“Burn those who burned me!” Chapter 109

***Zelma’s POV:***

Zelma Fynch had been a maid of the Rochesters for over 25 years. 15 of which as the head maid. She began working for the Rochesters at age 20. Zelma was from a small and poor countryside called Midland. Her mother died when she was seven leaving just her and an alcoholic, gambling father. After running into debt with an underground gambling mob, her father made a deal with the under lord to sell his daughter as a slave. To escape, Zelma climbed out of her bedroom window and ran away. She was able to save up some money from a job she had as a waitress and used it to buy her a one way ticket to Kingston.

Shortly after arriving, she applied for a maid’s position at the Rochesters. Never looking back…never learning what became of her father when the under lords learned he couldn’t pay his debt. Zelma began her new life as the Rochesters’ maid.

Over the years, she proved to be hardworking, trustworthy, and above all else…loyal. Throughout the years, she’d seen all kinds of unsavory deals done by the Rochesters, never once wavering or passing judgement. Afterall, had it not been for them, she may have end up homeless or worse. When Calvin and Sharon Rochesters began having children, it was Zelma that was there every step of the way from the pregnancies to the deliveries. She’d been with her mistress through every delivery and each postpartum. She had also been there the night Graceland was born, and when she returned home.

Zelma never once said a word about any of the illegal activities the Rochesters performed, about any of the labor laws they often broke, about any of the cheating they often did.

It wasn’t until Graceland came back to the estate that Zelma felt her loyalty being tested.

When word came out of Graceland’s return, it was naturally assumed the Rochesters would be beyond ecstatic. Afterall, what parents wouldn’t be. But Zelma knew the truth. She knew the return of Graceland Rochester would be anything but welcoming, especially since many didn’t know she was kidnapped in the first Place.

When Graceland was first discovered, Sharon was the first to panic.

*“ZELMA!!!! Get in here now!!!!”*

*“Madam?”*

*CRASH!!!!!*

Sharon threw a glass cup into the wall as she screamed and cursed. Zelma wasn’t sure why, but something had her mistress distressed.

*“Madam, if you could tell me what happ-”*

*“I tell you what happened!!”*

She’d cut Zelma off before she could finish.

*“They found her!!! They fucking found her!! After all these years!!!”*

*?????????*

Zelma was confused, who was this person her mistress didn’t want found?

*“I’m sorry…but found who madam?”*

*“MY DAUGHTER!!!”*

*!!!!!!!!!*

*“Y-You mean….”*

The words were like clumps in Zelma’s throat. She knew exactly what daughter, her madam was referring too.

How had this happened???? The night that child was born, Zelma was sure….

*“Call that fuckin prick now!!! Have him meet me at the warehouse in 30 fucking minutes!!!”*

Madam Sharon rushed out of the bedroom furious. What was going on? Who found the child? There were a million questions floating in Zelma’s mind. Still, her mistress had given her an order, so without hesitation she called Benard Thorton, the Rochesters *‘handyman’*.

*“Yeah, who is it?”*

A groggy voice came through on the other line.

*“Mr. Thornbush, Madam Rochester has requested your presence at the usual location.”*

Silence.

*“She say what for?”*

*“My madam didn’t disclose that information, but she did inform me it is an urgent matter.”*

Silence.

*“Urgent matter regarding what! Look dammit, I can’t just drop what I’m doing every ti-”*

*“Regarding July 7th, 2005.”*

Silence.

*“I’m on my way.”*

*Click.*

Benard arrived at the warehouse only ten minutes after Zelma and Sharon Rochester arrived.

As usual, Sharon had Zelma wait outside the warehouse while she conducted business. As she sat on the stool outside the warehouse, Zelma could hear her madam yelling and Benard.

*“How the fuck did they find her!!!”*

*“I don’t know! How do they even know it’s your chi-”*

*“They did a fucking blood test!!!”*

Silence.

*“I…I don’t understand.”*

Lowered voice.

*“No…what ‘I’ don’t understand…is how the fuck they found a child that was supposed to be dead!”*

………..

Sharon and Benard went back and forth for over an hour.

*“Look…do you want me to take care….”*

*“It’s too late!!! Calvin is having her brought home!!”*

…………….

After over the meeting ended, Sharon stormed out of the warehouse with Benard walking slowly behind her.

*“Let’s go Zelma!!”*

Zelma immediately stood and followed behind her madam. The car ride back was silent until they arrived back at the estate.

*“Zelma…you’re not to inform my husband of this meeting from today…understood?”*

*“Yes madam…of course.”*

Pause…..

*“Also…that child…she’ll be returning to the estate. You are never….and I mean NEVER to tell her the truth surrounding her birth. Understood?”*

*“Yes madam.”*

*“The day you do…it’ll be the last words you ever speak.”*

*“Yes madam.”*

Zelma wasn’t concerned however; she knew she would never betray her mistress.

Once the child arrived, Sir Rochester informed us all, the child’s name was Graceland. Naturally, Zelma assumed since returned, the child would be treated no different than the other children. However, it quickly became painfully and pitifully obvious that was not the case.

Over the years, Zelma stood by in silence as the family abused, mistreated, and used the child. They stole her academic and talented creativity leaving her starving for approval and love. They doted on their adoptive daughter Olivia, never once revealing the truth. That SHE was in fact the adoptive daughter and Graceland was their biological daughter. The night it came into question, Sharon convinced Calvin it would bring shame to the Rochester name if others learned the truth. That for the sake of the family, the truth must remain hidden.

The only ones that were aware of the truth were the Brooks, the Rochesters long time friends and business associates.

Throughout the years, Zelma stood quietly, never voicing her opinion, never wavering a thought. Even when she silently felt bad, cried, and would try to help the child, she never betrayed the Rochesters. It wasn’t until the night the necklace was stolen that Zelma had finally reached her limit of loyalty.

The night Graceland was accused of stealing the necklace at the time; no one was aware that Olivia had stolen the necklace from the Sir and Madam’s room. That is accept for Zelma. She was in the room the morning Olivia took.

*“Zelma…come here.”*

Zelma never liked Olivia, she was unusually cruel, lazy, and unremarkable. Over the years, she didn’t understand why her sir and madam invested so much into her instead of their biological daughter. Still, she was the family heiress, so Zelma had no choice but to respect and follow her orders.

*“Yes young Miss.”*

*“I want you to take this and in 30 minutes, walk up to me as I am speaking to my mother and tell me you found it in my sister’s room.”*

Olivia dropped the necklace into Zelma's hand.

*????????????*

*“Ma’am I don’t under-”*

*“I didn’t ask you to understand!!”*

Of course, Zelma followed the order of her young miss. That night, Graceland was accused of stealing the necklace and when the truth came out, Olivia was dangerously close to blaming Zelma. That morning, she was scared that she may be terminated or worse so Zelma told Sharon the truth.

Sharon stood in horror as Zelma detailed the events surrounding the necklace. Afterwards, Sharon thanked Zelma for her loyalty and promised to take care of everything. She could remember seeing Graceland that next morning feeling beyond sad that she was forced to stay bound to such a family. Still, she was loyal to the Rochesters. That was of course until she overheard the conversation regarding her marriage to Jonathan Brooks.

*“Look Jonathan, I know you love Livie. We have no intentions of interfering with that. Just marry Graceland and have a baby with her…you know how your grandfather is. Afterwards, you can divorce her and do as you please.”*

Zelma stood in shock…why…why had they treated this girl in such a way! What had she done to earn such hatred from this family? Zelma never knew the full truth regarding Graceland’s birth and why her madam wanted to get rid of her so bad.

Still, in that moment…Zelma saw her 20 year old self…being sold off by her father. It was in that moment she decided to help that child escape; because unlike the others, Zelma knew of the marriage proposal from the Christiansens. She’d found the contract while cleaning Graceland’s room. She also knew that Graceland traveled at least twice a year to South Bay to honor the death of her adoptive mother. She figured that was how she met the Christiansens. Later that evening, she reached out to Marla Christiansen.

A few weeks after, she was approached by Tyler Green, Kai Christiansen’s PI.

And now….

*“Lord Christiansen…allow me to introduce myself, I’m Zelma Fynch…head maid of the Rochester Family.”*