The Mysterious Butler

EIRA HELSINKI ESTATE.

Twenty-six minutes after they left the airport, they arrived at a quaint villa. Mateo turned to Ethan who was fast asleep at the back seat. He didn’t want to bother him but he couldn’t let him sleep yet… he had a lot of things to do before the burial tomorrow.

“Mr Ethan, we’ve arrived.” Mateo tapped his shoulder softly, waking him up from his sleep.

“Hmm… for how long have I been asleep?” He yawned, stretching his arms.

“For about twenty minutes now sir.” He replied before stepping out of the front seat.

“Welcome home, Mr Ethan.” Mateo opened the door to the back seat.

“Thank you very much.” He couldn’t help but smile at the young man.

“Why don’t you head in while I get your luggage from the trunk.”

“S…sure.” He hesitated a bit, staring at one of the most beautiful villas he had ever come across. Everything about it was luxurious, from the structure to the roofing… it was all just marvellous in his sight except for the ominous feeling he felt along with the cold weather.

Mateo walked him towards the doors of the villa before going back to get his luggage. He placed his hands on the door knob, taking deep breaths. No matter how much he wanted to accept that he had a family now, he just couldn’t and maybe that was why it was taking him so long to push the door open.

“This is so weird.” He whispered to himself, releasing the knob from his grip. He took deep breaths again before pushing the door open.

The extensive living room came into proper view as soon as he entered into the villa. The curved flight of stairs with a tight turn at the bottom leading to the first floor accentuated the beauty of the room with white luxurious sofas and a well-designed mahogany table placed at the centre of the room.

Ethan couldn’t help but gasp; the exterior and interior decoration of the house was perfect.

“Good evening, you must be young master Ethan.” A middle-aged man dressed in a black suit and thick, rimmed glasses on his face came out of the kitchen at the far end of living room with a tray of wine in his hands.

“Yes, I am Ethan.” He rubbed the back of his neck, not knowing what else to say.

“My name is Charles Wright but you can call me Charles. I’m the butler and doorman of the family. We’ve been expecting you for a while now, do follow me.” Charles had a bright smile on his face as he introduced himself. He was glad that there was a new member in the family.

“Sure.” Ethan responded, following the butler into another room at the ground floor. Inside the room was a long dining table at the centre with grey chairs around the table and a family of four spending a lively time together until they noticed him… the stranger amidst them.

They all made eye contacts with him, each having an expression on their face. Ethan couldn’t help but stand by the door side, speechless. The room which was lively earlier on suddenly turned sour and silent. The only sound he could hear in the room was the sound of the shoes of the butler clicking against the tiled floor.

He wasn’t able to read the expression on their faces which made him curious. Were they happy to see him? What would they say to him? Several thoughts like that ran through his mind as he stood there… in front of them. The only thing Ethan wished for as he stood there quietly was for the ground to open up and swallow him so that he could hide from those questioning eyes.

“Everyone, meet Ethan Elias.” The butler introduced him as he filled four glass cups with wine.

Ethan was hoping someone in the room would say something after the butler introduced him but everyone remained silent.

“Please have a seat Mr Ethan… you standing over there is very weird of you.” Charles stated the obvious truth without batting an eyelid. Ethan who was shocked at how a butler could be so outspoken, sat far away from the other four.

Since the room remained quiet; each attending to their food and the butler serving his dinner, he decided to analyse the people in the room based on what Mateo told him. By his left were his three siblings; Sebastian, Marlow and Amelia and by his right was his step father whose name he hadn’t found out yet.

He could tell that the more matured one amongst his siblings was Sebastian. His matured face and demeanour proved that fact. For a reason unknown to him, he felt Sebastian wouldn’t like him… he wouldn’t even try to like him… and he knew he wouldn’t like him either. Even with the way he stared at him, it was obvious.

Moving to the other handsome young man beside Sebastian with a shy smile forming on his face every time they made eye contact was Marlow and the only young lady amongst them was definitely Amelia. Her beautiful face and smile warmed his heart.

“It’s great for us to have you with us Ethan.” A man in night outfit whom Ethan understood was the man of the house spoke gently to him before returning to his food.

“We all know you’re lying sir.” Charles murmured enough for everyone to hear making them react accordingly.

“Charles, don’t you think you are being brutally honest right now?” The only lady amongst them spoke up after choking hardly on the broccoli in her plate.

“Of course not young miss.” He hummed out.

“When exactly will you be leaving?” Sebastian spoke up, filling the room with silence again.

Ethan remained speechless. He hadn’t really thought about it.

“I don’t really know yet.” He stared at his plate, not eating a single bit of grain.

“Do you plan to stay here forever? What do you mean by you haven’t thought about it yet?” Sebastian scoffed, a mocking smile forming on his face.

“Sebastian, Mr Ethan just arrived. Don’t you think it would be polite to have a pleasant conversation with your elder brother than to ask him such irrelevant questions?” the butler slapped his wrist with a spoon, scolding and silencing him completely.

Ethan couldn’t stop being amazed at how a butler could hold so much power but he was also grateful that he interfered. He was definitely a mysterious butler.

“You should hurry up with your food Mr Ethan as you have a lot to do afterwards.” Charles added more vegetables to Ethan’s plate.