Agnes fell onto her bed after being abruptly awakened by a loud banging on her door. The person outside seemed desperate to enter her room, knocking relentlessly.
She glanced at the time on her phone, it was only 3 AM. She couldn't help but wonder who was outside and what they wanted from her. At first, she had no intention of opening the door, but when the person identified themselves, she quickly moved to open the door.
"Sir. Morris!"
He entered her house, accompanied by his wife and child, who were glaring at her. Agnes was about to greet them when, without warning, Sir. Morris grabbed her by the throat. She struggled to breathe, coughing and trying to pry his hand away from her neck.
"S-Sir. Morris!"
"Someone told me that a merman washed up here, and you're the one they found at that place. Tell me, where is the merman?"
"I-I don't know."
"You're lying! Dad, don't believe her! This woman is just after money! She's probably hiding the merman that your men are looking for so she can profit from it." Lady Brianna interrupted.
"I-I really don't know!"
"Don't you dare lie to us! Someone said that a cut was made on the fishing net used to capture that creature, and you were the one they found at the scene! Where did you take it? Where did you hide it?" Madame Beattrice angrily asked.
"Please believe me, I-I don't have what you're looking for! I only go to two places: my house and the mansion. I couldn't have hidden the merman there. I have no place where I can hide him."
Sir Morris released his grip on her but shoved her, causing her to stumble and fall to the floor. Her side hit the edge of the bed, causing a sharp pain. Yet, this family didn't even seem to care.
"Dad, don't believe that woman! How is she going to explain the fishing net? It's obvious someone cut the net to let the merman escape!" Lady Brianna taunted.
"When I went to the edge of the beach, I didn't find anything but the fishing net inside the cave. Besides, if I were hiding the merman, I wouldn't have let it go because it could escape. Think about it, My Lady ." she said, trying to explain.
"You're answering back?" The lady walked up to her.
Lady Brianna grabbed the collar of her shirt, and tried to make her stand. She shoved her face into the small table, causing her belongings to fall, including the bracelet that belonged to the dead mermaid she had seen.
"Whose is this?" The lady raised an eyebrow and picked up the bracelet.
"I-it's mine."
They fought over the bracelet made of pearls, their eyes gleaming as they admired it. Agnes gathered her courage and snatched it back from them, knowing she had found it and deserved to keep it.
"Where did this come from? How did you get this bracelet?" Sir. Morris asked.
"My father gave it to me before he passed. When he would dive, he'd find pearls." Agnes lied, though it pained her to do so.
"In that case, it's ours now." Lady Brianna said, trying to take the bracelet from Agnes.
"Please, it's mine!" Agnes protested.
"Stop, Agnes! This is your payment for us providing you with shelter and food, even though you're just a burden to our family!" Sir. Morris interrupted.
Agnes fell silent, her head bowed. She wanted to yell at them, but she couldn't. It was their fault her parents died. If they hadn't forced her parents to fish in bad weather, they might still be alive, and she could have finished her studies.
Moreover, she was paying them back for the house and food they gave her. She followed their orders without complaint, never reporting their abuse to the authorities. And the food she ate was often leftovers, sometimes there was nothing left at all.
"Let's go."
They left her house without a word, and their car sped off without even a farewell. Agnes sighed, planning to retrieve the bracelet later when she gets to the mansion.
The Acosta family was going too far!
(FASTFORWARD)
Later, after washing the dishes from lunch, Agnes didn't hesitate to sneak into Lady Brianna's room to look for the bracelet she had taken. She had found it, so it was rightfully hers. It was also a beautiful memento from when she first saw the mermaid, and she felt it was only right to take it back.
As she entered the room, she paused when she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. It seemed Lady Brianna was taking a shower. Agnes continued searching for the bracelet and noticed the messy bed.
Her heart raced when she saw a white liquid on the bed cover, as if something miraculous had happened earlier. The events from earlier flashed in her mind.
She arrived at the Acosta mansion late in the morning. She hadn't even fully entered when she saw her boyfriend's car leaving. Why was Erick here so early, and why didn't he even tell her?
She slapped her own cheek, wondering why her mind was racing with thoughts like this. She couldn't help but doubt Erick because of what she had seen. Maybe it was just lotion or some sticky milk. Erick wouldn't deceive her. He only goes into the lady's room to talk.
She finally found the bracelet and quickly left the room. She was about to go down the stairs when she encountered Madame Beattrice, who was dressed up and blushing from her blush-on. It looked like she was about to leave.
"So you're still here?" The Madame raised an eyebrow.
"I beg your pardon, Madame Beattrice?"
"Didn't my daughter tell you that we're going out today?"
"No, Madame. She didn't mention anything to me."
"In that case, you may now leave. Go home early today because we're going out."
She remained silent and just nodded. Thd Madame turned away and she made her way down the stairs. A wide smile spread across her face as she left the mansion. She would get to rest today and maybe even spend time with Erick.
She quickly went home and didn't hesitate to call Erick, inviting him to come over. But he made an excuse about a meeting he had to attend, so he couldn't come.
She didn't know what to do. Maybe her thoughts were right that he was growing cold and getting tired of her. But she hoped she was wrong. She didn't think she could handle losing him since he was the only one she considered as family.
She had no parents or relatives, and the Acostas only saw her as a servant, not family. Erick was all she had left, and she prayed every day that he would stay by her side.
She was lost in thought when something urged her to get up and walk along the beach, to hang out at her favorite spot. She quickly tidied herself up and left the house.
Her life felt so lonely, even her neighbors were strangers. The house that the couple built for her was far away, near the sea. So, whenever there was a storm, she would ask to stay in the mansion, often sleeping on the couch in their living room, even though the mansion had so many bedrooms.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the strange sound again that she had heard the night before. Her heart raced when she realized it was the sound of a mermaid She quickly rushed toward the source of the sound.
She smiled when she saw the merman she had saved the night before. She noticed his tail was bleeding, and for a moment, she hesitated. Instead of approaching him, she quickly went back to her house to get some ointment she could apply to his wound.
She wasn't sure if it would work on a merman, but it couldn't hurt to try. When she returned, he was no longer sitting on the rock, but she could still hear his faint humming.
She scanned the area and spotted the merman hiding behind a large rock in the water, just a few steps away. He was peeking at her, thinking his hiding was effective.
"How are you? Come here, I'll treat your wound." she called out.
At first, he hesitated, unsure whether to approach her. But then he swam toward her, and she was shocked by how quickly he reached her. After all, fish could swim fast.
She sat down on the sand, crossing her legs, and he sat beside her. She opened the ointment bottle and applied it gently to his tail where the wound was. She couldn't help but marvel at the experience of touching a mermaid's tail.
It was the first time she had ever touched a merman's tail, and she couldn't help but be in awe. Her eyes wandered up from the tail to his V-line, his six-pack abs, and his chest. If he hadn't made a sound, she might have buried her face in his chest.
"Hey, merman, what's your name? Do you have a name?" she asked when their eyes met.
He furrowed his brow and tilted his head. He looked confused, but she found it incredibly cute—like a child who didn't understand the world.
"Can you talk?" she asked, but he didn't respond.
She figured he probably couldn't speak, living underwater. All he could do was hum, not speak like a normal person. But she couldn't help but ask, hoping he could answer. She decided to speak for both of them.
"Well, I hope this ointment works on your wound." she said, smiling.
When she looked at him, her heart skipped a beat as she saw him staring at her intently. There was something special about being stared at by such a handsome being she had never encountered before.
"Don't stare at me like that." she said, looking away.
But no matter how much she tried, she couldn't shake the feeling of his gaze on her. She looked back at him. Was he planning to keep staring at her like that? She almost joked that she might kiss him, but quickly pushed that thought away.
"Are you really not going to stop staring at me?" she said, getting irritated.
Why wasn't he listening to her now? He obeyed her last night when she told him not to move. Maybe he understood her, but why was he now staring at her like a baby who didn't understand anything? Was it a coincidence that he didn't move last night, or did he truly understand her?
She sighed and shook her head. It didn't matter. Thinking about it was giving her a headache, and no one could answer her questions. She took a deep breath and spoke to him again, even though she knew he wouldn't respond.
"Why do you keep coming back here? Didn't you think you might get hurt if someone sees you? Also, how did you get wounded?"
He didn't answer, instead tilting his head. He looked like a two-year-old in front of her, with raised eyebrows and slightly parted lips, blinking slowly but steadily.
What could she expect from a creature like him? He lived underwater, and it was probably the second time he had been on land. She shouldn't be surprised if they didn't understand each other.
"Wait, have you eaten?" she asked suddenly.
He furrowed his brow, scratching his head in confusion. If they couldn't communicate, this was going to be difficult for her. She decided to stand up and leave for a moment to find some seaweed. If she remembered correctly, manatees—creatures similar to mermaids—ate seaweeds.
"Here!" she smiled when she found some seaweed not far from them.
She smiled as she handed it to him, and he immediately grabbed it from her, like a hungry street child. His eyes shone with hunger as he eagerly devoured the seaweed, chewing it down even with sand still on it.
"Eat slowly. Don't worry, I'm not going to take any from you." she said, smiling.
She raised her hand to touch his cheek, but he quickly pulled away, his earlier angry look replaced by fear. He was still afraid of her, even after she had helped him, treated his wound, and given him food?
She understood why he wouldn't trust just anyone, especially humans. But if he was going to face only her, he should trust her. She was kind and genuinely wanted to help him, with all her heart, without complaining.
"Don't be afraid, I'm nice." she said softly.
She gently placed her hand on his head and patted him, like a child who had done something good. She felt that he liked it, as he smiled and moved his head closer to her.
Her lips parted as he smiled at her, something she didn't think a merman knew how to do. But this merman knew how to smile, and she had to admit, it suited him. It was a charming smile, almost irresistible.
"You like it when I pat your head, don't you?" she teased as she continued patting him.
He smiled even wider, and she couldn't help but laugh softly. If only he were human.
She told him to eat again, and he immediately obeyed. Whether he understood her or not, she was happy to see him eating, whether it was because of her words or simply because he was hungry.
Her joy was interrupted when she saw five boats approaching the shore. The merman, too, seemed startled and swam away in fear, likely worried about being seen by the fishermen. He would be in serious danger if they caught him.
"Go away!" she shouted.
The merman paused, staring at her for a moment, then swam off. She watched him disappear, and soon the boats arrived, with fishermen carrying dynamite. She was furious at what she saw.
"Mister, isn't it illegal to use dynamite to catch fish?!" she shouted angrily.
"Don't interfere. Who said we're catching fish? We're hunting mermaids. We saw one earlier— a male and almost caught it, but its tail was injured when we threw dynamite in the sea. It just managed to escape." one of the men grumbled.
Was it the merman she helped earlier? If it was, she was thankful that he escaped the fishermen's attempt to catch him. These fishermen knew it was illegal to use dynamite, but they still kept doing it. Their behavior was disgusting.
"Aren't you the helper for the Acosta family?" another fisherman asked.
She nodded slowly.
"Well, in that case, you should know that Sir. Morris gave us plenty of dynamite. In fact, next week, we'll be using ten boxes of dynamite to catch mermaids. That's an order from your master."
"W-what?!" she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"We'll blow up the sea to bring out those strange creatures." the fishermen laughed before leaving.
'What will happen to those poor creatures now?'