapestry hanging on the wall. Its left hem seemed stuck in the wall! As Hilary was moving closer, someone coughed behind her. She jumped.

"You're looking for something, young lady"

It was Butler Granger.

"Oh, nothing" Hilary backed up and exited the gallery. She bumped into someone.

"Oww"

"Tyson! What are you doing here" Hilary asked the navy-haired boy.

"I need to find my grandfather" Tyson explained"Our hut is running out of food"

Tyson, like most gardeners had their hut built near the forest grounds and rarely came in side the building.

"I've just passed him, in that gallery" Hilary said and turned back to the gallery but there was no one there.

"God, this house is creepy" Hilary murmured"He was here a moment ago."

"Thank God, I don't live here" Tyson shuddered.

Hilary turned to him.

"Don't you know about the things going around here" she asked

"No, do you"

"Of course not! That's why I'm asking you"

"All right, no need to shout."

"Come and look at this" Hilary pointed at the tapestry"I was examining it when your granddad came in."

The two teenagers stared at the tapestry. Tyson tucked at the hem that was stuck in the wall. Suddenly a metallic door opened behind the tapestry! Tyson looked at Hilary.

"Going in"

Before she could answer, someone came in.

"Hey, you two1 What are you doing"

They both jumped and as a reflex, they ran. Hilary had the time to glimpse at their pursuer: tall in a suit. They reached a staircase where servants were cleaning and climbed it at horse speed.

"Hey! Watch where you're going" a maid shouted after them as they nearly knocked the bucketful of water. They turned right , pushed away a couple of waiters and entered a dark room.

"What the hell was that" Tyson asked, panting.

"Looks like they're keeping a secret" Hilary whispered.

"Yeah, once while digging the garden, I found some king of metallic platform. I called Max to come over and look at it. He mumbled something then told me to dig some where else. Isn't that strange"

Hilary didn't answer. She was listening to the footsteps outside.

Suddenly the door opened. The man in the suit turned on the light in the music room. He scanned the empty space. A large grand piano was place in the middle of the room, a cloth covering it. His eyes narrowed then he turned off the light and left. From under the piano, Tyson whispered"Is he gone"

Hilary answered"Yes but wait a little while longer."

"Ho, my back's aching in here" Tyson moaned. Hilary put a hand over his lips. When she was sure enough she removed them and crawled out from under the piano. Tyson did the same.

"What are you going to do now"

"Go back to work" Hilary answered.

"Okay, well, see you around."

With that, Tyson left. Hilary still couldn't believe what she had just found out. What if the Tornatore was really keeping a secret? No wandering about, the signora's words rang in Hilary's ears. Maybe they're really hiding something after all…