《Tempting the Billionaire and His Heir》 1 _ I had just arrived home when I heard the creaking sound of the door. I quickly turn around to catch my stubborn son trying to sneak in. ¡°And where the hell do you think you are going?!¡± I roared. He has been gone for days with no words of his whereabouts nor was he answering his phone and now he is back and behaving like nothing happened. ¡°My room of course, where else?¡± Nn said nonchntly which pisses me off more than anything, I hate when he behaves like this, like he has no care in the world. ¡°Great! Double great! You disappear for days and when you return you behave this way¡± I said exasperatedly, I was tired and frustrated at work already then this, to top his careless attitude and way of life. ¡°Did you see my calls?¡± I questioned. ¡°I did. And when someone doesn¡¯t answer your calls it means they don¡¯t want to talk to you which was embarrassing Dad, you kept on calling, you couldn¡¯t even get the hint¡± he said trying to walk past me and grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him close to me. ¡°I am still talking and you are going to listen to me¡± I managed to get out through clenched teeth. ¡°And I am done talking,¡± Nn replied, ring at me. ¡°I see what you are turning out to be and that is why I came up with this decision, I am hiring a Nanny and a bodyguard for you¡± I said and he scoffed. ¡°You wish¡± he said and burst out intoughter. ¡°Is there any sign of jokes written on my face?¡± My statement seemed to have sounded real in his ears and got paused from his rancorousughter. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me!¡± He yelled, with how he was ring at me one would assume his eyeballs were about to fall off its sockets. ¡°I can and I have, so get your shit together because if you keep on pulling more stunts so would I¡± I warned.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°That is the fucking problem with you, you always want to control everyone¡¯s life, no matter what you do, I would never bend to your wills!¡± He yelled and Iughed. ¡°I only have to control you because as each day goes by you are bing more of an ass¡± I fired, ring at him, I always have to clean the ness he leaves around just to not get our name tainted, the minutes I am done cleaning one of his mess, he moves to another. ¡°Oh stop with the tter father, I am only bing you after all the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from its tree¡± he kept on ring at me, perhaps he thinks that would piss me off. ¡°This isn¡¯t the behavior of the future heir to the Brown Construction Inc. get your shits together because I wouldn¡¯t be around to clean them after you all the time¡± I said as calmly as I could when I know how pissed at his behavior I am. ¡°I already told you I have no interest in your sessor, I have no interest in thepany, you can¡¯t tell me what to do and I never asked you to clean after me. Why don¡¯t you let the media and the people see the kind of person that you are. A controlling freak!¡±. ¡°And getting a bodyguard and a fucking Nanny wouldn¡¯t stop me and you know that¡± he smirked and I returned the gesture. ¡°I guess blocking your credit cards would¡± I said then walked out of the living room. The bang in the living room which was a sign of his anger met my ears but I paid no mind to it. ? ? ? ALEXA¡¯S POV ¡°Babe, what was it you said you wanted to tell me?¡± I asked but Cody kept on peppering kisses on my neck and going down south. ¡°This is serious okay, stop it¡± I tried to push him away and atst I seeded. ¡°I n to break into the Brown¡¯s mansion¡± he said and I stared at him like he had developed two heads. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, is that what you want to tell me?¡± I questioned to be sure he wasn¡¯t ying one of his pranks on me but the serious expression on his face told me he was dead beat serious about what he had just said. ¡°No, Cody, that is a bad idea¡± I warned but he only smiled at me. ¡°It will only be a bad idea when we don¡¯t have a n, I have a n, not yet set though but once it is everything will sail well¡± he said and I shook my head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want us to do this, I have a bad feeling about this¡± I cautioned but like the stubborn head that he is he wasn¡¯t listening. ¡°Come on babe, stop being a party pooper, in this case a robbery pooper, everything is going to turn out great and we would be fucking rich!¡± He eximed, joining his hands together like a little kid who has just been given a candy. ¡°Fine whatever, just don¡¯t get us caught¡± I sighed as I gave up the argument. ¡°I love you babe,¡± he said and ced a kiss on my lips which brought a smile t~~~~o my face. ¡°I love you too¡± Cody and I have been dating for three years now, well I am an orphan and Cody is like the only family that I have. I guess I just have to believe him when he said everything was going to work out fine. ¡°What ns do you have?¡± I called out when I remembered he hadn¡¯t told me any of his ns yet. ¡°None yet, I just need to find a way to infiltrate the Brown¡¯s mansion. I mean if I can get in then robbing them wouldn¡¯t be difficult¡± he said and I nodded. ¡°I guess you will just have to work on one then¡± I sighed and rested back on the pillows. ¡°And that is where youe in, my love¡± he said and I quickly sat upright. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked in confusion. _ 2 CHAPTER TWO ALEXA¡¯S Ever since Cody told me what his ns were, my mind keeps on going over the ces. I mean I think his idea is crazy but what he added to it was crazier. ¡°Babe!!¡± ¡°Babe,e look at this!¡± Cody¡¯s urgent call snapped me out of my thoughts and I quickly moved to the direction I heard him calling me from. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked as I walked towards him. ¡°The Brown¡¯s are in need of workers. There is a vacancy up for some positions, this is what I have been waiting for¡± he yelled excitedly. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to apply?¡± I asked with an arched brow ¡°No, I can¡¯t possibly apply to be a Nanny or do any job in the Brown¡¯s mansion, it¡¯s too risky¡± he said and I rolled my eyes. ¡°Then what?¡± I asked. ¡°You. You would apply for the position of a Nanny and then provide the necessary information to us, you will be our eyes in there¡± he said ¡°What! You can¡¯t be serious¡± I said and looked at his face for a hint of mischief as I thought it was one of his jokes, but the expression he was wearing said he was dead serious. I don¡¯t think I can do this, I have assisted Cody and his friends a lot of times but I haven¡¯t done something like this before. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do this, it¡¯s just too¡­¡± Cody ced his hands on my shoulder. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve discussed this already¡± he said and I sighed. ¡°I thought perhaps another idea coulde up, you know but now I just can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Babe, trust me on this okay¡± he said and I sighed before nodding. He did the necessary things for the application and it didn¡¯t take long before my cell phone rang ¡°Hello! I¡¯m on to Miss Alexa Martin?¡± A female voice asked ¡°Yes you are, who I¡¯m I on to?¡± I asked back ¡°You recently applied for a job as a Nanny in the Brown¡¯s mansion¡± she said ¡°Oh yes, I did ma¡¯am¡± I replied ¡°Babe, who are you¡­¡± Cody was saying but I quickly motioned him to keep quiet using some facial expressions and then whispered ¡°The Anthony¡¯s¡± That made him smile ear to ear ¡°Alright, so you¡¯re expected toe for your interview in two hours, I¡¯ll text you the address, Thank you¡± She said and hung up just before I asked my next question ¡°Wow! That was rude, is that how I would be treated if I eventually got the job¡± Iined, and then turned to meet the expectant look in Cody¡¯s eyes ¡°So¡­did you get the job?¡± He asked ¡°Chill man! I was only called for an interview in two hours¡± I replied which made him frown a little, but then it was reced by another smile almost immediately ¡°I know and trust that you can Ace it, you¡¯re intelligent after all¡± he said and pinched my shoulder yfully ¡°I would try my best¡± Was all I said and went to get prepared for the ¡®interview¡¯ ***************** Knock knock ¡°Hello! How may I help you?¡± A man in histe thirties said as soon as he opened the door ¡°Um¡­I¡¯m here for a job interview sir¡± I answered with a smile ¡°Oh! I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re Miss Alexa Martin¡± he said and I nodded ¡°Come in and have a sit¡± he said pointing to the couch ¡°Thanks sir ¡± I said and he smiled, he is such a nice man ¡°I would go and inform the boss about your arrival¡± he said and moved towards a door which I assumed was the study room After few minutes he came to me and said that Mr Anthony Brown was ready to see me I was so nervous, knowing fully well what my mission was and also because I would be meeting the Almighty Anthony Brown for the first time in my life I knocked on the door and a Serene voice said ¡°Come in¡± ¡°Good morning sir¡± I greeted with a slight bow, though I didn¡¯t see him as his chair was facing the opposite direction My greeting made him turn to my direction and my jaws dropped, at how incredibly good looking he was, for a man his game it was just too amazing I was engrossed and dazed that I didn¡¯t hear him call my attention ¡°Miss Alexa, can you hear me?¡± He said in a soft tune, the least I expected He was the exact opposite of what I had pictured in my mind ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Sir¡­. I¡­I¡­¡± I stuttered, not knowing the words to use in exining myself ¡°So?¡± He cocked his perfectly shaped brows at me and I almost fainted at how perfect he was. ¡°Did you get any of those things I said?¡± He asked ¡°Forgive my manners sir, but I¡­I didn¡¯t, I¡¯m really sorry¡± I said scratching the back of my head and he sighed He was so patient, I myself would find whoever acted the way I did as an unserious individual and there by not suitable ¡°There are not many things to ask though, but why do you think you¡¯re suitable for this job?¡± He asked and rxed himself on the chair maintaining a strong eye contact with me I cleared my throat and adjusted myself on the sit ¡°Umm, I think I¡¯m suitable for this job because I love children a lot and I rte well with them, when I was a little younger, I usually helped my aunt with the children in the day care she managed¡± I said ¡°Though this is my first ever job as a Nanny, but I know I can handle kids with utmost care¡± I added and he just stared at me for some minutesProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°You weren¡¯t informed?¡± He suddenly asked ¡°Informed about what sir?¡± I asked with a confused look ¡°Before you applied for the job, didn¡¯t you see anything about the age of the ¡®child¡¯ you would be taking care of?¡± He asked making sure that he stressed the word ¡®child¡¯ And that got me more confused than ever, or could it be that I was to take care of an oldie, I asked myself But no information was given as to whom I¡¯ll be taking care of ¡°No sir, there was nothing rted to whom I¡¯ll be Nannieng¡± I replied ¡°Alright then, you¡¯re to Nanny a twenty two years old man¡± he said keeping a straight face, but I couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter ¡°A twenty two years old? That¡¯s ridicu¡­I¡¯m sincerely sorry sir¡± I said seeing that he was just staring at me ¡°It¡¯s just that, how can twenty two years old be nannied?¡± I asked, feeling the urge tough again but I suppressed it ¡°Are you ready to take this job?¡± He asked, looking calm as ever ¡°Yes I am sir¡± I answered with a serious facial expression ¡°Good, but before then, can you handle him? He is jerk¡± He asked again ¡°And how old are you? You look eighteen¡± He added while giving me an up to down look ¡°I¡¯m twenty one sir¡± I replied a little upset about ¡°I would have preferred someone older, cause like I said, he is a jerk¡± he said and I couldn¡¯t help but feel upset He didn¡¯t have to say that to me though, but what can I say, I¡¯m the one in need of a job ¡°I can deal with it sir, our age difference is not so much, so I think we can rte well with each other¡± I replied trying to convince him that I could do the job ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll get back to you,¡± he said and turned back the chair to what he was doing before I came in ¡°Alright Thank you sir¡± I said and left 3 CHAPTER THREE ALEXA¡¯S POV ¡°I guess you get another n up and ready since I don¡¯t think I will be getting this job¡± I said to Cody and his gang. After I returned yesterday from the Brown¡¯s mansion, I could tell my interview didn¡¯t go well. I don¡¯t want to get their hopes high since I wasn¡¯t really sure about the oue. ¡°Chill babe, you are only saying this because you are not fully in support of this¡± Cody said and I red at him. I opened my mouth to give him one hundred and one reasons why I think the idea is still crazy but the ringing from my phone interrupted me. ¡°I will just go get this¡± I walked away towards the table where I ced my phone. ¡°Hello Miss Martin¡± the feminine voice from the other end of the line said ¡°Speaking¡± I replied ¡°Congrattions! You have gotten the job you applied for as a Nanny in the Brown¡¯s mansion, If you can resume work today, it would be great¡± she said, and I didn¡¯t even know if I should be happy or sad ¡°Um¡­umm¡­.¡± I stuttered and turned towards Cody¡¯s direction and saw him signaling me to say yes ¡°Yes, yes I can resume today, I would be there in an hour¡± I said ¡°Alright, I¡¯m rissa by the way, Thank you¡± Thedy replied, she sounded friendly today unlike yesterday ¡°Thank you too Miss rissa¡± I said and she hung up, after saying it was her pleasure and stuff ¡°Babe! You¡¯re the best, I knew you could ace it¡± Cody said and lifted me up in joy All I could do was smile, as they all cheered in happiness ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate this¡± Adam, Cody¡¯s right hand man said and everyone agreed ¡°So, now that you have sessfully gotten into the mansion as an insider, you would be the one to let us know all the exits and entries in the mansion¡± Cody said as he sipped his drink ¡°Okay, that¡¯s for an easy and smooth operation¡± I said with a nod ¡°Exactly, and also, you will be the one to let us know where all the money and valuables are kept, and the ces where they are security cameras and also how many security personnels are in the mansion and also, their position in the building¡± he added ¡°Wow! I have so much work to do, would I be able to get it done?¡± I asked and he ced his hand on my shoulder ¡°Babe! Trust me, nothing would go wrong, I promise¡± he said trying to calm me down from the tension I was feeling I didn¡¯t know it was visible to everyone, but then, I sighed heavily ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and get ready to resume¡± I said and left them to keep celebrating This was a big feat for me but I had to do it, cause of the love I have for Cody ************ ¡°Alright babe! I¡¯ll be on my way now¡± I said and ced a kiss on his cheek, then made my way to the door ¡°Good luck babe!¡± He said and I smiled I was about to knock on the door when it opened ¡°Oh! Good morning sir¡± I greetedProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Just in time Miss Martin,e in¡± Mr Anthony said gesturing for me to go in ¡°Good morning to you too¡± he greeted back with a warm smile ¡°Thank you sir¡± I replied and walked in ¡°Nn! Nn¡± He called, I assumed it was the man I was to Nanny, it still sounded funny and I almost burst out inughter Thank goodness I was able to maintain my self control ¡°What is it? You should be gone by now¡± I heard the guy say ¡®Why was he rude to his father?¡¯ I asked myself but didn¡¯t give much thought to it ¡°Get your ass down here¡± Mr. Anthony said again and he groaned in anger I guess beforeing down ¡®My goodness! This guy is the epitome of beauty¡¯ I said to myself as I stared at him in awe, I could swear my mouth was agape as the Nn guy chuckled when he looked my direction ¡°So, why did you call me?¡± He asked folding his arms across his chest ¡°Alexa, this is Nn, he is my son¡± Mr Anthony said ¡°Hi Mr. Nn¡± I greeted with a smile but he scoffed Such a nice way of replying to a greeting ¡°Nn, this is Alexa, your Nanny¡± Mr. Anthony said to Nn and he burst out into a wildughter I was surprised as fuck but Mr. Anthony didn¡¯t look surprised, instead, he looked as though he was expecting it ¡°I told he was a jerk, don¡¯t mind it though¡± He said and all I could say was ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Come on Dad, A Nanny, and it had to be ady, and ugly one at that, you should have gotten a beautiful one and I would be the one following her around¡± he said stillughing ¡°Nn! Be respectful for one in lifetime, thedy In question is standing right in front of you¡± Mr. Anthony cautioned but he continued ¡°She is freaking me out, how do you expect me to move around with a she joker, she would freak everyone out¡± he said, but I kept my cool I wasn¡¯t going to let his words get to me ¡°I¡¯m sorry Miss Martin, you said you could handle it, so here you are, and you just have to deal with it¡± Mr. Anthony said and I smiled and nodded ¡°And you Nn, pull yourself together, if you try anything stupid, I would get you a bodyguard instead¡± He warned, but the extremely rude Nn rolled his eyes and said ¡°Get your ass moving dad and let me be¡± and then walked away ¡°Hey! You don¡¯t have to be rude to your dad¡± I scolded, and followed behind him, it was so annoying, and I couldn¡¯t keep quiet about it ¡°Alexa or whatever he called you, you better shut up, and stop following me around, I know you like me, but I don¡¯t feel the same way for you, so stop forcing yourself on me¡± he said and paused in his steps, then turned to see my reaction He was smiling, for God knows why ¡°Umm, I think it¡¯s the other way around, cause you have been smiling since you saw me, and purposely saying things to make me upset¡± I retorted ¡°And from what I know, guys do that to girls they¡­.¡± I continued but he cut me off ¡°Stop trying to start up a conversation with me, cause your voice, it¡¯s so manly, I mean, why would a girl have such a huge and deep voice? Mine don¡¯t even sound as deep as yours¡± he said with creased brows ¡°You sure you¡¯re not a man disguised as ady?¡± He asked giving me an up to down look ¡°Nn, I¡­¡± ¡°Shh! You¡¯re making me scared, get off my face Miss ugly¡± he said ¡°Why stress so much about my looks and voice? I mean, even a blind man could clearly see that, though I¡¯m not good looking, you still cannot bepared to me¡± I said and his expression changed ¡°Hey! I saw how you looked at me, so don¡¯t try denying the fact that I¡¯m the cutest guy you¡¯ve ever seen with that abnormally big eyes of yours¡± he said and was about to walk away, but he paused when I retorted nonchntly I acted as though his words weren¡¯t getting to me and that for sure made him really surprised and felt challenged ¡°Yes, I was checking you out, not because you¡¯re cute or beautiful, I was only feeling sorry for you and appreciating my looks, cause I honestly thought I was the ugliest person on earth until I met you, ish! God was really merciless when he created you¡± I said on and on and his jaw dropped, he could see him struggling and looking for the right words for aeback But his brain dictionary failed him, I smirked at him and then walked away I needed to start my real mission immediately ¡°Alexa! Alexa! Ugly bitch where the fuck are you?¡± Nn called OMPHH I bumped into someone ¡°Even with you mighty eyes you still can¡¯t see clearly¡± he said, and that¡¯s when I knew he was the one I just rolled my eyes and asked ¡°What is it? I heard you calling my name¡± I asked ¡°Yes, don¡¯t you know I¡¯m your boss? So whenever I call you, you should report to me immediately ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked ¡°You¡¯re such a stubborn Nanny, but then, I need you toe help me with my clothes¡± he said and walked away . . . ¡°I don¡¯t want to wear the color blue, get me umm¡­a red one¡± he said and I had to return the blue t-shirt back to his closet I have been bringing and returning his clothes for the past thirty minutes, and I knew he was doing it on purpose ¡°Nn, i¡¯m your Nanny and not your messenger, and how can you possibly wear all these clothes scattered on the bed?¡± I asked In frustration ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right, I can¡¯t wear all these clothes, so arrange them back in the closet¡± he said, and put on his headset immediately, not giving me the chance toin ¡°Umm! Alexa! get me a drink, a hot orange juice¡± he said taking off the headset ¡°A hot orange juice? Who drinks that? How can I even get that?¡± I asked, I felt like giving him a punch in that face of his ¡°Yes a hot orange juice, I drink it and boil the juice, that¡¯s how to get it¡± he said and I sighed ¡®What kind of a human is this, now I understand why Mr. Anthony stressed the fact that he was a jerk¡¯ Iined and went to the kitchen to do as he said ¡°Here is your drink¡± I said handing the tray to him ¡°Thanks dear¡± he said which made me arch my brows, did he just thank me Hhh! I don¡¯t think I can ever understand this guy I said to myself, just as I went back to the closet, he screamed ¡°What! How can you serve me a hot drink?¡± He asked ¡°But you¡­.¡± I tried to say but he cut me off ¡°Why are you this wicked? You just started your job and you¡¯re already messing up¡± heined ¡°You just said you wanted a hot orange juice, that¡¯s why I¡­¡± ¡°Ha-ha-ha! I love that reaction on your face, it was so real, my fans are never going to suspect it was nned¡± he said and brought out his cell phone This asshole was making a video, and was going to post it, goodness! I was fed up already ¡°Oops! I spilled the drink,e clean it up Alexa¡± he said and smiled mischievously at me, all I could do was obey When I left his bedroom, Cody called, since I was the only one in the living room, I answered it ¡°Hey babe! How are you doing?¡± He asked and I just sighed ¡°How¡¯s your new job going? Have you found something?¡± He asked again ¡°No I haven¡¯t, I have not been changed to look around the house, but don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get something soon ¡± I said ¡°Alexa!¡± I heard Nn call from behind and I turned sharply, my heart was pounding really hard In my chest. 4 CHAPTER FOUR ALEXA¡¯S POV It¡¯s been a week since I became the Nanny to Mr. Rude and arrogant, poprly known as Nn Brown. I still can¡¯t believe how someone can be so full of himself and of course hot but this is the only time I¡¯m ever saying that. ¡°I see reasons why Mr. Anthony has decided to get him a Nanny but I think a chain would have been best, you know like a dog since he is out of control¡± Cody said jokingly. ¡°I am being serious here babe, that guy is out of control, he sees everyone like shit and below him¡± Iined bitterly. I can still remember the ugly incident between us when we first got introduced not to talk of when he does silly things just to make me quit. ¡°You know he almost caught us right?¡± I said to Cody as I remembered when he heard my conversation with him over the phone. The good part was that he didn¡¯t hear much, which made it easy for me to twist the truth. I can¡¯t get fired on my first day at work. ¡°Good thing you got him off our ass as soon as possible¡± he moved closer to me on the bed and began to move his fingers on my thigh. ¡°For the one millionth time, I still don¡¯t think I can work with him¡­ with them, if they find out about us we sure will spend the rest of our lives in jail¡± I tried to convince him but he just pulled me closer to me. ¡°Do this for me babe, just this once¡± he pleaded, giving me that eye that I fell in love with. ¡°Come on, I don¡¯t want to go back there¡± I said weakly. ¡°Please, pretty please¡± he said. ¡°Fine. If he tries anything else I would quit¡± I said and he nodded. Cody¡¯s fingers continued to move higher until it got to my folds, my hands found itself at the back of his head as I drew him closer. Our lips met with intense pleasure burning through the both of us. I moved my hands to his zipper when the vibration from his phone made me pause, I really did want to stop but I didn¡¯t and continued, the continuous vibration made me sigh and I pulled away. ¡°It might be urgent, answer it¡± I said andid back down on the bed. ¡°It¡¯s not mine, it¡¯s yours¡± he said and passed my phone to me. I took the phone and was surprised to see Mr. Brown¡¯s name shing on the screen. ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Anthony,¡± I murmured, then answered the call. What could I have done wrong to warrant a call from him? ¡°Hi¡­¡± ¡°Miss. Martin, how are you doing and hope my son isn¡¯t too much of a pain to handle?¡± His voice came through the phone. ¡°Um, no sir¡­ actually, my time for work isn¡¯t until the next fifteen minutes sir¡± I said. ¡°Oh great then! I believe you and Nn cane over to the Company, the car and a driver will be avable once you get there.¡± He said and I resisted the urge to sigh, I guess I am meeting Mr. Arrogant sooner than I had anticipated. ¡°Of course sir, I will be on my way right away¡± I replied, already sliding out of the bed. ¡°Well then, see you soon Miss. Martin¡± he said then ended the call. ¡°I am needed so I guess I have to continue my job as a Nanny¡± I said and ced a kiss on Cody¡¯s cheek. I quickly put my clothes on and with one final kiss between Cody and I, I stepped out of the house. **** I walked into the mansion and I was surprised to find it quiet. Besides since Mr. Brown had called, I had assumed Nn must be aware of the little trip to the Browns construction inc. which made me assume he would be here waiting for me. I guess I just have to get him, might be one of his ns to get me to quit. ¡°Nn!¡± I called after knocking on the door without getting a response. I know he was inside but chose to ignore me since I can hear the music sting out of the room. ¡°Nne on, stop being a jerk¡± I called again. I tried the doorknob and instantly the door opened. I should have done this instead of knocking on the door. God help him if he is sleeping because if he isn¡¯t I am definitely going to make sure that he pays for that. I shouldn¡¯t be doing this, I mean he is my boss¡­ partially but dude being pissing me offtely and there is nowhere in my book that he has a good grade. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± I screamed out of shock as my eyes caught sight of what was in front of me. I was so engrossed in my pay back n that I didn¡¯t even see him until I got to the foot of the bed. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry¡± I apologized as I watched Nn trying to cover up his girlfriend who by the way the sheets couldn¡¯t cover her still naked body. ¡°Get out!¡± He yelled, I could see the protruding vein in his neck. I was still standing, rooted in my position as I kept on staring at him. All of a sudden, I felt a strong grip pull me towards the door and that was when I realized Nn had walked up towards me in his naked form.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry¡­ I just got¡­¡± I trailed off as I caught sight of his hardened length which made me swallow. ¡°Didn¡¯t your mama teach you to knock before you enter a room that isn¡¯t yours?¡± He yelled at me. ¡°No she didn¡¯t because she¡¯s six foot below and didn¡¯t get the chance to teach me that¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even have gotten into your room if you had just answered the goddamn door!¡± I yelled matching his tone, I honestly do not know why I was yelling at him when I was the one at fault, I guess since I stepped into this mansion I have been acting strange. ¡°You and I have a lot to discuss,¡± he said, turning around. ¡°Probably on your way to your father¡¯spany, he requested the both of us to be there¡± I said but he had already mmed the door in my face. I couldn¡¯t even tell if he heard me or not. 5 CHAPTER FIVE ALEXA¡¯S POV It¡¯s been over thirty minutes now since an angry Nn kicked me out of the room. What should I do? Call Mr. Brown and inform him about the situation? How can I tell him that his stubborn son has refused to acknowledge his call? Should I go back to the room to call him again? Perhaps a second try might work. I turned around to take a step towards his room when the door opened, Nn was dressed in a jean trouser and a white T-shirt which made me raise a brow. ¡°Took you long enough¡± I muttered and he red at me. Oops! I guess he must have heard me. ¡°So she¡¯s the bitch who got herself invited into your room huh?¡± The snarky voice of thedy who I assumed was his girlfriend met my ears and I rolled my eyes the moment I turned away from them. ¡°I will be right back babe¡± Nn said and went back into the room. ¡°Listen and listen carefully¡± thedy without a name yet, who I would call Nn¡¯s girlfriend, said pulling my hair slightly which made me yelp out in pain. ¡°Nn is mine. Mine! Mine alone. I could clearly see you eyeing him up but just so you know, a lowlife like you wouldn¡¯t attract him¡± ¡°He goes fordies with ss and that is why he is with me, so I would advise you to keep your strength and focus on the thrash you can attract ¡± she finally left my hair and I red at her. If looks could kill, I guess we both would have been dead by now. ¡°Nn is a pig and way below my standards, don¡¯t worry, he is yours and I don¡¯t attract his type of thrash¡± I said and I walked away from her. I was fuming, who does she think she is to say such words to me? The only reason I am tolerating her is because I promised Cody, I will wait to get this over and done with. ¡°Miss. Martin,¡± a man in a ck suit called out and when I saw him standing close to a car, I knew he might be the driver Mr. Anthony had spoken about. ¡°I would just wait for Nn¡­ Mr. Nn to arrive¡± I said and waited, patiently tapping my foot on the floor. Soonter, Nn and his Barbie girlfriend decided to grace us with their presence. Nn opened the door and the moment I saw Barbie stepping into the car, I couldn¡¯t help to control my mouth as I voiced out. ¡°Why is sheing along? I don¡¯t think there was a time your father mentioned she wasing¡± I said. ¡°And I am not seeking for your permission or that of my father¡¯s to bring her along with me¡± he red. ¡°Whatever, that ain¡¯t my business anyways¡± I scoffed and turned to take the front seat when he pulled me back. ¡°And Alexa, the next time you barge into my room again then trust me, you wouldn¡¯t like the oue¡± he warned. ¡°Am I understood?¡± He questioned in a bold tone that got goosebumps on my arm. ¡°Yes,¡± I muttered silently.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Good¡± he said then got into the car, I stood for some seconds before I finally got into the car. **** The arrival to the Brown¡¯s construction inc. made me open my mouth as I stared in awe. Just how rich were these people? I nced at the rear view mirror at the arrogant pompous ass who doesn¡¯t know what it means to work rather than to insult people. I caught his gaze and I instantly returned my gaze back to the buildings. I don¡¯t know what was making me act like this, the moment I caught his gaze the image of him naked and his hardened length came to mind. The door opened and for the millionth time today I have been lost in my thoughts. I quickly got out of the car and Mr. Rude and Barbie came out of the car. Mr. Rude took up the lead and I guess he already knew where we were going so I just followed him while I admired the building at the same time. We arrived at the front of a door which had a boldly written Mr. Brown on the golden temte that was at the top. ¡°Oh wee, Alexa¡± Mr. Anthony said and threw a nod to his son and Barbie, since he didn¡¯t say anything about her being present I got rested. ¡°I can see you and your Nanny are having a good rtionship¡± Mr. Brown said and Nn scoffed which made me roll my eyes. ¡°She is intruding on my privacy, father,¡± he said. ¡°Does she go to the bathroom with you?¡± He asked in which Nn replied no. ¡°Does she stay in the same room with you?¡± He asked. ¡°No father¡± ¡°So then how is she intruding if I may ask?¡± He asked. ¡°In a lot of ways you wouldn¡¯t think, first she came into my room without my permission¡­¡± ¡°With reasons okay, I knocked countless times but you weren¡¯t answering the door which left me no choice than to go in¡± I defended, he was making it sound as if I got into the room on purpose. ¡°Oh will you cut the crap! That wasn¡¯t your intention!¡± He yelled at me. ¡°Oh really? Pray tell me what it is then?¡± I scoffed. ¡°That is enough you two!¡± Mr. Anthony yelled, grabbing our attention. ¡°It¡¯s okay babe, she¡¯s just an attention seeking whore¡± Barbie said and I nced at Mr. Anthony who shot me a pleading look. ¡°I havee up with a decision, in order for her to do her work efficiently and effectively, she would have to reside in the house with us,¡± he said. ¡°Wha?!¡± ¡°Hell no!¡± 6 ALEXA¡¯S POV Mr. Brown holds up his hand to stop Nn and his girlfriend¡¯s protest, clearing his throat as he stands up from his seat. I could sense Barbie girl snarling beside me before Mr. Brown could speak. ¡°Nn, how many times do I have to dictate to you Alexa¡¯s responsibility as your nanny?¡± Mr. Brown¡¯s tone ran cold, evidently losing his patience as he stared at Nn intently. ¡°Father, how many times do I have to make myself clear to you? I don¡¯t need this bitch!¡± Nn yells, loud enough to be heard by a few employees outside Mr. Brown¡¯s office. ¡°Calm down babe, it¡¯s alright. Let me handle this,¡± His obnoxious Barbie girl cooed to him as she rubbed his heaving chest. I look up at her in amusement after hearing her words and see her turning towards Mr. Brown to speak, Nn had already sat down behind her noticeably gritting his teeth. ¡°Err, Dad-¡± ¡°No one calls me that, Dear, stick with Mr. Brown¡± Mr. Brown cuts her off, his stone remaining cold as well as his look. ¡°Alright- Mr. Brown, I hope you understand that Nn does not need a nanny to look after him. He is fully capable of attending to himself-¡± Mr. Brown scoffs at her remark, catching her off guard. ¡°Kathrina is it?¡± Mr. Brown asks which Nn¡¯s Barbie girl nods in response. ¡°You can call me Kathy, Mr. Brown¡± Kathy strikes him with a sickeningly sweet smile that made me roll my eyes. ¡°Kathy, Imend your loyalty to my son but even though you¡¯re the one speaking FOR him, I cannot trust your words,¡± Mr. Brown¡¯s words made Kathy frown and I could tell she was trying hard to bite her tongue. ¡°You have every right to be jealous of Alexa but you don¡¯t get a say on what should be done to her. My final word and decision are done and she will reside in my house until I am done with Nn!¡± Mr. Brown half yelled. ¡°Alexa ismanded by me, she follows my strict orders on keeping my son in check and I have observed that she has been, only Nn is not cooperating at all¡± He pulled out his cell phone and tapped briefly when a sound of a video yed. My eyes shot up to his phone recognizing Nn¡¯s voice. ¡°Get me a hot orange juice,¡± Nn¡¯s voice ordered on Mr. Brown¡¯s phone. ¡°How did you-¡± ¡°One of my staff is subscribed to your channel, they took the liberty to notify me the moment they saw Alexa inside your room in uniform and were concerned about how you treated her.¡± Mr. Brown then stops the video from ying and puts it back inside his pocket. ¡°It was just a harmless prank!¡± Mr. Rude defended. ¡°Harmless or not, you forget how to properly treat people. Is this the kind of image you want to curate for the public? You make such a title for yourself online yet you don¡¯t even give a damn if it makes you look bad offline.¡± Mr. Brown storms to his desk, taking a ck folder and a pen. ¡°Alexa, I am afraid you have to choose between residing with us or quitting this job. It¡¯s ate notice of changes, but I will triple your pay to stay.¡± His tone changed to a somewhat pleading one, handing me the folder and pen. As I open the folder and see the contents, my eyes scan the contract that contains my benefits, responsibilities, and limitations. ¡°It says I can choose 4 weekends but not consecutively, what if I get sick and tired of Mr. Rude?¡± I snark, catching a re from Nn. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Nn scoffs. ¡°I mean, you know, his attitude might tire my body¡­ I was just wondering what would be done to help me recover?¡± I face Mr. Brown and give him a knowing look. ¡°Oh please, with that face you¡¯re already overdue from recovery,¡± Kathy remarks. ¡°I can make a few arrangements when it happens, but you will beying down in the mansion in the care of our family physician.¡± As Mr. Brown exined to them one by one the responsibilities with Nn, Kathy had enough and walked out of the office. ¡°Nn, tell your girlfriend to fix her attitude or I will have a word with her father.¡± Mr. Brown says as he dismissed us took And took the signed folder from me. ¡®I don¡¯t have much of an option to make, so I¡¯ll have to exin this to Cody¡¯ Nn had already hurried off to his girlfriend who was ring at everyone who walked by, though a girl her age stayed beside her and spoke to her quietly as they exchanged looks at me. ¡°Alexa, you go ahead and pack your things. I¡¯ll have a separate drivere to pick you up here and chaperone you to your house to pick up your things.¡± Mr. Brown states his voice in amanding manner. I nod my head slightly and bid farewell to him as I walk out of his office. Nn and Kathy had already gone ahead to the elevator. ¡®Oh my god, can these two get a room?¡¯ My eyes scan both of them as Nn holds Kathy close to him and gives her cheeks multiple kisses. She is trying to maintain a cold exterior but couldn¡¯t help but giggle at every kiss Nn gave. I blush as I see Nn look at me as the elevator closes. Rolling my eyes, I got into another elevator and made my way to the waiting area for the separate car. ¡®Nn seems so romantic and caring, yet he¡¯s being an ass whenever his Dad attempts to be closer to him¡­¡¯Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. During the car ride, I couldn¡¯t help but imagine myself being held by Nn as he did with Kathy. His grip on her meant so much endearment and it looked like he didn¡¯t want to keep her in a bad mood. I shook my head to push the thoughts aside as I noticed we had already arrived. ¡°Just park here, sir, my ce doesn¡¯t have anyrge parking space¡± The driver nods and parks by the side of the road near the pedestrianne. I quickly got out and walked towards the alleyway to our apartmentplex. It¡¯s an abandoned building but Cody had already worked out the permit to operate it on his own, though the only tenants are his gang and us. I wave hello to Adam and hisrade, David, and spot his girlfriend, Jade, kissing him goodbye. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll catch up with you!¡± Jade hurriedly says as she races out of the alleyway before I could reply to her. As I arrive at the front of our home, I knock on the door and hear Cody¡¯s footsteps. ¡°David, I know Adam¡¯s pissing you off but- Babe!¡± Cody exims, hugging me tightly. ¡°Why are you home so early?¡± ¡°Babe, I have to tell you something¡­¡± His look shifted to worry as I started to tell him what had happened. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this, babe,¡± Cody chimes, pouring coffee for both of us. ¡°Why? I am seriously going to get in big trouble if they catch me red-handed!¡± I groan as I take a sip of coffee. ¡°But you wouldn¡¯t be caught¡­¡± I shot him a look of annoyance before he sighs out. ¡°Alexa, babe¡­ You can do this, trust me!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t-¡± ¡°You can and you know why?¡± Cody holds my hand by the table and looks at me. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because this will be your way of revenge for putting up with that son of a bitch¡± 7 Chapter 7 (1566) ¡®And that¡¯s it then,¡¯ I thought to myself as I put my luggage at the back of the car.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Cody waved goodbye to me as I turned my gaze at him, hoping he would make a step toward me to stop me from leaving. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you!¡± Cody yelled before the car door mmed closed by the driver. ¡°Sure you would¡± The drive back to the mansion took a lot more time than I had expected but it wasn¡¯t eventful. The sun had already begun to hide and the night flew in slowly, following the transition from city to suburban. Looking out of the window beside me, I couldn¡¯t help myself from thinking back at how hot Nn was. His body had a firm build that I was surprised he was hiding, especially his huge ything. Wait, what- you have a boyfriend¡­ Shaking my head to think clearly, I noticed the driver is already starting to park the car at the garage. I see a glimpse of Mr. Brown standing at the garage entrance and waiting patiently. Making my way out of the car, the driver made his way to get my things as Mr. Brown made his way to me. ¡°Alexa! Come, let me properly show you to your room,¡± He escorts me to the entrance as I take my luggage from the driver who held it close to me. From where we came from my eyes scanned the hallway leading to the back where I noticed a garden of sorts and a hallway leading to the back of the stairway. As we made our way towards the stairway, of course, my eyes drew attention to thergest chandelier I¡¯d ever seen. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that suddenly break in an earthquake?¡± I ask nervously as I avoid facing the bottom of its sharp shards. ¡°No, why would you ask that?¡± Mr. Brown replies along with a smooth chuckle. As wended safely on the second floor, we made our way to a lonely room on the left side facing another bedroom on the other side of the staircase. The whole floor had only a few doors that felt like they had their purpose, but it was strange that only this wall had only one. Mr. Brown opens it for me and stepping inside I see a vacant bedroomplete with its furnishings. ¡°What do you think?¡± He asks, looking down at me to observe my reaction. ¡°What do you mean what do I think? This is the most generous offer anyone has ever given to me as a nanny¡±. Of course, I added a lie¡­ But what would you think? A man offers to pay you to look after their bastard son along with having your room and an option to eat whenever you like. As a person who hade from a difficult life, I would rather take this than live in a dingy apartment. ¡®But that would mean choosing this over your boyfriend¡­¡¯ ¡°Alexa?¡± Mr. Brown¡¯s delectable eyes pierced through my gaze as I noticed him snapping his finger in front of me. ¡°Sorry, sir, I was just in awe¡­ This is my first time having my own space,¡± I smiled sweetly at him as his concerned look rested into a soft one. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s all yours. I just hope it¡¯s not too much to ask of you to be patient with my son, I¡¯m counting greatly on you for him to turn out finely¡± He smiles as he tucks his hands in his pockets. ¡°You can settle down your things and enjoy the rest of your night. Nn is out again, assuming he¡¯s out doing god knows what¡± He adds, chuckling before clearing his throat. ¡°I know it¡¯s been an eventful day, you can take a rest and you can get back to work in the morning.¡± Mr. Brown smiles as he turns to get out of the room. ¡°Thank you so much, Mr. Brown, you are too kind.¡± As the door closes, I turn to the bed and set my luggage by the side. Jumping on top and feeling the softforter rest on my back felt like heaven. All those years I¡¯ve spent sleeping on cardboard boxes and only getting to afford a thin foam as an alternative for a mattress is extremely ufortable. I¡¯ve pleaded with Cody multiple times to buy us a mattress, even second-hand materials online whenever he had a good steal from his missions. I even had to save up and hide it from him since he takes me money for his gang¡¯s ¡°funds¡±. He only uses my sry to buy more ammo, drugs, and alcohol. Now, I get to rest in a real bed. ¡°Oh, I could get used to this-¡± But I suddenly remembered I can¡¯t. Cody needs me on this mission, and if I can¡¯t be useful¡­ God knows what he¡¯ll do to me. ¡°Or maybe just a little while longer?¡­¡± I whisper to myself and sigh as I sit up to unpack. I didn¡¯t have that much stuff to bring, it¡¯s almost as if my whole wardrobe could fit into one bag. By the time I was done, it had already been nighttime and a small soft knock made me turn to the door. A maid walks in with a tray of food, giving me a small smile as we both meet each other¡¯s gaze. ¡°Hello, miss, I am Cassey¡­ Mr. Brown had me put this together since he assumed you weren¡¯t done packing,¡± Her sentence almost came out as a question as she looked around the room. ¡°But I see you have,¡± I give her a small smile as she realizes it and I motion for her to put the tray by the window on a small table beside it. ¡°Thank you, Cassey¡± I nod my head to her after thanking her which made her blush. ¡°We¡¯re all excited to officially meet you, miss¡­ Uhm-¡± ¡°Just call me Alexa,¡± She smiles at my remark and I bid a short farewell as she walks out. The staff seems so friendly, I couldn¡¯t imagine one of them honing up the courage to handle Mr. Coarse. Sitting down to eat, I open the cover and smell the delicious dinner Cassey brought in. ¡°God Cody, why would you want to rob people this generous?¡± I whisper to myself as I take the utensils by the side and dive in. After eating, I check my phone to glimpse over notifications but there weren¡¯t any from either Jade or Cody. Settling down on the mattress, my mind kept racing back to the guilt of robbing Mr. Brown. ¡°Come on, Lexa¡­ It¡¯s not even personal, ¡± I grumbled, as I turned toy my face up against piles of pillows. Knowing I won¡¯t be falling asleep for a while, I hopped off the bed and made my way outside of my room. The whole mansion is pitch ck, other than the purple neon lights dimly lit from outside. I turned off the lights from my room to catch no suspicion and made my way around the halls where I am at. The shlight from my phone gave a small illumination for me to see enough of where I stood. There were various paintings hung, freakishly far toorge for any normal-sized home. ¡°Mr. Brown must have a creative taste for fine things,¡± I blushed as his face came into thought. Moving around, there wasn¡¯t that much to see, until I ended up on the opposite side where my room was facing. This is where Nn¡¯s room where I caught him and his girlfriend having fun. ¡°Oh, I could imagine how much fun she was having-¡± I stop myself from even finishing my sentence as I hear a few stepsing from behind me. Turning off my shlight, I turn to a pir to crouch down and hide. Peaking to the side, I see a glimpse of a maid and one of the gardeners earlier sneaking into one of the rooms. ¡®I guess I can¡¯t snoop around this floor¡­¡¯ As I heard the lock of their door click, I made my way to the stairway leading downstairs. I didn¡¯t need to open my lights as it was already bright enough to spot my surroundings. Anxious to get below therge chandelier hovering, I sessfully made it to the ground floor. ¡°God-if I get the chance to be rich, I am seriously not buying anything bigger than my arms¡± I shudder after I whisper to myself and carry on looking around the mansion. I presume most of the vases and disys are made with fine porcin, I¡¯ve heard about them costing a fortune. I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d been drawn to the detailing of the vases for so long that the sound of water sshing startled me. Snapping my gaze toward the floor-to-ceiling windows, I catch a glimpse of someone swimming and hear a familiar man¡¯s grunting. Trying hard not to get caught, I stood up shocked to find Mr. Brown rising from the current¡¯s water and pushing his hair back. ¡°Oh, my god-¡± His bare chest sculpted his specs and my eyes couldn¡¯t help lusting over the defined lines of his torso down to his muscled abdomen. I blush as the lines kept drawing down leading to his wet swim shorts that showed his crotch. ¡°Can I help you?¡± 8 Chapter 8 (1474) ALEXA¡¯S POV ¡°Oh! Oh god- I am so sorry, sir¡± I covered my eyes immediately as I realized I¡¯ve been caught staring. ¡°No, no- It¡¯s alright,¡± I hear him chuckle as I turn around embarrassed. As I was about to take my leave, I felt his hand touch my shoulder and he stopped me from leaving. ¡°What were you doing out of your room?¡± His voice was calm with a hint of curiosity in them. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep, sir, I just thought it would be alright to wander around in your house- I mean, mansion,¡± I still couldn¡¯t take up the courage to turn around and face him, but his hold was forcing me to do so. His gaze met mine and I was trying hard not to panic under his hold. ¡°Hey, why are you so tense? It¡¯s alright wandering around for the first time. You just startled me with your presence,¡± He smiles as he pats my shoulder and walks to the side. He grabs a towel from the tanning bench and makes his way to the bar at the furthest side from the pool, but before he could go any farther from me he turns around. ¡°What are you just standing there for?¡± He asks, wiping his hair roughly with the towel. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll just-¡± ¡°No, I meane- join me,¡± Mr. Brown motions to follow him to the ind bar where he stands behind the booth and gestures at the seat in front of him. Sitting down in front of him, he grabs two different-sized sses and then quickly turns to me. ¡°Do you drink?¡± Mr. Brown asks. ¡°Yes, Mr. Brown-¡± He then lets out a soft chuckle before saying, ¡°Call me Anthony, you can drop the formality when it¡¯s just us,¡± ¡°Er- alright. Sir Anthony, I do drink,¡± ¡°Then, what would you like, Madame Alexa?¡± Mr. Brown jokes as leans on the ind table making meugh. ¡°I¡¯ll have anything you rmend, Anthony.¡± I smiled at him after replying, making him nod in approval. I watch him take a ss shaker from the cab and put squirts of differentbeled bottles inside, shaking it after putting the lid to close. He pours it into a big ss with lots of ice. He slides the drink to me and serves it with a straw. ¡°What is it?¡± I ask as I look at the deep purple drink with sugar on the rims of its ss. ¡°Try it, then I¡¯ll tell you,¡± Anthony says as he takes more ice from below, a bottle of beer, and coke to pour into his ss. Sipping on the drink, it had a sharp tart vor but it came out sweeter than I imagined. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I dly took another sip after replying. ¡°So what is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a secret,¡± He whispers to me as he walks around the ind to sit a seat apart from me. ¡°Ohe on, Mr. Brown-¡± My eyes widen as he gives me a knowing look. ¡°It¡¯s a purple people eater,¡± He chuckles after answering. A long pause closes in between us and nothinges to mind to strike up a conversation. Surely, this man had heard every joke and story considering his age and wealth. But what I wonder is how he hade to this point of sess in his life. Looking around me, the gardeners he had paid must¡¯ve cost a lot to keep it in this state. ounting for the number of staff and help he has around the house, I¡¯m guessing he must have had a grandfather or two that passed their lineage to him. I couldn¡¯t help but look at him as he space out staring at the sky. He looks absent like his mind is elsewhere. For a rich man with his life already made for him, he sure does look sad. If I was as rich as him, I could be living guilt-free. I would surely let my children choose their path but not miss a day of being there by their side, and if I had a mansion as big as this, I wouldn¡¯t have a freakishly looking chandelier that¡¯s ident-prone. But I would have a handsome husband to keep mepany¡­ As good-looking as him. ¡°Alexa, why did you apply for your role as my son¡¯s nanny?¡± Out of nowhere, I sat back into reality with his question. ¡°Huh- sorry, what?¡± ¡°Why did you apply?¡± Looks at me as he catches me staring at him, making me blush. ¡°I-¡± Shit, I have to think of something, or else he might suspect. ¡°Haven¡¯t I already answered that during the interview, Sir?¡± I ask, trying to change the direction of the topic. His lips moves into a line and letting out a low hum before speaking, ¡°I don¡¯t recall if you have, but it did pique my interest as you are far too young to take up a job like this¡± ¡°Pardon, sir?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I seem narrow-minded, but I expect someone your age should be in college like my son¡­ I guess his girlfriend must¡¯ve felt threatened by your presence,¡± He chuckles with his remark. ¡°Well if I had the opportunity, sir, I would¡­ But as of now, I can¡¯t,¡± Anthony shoots me a look of surprise and worry, observing my reaction to his. ¡°What?¡± I ask. ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just¡­ Why?¡± Anthony crosses his arms around his bare chest where I stared at him before. His eyes glistened along with his face under the dim purple lights of the bar. ¡°I took up this job to take care of my brother,¡± I answered with a hint of sadness, thinking on the spot for a justification for my decision to apply. I wouldn¡¯t want my boss to think I had some motive to take anything from him, I could use his familial love to influence his perception of who I am. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir. I didn¡¯t mention it before as I wanted to steer clear from any dramatic introduction on my behalf before anyone asked,¡± And instantly enough, his reaction gave me enough satisfaction to calm down. He seemed pleased that I cared for someone, close enough that it wouldn¡¯t put me up as a suspect if anything wrong happened with Cody and his n. Not that I¡¯m hoping for it. ¡°And how is he?¡± ¡°Who, Sir?¡± My eyes furrow at his question. ¡°Your brother, of course,¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s going through a lottely¡­ Not having me around,¡± I gulp at another addedyer to a lie. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m prying you with questions, but could you tell me more?¡± Well with that question, I might just regret if I let this slip up. I just need to remember and not give too much detail since I don¡¯t want it to look like I¡¯m lying to him. ¡°I didn¡¯t have anywhere else to go, we were both in the orphanage¡­ I wasn¡¯t frankly fond of people my age, but I had it in me to protect him while we were stuck together¡± I started, taking note mentally of what I was saying. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± He looks away, looking guilty for even asking. Good, this is a good start. ¡°No- It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m used to it¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± His eyebrows raised at my openness to further talk about my ¡°past¡±. ¡°It has always been set in stone that eventually one of us would have to endure being the caretaker, even though he would promise countless times he would make it up to me,¡± I couldn¡¯t help but think about Cody and his excuses. ¡°Life was rough with just the two of us,¡± I sighed, rubbing my elbows as I look down. ¡°Life isn¡¯t easy,¡± He whispers, joining in with a sigh. ¡°Fuck yeah! Like-¡± I scoff at the memory of Cody missing out on every opportunity he could make to work his ass. ¡°Like?¡± ¡°Well, my brother, I found ways to make it up to me¡­ You have no idea how hard it was for the two of us to survive those years, those 13 years!-¡± ¡°13?!¡± I shot him a look with wide eyes and nodded as I continued my story.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I would schedule him for job interviews¡­ All he could ever get out of it was thousands of excuses¡­ Until,¡± ¡°Until?¡± I look up at him again before turning to face the ind table and sipping my drink. ¡°He got sick¡­ We had to take up a loan under my name-¡± ¡°No¡­ Why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my brother, why couldn¡¯t I?¡± I sighed remembering Cody ending up in the hospital after the aftermath of a failed mission. ¡°He is all I have left¡­¡± ¡°I know how that feels,¡± 9 ANTHONY¡¯S POV For a while, my suspicions about this woman had me discover I was wrong about her. Maybe my doubts had led me to realize that I and her are alike. She¡¯s someone who lost her life to building someone else¡¯s. I lost mine when I lost the one person who built mine. ¡°What makes you say that, sir?¡± I turn away from her as I try not to remind myself of the past. She has such a close resemnce to her, even just her voice ties in hauntingly. ¡°You and I are more alike than you could imagine,¡± I chuckle under my breath as the memories I¡¯ve pushed down slowly crept back up from the surface of my mind. ¡°That¡¯s why I hired you, you took the job wholeheartedly and I knew then that my son needed a mother figure from how you brought yourself into the room until you left¡­¡± But deep down, I knew I felt her in you. ¡°But, if an opportunityes during your job here¡­ I hope you don¡¯t hesitate to take it, because you have the potential to be somewhere else,¡± I remember her saying that to me, my wife who used to love and believe in me. ¡°I do have to ask, if you had every resource in the world, what kind of life do you wish it would turn out to be?¡± I turn to her and I see her nce up at the sky with a saddened look. ¡°Well, if it were possible¡­ I wish my family had enough resources to never let me and my brother go¡­ To have stopped them from making their decision,¡± God, I feel so bad for even asking her in the first ce. I thought it would have helped to get to know her with alcohol and see if I was right about my suspicions of her stealing from me, but it turns out she¡¯s just going through a dark path as I am. ¡°I am sorry, Alexa,¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Sir¡­ I¡¯ve grown used to people asking about my life more than asking how I am,¡± She gives me a small smile before taking herst sip of her drink. I walk around the ind table and pour her more of the cocktail as she watches my actions. ¡°What about you, sir? How do you wish your life would have turned out?¡± She asks as she takes a sip from her drink. I smile at her as I bring my lips to a thin line to think and grab another drink for myself under the counter. ¡°I wish for my life to still be as is-¡± ¡°Oh hell no, now that is a downright lie,¡± Iugh along with her as she says those words. ¡°No, it¡¯s the truth. I love my son as much as you love your brother despite hisziness, but I do want something if it were possible¡± She looks at me expectantly. ¡°I wish for my wife toe back,¡± She looks slightly shocked, trying to make out of the situation she had started. ¡°What happened, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, sir?¡± I walked back to my seat and contemted whether to tell her or not. ¡°I lost my wife during childbirth,¡± I slid out a secret stash of cigarettes from inside the vase beside the bar and took one for myself. ¡°Want one?¡± She takes a stick before I slide it back in. ¡°I had Nn when I was fresh out of high school, the timing was exquisite as both of my parents had hated me along with my wife¡¯s-¡± I put the cigarette in between my lips and bit it softly to light it, which afterward I passed the lighter to her. ¡°My wife, Cecile, was 14 at the time, and I was 15¡­ Her Christian family kicked her and I decided to take her in, I told my parents the truth and inevitably they didn¡¯t have much choice but to ept her,¡± I take breathe as I inhale the smoke and exhaled with a sigh. ¡°I understand my son¡¯s rebellious antics and his moments when he would run off somewhere I don¡¯t know,¡± I turn to her and take a drink from my bottle leaving it half full. ¡°The first time he did that was when he was 14, the same age his mother had him¡­ I thought he might¡¯ve felt ashamed about hiding Kathy, but it was just one of his hobbies gone mad.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Alexa asks as she inhales the cigarette butt for a smoke. ¡°He got into a fist fight and got scared ofing home after he got a terrible bruising¡­ He came home one day with Kathy, she helped him hide it for while until he stopped using makeup and eventually told me¡± I exined, throwing away the butt on the floor as I finished it. ¡°I¡¯m happy that he is make choices of his own, that he isn¡¯t making the same mistake as I had.¡± I feel her turn to me with a concerned look that had me assumed she took the wrong idea. ¡°I don¡¯t hate my wife nor my son, I knew my life changed the moment my son cried in my arms after the doctor called both of them dead¡­ I thought I lost him too, but I didnt¡± As I finished, I take myst drink from the bottle which had started toe on my system. ¡°I should better get going now sir, I¡¯m sorry for asking you about your private life¡± Alexa steps unto her feet and I could see her covering her body with her ragged jacket. ¡°Don¡¯t be, I should be the one apologizing¡­¡± I got off my seat and walk towards her, putting my hand over her shoulder. ¡°I understand how it feels to lose yourself in order to keep everything at bnce, you¡¯re far so young to be handling such responsibility which Imend you for¡­¡± I feel tears brimming my eyes, remembering my wife¡¯s teary eyes before she died. ¡°I¡¯ll be off, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I turned and walked off with the towel in hand. Climbing up the steps and entering my bedroom, I walk towards my drawer where my aged whiskey and sses were ced. Taking the ss bottle and a ss on my other hand, I sat by a chair in my balcony as I stared at the night sky. Taking a sip from my ss, the strong alcohol lingered in my mouth and trailing a sharp note on the back of my note to help me hold back my tears once more. ¡°Oh, Cecile¡­ Why have youe to haunt me?¡± As I couldn¡¯t hold it back any longer, the drift of the memory yed in my head as I hear his father¡¯s yelling and leaving them at the mansion after his wife had beenining of cramps. ¡°She is your wife, you deal with her!¡± My father yells as he picks up his keys as my mother followed behind him with an apologetic look. ¡°But, Father, she needs to go to the hospital!¡± ¡°And we have a dinner party to attend to, Anthony! Your name is at stake because of the woman, and because of her you and everything else in your future will crumble!¡± As my father leaves, I hear faint footsteps behind me followed by a thud and soft groaning. Following the sound, I hurriedly rushed to my lover in pain on the floor. ¡°Tony, it hurts so bad-¡± Cecile cried as she held her grown belly with tears pouring from her eyes. ¡°Cece, it¡¯s alright, my love¡­ Just breathe, I¡¯ll call the butler to drive us to the hospital-¡± Soon as we were driving there, traffic ured for the longest time I thought I couldn¡¯t endure. ¡°Anthony, God! I feel my back ripping me apart!¡± Cecile cries out as she hold my hand as my own way of supporting her but I knew there wasn¡¯t much of a relief to it. ¡°It is going to be alright, my love¡­ Trust me- Jared, get us to a faster route, please¡­ Please I beg of you!¡± Arriving at the first hospital, they denied me any service or of my poor wife. They told me my father had rang them to keep them away, and I knew we had to go somewhere we didn¡¯t have insurance for. By the time we arrived, I could see my child¡¯s head popping in between my wife¡¯s legs and her water and blood pouring at the backseat. The doctors came rushing to her aid and informed me that she was in a critical state because of her posture in her seat. That her ribbage had been broke by the size of her belly and her diaphragm had pushed her lungs up even more. As I held my wife duringbor, I was rmed that the doctor¡¯s could take out my child from the exit. ¡°What- what ¡®s going on?¡± I cried as I look over to my wife who was quivering on my hold and her lips pale white. ¡°Sir, we have to ask you to leave?¡± A resident nurse ushers me out because I push pass her as I try to reach my wife again.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Wait, why? My wife needs me- Cece! Cecile!¡± I cried as two more nurse pushed me out of the operation room and the guards outside held me back from entering again. I watched by the window and saw her eyes full of fear. My heart had been broken that the moment I saw her eyes closed at the sound of her heart monitor t lined. The doctor had arrived with my son¡¯s incubator that had reported him in a 50/50 state, that¡¯s when my parents and hers came in utter shock. I couldn¡¯t hold myself back that day, that I punched my father¡¯s face multiple time to give him a broken nose. But his broken nose couldn¡¯t bring back the woman I love and the child I could have¡­ But then, Nn cried. It was like a miracle¡­ And he was the only one I had left of her. ¡°Cecile, my love¡­ How have I be?¡± I cried as I drank myself to waste and tipping the ss bottle dry, finishing it in one single go. ¡°How I love you so,¡± I cheers my ss to the sky before drinking thest whiskey away. 10 ALEXA¡¯S POV As I cut between the sandwiches I had prepared for Mr. Rude, I ce them neatly on their te by a tray. Thanking Cassey for her assistance, I toom the tray with me on my way to Nn¡¯s room where he had called me earlier. His room was as I hadst seen it, the after he had a nice arrangement with his girlfriend. God, if only he wasn¡¯t so arrogant and bitchy, he could preferably be my type. Spotting him by his balcony, I see him engrossed with his work on a floorn. His hand is extraordinarily skilled with such detail, I wonder it¡¯s the reason why he holds himself at arms length with people. Artist and their non-sociable affairs. ¡°What are you staring for?¡± Nn says, not even taking a nce to turn to me. ¡°Nothing, just admiring your work from behind¡± As I replied, I hear him scoffs at my word as if it were an insult to him. ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± I asked as I set the tray by an empy spot on another table, not to have it hit and ruin his work. ¡°Architecture project, I couldn¡¯t think of anything else so I used an imaginary home¡­¡± He replied, unamused with the question. ¡°Imaginary home, like your dream house?¡± I giggle as I watch him from behind putting line details on what I think is a wooden floor. ¡°Yes.¡± Such a short answer, so typical for someone who¡¯s artistically inclined. I look around the balcony and spot a canve on its own post with a few more pieces finish by the side. It had dark pieces as well as vibrant ones, but what caught my attention was a lovely portrait of a woman with no face. ¡°What are you doing?¡± His sudden questioning made me jump and I turn to see him watching me by his work area. ¡°I just wanted to see your work up close-¡± ¡°Why?¡± He asks, setting down his pens and crossing his arms as he rests his back on the chair he sat on. ¡°Well, I admire art as a whole¡­ I just wanted to see-¡± ¡°You admire a lot of thing and I like how you have taste, something mostmom low life would have in their gics,¡± He gives me a smirk and I hear a small gurgle faint to hear. ¡°Pass me the sandwiches¡± I walk back over to the small table a few inches away from him and took the tray. ¡°You know, should be d lowlifemon people like me admire art¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Heughs at me, which I nodded. ¡°Do you even have standards?¡± Nn asks as he takes the tray of food and looks up at me. Taken aback, I look at him with a raised brow to which he responding with a mouthfulugh. ¡°I do have standards, and they are far too fine for you to be in it¡± I scoff at him as I crossed my arms. ¡°Is that so?¡± He covers his mouth as he chewed and held back hisugh.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes, as a matter of a fact, you will never reach my standards,¡± ¡°Then what type are under those said standards?¡± Nn finishes on his chewing and asks. ¡°My type aren¡¯t snobby rich boys feeding off of their father¡¯s wealth like a parasite.¡± I whisper to him as I lean closer to him. Nn res at me as he takes another bite off from the food he held and looks away. Someone who likes starting fights, he sure gets fussy when he loses. I smiled at his reaction and the thought that came along with it. ¡°Do you ever feel like a puppet, Nanny?¡± Did he just call me Nanny?¡­ ¡°What do you mean? And I do have a name, Nn¡­¡± I state as I watch a sarcastic grin crept on his face. ¡°I know you do, yet I don¡¯t find the need to use it¡­ You know why?¡± He takes another bite, finishing another slice again. I shot him a curious look as I gesture him to continue. ¡°You¡¯re a puppet just like me, but a bit in the lower ss range where you dont have control of your life¡­¡± He starts. ¡°I say that as both an insult and a fair note to you of what my life is around here. My Father gets to boss you around as much as I can but I can¡¯t do the same to him,¡± As he says those words, my mind quickly came the night before with Mr. Brown. His saddened look gave me a chill as his son doesn¡¯t seem to see him in the same level. Anthony could be trying his whole life ever since Nn had been born to show him the love and life he could offer to him, but what I don¡¯t understand is why Nn chooses to resist. ¡°Nn, you know I don¡¯t entirely understand where this ising from but you know if you need someone to talk to¡­ Despite being your nanny, I can be your friend to lend an ear,¡± I look at him as he finishes his meal and nces over me with a disgusted look. ¡°And why should I trust you?¡± He asks, cing the tray by the spare table and settling back down where he sat before. ¡°You¡¯re driven for money, you have no care for what my feelings mean nor should it ever matter if I do end up what my father wishes me to be¡­ So why should I trust a puppet like you?¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± 11 ALEXA¡¯S POV Startled by the sudden appearance of Nn¡¯s father and the drama ready to y out in the mansion, I hid myself behind the door to witness what was going on. The atmosphere in there was hot, I could feel it. Nn set aside his work for floor n of a home which he was working on, ready to give his dad the floor. ¡°We need to talk¡±, Anthony said. Without second guesses, Nn knew his father hase to have the usual ¡°talk¡± ready to try to make him understand for the millionth times that his business isn¡¯t his business, he reluctantly said ¡°yes, we can talk¡± ¡°Freedom will lead you to your end. Nn, you can¡¯t lead a life full of carelessness if you cannot find a way to control yourself, you¡¯ll be an aimless kite with no one to guide you¡± Anthony spoke with rage. He never holds a peaceful conversation with his son; it always ends in fights and arguments. Sometimes, it makes me wonder if he truly loves his son like he always says and ims. Nn amazed by what his father said he quickly fired back. ¡°pfft¡­¡± Nn scoffed. ¡°I am nothing like you, you should know that already. If you¡¯re really interested in the sess of yourpany, you better find someone else who would align with your ns. You should make hay while the sun shines¡± Anthony smiled in disbelief. He hates to ept how dumb his son sounded. He had given him several pep talks and counseling on why he should consider running his father¡¯spany but he chose not to adhere. His father believes that even though he has no interest or passion for running hispany, he¡¯d develop and learn to be interested in his business someday; all that matters is his eptance to take over thepany.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°There¡¯s no one capable enough to handle thispany except you, my son. I don¡¯t even trust a third party, your passion project will lead you nowhere, and this is what you should be interested in, mypany, stop fighting it! You¡¯re made for this!¡± Nn clenched his right fist on hearing what Anthony had to say. His father¡¯s words filled him with so much rage. He doesn¡¯t seem to understand that the path he chose for him isn¡¯t what he wants and he¡¯d never sumb to his ns. He paced around the room trying to calm his nerves, he was losing it. He father knew his limits but would happily overstep the boundary trying to prove a point which Nn refuses to see. ¡°Son, you have to understand me, listen, I am doing this for y¡­¡± ¡°Oh spare me the crap, father! You¡¯re doing this for yourself and we both know!¡± His eyes grew misty as he said in a calm voice ¡°if you truly care for me, please let me choose how I lead my life. This isn¡¯t what I want. Grant me freedom, father¡± ¡°Nn, you don¡¯t seem to understand all these at all. I am your father and I know what¡¯s best for you¡± he said shockingly. ¡°My offer is still on the table. Make up your mind as soon as possible and reach out to me. I will be waiting¡± he said as he approaches the door. Lost in the moment, I almost got caught eavesdropping but I was fast enough to retrace my steps. I watched Nn closely from the door; I was genuinely concerned about him. He left the room to downstairs, in the garden and immediately, I followed him. I felt someone¡¯s eyes on me and I looked up to see who it was and it was Anthony. He signaled me to go with Nn to wherever he is headed and I did exactly as I was told. All through the little walk to the garden, I wondered how he¡¯s able to deal with seeing his son in such a devastated mood and absolutely doing nothing about it. Nn would never agree to let his father impose hispany on him. It is one thing Anthony would never ept. It has be an unending fight between the bloodline. I watched him closely and cautiously as he took out his anger on the poor flower vases, pulling the flowers out of the vases, throwing them on the ground and smashing the ceramics on the ground, messing up the whole ce without remorse or acknowledgement of the poor gardener who just beautified the whole ce. The look on the gardeners face depicts of grief and disbelief on how the son of his employer would destroy the garth. He¡¯d definitely think that Nn acted the way he did because he¡¯s being paid handsomely for the job and for that he has no right toin or nag. I quickly gave him an apologetic look and walked over to Nn who sat tiredly on his knees after the whole episode of letting out his rage. I noticed a little cut on his wrist and felt unhappy about it. He hurt himself at the expense of his father¡¯s ¡°talk¡± I sat there lost in thoughts, I didn¡¯t know what to say. The blood on his wrist kept on dripping and I was forced to speak. ¡°Go easy on yourself¡± I said trying to pat his shoulder. He immediately followed up like he has been waiting for me to say a word. ¡°Get lost¡± he ordered. I ignored him. He probably didn¡¯t mean it. Even if he did mean it, I¡¯d still ignore. Aside from the fact that I can be considerate, he¡¯s my employer and as an employee, I pledged my allegiance. I watched him closely, yet again and I could see the tears brimming from his eyes. No way I¡¯d let him be. If only we had be pretty close, I wouldn¡¯t mind giving him the warmest hug because he was hurting. I took a seat on the grass few meters away from him and the messy part of the ground which had the broken ceramics on it. I watched him closely as he looked as me confused. Suddenly, he realizes that I ignored his order and had chosen to disobey him. He hastily picked up a broken ceramic ready to throw at me. Fear engulfed me. I wondered if he was thinking straight at that point His hand raised set to throw the ceramic at me; he yelled ¡°don¡¯t you know what boundaries are?¡± It happened so fast that if he hadn¡¯t held back, I¡¯d have been in a pool of blood. 12 ALEXA¡¯S POV I shut my eyes so tight ready to take the abuse from my boss. I waited patiently for some seconds to get butchered but nothing urred. Slightly, I opened my left eye only to sight his hand hung in the air. ¡°Forget it¡± he sighed. I was relieved. He threw the ceramic on the floor, slowly smashing it into bits while in tears. I didn¡¯t try to act the good character but instead I stayed calm and watched him stop sobbing. Nn was the kind of man who does not hide his emotions. The stereotype of men who cries or shows emotions has nothing to do with him. He would always feel whatever whenever.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Alexa, I ask that you take me seriously this time¡± he spoke calmly He continued ¡°have you ever felt like you¡¯re being controlled like a puppet?¡± ¡°I feel like I am being domineering at the moment¡± I wondered what brought about the question. The look on his face clearly showed that he was sincerely asking. ¡°Not really¡± I said bluntly, looking into his eyes trying to appear convincing. My rtionship with Cody exins how invidious one can be. People differs, at least Nn isn¡¯t worse than him or even anything like him. ¡°But I understand¡± I said He scoffed and turned his face away from me. ¡°I know what it is like to be controlled like a puppet. Trust me when I say you are nothing close to being domineering. You really shouldn¡¯t be feeling such way. Besides you¡¯re my boss and most certainly has the right to order me¡± he almost made me talk about Cody. It¡¯d have been a disaster if I had done that. He didn¡¯t seem convinced but surprisingly, he let go. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be anything like my father¡± he blurted out ¡°I don¡¯t want to follow his footsteps. I don¡¯t want what he wants for me but as it stands now, I would consider. I¡¯m tired of the adrenaline rush, the fights and cold actions. I¡¯d rather give in than continue this fight I already lost¡± he said He seems really tired of all the dramas. His father would be happy to learn about this. ¡°What interests you so much that you don¡¯t want your fatherspany? Why didn¡¯t you want this in the first ce?¡± I had to ask. ¡°Music, that¡¯s what I have passion for but my father wouldn¡¯t approve it.¡± ¡°My father is a lonely boring man with his boring principles andpany. I am fully aware of the attempt of him to give me a very good life until I realized he only wanted me to be like him. He has refused to grant me the authorization of pursuing music and he won¡¯t stop with his persuasion of developing interest in hispany until I sumb¡± He said he once told him about his passion for music and it only made his father disappointed and grow cold on him. He got more disappointed when Nn started pursuing his dream. He had recalled when his father gave him a chance to try get immense in his passion by allowing him take bass lessons. Anthony thought of it as a hobby and was never fully in support of it even as his child was doing well in it. These cold acts of his father made him realize that his father can never take him seriously. ¡°You will never be sessful as I am with that kind of life, you¡¯ll be better off in the slums than in my property¡± ¡°These were his words to me sometime in the past.¡± Nn said. I was dumbfounded. I knew Anthony was cold hearted but I just didn¡¯t know he would be same way to his own son. I just recently started working here and I could tell the type of person he is and be eighty percent urate about it. I find it really interesting and sweet when parents let their kids pursue their passion without being a hindrance. Even at the age of twenty-two, Nn finds it difficult to make decisions on his own without any altercation from his father. Any sort of interference of any kind in a child¡¯s business should stop at their teen ages. I believe once you¡¯re legal, you should be able to handle yourself. ¡°ssss¡± he winced in pain. He had forgotten the small cut he incurred while taking out his anger on the poor flower vases. I quickly made way into the mansion and headed towards the study room, I pondered on why the first aid box was kept in the study room. Studying hurts, I guessed. I searched for it through the shelves with my eyes and finally saw it at the edge of a particr shelf which had religious books on it only. It was the usual type of first aid box painted ck with a white colored cross on it. I quickly grabbed it and headed back to the garden. He looked surprised as I approach him. ¡°Let¡¯s fix your wrist¡± I said He smiled warmly and let out his hand for me. I opened the box and wore a glove. I knew it was just a small cut which needed no fuss at all but I just couldn¡¯t ignore Mr. Adams teachings from high school. I reached out for the gauze pads as well as the normal sterile saline. Immediately, I soaked the gauze pad in the sterile saline solution and gently dabbed the injured part. He winced in pain and it made me stop for a while. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± I said, genuinely concerned about him He patted my shoulder and said ¡°It¡¯s fine¡± After I had cleaned the injured part on his wrist, I proceeded on using a band aid on it. Separating it from the sticker, I ced it on the cut gently and let it stick. ¡°Thank you, Alexa¡± I smiled at him. ¡°Things will turn out better soon; your father is only looking out for you. There is no fuss about it all. You should consider taking things bit by bit and watch everything work out positively.¡± 13 ¡°Things will turn out better soon; your father is only looking out for you. There¡¯s no fuss about it all. You should consider taking things bit by bit and watch everything work out positively¡± she said She might have said something worth hearing but I wasn¡¯t moved. I was still discouraged. I have been putting up with my father¡¯s cold acts towards me since the day I made it known to him that I¡¯d rather pursue my passion for music than take over hispany. I doubt if he¡¯d ever be less uptight with me if eventually I end up not taking the path he took ¡°Lies. Alexa, you¡¯re saying this simply because you¡¯re being paid to.¡± I pointed out No one would ever speak ill of their employer unless he¡¯s ready to loose his job. The Alexa I know to some extent isn¡¯t financially stable, she¡¯d do anything to keep her job. ¡°This isn¡¯t lies. You can actually be both of the same worlds if you wish to¡± She watched me closely like she was putting me under a spell. Alexa would say anything to prove her point and make me agree to whatever she has to say ¡°Oh c¡¯mon, it¡¯s entirely difficult and impossible to live in two worlds¡± I fired back You can¡¯t be Jack of all trades and master of none. That¡¯s why I chose to pursue my passion for music and let my father deal with hispany him. She became mute and probably thought of her next words to me. She bit her lower lip and continued. I struggled listening to her after she had introduced a distraction. The act of her biting her lip drew my attention and I was in awe for a moment. I found myself checking her out. Her silky red hair fell on her shoulder looking shiny even from afar. Her pale skin yet spotless and beautiful with her hourss figure, her honey eyes that could turn one on and dimples that sat prettily on her cheeks. She was a extremely gorgeous. A living art ¡°Have you ever met a celebrity who needed the validation of a degree to be famous and sessful on the spot?¡± She queried. She broke the silence and it brought me back to reality. She might actually have a point but it still doesn¡¯t change anything. My father wouldn¡¯t even let me sing randomly in the mansion while going about my day not to talk of taking up the career as an architect, grooming myself gradually to be the next in line as a CEO of my father¡¯spany as well as making my passion for music a reality. I sighed. ¡°You can actually chase your dream while working towards running your father¡¯spany. It¡¯s allplicated because you can¡¯t seem to understand your father¡¯s disapproval of your dream pursuit¡± I bursted intoughter ¡°hahaha¡± she never seize to amaze me. If there¡¯s one thing I like so much about Alexa, it would be her cheerfulness. She¡¯s so charming, cheerful and her presence lits one¡¯s life. She has such beautiful aura. I have never met someone as simple minded as her. She sees and talks about everything like it is so stress-free and easy to achieve. ¡°You¡¯re so simple minded¡± I said Her dimples grew deeper as she smiled sheepishly. Surprisingly, it does something to me. Something that I couldn¡¯t exin. ¡°Thank you for thepliment¡± she blushed ¡°Thank you?¡± Startled by how she pulled off ament which was suppose to make her grumpy, Iughed. I couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. I was enjoying the fact that she was making meugh heartily Able to hold get myself together after a long minutes ofughing my soul out ¡°Thank you, anyways for making me feel better¡± I said ¡°You¡¯re wee¡± she smiled again There¡¯s a thing about her smile. It was contagious and like a sudden beam of sunlight illuminating the darkest corners of the room, it flickered across her face like a hologram. I couldn¡¯t help but smile back at her. I maintained calmness, gradually pondering deeply about her. She¡¯d think that I am trying to figure out how to start with the ns of existing in two worlds as one person. Well, I would need to think about that but at the moment, it was Alexa all in my head. _¡±What would be of me if these thoughts of Alexa in my head bes a reurring thing?¡±_ I thought I gazed at her cute face as I debated on saying what¡¯s on my mind or not. ¡°Should I say this? No, I shouldn¡¯t.¡± Maybe I should¡± I critically thought Tired of fighting myself over a mere talk which wasn¡¯t really a mere talk because I actually was sincere about it all. I was able to grow balls to say what¡¯s on my mind and exactly how it was ¡°Alexa?¡± I called out her name to get her undivided attention. She turns her face to look at me. She looked puzzled. I¡¯d look same way if I was in her shoes. She suddenly interwined her fingers nervously ying with them She was patiently and eagerly awaiting my next move ¡°If I start doing what my father wants, would you like me and be my type?¡± I winced at that. ¡°_Why would a boss like me ask my worker such question? I¡¯m probably overstepping boundaries. I shouldn¡¯t be doing this.¡±_ I thought She stood at a ce looking at me, grinning and unable to say a word. I don¡¯t recall asking her to marry me, I wondered why she was speechless. ¡°Nevermind. I shouldn¡¯t have said that¡± I quickly said trying not to ruin the atmosphere with such weird question. Sheughed softly and held my hand. ¡°Ummm.. Nn, I¡­¡± She was about to say something when a call from my phone interrupted.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°A minute, please¡± I walked few steps away from her to take the call. Minutes after I was done, I came back only to figure out that she was gone. I had mixed feelings immediately. I didn¡¯t know if I was happy that she get to answer my weird question because it¡¯d definitely make things awkward between us or if I was disappointed that she didn¡¯t get to let me know if she¡¯d like me. I shook my head uncontrobly trying to shake off the whole scenery. Reminiscing her smile when she held my hand, I couldn¡¯t help but smile sheepishly. 14 ALEXA¡¯S POV It had been an eventful day yesterday. Thankfully, I had heard Mr. Brown let Nn go out with his friends for the rest of the afternoon. The man was a bit of a recluse, and thest thing we needed right now was another teenage brain recking the whole mansion with its tantrum. I couldn¡¯t help but look back at how Nn had reacted yesterday, his eyes shed a hint of sadness in them that sought out empathy in me. When the afternoon finally rolled around, Mr. Brown calls me up to his office. ¡°Sir, you called?¡± I stood at the foot of his office, nervously waiting at his open door. He waved me in and shut the door. I had never actually sat down on one of the plush couches in front of his desk before and was finding it rather awkward. He was standing behind his desk, hands sped together and elbows resting on top. I tried my best not to be too intimidated. ¡°How are you today?¡± Mr. Brown gave a slight smile, looking at me with a speck of worry in his eyes. A few white strands were sticking out from underneath his hair, giving him a distinguished look. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten quiet and haven¡¯t reported back after you ran after Nn.¡± I forced a smile, trying my hardest to sound cheery. ¡°Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong?¡± The thought hit me again, as ever, that perhaps he could tell something was amiss with me. The idea sent shivers down my spine.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. He looked down for a second, his face taking on a serious expression, then looked back up. ¡°No,¡± He said sternly, looking down at me through narrowed eyes. ¡°What did you think of yesterday?¡± There was nothing usatory about his tone or demeanor, but I still felt a pang of guilt, just like every other time that question hase. ¡°Yes, well, I wanted to apologize about the situation yesterday,¡± he said as he sat behind his desk. He gestures for me to sit down next to him and continues talking when Iply.¡±You¡¯ve done very well so far as a nanny. It¡¯s just¡­ Well, it isn¡¯t just your job, is it, Alexa? You¡¯re also a part of the family now, and I think you might understand better than anyone how much someone like me would worry about your well-being around my son¡­¡± ¡°I suppose I do, sir.¡± I shifted ufortably, not knowing what he wanted to say. His lips thinned into a straight line as he looked at his hands on his desk. After a moment, he sighed, then started talking again. ¡°¡­ I know, there have been many times when I wished I could give you more stability, a way to control my son¡¯s behavior. When my wife passed away¡­ well, I didn¡¯t always have the time to give him the proper care and guidance he needed-¡± ¡°Sir, don¡¯t worry. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. I believe the best course of action is to be there for him,¡± I forced myself to make eye contact with him. He nodded, understanding why I felt like that. ¡°Nn is being this way as he feels you are controlling towards him and his decisions in life,¡± I continued. ¡°Am I wrong to do so?¡± I sat there looking at him with a confused look. ¡°Sir, I believe you don¡¯t understand that not everything you want can be dealt with every time as you wish,¡± I spoke with sincerity before standing. ¡°Please take a moment to think of this¡­ As you said, if I am part of the family now, then it shouldn¡¯t be hard to take advice from family,¡± I see him gulp a lump forming in his throat. ¡°Go downstairs and join in helping with the preparation for dinner¡­¡± I look at him confused once again before I spot his gaze change from before. His eyes were soft, and he smiled at me, a smile that almost broke my heart. ¡°Go ahead, Alexa. We¡¯ll talkter.¡± With a small nod, I turn on my heels and walked out of the room with a heavy heart. Now, I understand why Nn reacted that way before; his father never truly wanted to focus on him. Even if he were to put any effort into nurturing him, he would only seed in making him unhappy. After just a few weeks, I¡¯m starting to realize this¡­ Making my way to the kitchen, I started prepping for dinner as the kitchen staff followed my lead. By the time I was midway into cooking, I heard a staff member behind me greet someone. Turning around, it was Mr. Brown. ¡°Sir, may we help you with anything?¡± The leading staff, Carlos, asked as he nervously stood in front of Mr. Brown. I watched as every other staff member looked at him, took his jacket off and gave it to a maid nearby. Our eyes lock its gaze with each other and I feel myself blush as I watch him walk up to me. ¡°Sir?¡± Another staff member calls out, catching his attention. He simply smiled at her and took the spat she held. As he swiftly took an apron off of a hook and tied it around him, he faced me and with furrowed brows he spoke. ¡°May I assist you with that, Alexa?¡± Mr. Brown asks. ¡°Sir, you know how to cook?¡± 15 Chapter 15 (1000) ALEXA¡¯S POV As Mr. Brown gives me a nod, I gesture him at the front of the stove where I was working. The kitchen staff watched closely as he observed while I teach him what to do. ¡°So you want to just season the meat evenly and generously, like so-¡± I showed him and move aside to let him do the rest. I took a wooden spat to help stir what I had in my pot, I couldn¡¯t help but feel him staring at me. ¡°What¡¯s your favorite thing to cook?¡± He suddenly asked as I continued stirring the soup inside of the pot. ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± I question. ¡°Anything specific?¡± I look over my shoulder at him.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I guess¡­ I like pasta, rice, and some other dishes.¡± He hummed before nodding. ¡°Oh ok¡­ And?¡± He continued on questioning me. ¡°Um.. I love pancakes and omelets¡­¡± ¡°Pancakes?¡± He asked again. ¡°Yes. When the orphanage went bankrupt, Cody brought me pancakes from a local bakery,¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Cody?¡± I felt my blood run cold and I kept my gaze on the pot I was stirring . ¡°My brother¡­¡± I mumbled quietly. The kitchen fell silent for a couple of seconds. ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡± I heard a voice say beside me. ¡°So where did you learn how to handle food, Sir?¡± I asked as I gave a light nudge on Mr. Brown¡¯s side. ¡°Before my wife passed, I used to cook her meals,¡± he said with a smile. I turned my head towards him once again. ¡°Really?¡± Mr. Brown nodded, turning off the oven when I finished stirring. We continued cooking in silence once again until I decided that it¡¯s time to clean up the table. Once I was done cleaning everything, I turned my attention towards the older man, waiting patiently for him to notice and finish putting everything away. Once he was done, he grabbed adle and poured the stew in a bowl while I tted the chicken to carve for tonight. ¡°Is it bad if I could have a taste?¡± I joke as the smell of the food made me hungry. ¡°No, of course not!¡± Heughs and takes a small spoon from a drawer. I stood shocked, watching him as he took a spoonful of food and lifted it in front of me to eat. I blushed as the kitchen staff members watched our gestures from one another until I built up the courage to take a bite. ¡°God, Sir, that tasted amazing,¡± a ridiculous big smile crept on his face as he gestured to the others to taste the food. ¡°Wow! You did great, sir!¡± A few more praises are heard throughout the room. ¡°You better note down here, sir, or you¡¯ll be taking our jobs,¡± A gardener who I saw making out with Cassy the other night remarked, making everyoneugh. ¡°You all shouldn¡¯t praise me, I should thank all of you¡­ And you, dear,¡± He looked at me and smiled. After cleaning up the work surfaces in the kitchen, the kitchen staff members grabbed the tes and utensils, and we went upstairs together. It¡¯s been five years since the orphanage was closed, I couldn¡¯t help my memories there sh through my eyes. ¡°Alexa?¡± Mr. Brown puts a hand on my shoulder. ¡°You okay?¡± I blinked my eyes at him and nodded in response to his worried look. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine¡­ Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± We continued walking upstairs as soon as we got to the dining hall to prepare the table for dinner. As the members finished preparing, I watched by the hall with Mr. Brown until they went back downstairs in the kitchen to wait until it was our time to eat. They had already left Mr. Brown and I alone in the dining hall once again. ¡°Thank you so much for teaching me how to cook Alexa,¡± I shook my head. ¡°No worries, Sir, you did a pretty good job,¡± ¡°I might have to learn more than just cooking stew though, I wouldn¡¯t want to grow old and not know anything,¡± Heughed as I gave him a small smile, not getting what he was trying to say. ¡°Well sir, maybe you could pick one dish you enjoy making most?¡± I asked curiously and he stoppedughing abruptly as he looked into my eyes. He sighed, leaning against the wall with crossed arms. ¡°Why don¡¯t you cook for me next time, instead?¡± My heart dropped as he spoke those words. Was he joking? Did he seriously ask me to cook for him? Thest time I checked there are more than enough staff to feed two people in this mansion, let alone the employees inside this building. ¡°Are you sure, sir?¡± I raised an eyebrow in suspicion. ¡°You know there are a lot morepetent cooks in your kitchen than your son¡¯s nanny,¡± My remark made both of usugh softly before he spoke again. ¡°Yes,¡± he nodded softly as he pushed himself off of the wall and approached me. ¡°Ok, but you will owe me,¡± I stated, smiling warmly at him while he chuckled. ¡°What might I owe you with?¡± he raises a brow at me as he walks slowly towards me with his arms unfolding infront of him and to his back. ¡°That¡¯s another discussion we¡¯ll be having when I have one in mind,¡± ¡°Fair enough, Miss Alexa,¡± Iughed at hisment. ¡°And you will neverin, Sir,¡± ¡°Never¡­ So will you ept it?¡± ¡°Of course, sir, I¡¯d be happy to,¡± Suddenly, a sound of a ringtone rang from his pocket at the same time as Nn opened the front door. My gaze went from Mr. Brown to the entrance where Nn walks in with a guest I couldn¡¯t quiet see because of the statue by the stairs blocking them. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Mr. Brown excuses himself to another room as I prepare myself for another round of teasing from Nn. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t a bitch.¡± 16 Chapter 16 (1039) NOLAN¡¯S POV I held myself from speaking as Kathy¡¯s words rang through my ears. I looked at Alexa who seemed fairly annoyed to see my girlfriend. ¡°Babe, you didn¡¯t tell me you¡¯re dad hired a whore¡­¡± Kathy says, giggling as she goes. Alexa¡¯s face hardened at her statement, she narrowed her eyes at Kathy as anger boiled beneath her skin. ¡°Babe, I bet I could get this bitch fired if she gets caught by your dad hurting me,¡± Kathy whispers to my ear making me smirk. Despite the fact Alexa and I had nothing wrong going on between us, I don¡¯t feel obligated to open my self with my father¡¯s employee. She may be nice, but I would rather have my own way around my life. ¡°I wonder how you got your job, Alexa¡­ It must¡¯ve been a real mouthful when it came in the interviewing part,¡± Kathy says, gesturing her hand in her mouth while she made an O in her mouth, making chuckle and roll my eyes at her. Alexa didn¡¯t bother to speak or give her any reaction other than to look annoyed at her. ¡°Unbothered, you must be so skilled with it, it you must be a natural by now!¡± Kathy continues to throw insults at Alexa whileughing. ¡°What? Cat got your tongue?¡± Kathyughs, then stops giving her fakest shock expression. ¡°Or was it a dick that caught your tongue?¡± I rolled my eyes at her eagerness to provoke Alexa and proceeded to walk to the dining room. The table had already been made, the food looks to die for but I bet Alexa made most of it seeing most of the staff follow her around now ever since she started working here. ¡°The dinner looks lovely, did you make this Alexa?¡± Kathy¡¯s words wereced with her squeaky voice that mostly gave out an annoyed expression from Alexa. ¡°It looks delicious, at least we know fucking around isn¡¯t the only thing in your resume,¡± I sighed at her remark as she continues to provoke Alexa. ¡°At least I¡¯ve got something to show for, unlike you,¡± Alexa snaps at Kathy. ¡°Oh, so you do talk. Congrats! At least we know another thing where your mouth is good at!¡± Kathy smirks at her, looking over to me after her words. ¡°Kathy¡­ Don¡¯t do anything stupid¡­¡± I warned as she shrugs off my warning, ignoring my warning altogether. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a wonder, babe, how someone almost the same age as you is willing to get their hands dirty to get a job as your nanny?¡± Her smirk widened as she began walking toward Alexa at an angry pace. ¡°Do you even realize how many women have been trying to find a way to get close to my boyfriend?¡± Kathy asked as she red into Alexa¡¯s eyes. I slowly walked behind her and sighing deeply, hoping she wouldn¡¯t go off track. ¡°Kathy, that¡¯s enough, babe¡­¡± ¡°No, babe. Why do you keep stopping me from catching this bitch¡¯s intentions? She is clearly trying to get herself pregnant and taking your family wealth!¡± I didn¡¯t know what got into me but my body tensed up with the thought that Kathy might be right. I quickly grabbed Kathy by the arm before she could reach Alexa. ¡°Leave her alone!¡± I snapped as I looked straight into Kathy¡¯s eyes. She looked slightly taken aback by my actions. Not saying anything, she looked away from me and moved to sit in a different chair. ¡°Nol-¡± Kathy began to protest. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± ¡°But, Alex-¡± We both stared at each other as I kept staring intently at her till finally, Kathy gave in and nodded as her eyes turned into a re as she went on to ignore her. With Kathy being so annoying to be around today, it didn¡¯t really feel like nice evening to have her stay over anymore.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You know, you shouldn¡¯t be so worried when ites to me and your boyfriend,¡± I heard Alexa spoke causing me to turn to her and back to Kathy. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Kathy hissed as she looks a mixture of annoyed and shocked at Alexa. ¡°You heard me,¡± As Alexa spoke those words, Kathy pushes me aside and walked towards her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°This little slut needs to learn a thing or two about manners,¡± Kathy clenched her fists tightly, making her knuckles turn white. ¡°Kathy, control yourself,¡± I grabbed her arm once more to stop her froming closer to Alexa. ¡°Get off me,¡± Kathy shrugs my hold off her and walks closer to Alexa. Finally having enough, I watched closely behind her hoping things won¡¯t get nasty between them. I knew how stubborn Kathy is, she doesn¡¯t listen to anyone unless she has no choice. ¡°Listen, girl, don¡¯t act all tough, just admit that you¡¯re only after my man because you¡¯re struggling in your filthy ditch. I know you¡¯re only masking all this dirty intentions just because I¡¯m right infront of you, you¡¯ve got some nerve to stoop unto our level,¡± Kathy scoffs. ¡°For your information, Kathy,¡± I looked at Alexa who spoke out. ¡°Nn is never and even fucking close to my level¡­ He isn¡¯t even in my list of standards,¡± ¡°I doubt that,¡± Kathy says, rolling her eyes visibly at Alexa. ¡°You go ahead and believe that, but you know there¡¯s nothing stopping your man from wanting me,¡± My eyes widen at Alexa¡¯s words, Kathy snaps at my direction making me look away. ¡°You insinuate a lot of ideas unto people¡¯s lives, even for someone with such ss,¡± The room dropped dead silent as Alexa carried on speaking. ¡°I find it funny how you act so threatened around me¡­ Oh, Kathy, if I were you-¡± Alexa steps closer to Kathy. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t really talk alot about the n,¡± Suddenly, Kathy pushes Alexa away from her and looked like she was about to cry. ¡°How dare you say those things to me?!¡± Kathy exims. ¡°It¡¯s not in the contract if I can¡¯t or can do that, so why couldn¡¯t I?¡± Alexa smirked at Kathy. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± I half-yelled but Kathy had different ns. ¡°I guess there isn¡¯t anything about this either then,¡± Suddenly, Kathy raises her hand. 17 Chapter 17 (1115) ALEXA¡¯S POV Standing in front of both of them, I was shocked that Nn had stopped Kathy¡¯s hand from hitting me. His hand held her wrist so tight you couldn¡¯t imagine the look of surprise Kathy has. ¡°Nn, what the hell!¡± Kathy exims, taking her hand abruptly from his hold. ¡°I¡¯ve told you to back off, Kathy¡­ I knew you¡¯d be going off course-¡± Nn was cut off when Kathy spoke up, ¡°You¡¯re being such a limp-dick!-¡± ¡°Come up with a bettereback, then you can argue with me¡­¡± I step back from them, not wanting to be in their fight knowing Kathy started it all. ¡°So you¡¯re on her side now?¡± Kathy hissed at him. A few footsteps came over to us from behind me, I turned and saw Mr. Brown tucking his phone away to join us. ¡°Ah, Nn. Good evening, Kath.¡± Mr. Brown greets both of them with a smile but Nn immediately left to the dinner table before he could say another word. ¡°Would you like to join us, dear?¡± Mr. Brown looks towards Kathy who seemed visibly angry. ¡°No thanks, I wouldn¡¯t want to ruin your meal this little goody two shoes made,¡± As Kathy res at me as she said those words.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Mr. Brown looks at Kathy worriedly as he starts to walk up to her. ¡°Yes, sir. It¡¯s gettingte as well, I¡¯ve got some work to do with parents¡¯ in the morning.¡± Kathy leans to brush her cheek against him and made a kiss sound bidding her farewell. I turned to look at Nn who was walking to Kathy and looked like he regret what he did before. ¡°Kathy,¡± ¡°Just stop, Nn¡­ I dont want to hear it,¡± And with that she stomped her way out of the hall. ¡°They had a fight, Sir¡± I leaned over to him and whispered. He nods understandably and turns to go into the dining room after Kathy had mmed the door. Mr. Brown takes a seat at the head of the table while Nn sits across from him and who wasn¡¯t paying attention to his presence. ¡°What is wrong with you tonight, Nn?¡± Mr. Brown asks. ¡°Nothing, Kathy was just not feeling well.¡± Nn excuses, taking a napkin and putting it on hisp. I walked softly from the tiled floor not attempting to catch their attention towards me, it had already been an eventful start of the night I wouldn¡¯t want anything to happen further. ¡°Alexa,¡± Mr. Brown calls as I was almost at the foot of the kitchen door. ¡°Yes, Sir?¡± ¡°Would you mind calling the staff members to join us to eat, it¡¯s been awfully quite dead silent.¡± My brows furrowed at hismand but I nodded my head, making my way downstairs to call everyone. Awkwardly standing before them, I saw the gardeners and male housekeeping were already munching on bread, while thedies were chatting and sipping on a bottle of water. Some were sat on the floor while the others werefortably sat on the countertop. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I called out softly, trying to gather up the courage to speak louder, but they seem to not notice me at all. ¡°Everyone?¡± I spoke even louder which finally got their attention. They looked at me confused and I continued, ¡°My apologies if I interrupted you but Mr. Brown calls us at the dining table¡­¡± It doesn¡¯t take long for them to get to the dining room once I exined the situation. When the women reached the room, they took their seats around the round table whilst the men opted against doing so. ¡°Alexa-you people, why aren¡¯t the rest of you sitting?¡± Mr. Brown asked, on the other side of the table across from him Nn looked a tad bit shocked at his father¡¯smand as well as everybody else¡¯s presence at the table. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to take up space as you might have actual guests, sir.¡± An old man spoke out loud even with a horse voice. ¡°Not to worry, everyone, you all should sit at the table with me-¡± Suddenly, Nn stood up with his te full of food and a loaf of bread in hand. I shot him a look but he seemed unfazed by it. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, I wouldn¡¯t want to ruin the party..¡± Nn scoffs before making his way out of the dining room. Mr. Brown was about to say something but it felt like he was stopping himself. ¡°What are you all standing for? Dig in!¡± Mr. Brown said as he watched and ate along with us. He didn¡¯t look fazed by Nn¡¯s actions. Instead, Mr. Brown seemed more amused at our reactions to Nn¡¯s actions than angry or upset about having dinner together without him. The dinner continued on with the chatter continuing between all five of us. The only thing we really talked about was the weather, housework, and pay raise¡­ We didn¡¯t talk about Nn. That was clear enough to me. After eating, we all cleared up our empty tes and began talking again. ¡°Sir, if you don¡¯t mind us asking, why did you aks us to join you for dinner?¡± One of the housekeeping maids ask as everyone had the same expression at first. It seemed clear that it is a question everybody wanted to ask, I¡¯ve only been here for a small fragment of their experience with him but I could tell this is a first to them. It seemed clear that it is a question everybody wanted to ask, I¡¯ve only been here for a small fragment of their experience with him but I could tell this is a first to them. ¡± Well, I thought that a meal together would provide a chance for us all to get to know each other more, maybe spend some time with one another outside of work?¡± ¡°Is that all you¡¯re worried about?¡± Another housekeeper interjects, ¡°This house hasn¡¯t felt homely since Miss died, Sir.¡± ¡°I know that. But there is always time for change isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°But why didn¡¯t you invite Alexa instead of us?¡± One of the male housemaids asked, teasingly. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be unfair for everyone?¡± The room fell silent as they didn¡¯t expect Mr. Brown to even answer the question. I could feel their eyes on me as I sat ufortably in my seat. ¡°We all have our own struggles to deal with, but I¡¯m getting old¡­ There¡¯s no one out there genuine to take care of me, so I would like to spend this time with people who I owe,¡± I turned to Mr. Brown and he gave me a knowing look that made me smile. 18 Chapter 18 (1218) ALEXA¡¯S POV Iid in bed wondering what led to Nn¡¯s actions. He seemed all over the ce that for a moment I thought he was actually on my side. Why would he stop Kathy from hitting me? If anything that¡¯s just like him, but what caused him to do it? There were a multitude of possibilities and many reasons, but somehow, I was sure the reason why he pushed her away was because he¡¯s scared I¡¯d hurt her as well. After seeing how close she was to pping me right then I thought to myself, why would he care for someone like me getting hurt? But why wouldn¡¯t he let his father get in the way, as to get me in touble¡­ I mean, this is Nn we¡¯re talking about¡­ Who would have predicted that he wouldn¡¯t act this way? Sighing deeply, I turn to my side and open the drawer of the night stand. Taking out my phone, I didn¡¯t expect dozens of text messages from Jade herself. She has been out of it for days end, working herself out to provide for her and David. I wonder how they are. Popping the message app on, I texted Jade hello. ¡°Finally, you replied! Tots u were died by now. Lol.¡± I smiled at her text as it came quickly after my message. ¡°Would still chat you if I were. Haha!¡± I grinned as I typed on my phone, imagining her eye roll in my head. Sometimes, I thank Cody for creating the gang and introducing Jade. She had sazed our asses when we didn¡¯t have anything to eat or even a ce to sleep. Until now, she doesn¡¯t waste a single minute to talk with me or even help when she can. ¡°David and the others went out to drink. These men think we just sit around doing nothing to earn.¡± I bit my lip fromughing, I knew it was true. ¡°Girl, stop talking bad or else mister grumpy ass will find out. Lol.¡± As I sent the message, the only reply she gave was a fewughing emojis. We¡¯ve been gossiping about the gang for awhole, how they try to act notorious yet their only dimwits with guns to show for. ¡°Lol, so when r uing back then?¡± I could hear her pout on the other line, Iughed at her, even though I didn¡¯t get why she was pouting. ¡°Well if it¡¯s any constion, I might squeeze in a day off whenever you¡¯re free.¡± As I sent the text, she gave it a heart emoji and I could sense her squealing. ¡°I ain¡¯t telling the boys, I¡¯m keeping you for the whole day when that happens!¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh at her giddiness to see me. I know it¡¯s been a while but I find itforting that someone actually cares about me. ¡°Any cuties there to keep yoh motivated?¡± Reading that with the emoji had meughing, I covered my mouth from going further and replied back. ¡°Maybe two,¡± I sent the chat along with a wink and it sent me grinning from ear to ear. The night drifted on with back and forth chats between us, until I had falled asleep entirely. (***) ¡°Alexa!¡± Another call for the third time from upstairs came, I was practically running by now. ¡°Coming!¡± I yelled, I wasn¡¯t having the time of my life as Nn kept yelling my name and calling for me. ¡°ALEXA!¡± Fourth. If he says my name again, I swear I will be put to jail for sewing his mouth shut. I opened the door to his room and I saw him. His hair was all disheveled with his clothes wrinkled and dirty from the painting he has been doing all afternoon, looking just like a mess as well. When he caught sight of me he stopped whatever he was doing that was on the top of him and turned to me. ¡°Come here,¡± Nn gestures over to me as he spoke. ¡°Why?¡± I raised an eyebrow as I walked closer towards him. ¡°For my project.¡± Nn grabs hold of my arm and pulls me into the room. My eyes widened at the sudden action, especially since I haven¡¯t touched anyone for several days. ¡°Okay, what do I do now?¡± I asked him as soon as I was in the room. He pushes me on the chair and sits back down infront of his desk where he painted. ¡°Just pose for me¡­¡± he told me in a bored tone of voice. And with those words, I could not believe what he had just said. He wants me to pose for him? ¡°Wait a minute¡­ What?!¡± I almost screamed as I jumped out of my chair.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Calm down Alexa, sit down and stay quiet and still.¡± He pointed his finger at me and I obliged him obediently. His face suddenly grew serious and he leaned forward on his palms resting them on the desk in front of him. A slight blush crept across my cheeks upon seeing him. ¡°Can you sit still please for ten minutes, I need to paint your face.¡± How dare this hooligan?! Nn then stands back up and makes his way infront of me, giving me a serious look. ¡°Just do me a favour, god, why are you so weird?¡± He grumbles as he puts his hand on my shoulder. Does hethinks that I am going to allow him to paint me? This man is insane! ¡°Do you even know who I am? Do you know how embarrassing this is?¡± I tried to get out of the chair but to no avail, I ended up falling straight onto him,nding on him and sending us both toppling to the floor. ¡°Jesus Christ!¡± He exims as our faces were a few inches from each other, I felt a hand beneath my breast. My eyes widen the realization and quickly got up. ¡°Dude, I¡¯m not even asking you to go nude! Just pose for me in an interesting way,¡± Nn says as he stayed on his back while watching me brush myself off. I rolled my eyes at his attempt to y dumb, as I picked my hair from the floor and stood up straight. He makes his way to his table as he watches me stand before him. ¡°So I assume you want me to pose for you like the sketches you didst week?¡± I raise a brow, wondering why he even wanted me to pose for him like the stupid piece of art he created. ¡°Yes.¡± His eyes looked down at me intently as he watched me walk over to the table that held his paintings. He was sitting there with his legs crossed and his arms folded under his chest, his expression showing boredom. I sighed heavily. How much more could he make me suffer for a few minutes before deciding to do something? Then, an idea came to mind. As I made my way back to the chair infront of him, I see him from the corner of my eye preparing to sketch. Putting my left foot on top of the seat that was facing him, I put my both hands on my waist and arch my back seductively. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± 19 ALEXA¡¯S POV I jumped back to my feet in embarrassment when Kathy walks in amused. Kathy looks over at Nn who was surprised as well while trying to avoid his gaze from me. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna be the killjoy, but would you mind leaving us alone?¡± Kathy asks as she emphasizes on thest word. I nodded my head quietly, still feeling regret for what I did in the room. Walking outside of Nn¡¯s bedroom, I was surprised when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around, she shes me her fakest smile. ¡°Hi, Alexa, is it?¡± Kathy asks, evidently trying topose herself. ¡°Listen, I know you¡¯re just doing your job¡­ But you should know better than to go too far with doing extra work, you get me?¡± She remarks, squinting her eyes at me as she gives me a sarcastic look. ¡°I don¡¯t know what had gotten into your tiny brain, but if I were you¡­ I would back off before you lose your job for being such a slut,¡± Kathy hisses, turning back around and shutting the door behind her. I was shocked to say the least, I knew Kathy was not happy with my actions today, but I expected more from her. I thought she would at least give me some sort of reaction if I did what she was thinking was wrong. I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration as I thought about what Kathy had said. I knew her thoughts weren¡¯tpletely right; I knew what we did in that room wasn¡¯t right. But damn I can¡¯t seem to change her mind. She keeps thinking that she knows everything about me, I guess ites from her knowing how little we know about each other. ¡°Whatever,¡± I scoff at her insinuation and walked back downstairs.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. The rest of the evening went on without incident, everyone seemed to have their problems or their troubles to deal with. As we were about done with the meal for tonight, thedy cook nudges me softly and gave me a grin. ¡°I¡¯m Sam,¡± She reaches her hand out to me for me to shake. ¡°Alexa,¡± I shook her hand and smiled at her back as I tended to the rice infront of me. ¡°Where¡¯s Sir Anthony?¡± Sam asks, looking around the room for him. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re allowed to call him that?¡± I was taken aback by her sentence, I wasn¡¯t aware Mr. Brown was that friendly with his employees. ¡°Oh no, but we do that when it¡¯s just us employees to make fun of him,¡± Samughs softly making me soften up to her. ¡°So where is he? Why isn¡¯t he helping you?¡± She wiggles her eyebrows at me as if she knew about something etween me and him. ¡°I have no idea,¡± Iughed at her and dismissed her to tend to another dish to serve. ¡°You know a lot has changed since you got here,¡± Sam teases while another tending cook nods as if they were listening on. ¡°Really? How so?¡± I ask her curiously, as I wipe the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand and continue cleaning my tray with another towel I brought with me from upstairs. ¡°Well, it seems like the whole ce is different since the day you arrived,¡± Sam tells me while taking one of the tes from the stack in front of me. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true, but why is that?¡± Iugh slightly at her statement, ¡°It seems that everyone really likes you and you like everybody, I mean the boss likes you.¡± A male cook remarks, making us turn to him. ¡°I think it¡¯s because of your aura?¡± She smiles and continues handing me dishes after tes. I tilt my head and looked at her confused, ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, stil unsure what she meant. ¡°Well, you have this inviting aura with you wherever you are. And, dont get me wrong, you help out with us even though it¡¯s not part of your job to do so,¡± ¡°Thanks, I try,¡± I smile back at her as I grab a te of food. Sheughs and shakes her head at my reply. ¡°It must¡¯ve juste naturally because, well¡­¡± Sam pauses to take a break and lean against the sink beside me. ¡°You¡¯re very nice person, Alexa.¡± I chuckle lightly at thepliments she has given me, and I find myself actually liking thepliment. As we went to finish preparing upstairs in the dining room, I spot Mr. Brown making his way in the dining room along with Nn who looked annoyed. Mr. Brown shoots me a grin before stretching his hand over me. ¡°Mind if you join us for dinner again, Alexa?¡± Mr. Brown asks, I couldn¡¯t help but gaze back at Nn who wasn¡¯t fully enthusiastic about the idea. ¡°I would prefer to wait with the others, sir.¡± I excused myself and stood by the corner while everyone walked back downstairs. ¡°Then, call the others to join us, I¡¯d like to eat with all of you again.¡± The servants stopped walking as soon as they heard him say those things and came walking up to the table to sit. I turn to Nn who was fed up and look up at Mr. Brown. ¡°What a noble thing to do, are we adopting them as well?¡± Nn spat, giving an annoyed look at his father. Everyone sat quietly, embarrased at Nn¡¯sment. ¡°Son, that¡¯s enough¡­ I just want them to join us,¡± Mr. Brown says, frustrated with Nn¡¯s behavior. ¡°Them or her? It was quite clear who the prior guest of the table should¡¯ve been, right Alexa?¡± Nn scoffs off after speaking, taking his te and pilling food before walking off. ¡°Go ahead to your room where you are always stuck in, at least I know myself well enough to be building meaningful connections with our staff,¡± Mr. Brownments, sipping on his ss. Nn looks around the people who sat quietly on their seat before speaking, ¡°No, go ahead and eat. I dare all of you.¡± 20 Chapter 20 (1041) ALEXA¡¯S POV Sometimes, I wonder where on earth Nn found the nerve to insult everyone who didn¡¯t do anything wrong with him. And the fact he does it when people aren¡¯t trying to pick a fight with him, it makes me mad. He¡¯s a jerk to everybody, except his father. I can¡¯t deny I¡¯ve thought about going up to him and punching him in the face. But it never seemed appropriate in public especially when everyone was staring at me and waiting on me to say something.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Iy in bed trying to push aside the event, taking my phone out of the drawer again to chat up with Jade. ¡°heyyyy! i¡¯m back!!! im sorry i haven¡¯t been answering your messages, i haven¡¯t been well recently :(¡± I read to myself before replying. ¡°What happened? :o¡± I giggled at my silly emoji before sending. ¡°nothing much just had my first serious fight with David¡­ Wish you were here so we could make fun about it :((( .¡± ¡°what?! :O i feel so bad ?? ¡± My heart hurts just hearing her cry. ¡°no no it¡¯s fine, trust me, I¡¯ll survive ?? ¡± ¡°i miss you so much, i can¡¯t wait to see you and talk to you¡­¡± I said, letting out a breath of relief after reading my message. ¡°Miss me?¡± Jade questions. ¡°Yes, you know I love talking to you. How is your day?¡± I replied as I let out another sigh, my heart hurting once more at hearing her pain. ¡°it¡¯s been pretty slow¡­ But hey, I¡¯m d you texted me!¡± Her words make me smile as she continues to talk. ¡°Btw, Cody has been nagging about you not giving him attention.. He has been making assumptions out of paranoia recently,¡± I sighed as I read through her message before replying. ¡°I hope nothing serious happened between you two¡­ Just tell him how you feel,¡± she replies, sounding concerned. I chuckled at her words, telling Cody how I feel about his temper around me is a big red g and a general death wish on my behalf. ¡°So¡­ What else have you been doing with yourself besides eating and sleeping? Anybody interesting you met yet?¡± She asks, wanting to know about my life outside of working with the employees, but also wanting to know about mine. Iughed and told her stories about me meeting new people. She was interested in everything I tell her about myself until I mention Nn. ¡°Nn? Is he single?¡± She chuckles as she waits for my answer. ¡°Why do you care about him anyways?¡± I questioned, not really sure why she would ask me about him. ¡°Just curious. I don¡¯t know, he¡¯s kind of handsome, I wouldn¡¯t mind getting to know him better,¡± she giggled, obviously trying to convince herself she doesn¡¯t have a crush on the guy. I shook my head at her words, I don¡¯t get how someone could act that weirdly towards a guy they just met a few days ago. ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯ve only known him for less than 24 hours and you already know about him acting all weird towards me, he doesn¡¯t seem like the kind of guy to be interested in other girls.¡± ¡°Well, then let him be jealous. I want you to be happy,¡± she said, trying to persuade me into talking to Nn and having a conversation with him. ¡°How long are you working till your dayoff?¡± I asked her changing the subject, she knows how sensitive I am about Nn being close to my friends. ¡°Well, I think I¡¯m going to spend more time here, maybe stay longer¡­¡± She replied, clearly disappointed about not seeing me as often as she would like. ¡± Hey, Alexa, you know you really shouldn¡¯t stick around with someone like Cody,¡± Her message had me think for a moment. Cody wasn¡¯t the nicest person to be around with, even the least person to be chosen to love. But, I chose to love him despite that fact. I was willing to endure all the bullying, harassment and harshness. Because deep down, I knew I wanted him to be there for me. I wanted him to love me and be there for me the same way I did for him. ¡°But I like him¡­¡± I texted back and sighing under my breath. ¡°What was that?¡± She asked, I shook my head at her response, not wanting to ruin our good mood. Shutting my phone off, I felt it vibrate on the bed notifying me Jade¡¯s text messages. I knew there will be a moment where someone would try to convince me to leave him, Jade has watched me several nights removing bloodstains off my own shirt after he would get in a bad mood. Whenever I had gone off my shift, Jade would make sure Cody would trust her enough to let her walk with me¡­ he would rather have me walk home than to have my other co-workers escort me. His excuses for not picking me up were all the same thing, waking upte, his back hurts, or even the same ¡®I have a hangover¡±. It just sucks having to endure being by his side and having to apologize in order to get on his good side. Laying on my back, I stared up onto the ceiling thinking to myself why I cant take up the courage to leave. The reason is simple enough: I¡¯m too afraid to be alone. And if I do get the courage to walk away, who knows what Cody might do in order to have me back by his side. The fear only consumes me every night, yet I still love him despite of it. Do I really love him? Spending almost all my life with him in and after getting out of the orphanage, I feel like I wouldn¡¯t be able to find anyone to know me so deeply like Cody does. But does that measure it? The length of being together? As I felt messages seizing, I reached over to pick it up until I hear my bedroom door crack open. I spot someone peering their head and realized it was Nn. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± 21 Chapter 21 (1043) ALEXA¡¯S POV As I watch Nn walking inside my room, he fixes his gaze on the ground. I can¡¯t stop myself from rolling my eyes at him. ¡°What do you want? Come to taunt me some more or do you just wanna stare at me like an animal? I¡¯d appreciate both bute on, give it a rest,¡± I snap at Nn, causing him to look up. He quickly looks around the room before turning back towards me. His gaze immediately locks onto mine as he approaches me. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t talk to me like that¡­.¡± he whispers before sitting on the edge of my bed. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I won¡¯t punch you, or else your mouth will be filled with a lot worse than a few cuts and bruises. Don¡¯t worry though, I¡¯ll make sure your dad doesn¡¯t punish you this time for talking shit.¡± I re at him. ¡°Jesus, I¡¯m mot here to pick a fight with you!¡± He eximed, holding his hands up to show me he didn¡¯t mean any harm. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, your face just screamed ¡®you¡¯re lying¡¯.¡± I red as I cross my arms, keeping eye contact with him. ¡°I¡¯m gonna sleep now.¡± I stand up and make my way to the closet to grab some clothes before I headed towards the bathroom. I change in front of the mirror before stepping outside to see him still waiting, crossing my arms I look at him expectantly. ¡°Help me finish my project,¡± Nn mumbled while rubbing his arm nervously. I scoffed as he looked towards me in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s rich! Why don¡¯t you finish it yourself? I thought your barbie girlfriend helped you with it?¡± I raised my eyebrow at him, hoping he gets the hint. He lets out a breath of frustration before looking at me, then his reaction shifted into amusement. ¡°Are you jealous?¡± He scoffs. I roll my eyes at him as I lean back against the wall. ¡°Jealous? No,¡± I huffed. I trailed off as my stomach suddenly dropped when I realize how cheesy my remark sounded. ¡°Ohh, so I guess your feelings for me haven¡¯t waned¡­¡± he smirked at me which only caused my cheeks to burn a bright crimson red. Fuck he¡¯s getting on my nerves! ¡°Fuck off¡­ God, whatever!¡± I snapped, annoyed at him for embarrassing me in front of him. I hate that he¡¯s making me feel embarrassed over some stupid remark. Nnughs at me before walking towards me, his fingers tracing patterns on my skin causing shivers to erupt throughout my body. ¡°What are you doing? Stop teasing me and leave already!!¡± I snapped as I shoved him away, feeling angry with myself. Nn grabs my wrist, stopping me from moving away from him. ¡°Calm down, princess¡­ I need your help.¡± He says with a soft tone, calming my nerves down a bit. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything for you, Nn. You should work it out with Kathy.¡± Nn shakes his head as he holds my hand firmly in his hold, looking directly into my eyes. ¡°Just pose for me, that¡¯s all I need¡­¡± ¡°And what makes you think that I would willingly go back on my word and do something like that?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fun,¡± Nn smiles at me before cing his forehead against mine. ¡°Fuck off, you have a girlfriend.¡± I shove me to the side andid down in bed. ¡°Get out!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t order me around! Plus why would you reject mymand?¡± He crosses his arms and looks at me with a smirk. I turned around from him, not giving him even a reply from his question. Before I knew it, I heard a couple of footsteps behind me leaving my room. I woke up a littleter than usual due to theck of lighting through the small gap between the curtains, I must have been asleep for at least two hours. Opening my eyes I saw the silhouette of somebody standing beside my bed. I sat up immediately, trying to calm my pounding heart, knowing that I shouldn¡¯t be so scared of someone entering my room uninvited and interrupting my routine. ¡°What do you want?¡± I ask, hoping he¡¯s done disturbing me for now. I really need the peace and quiet I¡¯ve been missing these past few weeks because I don¡¯t think I can handle anyone bothering me during those times. My eyes move around to find the source of the voice which had been calling me softly. The figure slowly stepped forward, I red at his mischievous grin that crept on his face from ear to ear. As my vision finally came to its senses, I saw a chair and desk prepared beside me. ¡°Nn!¡± I yelled, surprised he had the nerve to pull his material inside the room without making any noise. He ignored me and continued to sketch in the dimlight until I stood up and turned on the lights. He red at me and patiently waited until I sat back down infront of him. ¡°You are so fucking desperate,¡± I groaned at him before sitting down infront of him. ¡°And you are so irrationally stubborn,¡± I shot him a look as he made ament that made me annoyed. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll pose for you to finish your stupid project!¡± I raised my hands up in defeat and positioned my self to pose.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°But you owe me after this,¡± He then turns to me confused before grinning at me in amusement. ¡°I owe you? Jesus, so is everymand and order some kind of favor to you?¡± He scoffs after speaking, looking at me with one of his brows raised. ¡°Do you even take your job seriously?¡± I grabbed a pillow from my side and was ready to throw at him before he held his hand out in defense. ¡°You¡¯re asking me favor, you expect me to let do it without anything in return?¡± I spoke between gritted teeth which made himugh. ¡°Alright, I owe you one¡­ God, you¡¯re a fiesty one,¡± He chuckled under his breath before speaking again. ¡°But, I do want to add one more favour to this,¡± I tilt my head to the side in confusion and waited for him to say it. ¡°Take your clothes off,¡± 22 Chapter 22 (1058) ALEXA¡¯S POV ¡°Are you fucking insane?¡± I threw the pillow I held in my hand that immediately hit his face. He groaned in frustration as he put the pillow down on the floor. He stared back at me with all seriousness, unmoving from his position. I could feel my anger rising at this boy¡¯s audacity to go out of line with me.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Nn, I will say this once and I will not say it again. Get. The fuck. Out of my room¡­¡± I yelled as I stood up from where I was positioned before and red at him. I waited expectantly but to no vail, Nn sat still in his seat. This boy is getting on my nerves, I could tell why he and his girlfriend get along. ¡°Nn, so you know how outstandingly creepy you are right now?¡± I sighed as I brought both my hands through my hair as I sighed in frustration. ¡°You know this could¡¯ve been started and dealt with if you aren¡¯t talking so much,¡± Nn retorts, fiddling his pencil at me and looking bored. ¡°You¡¯re acting all hyped up for nothing, I know why you¡¯re making your move around me and my girlfriend could tell by your actions you¡¯re interested in me,¡± Before I knew it I was shocked that I pped him across his face out of spite. I scowled down at him, watching with no regret as he looked back at me shocked. ¡°I¡¯ve been getting close to you since day one because I need this job, not to get myself fucked around!¡± I huffed out. ¡°You know why I¡¯m trying so hard, even doing chores not even under my contract?!¡± I watch as he tilts his gaze down on the floor in shame. ¡°I have a brother back home who needs me, someone who isn¡¯t capable of taking care of themselves! Do you understand that?!¡± I was practically yelling at him, but I wasn¡¯t giving a damn. I¡¯m tired. I need a rest. ¡°You should take your girlfriend to a shrink for being obnoxiously territorial, if she wanted to she would¡¯ve gotten my job instead of putting a ridiculous amount of effort to show off your rtionship!¡± ¡°Did you even think I gave the slightest damn between you two? I¡¯m doing my job as a nanny, for christ sake!¡± I continued on. Putting both of my hands on my hips and walking to the drawer cab to let off some steam. ¡°Get a grip, Nn, I¡¯m doing my job¡­ You are practically harassing me even though I didn¡¯t do shit to you,¡± I hissed at him as I finished before turning around to face him. He was practically rendered speechless and wasn¡¯t even giving me eye contact with me, which made me annoyed even more. ¡°What happened, tough guy? Cat got your tongue? Nobody ever stood up from you before, huh?¡± I taunted, crossing my arms in front of my chest and watching his face go bright red. ¡°It¡¯s just I find it funny,¡± He says softly, his jaw clenched before looking directly at me. ¡°I wonder if my father had the nerve to ask, you would undoubtedly do it for the sake of gaining something,¡± My jaw dropped the moment his words reached me, I had no intention of doing any of the sort they think of. ¡°Am I right?¡± Nn smirks, squinting his eyes at me as if he had finally seen through me. Though he didn¡¯t. I am just fed up now. But if he¡¯s not gonna take the hint of leaving me the fuck alone, I¡¯ll take his bait and make him leave. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t your father thought about that though? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be the one ming him?¡± The room fell silent, I stood there holding my ground and my temper from hurting Nn again. ¡°What do you mean?¡± His brows furrowed, looking confused at me. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t act so unsure. You¡¯ve known your father would grow desperate for someone to bear his future child¡­ Someone to rece you,¡± His face dropped and I could feel him reading between my words. ¡°You¡¯re fucking with me-¡± ¡°And what if I¡¯m not?¡± He sat there stunned, his eyes looked worried which made me think back from all hisining. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be nice though? You wouldn¡¯t have to deal with your father¡¯s forceful attempt to change you,¡± I continue to talk, trying my hardest to stay calm and collected in front of him. ¡°Stop it, shut up! Just stop!¡± Nn shouted out, his hands gripping onto the fabric at the bottom of his hoodie, pulling the material harshly as he stood up to tower over me. ¡°Getting yed isn¡¯t fun when you¡¯re the target, huh?!¡± Iughed at his reaction as I made my way back to bed, I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s acting as if his dad actually did threaten to disown him. ¡°That¡¯s not funny!¡± ¡°It is when you look at yourself in that mirror!¡± I snapped. I watched as tears formed at the corners of his eyes, his hands clenching his shirt tightly. I walked closer to him, trying to reach his hand which was clutching onto his hoodie. His hands stayed stuck together as he stared at me, his lip quivering, trying to contain himself from crying. ¡°Nn¡­¡± I whispered softly. His breathing grew faster as his fists clenched tighter, his breathing became heavy and uneven as he looked me in the eye. ¡°Hey, look, there¡¯s nothing going on between us-¡± I walked closer to him, grabbing both of his wrists which caused his body to flinch and try to pull his hands away from me. His body shook violently as he struggled to break free from my grip. I walk closer to him, grabbing both of his wrists which caused his body to flinch and try to pull his hands away from me. His body shook violently as he struggled to break free from my grip. ¡°Let go!¡± Suddenly, he took his fold up chair and table, walking out of my room. I didn¡¯t know what else to feel besides the fact I was d he was out of my room. It wasn¡¯t like we were exactly on speaking terms anyway. That was probably better if he left sooner rather thanter, maybe it would help him understand things. Like not crossing my boundary 23 Chapter 23 (1091) ALEXA¡¯S POV The morning that followed, I was surprised to find a message from Mr. Brown. ¡°I¡¯ll being homete than usual, don¡¯t let Nn out of the house unless I say so,¡± I rolled my eyes at the thought that Nn would care less what Mr. Brown says. As much as I wanted to, I decided that I¡¯d let Nn have a little space to cool off, I don¡¯t wanna hurt him. After I¡¯d gotten ready I made my way downstairs after checking the time, I noticed that everyone seemed very excited about something happening tonight. I could tell they were anticipating what this event will bring about. We decided to have breakfast first. I know how busy people get with work, especially since my shifts started. The staff members were exchanging each other¡¯s ns for their day off, everyone had their own schedules inlined so it won¡¯t cause any problems in maintaining the mansion. After a while, everybody arrived and I quickly spotted them in the kitchen. They were chatting amongst themselves, talking aboutst-minute details. I decided to join in on their conversation. ¡°I¡¯m going out with my family for the rest of my day off, what about you guys ?¡± Zoey, one of the young maids, asked her friends, I noticed the slight hesitation from her voice. ¡°I¡¯m making reservations with my husband,¡± Tabby, one of the female gardeners, replied with a soft smile. Zoey turns and looks at me, ¡°How about you , dear, when do you n on spending your dayoff?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t given much thought about it,¡± I said simply as she looks at me as if I¡¯ve grown two heads. ¡°You don¡¯t seem too thrilled to go out, don¡¯t you get tired with all the work you put yourself into?¡± Chloe, an old maid, asked as she nced at me with a small smile stered on her face and a worried look. ¡°No, it¡¯s alright¡­ I¡¯m used to being here I guess,¡± I shrug, knowing full well that this is my chance to know the household routine. ¡°What are you doing tomorrow?¡± She asks me curiously. ¡°Well, I have a couple of chores to finish off, I might have to pick up some groceries with Sir Gilbert for the rest of the week¡­ And tame Nn,¡± I reply to her as I pick up my mug of tea and began sipping at it calmly. Thest part of my sentence made all of themugh. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a family to tend to though, like a mother or siblings?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Well, I do have a brother back at home, but he seems to find a way to carry himself without me,¡± I tell them, smiling a bit as I finish up myst sip of tea before putting it in the sink. ¡°You must be such a wonderful sister to be with, how old is your brother?¡± Tabby asks. ¡°Well, he is¡­¡± I stammered to think, feeling that I need to add to the lie more. ¡°He¡¯s 20 now, sometimes I forget how old he is,¡± Their suspicious looks turned to a somewhat convinced ones after I spoke. ¡°I hope hees to spend a day with us sometime soon! Maybe we can get to know each other better,¡± Chloe adds.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°If you¡¯re really lucky.¡± ¡°Come on, Alexa, maybe you could arrange something with Mr. Brown? That way you could take a rest from your whining baby,¡± We all fell into a fit ofughter at what Chloe said. ¡°No, I can¡¯t. I¡¯ve got to earn what I can to give my brother the life he needs.¡± I smiled to myself as I try to mask the guilt. The bell rang, indicating that lunch is nearly upon us. So we all gathered our stuff and headed downstairs to prepare lunch. Everyone else was having a lively conversation while I sat by myself, sipping my soup quietly to avoid any unwanted attention and to keep myself distracted. All that came from my mind, every few seconds, was how annoyed I was feeling for him. What the hell did I expect him to say? That¡¯s not fair to him; but despite that, he deserved the p I gave him that night. The entire housekeeping staff was having their own conversations, excluding the group of male members who were giggling about in the corner of the kitchen room, sipping coffee. After we finished lunch, the staff went back to their respective stations and thedies began clearing the dishes that the men left behind. As I began washing, one of the maids approached me and handed me some folded towels. ¡°Is Mr. Browning today?¡± She asks, and I instantly knew what was meant to be implied with this question as her eyes were filled with anticipation. ¡°I think he has some errands at work-¡± ¡°Alexa!¡± The smile on my face instantly faded at the sound of Nn¡¯s voice through the staff inte. Everyone who was resting and tending with the dishes looked at me, giving me an apologetic look as they knew what kind of attitude Nn has towards everyone. They were afraid of what he¡¯d do next as they all retreated from the dining room quickly and left me alone again. Trying not to react, I ignored his presence and continued wiping my te. I could hear him taking the stairs one step at a time, he stopped beside me as I pretended not to notice, pretending that he isn¡¯t here. ¡°Are you avoiding me again?¡± His face remained expressionless even though his tone clearly sounded angry. ¡°Yes and no, now do you have anything for me to do, or do you need time to think with that small brain?¡± He sighed as if he wasn¡¯t expecting me to answer his question. ¡°Then tell me why,¡± he crossed his arms across his chest, looking down at me. ¡°Try to take a hint, Jesus!¡± I spat at him. ¡°Can¡¯t you take a joke? God, you are always being like this acting so sensitive with me, then the next thing you¡¯re acting all caring towards me.¡± ¡°True, but then again, isn¡¯t it harassment when a rich man orders a woman to undress when it is below the belt of her duties and responsibilities?¡± I paused to catch my breath and put down the te I held. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I turned to face him with an amused expression before crossing my arms and leaning my back on the sink behind me. ¡°Know your boundary, Nn¡­ What do you need?¡± 24 Chapter 24 (1138) ALEXA¡¯S POV I huffed out of exhaustion as I pushed Nn¡¯s wardrobe to the opposite side of his room. I wasn¡¯t expecting that I would have to eat my words in cases like these, but I have to make a point that I am not a person to put down exceptions unless told so. If he wants to be bossy and demanding then fine, but I¡¯ll never agree just because he said so! It didn¡¯t help that I¡¯m the only one to clean after him, there really isn¡¯t anyone else to share responsibilities. My job is to clean up the mess he¡¯s left in his bedroom, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I can¡¯t enjoy it, I suppose. I couldn¡¯t deny that the fact that I was able to do all the work makes me happy to say the least. I love cleaning after others, and it was just another way to make a point that he should not be bossing me around! Once I finished pushing the wardrobe over, I walked over to his bed to grab the book I¡¯d been reading, as Iy back on it and read, I heard someone knock on my door. ¡°Come in,¡± I called outzily as I continued my reading, but I froze as the door opened slowly, revealing a tall, handsome guy, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans. He was staring down at me with his hands tucked in his jeans pockets, smirking slightly at my shocked state. When he realized that I was caught looking at him in his bare chest he raised his brow at me, trying to figure out what I could possibly be thinking.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He walked closer, still staring into my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t like theyout of the room, push everything back to where it was then we can move on to the next,¡± Nn said, smirking as he spoke. ¡°Jesus Christ, don¡¯t you know how heavy these are?¡± I pointed at his furniture before he shook his head. ¡°You said no going below the belt, so I¡¯m asking simple task that I need-¡± ¡°You need?! Boy, you need a lesson on how to categorize your wants and needs,¡± I stood up in defeat and started walking to go out, but then he blocks me. ¡°You¡¯ll get to go out once you¡¯re done,¡± I grumbled at him before turning back around and rearranging his furniture the third time. I had almost finished straightening the bookshelf when I felt my back ache and hurt from being hunched over for so long so much. ¡°Thank you,¡± he muttered to me softly with the same smirk he had earlier and I stared hard at his face trying to decipher if his face had suddenly changed. It didn¡¯t, but his expression was now more yful than anything and it was making me quite nervous. Why is he doing this to me? Am I really such a bad influence that he doesn¡¯t know how to let me loose? I meane on, he¡¯s a billionaire, there aren¡¯t many people who could resist him¡­ But me? I¡¯m not even sure if I should call him ¡°Mr. Brown Jr.¡±, I wouldn¡¯t want to offend him. If he doesn¡¯t want his father¡¯spany then I won¡¯t force him¡­ I finished moving things back to where they used to be and I finally let out a sigh of relief. The whole floor was a bit dusty since the wood under the furniture was being moved around. ¡°After vacuuming, take care of myundry then you¡¯re free to go,¡± he said with a soft smile and walked past me, grabbing a jacket that seemed to match his outfit perfectly. I followed along behind him until I saw a glimpse of Kathy waiting downstairs. I took the vacuum next to the staircase and watched as they both greet each other with a kiss. My phone vibrates in my pocket as soon as Nn and Kathy walked out the door. Slipping it out, I see a message from Mr. Brown. ¡°Nn¡¯s going on a date. I¡¯m letting him go outside.¡± I sighed in relief as I finally had some time for myself and plugged in the vacuum. After finishing everything up, I decided to go downstairs with Nn¡¯sundry in the hamper. I haven¡¯t been out in a while due to busyness and it would also give me some sort of closure to all of these problems in my job with Nn, I needed to talk to Anthony about my day off. I just hope that he hasn¡¯t gotten too wrapped up in his job and has forgotten about me needing a break from his son. I mean seriously, is that even possible? Well, it is possible, I guess. Arriving at theundry room, I sorted out the clothes until I felt a bulge in one of his dress pants. Taking it out, there was a rolled-up chunk of cash that was being held by a rubber band. ¡°Holy shit,¡± I quickly looked around and saw no one with me in the room. Sliding it under my uniform, I kept it hidden in my bra. I quickly sorted everything and kept seeing rolled chunks of cash in most of his pants. By the time I was done putting them in the washer, my bra was stuffed with money. ¡°Shit!¡± I muttered under my breath as I threw away the usedundry basket in the corner and looked around again if there was anybody around. As I walked upstairs, I noticed the living room waspletely empty which made me a little relieved knowing that I had some breathing room to clear my thoughts as well. I walked over to my room, closed the door, andy down on my bed, staring at the ceiling as I tried to calm myself down. After about half an hour, I sat up from my lying position, grabbed my notebook and pen from my nightstand drawer, and took out the cash in my bra. By the time I was done counting all the money, it was already 4 o¡¯clock in the afternoon. I packed up all of the money together as I checked if I¡¯ve got all of it into one jar and stuffing it with the notebook that I wrote down into the drawer. Sighing deeply as I step outside my room and then back downstairs to theundry room to hang Nn¡¯s clothes. I sat on the edge of the washing machine, running my fingers through my hair as a thought ran through my mind that made me smile at how ridiculous it sounded in my own head. ¡°I can try to take a break the following day¡± My words sounded more like a question than a proper sentence as I pulled a strand of hair between my finger and thumb. ¡°Alexa!¡± 25 Chapter 25 (1000) ALEXA¡¯S POV ¡°Sir?¡± I stood infront of Mr. Brown as he settles on the sofa with a ss of whiskey in hand. ¡°Could you prepare my an early dinner? Half of the kitchen staff members are taking their rest while I wouldn¡¯t want to bother the others.¡± He rotated his head around as he cracked a few of unstretched muscles. He seemed awfully tired, what time has he woken up? ¡°Of course, sir.¡± Making my way to the kitchen, I mouthed to the others that Mr. Brown came home early than usual. Preparing a heavy meal, I sat on top of the counter as I waited a few minutes until the food is cooked. ¡°Alexa, Mr. Brown asks if the food is done,¡± Mr. Gilbert, the house butler, asks as he taps my knee that was closer to him. ¡°Tell him it¡¯ll be done within 20, I¡¯ll bring it up to him once it¡¯s cooked.¡± he gave me a nod before leaving to tell him. I went to work preparing everything that Mr. Brown likes. As I worked, my mind drifted to the day I started working here. The day I started working for Mr. Brown was strange, not in a negative way though, actually it was pretty amazing to be working in a household like that and getting paid so nicely and having so many perks, but the guilt of lying to him each day had grown more and knowing he had lost a part of himself long ago I wouldn¡¯t want to be part of another heartbreak like that. The other people in the building were nice enough and they treated me nicely, but I have to keep them at arms length if I want to continue this mission. When I finally got my work out of the oven I set it in the sink to cool off, washed my hands, and cleaned all the dishes. Once I was finished with the dishes I set them out on tes that were sitting on the table as I headed out of the kitchen to join Mr. Brown.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It didn¡¯t take us long to get to the dining area of the house and we found him standing by the window watching the sunset. I walked towards him and stood next to him as I stared out of the window at the setting sun. ¡°This reminds me of the view from your office,¡± I smile at him as I spoke, turning around and leading him to the dinning table. I pushed the food trolley that had his meal prepared and ced it infront of him. ¡°God, you never waste a second to impress me, dear!¡± He takes his utensils and happily dug into his meal. ¡°Come, sit and enjoy this meal with me.¡± He gestures at the seat beside him and I hesitantly took it. ¡°Here,¡± He extends his hand that had a spoonful of food and lifted it unto my mouth. I smiled at his adorable action and took a bite. His smile widens at the sight of me tasting my own food. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°Well it¡¯s my cooking, so of course it¡¯s good!¡± Myment made him chuckle under his breathe before he proceeded to continue eating. ¡°So Alexa, when do you have ns on taking your day off?¡± Mr. Brown asks. ¡°I¡¯d say tomorrow but I don¡¯t know whether or not it¡¯ll be a good idea¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± he looks at me curiously. ¡°I¡¯m still a bit hesitant to leave the house without any ns ahead. Plus I bet I could make use of my time here-¡± He sighs quietly. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about any unnecessary troubles. You work here and nobody is allowed to disturb your presence, understood?¡± ¡°I understand¡­ Though shouldn¡¯t you be the one deciding on the date of my off and not me?¡± He finishes his meal in silence and when he put his fork down after having cleared the tes, I looked across at him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I ask him softly. His smile drops a little as his eyes turn serious. ¡°Yes,¡± he mutters looking down at his te. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I whisper. I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up. It isn¡¯t important anyway, we¡¯re both fine now, right? He shakes his head and ces his hands t on the table, leaning in closer to me. ¡°My schedule is flexible enough to work around odd numbered employees. You deserve a break, take it.¡± (***) Finallyying down on the bed, I pulled out my phone from my pocket and messaged Jade. ¡°Hey, Girl! You wanna hang?¡± As I sent the message, I stood up to change into my pajamas and waited until my phone vibrated. As it did, I look through it to find Jade¡¯s reply, ¡°Why? Lol.¡± ¡°I wanna spend time with you than my boyfriend¡­ Don¡¯t tell anyone, Haha!¡± There was only 3 messages she responded to me with: ¡°Lol, no worries¡­ But I think I might bounce tomorrow or your psycho boy toy will freak when I¡¯m gone . So you may just have to settle for yourself!¡± ¡°What? Why would he freak then?¡± ¡°Because he sus David for taking some of the beer stash.¡± I groaned inwardly as I heard the familiar tone of her voice. ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯ll see you whenever! LY!¡± I replied as I quickly put the phone away as Iy back down on the bed. I have a hefty amount of cash in my jar, maybe I could spend the day all to myself. Get my hair and nails done, shopping. Maybe go to a bar or something and drink some drinks¡­ I thought aloud as I slowly fell asleep. Tomorrow I should start looking for some ce to spend the whole morning till lunch time. I¡¯ll probably find a shop where I can buy a decent outfit, maybe even a pair of shoes. Maybe some jewelry. A lot more than normal. And a dress or two. Things I wish Cody would have bought me instead of focusing on beer and himself. ¡°I¡¯ll have a date with myself,¡± 26 Chapter 26* (1069) ALEXA¡¯S POV Waking up first thing in the morning, I quickly made my way to the bathroom and prepared myself for my day-off. Washing my face and brushing my teeth, I dried my hair using the towel hanging on the rack then wrapped my hair in a bun and applied some light baby powder on my face to cover up any marks on my skin that will show me being a mess today. Putting on a dark shirt and ck jeans, I slipped on my old chucks then my sling bag that held my thick wallet that had the stolen money and left my room as I made my way downstairs. ¡°Goodmorning, Mr. Brown!¡± I greeted him at the living room where he and Nn sat infront of therge tscreen tv. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Nn scoffs, looking at me, judgingly. ¡°None of your business.¡± ¡°She¡¯s taking a day-off, Nn. I¡¯ll be keeping an eye on you for the rest of the time she is gone,¡± Mr. Brown says, making Nn¡¯s smirk fade. ¡°Have a good day, Alexa!¡± I hear Mr. Brown call out as I bid my farewell to both of them. Walking out the mansion, I waved to the gardeners and to the security men by the gate as I passed through. It took alot of energy, but I made it to the bus stop a few blocks away from the mansion. After a quick stop at a convenience store, I bought my coffee and sat down on one of the benches that were outside the station. Taking off my bag, I opened it and fished out my phone. The sun shining above brightened me up as I snapped a picture of the beautiful scenery in front of me while sipping my coffee. It feels almost foreign, taking pictures. Most days it feels difficult and stressful trying to figure out how to keep myself calm during times I¡¯m stressed. But I feel ecstatic about spending my dayoff despite being alone. I felt content with the situation and the world was finally beginning toe back into focus. I knew that things would be tough and it wasn¡¯t easy for me, but I know there will be an opportunity for me someday to habe a life I deserve. Stepping into the bus that will take me to the city, I watched through the window to see the scenery. The cars drove by in a blur and every once in awhile I would get startled when someone got too close to their car. That was something that I¡¯ve gotten used to. After a couple of stops, I saw the huge white tower and I couldn¡¯t help the smile that formed on my lips. I loved seeing the ce. Even though I didn¡¯t really have much to do, I liked to visit the city often. It has such different buildings and I could spend hours wandering the streets, checking out the sights and people who moved on by. Sometimes I wondered where everything was, what kind of cities it really was. The bus came to a halt just as I reached the tower. Grabbing my things, I jumped off the bus and walked inside the huge ss dome that led into the main part of the tower. The air inside felt fresh and crisp and I took a deep breath enjoying its smell. Once inside I saw that the ce was empty aside from two or three security guards and two workers wearing headsets. They were working near the elevators so I walked over to the elevator that was waiting for the doors open and stepped inside. It was pretty crowded but there wasn¡¯t really many people so it was easy for me to move around. Spotting a nearby salon, I step inside and was greeted with a tall dark woman that had long braids. ¡°Hey! Wee to Styled, I¡¯m rissa, what can I help you with, girl?¡± She smiled, standing up from behind her desk to assist me. ¡°Do you do nails around here?¡± ¡°Of course! Will that be all?¡± She asks as she writes something on a piece of paper. ¡°I just want a trim and wash for my hair, if that¡¯s fine?¡± I looked around, feeling flustered all of a sudden. ¡°Sure thing, sweetheart, go ahead and take a seat over there!¡± (**) Stepping outside of the salon, I smiled and waved goodbye to rissa after paying. It¡¯s rare to find people with quality services, and I might have just found one of them. Walking around a bit more, I stop infront of an antique shop that had a thrift store inside. Walking in, I spot a few familiar books that caught my attention. My mind quickly goes back to a memory with Cody. I remembered it like it was yesterday. There was a heatwave at the orphanage and we were allowed to spend time outside longer than we were supposed to. ¡°Avery! Catch!¡± I remembered yelling at a girl my age as I threw a small ball at her. Cody came running up to her side and picked the ball up in his arms before giving it back to her. We spent half the afternoon outside ying around, ying tag and other games like hide and seek, but eventually the weather cooled down and we started shivering, and we had to go back inside. ¡°You¡¯re cold, aren¡¯t you?¡± Cody had asked as he pulled me towards his bed where we¡¯d warm up by watching cartoons and drinking his stash lf cocoa. ¡°Mmmhmmm. I don¡¯t like summer,¡± I mumbled as I turned my body to lie on the couch with my head resting on hisp. He smiled down at me and ran his fingers through my hair before pulling the nket over us and putting his arm around me. We continued to watch the movie we were watching together as well as the other kids in the orphanage. we listened to each other breathing as Iwe watched. That was the first time we ever talked about feelings. And although we were young, it felt like forever ago. I remember feeling happy that we talked about our feelings but also scared because I knew that I wouldn¡¯t be able to handle his response. And since we hadn¡¯t really been talking much about anything serious since we were kids, I was relieved that Cody chose to stay by my side.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Miss?¡± 27 Chapter 27 (1005) ALEXA¡¯S POV I turned to the employee and blushed as I was taking up the small path to the next shelves.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Sorry,¡± I mumbled as I put the book back in its shelf and went to the clothes rack to buy a few items. I took a few tops and bottom, then made my way to the counter to see the same employee. ¡°The book you held a while ago was from an old orphanage home, alot of people take that book with them but only toe back weekster to tell me they don¡¯t want it,¡± I chuckled along with the man and took my stuff to leave. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they say it¡¯s a scandalous book. It¡¯s not cursed,¡± I awkwardly nodded to him and left. I didn¡¯t need that kind of interaction, let alone the information I didn¡¯t ask for. I rolled my eyes at the event and made my way to a pub. I felt relieved that I had some time for myself for a change, away from Nn and his crazy demands. But I couldn¡¯t help but feel out of ce whenever Jade brings up about Cody. ¡°Ma¡¯am, leave your shopping bags here,¡± Arge bald man stood infront of me as he pointed to a sign that says ¡®leave belongings here¡¯. ¡°What, is this a hotel?¡± I chuckled before handing over my things and taking a tab number for my things. ¡°Enjoy your stay,¡± The manughs as I giggled and walked inside the bar. The smell of alcohol and smoke filled the air, something I have been familiar with for a decade. I breathed deeply, letting myself be engulfed by theforting scent. ¡°Hey, Alex,¡± The bartender greeted me as she wiped off some ss with a cloth and handed me the menu. ¡°Day-off?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ just wanted to get away for a bit,¡± I replied. Sherby has been buddies with me and Jade for 5 years, they both know how to keep a secret from the boys and are my ride or die when it came to going against Cody¡¯s antics. ¡°The usual?¡± Sherby asked, preparing to make my drink. ¡°How about you surprise me?¡± I joked. ¡°Maybe bring up something else than the usual? Like, say you have found something new to do.¡± ¡°Something new?¡± She questioned as we bothughed, thinking the same thing. ¡°Okay, I can try something new¡­¡± I smiled at her as she walked away to start on my order. ¡°You¡¯re too good for this world.¡± After ordering drinks and paying for them, I decided to look around the pub, hoping to bump into someone that could help me out. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door bell ringing as Sherby walks in with two sses. I watched as she ced the sses down on the counter then picked up the other one to hand to me. I thanked her as I took it and lifted it to take a sip from it. My eyes shot open as the taste of chocte and coffee hit my tongue. I immediately swallowed and drank more. I looked at the ss in front of me with shock and confusion written across my face. She giggled at me as she leaned in closer to speak. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you like chocte!¡± Sherby smiled as she sat back down and started cleaning up the tables. ¡°What the hell?¡± She continued tough as I finished the drink. I called angrily as I pulled away from the groping hand and faced the culprit. My face ran pale as I faced an old man who looked at me seductively, making me feel disgust. ¡°Back off!¡± ¡°Oh,e on, sweet cheeks! We just wanna y,¡± The man puts his hands around my waist before I hear Sherby yell. ¡°Old man, get your fucking hands off my friend!¡± ¡°Or what?¡± He whispered into my ear. ¡°Or I swear to god-¡± ¡°Come on baby,¡± His voice was still low and threatening. I tried to pull out of his grip, but he squeezed me even harder, causing me to gasp. Sherby stepped forward angrily with her right foot pointed. ¡°I said get your damn hands off my friend!¡± The manughed at her and let go of me. I was breathing heavily as I looked between Sherby and the stranger. He looked between me and her before grabbing his hat and putting it on backwards. As he walked awayughing, I quickly grabbed Sherby¡¯s arm and pulled her out of the pub before he got away. When we were out of sight, we both sighed heavily and leaned on each other. ¡°Jesus Christ, Alexa,¡± Sherby sighed. ¡°Who does that guy think he is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but I don¡¯t want him anywhere near us ever again.¡± Suddenly, as I turned the old man came walking back with a knife hidden on his side and ready to attack. ¡°Oh my go-¡± Sherby yelled as I shoved her out of the way, narrowly missing being stabbed. It took three times more effort to finally fend off the old man who shed me several times with his knife before escaping and making our way behind the counter. I groaned as I rubbed the spot on my chest where he hit me. It would bruise pretty easily if he didn¡¯t hit so close. Sherby grabbed her phone and quickly dialled the police. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Sherry gasped as she kneeled beside me with her face in my face to check me. ¡°Yeah, thanks¡­¡± I answered softly, holding my side where his fist connected with me. ¡°Shit¡­.¡± I grumbled. A few of the customers were already running out of the bar which made a lot ofmotion outside to attract the cops. ¡°So much for having a rest day,¡± I sighed and groaned at the pain. Unexpectedly, we hear a loud thud on the ground. Turning to the man, we see himying unconscious on the floor. ¡°God, I loathe men with no boundaries,¡± 28 Chapter 28 (1003) ALEXA¡¯S POV My eyes widen as I see Kathy standing before the old man who lie unconscious . She held a taser in hand and looked at me. ¡°Hmm, now I see why he attacked¡­¡± Kathy turns off her tazer before tucking it inside her bag. After getting questioned by the police by the booth, the man was cuffed and out of the door immediately. Kathy stayed and waited even after being questioned. ¡°Why did he bother attacking me?¡± I asked her. ¡°I am aplete stranger to him.¡± ¡°Probably because you¡¯re a woman,¡± Kathy smiles sheepishly at me, rubbing the nape of her neck as she looked everywhere but my face. ¡°He seemed quite upset when we first spoke. And I noticed that he was checking you out after I rejected him. Maybe he saw something and thought he could take advantage of it.¡± I spot Sherby waving at me as she was faced with her boss and was frantically talking to him. ¡°That makes sense,¡± I shrugged my shoulders before turning to her and seeing her leaving me behind. ¡°Kathy, wait! Thank you so much¡± I rushed towards her and grabbed her wrist. ¡°If there is anything I could do to repay you-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need anything from you,¡± Kathy sneered taking me aback from herment. She sighs loudly before opening hermouth to speak. ¡°You know I¡¯m not that bad, I just have a tendency to snap at people,¡± She looks down before starting to walk off. I sighed, knowing there was nothing I could do. ¡°How about I take you out on some early dinner? I feel hungry, what about you?¡± She stops on her tracks and turns to me with a confused look. Kathy grinned as we went into the diner nearby to grab food and get some drinks.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. We sat down on a table and dug in, Kathy looking like a lost puppy waiting on what to do. I looked around at all the couples and groups eating happily together, enjoying their meal. As she finishes her food, I struck up a conversation. ¡°Why were you at the bar?¡± She stops from sipping her drink below speaking, ¡°I go there alone when me and Nn got into a fight. Usually the bartender, Sherby, would keep mepany but I saw you there and didn¡¯t want to cause a scene,¡± Kathy flips her hair om to her shoulder and takes a french fry. ¡°Good thing the dude was already drunk, the tazer only added to him getting knocked out,¡± Kathy chuckles as she leans back and continues to eat her fries. ¡°Well, thanks for helping me out,¡± I told her. ¡°No problem,¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re not gonna gossip this to Nn, are you?¡± Kathy asks me as her face dims down, her seriousness clear. ¡°Sure,¡± I chuckle as I continue eating my burger. After finishing our meals, we paid and made our way outside to her car which was parked a few feet away from the restaurant. ¡°So, how many of those burgers were you craving?¡± I chuckle at her question as I opened the door and sit inside. ¡°Too many,¡± I replied closing the door and face her once I locked it. She smiled, her smile brighter than any star that has ever existed. ¡°Want me to drive you home?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mind?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± I smile back at her before she pulls her seatbelt on, signaling that we were set to leave. She started up her engine, driving towards the direction of the mansion. ¡°This isn¡¯t my ce by any chance,¡± I said with curiosity in my voice. ¡°but, what did you and Nn fight about?¡± Kathy smirks, nodding her head before ncing at me in the rearview mirror, ¡°Yeah, he made me as an excuse to go out with his friends when I thought we were going out on a date,¡± ¡°Damn, that asshole.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right about thag,¡± She reassured me. ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m not well appreciated enough by him, you know?¡± I nod my head eagerly. As we began driving through streets of the wealthy neighbourhood, I realized that the city was quite beautiful at night time, almost too beautiful that it was hard to believe that this wasn¡¯t actually a town created by God himself for humans to enjoy. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry about me around Nn cause I can tell he is pretty loyal to you,¡± I said out of the blue, hoping it could ease her mind about me. ¡°I doubt that¡­¡± When Kathy parks the car outside the gate leading into the driveway to the mansion, she looks over at me. ¡°Thanks again for driving me home, Kathy.¡± I say politely while staring deeply into her eyes. ¡°Anytime,¡± she reply with a smile. Just then, the front door opens up, revealing Nn. When he spots me, he frowns and walks over to me in silence. ¡°Kathy, what are you doing?¡± He asks her with concernced in his tone. I roll my eyes at his overprotectiveness. ¡°I spotted her in the city, it was about to rain,¡± Kathy tells him. Nn nods his head slowly and exhales in relief. I step out of the car and waved to her goodbye before she drives off. ¡°So how did it go with Kathy?¡± Nn asks. ¡°Why do you care?¡± I ask sarcastically. His eyebrows scrunch together and furrow his brows at me. His re made me shrink a little bit under the intense gaze, but I stood firm in my position. Finally, he sighs. ¡°Whatever¡­ You can do whatever the hell you want,¡± I nodded my head. ¡°Come with me,¡± he says as he walks past me towards the house. I ignored him and proceeded to walk to the kitchen, I hear his footsteps stop and tapping behind me. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± He asks, annoyed. ¡°I¡¯m on my day-off, you can¡¯t order me around when I¡¯m off.¡± His face turned to an annoyed look before I left him fuming in the staircase. 29 Chapter 29 (1073) ALEXA¡¯S POV Making my way in the kitchen, I found no one insight to disturb me from making a meal. I hope Mr. Brown doesnt mind me spending dinner at his mansion, I don¡¯t want to go home to find Cody asking me about questions with the mission. I hummed a tune quietly while preparing ingredients for dinner while humming along, trying to calm myself. The song came to an abrupt end as the oven dinged. Grabbing my apron, I wiped my hands on it before wrapping it around me tightly and walked over to the oven with determination in my steps. The apron tied snug on my body. My cheeks flushed slightly as I stared at the tray of freshly baked casserole. I couldn¡¯t help feeling excited and nervous. It felt weird having an actual purpose other than being a decoration for your boyfriend¡¯s life and a punching bag for a manchild, I¡¯m d I get the opportunity to take some time for myself. Taking a few tes and utensils with me on a tray, I te the casserole amd head upstairs. I quickly took a slice from the baking dish and ced it by the seat. ¡°Alexa?¡± I jumped on my feet as I hear Sam behind me. ¡°Jesus, you scared me!¡± She smiled at my reaction before looking between me and the baked dish. ¡°I thought you were on your dayoff?¡± Her brows furrowed as she continues to eye my meal. ¡°yeah, but my borther didn¡¯t even text me that he would be out of town for the whole week. So I cam back here to spend it here,¡± I gave her a te and sliced some for her to eat. Her face brightened up as the smell hit her nose, taking her fork she takes a bite and gives a small satisfied moan. ¡°God, Alexa. You should be my mom!¡± Iughed and sat down beside her as we ate our meal. After a while, we cleaned ourselves up and headed back downstairs after we finished our dinner. We ended up watching TV with the gardeners at the shed for awhile,ughing and joking around. Sam eventually fell asleep and snoring loudly as Iid down beside her with the nkets wrapped around us while the others were off outside to the theirst round of yardwork. She looked absolutely adorable sleeping, I¡¯ve had the privilege to see her beautiful face more times than I can count, but she looked so peaceful. I slowly moved away from her, tucking her in as she slept quietly and made my way out of shed. ¡°Jacob, Sam is asleep.¡± I mouthed over to the nearby gardeners who catched on what I was saying. He gave me a thumbsup before I went inside to snoop around the mansion. The first room was filled with a bunch of different kinds of paintings, sculptures, and another massive chandelier; it made me wonder why he keeps such things at his estate. Another room had arge couch, a tv, and game system. I heard voicesing from a hallway. Making sure that they were not Mr. Brown and Nn, I make my way further into the mansion. I peeked around the corner and saw that Nn is standing in the middle of the hall talking animatedly with Mrs. Brown. They are both facing each other as Mr. Brown has a stern expression on his face and is ring intently at Nn. ¡°Dad, just listen to me!¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re girlfriend thankfully told me the truth! One more strike and I am grounding you, when that happens I am hiring a bodyguard!¡± Mr. Brown yells. ¡°You cannot be serious, right now?¡± Nn exasperated . ¡°Are you daring me to do it? If I do it I will have to ce in security cameras everyone, do you want that?¡± My eyes widen at their conversation at the idea that Cody might get caught if Mr. Brown installs cameras around the mansion. I have to keep Nn behaved or else my ass is toasted by Cody. I quickly crawled out of their sight and downstairs to the living room to sit down. I sighed in defeat, not wanting to risk my butt by confronting Cody alone. ¡°What the hell am I supposed to do now ?¡± I asked myself as Ib my fingers through my hair. I look at my phone and decided to call Jade since I could count on her in this kind of situation. Since there was nothing better to do, I decided to let her know my dilemma. After three rings, she picked up. ¡°Hi Jade, it¡¯s Alexa. How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine thanks, Alex. Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m good. Listen-¡± ¡°Hold that thought. There¡¯s someone at the door.¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Jade, wait-¡± Before I could finish my sentence, Jade hangs up and I could hear footsteps approaching. A few seconds passed before they reached me. ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Looking over my shoulder, I was greeted with the sight of Nn who had bloodshot eyes, walking down the stairs with a frown on his face. I turn around to face him fully. ¡°Where have you been, haven¡¯t seen you the rest while I was here?¡± ¡°Dad and I had been talking for a long while,¡± He exined before stepping closer to me. I have to make a way to keep him in line so that when the timees that Cody and the gang is around, they wont get caught by the security cameras. ¡°Are you alright ?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he tell me with a fake smile. ¡°It was just a minor argument with him, nothing too harsh¡­ Why do you even care? ¡± He continues, looking awkwardly. ¡°Is that so¡­ I just thought you might need someone to talk to,¡± I replied with a raised eyebrow at him. He doesn¡¯t respond back and instead looks away from my questioning look. ¡°Look..¡± I begin, hesitantly. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like you, it¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°I know that, I get it.¡± He states calmly. ¡°Oh, sure, with that kind of expression I would definitely trust,¡± I tell him sarcastically, rolling my eyes. He chuckles softly at my sarcasm. ¡°I promise, I¡¯m not lying. Plus trust me, I can handle myself,¡± he tells me in a reassuring voice. ¡°Okay,¡± I say with uncertainty in my voice. I nod my head slightly, hoping that he wouldn¡¯t take it any deeper than that. ¡°Alexa?¡± 30 Chapter 30 (1051) ALEXA¡¯S POV ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were home,¡± Mr. Brown walks in the living room and looks between me and Nn. ¡°Well, sir, I was thinking of spending my day-off here as my brother is out of town¡­¡± He gives a nod before speaking again, ¡°I don¡¯t have my employeesing here to spend their day-off as I don¡¯t intend the mansion to be a vacantion house,¡± Mr. Brown chuckles making me flustered. ¡°But I would like to ask if you¡¯d like to join us out?¡± Mr. Brown asks, looking at Nn knowingly. ¡°I¡¯m going to pass on that, father¡­ I am actually quite tired.¡± Before Mr. Brown could even reply from his protest, Nn walks off without another word. Mr. Brown turns to smile softly at me. ¡°I apologize on behalf of him, I¡¯ll leave him be, I just wanted to check if he¡¯s alright.¡± I said apologetically with a small sigh and shake of my head. Mr. Brown gives me a tight nod before going clearing his throat. ¡°Then that leaves the two of us,¡± I blush at the thought and opened my mouth to talk. ¡°Like a date?¡± His eyes widen at my question and see his cheeks turn red. ¡°Like friends,¡± After saying those words, he clears his throat and grabs his keys. ¡°Ready to go?¡± ¡°Uh yeah,¡± He opens the door and walks past me heading out towards his car. We climb inside inplete silence until he started driving towards the city. My mind was racing with questions as why would Mr. Brown proceed with the evening with me instead of forcing his son toe along? ¡°How was your day? You¡¯ve been gone since this morning, I thought you spent it well with your brother,¡± Mr. Brown asked, not taking his eyes off the road. I stayed quiet as I took in his question before answering, ¡°It was nice, just windowshopping and rxing.¡± My eyes widen at the realization that I forgot my things at the bar with Sherby. Jesus Christ, alot has happened. ¡°Are you alright? Is something wrong?¡± he looked at me worriedly, feeling me tense up in my seat. ¡°I forgot my stuff at the bar. God, I am so stupid.¡± I put my face on both my palms as I sighed under frustration. ¡°Oh it¡¯s alright, we can drive by there and keep it in the car while we¡¯re out,¡± He suggested, smiling softly at me. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I nce over at him worriedly. ¡°Yeah, what bar did you leave your stuff?¡± As he swerves the car to the side to turn, I gave him the directions until we had arrived. The bouncer outside looked at me weirdly before giving my the ecobags that had my thrifted clothes before I could even give him the tab. ¡°Is this a hotel?¡± Mr. Brown sarcastically asks, making meugh as we hop back inside the car.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°So where to?¡± I asked as I buckled in the seat. ¡°Anywhere,¡± Mr. Brown gives me a smile before driving off again. *** After an hour or two we arrived at a restaurant I couldn¡¯t recognize due to its location. It must be new judging from how extravagant it was decorated but it still wasn¡¯t very memorable and expensive. The smell of freshly cooked food filled the air and I could already imagine myself getting a big te of pasta and sauce and drinking some sweet tea while I ate, enjoying the view from the balcony. ¡°This restaurant isn¡¯t bad,¡± I say turning to face him as we walked into the restaurant. ¡°This is a bathhouse,¡± He replies with a chuckle, causing my cheeks to heat up. After paying for our drinks, we made our way to the locker area where we seperated to change. I blushed at the thought that I¡¯d be sitting inside a sauna with my boss, odddly enough he isn¡¯tining. ¡°That¡¯s quite pretty,¡± Iplimented the halls filled with flowers leading to the sauna room. ¡°Thanks, I try to have a variety of everything when I can,¡± He says sincerely before I realized what he just said. ¡°Wait, you own-¡± ¡°I invest on it, I designed the building but I¡¯m not the owner,¡± He chuckles as we take seats opposite each other and sit down. We were having fun chatting about life as usual andughing together. However when he asked about our rtionship, all I did was freeze as the question made itself known inside my head. Shit, what do I tell him? I mean, he is my boss but he has no idea what my life with Cody is so what¡¯s stopping me from lying to him? Yet I couldn¡¯t help but think of why he would ask such question, let alone inviting me to go here with him. I wonder what it would feel like to have him as a partner. He is handsome, kind and caring¡­ and also really protective. That¡¯s just one of the many qualities a man needs. What am I supposed to do? How do I bring it up without being straight forward? ¡°Alexa, are you okay?¡± Mr. Brown asked with a concerned tone. ¡°Oh yeah, I¡¯m fine. Sorry. You were saying?¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯re having trouble with your answer because everytime I open my mouth, you¡¯re not responding back.¡± Fuck¡­ he¡¯s right. How can I possibly answer his question if I don¡¯t even know my feelings. Maybe I should start acting cool? Act more like I¡¯m attracted to him when I¡¯m not? ¡°I just need to think¡­ You know, my past rtionship wasn¡¯t exactly colorful,¡± I lied to him. I know how much this is bothering him. If anything, he shouldn¡¯t be the one worrying about hispany. ¡°You¡¯re such a liar, Alexa,¡± He chuckled humorlessly. I nervouslyughed at his remark before keeping quiet. ¡°Look, I know that you have a lot of secrets about yourself and it¡¯s probably eating you up to be honest with me but that doesn¡¯t mean that you need to hide them anymore. Just take your time to tell me, I won¡¯t judge you,¡± He exined with a small smile. ¡°I guess I can give you a few minutes then I¡¯ll tell you everything¡­ But please, don¡¯t be mad at me or even fire me,¡± I pleaded as I gave him a weak pleading look. 31 Chapter 31(1330) ALEXA¡¯S POV As we walked side by side through the halls to the next room, my mind is in panic on what to tell Anthony. I feel as though he already knows, but it¡¯s best to lie for now. If he already kmows the truth, then surely he isn¡¯t going to let a thief work for him. Mr. Brown seemed to sense my nervousness as he gently wrapped his arm around my arm, pulling me closer to his side. He wasn¡¯t taking advantage of the fact that I¡¯m naked under a towel, I feel relieved knowing he wouldn¡¯t do anything to hurt me. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± He whispered in my ear, making goosebumps erupt all over my body. ¡°Um nothing important¡­¡± I lied, attempting to act casual despite my shaky hands, and shaking knees. The corner of his mouth turned up at my attempt at sounding unconvincing. ¡°If you say so¡­¡± his smile slowly disappeared, as we continued off to the hotspring. I didn¡¯t bother opening my legs once we reached the hot springs, letting out a moan as the water surrounded me. I closed my eyes as the warm water felt so good. I felt as though I could rx with Mr. Brown for awhile. ¡°Did you enjoy?¡± Mr. Brown asked, his tone yful as he watched me sink lower and deeper into the steaming water. I smiled at how calm he sounded. I nodded my head slowly. I couldn¡¯t wait to get out of the steaming water, especially when I saw Mr. Brown¡¯s eyes staring at me intently. He was staring at me. Not just checking me out and seeing if my clothes are soaked with water. Not even the fact that I¡¯m wearing nothing but a towel that clung to every single inch of my body, just observing my reactions. He was watching me, he was looking at me, in all honesty, in a way that I never saw any other man stare at me. I felt so exposed under his gaze and I was d that my hair was covered by a towel and that I was standing in front of him. This way I could feel better with the possibility that he might think less of me if I¡¯m being too submissive to him. He hasn¡¯t done anything to make me think otherwise; I knew I¡¯d still want him regardless of how hard I tried not to. God, help my thoughts. Sitting back down, I looked up to him to see his gaze up at the sky. Looking up, I was amazed by the ss ceiling featuring the night sky. ¡°Wow¡± that was all I could utter, I hear a few footsteps behind me and see a woman with drink in hand that we ordered. ¡°Thank you, Kana¡± Mr. Brown then bows his head and I so so as well in respect to the server before they left. ¡°Still enjoying yourself ?¡± Mr. Brown asks as he takes his drink and slides the other to me. ¡°Definitely, sir, thank you!¡± I quickly reply, as I sip my drink. *** After our hot bath and a light dinner, we went back to the room to finish off thest half of our meal. I decided to order pizza instead since I really liked it. We ended up ying some mindless games while we eat the delicious food. The whole time I was feeling happy and carefree. I actually enjoyed talking with him as it rxed me after the stressful day of working. ¡°Sir, I have a question,¡± I spoke as I had a mouthful of pizza while he was busy looking at the puzzle in front of us. ¡°Yes, dear?¡± ¡°Why did youe asking me instead of going alone here, you seem to have a lot of money but i wouldn¡¯t want to add on to that expense,¡± His gaze goes up to me as I said those words. ¡°I find yourpany soothing, you have the same energy as someone close to me,¡± Mr. Brown answers, taking a piece and putting it in the puzzle mat. ¡°Is that so?¡± After I finished cleaning up all the mess from our meal, I started putting away the used tes and cups as well as the empty bottles and cans.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! I heard something fall on the floor which I immediately turned towards the source to find him kneeling down on the floor holding two sses with wine stains on them. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t touch those! You could get hurt,¡± I eximed as I grabbed a paper bag to dispose of the mess before he does. ¡°I know, I know.¡± He murmurs behind me, watching me as I pick up the mess. We clean up all of the mess and put the dirty dishes and the leftover pizza in the garbage. I was about to go outside to have the housekeeping take the trash, I feel his hand as he stops me. ¡°Can we leave the ss and wine sses?¡± ¡°But they¡¯re dangerous, sir,¡± I argued as we stood in the middle of the living room that now has a big puddle of dirty sses that were on top of the carpet. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Alexa, just take them with you. I¡¯ll get themter and rece them.¡± He insists. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked skeptically. ¡°Trust me, you don¡¯t want to leave the ss and wine sses there. They¡¯ll only be dirtyter.¡± He assures me. ¡°Very well sir, if you insist.¡± With a nod and smile, I ced the sses on the table near the couch before grabbing the stic bag and leaving the kitchen and heading up to the suite. Once inside, I dropped the trash can near the door and began looking around at the suite. It was spacious and very expensive. ¡°How long will I be staying here?¡± I asked Mr. Brown who was now walking in the suite with a bottle of wine in his hand. ¡°As long as you would like, dear,¡± He responds as we sat down on the sofa as I pulled up my knee¡¯s andid back against the pillows, stretching out my neck. ¡°We have our next spa session until we can leave, if you were wondering¡± His words relieved me as I thought Mr. Brown had the idea of keeping me in here for god know how long. I dont need Cody hearing any rumours about this, let alone getting any ideas about me and Mr. Brown. After spending almost an entire working under his mansion and spending my day-off with my boss, I¡¯m afraid Cody would think that Mr. Brown is trying to seduce me. Well I am still surprised by how easy Mr. Brown can persuade me. ¡°Well if you insist, sir,¡± I replied politely, feeling relieved and slightly excited. I hope Cody doesn¡¯t figure anything out. If he did, then it¡¯ll be a bigger problem to deal with. And I hate to fail at something because it¡¯s one thing to admit that you¡¯re doing wrong. It¡¯s another thing entirely when you get caught at it. I don¡¯t want to cause Mr. Brown problems again, I owe him this much. Besides, if I did try to run away from him, Cody would probably hunt me down like a rabid dog. I wouldn¡¯t be able to protect myself if Cody came looking for me and Mr. Brown is the only person who can protect me. That is the reason why I chose not to run away from Cody. No matter how much I hated having to stay in at our dingy apartment, I know Mr. Brown wants me to livefortably so I would rather stay here than create a huge problem between me and Cody. He took the bottle of wine out of his suit pocket and poured himself some of it. ¡°Do you prefer red or white wine?¡± He asks me, pouring some wine in both of our ss. ¡°White, it seems like a ssy choice,¡± I answered. Heughed at my remark and poured me a ss of white wine. 32 Chapter 32 (1005) ANTHONY¡¯S POV They begin to apply lotions and body treatments on Alexa and massage her shoulders before taking out her hair clips. The whole time they both chat away at each other, Alexa asionally responding with a small response while nodding her head. As soon as the female spa worker finished applying the lotion to Alexa, she left. ¡°So you like the spa, Miss? We haven¡¯t started yet!¡± The staff eximed excitedly. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s pretty nice. Thank you¡­¡± she replies as she stares at the door the spa staff had exited through, she was looking at the direction which the staff had exited through. ¡°Now for your massage, you have beenining for quite awhile and I decided I needed to give you a massage since you are being so stiff during the massage. So rx! We¡¯re not hurting you!¡± Thedy said enthusiastically as she begins to apply moisturising oil onto Alexa¡¯s hands before massaging them gently.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Alexa closes her eyes as her face rxed. She seemed to enjoy the massage and enjoyed it a bit too much. ¡°Thank you,¡± she murmurs to thedy who smiles widely at her. ¡°Oh my god, this feels amazing!¡± She exims as the massage goes on. ¡°Yeah it does¡­¡± I agreed, watching them as they continue their massage. After that session, I wasn¡¯t expecting her to deal with me for far too long. I know she is hiding something from me, but I feel I have toe at her intamately to make her talk. I can¡¯ty a finger on what she is up to but I know there is something he is hiding. ¡°Alexa, you told me you have a brother right¡­ How are you both rted to each other?¡± I turn to her as I could sense her tense up. ¡°Why, we aren¡¯t totally rted to one another¡­¡± She stammers, looking at me confused. ¡°I had a closer look at your data with a friend, you were an only child.. Is that correct?¡± I cannot stall any longer with this woman, it¡¯s either I know whether to trust her inside my house or I don¡¯t. ¡°I am , sir¡± She looks away from me and settles her drink on herp. ¡°Then why did you tell me you have a brother, was that just to convince me?¡± I wasn¡¯t expecting her reacting that came next but as soon as I said those words, she looks at me disgustedly . ¡°Sir, I did note from a valley-like start in life¡­ Did you really I would lie to you with something so obvious?¡± I sat there amused at her defence. I could be stepping on the wrong foot here but I know she is hiding something from me. ¡°I do have a brother, but not blood rted. Is that why you¡¯vee all your way to invited me over for a spa day to interrogate me?¡± I put my lips into a thin line as I couldn¡¯t think of a response to tell her. I don¡¯t believe her, nor do I think she really is lying. But why do I suddenly feel like crap for manipting her like this? ¡°What happened between you and your brother? How did you two meet, and how is he?¡± I ask curious to where exactly we¡¯re going. She stays silent, staring deep into my eyes as she continues. ¡°My brother was in a gang, a violent gang. I met him when his parents brought him down at the orphanage because they couldn¡¯t control him any longer, I was the only person he could hang on to. From then on, things escted¡­ Things got escted and then downhill after the orphanage ran down, we had no where else to go¡­ I had to take up jobs while he had to make ends meet with his criminal acts, but do I have a choice when all we have is each other?¡± My eyebrows crease slightly, her story was strange but interesting. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± ¡°You should be¡­¡± She snaps at me before chugging the wine empty. ¡°Look I think we got off on the wrong end here, I¡¯m sorry¡­ It had just been on my mind for a while since I thought it was suspicious you had a brother even though it said you were an only child.¡± I looked over to her apologetically before sighing. ¡°It¡¯s alright but I hope you wont keep asking questions about him whenever we meet, I¡¯m afraid that my memories are hazy from everything but my first impression of him was that he was kind and friendly but very scary,¡± She shivers slightly as if talking about him still brings fear and dread, and that I understood her pain. ¡°I know he can¡¯t help it. His nature is that way, it always has been that way since birth. He¡¯s never hurt anybody unless he wanted to. The only time he ever did anything bad, was when he found out I came homete,¡± She exins. I listen attentively to her exnation and nod, it seems like my guess of her rtionship with her brother were right afterall. Her eyes widen a bit as soon as she realized what I knew. ¡°Wait, you knew? Why didn¡¯t you tell me that?¡± She questioned me. She was mad I didnt tell her what I found out and that made me ufortable. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not firing you for not telling me you aren¡¯t rted¡­ I just hope the two of you figure out your rtionship as siblings,¡± I responded, hoping that she won¡¯t be angry. She lets out a frustrated sigh and gets up, standing on her feet. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and a woman¡¯s voice calls out. Just before the door opened, she turned around towards me once more and gave me a small smile. ¡°I forgive you,¡± I nod my head at her as she finally opens the door to let thedy in. ¡°That¡¯s ourst session¡­¡± I say quietly before turning to face her. 33 Chapter 33 (1113) ALEXA¡¯S POV Relieved as we were parked in his garage, we both walked out of the car and got inside the mansion. I thought for a moment he actually knew about Cody¡¯s ns, it turns out he had me investigated. I am hoping he wont do anything to have my ass on the line, god knows how he will react if he finds out? Walking inside the living room, I stop in my tracks to find Nn waiting by the sofa. I slip out my phone to find it had already been pass 4 am . ¡°Nn, what are you doing up at 4 am?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fucking y dumb with me, slut!¡± Nn yells, Mr. Brown came walking up behind me and was surprised to find Nn at the living room. ¡°Care to exin why it took you up till 4 am to get home?¡± ¡°Nn, stop ying game-¡± ¡± You are threatening me to stay at home. To hiring a body guard if I don¡¯t keep myself locked up in this cage!¡± Nn screamed, I was frightened to say the least. ¡°Nn, stop acting like this-¡± I tried to speak but Nn threw a pillow at me. ¡°Did I tell you to speak to me?¡± ¡°Nn-¡± Mr. Brown chimes in, trying to calm him down. ¡°You are a hypocrite!¡± He shouts at me. ¡°I¡¯m just a bitch that wants to fuck around. I¡¯ve had enough! You are not going to tell me what to do anymore!¡± Nn continues on. ¡°Mr. Brown is right Nn, calm yourself now, we need to discuss this-¡± ¡°NO! Not until you talk some sense into her. Do you hear me?! Now get out! Get out!¡± Nn yelled again, I began to cry and ran upstairs. ¡°Shit! He¡¯s gonna pursuade Mr. Brown into firing me¡­ What do I tell Cody?¡± I cried out as I fell to the floor clutching my head between my knees. This can¡¯t be happening. Everything is falling apart. Everything I¡¯ve worked for is gone. ¡°Where the fuck were you? Don¡¯t think I dont know what you¡¯re thinking!¡± Nn yelled as I heard Mr. Brown¡¯s faint voice scoldeding him as I stood in the doorway of my bedroom, I could see anger written all over his face, his eyes zing in fire. He¡¯s angry, oh God what have I done? ¡°Please, don¡¯t fire me¡­¡± I managed to say between my crying fit, trying to cover myself with my hands to defend myself from his gaze that was now burning holes into my forehead. ¡°Are you kidding me?!¡± His yell cut through me. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, I love job. I love this house, these people, all of it. I want to stay in this house forever, I can¡¯t leave Mr. Brown, please don¡¯t fire me Mr. Brown, please¡­ don¡¯t fire me Mr. Brown¡­ PLEASE DON¡¯T FIRE ME!¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m fucking joking?! Father, she is using you to gain wealth? Don¡¯t you see that?¡± Nn yells directly at me.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Anything but staying on this property!¡± He snapped at me, I could tell he was mad. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just go out, run away or something, you shouldn¡¯t live under the same roof as a criminal.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, please¡­ don¡¯t fire me.¡± I begged, knowing that once this happened I wouldn¡¯t ever get paid or be given a break again. I have to keep acting this way to keep my job. ¡°Nn, that¡¯s enough!¡± Mr. Brown yells, pushing Nn away from me. ¡°Now what, you¡¯re taking her side too? That¡¯s disgusting, that¡¯s fucking molestation-¡± Suddenly, Mr. Brown ps Nn across the face shutting him up. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d use her of that¡­ what is the matter with you?!¡± He looks furious, he¡¯s shouting angrily. I feel my legs getting shaky, I look at them and try to control myself. My heart rate picks up as my stomach suddenly starts to churn and my legs turn weak. They seem to be trembling uncontrobly as I felt a sudden rush of dizziness wash over me. I lean forward against the wall trying to steady myself. My vision starts to blur as my breathing besboured and my head starts to throb violently. I gasp loudly as I fall back onto the ground,nding painfully on my bum. I close my eyes to stop them from stinging as I attempt to hold in the tears. I knew it was only a call of nature but it¡¯s a good enough distraction from keeping me fired from this job. I need to stay. I heard footsteps approach me as I open my eyes and look up at the person above me. ¡°No¡­ no¡­ Please¡­¡± I whimper, pleading for someone, acting like I had passed out. All I want is to live a simple life with my family without any fear of being killed for being gay. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry sweetheart¡­ Come on now, sit up,e on now¡± A man says soothingly as he helps me up and then pulls me. (***) I woke up from my slumber and notice that I slept inside my room. I knew it would work, but I had to be sure otherwise. I quickly get out of bed and walk to the bathroom. I ssh water into my face and brush my teeth. Once that was finished, I quickly dress, put on make up and my shoes. It took everything within me not to throw up from the feeling. I didn¡¯t even dare check the time as I made sure that I was wearing everything correctly. I wanted it to be believable when I told Mr. Brown that I overslept. I quickly went downstairs and found Nn sitting around the table eating breakfast. ¡°Good morning?¡± I greeted Nn who had his head low. ¡°Good morning everyone.¡± I spoke softly as I pass the kitchen and see Sam smiling at me. ¡°Alexa, where were you, you even left mest night to sleep in the shed¡± Sam asked asked as she pouted. I noticed Nn was staring at me as she spoke; he looked very worried. But he continued on eating without giving even a single greeting, as he was busy ncing from me to his phone several times. ¡°I was out to cater Mr. Brown.¡± I replied as she tugs on my arm. We all nced at each other. I could almost hear the tension in the atmosphere as Nn looks at me more each time he nce. I was surprised to feel my phone vibrate while the front door opened. ¡°Morning, Babe!¡± Kathy greeted as she walks inside the mansion kissing him on the corner of his cheek. I broke ff from staring at him, pulling out my phone to see Mr. Brown¡¯s text. 34 Chapter 34 (1009) ALEXA¡¯S POV After packing the lunch in a small container, I carefully put it inside an insted bag. My heart skipped a bit as I reread the message he sent, ¡°Make me some l for the two of us. See youter.¡± I felt a wave of heat rush on my cheeks as I thought of his voice saying those words. Shaling my head to focus, I zip up the bag and went outside when the driver was waiting for me. As I got into the backseat with my food, a few drops of perspiration started trailing down my brow and neck, which made me shiver in disgust. My hands shook and my stomach felt queasy. Even though they were covered with gloves, I wiped them off on my pants and then rubbed the sweat away with my shirt. I looked over at the driver, who was looking straight forward, pretending to not notice me wiping sweat off my face. My heart sped up even more as fear took hold of me. The thought of having to talk to him after our argument made my heart race faster. What if he hated me or tried to kick me out because of what had happenedst night? He must think I¡¯m pathetic, I¡¯m sure of that now. He can¡¯t possibly still want to be Nn¡¯s nanny. My mind began to wander as my thoughts turned inward, trying to figure out all of the possible reasons why he would say such a thing. A few possibilities were running through my mind like the gears in a broken clock. Maybe he found out about the rtionship between me and Cody all along and wanted to know how much of a thief I really am. And he thinks he is going to get me cuffed at hispany beforr I could even have the chance to run.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Thest one crossed my mind more than the others. I¡¯d never been afraid for my life than today. As the car stops at the front of thepany, I take a gulp and took up the courage to think positively. ¡°Miss Alexa, please do not worry¡­ I can tell Mr. Brown is taking a liking of you,¡± The driver spoke before I could step out. ¡°Thank you,¡± And with that I was out and walking towards inside. I was walking toward the main desk. The receptionist was giving her signature smile as she waved me in. She was a petite girl who looked like she didn¡¯t know any better. Her long hair was braided and she wore a white blouse with brown pants tucked in. I could smell the faint scent of perfume lingering on her skin. The secretary motioned me to sit down and waited until she heard the door close behind me. ¡°Good morning, Miss Alexa! How are you doing today?¡± she chirped. I smiled warmly but said nothing. ¡°Is this the bag that you packed for lunch?¡± She pointed to the bag. My eyes widened as she pulled open the stic zipper and saw the contents. It didn¡¯t appear like it belonged in there, but then again I shouldn¡¯t have assumed it did, seeing as he didn¡¯t send me any money and everything. ¡°It¡¯s the one Mr. Brown has requested,¡± I mumbled under my breath. I couldn¡¯t believe my luck that the secretary hadn¡¯t noticed my awkward silence. Then again, most people wouldn¡¯t have cared to ask either, knowing full well that they weren¡¯t going to get an answer. She just smiled politely and closed the zipper once again. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see what you bought today¡­¡± She leaned forward and started pulling the contents from the bag. ¡°Riley, that¡¯s enough.¡± I jumped on to my feet as I gaze met with Mr. Brown at the hall next to the front desk. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my lunch break elsewhere,¡± As he says those words, the woman infront of me quickly took care of the bag properly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir¡± The woman kept her head low beforeI left with Mr. Brown. His expression was neutral as he walked ahead of me without even sparing me a nce. I quickly grabbed the food and fell in line next to him, wanting to keep up my appearance of being polite and respectful. Afterall, he¡¯s my boss and it wasn¡¯t right that he should look down upon me for something I hadn¡¯t even done yet. ¡°How are you feeling, Alexa?¡± He asked softly. My face reddened in embarrassment as I hung my head in shame and looked downward. ¡°You need to remember to take care of yourself. If it weren¡¯t for Nn catching youst night, you would habe hit your head by the corner.¡± Mr. Brown walked ahead inside the elevator where I stood beside him alone. My legs suddenly became numb as the weight of regret came jogging back to me, despite what had happenedst night he persists on keeping me. The phone rang, making me jump in surprise. A part of me hoped it would be Nn, asking me to help him clean up the mess he¡¯d made in the house. When the voice came on, I could barely recognize it as mine. I didn¡¯t want to ept this call, not when I just spent most of yesterday thinking about how he might feel after telling me to leave. If Nn is calling to apologize for his behavior, I don¡¯t n on talking to him right now. ¡°Who is that?¡± Mr. Brown asks. ¡°It¡¯s Nn-¡± ¡°Leave him be, let him figure out his emotions while he is out with his girlfriend.¡± He says tantly as we walk out of the elevator and into the hall that lead to his office. As we enter his office, I look around his office in amazement. I smiled at the scene of the city by the floor length windows ahead. ¡°Sir, where do I leave your meal?¡± I stammered as I see him walk to his bookcase, putting back a few files on hand. ¡°Alexa, I have a request to ask of you,¡± 35 Chapter 35 (1080) ALEXA¡¯S POVContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Would it be alright if you spend your day with me?¡± I stood there confused as he asked me. ¡°My son is out on a date with his girlfriend after sses, so you¡¯re left with nothing to do at home, correct?¡± I nodded in response to his question. ¡°Then I don¡¯t mind taking you out. You won¡¯t have to stay longer than a couple hours. It will make me happy to have yourpany around me.¡± He continued walking while he had his hands in his pocket as he makes his way to his desk where his keys were, but my feet seemed glued to the ground as I stared at the back of his gray suit. My gaze slowly followed his movement, trying to calm the rapid beating of my heart. Why was I being asked out by someone I don¡¯t know, someone who hates me no less? Why didn¡¯t Nne along with him? I¡¯m starting to wonder if it¡¯s even worth it to try to exin things. Is it really a good idea to let myself be around Mr. Brown after what Nn said? I was shocked and speechless. I looked up at Mr. Brown and was stunned by his kind face. I guess the man was actually worried about me since Nn didn¡¯t mention any of this before he left with Kathy together this morning. I was unsure how to react. ¡°Sir, is it actually alright to go out with you?¡± I blushed as the words fell out of my mouth, it felt wrong but the thought of dating a hot rich man is enough to keep my heart racing. I¡¯ve always considered myself very fortunate. Being smart and strong in the face of adversity has kept me from getting hurt too much. However, this sudden change in circumstances had me worried. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t have to. If you want to wait until Nnes back, that¡¯s fine too,¡± Mr. Brown smiled. He seemed oblivious to my inner turmoil. ¡°No!¡± I blurted out, surprising both myself and Mr. Brown. He looked startled and almostughed. ¡°No? I thought you didn¡¯t want to go with me?¡± His voice wasced with confusion as he gave me an inquiring stare. I sighed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, I just don¡¯t know how to feel. I haven¡¯t actually been asked out before and myst rtionship was toxic,¡± Jade is definitely going to flip if she finds out about this. ¡°So I guess that I actually don¡¯t know how to react about this¡± I shrugged as I finished. Mr. Brown¡¯s expression softened, ¡°If your ufortable with opening up to new rtionship because of a toxic ex, then why the sudden change of heart?¡± I kept my silence until Mr. Brown broke it by clearing his throat. ¡°Well, Nn said that it is only right that I leave with you since he is going toe homete tonight. So if he sees me at dinner with someone else, I know it will cause problems for him,¡± he answered truthfully, although I wasn¡¯t sure whether Nn had anything to do with this I feel the thrill of hanging out with Mr. Brown exhrating. ¡°Ok, so I don¡¯t mind if you apany me but please make sure to bring a jacket or something,¡± he chuckled to himself. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± I responded shyly as a faint blush graced my cheeks. He walked around his desk to grab his coat as I went to collect my gloves inside my pocket and phone off where I had put them a few minutes ago before leaving the his office. He stopped in his tracks and stared down at me. I knew my eyes were wide open since I could practically feel the intensity radiating from him. I tried to avert my eyes as my neck turned red as I bit the inside of my cheek. ¡°What do you say?¡± His deep voice sounded like velvet rolling across silk sheets. It sent goosebumps over my body causing me to shiver. ¡°I guess I can tag along with you and I¡¯ll see what I can do about a jacket for us to wear¡± I nodded my head. *** Oddly enough, the greatest date n is a drive through a fastfood chain. Mr. Brown didn¡¯t want the staff to have any ideas of us, so he took a call with his driver to leave the car by the parking lot for us. I¡¯m still in my maid uniform but his coat kept me warm every time the harsh cold breeze hit us. ¡°What do you think about our date?¡± Mr. Brown chuckled whilst asking, looking at me in anticipation. ¡°I think you haven¡¯t touched the food I made you,¡± We erupted inughter as he moves to takes it from the backseat and open it. The smell of the still warm food that I cooked filled the car and mixed with the deep fried chicken smell. Taking a bite, his eyes widen with joy and looks at me. ¡°The takeout is much better,¡± I giggled at his remark and reached a spoonful at me to bite. ¡°Are you enjoying your day with me?¡± He asks. I nod my head as I chewed on another fry. He gave a wide smile as his eyes narrowed while staring at me. Now that is adorable. I smiled at him as I chewed. ¡°Yeah, it was nice to go out for a ride and just chill a little,¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, because I didn¡¯t think you would enjoy yourself today. I mean, I didn¡¯t think you would have to work for so long. Are you used to working long hours, Alexa?¡± He questioned curiously as he took another fry. ¡°I am, sir,¡± I simply replied. He hummed in acknowledgment as he finished his first one and put it back into the stic container. The rest of the drive was quiet except for the music that filled the car. My lips tugged upwards as the lyrics from the song reminded me of Nn¡­ he always likes to sing this particr song. A few of his tracks would y loudly througgout the mansion. It¡¯s pretty easy to tell who wrote it. I could hear his voice clearly in my ears. As we continued to drive, I notice we were going up ahead a track leading to the top of the hill above the city. I nce over to see the city lights that lit through the dusk of day. 36 Chapter 36 (1025) ALEXA¡¯S POV ¡°Sir, why did you ask me out on a date?¡± I asked as we both sat at the back of his car¡¯s trunk. The door had been liften up so in case it rained it would prevent us from getting wet. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± He nced back at me before giving me another smile. Did he already forget? ¡°I¡¯m not saying I¡¯mining, but isn¡¯t that a little sudden?¡± My words came out more bluntly than I meant it too. ¡°You should never rush these things, Alexa. Don¡¯t ever doubt yourself or how wonderful the people around you are. Trust me when I say that, I¡¯ve met my fair share of people who never understand love or kindness.¡± ¡°How old did you grow up?¡± I inquired further. ¡°Neen years old, Alexa,¡± This man, Mr. Brown, had grown up a very mature person despite his age. He had a hard life, yet he seemed to have found peace. Maybe having Nn early in his life blessing in disguise. Maybe that was the reason for his happiness and eptance. I shook off all thoughts and focused on my surroundings. ¡°Have you lived here for long?¡± I questioned.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Since I was nine years old, but I moved around a lot growing up,¡± ¡°Were there many friends around you?¡± ¡°Myte wife and I were inseparable, so yeah, we had quite a few friends. One of which is a member of the board that controls thepany.¡± I cringed inwardly remembering how jealous Kathy acted upon seeing me around Nn. That feeling soon disappeared as I remembered the promise I made to myself that I wouldn¡¯t fall in love with anyone. That I¡¯d be with Cody and it it didnt work out, then there isn¡¯t anyone for me anymore. It¡¯s true that Cody doesn¡¯t seem like the type of guy to cheat on me, especially with him being older. He doesn¡¯t act like he wants to get away with something either¡­ not unless I push for him to. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for asking, but do you go out on date with your housekeeping staff as well?¡± The question made him look at me like I had lost my mind. ¡°No, I¡¯ve only ever done this to you.¡± The thought made me blush as he only took the courage to ask me, but why? The thought made me blush as he only took the courage to ask me, but why? I wondered to myself. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this was part of a game. Why would he invite me out of nowhere on a date when he had a secretary to do such tasks for him? Is he trying to get something from me? ¡°So you don¡¯t need a girl to do your bidding?¡± I teased hoping to see some sort of reaction from him. To my surprise his eyes shed dangerously. There was no trace of humor in his face as his eyes glittered fiercely. His gaze made my breath catch in my throat as my chest tightened. A tingling sensation spread across my skin as his intense gaze bore holes into mine. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, you¡¯re not just any girl, Alexa.¡± His voice was low, but husky. I noticed that his jaw clenched as he takes his gaze off mine. ¡°Ive asked so many things to myself of what had kept me curious about you, but I can¡¯t answer all of them without being with you.¡± His words felt deep into my core, his tone run softly. My heart felt like it skipped a beat as his eyes met mine once again, but instead of their usual softness, there was a burning passion behind those irises. ¡°And that¡¯s why I wanted to ask you out,¡±he whispered as he grabbed my hand in his. Our hands gently intertwined together, intertwining as if they had been joined this entire time. He raised our hands up to his mouth as he kissed it tenderly, his warm, slightly chapped lips caressing my flesh and sending an electrifying current through my entire body. ¡°Won¡¯t you give me a chance to prove myself? Won¡¯t you just let me try to win you over?¡± He begged softly while caressing my knuckles gently. ¡°Let me find those answers that I need from you, I want to understand you¡­¡± He muttered before taking hold of my left hand, which was wrapped tightly with his right hand. He looked straight into my eyes as he ced his left hand on top of mine. He brought my hand to his chest, his heartbeat was beating loudly against my palms. It¡¯s almost like I could hear his heart pounding at the moment; it¡¯s pace matched mine. His other hand rested on my waist. The sudden heat and tension in the air caused my breathing to be heavy as I struggled to keep my coolposure. After a minute of silence, the sound of an engine echoed from down the road as Mr. Brown pulled his car towards the exit. I looked out the window to watch the rain pour down. As I watched the water droplets hitting the windshield, I began thinking. ¡°Alexa?¡± I blinked multiple times as I sat beside him, the rain hasn¡¯t poured and his hand wasnt in mine. I look over to him to see no trace of lust over me and we were driving. I sighed out in relief as I thought I haditted infidelity . ¡°You alright, Alexa? You fell asleep throughout the car ride, we¡¯re almost there¡± Soon enough, I saw what he was pertaining to. The hill on top where he would make his confession. ¡°Are you sure you want to go there?¡± I asked. I wasn¡¯t ready to face any of those raw emotion. I would rather stick to havingfort with a toxic man, than to ruin my life being hunted down by him. ¡°Yeah, why? Is there something wrong?¡± Mr. Brown asks. I had to think quickly if I need to find a way to turn the car around¡­ But I knew it would embarrass me infront of him. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling so well, Mr. Brown, could we turn the car around?¡± 37 Chapter 37 (1012) ALEXA¡¯S POV It¡¯s been days since I¡¯ve been ignoring Mr. Brown because of the date a few days ago. I knew it was only a dream, but I cant bare to face why he would ask me out of all the woman he have met in his life. Preparing inside the kitchen I jumped at the sound of Sam calling me. ¡°Hey, Mr. Brown wants you in his office, are you okay?¡± Sam spoke with concernced in her voice. She knows the real reason since I told her what had happened and asked her to swear she won¡¯t tell a soul. We¡¯ve talked about it after the date and ever since then shees up to me to check if Icwas alright. She might not know about Cody but she knows the problem that might rise between us and she knows I would feel guilty over it. ¡°Alexa, what happened?¡± ¡°Sorry Sam just tell Mr. Brown I¡¯m busy!¡± I ran outside to the garden and straight to the shed until I heard Nn¡¯s inte voice blessing me with freedom. I would much rather take up my time taking care of Nn than spending time with Mr. Brown. I need to aplosh this mission if I want to get rich. ¡°Nn, I¡¯ming, okay?¡± I called out as I unlocked the door and went in the ce where the I was hidden the whple time. Running back inside and slowly creeping out of sight from Mr. Brown¡¯s office, I opened the door to Nn¡¯s room where he satfortably. ¡°Wanna hang out?¡± I stood there confused as to what he meant, there is something about this family wanting to be close with their caretaker¡­ ¡°No,¡± I coldly replied, stepping outside only to feel Nn¡¯s hand on my wrist. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be a killjoy. It¡¯s just a movie, we can watch together!¡± He tugs on my arm and held it close to him as he gives me a mischievous grin. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you,¡± I said tly, giving him no amount of care as to try and push him away from me. ¡°Come on, Alexa. Just one movie won¡¯t hurt, it¡¯s not fair you¡¯re always hanging out with my father!¡± His retort had me stunned and re at him. ¡°Does your father know about the movie?¡± I ask, pulling away my arm and crossing it over my chest.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, Father would be ecstatic to know you¡¯re spending time with me even if he was aware that we¡¯re watching something that has nothing to do with business, but you have toe along. Please Alexa! You¡¯re always so busy and you never get a good night sleep at all and we really need some quality time together after what I told youst time. I really think we¡¯d be doing everyone a favor by calling it a truce between us¡± I stood there unamused as he finishes himself. ¡°Would you mind telling me why on earth I would believe something like that?¡± I raised an eyebrow at him before he lets out a deep sigh. ¡°First you came up to us aftering homete, then you don¡¯t even speak a single word to me for days end¡­ Now you¡¯re asking me to watch a movie with you?¡± ¡°Kathy said something to you and I need your help fixing our rtionship¡­¡± I was shocked to hear what he had said. Asking rtionship advice from me when in fact Kathy was the one hopeless at the bar. ¡°Fine, but does your father know about this?¡± ¡°Why does he need to know I had a fight with Kathy?¡± Nn¡¯s natural self is back, and I knew for sure he needed just advice and a movie. ¡°Alright, but don¡¯t try anything.¡± I warned him with my narrowed eyes. ¡°Oh, rx, you know I won¡¯t do anything¡­ But now let¡¯s get ready. The movie is starting in 10 minutes.¡± I sighed knowing that I¡¯d get nowhere if I continue fighting him. (****) I got dressedfortably as I waited in my room until Nn called me. Weird how his movie marathon was past dinnertime, but it¡¯s best when you want something to watch before going to bed. Hearing a knock on the door, I spot Nn standing by the door frame and see a glimpse of Mr. Brown¡¯s bedroom door cracked open. ¡°Just be quiet alright? We wouldn¡¯t want to get caught now, would we?¡± He asked as he pointed to the direction of his room. He turns off my bedroom light and we both walked through the carpeted hallway leading to his bedroom. As I walked in I spot the projector. As we both headed to the bed, I sat at the edge of the opposite from him in case he nned on doing something. ¡°I¡¯m not even doing wrong, why are sitting so far from me?¡± Nn asks in annoyance. ¡°Because you¡¯ve made it pretty obvious that you n on trying to pull something and I can¡¯t risk getting involved with that,¡± I shot him a warning look. ¡°Besides, you have your own room right?¡± ¡°What?¡± He questioned while frowning. ¡°You seem to have forgotten you¡¯ve done alot of shady shit on me.¡± ¡°Look I don¡¯t want to get in trouble Alexa, please just forget about all the crap I did and watch the movie¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re gonna pull something on me, you better make sure that if I¡¯m not around, you don¡¯t do something stupid enough to make me regretter kn. Now turn the lights off!¡± Without waiting for a reply, he shut off the mainmp beside him andy down on the bed in the dark. The projector lights sh up on the wall and soon a video started ying. It was some amateur film but my eyes widen as I soon realized what was about to happen. My cheeks turned red at the realization before I turned to look at Nn in shock. Suddenly, the door opened and Mr. Brown walked in at the same time as the scene. ¡°What the hell is going on here?!¡± 38 Chapter 38 (1055) ALEXA¡¯S POV ¡°Mr. Brown I can exin,¡± I stood up immediately from the bed as I caught his gaze at me. ¡°What the actual hell are two doing?!¡± Mr. Brown yells, grabbing the nearby speaker and preparing to throw it at Nn who wasughing uncontrobly. ¡°You think this is a fucking joke?!¡± Mr. Brown yelled as he threw the speaker almost hitting Nn¡¯s side making him stop. ¡°Hey, Dad! Chill, it¡¯s just a prank!¡± Nn stood up, taking his camera out of its hiding ce from the nightstand that was aiming at me. ¡°See, it¡¯s harmless-¡± Suddenly, Mr. Brown threw Nn¡¯s shoes at his head and almost hit him again. ¡°Hey! I said it was harmless!¡± Nn yelled. Before the two could even get a step closer to each other, I stood between them when I suddenly smelled Mr. Brown. ¡°Sir, are you alright?¡± I quickly reached to touch his face when pushes me away toward Nn. It was a good thing Nn caught me but Mr. Brown¡¯s gaze burned whole into my head as if I¡¯ve done something horrible to him. ¡°Get away from her!¡± Mr. Brown screams, taking a hold of my wrist and pulling me out of Nn¡¯s room. ¡°What the hell! What is wrong with you?!¡± Nn yells as he grabs hold on Mr. Brown¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me!¡± Mr. Brown shoves his hand off. Nn came shoving both his hands on Mr. Brown to push him out of his room furiously. ¡°What is wrong with you, father?! One moment you want me to spend time with Alexa, the next you¡¯re taking her away from me?!¡± Mr. Brown looks like he wanted to hit him but I pulled on his shirt to stop him. ¡°Let go of me you little brat! Why the hell should I listen to a word you say?!¡± Mr. Brown pushed me against the wall behind the TV stand, causing me to gasp in shock and pain as I felt a trickle of liquid behind my back. ¡°How could you do this to me?! How could you betray me like this?¡± I tried to talk but the sight of blood in my hands after touching my back had me speechless. I couldn¡¯t breath, and not because I was trying to act this way, I genuinely couldn¡¯t breath. A tear escapes from the corner of my eye as my vision blurred and blurs with ckness. Everything became silent. ¡®Where am I?¡¯ I thought. There¡¯s no answer and I couldn¡¯t move. I looked down and noticed I was naked except my bra which seems like it was covering me. Wake up! I try to move but I feel like I was so still. Wake up! I need to move¡­ Wait, what¡¯s that sound? Wake up! ¡°Alexa?!¡± My eyes fluttered open as I look around my surroundings. I was back in my bedroom and Nn still wore the same pajamas he had when we watched¡­ ¡°What happened?¡± As I was about to rub my eyes, I feel a small sting on my back. ¡°You hit my tv rack pretty hard after trying to stop my father from hurting me¡­¡± Nn murmurs, as he tidies up a small red bag beside him. ¡°Its just a small cut, it¡¯s. Not that deep.¡± As he adds thest note, he looks down with guilt as he reaches over to hold me hand. ¡°I am really sorry, Alexa¡­ I wasn¡¯t expect my father walking in on us and reacting that way towards u,¡± Nn softly speaks, his hold firm around my hand but it felt assuring to say the least. I didn¡¯t know how to react after everything that¡¯s just been revealed. I guess I can say I¡¯m shocked and shocked at his reaction too¡­ I mean, what did I ever do to him to warrant such a response¡­ Did it happen that much during his early years here? I shake my head and smile weakly. ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry Nn¡­ It wasn¡¯t your fault¡­ I probably scared him more than anything else,¡± As soon as those words left my lips, he pulls me up and holds my waist tightly. I notice my phone lying close to the table which was beside the door. I reach for it hesitantly. My thumb hovers above the contact icon that¡¯sbeled as Cody, I hesitated to press call knowing that it would bring up a lot of memories¡­ Memories that I would prefer not to revisit tonight. After thinking for a few seconds, I decided to just not call him and leave this conversation be for the day. ¡°Goodnight Nn.¡± I mumbled under my breath and quickly stood up from my bed, careful not to wake him up as I pulled away from his hold. Turning off my phone as quick as I could, I walk straight to my closet without looking back. I grab clothes and put on my new pair of pjs, leaving my hair hanging loosely and the door open. I didn¡¯t bother to brush my teeth or shower and quickly walked outside of the room. My eyes dart at Mr. Brown¡¯s bedroom, the light from inside gave an illuminating glow shining towards outside. The darkness from his room kept the lights bright and warm. I quietly tip toe my way to Mr. Brown¡¯s study and slowly open the door, the smell of cigarettes filling my nostrils. The room was lit with candles along with the moonlight shining onto the bookshelves. The sound of the crickets filled in every crevice in the room which was quite creepy considering that there wasn¡¯t any light. My eyes scan around the room for Mr. Brown but found no sign of him. I was confused and uneasy, where did he go? I heard footstepsing from the hall way followed by a voice.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡± I could hear him whisper as he mmed the door to his study behind him. I stayed silent and listened closely to the voices outside the door, trying to decipher the words they spoke. Then, they stopped, and it¡¯s only then that I could distinguish the words that were being spoken. I took a deep breath to prepare myself as I try to think of a way on how to approach him as I apologize. Peeking inside, I hear a woman voice unfamiliar to me. ¡°Honey, smile for me, please! This is for our memory!¡± 39 Chapter 39 (1009) ALEXA¡¯S POV Opening the door slightly and making my way inside, Mr. Brown looks in my direction after chugging his bottle empty. ¡°Sir, I am really sorry-¡± ¡°Leave me alone!¡± Mr. Brown yells, cutting me off as I was about to apologize earlier. ¡°Sir, please listen to me-¡± ¡°No, leave me alone!¡± He ms his desk loudly as I take a step closer to him. ¡°Please!¡± I pleaded, my voice low so that it was barely audible and my tears starting to flow. ¡°You think I want to hurt you? But how could you do this?!¡± His eyes narrows as he points a finger at me angrily and throws himself out of his chair. ¡°I¡¯ve always believed in you and now look at you! You¡¯re a failure of a husband!¡± My eyes furrowed at him as I try to think of what he just said. Husband? I look at the bottle in his hand and saw it was wine. Red wine. ¡°Shit, Mr. Brown!¡± I take his bottle and walk away from him, I turned to see he walked off to his balcony where he sat and stared at something. ¡°I¡¯m a failure¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true! Stop saying that!¡± I shouted, as tears streamed down my face and my heart starts beating faster and faster. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to let you go,¡± He stared longingly into space as almost choked on his own tears as he spoke those words. ¡°But I have to¡­¡± My eyes widen at the realization. No, it can¡¯t be. He¡¯s drunk. But drunk words are hidden feelings, right? I could see Cody¡¯s reaction at the thought of losing this job. ¡°Please! Don¡¯t do this to me! Just give me another chance! I promise I won¡¯t fail you anymore!¡± I cried as I slowly walked up to him. Tears start flooding out my cheeks as my heart beat rapidly against my chest. A sob escaped from my throat and I tried to hold it in since I needed my to stay here in order to give Cody what he wanted. I started crying. ¡°Stop crying!¡± Mr. Brown shouts as he grabs me roughly by my wrists. His eyes widen as he caught sight of my pathetic position and lets go of me. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, dear¡­ Alexa, are you alright?¡± Mr. Brown asks. Suddenly, I hear the same faint voice of woman speak at the other side of the room. ncing over, there was a video ying on the screen of a woman posing infront of a camera andughing as she went on. I turn to Mr. Brown and see a glint of sadness shine on his eyes as he looked at the woman in the screen. ¡°That¡¯s my wife. She filmed this a week after we found out she was pregnant¡­ I vowed to marry her after graduating, and I did.¡± A tear slid down the corner of his eye as his gaze switched over to mine.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°If she was toe back to life and haunt me, she would see how much of a terrible father I have be¡­¡± He lifts his ss that had ice and rum in it, then takes arge gulp as it empties out. ¡°Sir, I suggest you stop drinking.¡± I take his ss away from him and pull him out of his seat. Taking him as he follows suit, I lead him to his bed and carefully sat him down. Having to pull him up and around his room was a real struggle to handle to deal with, but seeing the sight of him at this depressed state had me thinking about his actionstely. His stern and strict regime with Nn a way to protect his son from making the same mistake, or is he afraid of the same heartbreak his son will have? As I watch him doze on and off with him self, I couldn¡¯t imagune the struggle he must be feeling as the memory of his past love haunt him even in his sleep. Despite his effort to be there for his son, what more could he give to someone who¡¯s satisfaction you will never reach. This is something Nn should understand, his father struggles to move on. But, is it his fault though? ¡°Sir, you need to rest. I¡¯ll talk to you in the morning,¡± His eyes widen before he takes a hold of my shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t go, I don¡¯t want you walking away from me,¡± His eyes showed signs of desperation that I couldn¡¯t imagine this man had cried over his dead wife. ¡°Mr. Brown, you need sleep. Please¡­¡± Tears start streaming down my face as my body shook as I tried holding back the urge to cry. He lets go of me and moves a strand of my hair that fell in front of my face. Looking at me lovingly as he brings his fingers up to my cheek. ¡°It will all be fine¡­ I know everything will be fine,¡± He whispers as he gently kisses my forehead before pulling away. Sighing under my breath, I sat beside him and held him close. I felt him gag as I pat his back, cooing and tracing circles on his back as I try to keep him calm and steady to go to sleep. Feeling him shift and move away from me, he gives me a warm smile before he moves inches closer to my face slowly. I dont know what had gotten into me, but I was too mesmerized with his eyes that I was shocked to feel his lips unto mine as my eyes were shut. The kiss felt soft in between mine, his breath smelled like whiskey and smoke but the taste was bearable to endure. Opening my mouth slowly as he pushes his tongue in, I could feel my face heat up at the intensity this kiss had. I couldn¡¯t help but moan as I felt his hand on my thigh and squeezing it longingly. As he pulls away, he immediately threw up on my shirt and copsed on the bed beside me. 40 Chapter 40* (1010) ALEXA¡¯S POV The warm water running through the faucet was the only sound I could hear throughout the bathroom walls. My mind was racing however to the kiss Anthony and I had. I stood naked infront of my bathroom mirror, watching myself and observing my face as to what they see in me. I took a deep breath and wiped some of the wetness away from my face before turning to stare at my reflection. I watched myself as I dried my hair, then pulled it up into a messy bun. I tried to push back the event, focusing on the mission. But his lips left a mark on my mind that I could never get removed. A tattoo. Walking out of the bathroom, Nn no longer lied on my bed but was as messy as he had left. Sighing to myself, I locked the door in case anyone had any ideas to do beforeying down to finally rest. I have a lot to confront with him tomorrow, but it¡¯s better to act unfazed than to be affected by it. (***) The following day, Nn marches downstairs as he grabs his keys to his car to take to school. Kathy waited outside of the mansion, while I stood by the hall in anticipation for a person I¡¯ve been meaning to talk to all day. As he enters the dining room and turns around, he stops when he sees who it is waiting for him. ¡°¡­ Alexa?¡± His eyebrows rise and his mouth drops as he stands still. ¡°Uh, hey!¡± I smile nervously as he continues staring at me, his expression unreadable. I cleared my throat awkwardly and waved at him. ¡°Are you ready?¡± I asked softly as I gestured to the door. Stillpletely frozen in ce, Anthony shakes his head and turns away from me. Not wanting to push him further, I sigh heavily and turn around. I walk in to the kitchen, shutting it softly behind me. Once again, The feeling I got whenever I see him makes my heart skip a beat or my stomach twist ufortably. I hate that I feel like that. It¡¯s weird how someone can make you so happy, yet at the same time so sad. Like seeing him and having to go through all of that again, causes such conflicting emotions. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m just tired and stressed out¡­ or maybe, it¡¯s nothing. As I step outside, seeing him again, I watch him as he makes his way out of the mansion fully dressed in corporate. As he reaches the garage where the driver awaits him, he stops and turns around to face me once again. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Oh yeah¡­ that little detail. ¡°Um yes. Why?¡± I ask as I gave him a knowing look, thinking if he could remember the kiss we hadst night. I stare ahead, unable to find anything to say in hopes he¡¯d break the awkward silence between us. After an hour of silence, he speaks up. ¡°So¡­ what do you think happened yesterday?¡± I shift around nervously in my spot as I look towards him. ¡°Uh-um¡­ you don¡¯t remember?¡± ¡°No, I mean I do remember going out yesterday, but not much else. What were you doing?¡± I look at him as if he had two heads then answer as simply as possible. ¡°Well¡­ Nothing, just had some fun with the others at their room¡­¡± I turn to face him, expecting him tough. But he just nodded before he walks off and got inside his car. As the car drove away, I exhale a shaky breath, realizing it would take him forever to remember. I made a mental note to tell Jade about Anthony when I go see her soon. The next morning, I wake up and start getting ready to leave for work. The whole thing with Anthony was still fresh in my memory. I could still feel his hot and gentle lips on mine and his hands roaming my body. My eyes start filling up with tears as I quickly wipe them away trying to focus on what to do for the rest of the day. Suddenly my phone goes off and I pick it up, expecting it to be Nn or Jade calling. However, instead it was someone I was dreading to talk to and his number showing up on the screen. ¡°Hi Babe,¡± Is all I could manage to mutter before taking a seat on my couch.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Hey Babe! Are you ok?¡± I bite my lip nervously and nod as I look down at my hands and start worrying about how things might end between Anthony and me. ¡°How is the n going? Are you doing your part there?¡± I sigh and shrug as I lean my back against the couch. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s going well, but I really can¡¯t wait until the end of the day. It seems like we always have something to do around here.¡± I heard a slight chuckle from the other line. ¡°What¡¯s wrong babe? You seem a bit gloomy,¡± I chuckle at the question. ¡± I am good! I guess my schedule has been pretty busytely, huh?¡± ¡°Maybe you should just cancel your job and just continue working for me again,¡± His suggestion catches me off guard and I pause. I can¡¯t imagine living at that ce again. It¡¯s too crowded for me and I hate the fact that I can¡¯t go anywhere without being seen. I mean, I know what it looks like now. I also know it¡¯s dangerous for me to go out as a woman but I don¡¯t want to be in a situation where it¡¯s safer for me to be seen as a nanny. ¡°Uhh.. Then I guess you¡¯re asking me toe home.¡± ¡°I¡¯m kidding! But listen, I have to go cause the boys are inviting me for drinks. Enjoy your work!¡± ¡°Thanks Babe,¡± As our conversation ended, I put my phone onto my pocket and sighing out deeply than I had imagined. ¡°What the hell am I doing with my life?¡± 41 Alexa¡¯s Pov I woke up the next day, ready to start my day as usual. But as I walked into the kitchen, I noticed something strange. The cook and housekeeping staff were packing up their things. ¡°Good morning,¡± I said, trying to sound casual. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are you guys leaving?¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes, we are,¡± one of the housekeeping staff replied. ¡°We were instructed to take our leave by Mr. Nn.¡± ¡°Nn?¡± I repeated, confused. ¡°Why would he tell you guys to leave? And without any notice?¡± The cook spoke up this time. ¡°We were just as surprised as you are. But he said it was necessary.¡± ¡°But what about Mr. Brown?¡± I asked. ¡°He¡¯s going to be so angry when he finds out that you guys just left like this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± another housekeeping staff member said. ¡°We have Mr. Nn¡¯s words on record. In case Mr. Brown gets angry at us, we have evidence that we were only following orders.¡± I was shocked. Nn, the boss who rarely ever interacted with us, had apparently instructed the staff to leave without any warning. And he had done so in a way that suggested he was afraid of Mr. Brown¡¯s reaction. I didn¡¯t know what to think. I had always assumed that Mr. Brown was the one who called the shots around here. But now it seemed like there was more going on behind the scenes than I had ever imagined. As the staff finished packing their things, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of unease. If Nn was willing to go behind Mr. Brown¡¯s back like this, what else was he capable of? Later that day, I was approached by Nn again. He had a serious look on his face as he walked over to me. ¡°Alexa,¡± he said. ¡°I need you to stay here tonight. There¡¯s going to be a party and I need you to help with the preparations.¡± I was taken aback. ¡°A party? What kind of party?¡± Nn hesitated before answering. ¡°It¡¯s apany event. Nothing too fancy. Just a way for the employees to unwind and socialize.¡± I didn¡¯t like the sound of that. Something about Nn¡¯s tone made me feel like he was hiding something. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said, feeling uneasy. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯mfortable with this. I have ns tonight.¡± Nn¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alexa, but you don¡¯t have a choice. You need to stay here and help with the preparations.¡± I felt trapped. I didn¡¯t want to disobey Nn, but something about this party just didn¡¯t feel right. As the afternoon wore on, I watched as a team of workers brought in party equipment and sound systems. The noise was deafening, and I couldn¡¯t concentrate on my work. I approached Nn again. ¡°Please, can we stop this? The noise is too much, and I don¡¯t think this party is a good idea.¡± But Nn just brushed me off. ¡°It¡¯s toote now, Alexa. The party is already nned, and we can¡¯t back out now.¡± I didn¡¯t know what to do. I felt like I was being forced into something that I didn¡¯t want to be a part of. As the evening approached, the noise only got louder. I tried to drown it out by focusing on my work, but it was no use. Finally, I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I marched over to Nn and confronted him. ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± I said, raising my voice over the noise. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here, and I don¡¯t think this party is a good idea. Please, just stop it.¡± Nn just looked at me coldly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alexa, but we¡¯re going through with this. You¡¯ll just have to deal with the noise.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe it. How could he be so callous? I stormed out of the room, feeling angry and frustrated. As I walked down the hallway, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off. Why was Nn so insistent on throwing this party? Was he doing this because he felt I would get into trouble? Was he doing this because he wanted me to be on Nr browns bad side?, or was he trying to prove to his father that I wasn¡¯t good at my job. As the team finished their work, one by one of Nn¡¯s friends had filled the ground floor of the house down to the backyard. The noise level rose to an unbearable level, and I knew I had to find Nn. I walked around the house, trying to find him. As I made my way down to the backyard, I spotted him doing body shots on Kathy by the pool bar. I couldn¡¯t believe it. How could he be so irresponsible? I stormed towards Nn, a crowd of party-goers following behind me. As I approached, I could hear some of them booing and jeering. ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± I shouted, my voice rising above the noise. Nn looked up at me, a drunken grin on his face. ¡°What¡¯s it look like?¡± he slurred. ¡°We¡¯re having a good time.¡± I felt my anger rising. ¡°This is not a good time, Nn. You¡¯re endangering the safety of your guests with all this noise and chaos.¡± Nn just rolled his eyes. ¡°Oh,e on, Alexa. Loosen up a bit. It¡¯s just a party.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe his arrogance. ¡°Nn, you need to stop this party right now. We could get in serious trouble.¡± Nn justughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Alexa. I¡¯ve got everything under control.¡± I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°No, Nn, you don¡¯t. You¡¯re putting people at risk, and I won¡¯t be a part of it.¡±I vented. I try to get his attention but he wasn¡¯t ready to look at me. I couldn¡¯t believe what I had just witnessed. Nn had slipped something into my drink, and I had no idea what it was. As he handed me the drink, he looked at me with a smirk on his face, clearly enjoying himself. I moved to his side, trying to grab his attention. ¡°What did you put in my drink?¡± I demanded. Nn just shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just a sweetener. You¡¯re being paranoid, Alexa. Rx and enjoy the party.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but not trust him, especially after everything that had happened. So, I took the drink from him and walked away. I knew I couldn¡¯t drink it, but I also couldn¡¯t let him see that I wasn¡¯t drinking it. I walked into the kitchen, setting down the drink and trying to calm down. I knew I had to be careful, as one wrong move could get me into massive trouble with Anthony. I couldn¡¯t afford to lose my job over this. But despite my best efforts, I couldn¡¯t calm down. I kept thinking about what Nn had done, and what could be in the drink. Finally, I nced over at the drink and decided to take a sip. A few momentster, my sight started rapidly spinning, and I felt light as a feather. I knew something was wrong, but I couldn¡¯t figure out what it was. I stumbled towards the door, trying to get out of the kitchen and away from the party. But as I made my way through the crowd, I felt myself getting weaker and weaker. I turned and saw Nn staring at me. Are you ready to party?¡±he said grinning I felt my heart skip a beat. I knew I had to be careful around him. 42 Alexa Pov As I danced on the crowded floor, my body felt light and free, like all my worries had melted away. The pills Nn had slipped into my drink were doing their job, and I was enjoying the feeling of recklessness that had taken over me. I swung my hips in a slutty way, not caring who was watching. The music was loud and the lights were bright, and I felt like the world was my yground. As the night rolled on, I lost track of time and forgot about everything else. All that mattered was the music, the dance floor, and the feeling of liberation that filled me up. Suddenly, I felt someone move closer from behind me, and I turned around to see who it was. It wasn¡¯t Nn, but one of his friends that he had asked to follow me in case I told on him. I didn¡¯t know his name, but he was tall and muscr, with a handsome face and dark hair. He grinned at me as he reached out to grab my waist, pulling me closer to him. I really couldn¡¯t really figure out if it was Nn or his friend because I was too dizzy to know but I just tagged it as Nn¡¯s friend because I knew Nn would never touch me not especially when he had a girlfriend. I didn¡¯t resist, but instead leaned into him, feeling the warmth of his body against mine. He started to move with me, his hands roaming up and down my sides, and I let out augh. It was like I was in a dream, and nothing could touch me. As we danced, I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins, and I knew that I was doing something dangerous. But in that moment, it didn¡¯t matter. All that mattered was the feeling of freedom and the rush of excitement that I felt. We danced for what felt like hours, and as the music grew louder and the crowd became more frenzied, I lost all sense of reality. I was lost in the moment, lost in the feeling of wild abandon that had taken over me. I could feel the music pumping through my veins, the bass reverberating against my chest as I moved my body to the beat. The dance floor was packed, the air thick with the heat of bodies pressed together, but I didn¡¯t care. I was lost in the moment, lost in the music, lost in the sensation of sweat trickling down my back. And then I felt him. The stranger, his body pressed against mine, grinding himself against me in time with the music. I could feel his breath on my neck, his hands on my hips, guiding me in the dance. And I didn¡¯t mind. In fact, I weed it. As the beat picked up, so did the intensity of our movements. I ground my ass against his crotch, feeling him grow hard beneath me. It was an intoxicating feeling, knowing that I was turning him on just as much as he was turning me on. I could feel a surge of adrenaline kick into my system, making me feel alive and invincible. And then, suddenly, he spun me around to face him. Our bodies were so close that I could feel his warmth against my skin, the heat of his breath on my lips. And without thinking, I leaned in and kissed him.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It was a brief, almost chaste kiss, but it was enough to send a jolt of electricity through my body. I pulled back, a little breathless, and looked up at him. He was a stranger, but in that moment, he felt familiar. Like we had a connection, even if it was just for this one dance. As the music pulsed through the club, I let myself get lost in the rhythm. I didn¡¯t know anyone here, but I didn¡¯t care. I was just here to dance, to forget about my troubles and lose myself in the beat. I went back to kissing this stranger, The moment was electric, our lips locked in a passionate embrace as we stood there in the dimly lit room. I could feel his hands on my waist, pulling me closer to him as the kiss deepened. It was as if nothing else in the world existed, just the two of us lost in the heat of the moment. But as the kiss began to reach its peak, a voice in my head whispered that this was all happening too fast. I didn¡¯t know this man, didn¡¯t know anything about him beyond the heat of our attraction. And even as my body yearned for more, my mind told me to slow down. I was pulled away from him abruptly, breaking the kiss with a gasp. He looked surprised. And then someone grabbed my hair from behind and yanked me down to the floor. I gasped in pain, my heart racing as I tried to figure out what was happening. And then I saw her ¨C a girl ring down at me with rage in her eyes. The music was pounding in my ears, and I felt the bass reverberate through my body. I was lost in the rhythm, swaying my hips and grinding against the stranger behind me. I could feel his hands on my waist, pulling me closer as we moved to the beat. But suddenly, I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head, and my hair was yanked down so hard that I was pulled off bnce. I stumbled, trying to regain my footing as I turned to see who was attacking me. It was a girl, her face twisted with rage as she red at me. I didn¡¯t know what I had done to provoke her, but it didn¡¯t matter. The pain was all-consuming, and I couldn¡¯t think straight. And then I heard a voice, yelling over the music. ¡°Katy, stop!¡± I didn¡¯t know who Katy was, or why this person was trying to stop her from hurting me. But the momentary distraction was enough for me to slip away, pushing my way through the throngs of dancers until I was clear of the crowd. ¡°You think you can dance with my boyfriend bitch?¡± she spat, her words slurring together. 43 Alexa pov I woke up to aplete disaster. Trash and food were scattered all over the backyard, and the guests were nowhere to be seen. My head was pounding, and I felt nauseous that I threw up the whole morning until I finally regained myself again. I stumbled out of bed and walked around the mansion, trying to find if anything had been stolen by Nn¡¯s friends. I couldn¡¯t believe the mess they had left behind. It was like a tornado had hit our home. I sighed to myself, hoping that it was all finally over. As I continued to survey the damage, I found Nn asleep by the couch. He had passed out from all the partying. I shook my head in disbelief, wondering how he could let things get so out of control. I decided to take matters into my own hands and started cleaning the whole mansion. I scrubbed every inch of the floors, walls, and furniture until everything was spotless. It took me hours, but I was determined to make everything right. After cleaning, I cooked some food for the both of us. I figured that Nn would be hungry when he woke up. I made a simple meal of pasta and garlic bread, hoping that it would help ease his hangover. As I was finishing up the meal, I heard Nn walking over with a smile and looking down on his phone. He greeted me, still a bit groggy from his night of partying. ¡°Hey, Alexa. Thanks for cleaning up. I don¡¯t know what I would do without you,¡± he said, looking around the now spotless mansion. I smiled back at him, happy to see him in a good mood. ¡°No problem, Nn. I couldn¡¯t stand to see our home in such disarray. How are you feeling?¡± Nn groaned and rubbed his temples. ¡°My head is pounding, but I think I¡¯ll survive. How about you? Did you sleep well?¡± Iughed. ¡°Not exactly. I spent the whole morning cleaning up after your friends. But I feel much better now that everything is clean.¡± Nn nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, they really went overboardst night. I¡¯ll make sure to apologize to the neighbors for all the noise.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. I nodded, d that he was taking responsibility for the mess. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. We don¡¯t want to upset anyone. But let¡¯s eat first. I made some pasta and garlic bread.¡± Nn¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of food. ¡°Sounds great. Let¡¯s dig in!¡± We sat down to eat, enjoying the simple meal that I had prepared. The silence between us wasfortable, and we both knew that we had a lot of work to do to repair the damage from the party. As we finished eating, I took a deep breath and decided to have a serious conversation with Nn. ¡°Nn,st night was a disaster. You can¡¯t keep having parties like this. It¡¯s not only disrespectful to me, but also to our neighbors.¡± Nn looked at me with a hint of annoyance. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal, Alexa? It was just a party. No one got hurt.¡± I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s not just about the party. It¡¯s about the mess you and your friends left behind. And it¡¯s about the noise that disturbed our neighbors. I won¡¯t let this happen again.¡± Nn rolled his eyes. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t have any more parties. Happy now?¡± I sighed, feeling frustrated. ¡°No, Nn. I¡¯m not happy. You need to take responsibility for your actions. And if you can¡¯t, then I¡¯ll have to tell Anthony about what happenedst night.¡± Nn¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t do that, would you?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe what I was seeing. Nn was holding up his phone and showing me a video of myself twerking. I didn¡¯t even remember doing it, but there I was, shaking my hips andughing drunkenly. ¡°Oh my god,¡± I said, covering my face with my hands. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I did that.¡± Nn just chuckled. ¡°Yeah, you were pretty wastedst night. I¡¯m surprised you even remember your own name.¡± I groaned, feeling embarrassed and ashamed. I had never been that drunk before, and now I was seeing the consequences of my actions. ¡°Please don¡¯t show that to anyone,¡± I said, my voice pleading. ¡°Especially not Anthony.¡± I can¡¯t believe Nn just showed me that video. it was something I didn¡¯t even remember doing, and now he¡¯s threatening to show it to his father Nn raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sure, go ahead and tell my father how much of a twerker you are as well,¡± he said with a smirk. I felt my anger rising inside of me. How dare he threaten me like this? I didn¡¯t want to lose my job because of his stupid party. ¡°Are you serious right now?¡± I asked, my voice shaking with anger. ¡°You can¡¯t just show that to anyone. It was a private moment I didn¡¯t remember .¡± He shrugged. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to show it to anyone, but I can¡¯t guarantee that my dad won¡¯t find it on my phone. And I know he wouldn¡¯t be too happy about his worker twerking after getting drunk at my party.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe he was doing this. I thought he understood how important my job was to me, but apparently, he didn¡¯t care. ¡°You¡¯re really going to do this?¡± I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. He just looked at me with a smug expression on his face. I knew he was enjoying this, and that just made me even angrier. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you,¡± I said, standing up from the couch. ¡°I thought you cared about me and my job, but apparently, you¡¯re willing to jeopardize it for your own amusement.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe this boy right now. He was really threatening me? ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± I said, ring at him. He just smirked. ¡°Oh, I think I would. I have the perfect opportunity to show this to my father, and you know he wouldn¡¯t be too happy about his little nanny twerking on some random guy.¡± I felt a knot form in my stomach. He was right. His father would be furious if he saw that video. It was bad enough that I had been drinking, but now he would think I was a wild person with no respect for myself. ¡°You can¡¯t do this,¡± I said, my voice shaking with anger and fear. ¡°I trusted you. I let you have the party Nn¡±I defended He justughed. ¡°Friends don¡¯t let friends make fools of themselves at parties. But if you don¡¯t want me to show this to my father, there is one thing you could do for me.¡± I narrowed my eyes, feeling a surge of anger. I knew what he was going to say, and I wasn¡¯t going to let him ckmail me like this. ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping with you,¡± I said, my voice cold and firm. He shrugged. ¡°Suit yourself. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me.¡± With that, he walked away, leaving me standing there alone and humiliated. I 44 Alexa pov I was shocked when Nn showed me the video of myself twerkingst night. I couldn¡¯t remember doing it, and I was trying to recall the events of the night. ¡°How did this happen?¡± I asked Nn, feeling embarrassed and ashamed. Nn just shrugged. ¡°You must¡¯ve drank something. You were pretty wasted.¡± I nodded, feeling a bit relieved that it wasn¡¯t entirely my fault. But then something clicked in my mind. I remembered Nn dropping something into my drink earlier that night. ¡°You drugged me,¡± I said, my voice shaking with anger. Nn justughed. ¡°Well, I had to get the party started somehow. And it worked, didn¡¯t it?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. He had purposely drugged me to make me lose control and embarrass myself. ¡°You¡¯re sick,¡± I said, my voice shaking with rage. ¡°I trusted you, and you took advantage of me.¡± Nn just shrugged. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not my fault you can¡¯t hold your liquor. But if you don¡¯t want your father to see this, there is something you could do for me.¡± I knew what he was going to say, and I felt sick to my stomach. There was no way I was going to sleep with him just to keep this video from getting out. ¡°I¡¯m not doing that,¡± I said, my voice firm and unwavering. Nn just chuckled. ¡°Suit yourself. But I wouldn¡¯t want my father to see this. He wouldn¡¯t be too happy about his little nanny twerking on some random guy.¡± I felt a surge of anger and fear. He was right. His father would be furious if he saw this video, and I could lose my job because of it. ¡°Delete it,¡± I said, my voice shaking with emotion. ¡°Please, Nn. I can¡¯t afford to lose this job.¡± Nn just looked at me with a cold expression. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will. But don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t show it to anyone¡­ yet.¡± I felt a lump form in my throat. He was ckmailing me, and there was nothing I could do about it. ¡°You¡¯re a monster,¡± I said, my voice barely above a whisper. Nn just shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just looking out for my own interests. You should be more careful in the future.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe how callous he was being. He had ruined my life, and he didn¡¯t even care. ¡°Please, Nn,¡± I begged. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything. Just don¡¯t send it to your father.¡± Nn just smiled. ¡°Anything, huh? Well, maybe we can work something out.¡± I knew what he was implying, and I felt a surge of disgust and anger. There was no way I was going to let him use me like this. ¡°No,¡± I said, my voice firm and resolute. ¡°I¡¯m not going to sleep with you. You can send the video to whoever you want, but I won¡¯t be a part of your sick games.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Nn justughed. ¡°Suit yourself. But don¡¯te crying to me when my father sees this and fires you.¡± I felt a sense of dread as he walked away. He had me over a barrel, and there was nothing I could do about it. I just had to hope that he wouldn¡¯t follow through on his threats, and that I could somehow salvage my job and my reputation. Nn¡¯s threat was hanging over my head like a dark cloud. I knew that if he sent that video to his father, I could lose everything. My job, my reputation, and my father¡¯s respect. But I refused to let Nn use me like this. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do it, Nn,¡± I said firmly. ¡°I won¡¯t sleep with you just to keep this video from getting out.¡± Nn just smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice, Alexa. Either you do what I say, or you can kiss your job goodbye.¡± I felt a surge of anger and frustration. How could he be so cruel? But then I realized that he was right. I couldn¡¯t afford to lose this job, not now. I had bills to pay, and my father was expecting me to contribute to the family business. ¡°Fine,¡± I said through gritted teeth. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Nn just smiled, his eyes gleaming with triumph. ¡°That¡¯s more like it. I want you toe over to my ce tonight. We¡¯ll have a little¡­ chat.¡± I felt a sense of dread as he said those words. I knew what he was implying, and I felt sick to my stomach. ¡°I¡¯m not going to sleep with you,¡± I said firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever else you want, but I won¡¯t do that.¡± Nn just shrugged. ¡°Suit yourself. But if you don¡¯t do exactly what I say, I¡¯ll send that video to my father faster than you can say ¡®twerk¡¯.¡± I knew I had no choice. I had to do what he said, no matter how much it disgusted me. ¡°Fine,¡± I said, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I¡¯lle over tonight.¡± Nn just grinned. ¡°Good. And don¡¯t even think about backing out. I have eyes everywhere, and if you don¡¯t follow through on your end, I¡¯ll make sure you never work in this town again.¡± I felt a shiver run down my spine as he walked away. He had me under his thumb, and there was nothing I could do about it. All I could do was hope that he wouldn¡¯t hurt me too badly, and that I could somehow find a way to get out of this mess. I needed to get out of this mess. I couldn¡¯t believe that I was caught under Nn¡¯s thumb just like that. I¡¯m not sure Cody is gonna be okay with all of this and I don¡¯t want to be the reason why his n fails. Anthony must not see that video no matter what because I know he would be pissed and I don¡¯t want to loose the job because I don¡¯t know how Cody will react knowing I lost our__no , I lost his chance of bing rich because of a stupid drunken video of me twerking. 45 Alexa pov As the night rolls by, I stood in the kitchen, looking down at the dinner that I had prepared as per Nn¡¯s orders. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of regret and disgust. What had I gotten myself into by taking up the job of being Nn¡¯s nanny? I looked around thevish kitchen, taking in the expensive appliances, and the immacte cleanliness. I knew that I did not belong here, yet here I was, cooking dinner for a man who did not even appreciate my presence. I had taken up the job of being Nn¡¯s nanny for one reason ¨C , Cody. I had hoped that I would be able to make a difference in the his life, but things had not gone as nned. The other day, Nn had thrown an borate party forhimself and his friends, and I had lost control. I had been overwhelmed by the extravagance and the sheer amount of wealth on disy. I had gone wild, and the way I had acted waspletely unprofessional. I couldn¡¯t believe that I had let myself get carried away like that. As a nanny, it was my job to keep a level head and ensure that everything went smoothly. But that night, I had failed Cody, Nn, and myself. I had tried to make it up to Nn by working harder and ensuring that I did everything he asked of me, but I knew that it was not enough. I had let him down, and I knew that he would never forget it. As I ted the food, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if I had made a mistake by taking up this job. It was not just the incident at the party that had me feeling this way. I had always felt like I did not belong in this world of wealth and privilege. Growing up, my family had struggled to make ends meet, and I had to work hard to make something of myself. I had thought that being a nanny for a wealthy family would be a good opportunity for me, but now I wasn¡¯t so sure. i had only Cody now and he was my only family so I had to do everything to please him, even if it meant being Nn¡¯s ve while Anthony was gonel I reminded myself that I was doing this for Cody. He was a sweet towards me even tho he has his little side effect, and I had grown fond of him in the long time that I had been dating him that. I couldn¡¯t abandon him just because it was difficult to work for. I took a deep breath and walked out of the kitchen, carrying the tes of food to the dining room where Nn was waiting. Nn looked up as I entered, his expression unreadable. I tried to smile as I ced the tes in front of him, but Nn¡¯s silence made me nervous. I couldn¡¯t tell if he was pleased with the food or if he was still angry with me for the incident at the party. As I stood there, waiting for him to say something, I couldn¡¯t help but feel like a failure. I had let my emotions get the best of me, and now I was paying the price. Nn finally spoke, breaking the silence. ¡°The food is good. You can go now.¡± I nodded, relief washing over me as I turned to leave. As I walked back to my room, I knew that I had to do better. I had to regain Nn¡¯s trust and prove to him that I was apetent nanny.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! But most importantly, I had to do it for Cody. He deserved the best, and I was determined to give it to him, no matter what it took. As I picked up the phone, I heard Nn¡¯s voice on the other end. ¡°Hey Alexa, hope you¡¯re having a good day,¡± he said with a hint of excitement in his voice. ¡°Listen, I¡¯ve got a surprise for you. After dinner tonight, we¡¯re going to a concert.¡± I was taken aback. We had never gone to a concert before, and I wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good idea. ¡°Um, okay,¡± I said hesitantly. ¡°What concert is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a surprise,¡± he replied with a chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll love it. And speaking of surprises, I was about to send you a video of Anthony ordering pizza with his ABC¡¯s, but I thought I¡¯d let you decide if you want to see it or not.¡± I felt a twinge of annoyance at being interrupted, but I knew it wasn¡¯t worth arguing over. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I said, trying to keep my tone neutral. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s cute, but I¡¯m getting ready for dinner anyway.¡± ¡°Great, I¡¯ll see you in a bit then,¡± Nn said cheerfully before hanging up. I sighed and shook my head, feeling a bit defeated. It seemed like no matter what I did, Nn always had the upper hand. But I didn¡¯t want to ruin the evening by being difficult, so I put on a smile and got ready for the concert. As we were getting dressed, Nn made ament about how lucky I was to be going out, as most nannies didn¡¯t get to do so. I fought back the urge to snap at him and simply gave a nomittal hum in response. We got in the car and drove to the venue, and I was surprised to find that we were there before anyone else. ¡°Why are we here so early?¡± I asked Nn. He grinned mischievously. ¡°I thought it would be fun to have the ce to ourselves for a bit. Go outside and wait for me, I¡¯ll catch up with you in a minute.¡± I stepped outside and took in the view of the empty concert hall. It was a rare moment of peace in the middle of a chaotic week, and I felt grateful for it. As I turned around, I saw Nn walking towards me with a group of guys trailing behind him. ¡°Alexa, these are my bandmates,¡± he said, gesturing to the group. ¡°This is Jack, he ys guitar, and this is Adam, he¡¯s on drums. And this is my best friend, Mike.¡± I smiled and introduced myself, feeling a bit awkward as they all looked me up and down. I didn¡¯t know much about music, but I could tell that these guys were talented. Nn put his arm around me and said, ¡°I wanted you to meet them before the concert starts. They¡¯re amazing musicians, and I know you¡¯ll love their music.¡± I thanked him for the introduction and chatted with the guys for a few minutes before Nn announced that it was time to get the show started. We headed back inside, and the band took the stage. As they started ying, I felt myself getting lost in the music. It was loud and energetic, and I found myself tapping my foot and nodding along to the beat. Nn and his friends were up front, ying their hearts out, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel proud of them. After the concert, we went backstage to hang out with the band. They were all incredibly nice and weing, and I felt like I had gained a whole new group of friends. As we drove back home, Nn turned to me and said, ¡°So, did you have a good time?¡± I smiled and nodded. ¡°Yeah, I did ¡°I said surprised that Nn acted like we didn¡¯t fight some night ago 46 Alexa pov As we arrived backstage, Nn¡¯s bandmates were already there, tuning their instruments and chatting amongst themselves. I watched closely as Nn joined them, his eyes lighting up with excitement as he got ready to y for the opening and ending act. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of pride as I watched him interact with his bandmates, seeing the way they all worked together seamlessly. There was something so special about watching a group of talented musicianse together to create something beautiful. As they practiced, I found myself mesmerized by the way Nn yed the guitar. His fingers moved effortlessly over the strings, producing a sound that was both haunting and beautiful. I couldn¡¯t help but feel my heart flutter as I watched him nce over at me and smile, the look of concentration on his face melting away for just a moment. Before I knew it, it was time for the concert to begin. We made our way to the standing crowd near the stage, jostling for a spot as the venue filled up with excited fans. As the band took the stage, the crowd erupted into cheers and screams. The energy was electric, and I felt myself getting caught up in the excitement of it all. The band yed their hearts out, and I watched in awe as Nn moved across the stage, his fingers dancing over the guitar strings. The music was loud and intense, the perfect backdrop for the energy of the crowd. As the night went on, I found myselfpletely lost in the music. It was as if nothing else in the world mattered, and all that existed was the sound of the music and the people around us. Nn¡¯s bandmates were amazing musicians, and I was in awe of their talent. They yed together seamlessly, each member contributing something unique and special to the sound of the music. As the concert drew to a close, the crowd erupted into one final burst of energy. The band yed theirst song, and the venue shook with the sound of the music. As thest notes faded away, I found myself feeling a sense of sadness that it was all over. But at the same time, I felt so incredibly grateful to have been a part of something so special. Nn and his bandmates made their way offstage, their faces flushed with excitement and exhaustion. I watched as theyughed and high-fived each other, the thrill of the performance still coursing through their veins. As we made our way back to the car, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of wonder at the experience we had just shared. It was something that I would never forget, a memory that would stay with me for the rest of my life.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. And as I looked over at Nn, I felt a deep sense of love and admiration for him. He was an amazing musician, yes, but he was also an incredible person, one that I was lucky enough to call my friend. As the lights dimmed and the crowd roared with excitement, I felt a thrill of anticipation run through me. This was it, the moment we had been waiting for. And as Nn and his bandmates took the stage, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of pride wash over me. They looked amazing, all dressed in ck and ready to give it their all. As their session started, the energy in the room changed. The music was loud and intense, and I watched in amazement as Nn moved across the stage, his fingers dancing over the guitar strings. He looked so happy up there, so alive. And as I watched him give his 100%, pouring his heart and soul into each note, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of happiness wash over me. There was something so special about seeing someone do something they loved, something that they were truly passionate about. And as Nn yed, I could see that passion shining through in every note. After the opening act, the band took a brief break to catch their breaths. I made my way over to Nn, smiling as I caught his eye. He gave me a quick wink before disappearing offstage, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of excitement for what was toe. As the bandunched into their next set, I found myselfpletely lost in the music. The sound was loud and intense, the perfect backdrop for the energy of the crowd. And as Nn yed, I watched in awe as he moved across the stage, his bodypletely immersed in the music. It was as if he was in a world of his own, lost in the sound of the guitar. But even as he yed, he never lost sight of the crowd. He interacted with them, engaging with them in a way that made them feel like they were a part of the performance. And as the set drew to a close, I felt a sense of sadness wash over me. It had been an incredible night, one that I would never forget. As Nn and his bandmates made their way offstage, I caught his eye and smiled. He grinned back at me, a look of pure happiness on his face. And in that moment, I knew that he had given it his all. He had poured his heart and soul into each note, leaving everything he had out there on the stage. It was very beautiful to watch him a y so nicely, I didn¡¯t want it to end at all because it was so soothing to watch , I didn¡¯t see that arrogant and stubborn Nn anymore rather I saw a calm souls trying his best to y out musical notes with so much sincerity. It was priceless to see him this way and I knew that I might not see him this way ever again. I was even surprised when he invited me to this concert because he was acting like a jerk some days ago and I felt like strangling him but right now he looked like most peaceful soul you could ever meet. 47 Alexa pov As thest and final act arrived, I found myself standing in the audience of the concert hall, watching Nn take center stage. He was dressed in his signature leather jacket, his hair a mess of curls that framed his face. The crowd roared as he began to strum his guitar, and I felt my heart swell with pride. I had always known that Nn was talented, but seeing him up there,manding the attention of the entire room, was a whole new level of awe-inspiring. As he began to sing, his voice filled the space with a raw, powerful energy that seemed to vibrate through my very bones. I watched as he moved across the stage, his fingers dancing over the strings of his guitar, his body swaying to the beat of the music. The lights shed around him, casting shadows on his face and making him look like some kind of rockstar god. And then, in the midst of all that noise and chaos, a thought struck me. I wondered if Anthony had ever seen his son y in any of his concerts. I wondered if he even knew that Nn had yed in concerts at all. Anthony had never been the kind of father who took an active interest in his children¡¯s lives. He was always too busy with work or with his own interests to pay attention to what we were doing. Even when Nn had started ying guitar and writing songs, I don¡¯t think Anthony had ever bothered to listen. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sadness as I thought about all the moments that Anthony had missed out on. All the times he could have been there to support his son, to show him that he cared, and yet he had chosen not to. But then I looked back at Nn, and all that sadness turned to joy. Because despite all that, Nn had still found a way to shine. He had still pursued his passion and found sess on his own terms. As the song came to an end, Nn bowed to the crowd, and I felt my heart swell with pride once again. He had done it. He had made it. And he had done it all on his own. I made my way backstage to congratte him, and as he came off stage, he was grinning from ear to ear. ¡°That was amazing,¡± I said, giving him a hug. ¡°Thanks, Alexa,¡± he said, still beaming. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it went so well.¡± ¡°You were incredible,¡± I told him. ¡°Absolutely incredible.¡± Nn¡¯s grin widened even further. ¡°You really think so?¡± ¡°I know so,¡± I said. ¡°And I¡¯m not the only one. The crowd loved you.¡± We talked for a little while longer, and as we did, I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for the bond that Nn and I had. Even though our father had never been there for us, we had each other, and that was something special. As I left the concert hall that night, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Anthony had been watching. If he had seen his son up there, shining like a star. And if he had, I wondered if he had finally realized what he had been missing out on all these years.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. But in the end, it didn¡¯t really matter. Because Nn had done it. He had made it to the top, and he had done it all on his own. And that was something to be proud of. Nn¡¯s smile widened, but then he frowned, looking around the emptying arena. ¡°I just need to change before we head out,¡± he said. ¡°Wait here, okay?¡± ¡°Sure thing,¡± I said, watching as he rushed off towards the backstage area. I waited patiently for him, taking in the silence of the now-empty arena. It was strange, being in a ce that had been so full of life just moments before. But I didn¡¯t mind. I was happy just to be there, to witness Nn¡¯s sess firsthand. But then I noticed a security guard roaming around, checking to make sure that everyone was leaving. He spotted me and approached me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss,¡± he said. ¡°But we¡¯re closing up now. You¡¯ll have to leave.¡± I tried to exin that I was waiting for Nn, but the guard was insistent. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but everyone needs to go,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re locking up for the night.¡± I sighed, feeling a little disappointed. I didn¡¯t want to leave without saying goodbye to Nn, but it seemed like I didn¡¯t have a choice. As I approached the exit of the arena, I was stopped by a security guard. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am,¡± he said, holding up a hand to block my path path. ¡°We¡¯re closing up for the night. Everyone needs to leave.¡± I opened my mouth to exin that I was with Nn, but before I could say anything, the guard spoke up. ¡°The band left hours ago, along with the fans,¡± he said, looking at me skeptically. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to go too.¡± I felt a knot form in my stomach. Had something happened? Had the rest of the band left without me? ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked, my voice shaking a little. ¡°I¡¯m with Nn Brown. He just finished ying.¡± The guard raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss,¡± he said. ¡°But I have to ask everyone to leave. The arena is closing.¡± I was so confused and I didn¡¯t know why they would do that, I didn¡¯t believe they would leave me so I wanted to check for myself. ¡°Look, I know it¡¯ste,¡±I said, my voice calm but firm. ¡°But I¡¯m not just a fan. I¡¯m with the band. I¡¯m Alexa , Nn¡¯s friend . We need to get to our home quickly because it¡¯s getting dark .¡± The guard¡¯s expression softened a little at that, but he still looked unsure. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°I was told that everyone had left.¡± I could feel my nerves starting to fray. I needed to get out of there, but it seemed like the guard wasn¡¯t going to budge. ¡°Please,¡± I said, trying to keep my voice steady. ¡°We really do need to get to our house . Can¡¯t you make an exception?¡± The guard hesitated for a moment, then nodded. ¡°All right,¡± he said. ¡°But you¡¯ll have to hurry. We¡¯re locking up in ten minutes.¡± Relief flooded through me, and I shot the guard a grateful look. I hurried towards the exit, eager to get out of the arena before it was toote. As I stepped outside into the cool night air, I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I realized that they had truly left me. Was this Nn¡¯s n all along ? 48 Alexa pov I didn¡¯t know where to go to because I was very confused and I also came in with Nn. He was meant to be my ride back but he decided to ditch me. I looked down at my purse and decided to check if there could be any little change in there that I could use to find a cab or something. Luckily I found some cash and u rushed out of the arena but not without thanking the guard for his patience. I stopped a cab and then entered. On my way ti the house I kept thinking about what Nn did to me , was this his n? Take me there only to ditch me ? Was this his revenge for saying I won¡¯t do whatever he wanted when he tried to ck mail me ? What is his problem. ! I noticed we were outside the building. As I stepped out of the cab and onto the sidewalk, I felt a wave of frustration wash over me. Nn was nowhere to be found, and I was left to fend for myself. Thankfully, I had brought some money with me, so I was able to pay for the cab ride home. But that was smallfort in the grand scheme of things. I unlocked the front door of Nn¡¯s apartment and stormed inside, my anger boiling over. How could he just disappear like this? Didn¡¯t he realize how much trouble he could get into? I paced back and forth in the living room, trying to calm myself down. Worry grew in me as I thought of Anthony¡¯s reaction if he found out that his son wasn¡¯t home. I tried to put those thoughts out of my mind and focus on what I could do in the moment. Nn wasn¡¯t here, and there was nothing I could do to change that. I needed to take care of myself and make sure that I was ready for whatever tomorrow brought. With that in mind, I headed to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea. As the water boiled, I tried toe up with a n. I knew that I couldn¡¯t keep covering for Nn forever. Anthony would eventually find out, and when he did, I would be in hot water. But I also knew that I couldn¡¯t just abandon Nn. He was like a little brother to me, and I cared about him deeply. As I sipped my tea and let my mind wander, an idea began to take shape. What if I could convince Nn to turn over a new leaf? What if I could help him get back on track and show him that there was more to life than partying and ying music? It was a long shot, but it was worth a try. I made my way to the guest room, where I had been staying since arriving in town. As Iy in bed, I let my mind wander, thinking about all the ways I could help Nn. I could start by talking to him about his behavior and how it was affecting those around him. I could encourage him to seek help if he needed it, whether that meant therapy or rehab. As I drifted off to sleep, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. I didn¡¯t know what the future held, but I knew that I was ready to face it head-on. I would do everything in my power to help Nn, but I wouldn¡¯t sacrifice my own well-being in the process. And if worst came to worst, I would be prepared to walk away. I woke up before the sun had even risen, eager to prepare myself for Anthony¡¯s return. I wanted to be at my best attitude when he walked through that door. It had been so long since Ist saw him, and I couldn¡¯t wait to catch up on everything that had happened while he was away. As I made my way through the house, I couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. I wanted everything to be perfect for him. I wanted to show him how much I cared about him and how much I had missed him. As I entered the kitchen, I noticed that the staff were still gone. Panic set in as I realized that I would have to prepare breakfast all on my own. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. I knew that Anthony would being home soon, and I couldn¡¯t let him see me in a state of panic. I quickly got to work, preparing his favorite breakfast dishes. I made sure that everything was just right, from the eggs to the bacon to the freshly squeezed orange juice. As I was putting the finishing touches on the meal, I heard the sound of a car pulling up outside. My heart skipped a beat as I realized that Anthony was finally home. I rushed to the door to greet him, a smile stered on my face. ¡°Good morning, Anthony,¡± I said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. ¡°Good morning, Alexa,¡± he replied, smiling back at me. ¡°Where¡¯s Nn? I want to say hello to him.¡± I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to ruin the moment. ¡°Nn is still sleeping in,¡± I said, hoping that he would let the matter drop. But Anthony wasn¡¯t so easily deterred. ¡°Sleeping in? It¡¯s already morning. Why isn¡¯t he up yet?¡± I could feel the panic rising in my chest. I had to tell him the truth, no matter how difficult it was. ¡°Last night, Nn caught me ying in his room, and I promised him that he could sleep in as a reward. I¡¯m sorry, Anthony. I should have told you earlier.¡± Anthony¡¯s expression softened. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Alexa. I understand. I just wish you had told me earlier.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He handed me his coat and began climbing the stairs, motioning for me to follow. ¡°I want to see him,¡± he said. I hesitated for a moment, then followed him up the stairs. ¡°Wait, Anthony,¡± I said, trying to stop him. ¡°The kitchen staff is out of the house. I had to prepare breakfast myself, and it might not be up to your standards.¡± Anthony turned to me, surprise etched on his face. ¡°What do you mean? How did that happen?¡± I looked down at my feet, guilt overwhelming me. ¡°I sent them away,¡± I defended and I don¡¯t know why. ¡°I wanted everything to be perfect for you, and I thought that I could handle it all on my own.¡±I lied Anthony let out a sigh and shook his head. ¡°Alexa, you don¡¯t have to do everything on your own. You have people here to help you. That¡¯s what they¡¯re here for.¡± I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment. ¡°I know, Anthony. I just wanted to do something special for you.¡±it was hard to keep up this lies for Nn Anthony smiled and took my hand. ¡°You already have, Alexa. Seeing you here, trying so hard to make everything perfect, that¡¯s all I need.¡± We walked down the hallway, hand in hand, and entered Nn¡¯s room. He was still sleeping soundly, his little chest rising and falling with each breath. Anthony knelt down beside him, gently stroking his hair. 49 Anthony Brown I walked into the kitchen, expecting to see the staff preparing lunch. But as I scanned the room, I realized that I was alone. I furrowed my brow in confusion and pulled out my phone to contact them. Maybe they were runningte, or something hade up. As I was about to call them, I noticed my coat draped over a chair. Alexa must have grabbed it for me. I walked over to it and picked it up, feeling a sense of relief wash over me as I put it on. I was needed at my office, and I couldn¡¯t afford to waste any time waiting around for the staff to show up. ¡°Alexa,¡± I called out, hoping she was still in the house. ¡°Have you seen the staff?¡± ¡°No, Mr. Anthony,¡± she replied,ing out from around the corner with a smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, they haven¡¯t arrived yet.¡± I looked at her suspiciously. How could she be so calm about this? Didn¡¯t she realize the implications of the staff not showing up? I wondered if she knew something that I didn¡¯t. ¡°Okay,¡± I said slowly. ¡°Please let me know if they show up. They might have been called by the agency that I hired them from.¡± Alexa nodded, still smiling. ¡°Of course, Mr. Anthony. I hope everything goes well at your office.¡± I nodded in return and headed for the door, wondering what was going on. As I walked out, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off. I made a mental note to call the agency as soon as I got to my office. Later that day, I returned home exhausted from a long day at work. As I walked into the kitchen, I saw Alexa standing there with the staff behind her, ring at me. My heart sank as I realized that something had gone terribly wrong. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked, looking at Alexa. She scowled at me and pointed to Nn, the head chef. ¡°He¡¯s been recording us, Mr. Anthony. He¡¯s been spying on us and treating us like we¡¯re his property.¡± My eyes widened in shock as I realized what she was saying. I had tried my best with Nn and told him to stop acting like a jerk from day-to-day tasks around the house, but I never imagined that he would behave this way. ¡°Nn,¡± I said, trying to keep my voice calm. ¡°Is this true?¡± He shrugged, looking at me with a defiant expression. ¡°I don¡¯t care if I send the video to you, Anthony. I¡¯d rather leave this house than deal with you and your entitled attitude.¡± I felt my blood boil as I heard his words. How could he be so disrespectful? I was his father and I had taken care of him all his life, and this was how he repaid me? ¡°Get out,¡± I said, my voice shaking with anger. ¡°All of you. Get out.¡± Nn and the staff started to leave, looking at me with a mixture of anger and disgust. As they walked out, I realized that I had made a huge mistake in trusting him. I had let my desire for convenience blind me to his true nature. I turned to Alexa, feeling a sense of gratitude towards her. ¡°Thank you for letting me know what was going on,¡± I said, meaning every word. She smiled at me, looking relieved. ¡°Of course, Mr. Anthony. I¡¯m d that you¡¯re home.¡± As I watched her clean up the kitchen, I realized that I had underestimated her. She may not have known about the set-up with Nn and the staff, but she had been the one to bring it to my attention. I made a mental note to show her more respect in the future. I let out a deep sigh as I sat down on the couch, running my fingers through my hair. Alexa was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, but I had no appetite. I just wanted to be left alone for the day. ¡°Are you okay, Nn?¡± Alexa asked, peeking her head into the living room. I shook my head. ¡°No, I¡¯m not okay,¡± I replied, my voice heavy with emotion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked, concern etched on her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said, frustrationcing my tone. ¡°I just feel lost, like I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing with my life.¡± Alexa sat down next to me on the couch, cing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay to feel that way, Nn. We all go through periods of uncertainty.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°But it¡¯s been going on for so long now. I thought I had it all figured out, but now I realize I had no n at all.¡± Alexa squeezed my shoulder gently. ¡°It¡¯s not toote to figure things out, Nn. You¡¯re still young and have your whole life ahead of you.¡± I let out a bitterugh. ¡°That¡¯s what everyone keeps telling me, but it doesn¡¯t make me feel any better. I just wish I knew what I wanted to do with my life.¡± Alexa was quiet for a moment before speaking. ¡°Maybe you need to take a break from everything and just rx. Clear your mind and see where it takes you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do that,¡± I admitted. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m running out of time.¡± ¡°Nn, you¡¯re not running out of time,¡± Alexa said firmly. ¡°Take a day off, clear your mind, and see whates to you. I promise it will help.¡± I sighed, knowing she was right. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try. But I just need to be alone for the day.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Alexa said, giving my shoulder another squeeze before getting up from the couch. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it then. If you need anything, just let me know.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, my voice barely audible. Alexa disappeared into the kitchen, and I let out another sigh, leaning back against the couch. I closed my eyes, trying to clear my mind and focus on my breathing. After a few minutes, I felt myself rx, the tension in my body easing.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I sat there for what felt like hours, just breathing and letting my mind wander. Eventually, I realized that I was hungry and decided to go to the kitchen to make myself some lunch. As I walked into the kitchen, Alexa looked up from her book and smiled at me. ¡°Feeling better?¡± I nodded, smiling back at her. ¡°Yeah, I think so. Thanks for giving me the space I needed.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she said, putting her book down. ¡°What do you want for lunch?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I said, opening the fridge to see what we had. ¡°Maybe a sandwich?¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Alexa said, getting up from the table to help me. As we made our sandwiches, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. I still didn¡¯t know what I wanted to do with my life, but for the first time in a while, I didn¡¯t feel so lost. Maybe taking a break was exactly what I needed to find my way again. 50 Alexa pov I woke up feeling a sense of relief knowing that today was my much-needed rest day. I had requested it from Anthony a few days ago, and he had approved it without any hesitation. I decided to spend the day by going back home to see my boyfriend , Cody. It had been a while since west caught up, and I knew he would appreciate the surprise visit. I called Cody on my way to the house, letting him know that I would being over. He sounded excited, and we agreed to meet up at our favorite restaurant in the city. As soon as Inded, I took a taxi to the restaurant, and when I arrived, Cody was already waiting for me. ¡°Alexa!¡± Cody eximed, getting up from his seat to give me a hug. ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, Cody,¡± I said, hugging him back. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been good,¡± he said, grinning. ¡°But I¡¯m even better now that you¡¯re here.¡± I rolled my eyes yfully, taking a seat across from him. ¡°So, what have you been up to?¡± Codyunched into a story about his life had been this past days, and I listened intently, sipping on my iced tea. We caught up on everything that had happened since west saw each other,ughing and reminiscing about old times. It felt good to be back in my hometown, surrounded by familiar faces and ces. After we finished our lunch, Cody leaned back in his seat, taking a deep breath. ¡°So, tell me, how¡¯s work been?¡± I sighed, leaning forward. ¡°It¡¯s been hectic, to say the least. The schedule has been crazy, and I haven¡¯t had a day off in a while. That¡¯s why I requested today off.¡± Cody nodded understandingly. ¡°I get it. It can be tough working in the brown house but you know that at the end we are both gonna enjoy it.¡± I leaned back in my seat, smiling at Cody. ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s worth it. I love what I do.¡± ¡°I know you do,¡± Cody said, smiling back at me. ¡°So, did you bring any information with you?¡± I nodded, reaching into my bag to pull out a file. ¡°I brought most of the information you requested. I had to leave some of it back in my apartment, but I can send it to youter.¡± Cody took the file from me, flipping through the pages. ¡°This is great, Alexa. Thank you so much.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I said, taking a sip of my tea. ¡°Anything for you, Cody.¡± We spent the rest of the afternoon catching up and enjoying good food together. It was exactly what I needed after a long few weeks of non-stop work. As the sun began to set, I knew I had to start heading back to the bus-top to catch the bus back to the city. ¡°Cody, it was great seeing you,¡± I said, hugging him tightly. ¡°We should do this again soon.¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± Cody said, hugging me back. ¡°Thanks foring out here, Alexa. It means a lot to me.¡± I smiled, knowing that it meant a lot to me too. ¡°Anytime, Cody. Take care of yourself, okay?¡± ¡°You too,¡± Cody said, waving goodbye as I walked out of the restaurant. As Cody and I approached the mansion, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sudden wave of regret washing over me. What were we even doing here? I didn¡¯t want to rob anyone, let alone a wealthy family living in such a grand estate. I turned to Cody and took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. ¡°Cody, wait,¡± I said, grabbing his arm. He turned to look at me, confused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we should do this,¡± I said, my voice barely above a whisper. Codyughed at me. ¡°What are you talking about, Alexa? We¡¯ve been nning this for weeks. We can¡¯t back out now.¡± ¡°I know, but¡­ maybe we should wait for a better time. When the family¡¯s not home, or something,¡± I said, desperately trying toe up with an excuse. Cody raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°Anytime is a perfect time for this, Alexa. We can¡¯t afford to wait around. We have to act quickly before someone else gets the idea and beats us to it.¡± I knew he was right. If we didn¡¯t do it now, we might never get the chance again. But deep down, I was having second thoughts. This was wrong. It was illegal, immoral, and I didn¡¯t want to get caught. As we approached the front door, I hesitated. Maybe I could still back out. Maybe I could make up an excuse and tell Cody I changed my mind. But I knew that was a lie. I was just scared. Cody sensed my hesitation and turned to me. ¡°Come on, Alexa. You¡¯re not backing out now, are you?¡± I looked up at him and shook my head. ¡°No, of course not. I¡¯m just¡­ nervous.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Cody grinned at me. ¡°That¡¯s understandable. But we¡¯ve got this. Just stick to the n and we¡¯ll be out of here in no time.¡± We crept into the mansion, trying to be as quiet as possible. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I felt like every sound we made was a shout. But Cody seemed to be in his element, moving with ease and confidence. As we searched the rooms for valuables, I couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty. This wasn¡¯t right. We were stealing from someone who had worked hard for their money, who had earned everything they had. But Cody seemed to be having the time of his life, and I didn¡¯t want to ruin it for him. We were just about to make our escape when I heard a noise. My heart leapt into my throat as I realized someone wasing. We were going to get caught. Cody grabbed my arm and pulled me into a nearby closet, shutting the door behind us. We huddled together in the darkness, listening as footsteps approached. But it was just the family¡¯s butler,ing to check on the house. We breathed a sigh of relief and waited until he was gone before making our escape. As we ran down the street, I couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved that we had gotten away with it. But at the same time, I knew that what we had done was wrong. I felt sick with guilt. ¡°Cody,¡± I said, panting for breath. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should do this again.¡± Cody looked at me, surprised. ¡°What are you talking about, Alexa? We just got away with it. We could do this again and again, make a fortune.¡± But I shook my head. ¡°No, I can¡¯t. It¡¯s not right. I don¡¯t want to get caught.¡± Cody shrugged. ¡°Suit yourself. But I¡¯m not going to stop. 51 Alexa pov Cody and I decided to go home after eating our food at the restaurant. We walked to our house, it¡¯s been long since I visited this ce and it was really bringing back the memories me and Cody created in this house. ¡°Come on in¡±Cody groaned. I walked in and Cody pushed me to the door. ¡°Ughh¡±I groaned but he didn¡¯t stop and I knew he was in the mood, if I¡¯d tried to resist he was going to get pissed that I wasn¡¯t trying to satisfy him and I didn¡¯t want that so I let him do whatever he wanted to do. ¡°Fuck I missed you baby¡±he moaned in my ears. He pushed me in the couch and started taking off my clothe, he was very aggressive and passionate about this and I didn¡¯t want to spoil it because it had been long since we¡¯ve made love. We had sex and soon we were wrapped with the little clothe we found on the couch. ¡°So how is the ning on ¡°he asked and that made my heart beat because I didn¡¯t have any response for this. I wasn¡¯t ready for this question but I really wanted to help Cody even if it meant hurting Anthony and Nn. ¡°It¡¯s going well¡±i said looking everywhere but his face. ¡°Come on look at me ¡­.. why the he¡¯ll are you acting weird like you don¡¯t want this ?¡±he groaned standing up from the couch to stare at my face clearly. ¡°It¡¯s not like that Cody ¡­. I didn¡¯t say anything ¡°I defended ¡°Better! Because I don¡¯t want. A situation where you¡¯ll say you are going to back out from this n knowing well that you can¡¯t do that¡±he growled saying it to my face directly I was scared and I really didn¡¯t want this, I didn¡¯t want to hurt Anthony and Nn because they haven¡¯t done anything to hurt me at all, I don¡¯t think they deserve this type of betrayal from me. They will be heartbroken if they find out that I only took the job to monitor them and make a robbery that my boyfriend was nning sessful. I didn¡¯t want Cody to know about this because I knew that he was going to freaky he fuck out knowing that I was feeling pity for the family already, he might even over react and attack this night and I didn¡¯t want that so I had to convince him that I wasn¡¯t backing out of the n because I know Cody and his temper. ¡°What ? Why would you think I¡¯m backing out of the n? I would not back out of the n, removed that I¡¯m always on your side and I wouldn¡¯t do that so stop overthinking. ¡°I said even if I wasn¡¯t too sure about my words. ¡°Good! I thought you were going to turn your back on me ___on us and it¡¯s nice to know that you are still fighting for our team and I hope you know I¡¯m doing this for us¡±Cody said cing a kiss on my head. I wanted to believe all Cody¡¯s words but I couldn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t like the fact that he wanted to hurt others to make us happy and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to live with that, that¡¯s why I thought he was going to abort the mission but he wasn¡¯t ready to listen. He pushed himself closer to meing in for a kiss but I wasn¡¯t ready because I didn¡¯t like the way he acted when he thought I was backing out. I stood up from the couch, packing my clothes and getting ready to go to the bathroom to have my bath. ¡°Babe? Where the heck are you going¡±he questioned but I wasn¡¯t even interested in having a conversation with him right now. I entered the room and fell to the ground. I couldn¡¯t breath well, it was shocking to know that I was ready to hurt innocent people just for money. I might be broke but I wasn¡¯t that desperate to hurt them because they didn¡¯t deserve it and they didn¡¯t anything bad. Cody thinks they wouldn¡¯t feel it if we take a little out of their money because he said they are millionaires and they wouldn¡¯t notice it at all but I wasn¡¯t still feelingfortable no matter how hard I tried , I tried tithing that it will make us happy but u don¡¯t think I can do that to Anthony. Cody was very dangerous when he didn¡¯t get something he has always wanted and that made me fear for both Nn and Anthony because they didn¡¯t deserve to feel the wrath of Cody¡¯s anger just because they were rich and I liked them. Cody walked into the room and stared at me for a long time. I didn¡¯t want him to know that I was thinking but I¡¯m when I looked up to meet his eyes, he was ring hard and was also looking lost. ¡°Cody ? What¡¯s wrong¡±I asked noticing that he was acting a bit distance, he ignored me. ¡°Cody what is wrong ?, why are you worried¡±I asked ¡°Why are doing this ?¡±he said all of a sudden taking me off guard. ¡°What do you mean Cody ? You¡¯ll have to be very specific with your words okay because I was asking and all you did was stand there acting like no one was talking to you¡±I ventedProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°I won¡¯t take it lightly with you Alexa if you fucking try to back off this n ¡°he yelled ¡°Why the fuck do you feel so threatened? Is it cause you k ow that robbing them for no freaking reason is wrong and you are scared that I¡¯m gonna realize that and leave the n ?¡±I yelled and I felt his hands in my throat choking me ¡°What the fuck are you saying ? Have they infected you with their rich man mindset or what ? Why the fuck are you feeling sympathy for them ? People like them don¡¯t care if you die or live all they think about is their money and nothing more. ¡°He yelled in my face. I was creeped out of this part of Cody that I was seeing, he looked like the green monster that was ready to rip out all my intestines. I was scared and I wanted him to stop because I was losing my consciousness slowly. Tears dropped from my eyes before I finally gave into the darkness. 52 Alexa pulled away from him quickly and walked away. She could feel her heart beating hard against her chest as though it was going to burst through and Cold shivers ran down. She walked out of the ce quickly. His threats kept ringing in my head. ¡°Should I or should I not do it,¡± Alexa thought in my head. But wherever she wanted to get herself to do it, I wasn¡¯t always able to. ¡°What should I do now?¡± Alexa thought in her head confused as her heart pounded hard against her chest. But not doing as Cody had noted was going to cause chaos and she couldn¡¯t allow that, she had to do as he had instructed me to. Alexq came to the mansion that morning and the whole ce was quiet. It seemed as though nobody was at home. ¡°Don¡¯t be worried Alexa, you are just going to get this done and run away, nothing can ever go wrong,¡± she said to her. With every single step that she took, she could feel her heart pounding harder against her chest. She walked over slowly to Anthony¡¯s room and began to search for the key. She searched through every possible ce but he could not find the key to the secret storage room. ¡°Where would he have dropped it now?¡± She thought in her head, scratching her head. Frustrated, she decided to leave the room quickly. At least she had done her best. But as attempted to leave the room, she saw the hanging on a nail behind the door. ¡°So this is where you were all this while?¡± She gasped. With the agility of a leopard, she pulled the key from the hall quickly. Her heart was beating hard against her chest as she tiptoes unintentionally. Alexa searched around to see if anyone was around but there was nobody in the room. She got to the store room and she drew a deep breath, deeper than she had ever drawn all her life. ¡°Should I do this?¡± She thought in her head confused. Cody¡¯s words kept ringing in her head. Robbing these people was her sole aim ofing to the ce and now, she had all the opportunity to do so. ¡°But I just can¡¯t,¡± she yelled in her head, fresh tears pouring down from her eyes. For some weird reason, she didn¡¯t want to leave the mansion, not yet. She was beginning to have this strange bond between the billionaire and his son. ¡°But if I continue to back off from this n, Cody is going to get angry and do something really dangerous to them,¡± she thought in her head again. She inserted the key and pulled the door open. She could feel her heart pounding hard against her chest and cold shivers running swiftly down her spine. She came into the room and saw the bag of money locked in a safe that she already knew the code She went over to the safe and opened it up with the code. She stared at the briefcase of dors, she didn¡¯t know what to do with it. She thought about Cody and the billionaire and then the long way that she wasing from. ¡°Why is this so difficult for me when I was trained to do this all my life,¡± she yelled in her head. ¡°Calm down Alexa, you can do this,¡± she said to herself. She touched the Money and attempted to pull it off and run away from the ce but she stopped in her tracks.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No, I can¡¯t do this,¡± she said to herself. She dropped back into the safe, and drew out of the room with a run, panting hard for breath like someone that just finished a race as streams of sweat were already forming at the corner of her eyes. ¡°I will think of another, I need more time,¡± she noted Briskly and pulled her hands away from her knees. Alexa began to walk slowly to the living room and there, she saw Nalon, making her heart skip a lot of beats and Cold shivers run down her spine. ¡°Hi,¡± she greeted with trembling lips but he didn¡¯t seem his usual self. She stared at her without giving her an answer and after a while, he brushed by with so much hate and anger in his eyes. ¡°Did he see me doing that?¡± She thought in her head as cold shivers ran down her spine. 53 Alexa came back to work the next day she came back to work but for the only few time that he was gone, a lot seemed to have happened. The house seemed empty and shewondered where everyone would have gone, leaving the door wide open. Then, she saw Nning out of his room and my heart Almost jumped out of my chest. She could feel her heart beating hard against my chest as though it was going to burst through and cold shivers were running swiftly down her spine as she. thought about the videos and his threat to reveal them to his father. ¡°Nn!!¡± She shot at him but he seemed not to have noticed me at all. She was shivering and trembling with fear. He threw his face away as though he didn¡¯t even notice her She wanted to see him myself to see what was going on with him. Finally, they crossed parts and she stared at him.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hey,¡± he returned quickly and walked by. A smile hovered on her face as she thought about the fact that he was no longer bothering me. ¡°Finally, I can have peace of mind in this house and do my work peacefully,¡± I said to myself with a smile hanging on my face. But then, a strange thought crossed my mind, making me Shiver with fear and cold shivers running down my spine. ¡°What if something wrong had happened, what if it was about the clips,¡± multiple thoughts ran through my mind. He walked away and then, the food parted open. It was Anthot but there was something wrong about his face and his mood. Something just didn¡¯t feel right. ¡°Good morning boss Anthony,¡± I greeted quickly but he wasn¡¯t the all-smiles kind of person he always was. He shot a wired look at me and returned the greeting silently and stormed past me. ¡°What the heck is happening?¡± I yelled in my head ,pletely.. confused about what was going on there. Throughout that day, nobody came close to me as though they had already got it nned in their heads. But my duty that day was simple and sweet. There was not much trouble from the two of them as they kept their distance. ¡°I wished every day could always be like this with so much peace of mind and less trouble to take care of,¡± I sighed but I didn¡¯t like the fact that they were keeping away from me deliberately, it was getting me every bit worried. I finished up with my work for the day and went to bed hoping that the next day, the peace would remain and everything would go back to normal. The next morning, I woke up early but the unusual silence continued. I saw Nning up to me hastily but he didn¡¯t say a single word to me making me get even more worried. ¡°Can someone just tell me what is going on?¡± She yelled in my head, already getting frustrated. Alexa cleaned up the whole room and went back to her room to take a breath before she was going to continue with whatever she was doing. Then, her door made a cracking sound and she raised her head to see who it was. Her heart skipped a lot of beats at the sight of Whom see saw. It was Anthony and a frown was hanging on his face. She could feel her heart beating hard against her chest as though it was going to burst through and cold shivers ran down her spine. Alexa watched as he got closer to her and her mouth trembled as she greeted him. ¡°Good morning sir,¡± she greeted quickly. ¡°Morning,¡± he returned without a single trace of emotion on his face. He paused for some time and she was expecting him to spill out everything that he had in his head but he didn¡¯t. ¡°I want you in my office today around nine AM in my office,¡± he returned to me. ¡°Okay, but why do I have to see you in your office tomorrow?¡± Alexa inquired with her heart beating hard against her chest as though it was going to burst through. ¡°I just want to discuss something really important with you,¡± he said to me and he walked out of the room. ¡°Gulp,¡± arge lump went down her spine and she drew a really deep breath, deeper than she had ever drawn all my life. 54 Alexa could feel her heart beating hard against her chest. She was really worried about what Anthony wanted to discuss with her, so bad that she could sleep throughout the night no matter how hard she tried. Finally, the morning that she had wanted throughout the night came. ¡°God please make this go well,¡± she prayed in her heart with her hands clipped She did the chores as fast as she could and got ready to see the Billionaire at his office. With every single step that I could, with every single air that I drew, I could feel my heart beating hard against my chest forming an odd pattern. The videos that Nalon showed her kept flicking in her mind. ¡°He must have showered his father as he had threatened,¡± she thought in her head. Most of her told her that Nalon was certainly the reason that he had called her to his office but some other parts of her told her something else. ¡°What if it was about a kiss of thest night?¡± The other part yelled In her head. She was confused and didn¡¯t even know what to think. ¡°Just have to go there and see the reason that he had called me myself,¡± she thought in her head as another sign escaped from her mouth. Alexa finally got to thepany and she walked straight to his secretary office. She drew a really deep breath as she ced my hands on the door and knocked. ¡°Come in,¡± she noted from the other end of the room as though he already knew that she wasing to see him. She drew the door open slowly and walked into his secretary¡¯s office which was adjourned with his. ¡°Good day ma¡¯am, how may I help you?¡± The secretary noted quickly with an official Smile hanging on her face.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Please I want to see the CEO, Mr. Anthony,¡± Alexa returned quickly. ¡°Alexa right,?¡± She inquired and she nodded her head to confirm. ¡°Okay, he told me to inform you that you will have to see him at home no longer in his office,¡± she noted Nn with a sorry look on her face. Alexa was really confused, why would he just call off an opportunity just like that? She knew that something was wrong but she just couldn¡¯ty my hands on it. ¡°Is anything the matter?¡± The secretary inquired. ¡°Did he tell you a specific reason why he would no longer be seeing me? or he just doesn¡¯t want to see me?¡± Alexa could help but inquire. ¡°Yeah, he informed me that he would be having a very important meeting to attend today,¡± she noted. Alexa signed. There was absolutely nothing that she could do now. ¡°Okay, I will have to go now,¡± she returned and turned around to leave. But then, she had a strange cry from behind and she turned around to see who it was and she noticed that it was Anthony. She was even more confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t he the one that is supposed to be in a meeting?¡± She thought in her head. had something to do with why Anthony had called her up, but half of her tells her that it might have been something to do with the kiss a few nights ago. As she arrives at the office, a secretary tells her that Anthony asks to meet her back home instead as he has a meeting. ¡°I want you in my office,¡± he returned quickly, snapping Alexa off her thoughts. Alexa could feel her heart beating hard against her chest as she walked into his office. Immediately he set his eyes on her, his parted into a smile making Alexa calm down a little. ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Anthony appreciated but she was really confused because she had not done anything unusual to warrant his appreciation. ¡°Why are you appreciating me, sir?¡± Alexa inquired. ¡°I noted the great work you did on Nalon when I returned from my trip. He was been giving me less headache these days and he doesn¡¯t stalk me as he used to do,¡± he exined with a smile still hanging on his face. Alexa knew that she had done absolutely nothing but she decided to y along. ¡°Yeah, but it was a very difficult task for me,¡± she announced to him pushing a fake smile on her face. The smile on Anthony¡¯s face broadened. ¡°I can¡¯t ever be grateful to you. And I know that my son can be really difficult but you did it, thanks again,¡± he appreciated from the depths of his heart. ¡°You are most Weed sir,¡± Alexa returned. ¡°And I am not done dear, I will be increasing your sry for that,¡± he noted with a broad smile hanging on his face. Finally, Alexa¡¯s mind was calm once again. At least, now she knew that he had not seen any of the videos. But again, the pictures and scenes of her boss kissing her flicked before her and she stared into his eyes. ¡°Sir, do you remember anything kissing me a few days ago?¡± She inquired¡­ Immediately she said this, he seemed to shiver a little and he drew away his face embarrassed. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Anthony replied quickly. Alexa was confused. How could he say that he did not remember kissing her at any point?¡± She thought in her head. ¡°Sir you don¡¯t remember¡± she inquired. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what you are talking about talk less of remembering anything,¡± he returned quickly but something about his expression was not right, Alexa could sense it. 55 Alexa walked home gradually with a heavy heart, she was really confused and didn¡¯t even know what to believe now. She remembered Anthony kissing her and he had noted that he didn¡¯t even remember anything like that. ¡°How could he say that he didn¡¯t remember the kiss or was I just hallucinating?¡± She thought in her head confused. ¡°Or am I even going crazy?¡± She thought again in her head even more confused. ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t hallucinating, neither am I going mad¡± she say quickly to herself. She could swear that she remembered that event even with her life. His lips moisturizing hers, she could feel every freaking momen of it. But she was confused why he lied that he didn¡¯t even remember it talk less of doing it. Alexa was lost in thoughts and didn¡¯t realize when someone bumped into her. She raised her head quickly and noticed that it was Nalkn with his headset right in ce. She shivered a little noticing her mistake and she also remembered that he had Been avoiding her for some time now. ¡°Jez, certainly not now,¡± she yelled in her head. She expected him to yell at her as she waited in ce but he didn¡¯t do any of this, he only shot a snare at her. She stared back into his eyes and he said stared Back at her for some time. ¡°Just end this stupid drama and talk to me or even tell me the reason that you have been avoiding me, I am already tired of guessing what the problem might be,¡± she yelled in her head. But Alexa continued to wait, hoping that he was going to say something but he didn¡¯t say a single word to her. Alexa could feel her heart beating hard against her chest as he pulled his eyes and walked away from her without spilling a single word. ¡°What the heck is going on with him?¡± She yelled in his head confused. But she had work to do. She pulled away from the spot that he left her and she walked over to the kitchen quickly, fixed a meal, and get the dishes washed. When she was done, she cleaned her hands with a napkin. ¡°Now what should I do now,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°I think I should go get some rest then I will get the rest of the work done before boss Anthony returns from work,¡± she said to herself. She could not get her mind off Anthony and the fact that he had denied knowing anything about the kiss and Nalon deliberately ignored her. ¡°There is certainly a lot that these people aren¡¯t telling me,¡± She said to herself and drew a deep breath. She pulled away from the kitchen quickly and she got to her room andy on the bed. She noticed that Nalon was in his room ying his guitar. She could feel her heart beating hard against her chest as though it was going to burst through as she thought about that night. The night that he stood before that crowd and thrilled the audience with her performance. The yells, the people screaming at him wanting to tear him apart. She remembered every single inch of it. She continued to stare at him lost in thoughts as she could not take her mind off him. When she was back from my fantasy, she noticed that he caught her staring at him.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Her heart pounded hard against her chest as though it was going to burst through. He continued to stare at her. ¡°He caught me,¡± she repeated in her head. . She calmed down from the bed quickly and ran to the door and got it shot. Her heart was pounding and she ced her hands on her chest, trying hard to catch her breath. Alexa ran quickly to the bed and fell face up on the bed¡­ Her heart continued to beat harder. She still remembered him in her head ying the guitar. She could not get this off her head. *Sigh* she signed even without her notice. ¡°No, I can¡¯t be thinking about him,¡± she thought quickly pushing him out of her head as she drew a deep breath. 56 ¡°I¡¯m bored, Alexa. Let¡¯s y a game.¡± Nn said. ¡°I¡¯m not interested, Nn.¡± Alexa said. ¡°Come on, Alexa. I¡¯m not pleading with you, I¡¯m ordering you.¡± Nn said. ALEXA¡¯S POV I grunted as Nn was being so annoying. I really was in no mood to y games with anyone, but I had to, in this case. ¡°What game is that?¡± Alexa asked. ¡°Just a card game.¡± Nn replied. I followed him to his room, and we sat on the floor near his bed. ¡°So, what kind of card game?¡± I asked. ¡°Just a normal card game but each loser at the end of the round he or she loses in has to take off one thing he or she¡¯s wearing and if you lose until you¡¯re naked, that¡¯s fine. ¡± Nn smirked. I wondered if this gentleman was a devil, or he was human. He behaved like an evil teen most of the time. I knew I had no choice than to adhere, he had the video in his hands and could send it to his father. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s start.¡± I said. The game began, and it was bing interesting as weughed over every single win, but it became dreading when I was losing at each round. I had lost three rounds and my top, singlet and skirt had gone. ¡°You really suck at this game.¡± Nnughed out, feeling victorious. ¡°Well, I rarely y games like this, and it looks like you have time to y it a lot.¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s just an excuse, Alexa. Focus on your game, or I¡¯ll win you again.¡± Nnughed. I was left with my bra and panties, and I could catch Nn staring at the way my boobs were packed up. He must have felt it was too attractive not to be looked at. My boyfriend hadplimented my boobs many times, and I knew certainly that Nn was having a hard time focusing as he began to lose. Iughed so hard as it felt so good to see him lose. NOLAN¡¯S POV Oh no! I have to concentrate if I really want to see her boobs. I can¡¯t see the whole picture with her bra still on. Then I began to avoid looking at her breasts as it seemed like she was intentionally shaking it, so I¡¯ll notice it and lose focus again. You won¡¯t have it your way, Alexa. I managed to concentrate and I won. ¡°Yes! Yes! I¡¯m a genius.¡± I said. ¡°Ugh! What genius. Why did you have to win? You still have your tank top, trousers and other things on.¡± Alexa said. ¡°As you can see, there was no cheating in this game. We both won based on our skills and level of focus, okay. So, take off that bra for Nn.¡± I said. ALEXA¡¯S POV Why did he have to be so annoying and at the same time look so handsome He sat back as he focused his eyes on me, waiting for me to take off my bra? ¡°What are you doing? Take it off!¡± Nn said. ¡°I really don¡¯t think this is good.¡± I said. ¡°Nah¡­ You can¡¯t back down right now. You should finish what you started.¡± He said as he licked his lips. After much persuasion from Nn, I decided to take it off. I took it off slowly, and I could see Nn¡¯s Adam Apple moving up and down. He must have been really eager to see my breasts. I took off my bra and my breasts bounced freely, with my nipples pointing hard. ¡°Wow, so this is the beauty behind the bra.¡± Nn said. Nn leaned over to me and kissed me, which I reciprocated passionately. We began to make out, and he used his hand to caress my breasts that felt so full in his hand. He caressed my nipple and I moaned, then he moved his mouth down to suck my nipples, which caused me to moan softly. Nn began sucking my breasts with passion, while his hand yed with my other breast. My pussy had be wet, and he began trailing his hand down my pussy and found his way into my panties, but that was when I pushed him away as I got back to my senses. Then I picked up my clothes and wore them, then he held me and looked at me. In his eyes, I noticed that he was hurt, but I released his grip on me and went out of his room. When I got to my room, I met Anthony sitting on my bed like he had been waiting for me. ¡°Uhm¡­ I came to apologize over the kiss we had the other time.¡± Anthony said, and as he was about speaking again, I rushed to him and kissed him. He reciprocated the kiss and thenid me on the bed, I pulled off my clothes, and he did the same too. He sucked my nipples and I moaned softly, then he moved down to my pussy and began to caress it with his tongue. I widened my legs for him to suck it well as I moaned out loud. I covered my mouth with the duvet on my bed, and Anthony sucked me down there for about 10 minutes, then I stood up to suck his cock. Not only that, but I held it like I was holding a microphone, and then I began to lick his cap, I could see pleasure in his eyes. Likewise, I began to increase my intensity as I gave him a good suck for a few minutes. Then I went back to the bed and went on all fours, so he could prate me from the back, which he did.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Anthony gave me so much pleasure with each thrust, and he began to drag my hair and continued thrusting in and out of me like he was riding a horse at a fast pace. I was feeling so much pleasure and could feel my orgasms building up then in a few minutes, we both reached orgasm. 57 ALEXA¡¯S POV The next day, I remembered what happened between me and Nn and I shook the thought off. I regretted I did that, as I didn¡¯t know how to face him after that incident. I took my bath and went straight to the sitting room to sit to clear my head off, but I met Anthony there, and he had already seen me, so I couldn¡¯t go back. He was reading a newspaper when he looked at me and smiled. ¡°Good morning.¡± I greeted him with a smile. It looked like he was satisfied with the sex we hadst night, as he kept smiling at me. ¡°Good morning.¡± He replied. Then he continued reading his newspaper. A few minutester, Nn came in with a pineapple juice in his hand and greeted me and his father. But I replied with no emotions. Nn sat beside me and started talking about some things that I would haveughed to on a normal day, but I only nodded and gave him replies that looked like I wasn¡¯t really interested in what he was saying. ¡°Uhm, I¡¯m going out to get something. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Nn said. ¡°Alright.¡± Anthony said. Nn shouted my name like he wanted me to reply as well. ¡°Alexa!¡± He shouted. ¡°Yeah.¡± I replied without looking back. ¡°I said I¡¯m going out to get something, and I¡¯ll be back soon. Do you need anything?¡± He asked. ¡°No.¡± I replied without looking back. Then I felt an aura like he was angry, then he went out and mmed the door. NOLAN¡¯S POV Why¡¯s Alexa acting that way? Was it because of the kiss we shared yesterday? Damn! She keeps ignoring me and giving me curt replies. I have to make her feel less uneasy about the situation because I can¡¯t watch her continue to act this way to me. ANTHONY¡¯S POV What¡¯s wrong with both of them? They seem to be acting weird around each other, or did Nn annoy Alexa? Well, maybe they¡¯re not on bad terms. I must be the one over thinking. ALEXA¡¯S POV Nn came back, paced around for a while and when I was about to leave the sitting room to go to my room, he held me and dragged me outside to a park then made me sit. ¡°Alexa, you¡¯ve been acting off today, is there anything wrong?¡± He asked. ¡°Wrong? There¡¯s nothing wrong.¡± I said. ¡°But you¡¯re acting off.¡± Nn said. ¡°How am I acting off, Nn? I really don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡± I lied. ¡°Alright, maybe I¡¯m the one overreacting.¡± He said. ¡°Probably.¡± I said. ¡°Have you had breakfast? Do you want us to eat out?¡± He asked. ¡°No¡± I replied. I could see his baffled expression, he knew something was wrong, but I wasn¡¯t admitting to it, then I stood up, ¡°I have to go.¡± I said as I left him looking hurt and deserted. I got back home and noticed that Anthony was no longer in the sitting room, then I went to my room to rest my head for a while. Few minutester, I discovered I was hungry, so I went out of my room to find myself what to eat. I made toast and poured myself an apple juice, then I sat in the dining, munching on my food. I thought about what happened between me and Nn again, and I almost lost appetite. About thirty minutester, Nn came in with a fruit basket and pizza. He joined me in the dining and dropped both the fruit basket and pizza before me. ¡°The fruit basket is for you, and I got us pizza. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Nn said, not minding that I was eating toast.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thanks. I think I¡¯m full right now.¡± I replied. ¡°You could have waited a bit longer, so we could munch on this pizza together.¡± He said. ¡°You could share with your dad if it feels like a waste. I doubt he has had anything to eat this morning.¡± I said. Nn ignored the way I wasn¡¯t fully giving him attention and kept talking to me and teasing me, he even tried to annoy me like he always did, but I disregarded all his attempt. He became quiet and left the dining to his room. Anthony had been watching all along because when I was about to go into my room, he called me. ¡°Alexa, see me in my room.¡± He said. ¡°Alright.¡± I replied. I wondered what he was going to say when he called me into his room, but I knew I had to be careful with my words so as not to end up in trouble. I went upstairs to his room, and then he sat me down, I wondered if it was going to be a serious discussion. ¡°I noticed you and Nn are not on good terms. What¡¯s going on?¡± He asked. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s nothing wrong at all.¡± I replied. But I can see you both are not talking the way you used to. Did he offend you or pull a trick you don¡¯t like?¡± Anthony asked. My heart skipped a beat when he said that because it almost felt like he was asking the direct question to the answer of what went between me and Nn. ¡°Of course not. That¡¯s not enough to make problems between us.¡± I lied as I tried to make myself look less suspicious. ¡°You look a bit uneasy. Are you ufortable here?¡± Anthony asked. Of course not! It¡¯s the questions you¡¯re asking me that¡¯s making me feel ufortable. ¡°Of course not! Do I look uneasy?¡± I said, trying to look confident. ¡°Never mind. I want you to know you can ways talk to me about anything that happens. I¡¯ll be sure to help to settle the matter.¡± Anthony said. ¡°I certainly will.¡± I said. ¡°How wasst night with you?¡± He asked. I knew he was talking about the sex. ¡°I loved it.¡± I replied. ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± Nn said as he came in. 58 ¡°We were just talking about you both. Come and have a seat.¡± Anthony said. Nn walked up to them and sat close to Alexa. ¡°Listen, both of you. I don¡¯t want you both to have a quarrel, and if you have one right now, I want you to settle it now.¡± Anthony said. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Nn was about to speak, but Alexa interrupted. ¡°There¡¯s no existing quarrel between us, we¡¯re cool.¡± Alexa said. ALEXA¡¯S POV What did he n to say? He could tell his father that he kissed me, and I¡¯m overreacting, not knowing I¡¯ve had something with his father. Oh, no! I can¡¯t even bear for Anthony to know about this, it must never happen. Anthony looked at Nn, who was taken aback and then nodded in agreement. He knew there was a problem between them and wanted to get to the roots if only they would cooperate, then he sighed and turned to Nn. ¡°Look, Nn, everything Alexa does for you is for your own good. You don¡¯t have to take it personally, she¡¯s just looking out for you.¡± Anthony said. His phone began to ring, and then he checked to see if it was important or could be neglected, but it was an important call. ¡°Excuse me.¡± He excused himself out to take the call. Alexa and Nn were left alone in the room, and everywhere felt tense. ALEXA¡¯S POV The air in the room feels so intense as I remembered when Nn and I yed card games in his bedroom. Remembering the kiss scene and other things made everything more intense. Why is Anthony so hooked up with solving any issue that could be between us? Was it because it was his son, or he was just curious and ufortable about our sudden reaction towards each other. ANTHONY¡¯S POV Why the hell is Alexa acting this way? I¡¯ve tried so many ways to bring back our good vibes, but she keeps avoiding and ignoring me. Now we¡¯re stuck in this room together. Or should I just be very direct with her and apologize if she didn¡¯t really feel cool with what we did. Yeah, that should do. After all, sorry solved everything. I was about to talk to her when my father came in and told us we had a small job to do, and after we¡¯re done, he would tell us something vital. We were to get to a factory and help them transfer the boxes they wanted to deliver, to their vehicle. ¡°Alright, so time is ticking. I¡¯m waiting for you both to be back soon after helping them with all the help they need.¡± Anthony said. ANTHONY¡¯S POV Probably after they¡¯ve worked together, they¡¯ll forget their differences ande back together. There has to be peace in this home. Alexa and Nn went downstairs and entered Nn¡¯s car, and they drove off to the factory. On their way, Nn finds excuses to speak with Alexa. ¡°What do you think my father could be up to?¡± Nn asked. ¡°I really don¡¯t know. I guess he has something to tell us, but wants to give us a bit of suspense first.¡± Alexa replied.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Nn was happy that she responded better than before and was eager to look for other ways to make her talk better than that because things still seemed different. They talked better than this before the incident happened, so he knew he had to do better than this. Nn and Alexa got to the factory, and they introduced themselves and started helping out. There were 250 boxes there, and they had to fill them up with more than one vehicle. They were only there as assistants as the factory workers were moving the boxes in and some were doing other necessary things. After they were done moving the boxes out, the factory workers thanked them. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind volunteering to help us go with the vehicle, as we¡¯re short of two people for thest vehicle. We need two people for each vehicle to watch over the goods at the back because of expert thieves.¡± The man said. ¡°Uhm, can I get a cap? Then we¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Sure you can.¡± The man said. Nn got a cap to cover his face from people who could recognize him. While they were inside the vehicle, Nn touched her hand and Alexa looked at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Alexa if it really hurt you. I mean, what we did yesterday. And I¡¯ll make sure it never happens again without your willingness.¡± ¡°Nn, I don¡¯t want to talk about this at all.¡± Alexa said as she withdrew her hand from him. The both of them were quiet again and things continued to feel intense. When they got back home with his car, they went straight to Anthony¡¯s room. He was shocked to see them the same way. ¡°We¡¯re here, dad. What is it you wanted to show us?¡± Nn asked. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s nothing. I just wanted you both to be back the way you used to be.¡± Anthony said. ALEXA¡¯S POV Why is Anthony trying so hard to get them together? It¡¯s beginning to look awkward. I do not want Nn to think he can confide in his father and then spill out what happened. ANTHONY¡¯S POV The two must have had a big fight. The journey could have brought them together, but it¡¯s so surprising to see that they¡¯re still reluctant to talk to each other. Nn went quiet for a while, then he walked out of the room and then Alexa excused herself out of the room too. Her eyes gazed at Nn who walked towards his room. ALEXA¡¯S POV Hmm, he looks so angry. I watched him as he entered his room, then I began to go downstairs when I saw Kathy who greeted me with a re in her eyes. Why did she have to pick the wrong day to visit? I tried so much not to re at her back as I was going downstairs. 59 Kathy kept ring at me as she made her way upstairs while I went upstairs. Then Nn came out and called her name in surprise. He looked surprised to see her, as he was not expecting her at all. Kathy ran over to Nn and hugged him tight. ¡°Baby, I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± Kathy said. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you wereing over today.¡± Nn said. ¡°You¡¯ve been ignoring me since the party. Why would you do that to me? I missed you so much and couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, that¡¯s why I came over. Don¡¯t you miss me?¡± Kathy said. ALEXA¡¯S POV I got downstairs and could hear them as I headed to the sitting room. I rolled my eyes as I heard Kathy talk so sweetly to Nn. Then I remembered the party and became shocked when I recalled how someone hadid hands on her when she got high and fell on the cold floor. I knew I had done many abominable things at the party, which my boyfriend must not see. I kept hearing Kathy¡¯s voice and even got tired of it. Not only that, but I wished she would just leave this instant and let peace reign, I didn¡¯t really like her presence here, but I had no choice. After all, she was Nn¡¯s girlfriend. ANTHONY¡¯S POV I could hear a voice that sounded so familiar. It sounds just like Kathy¡¯s, but I never heard word that she¡¯ll being over. Let me get up to confirm. Anthony went out of his room and to his surprise, he saw Kathy clinging onto Nn. She really got herself all dolled up like she wanted to look more attractive to Nn. ¡°Kathy, hey. It¡¯s a surprise seeing you here without notice.¡± Anthony said. When Alexa heard Anthony¡¯s voice, she looked up at the trio. ¡°I missed my boyfriend so much, so I had toe, I¡¯ve not been able to reach him and that¡¯s why it seemed like I came unannounced. ¡± Kathy exined. ¡°Oh, alright. You¡¯re always wee, by the way.¡± Anthony said. Kathy looked at Alexa and smiled mischievously. ALEXA¡¯S POV Why is she smiling mischievously at me? I hope she doesn¡¯t have something up her sleeves. My heart doesn¡¯t feel easy with her here. Then I saw Nn, who still looked surprised, gesturing to her to go into his room. He looked around in a normal way and then our eyes met, but he looked away like he had not seen me. ¡­¡­¡­ Nn jumped on his bed and then sat up, staring at Kathy. ¡°Nn, I¡¯m so sorry about what happened at the party the other time.¡± Kathy said. Nn only looked at her and gave no reply, as it seemed like he was only trying to suppress his anger. ¡°I know I embarrassed you, and I¡¯m sorry I did that. You know I could get possessive over you, and I don¡¯t want anyone to take you from me.¡± Kathy said.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! NOLAN¡¯S POV Kathy was annoying me, but I had to try to keep it under control, to suppress it because I wanted to avoid attracting my father or someone else¡¯s attention. I could have ignored her when she came to me, but I wanted to take revenge on Alexa that way and also, I didn¡¯t want my father to get curious over anything again. ¡°Baby, say something. I dislike it as you¡¯re just staring at me without saying a word.¡± Kathy said. ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡± Nn asked. ¡­¡­.. Anthony began toe downstairs and walked towards Alexa in the sitting room. ¡°Please can you get a ss of mango juice for me?¡± Anthony asked. ¡°Of course.¡± Alexa said. A few minutester, Alexa came in with a ss of juice and served it to Anthony. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get one for yourself?¡± Anthony asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m alright, I really don¡¯t feel in the mood for juice.¡± Alexa said. ¡°Alright then. Uhm¡­. I¡¯m sorry if I made you ufortable and uneasy with my actions this morning.¡± Anthony apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, may I know what you¡¯re referring to?¡± Alexa asked. ¡°I am talking about the time I asked you and Nn to go to the factory to help them out. I wanted to clear the misunderstanding that could have happened between you both, but since you said that there is no misunderstanding between you both, I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± Anthony said. ¡°Yeah! There is absolutely nothing wrong. We have no problem, so you can stop worrying now.¡± Alexa said. ALEXA¡¯S POV Thank goodness! He has decided to get his hands off our case. If he kept asking for the truth, as a father to son rtionship, Nn could talk to him about it and I can¡¯t tell Nn not to talk about it just like that. He would start suspecting that something¡¯s going on, and I wouldn¡¯t want him to find out that I had something with his father. ¡­¡­ ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Kathy asked. ¡°It¡¯s very obvious you care about what you think and not what others think. You didn¡¯t know I could feel embarrassed when you did such that night, but after you¡¯re done, you now realize it could have been embarrassing, right? You¡¯re so ridiculous, Kathy.¡± Nn said. ¡°Nn, I believe we all make mistakes. Why don¡¯t you just let this one slip by? Please, baby.¡± Kathy asked, trying to look cute. ¡°Don¡¯t try to look cute this time, Kathy. These are not mistakes, they are part of you which you intentionally did.¡± Nn said. ¡°And that¡¯s why I am saying I am sorry. Just let this go, this once.¡± Kathy said. ¡°Look! I¡¯m in no mood to talk to anyone right now, can you leave?¡± Nn said. ¡°Nn! Don¡¯t do this.¡± Kathy shouted. ALEXA¡¯S POV I began to get jealous and curious about what could be going on as Nn and Kathy had spent hours together. 60 It was evening and Nn and Kathy cane out of Nn¡¯s room. They both looked like they had a fight as they weren¡¯t smiling, neither were they holding hands. I took my gaze away from them, and I could feel that Kathy¡¯s eyes were fixed on me as she came downstairs. I watched as Nn went over to the dining to join his father. ¡°I¡¯m about to leave.¡± Kathy smiled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us for dinner, Kathy?¡± Anthony asked. ¡°Oh! If you do not mind, I will join you.¡± Kathy said as she drew out a chair and then sat down to join them in eating. ALEXA¡¯S POV I watched from behind, with a staff, as the trio were eating like a family. They looked so bright together, and if one were to take a picture of them and show them to another, they would think they were family. Although, soon, they could be family as Kathy was Nn¡¯s girlfriend. It was possible he proposes to her and, of course, she was going to ept. ¡°Alexa.¡± Kathy called out. I snapped out of my thoughts and focused on Kathy, who called me. It seemed like she was up to something, and I hoped I wasn¡¯t going to fall for it. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you joining us for dinner? Should you be standing over there just like that?¡± Kathy said. Her question seemed harmless, but I still had to watch out for any that might sweep me off my feet. ¡°Kathy is a staff here, and she is only doing what is right by showing proper etiquette towards you as a guest, Kathy.¡± Anthony said. I felt relieved as Anthony gave her an answer, and a perfect one at that. I looked at Nn, he wasn¡¯t looking at me this time. Neither was he saying anything even when his father and Kathy were talking. He was just silent all through while eating. Then Kathy breaks the silence and bursts out. ¡°Why is Alexa the most favored staff in this house? It¡¯s not meant to be this way.¡± Kathy said. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Anthony asked. ALEXA¡¯S POV My heart began to thump loudly, and I felt sweat beads on my body which my clothes covered. What stint was Kathy trying to pull? What was she going to say? She must be transferring aggression to me, seeing that her and Nn looked like they had a fight, and they were not even talking in the dining. Who let this devilish girl in? I wished they had not let her in, as I did not know what bomb she was nning to throw this time. ¡°What if Kathy is not who you think she is? What if she¡¯s just pretending to be an excellent staff to see favor in your sight and then when you least expect it, she would betray you and Nn.¡± Kathy said. ¡°How could this be?¡± Anthony asked. ¡°I know you ate very kind, generous and amodating. What if she¡¯s using it against you? I don¡¯t seem to trust her and most times, my guts are always true.¡± Kathy said. ALEXA¡¯S POV My heart was beating fast and loud that it felt as if it was going toe out of my chest. It had taken over my speech, as I couldn¡¯t find words to say. If I were to speak right now, I would be stammering and that¡¯s surely going to cause suspicions. Does Kathy know me and my sole reason for entering this house? Because all her allegations seemed like she knows me. I stayed quiet, so I won¡¯t say something that would give me away. I was hoping that my secret would not be found out today or anytime soon, especially because of Kathy. ¡°You know, people like this who put on a good girly mask always turn out to be the bad one. Don¡¯t you think so? Try to think about it from my perspective.¡± Kathy said. Kathy seemed like she was desperately trying to frame me or make me look suspicious, but Anthony didn¡¯t seem convinced, neither did Nn seem bothered about it. I was d that Kathy was joy winning. ¡°What makes you think Kathy is, as you mentioned? Have you ever seen her act besides the way she acts over here?¡± Anthony asked. ¡°I know it within me. She¡¯s surely not what you think she is.¡± Kathy said. ¡°Kathy, I think you¡¯re just jealous and it¡¯s fine. We happen to get jealous over some things at times.¡± Anthony said.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Of course not. Why would I be jealous? I can¡¯t be jealous because of Alexa.¡± Kathy said. ALEXA¡¯S POV Of course, Kathy must be feeling jealous and that is why she is trying to kick me out with assumptions that would shake the trust that both Nn and Anthony have for me. Why would she, out of nowhere, say countless things against me if it is not jealousy? ¡°Kathy, just admit it, you¡¯re jealous, and I have told you it¡¯s normal but isn¡¯t healthy for us. You have to always try your very best to avoid jealousy.¡± Anthony said. ¡°To be honest, I am not jealous. I am just stating facts, you should at least try and see if I am correct.¡± Kathy said. ¡°For goodness sake, stop trying to deny who you clearly are.¡± Nn mmed his wrist on the table. ¡°I am your boyfriend and I have experienced scenarios caused by your jealousy. So, I can detect when you¡¯re jealous.¡± Nn said. ¡°Of course not, Nn. You¡¯re getting it wrong. If I see you both drowning or going down the wrong path, I would surely have to stop or inform you. I won¡¯t surely keep it to myself.¡± Kathy said. ¡°Enough! You keep denying even when you are caught red-handed. Come on, just admit that you are jealous. It doesn¡¯t harm you if you admit to it.¡± Nn said. Kathy stared at him in shock. 61 Kathy sat in the living room, staring at Nn in disbelief. He had just talked back to her, something that had never happened before. She wondered if it was because of the party they had attended the night before. She looked over at Alexa, who was ring at her, and then at Anthony, who looked just as surprised as she was. Anthony spoke up, breaking the awkward silence. ¡°What party did you guys attend? Alexa didn¡¯t mention anything to me.¡± Kathyughed, ncing over at Nn, who was looking down at the floor. ¡°Oh, it was just a little get-together. Nothing too crazy.¡± Anthony raised an eyebrow. ¡°Really? I find that hard to believe. What kind of party was it?¡± Kathy hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. She didn¡¯t want to give away too much information, but at the same time, she wanted to share the juicy details. Finally, she decided to spill the beans. ¡°Well, two weeks ago, Nn had a party at his ce. There were drinks and drugs and all that stuff. And let¡¯s just say that Alexa was throwing herself at every man she saw.¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Anthony¡¯s face turned red with anger. He couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°Are you serious? That¡¯s not okay, Kathy. You can¡¯t just go around spreading rumors like that.¡± Kathyughed nervously, trying to diffuse the tension. ¡°Oh,e on, Anthony. I¡¯m just kidding around. Lighten up.¡± But Anthony wasn¡¯t amused. He was furious with Kathy¡¯s obscene behavior. He couldn¡¯t believe that she would make such usations without any proof. Kathyughed again, but this time, she pulled out her phone to show a video of Alexa twerking on Nn. ¡°See? I¡¯m not lying. This is proof.¡± As Kathy pulled out her phone and hit y on the video, she noticed Anthony¡¯s face slowly contorting into a look of shock and disgust. His eyes widened as he watched Alexa twerking on Nn, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. At first, Anthony couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind and make sense of the situation. But the more he watched, the more his shock turned into anger. He could see Nn in the background, looking ufortable and embarrassed. Anthony felt a pang of sympathy for him, knowing that he must have felt humiliated in that moment. As the video yed on, Anthony¡¯s expression turned from shock to fury. He couldn¡¯t believe that Kathy had filmed something like this and was now showing it to him without any warning. He felt vited and disgusted, as if he had stumbled upon something he was never meant to see. Anthony shook his head in disgust. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Kathy. I don¡¯t want to see that. This conversation is over.¡± Kathy shrugged, still not understanding why Anthony was so upset. She put her phone away and turned her attention back to Nn, who was still looking down at the floor. 62 Anthony¡¯s fury continued to grow as Kathy recounted the details of the party that Nn had thrown, including the fact that Alexa had been throwing herself at every man in sight. Anthony couldn¡¯t believe that he had trusted Alexa to take care of his home, only to have her throw a wild party and act so recklessly. As Kathy continued to speak, Anthony could feel his blood boiling. He couldn¡¯t understand how someone could be so irresponsible, especially when they had been entrusted with such an important task. Kathy then dropped another bombshell, telling Anthony that it didn¡¯t seem like Alexa had wanted to stop the party, but would rather join in on the festivities. Anthony¡¯s fury turned into disappointment as he realized that he had misjudged Alexa¡¯s character. Meanwhile, as the conversation was happening, Alexa sat in the corner of the room, feeling betrayed by Kathy¡¯s sudden change in attitude towards her. She had thought that she had finally connected with Kathy, but she was wrong. Alexa couldn¡¯t understand why Kathy would suddenly turn on her like this, especially after all the hard work she had put into taking care of Anthony¡¯s home. Alexa¡¯s heart sank as she realized that she had lost Kathy¡¯s trust, and likely Anthony¡¯s as well. She knew that she had messed up, but she couldn¡¯t help feeling hurt by Kathy¡¯s sudden betrayal. Anthony, his anger now reaching its peak, turned to Kathy and asked her to step out of the mansion so that he could privately talk to Alexa and his son alone. Kathy was shocked by this sudden request, but she knew better than to disobey Anthony¡¯s orders. She obediently followed hismand, walking out of the mansion with a slight anger brewing inside her. Anthony¡¯s anger was still simmering as he turned to the staff, demanding to know where they were the night that Nn threw the party. ¡°I want to know exactly what happened,¡± he barked, his voice tinged with frustration. The staff looked at each other nervously before one of them finally spoke up. ¡°Sir, we were told by Nn that you had given us a day off for two days,¡± he said, his voice trembling slightly. Anthony¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise. ¡°What? I never said anything like that,¡± he eximed, his frustration mounting. Another staff member chimed in, holding out a phone. ¡°Here, sir. Nn sent us a recording. He told us that we would all be having a day off,¡± she said, her voice shaking. Anthony snatched the phone out of her hand, his fingers trembling with anger. As he listened to the recording, his fury only grew. He couldn¡¯t believe that Nn would lie like this, and that Alexa hadn¡¯t reported it to him.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Turning to Alexa, he demanded an exnation. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this?¡± he asked, his voice thick with anger. Alexa¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t know anything about it,¡± she said, her voice trembling. ¡°I swear, I had no idea Nn was nning a party.¡± Anthony looked at her skeptically, but deep down he knew that she was telling the truth. He could see the shock and confusion written all over her face, and he knew that she wouldn¡¯t lie to him. But that didn¡¯t change the fact that his trust had been betrayed. He knew that he needed to have a serious talk with Nn and figure out what was really going on. For now, though, he just needed to cool down and gather his thoughts. With a deep sigh, Anthony rubbed his temples and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. This was not how he had wanted things to go, but he knew that he had to face the situation head on if he wanted to get to the bottom of things. As Anthony tried to calm himself down, Alexa mustered up the courage to speak up. ¡°Anthony, there¡¯s something I need to tell you,¡± she said, her voice shaking slightly. Anthony turned to look at her, his expression softening slightly. ¡°What is it, Alexa?¡± he asked, his tone gentler now. Taking a deep breath, Alexa began to tell her story. She recounted how Nn had dosed her drink with a drug at the party, and then ckmailed her into not telling Anthony what had happened. She exined how she had been terrified of losing her job, and had felt trapped by Nn¡¯s threats. Anthony¡¯s face darkened as he listened to Alexa¡¯s story. He couldn¡¯t believe that Nn had been capable of something like this, and he felt a sense of anger and betrayal wash over him. But at the same time, he felt a sense of relief. He knew that Alexa had always been a responsible and trustworthy employee, and he had been struggling to reconcile that image with the one that Kathy had presented. Now, he understood that Alexa had been a victim, and that her silence had been forced upon her. Turning to the staff, he spoke firmly. ¡°Everyone, listen up. I want to make this clear. Nn¡¯s behavior was uneptable, and I will not tolerate any kind of misconduct or illegal activity on my property,¡± he said, his voice carrying a note of authority. The staff nodded in agreement, their faces solemn. ¡°But at the same time, I don¡¯t want to rush into any hasty decisions. I want to take some time to think about this and figure out the best course of action. For now, I¡¯m going to suspend everyone for a week, including Alexa,¡± he said, his voice firm but measured. Alexa¡¯s heart sank at the news. She had been prepared to face the consequences of her actions, and she had expected to be fired. But Anthony¡¯s words caught her off guard. ¡°Suspended?¡± she asked, her voice quivering. ¡°Anthony, I understand if you want to fire me. I¡¯ve let you down and I know I made a mistake.¡± Anthony shook his head firmly. ¡°No, Alexa. You¡¯re a valuable member of the team, and I know that you¡¯ve been put in a difficult position. You¡¯re suspended for a week, but you¡¯re not fired. I want you to take this time to think about what¡¯s happened ande back stronger.¡± Alexa¡¯s eyes filled with tears, and she felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. Despite everything that had happened, Anthony had stood by her, and that meant everything to her. As she walked out of the mansion, suspended from her job but with a sense of newfound strength and resilience, Alexa knew that she would never forget this moment. She had faced her fears, ande out the other side, stronger and more determined than ever before. 63 Alexa arrived home to find Cody sitting on the couch, watching TV. When he heard the door open, he quickly turned around and his expression immediately changed to one of shock when he saw Alexa standing there. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked, jumping up from the couch. Alexa took a deep breath before answering. ¡°I got suspended from work for a week,¡± she replied, her voice shaking slightly. Cody¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What? Why?¡± he asked, looking concerned. Alexa took a seat on the couch and told Cody everything that had happened. She told him about the party at Nn¡¯s and how she had been drugged by him. She told him about the video that Kathy had shown Anthony and how she had been suspended along with the rest of the staff. Cody¡¯s face grew angrier as she spoke. ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± he said. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± Alexa shook her head. ¡°I should have reported it to Anthony right away. I should have known better.¡± Cody sat down beside her and put his arm around her. ¡°Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re only human. Besides, it¡¯s not like you were the one who threw the party.¡± Alexa leaned her head on Cody¡¯s shoulder, grateful for his support. ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°But I still feel like I let Anthony down.¡± Cody hugged her tightly. ¡°Anthony will understand,¡± he said. ¡°He¡¯s a good guy.¡± Alexa nodded, feeling a little better. ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s been really understanding about the whole thing. I¡¯m just d I didn¡¯t lose my job.¡± Cody smiled at her. ¡°Me too,¡± he said. ¡°Now let¡¯s just rx and enjoy our time off together.¡± Alexa smiled back at him, feeling grateful to have someone like Cody in her life. She knew that with him by her side, she could get through anything. Alexa had been enjoying her day off at home, lounging on the couch and watching TV when she heard amotion outside. It was Cody, yelling at his gang mates for yet another failed robbery. Alexa sighed, wondering when Cody would finally realize that his life of crime wasn¡¯t going to get him anywhere. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Alexa got up to answer it, wondering who it could be. She was surprised to find Jade and her boyfriend, David, standing on her doorstep. ¡°Hey, Alexa!¡± Jade said, smiling brightly. ¡°We just wanted to drop by and say hi.¡± Alexa smiled back. ¡°Hey, Jade! Hey, David! Come on in.¡± The couple followed her into the living room, where Cody was still shouting outside. ¡°So, how¡¯s work been treating you?¡± Jade asked, sitting down on the couch. Alexa sighed. ¡°It¡¯s been rough. I got suspended for a week because of that party at Anthony¡¯s house.¡± David raised an eyebrow. ¡°What party?¡± Alexa rolled her eyes. ¡°Long story. Let¡¯s just say I screwed up and got caught.¡± Jade nodded sympathetically. ¡°Well, we all make mistakes. The important thing is that you learn from them.¡± Alexa smiled gratefully. ¡°Thanks, Jade. That means a lot.¡± Just then, Cody burst into the room, his face red with anger.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Who the hell are these people?¡± he shouted, ring at Jade and David. ¡°Cody, calm down,¡± Alexa said, trying to keep her voice even. ¡°These are my friends, Jade and David.¡± Cody scoffed. ¡°Friends? More like spies, if you ask me.¡± David stood up, his fists clenched. ¡°Listen, man, I don¡¯t want any trouble. We¡¯re just here to hang out with Alexa.¡± Cody sneered. ¡°Yeah, right. Like I¡¯m gonna believe that.¡± Jade stepped forward, putting a hand on David¡¯s arm. ¡°Look, Cody, we¡¯re not here to cause any problems. We just wanted to say hi and see how Alexa was doing.¡± Cody hesitated for a moment, then grudgingly nodded. ¡°Fine. But you guys better watch your backs.¡± Alexa sighed, wishing Cody would learn to trust people a little more. She chatted with Jade and David for a while longer, catching up on their lives and discussing work-rted issues. As soon as Jade brings up the topic of Anthony, Alexa¡¯s heart races a bit faster. She knows that her friend Jade is the kind of person who loves to gossip and pry into other people¡¯s love lives. Alexa hesitates for a moment, wondering if she should divulge too much information. But then she decides to share some of her thoughts with her friend. ¡°Well,¡± Alexa starts slowly, ¡°Anthony is a really great guy. He¡¯s smart, funny, and he¡¯s really kind to me. But I don¡¯t think of him that way. He¡¯s my boss, and I have to maintain a professional rtionship with him.¡± Jade¡¯s eyes widen in surprise. ¡°Really? You¡¯re not attracted to him at all?¡± Alexa shrugs. ¡°I mean, he¡¯s definitely good-looking, but that¡¯s not really what¡¯s important to me. I think he¡¯s a great person, and I enjoy working for him.¡± Jade nods, looking a bit disappointed. ¡°I see. Well, I guess that¡¯s good for you. But I have to admit, I was hoping for some juicy gossip.¡± Alexaughs. ¡°Sorry to disappoint you. But trust me, there¡¯s nothing going on between us.¡± Jade grins mischievously. ¡°Well, maybe there could be. You never know.¡± Alexa rolls her eyes, but she can¡¯t help but feel a bit ttered by Jade¡¯s words. She knows that her friend means well, but she also knows that getting involved with her boss would be a risky move. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Alexa says firmly. ¡°Like I said, we have a professional rtionship, and I don¡¯t want to jeopardize that.¡± Jade nods, looking thoughtful. ¡°I understand. But just think about it, okay? You never know what could happen.¡± Alexa smiles, but she knows that she won¡¯t be thinking about it at all. She¡¯s happy with her life the way it is, and she doesn¡¯t want toplicate things by getting involved with her boss. The two friends continue to chat for a while longer, discussing their work and personal lives. Alexa enjoys spending time with Jade, and she¡¯s grateful to have a friend who she can talk to about anything. Eventually, though, Jade has to go, and Alexa is left alone in her apartment once again. She sits on the couch, lost in thought, as she reys their conversation in her mind. Despite what she said to Jade, she can¡¯t help but feel a bit curious about Anthony. She wonders what it would be like to be with him, to have a romantic rtionship with him. 64 Alexa sat on the couch in Cody¡¯s living room, idly flipping through TV channels while Cody paced around the room, muttering to himself. He had been like this ever since Jade had brought up Anthony Brown, and it was starting to get on Alexa¡¯s nerves. Finally, unable to take it anymore, she turned to him and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on with you, Cody? You¡¯ve been acting weird for days now.¡± Cody paused in his pacing and red at her. ¡°What do you mean, acting weird? I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re clearly not fine,¡± Alexa countered. ¡°You¡¯ve been pacing around and muttering to yourself. Is it because of what Jade said about Anthony Brown?¡± Cody¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Yeah, it is. I can¡¯t stop thinking about it. I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t choose Jade to take on that job.¡± Alexa raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why¡¯s that? You seemed pretty impressed with her skills.¡± ¡°I was,¡± Cody admitted. ¡°But now I¡¯m starting to think she¡¯s not as trustworthy as I thought she was. I mean, she¡¯s practically drooling over Anthony Brown. What if she tries to double-cross us?¡± ¡°Double-cross us?¡± Alexa repeated incredulously. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Cody sighed and sat down next to her. ¡°Look, you know how important this job is to me. If we mess this up, we could both end up in jail. That¡¯s why I need someone I can trust to handle it. And I trust you, Alexa. I chose you for this job because I know you¡¯re loyal and you won¡¯t let me down.¡± Alexa was taken aback by Cody¡¯s words. She had never thought of herself as particrly trustworthy or loyal; in fact, she had always considered herself a bit of a wild card. But hearing Cody say these things made her feel proud, and a little bit scared. ¡°Why did you choose me, anyway?¡± she asked, trying to change the subject. Alexa feels a sudden pang of anger at Cody¡¯s words, but she tries to keep herposure as she asks him, ¡°What do you mean by that? I¡¯ve never fucked up before.¡± Cody looks at her incredulously before shaking his head. ¡°You really believe that, don¡¯t you? Let me remind you of the time you messed up the job we hadst year. You were supposed to get the target out without anyone noticing, but you ended up getting caught and almost blew our cover. Luckily, we managed to get out of that situation, but it could have ended badly for all of us.¡± Alexa bites her lip, feeling embarrassed at the reminder of her past mistake. ¡°That was a long time ago, Cody. I¡¯ve learned from my mistakes since then.¡± Cody gives her a skeptical look before continuing. ¡°And what about the time you lost the package we were supposed to deliver? Or the time you got too close to a target andpromised the entire mission? Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re perfect, Alexa.¡± Alexa feels her frustration building as she retorts, ¡°Well, what about you? You¡¯re not exactly perfect either. Remember the time you got caught stealing from that store? Or the time you got into a fight and got us all kicked out of the bar?¡± Cody narrows his eyes at her. ¡°That¡¯s different, and you know it. I never imed to be perfect, but at least I don¡¯t make the same mistakes over and over again. You¡¯re always getting distracted and putting us all at risk.¡± Alexa grits her teeth, feeling defensive. ¡°I¡¯m not getting distracted, Cody. And I¡¯ve never put any of you at risk intentionally.¡± Cody raises an eyebrow at her. ¡°Intentionally? Maybe not. But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯re not capable of handling anything on your own. You need someone to hold your hand every step of the way.¡± Alexa feels her anger rising at Cody¡¯s words, but she takes a deep breath and tries to keep her cool. ¡°I can handle things on my own, Cody. And I don¡¯t appreciate you talking down to me like that.¡± Cody chuckles, clearly amused by Alexa¡¯s outburst. ¡°I¡¯m not talking down to you, Alexa. I¡¯m just telling it like it is. You¡¯re not cut out for this kind of work. You¡¯re too emotional, too impulsive. You don¡¯t think things through.¡± Alexa feels a pang of self-doubt at Cody¡¯s words, but she tries to push it aside as she looks at him defiantly. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not giving up. And I¡¯m not going to let you or anyone else tell me what I can or can¡¯t do.¡± Cody nods slowly, a small smirk on his face. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. But do you really think you have the guts to give up at this rate?¡± Alexa feels a surge of determination at Cody¡¯s challenge. ¡°I do. And I¡¯ll prove it to you.¡± Cody chuckles again before standing up from the couch. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that, Alexa. We¡¯ll see about that.¡± 65 As Alexa started her first day back at work, she couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. Anthony¡¯s behavior towards her was extremely strange and it was clear that he was upset with her. Nn, on the other hand, was being downright rude and ignoring herpletely. Alexa tried her best to push those thoughts aside and focus on her work. As she walked through the mansion, she noticed that the housekeeping staff was acting like everything was normal, but she could sense that they were also aware of the tension in the air. They tried their best to keep the house in order, hoping that if they could bring a smile to Anthony¡¯s face, he mighte in with a positive attitude towards Alexa. However, as the day went on, Anthony didn¡¯t seem to be getting any better. He was distant and unapproachable, even to the point where he left for work earlier than usual. It was as if he wanted to avoid Alexa altogether. Feeling defeated and unsure of what to do, Alexa decided to confront Nn about the situation. ¡°Nn, can we talk?¡± she asked softly. Nn gave her a cold stare, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I just want to know if everything is alright. Did I do something wrong?¡± Nn scoffed, ¡°Did you do something wrong? Let¡¯s see, you let my son throw a party in the house, and then you lied to Anthony about it. Do you think that¡¯s something to be proud of?¡± Alexa sighed, ¡°I know I made a mistake, and I¡¯m sorry. I wish I could take it back, but I can¡¯t. I just want to make things right.¡± Nn rolled his eyes, ¡°Well, you should have thought about that before you let it happen. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have work to do.¡± As Nn walked away, Alexa felt a pang of sadness in her chest. She had never felt so unwanted before. She knew she had made a mistake, but she was doing everything she could to make things right. It seemed like no matter what she did, it was never going to be enough. Alexa continued with her work for the rest of the day, feeling more and more dejected as the hours passed. She couldn¡¯t help but think about Anthony and how distant he had been towards her. She knew they had an argument, but she hoped that they would be able to work through it. As she left the mansion that day, she couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of uncertainty. Would things ever go back to the way they were before? Would Anthony ever forgive her? Alexa didn¡¯t know, but she hoped that time would heal all wounds. While Alexa worked, she suddenly remembered the night Anthony had kissed her. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she thought back to how his lips had felt on hers. But her smile quickly faded as she realized the reality of the situation. She wished for some miracle to stop the n from going through, to save her from the dangerous mission and her feelings for Anthony. *****THE NEXT DAY. As Alexa walked into her room, she was surprised to find Anthony standing there. He hade looking for her to apologize for kissing her while he was drunk. She could see the sincerity in his eyes, and it was hard to stay mad at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alexa. I shouldn¡¯t have kissed you like that. I know it was wrong and unprofessional. Please forgive me,¡± Anthony said, looking genuinely sorry. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Anthony,¡± Alexa replied softly, her heart beating fast in her chest. ¡°I know you were drunk, and it wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± Anthony¡¯s expression softened as he heard her words. ¡°Thank you, Alexa. You¡¯re very understanding.¡± He then proceeded to apologize for suspending her for so long. ¡°I needed some time to think about everything that had happened, and I¡¯m sorry it took me so long toe to a decision. I hope you can forgive me for that too.¡± Alexa felt relief wash over her, knowing that Anthony was not thinking about firing her. She had feared the worst, but his words made her feel reassured.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Anthony. I understand why you had to suspend me. I should have been more responsible and not let Nn manipte me like that.¡± Anthony nodded and looked at her intently. ¡°I want you to know that I have a lot of respect for you, Alexa. You¡¯ve been an excellent employee, and you¡¯ve proved your loyalty to me time and again.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she heard his words. She wondered what he meant by that. But then, to her surprise, Anthony confessed his feelings for her. ¡°The truth is, Alexa, I have developed feelings for you over the past few weeks. I tried to ignore them, but I can¡¯t any longer. I want to be more than just your boss. I want to be with you.¡± Alexa¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She had never expected Anthony to say something like that. She had always known that he was out of her league, and she had never dared to dream of being with him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say, Anthony,¡± she stammered, feeling overwhelmed. ¡°I understand if you don¡¯t feel the same way,¡± Anthony said, looking slightly disappointed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to pressure you into anything you¡¯re not ready for. I just had to tell you how I feel.¡± Alexa felt torn. She had feelings for Anthony too, but she knew that it was a dangerous game to get involved with her boss. But then again, she couldn¡¯t deny the attraction she felt for him. ¡°I do have feelings for you, Anthony,¡± she finally admitted. ¡°But I don¡¯t know how we can make this work. You¡¯re my boss, and this is a dangerous mission we¡¯re about to undertake.¡± Anthony nodded, looking thoughtful. ¡°I know it¡¯s risky, but I¡¯m willing to take that chance. And as for the boss-employee rtionship, we can work around that. We can keep our personal and professional lives separate.¡± Alexa felt a glimmer of hope at his words. Maybe they could make this work after all. 66 My heart was pounding, I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing, Anthony just confessed his feelings for me.. He wasn¡¯t going to fire me. Without thinking, I moved closer to him and locked my lips to his. He was kissing me back passionately. I felt his arms wrap around me, pulling me in as close as he could. It was like nothing else mattered in that moment. I broke the kiss, and I looked into his eyes. They were filled with desire and longing, and I knew that he wanted me just as much as I wanted him. ¡°Do you ept my confession¡± he asked softly, I giggled not know what to say He kissed me again this time softly, I felt a jolt of electricity run through my entire body. I closed my eyes and surrendered to the sensation of his warm, tender embrace. Our mouths moved in perfect sync, his tongue exploring my mouth as my own met his in a passionate dance. The sensation was overwhelming, and I found myself losing all sense of time and space. All that existed was him, and me, and the heat of the moment. I felt his hands move up to cup my face, his fingers threading through my hair as he deepened the kiss. I responded eagerly, my own hands exploring his broad shoulders and the strong muscles of his back. I felt my body pressing against his, craving the closeness and intimacy of his touch. ¡°Alexa¡±, he moaned slowly lowering me to the bed. ¡°You¡¯re the most beautiful woman I¡¯ve met¡±. He deepened the kiss, it was more intense, more passionate. Our breathing grew heavier, our hearts beating in time with one another. I felt his body harden against mine, his arousal evident in the way his hips pressed against me. I could feel the tension building between us, the desire and need that burned hotly within us both. It was as though we were both caught up in a whirlwind of lust and longing, unable to resist the pull of our desire. As the kiss finally broke, we were both breathless, panting and gasping for air. We gazed into one another¡¯s eyes, lost in the intensity of the moment. I knew then that I wanted him, all of him. I wanted to explore every inch of his body, to feel his hands on me, his lips on mine. I wanted to surrender myself to himpletely, to lose myself in the passion and desire that burned so brightly between us. As he leaned in to kiss me again, I felt a sense of utter surrender wash over me. I gave myselfpletely to him, opening my body to his touch.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. As he kissed me again, I felt his hands start to explore my body. He knew exactly what buttons to push, and I was quickly losing myself in the moment. Anthony looked at me with a mixture of lust and adoration, and I couldn¡¯t help moaning. We both knew that we had just crossed a line, but I didn¡¯t care. ¡°I want you Alexa¡± he said I nodded guiding his hands to my panties. ¡± Fuck¡± he moaned as he tore at my clothes. I was already so turned on that the sound of his desire made me quiver. He took off his clothes and hovered over me, his eyes dark with desire. I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair, pulling him down for another kiss. Our tongues tangled as we explored each other¡¯s mouths. He moved his lips to my neck, kissing and nibbling at the sensitive skin there. I arched my back, pressing my body closer to his. He moved down my body, kissing and licking my nipples before moving further down. When he reached my panties, he looked up at me, asking for permission with his eyes. I nodded, my breathing in short gasps. He tore off my panties and spread my legs, his eyes locked on my center. I was so wet and ready for him. He leaned down and buried his face between my legs, licking and sucking at my clit. I cried out, my hands gripping the sheets as pleasure washed over me. He moved up my body, his hard length pressing against my thigh. I reached down and guided him inside me, gasping as he filled mepletely. He started moving slowly at first, his hands on my hips, but soon picked up the pace. I wrapped my legs around him, urging him on. We moved together in perfect rhythm, each thrust bringing us closer to the edge. He leaned down and kissed me deeply, his tongue probing my mouth. I could feel my orgasm building and knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on much longer. With a loud cry, I came, my body shaking with pleasure. He followed soon after, his hot seed filling me up. We copsed onto the bed, our bodies still joined. Wey there for a few minutes, catching our breath, before he pulled out and rolled onto his back. Wey there, side by side, our fingers intertwined. ¡°I would never break your heart¡± he murmured pulling me close. *** Nn stirred awake in the middle of the night, his throat dry and parched. He rubbed his bleary eyes and stumbled out of bed, making his way to the kitchen to get a ss of water. As he poured himself a drink, his eyes drifted towards Alexa¡¯s door, and he felt a sudden urge to check on her. Quietly, he made his way to her room, feeling the floorboards creak beneath his feet. He turned the doorknob slowly, peeking inside. What he saw made his blood run cold. Alexa was in bed with his father. Nn¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he watched them, frozen to the spot. His father¡¯s arm was draped around Alexa¡¯s waist, and they were both sound asleep, oblivious to Nn¡¯s presence. He felt his anger start to boil over, and he clenched his fists. Without a word, Nn closed the door and stormed out of the house, his mind racing. He couldn¡¯t believe what he had just witnessed. His father was sleeping with his nanny. 67 I woke up to an empty bed, the sheets rumpled from the previous night¡¯s passion. Anthony must have left early to avoid the maids finding out we had spent the night together. I stretched my limbs and smiled at the thought, reliving the heat of our lovemaking in my mind. I couldn¡¯t believe I just had sex with my boss The warm sun was shining through the window, and I could hear the birds chirping outside. I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. The hot water cascaded down my body, washing away thest remnants of sleep. I felt refreshed and energized as I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my body.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! I was conflicted on what to wear. If I dressed up Nn would only make fun of me and say I was trying to seduce him. But I wanted my boss Anthony to see me looking prim before he left for work. I hurriedly put on some shorts and tank top, I wasn¡¯t going to allow Nn to get to me, not today. After applying some blush and lip gloss, I headed out to find Nn. I knocked on his door. ¡°Nn¡± I called. There was no answer. I pushed the door thinking it was locked but to my surprise it wasn¡¯t locked. But he was nowhere to be found. He was probably in the garden I thought. I walked to the garden hoping he would be in a good mood so I didn¡¯t have to deal with his snarkyments this morning. He was not in the garden either. I started to panic. Where could he possibly be this early I thought to myself. I searched the house, but he was not in any of the rooms or in any of themon areas. I wondered where he could have gone. I asked all the workers, but no one had seen him. I walked down the hallway towards Anthony¡¯s room and knocked slightly on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± he said, and I opened the door to enter his room. I was feeling a bit shy and unsure of where to look. Anthony was already dressed for work. He was sitting on his bed, scrolling through his phone, and as he heard me enter, he turned his gaze towards mezily. The memory of what happened between us yesterday shed before my eyes and I knew I was blushing. I felt hot all of a sudden. ¡°Hello, sir,¡± I said softly, trying to sound respectful. ¡°Hey,¡± he replied, walking up to me. He kissed me and I could swear I heard myself moan. I stepped back regretting it instantly but I needed to inform him. ¡°Nn is missing,¡± I said, and Anthony¡¯s expression changed fromzy to worried in a split second. ¡°What? Where did he go?¡± he thundered, and he walked out of the room, leaving me behind. I followed him as he rushed down the hallway towards Nn¡¯s room. He tried calling his phone repeatedly, but he didn¡¯t pick up. I was worried, but he said, ¡°Alexa, he probably went to one of his friend¡¯s ces.¡± Anthony went upstairs to pick up something and headed to work. As I walked back to my room, my mind was racing with thoughts. Was it possible that Nn saw me with Anthony yesterday? The memory made me shudder. There was no way he saw us. I convinced myself. I had always thought I was content with my boyfriend, Cody. He was the one who sent me into this house on a mission, after all. But being here made me question everything. The connection I felt with Anthony was undeniable, and Nn too made my heart beat despite him infuriating me at every opportunity he got. I could not help but wonder what it would be like to be with him. Was he a gentle lover or was he rough?. ¡°Alexa get it together¡± I said to myself. How can I have sexual feelings for both Anthony and Nn? The truth was, I was torn. Part of me wanted to stay loyal to Cody and forget about the temptations around me. But the other part yearned for something more, something that Cody couldn¡¯t provide. I hated feeling so conflicted. I was so tired of Cody and his crimes. Was I going to spend my whole life entertaining his lifestyle? His never-ending string of crimes, the gang. I thought it was thrilling to be a part of his world, but now it all just seemed exhausting. I was sick of being his little puppet, always going along with whatever he wanted. It was time for a change. I knew that I didn¡¯t want to be a part of Cody¡¯s n to rob Anthony¡¯s mansion anymore . I didn¡¯t want to be involved in any more illegal activities. It was time for me to make a clean break from Cody and his lifestyle. I sighed sadly knowing it was wishful thinking. Cody would kill us all if he ever found out what was going on. I was stuck with him except he discarded me first. But there was something else that was tearing me apart inside. I was torn between my love for Anthony and Nn. As Iy there, lost in thought, I realized that I needed to make a decision. I couldn¡¯t continue to entertain these feelings for Anthony and Nn while pretending everything was fine with Cody. Feeling overwhelmed, I decided to take a walk down to the garden. As I made my way through the garden, I couldn¡¯t help but think about Nn and where he had disappeared to. The garden was one of my favorite spots in the mansion. It was serene, quiet, and beautifullyndscaped. As I walked through the winding paths, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. I remembered Nn sitting peacefully at the garden ying his guitar. Where was Nn and why did he disappear all of a sudden I thought feeling uneasy. 68 ANTHONY¡¯S POV I sat in my study distracting myself with work. I was looking over ayout for the recent contract we signed for an amusement park when I heard the knock on the door. ¡°Come in I intoned¡± Alexa walks in. She looked so hot in whatever she wore. She didn¡¯t even understand the effect she had on me. ¡°Anthony, we need to find Nn, It¡¯s been two days.¡± I felt a sharp pain in his chest at the mention of Nn¡¯s name. I¡¯m sorry, Alexa, but I can¡¯t help you. Nn is an adult, and he can take care of himself. Besides, he probably doesn¡¯t want to be found.¡± Alexa¡¯s face fell, and she looked at him incredulously. ¡°How can you say that? He¡¯s your son, Anthony. He needs your help.¡± ¡°I know he¡¯s my son, but he¡¯s also a grown man. He¡¯s made his choices, and he has to live with the consequences. I can¡¯t keep bailing him out every time he messes up.¡± Alexa shook her head, clearly frustrated. ¡°But this isn¡¯t about bailing him out. This is about making sure he¡¯s safe. Don¡¯t you care about him at all?¡± I bristled at her words. Of course I cared about my son, more than anything in the world. But I could not keep enabling him, could not keep fixing his mistakes, I could not keep saying the same thing forever. Nn needed to learn how to take responsibility for his own life.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°I care about Nn more than anything, but I can¡¯t force him to understand that. He¡¯s not fully incorporating that people like you care about him dearly. He needs to learn that for himself.¡± Alexa looked like she was about to argue further, but I held up a hand to stop her. ¡°Look, this is hard for me and I know this is hard for you too, and you might think it¡¯s your fault for not keeping an eye on him but it¡¯s not and I¡¯m sorry. But I won¡¯t do anything right now. I trust Nn toe home when he can.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± she said, looking more confused than she was when she walked in. She left and I sank into the chair feeling the weight of my decisions bearing down on me. I knew I was taking a risk by not going after Nn, but I also knew that I couldn¡¯t keep enabling him and if Nn didn¡¯t want to be found no one would find him. It was time for his son to grow up. I wasn¡¯t going to look for him this time around. I tried focusing but I wasn¡¯t concentrating. Was Alexa mad because I said no to her request? . . . ALEXA I had just taken a rxing bath and was settling into my pajamas when Anthony walked into my room. He looked so hot. ¡°Alexa, I was wondering if you wanted to watch a movie with me tonight? I could use somepany.¡± I smiled at him and nodded, happy to spend some time with him. We walked to his room, and he put on a movie. We cuddled up on the couch, and I felt safe and content in his arms. As the movie went on, I started to feel more rxed. Anthony¡¯s touch was gentle, his breath warm on my skin. I could feel myself getting lost in the moment, in the warmth and safety of his embrace. Suddenly, he leaned in and started kissing me. I was taken aback but quickly got lost in the sensation. His lips were soft and warm, and his touch sent shivers down my spine. He cupped my breast and deepened the kiss. I thought about Cody and my body went cold; what if he caught me I thought my body went cold at the thought of what he would do to me. ¡± Anthony,¡± I said as I pulling away. ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡± he asked He looked disappointed, but he said ¡°I understand, Alexa. I didn¡¯t mean to make you ufortable¡± he said ¡°Is everything okay, Alexa? You seem worried.¡± he added I hesitated for a moment before nodding. ¡°I¡¯m just a little scared. Anthony¡¯s face softened. ¡°I understand, Alexa. You don¡¯t have to be afraid of anything . Nn woulde home¡± thinking I was worried about Nn. He kissed me again this time softly, my buttons came undone, I was heating up and I could feel my pajamas being taken off. I couldn¡¯t think of anything anymore as he put his mouth on my clit. I held his hair drawing him closer to me as I let out a moan of pleasure. He moved his tongue expertly around me, teasing me and making me feel alive with every touch. I arched my back, wanting more, needing more. He sensed my desire and slipped two fingers inside me, pushing deep and bringing me closer to the edge. My body trembled as I gave into the pleasure he was giving me. He pulled his fingers out, and I whimpered at the loss. But he wasn¡¯t done with me yet. He climbed on top of me, his hard body pressing against mine, and kissed me deeply. I could feel his need for me, his desire for me. He slid inside me, filling me uppletely. I gasped at the feeling, my body adjusting to his size. He moved slowly at first, savoring the sensation of being inside me. But soon he was pounding into me with abandon, his hips mming into mine with each thrust. I dug my nails into his back, holding onto him tightly as the pleasure overwhelmed me. I could feel my body building towards an orgasm, and he knew it too. He shifted his angle, hitting a spot inside me that made me see stars. I cried out, my body shaking as I came hard around him. He kept thrusting, not slowing down, driving me to another orgasm quickly. He grunted and moaned as he came inside me, his body shuddering with pleasure. 69 The next morning, Alexa woke up in bed with Anthony naked. She looked over at him and felt a rush of emotions from the night before after they had watched a movie and drank wine together. As she got out of bed and started to get dressed, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel happy about what had happened between them. They had been flirtatious for weeks now, and finally letting loose was liberating. But then her phone buzzed with a message from Jade asking how she was doing. Suddenly, the realization hit Alexa that things weren¡¯t all sunshine and rainbows for her back home with Cody. A floodgate of memories came rushing through as thoughts of Cody consuming her mind. For just a moment fear struck Alexia ¨C would this one mistake ruin everything? But still feeling good about being with Anthony despite everything; she decided to move forward without letting these negative feelings influence or rm anyone around herself. ¡°It will be okay,¡± whispered Alexa under her breath as she walked into the kitchen where Anthony already made breakfast. ¡°Good morning! Did you sleep well?¡± asked Anthony as he ced food on tes for them both. ¡°I slept great!¡± replied Alexia trying not to think more beyond what is necessary. ¡°Are you sure?¡± He asked her with searching eyes. She looked at me for sometime, curious on why he was asking her such. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± she asked him. ¡°No, you just happen to look a little bit pale and this only happens when you are worried or worked up about something,¡± he finally aired his opinion. He really knew her well because she was indeed greatly troubled. She quickly feigned a smile and lied about being alright. ¡°Baby I am alright, trust me,¡± she assured. Anthony nodded, simply believing the words of his woman. She stood up at once, to continue with her make over, as for Anthony, he stood and headed for the bathroom to freshen up too. He then instructed Alexa to prepare for the day as they were going out together. Later on¡­ Anthony had been nning a special evening out with Alexa after theirst lovely dinner by the view. As he picked up his phone to call her, she surprisingly told him that she can¡¯t make it because of the dress code restriction, iming that she has nothing appropriate to wear. ¡°Hey baby, can youe over to the address that I am going to text you?¡± He asked her. ¡°Is it important? Can¡¯t I skip for another day?¡± she asked him. ¡°It is very important ,¡± he replied. Anthony wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer this time. ¡°What¡¯s the dress code?¡± She asked him. ¡°No dress code but I believe putting on something much more sexy would be nice. Expose you body parts a little too,¡± he said to her.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Then I am sorry to disappoint you but I will not be able to make it,¡± she informed him. ¡°Why is that so?¡± ¡°I am on my work clothing and they are strictly cooperate,¡± she answered. He urged her not to worry about it, assuring her that they will have a great night no matter what. Feeling excited now despite herself, Alexa curiously asked Anthony about their agenda; wondering where exactly they would go if not in any particr fancy ce like before? ¡°I thought we could try something less formal,¡± replied Anthony smoothly. ¡°It¡¯s just another unique restaurant but with a morefortable atmosphere.¡± Alexa smiled at how cheerful and helpful he is always trying to be towards her. ¡°Okay sure! Let me get ready quickly¡±, said Alexa while still blushing at such a gentlemanly behavior from Anthony. 70 As they stroll through the mall, Alexa¡¯s gaze wanders around the opulent surroundings. She notices that Anthony steered towards an borate fashion store and feels her heart pounding harder in her chest. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this is a good idea,¡± she whispers, looking up at him with deep concern etched on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious about it, Alexa,¡± he replied confidently. ¡°It¡¯s just clothing.¡± She takes his words as assurance and begins to browse through their collection somewhat more rxed than before. As anxiety fades away into oblivion, anticipation kicks in ¨C after all, she¡¯d love to look really gorgeous tonight. While walking past a broad ss window showing off mannequins draped in stunning dresses of various hues and style; each shining bright on lifeless figures under artificial lighting conditions; an unexpected sight captures Alexa¡¯s attention from outside. ¡°Kathy? What was Kathy doing here?¡± Alexa asked herself, hot footing out of the boutique, to meet her. Kathy walked into the crowded store, feeling overwhelmed. She was trying to find a birthday gift for her son and had no idea what to get him. As she started browsing through the toy aisle, a voice suddenly caught her attention. ¡°I think you should go for the other one?¡± It was Alexa who suggested from behind. . Kathy turned around to see who it was, a surprised and shocking expression appeared on her face. ¡°Alexa?¡± She mouthed. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me,¡± Alexa answered and quickly rushed her for a hug. She felt really happy to see her friend but it did not seem so for the other party. ¡°Oh wow,¡± Kathy said in amazement. ¡°Longest time .¡± Alexa responded with a polite reply ¡®yes¡¯ message. ¡°I really have to get going, I and my son have somewhere to be now,¡± she said in a rush. ¡°Oh alright, you can just give me your call line, so I can get through to youter.¡± ¡°Just give me you card, I will call you myself,¡± she immediately replied. It felt as though she was running from something. They exchanged pleasantries and just as Kathy was about to leave, she told Alexa something. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone else about this please. I do not want anybody to know I am here.¡± ¡°Sure you can trust me on that,¡± Alexa guaranteed. The moment soon passed as they wished each other goodbye but right after Kathy left, her son came running back into the store calling out for his dad who had mixed up something while parking their truck just outside. ¡°Daddy!¡± he yelled hurriedly as he ran past everyone including his mother all too eager to show off that he found their ride amidst dozens parked alongside theirs.¡± As she watched her son run out yelling enthusiastically waving at someone down the street; Kathy subsequently muttered under her breath ¨C ¡®Well go find Daddy then kiddo.¡¯ While reaching for the door handle hastily, I wanted to walk in and find Anthony but I hesitated as soon as she saw my eyesnded on someone. ¡°Cody?? That couldn¡¯t possibly be true! Were the two of them together now? There has to be some kind of misunderstanding happening here!¡± She thought.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Overwhelmed by conflicting emotions raging inside her head ¨C confusion followed by disbelief quickly writhing down trails leading right onto disappointment ¨CAlexa retreats back into tiny interior lit-up space provided by the fancy surrounding storefronts. **** ¡°Are you okay?¡± Anthony asks softly while holding one arm solicitously around hers. With amusement mounting rapidly behind closed eyelids unsure whether falling or blinking continuously against them could help hold them back any longer, ¡®None¡¯ were quite able enough options popped up within seconds disying across avable screen choices.¡¯ ¡°I think I need some time alone,¡± Her voice cracking slightly, unable to find another means to think. ¡± Sure thing.¡± He replies then watches sadly walks alongside peripheral vision every step she takes away from him, fleeing from his presence. What was he doing here? She wondered, in between her thoughts, she caught a glimpse of Cody and Cathy walking hand and in hand, with the little on his other hand. She was really shocked. So Cathy was the reason he had yed with her back then. She felt like a big fool, finding out now. While still dreading what she saw, Cody and Cathy passed before her yet again and this time she was greatly tempted to go and confront the two of them. The moment she saw her ex-boyfriend and friendughing together, something inside her snapped. It felt like an explosion in her chest ¨C sudden, intense and full of rage. All the pain that she had felt since their breakup came back to haunt her again. But now it was a new level of anger. Her heart raced with every step towards them, building into a crescendo when they noticed her approach.. The sound seemed to echo in the street as she started screaming at both of them simultaneously , voicing everything going on inside without any filter or reservations. With frustration fueling each sentence, words spewed out from between tight lipsced with fury , entuated by violent hand gestures . Her eyes zed like fire as sobs reced screams when memories triggered different emotions suppressed within. It wasn¡¯t just enough for everyone around to hear; thisdy wanted everybody to know just how betrayed and angry she was feeling. Not only did they cheat on me but they also sneaked behind my back!! Was it worth ruining our friendship???¡± By now breathlessness set in while redness bore down mercilessly onto flushed cheeks still crying silently. In general, the scene turned ugly before passerbys managed toe over trying to calm things down. Soon Anthony got to the scene, he was surprised to see that Alexa was involved in the scene. ¡°What is going on here Alexa?¡± He asked, while trying not to calm her down. She refused to say anything, all she did was sob continuously. People she really cared about always ended up hurting her. So this was the reason why Kathy felt uneasy as they discussed earlier on? 71 Alexa finally mustered up the courage to talk to Anthony about Cody Nn, her ex-boyfriend, and Kathy, who happens to be her friend. As she spoke of betrayal by someone close to her on two fronts over a cup of coffee at a quaint cafe nearby, tears rolled down from eyes uncontrobly. ¡°Why would they do this to me?¡± Alexa sniffled as she clutched onto a tissue box ced on the table. Anthony leaned in and took one of Alexa¡¯s hands in his while maintaining eye contact with aforting smile painted across his face. ¡°Hey now, it¡¯s going to be alright,¡± he said gently. ¡°You¡¯re too awesome for them anyways.¡± Alexa giggled softly despite herself. It was impossible not to feel better around Anthony ¨C he just had that effect on people. Later after picking out an outfit from the store where they were nestled; Alexis with shopping bags walked alongside Anthony towards a fitting room.¡±Let me try this outfit-on inside¡­¡± They quickly left the boutique behind without any further ado so Alexandra could change into it before proceeding toward their dinner reservation at that restaurant which couldn¡¯te soon enough.. Alexa had been excited for this night out at the restaurant with Anthony. She spent hours getting ready, picking an elegant dress and carefully applying her makeup. As they sat across from each other at a corner table, she felt both nervous and hopeful about where the evening might lead. She couldn¡¯t help but notice when Anthony¡¯s gaze lingered on her longer than usual ¨C there was something intense in his eyes that made Alexa feel exposed in a way that left her feeling vulnerable. Despite trying to shake off the sensation of unease that crept up inside of her, it only grew stronger as time went by. Finally unable to ignore it any longer, she mustered all of her courage and spoke up: ¡°Do you only want me because you want to be loved again?¡± Anthony seemed taken aback by Alexa¡¯s question yet he didn¡¯t flinch away from answering truthfully either. In a soft voice filled with honesty he responded, ¡°Partly yes¡­ but not entirely.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± pressed Alexa wanting further rification before weighing their future together. ¡°Well I admit I have longed for someone special who will ept mepletely even after knowing my past,¡± replied Anthony while looking deep into Alexa¡¯s eyes. ¡°And now seeing your beauty is undoubtedly one part of what drew me towards asking you out¡­ I can¡¯t deny that¡­But there is another side too¡­.¡± Curiosity piqued , Alexia urged him on,¡± What could possibly be beyond those looks?¡± Pausing momentarily allowing himself digest memories within which stirred beneath surfaced due conversation, he continued.¡± After so many heart breaks, it always stole every possibility creating stable rtionships like most folks¡­. But you showed up and everything changed.¡± With tears building up behind them barely holding back,zily blinking away despite fear rising within added bluntly. ¡°Yes indeed, the physical aspect did lead us here today! But trust me, getting to know you is worth everything ¡­¡­.. Sorry if forced sharing gets awkward!!!¡¯ They both talked and shared romantic moments, till they left for their homes. Of course Anthony was the one that drove her home. As much as he wanted to sleep over, Alexa didn¡¯t let him because he had an early meeting to attend the next morning. So they just kissed each other, after which a very tight hug followed. They really had mutual feelings for each other. New day¡­ Alexa tried her best to ignore the niggling feeling in her gut as she scrolled through Facebook on azy Sunday afternoon. She had stumbled upon a post by another guy, who shared a picture of Nn¡¯s girlfriend and captioned it with ¡°Love of my life.¡± Thement section under the picture was filled with heart emojis andments like ¡°Couple goals!¡± It was an open secret that Nn adored his girlfriend ¨C he talked about her all the time. Despite knowing this, Alexa could not help but feel for him. She could see why he liked her; she was beautiful both inside and out. However, now there seemed to be a shadow over their rtionship. She wondered if she should tell him what she saw or just stay quiet. Was it really any of her business? But then again, if somebody knew something potentially harmful about their loved ones¡¯ rtionships wouldn¡¯t they want someone to alert them? Alexa couldn¡¯t shake off those thoughts from the new discovery away from herself. She picked her phone and put a call through to Nn. ¡°Have you seen anything suspicious onlely?¡± Curiosity reced hunger in Nn¡¯s eyes as he looked up at Alexa mid-bite sandwich pieces hanging off his lips,¡±No nothing yet¡­ Why do you ask?¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It took everything within Alexa not burst out crying right here asking herself how such good natured souls oftentimes ended being treated unfairly while giving too much attention towards others rather than themselves. ¡°Well,¡± she paused briefly before plunging into ongoing solutionary speech measures, ¡°I happened across something peculiar regarding your girl on social media- A lovey-dovey photo where some boy ims ¡®Love Of My Life.¡± By now even extended circle colleagues around had stopped eating half-munches food gurisedly listening attentively. Nn doesn¡¯t know how is going to react after hearing such news but attempts hiding anxious expression by lifting palms facing upwards covering most face features still visible shaking head: ¡°No way! You must have read that wrong.¡± With empathy seeping deep fast inside, Alexa hissed. ¡°I only show concern because I care, Nn. If somebody knows valuable information rted to anything concerning our well-being, it bes eminent. I suggest talking things openly with your partner- confrontations may lead to solving conflicts. So sit down together maybe over a cup of coffee and resolve issues, instead jumping conclusions beforehand without further confirmations. That shall clear clouds haze- fingers crossed.¡± She prayed ardently hoping that truth always prevailed. 72 Anthony had an exhausting day at work, and he was looking forward to getting home. As soon as hended on his couch after kicking off his shoes, his phone buzzed. It was a text message from Alexa that read, ¡°Do you love me?¡± Confused by the abrupt question but sensing its importance, Anthony quickly responded back while gathering his thoughts. He has finished typing but he hesitated to click on the send button. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t tell you with words; let my actions speak for themselves,¡± Anthony muttered to himself. Alexa wasn¡¯t sure what to make of Anthony¡¯s silence. She wondered if the question she asked offended him or if he was already asleep. Knock! Knock! Alexa heard someone knock. She found it somewhat cryptic and wondered if there was something more behind it than what meets the eye. Who would be knocking at her house at such an ungodly manner? Nheless, she couldn¡¯t ignore the person, she went to the door and asked who it was. Finding out it was Anthony, she immediately opened the door and in excitement. After he had seen her text, he stood there for a moment, staring at it before deciding it was best not to respond via text. Instead he chose to go over to her ce and give her an eye to eye reply. ¡°Hey,¡± she greeted him with a smile. ¡°Hi.¡± His response came out more like an exhale than anything else. Alexa noticed something seemed off about his demeanor and asked if everything was okay. Anthony hesitated for a moment before finally telling her what had happened earlier that day at work; they just lost their biggest client due to unforeseen circumstances. As they talked through his concerns together while cuddled up together on the sofa wrapped in nkets she suggested that maybe he should take it easy for some time away from work. But seeing how hardworking and dedicated he is when there is an active demand of seriousness regarding one¡¯s job or career path, putting a significant halt would dy work¡¯s milestone achievement. Feeling better after talking things through with Alexa helped Anthony regainposure. He let out a big chuckle thinking of funny conversations as usual which brought bnce between stress. After sipping on wine shared by them both during this evening rendezvous , She remembered posing such questions earlier which put hope yet fear within herself. ¡°I know today has been really tough but I need you to know that despite all odds my feelings might have wavered a while ago but going through life changing experiences makes me vulnerable.¡± ¡°So I got you text, you asked me if I love you?¡± ¡°Yes, I did,¡± she answered in a low tone. Hearing this made Anthony pause, he knew how much honesty meant especially most dire moments. Slowly raising himself up kissed Alexandria lovingly¡­¡± You don¡¯t ever want to find yourself questioning our solidity again when we are undefeated.¡± Alexandra¡¯s countenance changed immediately ¡± Aww Tony i feel so loved right now.¡± The night went well without interruptions besides switching around television channels until they found memorable and romantic things to engage in. Next day¡­ As Alexa focused on her workout in the basement gym, she couldn¡¯t help but notice how different it felt from her usual exercise routine. The environment was new to her and she found herself testing out the weight machines one by one. After about 30 minutes, Alexa took a drink break as sweat dripped down her forehead. As she wiped off the beads of perspiration with a towel, she heard footsteps approaching behind her. Without warning or hesitation, Anthony slipped his hand up under the back of Alexa¡¯s shorts and cupped onto both cheeks of Alexis¡¯ ass. Her heart rate skyrocketed at this sudden invasion of privacy. Alexa had never experienced anything like that before and immediately turned around to face Anthony. She stared into his eyes wondering what he could have possibly been thinking when touching another person without consent ¨C even if it was just their butt! With an expressionless look on his face, Anthony asked seemingly casually ¡°hey there beautiful,¡± before lowering his voice seductively (typical!), asking whether or not she has ever trained with an amatuar such as himself? She was here at the gym but here he was getting her horny and aroused. ¡°Excuse me!? That¡¯s hardly proper conversation etiquette.¡± Alexa felt a knot in her stomach as he moved his hand towards her folds. She instinctively shifted, trying to put some space between them. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked him sharply. He leaned closer, breathing hotly into her ear. ¡°I¡¯m just admiring your beauty,¡± he murmured seductively. ¡°Your body is so perfectly shaped.¡± Alexa felt herself getting warmer despite the shock and confusion she was feeling. Her heart was still beating fast as his touch made its way downwards. When she felt his fingers brushing against her folds, Alexa jumped up from where they were sitting on the couch together. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of game you¡¯re ying here,¡± she said in shyness, pulling away from himpletely now. ¡°But that¡¯s not okay.¡± Anthony looked taken aback by her outburst but also oddly amused at the same time. ¡°You seemed like a woman who knew exactly how to navigate these thorny paths.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. 73 As Alexay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, she couldn¡¯t shake the memory of what had happened earlier that night. She had gone to the gym basement with Anthony, and they had ended up having sex. The passion between them had been intense, and she could still feel his hands on her body, his lips on hers. But now, as shey alone in her room, she couldn¡¯t focus on sleeping. Her mind kept wandering back to Anthony and the way he had made her feel. She had never been with a man who had such a high sex drive, and it had left her feeling both exhrated and exhausted. As the night wore on, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but think about the possibility of a rtionship with Anthony. She knew it was probably just the post-sex hormones talking, but she couldn¡¯t help feeling drawn to him. Maybe they could have something more than just physical attraction. The next day, when she saw Anthony at the gym, she found it difficult to focus on her workout. Her mind kept wandering back to their night in the basement. Finally, unable to resist any longer, she approached him. ¡°Hey,¡± she said, trying to keep her tone casual. ¡°Can we talk for a minute?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Anthony said, looking up from his workout. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I know we said it was just a one-time thing, but I can¡¯t help feeling like there might be something more between us,¡± Alexa said, her voice barely above a whisper.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Anthony looked at her for a long moment, and she could see the desire in his eyes. ¡°I feel it too,¡± he said finally. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to say anything in case you weren¡¯t interested.¡± ¡°I am,¡± Alexa said, feeling a smile spread across her face. ¡°I¡¯m definitely interested.¡± And with that, they both knew that their night in the basement had been just the beginning of something much more exciting. As they walked out of the gym together, hand in hand, Alexa felt a sense of happiness she had never experienced before. Anthony and Alexa sat next to each other by the poolside. The clear, starry skies sparkled above them, illuminating their surroundings with their beauty. The light breeze blew through the trees, creating a calming atmosphere that seemed to engulf everything around them. Suddenly, Anthony turned to Alexa and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you find it weird that you choose to stay with someone like me?¡± Alexa looked up at the night sky for a moment, then turned to face Anthony. ¡°What do you mean someone like you? You¡¯re kind,passionate, and intelligent. You have qualities that women would kill for. What makes you think that I wouldn¡¯t want to be with someone like you?¡± Anthony shrugged his shoulders and looked down, ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe because I¡¯m not as sessful or as good-looking as some of the men you¡¯ve dated before. I always feel like I¡¯m not enough for you, and that someday you¡¯ll realize that you could do so much better.¡± Alexa put her hand on Anthony¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Anthony, you have to stopparing yourself to others. You¡¯re an amazing person with so much to offer. I love you for who you are, not because you fit into some mold of perfection that society has created. You make me happy, and that¡¯s all that matters to me.¡± Anthony took a deep breath and looked back up at the night sky. He realized that Alexa was right. He had been too caught up in his own insecurities to see the love and support that she had been giving him all along. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the peaceful environment around them. The stars twinkled, and the moon was full, casting a soft light over the water in the pool. Finally, Anthony turned to Alexa and took her hand. ¡°Thank you for being here with me,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m grateful to have you in my life.¡± Alexa smiled and squeezed his hand. ¡°Me too, Anthony. Me too.¡± They had been casually seeing each other for a few months now, but nothing official had been established yet. Alexa hoped that one day, Anthony would finally gather enough courage to make them official. But the thought of Cody finding out made her uneasy. She was there on a mission, and getting entangled romantically with someone was not part of her n. As she sipped her drink, she watched Anthony stand up suddenly and strip off his clothes before diving smoothly into the pool, causing a few of their friends to cheer and p. ¡°Come on in, Alexa!¡± Anthony called,ughing. Alexa hesitated for a moment but then shrugged, setting her drink down on the table beside her. She stood up, feeling the warmth of the night air enveloping her body, and then slowly walked to the edge of the pool. The cool water brushed against the soles of her feet, sending shivers up her spine. She paused, looking up to meet Alexis¡¯ eyes, wondering if this would be a good idea. But his warm gaze and bright smile made her feel safe, and so she took a deep breath and jumped into the pool, feeling the water envelop her body. As Alexa surfaced, she shook the water out of her eyes, ncing around at their friends, who were now sshing around and having fun. Anthony swam up to her and put his arm around her waist, pulling her close. ¡°This is amazing,¡± he whispered in her ear, his lips brushing against her cheek. Alexa shivered as goosebumps ran down her arms, feeling the electricity between them. She wondered if she should tell him the truth about why she was there, but then decided against it. They were having too much fun and she didn¡¯t want to ruin the moment. Instead, she smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder, enjoying the night swim with the man she was falling for. 74 As Anthony and Alexa enjoyed their night ying billiards, they couldn¡¯t deny the intense chemistry between them. It was as if the very air was charged with electricity whenever they got close to each other. Theyughed and joked, enjoying friendlypetition as they took turns shooting. As the game progressed, the yful teasing turned into flirtatious touches and lingering nces. Anthony couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Alexa. Her long, dark hair framed her delicate features, and her skin glowed in the soft light of the billiard room. Something about her made him feel alive in a way he had never experienced before. Alexa felt the same way. She hade to the pool hall to unwind after a stressful week at work, but she never expected to meet someone like Anthony. His piercing blue eyes sent shivers down her spine, and his expert pool skills were nothingpared to the way he touched her.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! As they leaned in for a kiss, they knew they couldn¡¯t resist each other any longer. The electricity between them became a raging fire that burned hotter and hotter until they were consumed by each other¡¯s passion. Theyy on the pool table, limbs entwined, lost in a world of their own. No one else existed in that moment, and they didn¡¯t care about anything beyond the pleasure they were experiencing. It was a night they would never forget, filled with passion and desire. As they left the pool hall, hand in hand, they knew they had found something special with each other. The night sky was filled with stars, and they both felt like they were among them, shining bright and free. Soon they have hot sex in the pool. The sun had just begun to peek through the curtains in Alexa¡¯s bedroom as she fluttered her eyes open. She stretched her arms and yawned before rolling over to find that Anthony was already up and about. As she sat upright, she heard the distant sound of bacon sizzling and the scent of coffee wafting in from the kitchen. Curiosity got the best of her, so she quietly slipped out of bed and made her way down the hall. There, she found Anthony putting the finishing touches on a tray of breakfast. Fruits, scrambled eggs, and bacon wereid neatly on a white tter, apanied by a steaming cup of coffee. It looked like he had gone all out, and Alexa couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Good morning, beautiful,¡± Anthony said, noticing her arrival in the doorway. ¡°I hope you¡¯re hungry. I made breakfast in bed.¡± Alexa let out a giggle and walked over to give him a kiss on the cheek. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that, but I¡¯m definitely notining,¡± she said teasingly. Anthony carried the tray over to the bed and ced it down at the foot. They both sat down and dug into their breakfast. The food was delicious, but there was something special about the moment that made it all the more enjoyable. As they finished their meal, Anthony leaned over and gave Alexa a kiss on the lips. ¡°I just wanted to do something nice for you,¡± he said. ¡°You work so hard, and I wanted to show you how much I appreciate you.¡± Alexa smiled, feeling her heart swell with love for Anthony. ¡°Thank you. This is the best breakfast I¡¯ve ever had,¡± she said gratefully. They spent the rest of the morning snuggled up in bed, watching TV and chatting about their ns for the day. It was a perfect start to what promised to be a great day. Alexa turned her head and watched Anthony as he checked his phone for messages. Almost as if sensing her gaze, he looked up and smiled. ¡°My love,¡± he said, leaning over to kiss her forehead. ¡°I have some business to attend to today, but I¡¯ll be back home to you soon. Okay?¡± Alexa couldn¡¯t help the pang of disappointment that shot through her chest. She knew business days for Anthony were long and exhausting; thest time he had a business trip, he came back with a touch of flu and a scratchy throat. But she nodded, forcing a smile. ¡°Of course,¡± she said. ¡°You taught me to be a big girl, remember?¡± Anthony chuckled at that, looking at her fondly. ¡°Oh, I remember. You¡¯re my big girl now,¡± he said, ruffling her hair. As Anthony left, Alexa felt a growing sense of worry invade her thoughts. Normally, she would spend time with Cody, her teenage son, during the day. But he had been acting strangelytely, distant and irritable, and she had no idea what to do about it. She busied herself in the kitchen, making coffee and eggs for breakfast, her mind racing with her son¡¯s troubles. When her phone vibrated on the counter, she almost dropped it in surprise. It was a message from Jade, her best friend, and her relief was palpable. ¡°Morning,dy! How are you?¡± the message read. ¡°We should have lunch soon.¡± Alexa couldn¡¯t help grinning as she typed a reply. Her friendship with Jade had started in the most unexpected ce ¨C the tennis courts ¨C but it had grown into something real and important over the years. ¡°Hey, girlie! Let¡¯s do that. How¡¯s Thursday?¡± she typed. Just as she was putting her phone down, another message notification blinked on the screen. Her heart raced as she recognized Cody¡¯s number. ¡°Hey,¡± the message read, the words concise and sharp. ¡°How much longer are you gonna take? I¡¯m getting impatient.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart sank as she read the message. She had no idea what was wrong, but she knew it had to do with Cody¡¯s behavior. What could she say? She knew that dying to carry out the n would make him react negatively, she couldn¡¯t handle this on her own. Maybe, she thought, maybe it was time to reach out for help. 75 As Anthony and Alexa enjoyed their night ying billiards, they couldn¡¯t deny the intense chemistry between them. It was as if the very air was charged with electricity whenever they got close to each other. Theyughed and joked, enjoying friendlypetition as they took turns shooting. As the game progressed, the yful teasing turned into flirtatious touches and lingering nces. Anthony couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Alexa. Her long, dark hair framed her delicate features, and her skin glowed in the soft light of the billiard room. Something about her made him feel alive in a way he had never experienced before. Alexa felt the same way. She hade to the pool hall to unwind after a stressful week at work, but she never expected to meet someone like Anthony. His piercing blue eyes sent shivers down her spine, and his expert pool skills were nothingpared to the way he touched her. As they leaned in for a kiss, they knew they couldn¡¯t resist each other any longer. The electricity between them became a raging fire that burned hotter and hotter until they were consumed by each other¡¯s passion. Theyy on the pool table, limbs entwined, lost in a world of their own. No one else existed in that moment, and they didn¡¯t care about anything beyond the pleasure they were experiencing. It was a night they would never forget, filled with passion and desire. As they left the pool hall, hand in hand, they knew they had found something special with each other. The night sky was filled with stars, and they both felt like they were among them, shining bright and free. Soon they have hot sex in the pool. The sun had just begun to peek through the curtains in Alexa¡¯s bedroom as she fluttered her eyes open. She stretched her arms and yawned before rolling over to find that Anthony was already up and about. As she sat upright, she heard the distant sound of bacon sizzling and the scent of coffee wafting in from the kitchen. Curiosity got the best of her, so she quietly slipped out of bed and made her way down the hall. There, she found Anthony putting the finishing touches on a tray of breakfast. Fruits, scrambled eggs, and bacon wereid neatly on a white tter, apanied by a steaming cup of coffee. It looked like he had gone all out, and Alexa couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Good morning, beautiful,¡± Anthony said, noticing her arrival in the doorway. ¡°I hope you¡¯re hungry. I made breakfast in bed.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Alexa let out a giggle and walked over to give him a kiss on the cheek. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that, but I¡¯m definitely notining,¡± she said teasingly. Anthony carried the tray over to the bed and ced it down at the foot. They both sat down and dug into their breakfast. The food was delicious, but there was something special about the moment that made it all the more enjoyable. As they finished their meal, Anthony leaned over and gave Alexa a kiss on the lips. ¡°I just wanted to do something nice for you,¡± he said. ¡°You work so hard, and I wanted to show you how much I appreciate you.¡± Alexa smiled, feeling her heart swell with love for Anthony. ¡°Thank you. This is the best breakfast I¡¯ve ever had,¡± she said gratefully. They spent the rest of the morning snuggled up in bed, watching TV and chatting about their ns for the day. It was a perfect start to what promised to be a great day. Alexa turned her head and watched Anthony as he checked his phone for messages. Almost as if sensing her gaze, he looked up and smiled. ¡°My love,¡± he said, leaning over to kiss her forehead. ¡°I have some business to attend to today, but I¡¯ll be back home to you soon. Okay?¡± Alexa couldn¡¯t help the pang of disappointment that shot through her chest. She knew business days for Anthony were long and exhausting; thest time he had a business trip, he came back with a touch of flu and a scratchy throat. But she nodded, forcing a smile. ¡°Of course,¡± she said. ¡°You taught me to be a big girl, remember?¡± Anthony chuckled at that, looking at her fondly. ¡°Oh, I remember. You¡¯re my big girl now,¡± he said, ruffling her hair. As Anthony left, Alexa felt a growing sense of worry invade her thoughts. Normally, she would spend time with Cody, her teenage son, during the day. But he had been acting strangelytely, distant and irritable, and she had no idea what to do about it. She busied herself in the kitchen, making coffee and eggs for breakfast, her mind racing with her son¡¯s troubles. When her phone vibrated on the counter, she almost dropped it in surprise. It was a message from Jade, her best friend, and her relief was palpable. ¡°Morning,dy! How are you?¡± the message read. ¡°We should have lunch soon.¡± Alexa couldn¡¯t help grinning as she typed a reply. Her friendship with Jade had started in the most unexpected ce ¨C the tennis courts ¨C but it had grown into something real and important over the years. ¡°Hey, girlie! Let¡¯s do that. How¡¯s Thursday?¡± she typed. Just as she was putting her phone down, another message notification blinked on the screen. Her heart raced as she recognized Cody¡¯s number. ¡°Hey,¡± the message read, the words concise and sharp. ¡°How much longer are you gonna take? I¡¯m getting impatient.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart sank as she read the message. She had no idea what was wrong, but she knew it had to do with Cody¡¯s behavior. What could she say? She knew that dying to carry out the n would make him react negatively, she couldn¡¯t handle this on her own. Maybe, she thought, maybe it was time to reach out for help. 76 The night was dark and quiet, and Anthony had been looking forward toing home after a long day. He drove up to his house, parked his car, and made his way to the front door. As he reached out to turn the doorknob, he was surprised to find Alexa waiting for him there, looking worried and upset. ¡°Hey there, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Anthony asked, cing aforting hand on her shoulder. ¡°Someone has broken into our home,¡± Alexa replied, her voice trembling with fear. ¡°One of the staff members left the gate open, and they stole some of our valuable items.¡± Anthony¡¯s heart sank at the news. ¡°What kind of items did they take?¡± he asked, his mind racing with possibilities. ¡°They took the diamond ne you gave me on our anniversary, and some of our expensive electronics,¡± Alexa replied, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what we¡¯re going to do.¡± Anthony put his arm around her and pulled her close. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out,¡± he said soothingly. ¡°Let¡¯s call the police and see if they can help. And we¡¯ll tighten up security around here to make sure it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡± Alexa nodded, feeling a little better from Anthony¡¯s words offort. She followed him into the house, and they sat down at the kitchen table to make the necessary calls. As they waited for the police to arrive, they discussed what steps they could take to prevent a future break-in. They decided to install a security gate and cameras around the property, as well as hiring a new staff member who would be more responsible in securing the house. Despite the unsettling events of the night, Anthony and Alexa felt grateful to have each other and to be taking steps to improve their home¡¯s security in the future. They were determined to not let this incident define their happiness and to move forward with their lives together. Anthony was going through the inventory of his antique shop when he noticed that a valuable item was missing. This cause him to panic. He checked again and again, but the item was nowhere to be found. Anthony¡¯s heart started racing, he couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. He immediately called all his staff to interview them, trying to find out who had taken the item. As soon as they arrived, he began interrogating them one by one. ¡°Did anyone see anything?¡± he asked, his voice shaking with anger and frustration. One of his staff members, Alexa, noticed Anthony¡¯s temper rising and decided to intervene. She lied to him, saying that she had seen a teenage boy sneaking around the shopst night. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Anthony,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to do, so I didn¡¯t tell you earlier.¡± Anthony thanked Alexa for her information and immediately called the police. Meanwhile, Alexa went to find Cody, who had been acting strangelytely. She convinced him to take a few valuable things instead of everything in the shop so that they wouldn¡¯t be caught. Cody hesitated at first, but he knew Alexa was right. He didn¡¯t want to be caught and locked behind bars, so he agreed to her n. Together, they took a few items and fled the shop before the police arrived. As Anthony watched the police officers investigate the crime scene, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of relief that the stolen items hadn¡¯t been more valuable. Thanks to Alexa¡¯s deception and Cody¡¯s theft of only a few items, the shop was able to recover and move on. As Cody pulled up in his car in front of Alexa¡¯s workce, she was relieved to see him. She had been working for hours and desperately needed a change of pace. As she climbed into the passenger seat and shut the door, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of calm wash over her. ¡°Hey there, Sonora,¡± Cody said with a smile. ¡°How¡¯s work been treating you?¡± ¡°Long and tiring,¡± Alexa replied, adjusting her skirt. ¡°But I¡¯m just d to be finished for the day.¡± As they drove away, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel ashamed of the events that had transpired earlier that day. She had caught a glimpse of Cody at work and had decided to chat with him for a bit. During their conversation, she had mentioned that she was struggling financially, and had even joked about robbing a bank to solve her problems.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Cody, being the adventurous type, had taken her up on the offer. They had spent the better part of the afternoon nning the robbery, with Alexa providing insider knowledge on how to avoid detection from security. As they arrived at Cody¡¯s ce, Alexa felt a sense of guilt and fear gripping her. This wasn¡¯t how she had imagined solving her financial woes, but the offer had been too good to pass up. As they made their way inside, Alexa noticed a few jewelry and antique pieces that she had stashed away earlier, hidden from sight. Everything love and affection she had shown to Cody today was all fake. She only acted that way to protect Anthony because she was aware that if Cody found out she was in love with him, his next n would be to kill them both. Cody didn¡¯t take anythingrge, but he did grab the pieces that Alexa had hidden away. Alexa felt conflicted as she watched him take the items, wondering if she had made the right decision in going ahead with the robbery. But her thoughts were interrupted by Anthony, a mutual acquaintance of hers and Cody¡¯s. Looking at the confused housekeeping staff who had no idea what had happened, Anthony turned to Alexa and asked, ¡°Who did this? Who¡¯s responsible?¡± Alexa felt a mix of emotions flooding through her, from guilt to fear to anger. In the dimly lit room, Alexa sat across from me, anxious to recount her story. Even though she was only making them up. She fidgeted with her fingers, the rings on her fingers clinked together. 77 ¡°I didn¡¯t know what was going on,¡± she began, ¡°I was just walking around the mansion checking if everything was in order. That¡¯s when I saw a figure run past me. They were carrying something, but I couldn¡¯t quite make it out.¡± I listened intently as she continued. ¡°At first, I thought it was a guest who was out of bounds, but then I realized that the person wasn¡¯t wearing any party attire.¡± Taking a deep breath, she continued to exin how her instincts kicked in and she immediately ran after the person. ¡°I caught up to them not too long after, they had already finished their act.¡± I asked her to rify what she meant by their ¡®act¡¯. Alexa looked down at her hands before reluctantly saying that the person had stolen some valuable items from the mansion. She exined how she didn¡¯t get a good look at the items themselves, but she did catch a glimpse of the thief¡¯s face. ¡°I reported the break-in to the police right away, and when they arrived, I gave them all the information I had. It wasn¡¯t much, but hopefully, it can help them catch the thief.¡± As she concluded her story, it was evident that Alexa was still shaken up about the whole ordeal. Anthony thanked her for her speaking up, while the police assured her that her bravery in chasing after the thief was not in vain. It would certainly help shed some light on the matter and bring the perpetrators to justice. Anthony was fuming, his face reddening with rage as he stormed into the worker¡¯s quarters. mming the door shut behind him, he strode towards his team, his voice booming angrily, ¡°What the hell is wrong with you guys? How could you be so careless? Do you have any idea what could have happened today?¡± The team looked up at him, fear and guilt etched on their faces. Anthony¡¯s words hit them hard, and they knew that they had messed up big time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir,¡± one of them mumbled timidly, ¡°We didn¡¯t mean for this to happen.¡± Anthony didn¡¯t take kindly to the apology. ¡°Sorry doesn¡¯t cut it! Do you know what could have happened if Alexa had been hurt?¡± At the mention of Alexa¡¯s name, one of the younger members of the team, Sarah, let out a gasp. ¡°What happened to Alexa, sir? Is she okay?¡± Anthony shook his head in disgust, ¡°No thanks to you guys. If it weren¡¯t for me, she could have been hurt. You all need to be more careful. Alexa is one of our most important clients, and we need to make sure that she is always safe.¡± The team members nodded in agreement and promised to do better in the future. From the look on Anthony¡¯s face, they knew that this was not something he would let go of easily. As the team huddled together to discuss their next steps, they could hear Anthony pacing back and forth in his office, muttering under his breath about their carelessness. Alexa may have been safe today, but they all knew that they needed to be more vignt in the future. Anthony was furious and was not holding back his anger. Alexa could see the workers looking nervous and frightened as they continued to work. She knew something had to be done to calm Anthony down before he drove them away. Alexa approached Anthony and gently grabbed him by the side, pulling him away from the workers. ¡°Anthony, please calm down,¡± she said softly. ¡°The staff was not aware of the robbery. They are doing their best to make sure everything is in order.¡± Anthony turned to Alexa and red at her. ¡°What do you mean they were not aware? They should have noticed that someone broke into the store.¡± Alexa took a deep breath and continued, ¡°Anthony, we need to remember that the staff is not responsible for the security of the store. It is our job as the management team to make sure the store is secure.¡± Anthony¡¯s expression softened as Alexa exined the situation. He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a deep sigh. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have taken my frustrations out on the workers.¡± Alexa nodded, relieved that Anthony had calmed down. ¡°Let¡¯s work together to make sure this doesn¡¯t happen again,¡± she said. ¡°The safety of the store and the staff is our top priority.¡± With that, Alexa and Anthony walked back to the workers, and Anthony apologized for his behavior. The staff looked relieved and continued with their work, knowing that they were in good hands with a manager who cared about their well-being.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Alexa let out a sigh of relief. She was happy that she wouldn¡¯t have toe up with another excuse. She reached out to grab her phone, and just as she was about topose a message to him, a notification popped up on the screen. It was Cody. The notification read, ¡°See you on the next robbery, love you.¡± Alexa felt a knot form in her stomach. She hadn¡¯t expected Cody to message her so soon. They had just pulled off a robbery a few days ago, and Alexa had been hoping for some time and space to figure out how she really felt about this new side of Cody. She scrolled through their previous messages, trying to find some indication of what he was thinking. There was nothing. All she could see were their usual conversations about dinner ns and weekend outings. Alexa took a deep breath and decided to be honest with Cody. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cody, but I can¡¯t keep doing this. I can¡¯t be a part of the robberies anymore. It¡¯s not who I am.¡± A few seconds passed, and there was no response. Alexa checked her phone again, but there were no new messages from Cody. She wondered if he had seen her message and was processing it. Or maybe he had just decided to ignore her. Alexa¡¯s thoughts were interrupted when her phone beeped again. It was a notification from Cody. She opened it hesitantly, unsure of what to expect. The message read, ¡°I understand. I won¡¯t ask you to do anything you¡¯re ufortable with. Let¡¯s meet up and talk about this soon, okay?¡± Alexa breathed a sigh of relief. She was d that Cody had understood her feelings and wasn¡¯t pressuring her to do something she didn¡¯t want to do. She messaged back, ¡°Thank you, Cody. Let¡¯s talk soon.¡± As she put down her phone, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved that she had taken the first step towards honesty and openness with Cody. She knew that their conversation wouldn¡¯t be easy, but she was ready to face whatever came next. 78 Alexa stood quietly in the corner of the room, taking careful note of the proceedings taking ce before her. Anthony, was pacing back and forth, barking out orders to the group of burly men gathered in front of him. She could see the sweat beading on his forehead as he spoke, his eyes shing with intensity as he emphasized the importance of their duties. Taking a deep breath, Alexa pulled out her phone, her fingers moving deftly over the keys as she typed out a quick message to Cody. ¡°Hey, you¡¯ll never believe how many new security guys are being hired at the mansion. I¡¯ll send you a pic!¡± She smiled to herself as she pressed send, feeling a sense of satisfaction in her ability to gather information unnoticed. Continuing to watch the scene ying out in front of her, Alexa snapped a quick picture of the group of security personnel, careful to remain hidden as she did so. She could already imagine the look on Cody¡¯s face as he saw just how many men were being hired to maintain security at the mansion. As Anthony continued his orders, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of secrets were hidden behind the walls of the wealthy estate. Lost in thought, Alexa nearly jumped out of her skin as Anthony suddenly turned to her, his eyes shing with suspicion. ¡°Is there something you¡¯d like to share with us, Alexa?¡± he asked, his voice tinged with an edge of anger. For a moment, Alexa froze, her mind racing as she tried toe up with an excuse for her behavior. ¡°Oh, no love,¡± she replied, her voice soft and deferential. ¡°I was just counting the number of men you¡¯ve hired, that¡¯s all. I want to make sure I can recognize everyone who works here, in case I need help with something.¡± Anthony nced at her skeptically for a moment, but then seemed to rx, a small smile crossing his face. ¡°Well, that¡¯s very thoughtful of you,¡± he said. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re just making sure everyone is safe here. You¡¯re wee to do as you wish.¡± Feeling a wave of relief wash over her, Alexa nodded happily before slipping out of the room, her heart pounding with excitement. She couldn¡¯t wait to share these details with Cody, she was sure that he would not be able to think of any operation for now. Cody was pacing back and forth nervously, his palms sweaty and his heart racing. He couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that they were going to get caught, that the police woulde barging in at any moment and Alexa would get hurt. She was new to this after all, a novice in the world of high-stakes heists. ¡°Alexa,¡± he said, his voice trembling. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should do this. We should just leave before things get worse.¡± Alexa, however, remained calm and collected. She shed a reassuring smile at Cody and walked over to him, cing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she said, her voice steady. ¡°Nobody is going to get hurt. We¡¯ve done our research, we¡¯ve nned this heist down to thest detail, and we¡¯ve got this.¡± Cody sighed, partly relieved by Alexa¡¯s words, but still feeling uneasy. He knew that robbing a billionaire was no easy feat, especially since they were targeting one of the most powerful and influential people in the city. ¡°But what if we get caught?¡± he asked, his voice shaking. ¡°We won¡¯t,¡± Alexa replied firmly. ¡°We¡¯ll be in and out before anyone knows what hit them. And besides, next time you should be patient if you want to rob a billionaire with ease.¡± Cody nodded slowly, his mind racing with thoughts of sess and failure. Could they really pull this off? Would they be able to outsmart the billionaire¡¯s security measures? Only time would tell. But if anyone could do it, it was Alexa, the mastermind behind their heist. And for now, all Cody could do was trust her and hope for the best.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Alexa knew that thest encounter with the robbery could have had greater implications. She was lucky to have escaped and not had her identity revealed. Suspicions from the housekeeping staff would only make things worse. So, she went back to work, helping in every way she could to deflect interest from herself. It was a busy day at work with the house keeping. Alexa did not have time to dwell on the robbery encounter or what could have been. She assisted with changing bedding, vacuuming the carpets, and cleaning the bathrooms. She was quite good at what she did, and her colleagues appreciated her contribution. As the day progressed, Alexa noticed one of the housekeeping staff had been looking at her strangely. Her name was Maria, and she had worked at the hotel for a while. ¡°Is everything okay, Maria?¡± Alexa asked. ¡°Oh, yes,¡± Maria said, ¡°I was just thinking about something. You looked familiar, that¡¯s all.¡± Alexa was caught off guard, feeling a knot in her stomach, but she knew how to handle the situation. ¡°Oh, I get that a lot,¡± she chuckled lightly. ¡°I¡¯m Sonora, I¡¯m new here.¡± Maria looked at Alexa skeptically but then turned and continued working, unsatisfied with the answer but not wanting to pursue the matter further. Alexa couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that Maria knew something, but there was nothing she could do but continue helping around the hotel. It took a few hours, but everything was eventually in order. Alexa went back to her room, and with relief, she realized nothing else had happened. She was grateful that the day had turned out well in the end. As she sat down, she thought about what had happened and realized that she needed to be more cautious in the future. If Maria had any suspicions, then others might too. Alexa couldn¡¯t afford to slip up. 79 (Alexa sat at her desk working on herputer when suddenly her phone buzzed. She picked it up to see a new message from Cody, one of her good friends. She felt her heart drop as she saw that Cody had sent her a picture of Anthony with a red cross over his face. Anthony was their friend from high school, and they had remained close even after all these years. Alexa quickly replied back to Cody, ¡°What happened? Is Anthony okay?¡±. She anxiously waited for Cody¡¯s response, her mind racing with all the possibilities of what could have happened to Anthony. Cody responded back, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we need to find out. Meet me at the park in an hour.¡± Alexa quickly gathered her things, grabbed her keys and headed out the door. She knew that something was wrong and was determined to find out what it was. As she drove to the park her mind wouldn¡¯t stop racing. ¡°What could have happened to Anthony? Was he hurt? Why would someone put a red cross over his face?¡± she thought to herself. Finally, she arrived at the park and saw Cody waiting for her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked him as she got out of the car. Cody handed her his phone and she saw the picture of Anthony once again. ¡°We need to find him,¡± he said. ¡°Where do we start?¡± Alexa asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we need to start somewhere,¡± Cody said as he looked around the area. As they searched around the park, they caught sight of a stranger who had a familiar looking tattoo on his hand. They carefully approached him and they realized that it was Anthony. ¡°Anthony, are you okay?¡± Alexa asked anxiously. Anthony looked up, his eyes filled with fear. ¡°No, I¡¯ve been trying to avoid someone who¡¯s been following me. You guys arrived just in time,¡± he said with relief. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Cody said in a firm voice. ¡°We¡¯ll take you to the police and report this.¡± They quickly headed to the police station and reported what had happened to Anthony. The police immediately got to work and eventually was able to catch the person that followed Anthony. Alexa, Cody, and Anthony all smiled with relief as they learned that they were all safe. ¡°Thanks, you guys,¡± Anthony said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I would have done without you.¡± ¡°You can always count on us,¡± Alexa replied with a smile. As they left the station, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but be grateful for her friends and for the happy ending to a scary situation. It was then that she realized how much she valued her friends, and how important it was to always be there for one another.) Alexa opened her eyes at once, realizing that it was all a dream. She wondered what the dream meant but she didn¡¯t dwell on it for much. Later in the day¡­ Nn had been out of town for a whole week, and it was starting to worry Alexa. When he finally returned, she noticed that something was off. He looked like he hadn¡¯t slept in days and was clearly lost. Alexa immediately went to Nn and hugged him tightly, happy to see him home safe. Even though she was greatly mad at him, she could not hide the happiness in her heart at the fact that he had finally returned. Nn held onto her tightly, feeling relief that he was finally back home. ¡°I missed you,¡± he said, his voice cracking. ¡°I missed you too,¡± she replied, pulling back to look him in the eyes. ¡°What happened? You look awful.¡± Nn let out a deep sigh before replying, ¡°I just had a lot on my mind, and I needed to get away for a while.¡± Alexa nodded, understanding Nn¡¯s need for space, but something still felt off. That¡¯s when she noticed Anthony walking towards them. Alexa¡¯s anger red up, knowing that her father was the cause of Nn¡¯s distress. ¡°Where have you been?¡± Anthony barked at Nn, ignoring Alexa¡¯s presence. Nn¡¯s face fell, knowing this wasn¡¯t going to be a pleasant conversation. ¡°I just needed to get away, Dad,¡± he replied, his voice calm but tense. ¡°You didn¡¯t have permission to leave,¡± Anthony yelled, his face turning red with anger. Nn tried to remain calm, but the frustration was starting to show on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t need your permission, Dad. I¡¯m an adult,¡± he replied firmly. Anthony¡¯s patience had worn thin, and before anyone could react, he punched Nn square in the face. Alexa gasped in shock, trying to process what had just happened. ¡°Nn!¡± she cried out, running towards him.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Nn stumbled back as Anthony continued yelling at him about respect and proper behavior. Frustrated, Nn ran to his room, mming the door shut and locking it behind him. Alexa stood in silence for a moment, trying to process what had just happened. She knew that her father had a temper, but she never thought he would resort to violence. She took a deep breath before heading towards Nn¡¯s room. She knocked gently on the door, hoping he would let her in. ¡°Nn, it¡¯s me, Alexa. Can Ie in?¡± she asked softly. There was a pause before Nn replied, his voice still tense. ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± he muttered. Alexa slowly opened the door, finding her son sitting on the edge of his bed, holding his swollen cheek. She walked over to him, sitting down next to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nn. I never thought he would do something like that,¡± she said, cing a hand on his back. Nn shook his head, still trying to process what had just happened. ¡°It¡¯s fine. This isn¡¯t the first time he¡¯s lost his temper, and I doubt it will be thest,¡± he replied bitterly. Alexa knew that Nn was hurting, and she didn¡¯t me him for feeling resentful towards their father. She sat next to him in silence, just being there for him when he needed her the most. 80 Alexa sat across from Nn, who seemed lost in his own world, fiddling with his guitar. She cleared her throat, trying to get his attention. ¡°Hey Nn,¡± she began, hoping to start a conversation. ¡°I noticed that you¡¯ve been pretty quiettely. Is everything okay?¡± Nn shrugged his shoulders and continued ying the guitar, not making eye contact with Alexa. She tried again. ¡°We¡¯ve spoken about how important it is to be connected with our families.¡± She paused, allowing him to process her words. ¡°Have you tried talking to your dadtely?¡± Nn finally looked up, his expression emotionless. ¡°No,¡± he said simply. ¡°Why not? He¡¯s your dad, Nn. He cares about you,¡± Alexa emphasized, hoping to get through to him. Nn shrugged his shoulders once again, as if the conversation didn¡¯t matter to him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say to him,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you start by asking him about his day? Show interest in his life,¡± suggested Alexa, hoping to guide him in the right direction. Nn strummed his guitar and thought about it for a moment. ¡°I guess I could try,¡± he said finally. ¡°Great!¡± eximed Alexa, feeling like she made a breakthrough. ¡°It¡¯s important to nurture rtionships with our loved ones.¡± Nn nodded, still not very convinced. ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± he repeated. Alexa smiled, feeling proud of making even a small difference in his life. ¡°Remember,munication is key in any rtionship. Don¡¯t be afraid to show your dad that you care about him, Nn.¡± Nn looked up at her and nodded, finally meeting her gaze. ¡°Thanks, Alexa. I¡¯ll try my best.¡± She strode over to him, inwardly relieved, but a wave of anger went through her as she remembered how frustrated she had been when he disappeared. She yelled at him, ¡°Where did you go? You still haven¡¯t mentioned that to me. I had been looking for you since your departure! Don¡¯t you understand how worried I was?¡± He looked up at her, his expression a mix of confusion and sadness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alexa. I didn¡¯t mean to worry you. I was just going through a lot, and I needed some time to think. I didn¡¯t mean to cause you any trouble.¡± Alexa felt a pang of guilt mixed with anger at his words. She knew he had been struggling with some personal issues, but why did he have to disappear like that? ¡°I understand that, but you could at least let me know where you were going. You had me worried sick! I thought something had happened to you,¡± she replied, her voice softening as she realised how bad he must have been feeling. ¡°I know, and I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, looking down at his hands. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to burden you with my problems.¡± Alexa felt bad for him, and her anger melted away. She knew how hard it was to open up about personal issues, especially to someone as close as she was to him. She pulled out a chair and sat down across the table from him. ¡°Listen, you don¡¯t have to go through this alone. I¡¯m here for you if you need me. You can always open up to me, and we will get through this together.¡± He looked up at her, his eyes misty with emotion. ¡°Thank you, Alexa. It means a lot that you¡¯re here for me.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she smiled at him, cing her arm on his. ¡°We¡¯ve been through so much together, and we¡¯ll get through this too. Just promise me that you will never disappear like that again. Okay?¡± He nodded, a small smile on his face. ¡°Okay, I promise.¡± She felt a sense of relief mixed with happiness. She knew that she had forgiven him, and they could move past this. She also felt proud of herself for being there for someone who needed her. She whispered to herself, ¡°I¡¯m d I could be there for him, and help him when he needed it the most.¡± She looked at him and noticed a sad look on his. ¡°Any problem?¡± Nn hesitated before saying anything. Alexa sensed something was off. ¡°Nn, is everything okay? You seem really tense.¡± she asked. Nn took a deep breath before responding. ¡°Actually, Alexa, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Go on?¡± Alexa replied. ¡°I broke up with Kathy,¡± Nn admitted. Alexa fell silent for a moment. ¡°Oh my gosh, Nn, I¡¯m so sorry. I had no idea things were that bad. Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°No, no, it¡¯s okay,¡± Nn replied hastily. ¡°I just wanted to let you know. I appreciate your concern.¡± Alexa then proceeded to apologize for yelling at Nn during their conversation. She exined that his disappearance got her really worked up, and she had been taking it out on him. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about that, Nn,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s water under the bridge, Alexa,¡± Nn replied. ¡°But there¡¯s something I need to tell you, something I¡¯ve been holding back for a while now¡­¡± Alexa listened attentively as Nn confessed his feelings for her. ¡°I know this may sound sudden, but I¡¯ve had feelings for you for a long time. I didn¡¯t want to ruin our friendship but I couldn¡¯t keep it inside anymore.¡± Alexa was stunned. ¡°I had no idea, Nn,¡± she replied. ¡°But I appreciate your honesty.¡± Nn sighed with relief. ¡°I understand if you don¡¯t feel the same way, but I just wanted to put it out there.¡± ¡°Nn, you¡¯re one of my closest friends,¡± Alexa replied gently. ¡°But I just don¡¯t have romantic feelings for you. I hope we can still be friends though.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Nn said. ¡°I¡¯ll always treasure our friendship, Alexa.¡± And just like that, a weight was lifted off Nn¡¯s shoulders. Although Alexa didn¡¯t feel the same way, he was grateful for her friendship and for being able to confide in her. He knew he had made the right decision in both breaking up with Kathy and being honest about his feelings for Alexa. 81 Alexa turned towards Nn in bed and asked him a question she had been pondering for weeks now, ¡°Nn, can I ask you something?¡± Nn turned to face her, half expecting a teasing remark or a joke. However, he saw that Alexa was looking at him intently with a serious expression on her face. ¡°Sure, shoot,¡± he said, returning her gaze. ¡°How did you find out that you had feelings for me?¡± she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity. Nn took a deep breath before answering. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t really know,¡± he said, ¡°I just started feeling something intense whenever I saw you alone with Anthony.¡± Alexa raised her eyebrows at this answer, ¡°Intense?¡± she repeated. Nn gave a small nod, ¡°Yes, it was like something inside me was screaming that I should be the one in his ce,¡± he said, feeling disgusted with himself for these emotions. Alexa studied him for a moment before speaking, ¡°Why should you be in Anthony¡¯s ce?¡± she questioned. Nn sighed heavily, ¡°Because I can¡¯t stand seeing you with anyone else,¡± he admitted, ¡°It makes me feel like I¡¯ve been missing out on something great.¡± Alexa was silent for a moment, digesting what Nn had just told her. Suddenly, she scooted closer to him on the bed and took his hand in hers. ¡°You know, Nn, I¡¯ve been struggling with simr feelings myself,¡± she confessed, ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to tell you how I feel, but I didn¡¯t know how to broach the subject.¡± The surprise on Nn¡¯s face was evident as he gazed at Alexa, ¡°Really?¡± he asked, ¡°What kind of feelings?¡± Alexa let out a softugh, ¡°The kind of feelings where I can¡¯t shake off the idea of us being together,¡± she said, ¡°It¡¯s been nagging at me for weeks now, and it¡¯s been driving me crazy.¡± Nn was taken aback by Alexa¡¯s openness, but he felt his heart skip a beat at the same time. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± he said, ¡°I thought I was the only one feeling this way.¡± Alexa grinned at him, ¡°No, Nn, you¡¯re not alone. The truth is, I¡¯ve been wanting to be with you for as long as I can remember.¡± ¡°I am with Anthony now, so telling you all these is wrong and it¡¯s making me feel guilty,¡± she said, leaning in to give him a soft kiss on his cheeks. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on between you and Anthony, but I just want you to know that I care about you. And I don¡¯t want to see you getting hurt.¡± Alexa felt her heart melt as she heard Nn¡¯s words. She had known him for a long time, and she had always admired his kindness and warmth.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thank you, Nn,¡± Alexa said, feeling her cheeks grow warm. ¡°That means a lot to me.¡± As Nn spoke, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but notice how close he was to her. She felt herself getting lost in his gaze and his deep voice. Suddenly, Nn closed the gap between them and kissed her. 82 Alexa felt a mixture of surprise and fear. She pulled away, her heart racing and her mind spinning. ¡°What was that?¡± she stuttered. Nn looked at her with a mixture of regret and longing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said in a low voice. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help myself. I¡¯ve wanted to kiss you for so long now.¡± Alexa shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. ¡°But that¡¯s not the point,¡± she said, her voice shaking. ¡°I can¡¯t just forget everything and be with you. What about Anthony?¡± Nn sighed. ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°But I can¡¯t help the way I feel. And I think you feel it too, don¡¯t you?¡± Alexa looked away, unable to meet his gaze. She was torn between her loyalty to Anthony and her growing feelings for Nn. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted. ¡°I thought I loved Anthony more than anything. But now I¡¯m not so sure. I can¡¯t betray him like this.¡± Nn nodded understandingly. ¡°I know it¡¯splicated,¡± he said. ¡°But you have to follow your heart. And if that means being with me, then I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to make you happy.¡± Alexa sighed, feeling overwhelmed by the situation. ¡°It¡¯s not just about me,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s about the lives we¡¯ve built, the people we¡¯ve be. I can¡¯t just throw it all away because of a kiss.¡± Nn watched her in silence, sensing the depth of her conflict. He knew he had to be patient and understanding, to give her the space and time she needed to sort out her feelings. ¡°I understand,¡± he said softly. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you, Alexa. I¡¯ll wait as long as it takes.¡± Nn had been waiting for the moment where he would kiss her for a long time. Of course he would desire to kiss the woman that he had been in love with Alexa for months but had been too afraid to tell her. When he leaned in and kissed her, he had hoped that she would feel the same way he did. But the kiss was not reciprocated, and Alexa had pulled away in shock. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nn stuttered, realizing what he had done. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have done that without your consent. That was wrong of me.¡± Alexa remained silent, the shock still etched on her face. She couldn¡¯t believe this had just happened. Nn had always been a good friend, and she had never suspected that he felt that way about her. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Nn said, trying to reassure her. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t force myself on you. I just couldn¡¯t keep these feelings inside any longer. I understand if you can¡¯t forgive me.¡± All Alexa could muster was an excuse to leave the room. She needed to get away and process what had just happened. But Nn stopped her just as she was about to leave and told her to take her time. He assured her that he would wait for her and that he was willing to give her all the space she needed. Feeling slightlyforted by his words, Alexa nodded her head and turned to leave. But just as she was about to step out the door, Anthony came inside the room. ¡°Hey, is everything okay here?¡± Anthony asked, sensing the tension in the room.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Alexa quicklyposed herself and reassured Anthony that everything was fine. Nn looked at her, hoping to get a sign that she was okay. But Alexa simply nodded her head and began to leave the room, leaving Nn to ponder on what he had done and what would happen next. 83 Anthony looked between Nn and Alexa, taking a deep breath before speaking. ¡°I feel like I need to make things concrete for you, Nn,¡± Anthony said, his voice serious. Nn furrowed his brow, clearly confused. ¡°What are you talking about? Concrete about what?¡± Anthony took a moment to gather his thoughts before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m not getting any younger, Nn. And I don¡¯t know how many years I have left. I need to make sure that you¡¯re prepared for the future, for when I¡¯m no longer here.¡± Nn still looked confused, but a hint of frustration was starting to show on his face. ¡°What does this have to do with me bing an Architect? Why are you pushing me to do what you want?¡± Anthony sighed, rubbing his temples. ¡°It¡¯s not about me wanting anything, Nn. It¡¯s about me wanting to make sure that you¡¯re taken care of. Bing an Architect is a great career, one that can provide for you and your future family. I just want what¡¯s best for you.¡± Nn shook his head. ¡°Anthony, I don¡¯t care about being an Architect anymore. I don¡¯t care about your ns for me. I want to do what makes me happy.¡± The room fell silent and Anthony looked taken aback by Nn¡¯s statement. ¡°You don¡¯t care about your future, Nn? You don¡¯t care about making sure that you¡¯re financially stable?¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Nn stared off into the distance with a far-off look in his eyes. Alexa watched him curiously, wondering what this unexpected moment of introspection was all about. After a moment of silence, Nn turned to Alexa and said, ¡°You know, when I was away, I did a lot of thinking. I realized that I¡¯ve been so focused on making the right decisions in my life that I forgot what it means to be truly happy.¡± Alexa leaned in, interested in what he had to say. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean that I don¡¯t have to n out every step of my life. I don¡¯t have to make all of the right choices to find happiness. I can just live in the moment and enjoy what life has to offer,¡± Nn exined. Anthony, who had been listening quietly, couldn¡¯t help but interject. ¡°But what about nning for the future? What about setting goals and achieving them?¡± Nn turned to Anthony, a slight smile on his face. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that we shouldn¡¯t n for the future or set goals. But we don¡¯t have to be so focused on these things that we forget to enjoy the present.¡± Anthony huffed, still not fully convinced. He turned away and called for Alexa, signaling that it was time to leave. As Anthony left, Alexa gathered her things, preparing to follow him out the door. But before she could leave, Nn stopped her. ¡°Hey, Alexa,¡± he said, catching her attention. ¡°I know you¡¯re still deciding about what to do with us. But I just wanted to let you know that I¡¯m willing to wait for you. Your decision is worth everything to me.¡± 84 Late at night, Alexa was sitting in her room, staring at the ceiling and reying the events of the day in her mind. She pulled out her phone to message her friend Jade, hoping to get her mind off things. ¡°Hey, Jade. Are you up?¡± she typed in the message and hit send. To her surprise, Jade immediately responded with a voice message. ¡°Hey girl! I¡¯m still up. What¡¯s on your mind?¡± she said. Alexa heaved a sigh of relief, d to hear a familiar voice. They spent the next few minutes catching up with each other and talking about their day. Alexaughed at Jade¡¯s funny anecdotes, but she couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of dread that enveloped her. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Jade. I just feel like I¡¯ve gotten myself into something I can¡¯t handle,¡± Alexa confessed. Jade listened patiently as Alexa told her about the three men who were now madly in love with her and counting on her to make a decision. She asked Alexa why she chose to stay, despite the risks. Alexa chuckled nervously. ¡°I know it sounds crazy, but I can¡¯t help it. I feel like I owe it to them, you know? They¡¯ve been so good to me,¡± she said. Jade¡¯s voice turned serious. ¡°Alexa, you¡¯re not obligated to stay in any situation that makes you feel ufortable or unsafe. Don¡¯t let anyone make you feel like you owe them. Especially not after all that Cody put you through,¡± she said. Alexa knew Jade was right. She had known all along that Cody would be trouble, yet she had still gotten involved with him. She had expected herself to turn bad as well. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I just don¡¯t see why you¡¯re so upset,¡± Alexa said, dismissing Jade¡¯s heartbreak. ¡°I¡¯m not upset about Cody in the manner you are assuming. I mean, sure, it¡¯s a bummer that it¡¯s over, but¡­ that¡¯s not what¡¯s important,¡± Jade began. ¡°Then what is?¡± asked Alexa, her curiosity piqued. ¡°It¡¯s about how I value myself, you know? I don¡¯t want to base my life on other people¡¯s feelings. It¡¯s about how I see myself with them in the future,¡± Jade exined. Alexa snickered. ¡°That sounds a bit sappy for you, Jade.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Jade rolled her eyes, but continued on. ¡°No, really. It¡¯s important. And it¡¯s not just about Cody. It¡¯s about all the guys out there who think they can treat women like dispensable objects. And if you can¡¯t value your worth now, then it¡¯ll be a wonder if it¡¯s ever worth anything to the other men you¡¯re involved with,¡± Jade dered. Alexa shrugged. ¡°I guess I see your point,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯m not looking for anything serious right now. I just want to have fun.¡± Jade sighed. ¡°I get that, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with that. But if you keep treating yourself like you¡¯re disposable, how can you expect anyone else to treat you differently? You deserve to be with someone who sees your worth and treats you like a queen.¡± Alexa nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. Maybe it¡¯s time I start seeing myself differently.¡± The two friends spent the rest of the night chatting about their hopes and dreams for the future, with Jade encouraging Alexa to see herself in a new light. Though it was a difficult conversation to have, it left both of them feeling empowered and ready to take on whatever came their way. 85 Alexa had been helping out with the household chores for sometime now. Over time, she had be ustomed to the routine and found herself getting attached to the domestic chores, especially with the meal preparation. On this particr morning, Alexa was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for Anthony and Nn, the two men who lived in the house. She was greeted by the usual chatter of the housekeeping staff, who were preparing to attend to their respective duties. As she worked, one of the staff members caught her attention. ¡°Hey, Alexa, we¡¯ve noticed that you and Anthony have been getting quite closetely. Maybe you¡¯re going to be our next Mrs. Brown,¡± she teased, winking at Alexa. Thement did not sit well with Alexa, who felt it was improper for a staff member to insinuate such a thing. Before she could respond, another staff member spoke up, drawing gasps from the others. She wondered why they were so keen to hear about her rtionship life. ¡°Well, that wouldn¡¯t be surprising. I mean, it seems like some people have been using their charms to worm their way into the Brown family¡¯s wealth,¡± he said, eyeing Alexa and Anthony. Alexa was taken aback by the usation. She was not interested in Anthony for his wealth, nor had she done anything to suggest otherwise. The tension inside the kitchen rose, as the other staff members fell silent, realizing that they may have gone too far. Ignoring theirments, Alexa continued with her work, trying to keep her calm. However, the staff members were not done yet. One of them, a new hire, spoke up, revealing something that had no business being aired out in the open. ¡°I saw Anthony and Alexa fooling around in the gym basement and by the pool a few days ago, before Nn arrived,¡± she said with a smirk. Alexa felt her face flush in anger and embarrassment. She couldn¡¯t believe this was happening. The staff members had gone too far. Just then, Nn walked into the kitchen, ring at the staff members, sensing that something was off. ¡°What is going on here? Why is everyone so tense?¡± he asked, cutting through the tension with his authoritative voice.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The staff members exchanged uneasy nces before mumbling indistinctly, realizing their mistake. Alexa felt a pang of relief knowing that Nn was there to witness the scene. She did not want to let the staff members get away with their behavior. As she thought this, Nn suddenly spoke up again. ¡°I hope whatever you were discussing was worth it. Because it¡¯s clear that you all have work to do, and distractions like these won¡¯t help anyone. So let¡¯s get back to work, shall we?¡± he said matter-of-factly, effectively ending the tense moment. Alexa let out a breath she didn¡¯t realize was holding, thanking Nn for speaking up, and went back to her work. She knew that she would have to be careful around the staff members from now on. She couldn¡¯t let them shake herposure. 86 After a long and tiring week, Alexa was excited for her rest day. As soon as she sat down to rx, her phone beeped with a message from Anthony. ¡°Hey Alexa, could you ask your brother to pick me up? Let¡¯s spend the rest of your off day together.¡± Alexa couldn¡¯t help but smile at Anthony¡¯s persistence. Ever since she met him, he had been constantly asking her out, but she had always refused. Anthony was different from the men she usually encountered. She knew he came from a difficult background, but he made an effort to better himself. ¡°Anthony, I¡¯ve told you before that my brother is busy today. I¡¯lle back for you after I spend time with him for a while,¡± Alexa replied. ¡°I understand. Just stay safe in your travels,¡± Anthony said, and Alexa could hear the disappointment in his voice. Alexa ended the conversation and continued with her ns for the day. Alexa felt a knot form in her stomach as she stepped into the diner. Her friends Jade, David, and Cody were already seated at a booth, looking up as she walked towards them. ¡°Hey,¡± she said, trying to sound cheerful. ¡°Hey,¡± David echoed, his eyes flickering between Cody and Alexa. Jade leaned in to whisper to Alexa. ¡°You won¡¯t believe what happened. David finally talked to Cody about leaving the gang.¡± Alexa¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°What did he say?¡± Jade¡¯s face turned serious. ¡°Cody said they could leave after theyplete onest mission with the gang. He¡¯s giving them a way out, but with a condition.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart sank. She knew how dangerous the gang was and how difficult it was to leave. ¡°What kind of mission?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but it¡¯s supposed to be their most difficult one yet.¡± Jade¡¯s voice was tense. ¡°I¡¯m worried about them.¡± Alexa frowned. ¡°Why would Cody allow them to leave? He¡¯s never done that before.¡± Jade shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe he¡¯s changing his ways.¡± Alexa shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t trust him. He¡¯s capable of anything.¡± David cleared his throat, interrupting their conversation. ¡°I¡¯m scared, guys. What if something happens to us?¡± Cody scoffed. ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to happen to us. We¡¯re the best in the game.¡± Alexa rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re overconfident. We need to be careful.¡± Jade nodded in agreement. ¡°Alexa¡¯s right. We shoulde up with a n just in case things go wrong.¡± David looked relieved. ¡°Thank you, guys. I don¡¯t know what I would do without you.¡± Jade put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re here for you, David.¡± Just then, Cody¡¯s phone beeped. He looked at it and then at the group. ¡°We¡¯ve got a meeting to attend. Let¡¯s go.¡±T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. As they got up to leave the diner, Jade pulled Alexa aside. ¡°If anything happens to David, I¡¯ve already contacted the police. Cody will get what he deserves.¡± Alexa nodded, feeling grateful for Jade¡¯s quick thinking. ¡°But what if we get dragged into this?¡± Jade gave her a stern look. ¡°If you choose to stay with them, then you¡¯re choosing to go to jail too. Think about your options.¡± Alexa nodded again, feeling torn. She didn¡¯t want to leave her friends, but she also didn¡¯t want to get involved in anything illegal. As they walked out of the diner, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the future held for them. 87 Alexa was spending her morning like usual, enjoying her coffee and scrolling through social media. Suddenly, she felt a tight grip on her arm and she turned to see Cody standing next to her, looking angry. ¡°Cody, what¡¯s going on?¡± Alexa asked, confusion written across her face. Cody¡¯s voice was low and menacing as he used her, ¡°Did you convince Jade and David to leave our group?¡± Alexa was taken aback. ¡°What are you talking about? Why would I do that?¡± Cody let go of her arm and took a step back. ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me, Alexa. Jade and David told me that you talked them into leaving after ourst mission.¡± Alexa was shocked. She hadn¡¯t talked to Jade or David since the mission, and she certainly hadn¡¯t convinced them to leave the group. ¡°Cody, I swear I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Alexa protested. Cody¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stepped closer to her again, ¡°They told me everything, Alexa. David killed someone that night because they almost took Jade, and now they¡¯re both gone. Do you have any idea what that means for us?¡± Alexa was taken aback by this new information. ¡°I had no idea, Cody. I didn¡¯t even know they were nning on leaving.¡± Cody sighed, his anger dissipating slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alexa. This is a tough situation for all of us. We need to figure out what to do next.¡± The two sat down at the kitchen table to discuss their next move. The conversation was tense, with both Alexa and Cody feeling the weight of the situation. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe David would do something like that,¡± Alexa said, trying to wrap her head around the situation. Cody nodded, ¡°It¡¯s a harsh reality we¡¯re living in, Alexa. We need to be prepared for anything.¡± As they discussed their options, Alexa realized that she needed to be careful in the future. She couldn¡¯t risk anyone else being hurt or killed because of her actions, whether intentional or unintended. She vowed to be more mindful of the consequences of her words and actions from that moment forward. Cody stood anxiously in the dimly lit alleyway, the cold wind biting into his exposed skin. He couldn¡¯t stop thinking about his current situation. He knew he had to leave Jade behind, but the thought sent a wave of guilt through him. It was then that he heard footsteps approaching, he turned to see David walking towards him. ¡°Hey man, you ready to get out of here?¡± David asked, hands stuffed in the pockets of his coat. Cody nodded, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m ready. But what about Jade?¡± David gave him a grim smile, ¡°We can¡¯t stay for her. It¡¯s too dangerous. We¡¯ll figure something out for herter.¡± Cody weighed his options, knowing that there was too much at stake if they stayed any longer. ¡°I know, you¡¯re right. We need to go, now.¡± As they made their way down the alley, they ran into Alexa, who stood in their path with surprise written all over her face. ¡°Cody, what are you doing?¡± she asked, her eyes wide. ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± Cody replied, his voice catching in his throat. Alexa shook her head in disbelief, ¡°You can¡¯t just leave her. She¡¯s our friend!¡± Cody¡¯s frustration boiled over, ¡°What do you want me to do Alexa? Put all of our lives on the line? I¡¯m sorry, but I have to think about my safety, and so should you.¡± Alexa lowered her head, knowing there was no point in arguing. Looking up, she whispered, ¡°I understand now. We should¡¯ve asked you instead of just leaving. I¡¯m sorry.¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Cody knew Alexa wasn¡¯t entirely convinced, so he leaned over and offered her a heartfelt apology. ¡°Alexa, I¡¯ll make it up to you, I promise.¡± (!) As the words left his mouth, he realized just how empty they sounded. His mind raced, trying to think of a way to prove his loyalty to Alexa. That¡¯s when he remembered the warning, ¡°I¡¯ll blow both of our heads off if we involve the cops in this.¡± Cody shifted uneasily, ¡°Alexa, there¡¯s something I need to tell you. I can¡¯t involve the cops in this.¡± Alexa¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°Why not?¡± Cody hesitated before finally blurting out, ¡°Because if we do, he¡¯ll blow our heads off.¡± 88 During dinner, Alexa and Cody were discussing the preparations for their big day. Alexa was slightly nervous about the whole n and Cody noticed her difort. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on?¡± Cody asked, noticing the worried look on Alexa¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m nervous about tomorrow. There¡¯s still so much to do and I¡¯m not sure if everything is going to go ording to n,¡± Alexa responded with a nervous smile. ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯ve got a great team and everything will be fine,¡± Cody assured her. Just then, Cody¡¯s phone beeped with a message notification. ¡°It¡¯s Jade. She and David areing over to make the final equipment check,¡± Cody said, checking his phone. Alexa¡¯s face dropped as she remembered something important. ¡°Cody, I have to tell you something,¡± she said, with a seriousness in her tone. ¡°What is it?¡± Cody asked, frowning. ¡°Anthony has brought over security men for a big event,¡± Alexa said, looking down at her te. Cody¡¯s expression turned to disbelief. ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you tell me this earlier?¡± he asked, feeling betrayed. ¡°Cody, I didn¡¯t want to risk sending anything over text or call. Remember, Nn almost caught me on the phone with youst time?¡± Alexa pointed out. ¡°C¡¯mon Alexa, you can¡¯t just make up excuses every time you bring up something about the mission,¡± Cody retorted, feeling angry. ¡°It¡¯s not an excuse, Cody. It¡¯s the truth. I can¡¯t risk our n gettingpromised,¡± Alexa tried to exin. Cody sighed, realizing that Alexa had a point. ¡°Alright, I understand your concern. We¡¯ll have to be more careful from now on,¡± he said, trying to ease the tension. During dinner, Alexa and Cody were discussing the preparations for their big day. Alexa was slightly nervous about the whole n and Cody noticed her difort. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on?¡± Cody asked, noticing the worried look on Alexa¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m nervous about tomorrow. There¡¯s still so much to do and I¡¯m not sure if everything is going to go ording to n,¡± Alexa responded with a nervous smile. ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯ve got a great team and everything will be fine,¡± Cody assured her.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Just then, Cody¡¯s phone beeped with a message notification. ¡°It¡¯s Jade. She and David areing over to make the final equipment check,¡± Cody said, checking his phone. Alexa¡¯s face dropped as she remembered something important. ¡°Cody, I have to tell you something,¡± she said, with a seriousness in her tone. ¡°What is it?¡± Cody asked, frowning. ¡°Anthony has brought over security men for a big event,¡± Alexa said, looking down at her te. Cody¡¯s expression turned to disbelief. ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you tell me this earlier?¡± he asked, feeling betrayed. ¡°Cody, I didn¡¯t want to risk sending anything over text or call. Remember, Nn almost caught me on the phone with youst time?¡± Alexa pointed out. ¡°C¡¯mon Alexa, you can¡¯t just make up excuses every time you bring up something about the mission,¡± Cody retorted, feeling angry. ¡°It¡¯s not an excuse, Cody. It¡¯s the truth. I can¡¯t risk our n gettingpromised,¡± Alexa tried to exin. Cody sighed, realizing that Alexa had a point. ¡°Alright, I understand your concern. We¡¯ll have to be more careful from now on,¡± he said, trying to ease the tension. Alexa nodded, feeling relieved that Cody understood her fears. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, genuinely appreciative. The two finished their dinner in silence, both lost in their own thoughts about the forting events. It was going to be a big day, and they knew they needed to be cautious if they wanted it to be a sessful one. 89 As Alexa stormed into the mansion, her eyes were red from tears and her fists were clenched in fury. She had just had a heated argument with her boyfriend Cody over a trivial matter, and now she felt like everything was falling apart.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. To her surprise, when she entered the living room, Anthony was nowhere to be found. She quickly checked her phone and saw a message from him that he had ate meeting and might note back until the next morning. This news just added fuel to her already burning emotions. Just as she was about to head to her room, she noticed Nn sitting on the couch, engrossed in a book. He looked up and noticed her, surprise clear on his face, ¡°Alexa, what are you doing here so early?¡± ¡°Long story,¡± she grunted, not in the mood for small talk. Nn closed his book and stood up, ¡°Can I get you something? A drink, maybe?¡± Alexa sighed and shook her head, ¡°No, I just need some time to myself.¡± Nn nodded, understanding the situation, ¡°Take all the time you need. By the way, your room is ready whenever you¡¯re ready to freshen up.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± she mumbled as she made her way up the stairs. Once in her room, Alexa copsed on her bed, tears flowing freely. She couldn¡¯t believe she had fought with Cody, yet again. It seemed like they were always arguing over something these days. As she freshened up, she couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that maybe she was the one causing all the problems. Maybe she was too needy, too demanding. Alexay on the bed, her heart heavy with emotion. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she reyed the events of the day in her mind. She couldn¡¯t believe how badly she had messed up with Cody, and the thought of him being angry with her weighed heavily on her. She wanted to apologize, to make things right, but she didn¡¯t know where to begin. As shey there, alone with her thoughts, she remembered Jade¡¯s words. ¡°Know your worth, or else no one else will.¡± She had heard those words before, but they had never rung as true as they did now. Alexa had always struggled with feeling like she wasn¡¯t good enough, but Jade¡¯s words gave her a new perspective. She knew that she deserved to be treated with respect and kindness, and she wouldn¡¯t settle for anything less. But despite this newfound confidence, Alexa was still hurt. She had trusted Codypletely, believing that he would never hurt her. And yet, here she was, feeling betrayed and uncertain. Could she trust him again? Would he hurt her again? As shey there lost in thought, she heard a knock on her door. Alexa¡¯s heart raced as she sat up, wiping away the tears from her cheeks. Who could it be? She hesitated before getting up from the bed and slowly made her way towards the door to check who was there. 90 She hastily wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and turned to face the intruder. It was Nn.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He noticed the redness of her eyes and the sadness that was etched across her face, and his expression quickly turned to concern. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± he asked, stepping closer to her. Alexa shook her head in response, unable to find the words to express her emotions. She took a few deep breaths, hoping to calm herself down, but the tears kept flowing. Nn, sensing her need forfort, moved to sit beside her on the bed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to talk if you don¡¯t want to,¡± he said gently, cing a hand on her back. ¡°Just know that I¡¯m here for you.¡± Alexa was grateful for Nn¡¯s presence but resented his assumption that he knew what she needed. She abruptly stood up, causing Nn to look up at her in confusion. ¡°I just want some space, Nn,¡± she said, her voice shaking slightly. ¡°I can¡¯t talk about it right now.¡± Nn stood up too and blocked her way to the door. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you alone like this,¡± he said firmly. ¡°You need someone to be here for you, even if it¡¯s just to sit in silence.¡± Alexa felt anger boil inside her at Nn¡¯s stubbornness. ¡°You don¡¯t know what I need,¡± she yelled, pushing past him to grab her phone from the bedside table. ¡°Just because you have feelings for me doesn¡¯t mean you know everything about my life!¡± Nn remained unfazed by her outburst. ¡°I don¡¯t need to know everything,¡± he replied calmly. ¡°I just need to know that you¡¯re okay. And right now, you¡¯re not.¡± Alexa¡¯s hands shook as she typed a message on her phone. ¡°You¡¯re always assuming things,¡± she continued, her voice rising in frustration. ¡°You confessed to me out of nowhere, and yet all you¡¯ve ever done is y with my feelings.¡± Nn looked taken aback by her usations. ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± he protested. ¡°I¡¯ve always cared about you, Alexa.¡± ¡°Then why did you wait until now to tell me how you really felt?¡± Alexa shot back, her eyes zing with anger. ¡°It¡¯s because you knew I was vulnerable, isn¡¯t it? Because you thought you had a chance.¡± Nn hung his head, unable to refute her ims. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he finally said after a long silence. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Alexa sighed heavily, feeling some of the tension leave her body. ¡°I just need some time to myself right now,¡± she said, looking at him with tired eyes. ¡°Maybe we can talk about this another time.¡± Nn nodded in agreement. ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready,¡± he said gently, moving aside to let her through. Alexa walked out of the room, feeling emotionally drained but grateful for Nn¡¯s support. She knew he meant well, but sometimes it felt like he was overstepping his boundaries. Maybe one day she would be able to fully exin to him how she felt, but for now, she just needed space to sort out her own thoughts and feelings. 91 Nn stood there in silence, his heart heavy with confusion and pain at Alexa¡¯s harsh words. He didn¡¯t know how to react or what to say, but he knew he had to get out of her room. As he turned to leave, Alexa yelled after him, her voice filled with frustration and hurt. ¡°Say something, Nn! Don¡¯t just walk away like this!¡± Nn paused, his hand on the doorknob. He turned back to face Alexa but still remained silent. They both stood there for a moment, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife. Finally, Alexa let out a deep sigh and sat down on the floor, her arms wrapped around her knees. Nn slowly made his way back towards her, his heart in his throat. ¡°Alexa, I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m such a coward for treating you like garbage and letting my ex insult and belittle you. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me, but I want to make things right.¡± Alexa looked up at him, her eyes full of emotion. She didn¡¯t say anything, but the way she looked at Nn was enough to break his heart. He knew he had hurt her deeply, and he desperately wanted to make things right. ¡°Can you forgive me, Alexa?¡± Nn asked, his voice full of sincerity. ¡°I know we¡¯ve had our differences, but I want to try to make things work. Can you give me a chance to redeem myself?¡± Alexa still said nothing, her gaze fixed on the ground. Nn could feel his heart sinking with every passing second. He didn¡¯t want to leave things like this, he needed to know where they stood. ¡°Nah, I get it,¡± Nn said, his voice heavy with disappointment. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you alone, Alexa. But just know that despite all of yourplicated baggage, I wouldn¡¯t mind unpacking it and being patient with you. I¡¯ll always be here for you, just in case you change your mind.¡± With that, Nn turned and walked out of the door, leaving Alexa alone with her thoughts. She didn¡¯t know what to make of Nn¡¯s words or how she felt about him. All she knew was that the mix of anger, confusion, and sadness inside her was overwhelming. As she sat on the floor of her room, she realized that there was a lot to unpack in her heart, and it was going to take time to sort through it all. The next morning, Alexa woke up to the sound of the morning birds chirping outside of the mansion. She took a deep breath and started getting ready for the day. As she walked downstairs, she saw Nn in the hallway. She tried her best to avoid him, but their eyes met and he started walking towards her.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Good morning Alexa,¡± Nn said, his voice deep and smooth. ¡°Good morning,¡± Alexa replied, trying to keep her tone as t as possible. ¡°I have to say, you look stunning today,¡± Nn said with a smirk as his eyes roamed over her body. 92 Alexa felt ufortable and quickly walked away, ignoring Nn¡¯s attempt to strike up a conversation. As she went to the kitchen to continue her work, she saw Anthony walking in, his face tired and stressed. ¡°Hey Alexa, are you able toe to my room for a moment?¡± Anthony asked her. ¡°Of course, what do you need?¡± Alexa replied. Anthony led her to his room and sat down on the bed, motioning for Alexa to sit next to him. As she sat down, Anthony pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her. Alexa felt his tension ease as he held her, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel slight tingles in her body. ¡°You make me feel so calm and rxed, Alexa. Thank you for being here for me,¡± Anthony said. Alexa smiled, but in her mind, she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about how she was feeling towards Anthony. She was already in a rtionship with Cody, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty for developing feelings for Anthony. At the same time, Nn was starting to be more aggressive in his advances, and Alexa didn¡¯t want to lead him on either. ¡°I appreciate you, Anthony,¡± Alexa said softly, lost in her thoughts. Anthony noticed Alexa¡¯s distance and asked what was on her mind. She hesitated, but then decided to confide in him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, Anthony. I feel like I¡¯m being unfair towards Nn and Cody,¡± Alexa said. Anthony listened attentively and then began massaging Alexa¡¯s feet, trying to help her rx. Alexa closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment, but then asked Anthony a probing question. ¡°Why did you choose me, Anthony? Is it because of the extra service that I provide?¡± Alexa said with a hint of insecurity. Anthony¡¯s face immediately showed shock and he pulled away from her.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What? No, Alexa. That¡¯s not why I want you. I want you because I have never felt this way towards any woman before. It¡¯s not because of my dead wife or anything like that. I genuinely care about you,¡± Anthony said, his voice sincere. Alexa was taken aback by Anthony¡¯s response and felt reassured by his sincerity. However, she still had doubts and concerns about how her feelings would affect those around her. As if he could read her mind, Anthony took Alexa to bed and assured her that soon enough, she wouldn¡¯t feel any doubt towards his feelings. Alexay next to him, contemting her situation and wondering what the future held for her. ¨C After a night of passionate intimacy with Anthony, Alexa made her way out of his room and headed towards her own. As she walked past Nn¡¯s room, she could hear him absentmindedly strumming his guitar. Alexa was ovee by guilt from the previous night¡¯s events ¨C she had shouted at Nn and made him feel small. But as he yed and she listened, Alexa realized she needed to apologize. Alexa gently knocked on Nn¡¯s door, feeling nervous as she waited for him to respond. Nn¡¯s back was turned to the door, and he didn¡¯t notice her enter. He was in the process of writing a new song and had yet to give it a title. Alexa stood in the doorway, watching him y for a moment before clearing her throat softly. Nn was startled and turned to see her standing there. 93 Nn then invited Alexa into his room, and they sat down to talk. Nn asked Alexa what her answer was, but she stayed quiet. He assured her that he understood she needed time to think things over. He then asked her what he could do to make things right between them. Alexa was at a loss for what to say, but then Nn reminded her of a conversation they had months ago. He had asked her if he changed to be someone his father would approve of, would she still like him and be her type. Alexa remembered the conversation, and it caused her to blush. Nn then opened a drawer containing his collection of sketchbooks and pulled out a folder containing one of his ss projects. Alexa recognized it as a copy of the painting he had made of her during their afternoon sketch session. He then showed her another sketch that he had done after Alexa had left that day when Kathy arrived. The sketches and painting were breathtaking, and Alexa couldn¡¯t take her eyes off them. As she admired the artwork, Nn asked her if that was enough to make up for his behavior the previous night. Alexa nodded silently ¨C she had never seen herself captured in such a beautiful way. The two of them spent the rest of the night talking, and Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel a growing sense of affection for Nn.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Nn and Alexa were sitting in Nn¡¯s living room. The sun was setting outside, casting a warm orange light throughout the room. Nn was holding a framed painting of Alexa, which he had printed from a picture he had taken of her at the beach. ¡°I did it, Alexa! I passed my final term. I¡¯m graduating soon, thanks to you,¡± Nn eximed, showing the picture to Alexa. Alexa¡¯s face lit up with pride, ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Nn! I¡¯m so proud of you.¡± Nn couldn¡¯t help but smirk at Alexa¡¯s reaction. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m pretty great, aren¡¯t I? I am my own muse, after all,¡± he teased. Alexaughed and yfully rolled her eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t get too ahead of yourself, Nn. I think you mean I¡¯m your muse.¡± Nn shot back, ¡°No, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m my own muse. But I will give you credit for inspiring me to do my best.¡± Alexa blushed slightly, ¡°Well, I¡¯m d I could be some sort of inspiration for you. But remember, Nn, life doesn¡¯t stop just because you¡¯ve aplished something. You still have to work hard to achieve your goals.¡± Nn looked at Alexa with determination in his eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t mind working hard. I would work my entire life to the ground as long as you¡¯re by my side.¡± Alexa smiled, touched by Nn¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ll always be here, Nn. And I know you¡¯ll achieve all that you set out to do.¡± Alexa then asked Nn what he was writing. Nn looked down at his notebook and replied, ¡°I¡¯m writing a song, actually.¡± Alexa raised an eyebrow curiously, ¡°Oh, really? What¡¯s it about?¡± 94 Nn could feel his face turning red as he sheepishly admitted, ¡°It¡¯s about you, Alexa.¡± Alexa¡¯s mouth dropped in surprise, ¡°Really? That¡¯s so sweet, Nn. I had no idea.¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Nn looked at Alexa, his eyes full of emotion, ¡°You¡¯re my inspiration, Alexa. You inspire me to be the best version of myself. And I want the world to know how special you are to me.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart was glowing with warmth as she looked at Nn. ¡°Thank you, Nn. That means more to me than you know.¡± Nn turned to Alexa, his eyes gleaming with excitement. ¡°Hey Alexa, do you want to hear me y a song?¡± Alexa grinned, ¡°Yes, of course! I¡¯m excited!¡± Nn picked up his acoustic guitar and started strumming. He closed his eyes and began singing in his deep, sweet voice. Alexa listened intently, taking in every note and every word. As Nn sang, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but notice the way his voice sounded. It was smooth and silky, and it gave her goosebumps. It was a feeling that she couldn¡¯t quite describe, but it was one she knew she wanted to feel forever. The lyrics to the song were heartwarming and soulful. Nn sang about a sudden feeling he had, and how Alexa had helped give color to his life. He sang about the bright star that she was and how she shone so bright in his life. He also sang about the life they could have together, and how it would eventually happen. As Nn continued to strum his guitar and sing his heart out, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel like a queen. It was as if he was singing directly to her, every lyric piercing her heart in the most wonderful way. Suddenly, a memory shed in Alexa¡¯s mind. She remembered attending one of Nn¡¯s concerts, standing at the front as he sang his heart out. Nn had winked at her during the concert and she had blushed deep red. She could feel her cheeks burning just thinking about it. As the song came to an end, Nn looked up at Alexa, his eyes filled with emotion. ¡°Did you like it?¡± he asked. Alexa could barely speak, ¡°It was¡­ it was amazing. You¡¯re so talented, Nn.¡± Nn smiled, ¡°I¡¯m d you liked it. I wrote it for you.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart swelled with love and she couldn¡¯t help but feel like the luckiest person in the world. She knew that she loved Nn more than anything in the world and nothing would ever change that. In thete afternoon, Alexa was busy preparing dinner in the bustling kitchen when Nn walked in. Upon seeing Nn, the kitchen staff greeted him warmly with smiles and waves. ¡°Hey, what brings you here?¡± one of the staff members asked curiously. Nn shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just felt like lending a hand around here.¡± Alexa, who was busy seasoning the roasted chicken, couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly awestruck at Nn¡¯s sudden appearance. She turned to face him and studied his features ¨C his sandy blond hair, his sharp jawline, and his deep green eyes that seemed to sparkle in the light. 95 ¡°Well, since you¡¯re offering, you can start by washing the dishes,¡± Alexa said with a teasing smile. Nnughed nervously. ¡°Sure, no problem.¡± He made his way to the sink, but as he stood there staring at the pile of dirty dishes, he suddenly felt overwhelmed. He had never washed dishes before and had no idea where to start. Without hesitation, Alexa approached Nn and began showing him the proper way to wash the dishes. Alexa showed him how to fill the sink with hot water, add soap, and use a sponge to scrub the dishes clean. As they worked, Nn and Alexa started chatting about their interests and hobbies. ¡°So what did you do on your day off, Alexa?¡± Nn asked curiously. Alexa hesitated for a moment, not wanting to reveal the truth about herzy day spent binge-watching TV shows. ¡°Oh, you know, just ran some errands, went for a jog,¡± she lied smoothly. As they continued working, the timer on the oven went off, signaling that their dinner was ready. With excitement, Nn offered to retrieve the casserole from the oven. Alexa opened her mouth to warn Nn to grab oven mitts, but before she could speak, Nn had already taken out the pan with his bare hands. As he held onto the piping hot dish, Nn winced in pain and identally dropped the casserole on the floor. The kitchen staff began panicking, but Alexa quickly snapped into action, attending to Nn¡¯s burns while the others cleaned up the mess. The leading housekeeper approached Alexa with fury in his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you let Nn handle the casserole. That was your responsibility!¡± he bellowed. Alexa felt a wave of panic wash over her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it won¡¯t happen again,¡± she apologized. ¡°You¡¯re damn right it won¡¯t,¡± the housekeeper snarled. ¡°You¡¯re fired, Alexa. I¡¯ll make sure to let Anthony know about this.¡± Nn, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly jumped to his feet. ¡°Hey, watch your mouth! Don¡¯t talk to Alexa like that,¡± he shouted, ready to defend his newfound friend. The housekeeper was taken aback by Nn¡¯s sudden outburst, and the kitchen fell silent. But as the housekeeper began to simmer down, he eventually agreed that it was his mistake for not reminding Nn to use oven mitts. He apologized to Nn and Alexa, and with that, the incident was resolved.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. As the kitchen staff breathed a collective sigh of relief, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for Nn¡¯s presence. With his kind heart and willingness to lend a helping hand, maybe the rest of the evening wouldn¡¯t be so bad after all. The tension in the kitchen was palpable as Nn stood face to face with his father, Anthony. The housekeeper stood in the background, unsure of what to do. Nn¡¯s hands were bandaged and red with burns, a painful reminder of his earlier mishap in the kitchen. The housekeeper apologized profusely to Nn, insisting that he must have been confused as Alexa did not ask him to wash dishes or take out the dish unattended. Nn stood his ground and firmly replied, ¡°I volunteered to help around. Alexa didn¡¯t order me to do anything.¡± 96 Anthony walked in, looking for Nn and Alexa. ¡°What is going on here?¡± he demanded. His eyes fell upon Nn¡¯s bandaged hands, and he immediately began to scold the staff in the room for letting his son get hurt. One of the female cooks tried to speak up, but Anthony didn¡¯t let them. He continued to yell at them, ming them for Nn¡¯s injury. Nn couldn¡¯t take it anymore, and he yelled back at his father. ¡°It was no one¡¯s fault, Dad,¡± he exined. ¡°I did it voluntarily out of kindness.¡± Anthony wasn¡¯t impressed. ¡°You¡¯re stupid for trying to help around when you can¡¯t even take care of yourself,¡± he scolded. Alexa was about to speak up for Nn when Nn cut her off. ¡°Maybe I got that from you, you couldn¡¯t do anything when Mom was dying,¡± he retorted. The sound of silence filled the kitchen as Anthony stood, mouth agape, at a loss for words. Alexa¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she turned towards Nn, who was breathing heavily, his eyes staring daggers into his father. The housekeeper shifted ufortably, looking from one person to another, as if hoping for someone to break the tension. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Anthony spoke. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything when your mother was dying.¡± With those words, he turned and walked out of the kitchen, leaving everyone stunned in his wake. Nn looked down at his burned hands, the pain throbbing, but he felt a sense of relief wash over him. He had finally spoken his truth, and for the first time in a long time, he felt like he had the upper hand. Dinnertime arrived, and Alexa made her way to Nn¡¯s table, holding a te of scrumptious-looking food.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She noticed the servants staring at her with so much disdain that she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was going on. Worried about their anger, Alexa hesitated a bit before cing the te in front of Nn. He saw the hesitant look on her face, and asked, ¡°Is everything alright, Alexa?¡± Feeling apprehensive, Alexa replied, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s alright. I hope it tastes as good as it looks.¡± She then walked away, relieved that she didn¡¯t have to deal with the servants anymore. Nn took a few bites of the food, and after a moment of savoring every mouthful, he realized that it was absolutely amazing. The texture was soft and the vors blended wlessly, creating an explosion of vors in his mouth. He even found it more delicious than he had expected. As time went by, Nn began to appreciate Alexa¡¯s cooking more and more. He knew that sometimes people like Anthony gave her a hard time, but he always made a point to tell her how much he enjoyed her food. Anthony, on the other side of the table, was still fuming at Nn after what he had said to him earlier. Even so, he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to invite Alexa over for dinner. ¡°Alexa,e over to our side of the table,¡± he called out. 97 But Alexa, knowing that the servants would judge her if she sat with the guests, replied, ¡°I think I¡¯ll just stay here. I¡¯d rather eat with the staff.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Anthony saw the hesitation in her eyes, and was frustrated that she didn¡¯t want to spend time with him. ¡°At least sit with me then,¡± he said. As Alexa reluctantly took her seat, Anthony brought up the 20th anniversary celebration for Brown Construction Inc. ¡°Hey Alexa, would you like to be my date for the event?¡± he asked. Alexa was speechless yet again. And after a moment, she replied, ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about it, Anthony.¡± She knew that she wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse his request, but she just needed a moment to gather her thoughts. Anthony noticed Alexa staring at something and asked, ¡°Is everything alright? Do you need anything else?¡± Alexa shook her head and replied, ¡°No, everything¡¯s fine. I just saw someone I knew, but he didn¡¯t seem to recognize me.¡± Anthony raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Who was it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Cody,¡± Alexa replied, looking down at her feet. ¡°Cody Johnson from school?¡± Anthony rified. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him,¡± Alexa responded. Anthony chuckled and said, ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry about him. You look great in that dress.¡± Alexa smiled shyly and thanked Anthony. As they left the boutique, the butler handed Alexa a small box wrapped in a bow. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Alexa asked, looking at the box. ¡°It¡¯s a gift from Mr. Brown,¡± the butler replied. ¡°He wanted you to have something special to wear tonight.¡± Alexa opened the box and was surprised to see a beautiful ne inside. She thanked the butler and Anthony before putting it on. As they continued shopping, Alexa began to feel morefortable around Anthony and the butler. They joked andughed together, and Alexa even shared some stories from her life. Eventually, they ended up at a high-end designer store where Alexa chose her favorite dress. The designer fitted the dress perfectly, and when Alexa emerged from the dressing room, the staff couldn¡¯t help but gasp in awe. ¡°You look stunning,¡± Anthony said, his eyes wide with admiration. Alexa blushed and thanked them. As they were about to leave, Alexa caught a glimpse of Cody again, but this time, he noticed her and made eye contact. Alexa quickly turned away, feeling self-conscious. Anthony noticed her difort and asked, ¡°Is everything okay?¡± ¡°I think that guy over there recognized me,¡± Alexa whispered, nodding towards me. Anthony put aforting hand on her shoulder and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. You¡¯re here to have a good time, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Alexa smiled gratefully at Anthony and the butler. They continued shopping for a few more hours before heading back to Anthony¡¯s mansion to get ready for the evening¡¯s event. Alexa checked her phone and saw the message from Cody. She hesitated before responding. She didn¡¯t want to be involved with Cody¡¯s n, but she also didn¡¯t want to draw suspicion. She typed back, ¡°It was fine. Got everything on my list.¡± 98 Cody quickly replied, ¡°Great! I¡¯m d it went well. Listen, we need to meet up and go over the n soon.¡± Alexa sighed, feeling a sense of dread wash over her. She knew she couldn¡¯t avoid Cody forever. ¡°Sure, when do you want to meet?¡± ¡°How about tonight?¡± Cody replied. ¡°We can go over the n and make sure everything¡¯s in ce. Meet me at the usual spot at 8 PM.¡± Alexa didn¡¯t want to go, but she knew she had to. She didn¡¯t want to let Cody down, but she also didn¡¯t want to get caught up in something illegal. However, before she could respond, her phone rang. It was Anthony. ¡°Hey beautiful,¡± Anthony said on the other end. ¡°How was shopping?¡± Alexa felt guilty for thinking about selling the clothes Anthony had bought her. ¡°It was good. I got everything I needed,¡± she lied. ¡°That¡¯s great. Listen, I¡¯m going to be busy with work for the next few days, so I won¡¯t be able to see you. But I wanted to make sure you¡¯re taken care of. Did you need anything else?¡± Alexa felt a twinge of guilt again. ¡°No, I¡¯m good. Thanks, Anthony.¡± ¡°Okay, well, I¡¯ll talk to you soon. Love you.¡± ¡°Love you too,¡± Alexa said before hanging up. As the car pulled up to her house, Alexa couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of guilt. She knew she had to make a decision about Cody¡¯s n. She didn¡¯t want to disappoint him, but she also didn¡¯t want to betray Anthony¡¯s trust. It was a difficult position to be in, but she knew she had to choose one way or the other. She entered the house and noticed a package lying on the table. It was from Nn. Alexa¡¯s heart leapt with excitement as she opened the package.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Inside was a book from her favorite author, along with a note that read, ¡°Thinking of you. Miss you.¡± Alexa felt her heart skip a beat. Nn¡¯s simple gesture made her feel special in a way that no amount of fancy clothes or jewelry could. She knew what she had to do. She had to tell Cody she was out of the n and risk disappointing him, and she had to tell Anthony the truth about her feelings towards him. It was a risk, but it was one she was willing to take for the sake of her own happiness. Later that night, Alexa met with Cody at the usual spot. ¡°Listen, Cody,¡± she said, taking a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m out. I can¡¯t be a part of this. It¡¯s too risky.¡± Cody looked disappointed, but he understood. ¡°Okay, I get it. Thanks for letting me know.¡± As Alexa drove home, she thought about what she needed to do next. She knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy, but she was determined to be honest with Anthony. She had to tell him about Nn and the way she truly felt about him. It was scary, but it was also liberating. The next day, Alexa met up with Anthony and told him the truth. 99 It wasn¡¯t easy, but it was necessary. Anthony was hurt, but he understood. ¡°I just wanted to make you happy,¡± he said. ¡°I know,¡± Alexa replied. ¡°But happinesses from within, not from fancy things or grand gestures. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t give you what you wanted, but I hope you find someone who can.¡± As she watched Anthony walk away, Alexa felt a sense of relief wash over her. She had been honest with both Cody and Anthony, and it felt like a weight had been lifted. She knew that she didn¡¯t need fancy clothes or grand gestures to be happy. All she needed was to be true to herself and to follow her heart. Dusk had descended on the mansion, and Alexa finally made it back after a busy day of shopping. Anthony greeted her at the door and pulled her in for a warm embrace.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Long day?¡± he asked, holding her close. Alexa sighed, ¡°Yes, it was. I¡¯m so d to be home.¡± Anthony let her rest and excused himself since he had to head to work for a meeting. He apologized for his abrupt exit. ¡°It¡¯s alright, work is important,¡± Alexa replied, smiling at him. Anthony informed Alexa that he would being backte, which made Alexa feel a bit lonely. As Anthony turned to leave, Alexa spoke up, ¡°Wait, where¡¯s Nn?¡± Anthony was taken aback by her question, and a hint of jealousy crossed his face. Ignoring her question, he replied, ¡°He went to a gig with his bandmates.¡± Alexa didn¡¯t like how Anthony wasn¡¯t giving her a straightforward answer, and she pressed further, ¡°Is everything okay? It sounds like something is bothering you.¡± Anthony didn¡¯t say anything for a moment, then kissed her unexpectedly, a way of saying goodbye before he left. As soon as Anthony left, Alexa went to her room and called Cody. As soon as he picks up the phone, he started cursing Alexa that she¡¯s out having a good time while he was rotting away in poverty. ¡°Hey, calm down, Cody,¡± Alexa replied. ¡°I¡¯m not having a good time. I¡¯m making up a new n.¡± ¡°What n?¡± Cody demanded, growing agitated. Alexa hesitated for a moment; she didn¡¯t want Cody to get involved. But she took a deep breath and told him everything. About being Anthony¡¯s date, and the robbery. ¡°I knew it!¡± Cody yelled. ¡°You¡¯re in love with him, aren¡¯t you?¡± Alexa felt her cheeks turn red, ¡°No, I¡¯m not. It¡¯s all part of the n. I have to get close to him so that I can get his trust.¡± Cody wasn¡¯t convinced, ¡°When are we going to start robbing the mansion?¡± Alexa exined that she intends to let Cody snoop around the mansion as one of the guests and have hime up with an escape route for the gang. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s such a good idea,¡± Cody replied warily. ¡°It¡¯s the only way,¡± Alexa said firmly. ¡°Trust me, Cody, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± 100 Alexa stood in the middle of her living room, phone still clutched in her hand as she reyed the conversation with Nn over and over in her head. Her heart was heavy with indecision, and she found herself at a crossroads, torn between her loyalty to her boyfriend Cody and her growing feelings for Nn, the son of her employer, Anthony. Cody had been her partner for two years, and they had shared many memories together. They had started off as friends and gradually developed a romantic rtionship. Alexa loved Cody, buttely, she had been feeling that something was missing between them. They had grown apart, and their once passionate love had dwindled into routine. Nn, on the other hand, was a breath of fresh air. He was everything that Cody wasn¡¯t; charming, witty, and intelligent. Alexa had known him for a short while but she was already starting to feel drawn to him. Their conversations flowed easily, and she found herself thinking about him even when they weren¡¯t together. As Alex stood there, lost in thought, she knew that she had to make a decision, but the more she thought about it, the more confused she became. She loved Cody, but she was also intrigued by Nn, and the thought of exploring a new rtionship with him was tempting. As Alex continued to weigh her options, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if any of the men in her life truly knew her. She had always been the one who held everything together, the one who never showed weakness or vulnerability. But now, as she stood at this crossroads, she hoped that at some point, the three men would show her who they really were, at their lowest point. She didn¡¯t want Anthony to love her simply because she reminded him of his dead wife. She wanted to know that he loved her for who she was, ws and all. And she didn¡¯t want Cody to love her simply because she could help him maneuver his ns at work. She wanted him to see her as a person, not just a tool to be used for his own benefit. As she thought about this, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was being naive. Maybe love wasn¡¯t about finding someone who knew everything about you, someone who saw you at your lowest point. Maybe it was about finding someone who epted you, ws and all, even if they didn¡¯t fully understand you. But deep down, Alex knew that she wanted more. She wanted to be truly seen and understood, and she wasn¡¯t sure if any of the men in her life could give her that. As Alexy in her bed, lost in thought, she couldn¡¯t help but think about Nn. She had always been attracted to him, but she didn¡¯t want him to see her as a mother figure. She knew that he had grown up without a mother in his life, and she didn¡¯t want to rece that role for him. Shey there, staring up at the ceiling, her mind wandering. She thought about all of the times she had spent with Nn, both at work and outside of it. She enjoyed hispany and found him to be incredibly charming and kind-hearted. But she didn¡¯t want their rtionship to be based on her ying the role of a mother figure.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. As shey there, lost in thought, she slowly began to drift off to sleep. The world around her faded away, and she was left in a state of peace and tranquility. 101 As Alexay sleeping, she felt a shift beside her. She slowly opened her eyes, still feeling a little groggy. When she turned her head, she saw that it was Nn lying next to her, cuddled up in the nkets. Alexa was surprised to see Nn in her bed, but her instincts told her that something was wrong. As she looked closer, she noticed that Nn appeared to be visibly drunk. She tried to wake him up, but he was unresponsive, his body limp and heavy. Feeling a mix of concern and confusion, Alex carefully lifted Nn¡¯s arm and tried to rouse him. After a few moments, he began to stir, his eyes fluttering open. But he was still clearly inebriated, his speech slurred and his movements clumsy. ¡°Wha¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± Nn mumbled, struggling to sit up. Alex helped him to his feet, trying to keep him steady as they made their way to his room. As they walked, she could smell the alcohol on his breath, and she knew that he had been drinking heavily. As Alex finished changing Nn into fresh clothes, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of worry and confusion. Hearing Nn express his doubts about his career and his future had caught her off guard, and she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was more going on beneath the surface. As she turned to leave the room, she was suddenly startled by Nn¡¯s voice. At first, she thought he had woken up, but when she looked closer, she saw that he was still sound asleep, his breathing slow and even. ¡°Alexa¡­ I will be here¡­ please stay,¡± Nn mumbled in his sleep. Alex froze, her heart racing as she processed Nn¡¯s words. What did he mean by ¡°please stay¡±? Was he asking her to stay in his room, or was he trying to convey something deeper? For a moment, Alex considered waking Nn up and asking him about his words. But she quickly dismissed the idea, realizing that he was still heavily under the influence of alcohol and probably wouldn¡¯t remember anything in the morning. Instead, she decided to leave him be, quietly closing the door behind her. As she walked back to her own room, she couldn¡¯t help but rey Nn¡¯s words in her head, trying to decipher their meaning.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Despite her confusion, Alex couldn¡¯t deny that Nn¡¯s words had stirred up some unexpected emotions within her. She had always seen him as a friend and a colleague, but hearing him express a desire for her to stay had awakened something new and unfamiliar within her. As shey in her own bed, unable to sleep, Alex found herself thinking about Nn and his situation. She knew that he was struggling with his career and his rtionship with his father, but she didn¡¯t know how to help him. In the end, all Alex could do was hope that Nn would find the answers he was looking for, and that they would both be able to navigate theirplicated feelings for each other in a way that wouldn¡¯t jeopardize their friendship or their work. CHAPTER 100 Alexa stood in the middle of her living room, phone still clutched in her hand as she reyed the conversation with Nn over and over in her head. Her heart was heavy with indecision, and she found herself at a crossroads, torn between her loyalty to her boyfriend Cody and her growing feelings for Nn, the son of her employer, Anthony. Cody had been her partner for two years, and they had shared many memories together. They had started off as friends and gradually developed a romantic rtionship. Alexa loved Cody, buttely, she had been feeling that something was missing between them. They had grown apart, and their once passionate love had dwindled into routine. Nn, on the other hand, was a breath of fresh air. He was everything that Cody wasn¡¯t; charming, witty, and intelligent. Alexa had known him for a short while but she was already starting to feel drawn to him. Their conversations flowed easily, and she found herself thinking about him even when they weren¡¯t together. As Alex stood there, lost in thought, she knew that she had to make a decision, but the more she thought about it, the more confused she became. She loved Cody, but she was also intrigued by Nn, and the thought of exploring a new rtionship with him was tempting. As Alex continued to weigh her options, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if any of the men in her life truly knew her. She had always been the one who held everything together, the one who never showed weakness or vulnerability. But now, as she stood at this crossroads, she hoped that at some point, the three men would show her who they really were, at their lowest point. She didn¡¯t want Anthony to love her simply because she reminded him of his dead wife. She wanted to know that he loved her for who she was, ws and all. And she didn¡¯t want Cody to love her simply because she could help him maneuver his ns at work. She wanted him to see her as a person, not just a tool to be used for his own benefit. As she thought about this, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was being naive. Maybe love wasn¡¯t about finding someone who knew everything about you, someone who saw you at your lowest point. Maybe it was about finding someone who epted you, ws and all, even if they didn¡¯t fully understand you. But deep down, Alex knew that she wanted more. She wanted to be truly seen and understood, and she wasn¡¯t sure if any of the men in her life could give her that. As Alexy in her bed, lost in thought, she couldn¡¯t help but think about Nn. She had always been attracted to him, but she didn¡¯t want him to see her as a mother figure. She knew that he had grown up without a mother in his life, and she didn¡¯t want to rece that role for him. Shey there, staring up at the ceiling, her mind wandering. She thought about all of the times she had spent with Nn, both at work and outside of it. She enjoyed hispany and found him to be incredibly charming and kind-hearted. But she didn¡¯t want their rtionship to be based on her ying the role of a mother figure. As shey there, lost in thought, she slowly began to drift off to sleep. The world around her faded away, and she was left in a state of peace and tranquility. 102 The next morning, Alexa woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside her window. As she stretched her arms and legs, she couldn¡¯t help but think about the events of the previous night. The memory of Nn¡¯s drunken confession and his plea for her to stay kept reying in her head, causing her heart to race with a mix of emotions. But as she got out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make some breakfast, she was met with a grumpy and distant Nn. He was sitting at the kitchen counter, his eyes fixed on his phone screen, and he barely acknowledged her presence as she walked in. At first, Alexa tried to brush it off, thinking that Nn was just hungover from the alcohol he had consumed the night before. But as the minutes ticked by and Nn continued to ignore her, she couldn¡¯t help but feel hurt and confused. Alexa¡¯s phone beeped, interrupting her thoughts. She picked it up to see a text from Anthony, her boss and Nn¡¯s father. The message read: ¡°Alexa, pleasee to my office at your earliest convenience. And wear the dress you got yesterday, it suits you. ¨C Anthony.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she read the text. She wasn¡¯t sure what Anthony wanted to talk to her about, but the mention of the dress made her feel uneasy. Was he making a pass at her? Or was it just an innocentment?This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She tried to push the thoughts aside as she finished her breakfast and headed to her room to change into the dress. It was a beautiful, form-fitting dress with a plunging neckline and a slit up the side. She had chosen it thinking that it would be appropriate for a fancy dinner party, not a meeting with her boss. Alexa walked into Nn¡¯s room, her heart pounding in her chest. She had noticed his strange behavior earlier and wanted to get to the bottom of it. As she crossed the threshold, she saw Nn and his girlfriend Kathy arguing. The sight of Nn shirtless while Kathy¡¯s breasts were exposed made Alexa feel ufortable, Alexa was aghast as she took in the sight of Nn and Kathy standing together. How had Kathy managed to get inside the mansion? She could feel her temper rising, but before she could utter a word, Kathy beat her to it. ¡°You!¡± Kathy spat, pointing an using finger at Alexa. ¡°You¡¯re the one who ruined my rtionship with Nn!¡± Alexa¡¯s mouth hung open in disbelief. Surely that couldn¡¯t be true? But judging by the looks on both of their faces, it was. Kathy lunged at Alexa, but Nn pushed her away by the hair. Kathy was taken aback by Nn¡¯s behavior; Alexa, meanwhile, was stunned. She scrambled out of Nn¡¯s room and back to her own. The two had been conversing in hushed tones for some time, discussing the implications of their rtionship and the future thaty ahead. Alexa¡¯s mind was racing as she made her way towards Anthony¡¯s office, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of unease that had settled over her since she received Anthony¡¯s message. As she turned the corner towards the garage, she saw Nn running towards her. ¡°Alexa, wait!¡± he called out, his voice urgent. But Alexa didn¡¯t stop. She hurried towards the waiting car, feeling Nn¡¯s eyes on her the whole time. She couldn¡¯t face him, not after what had happened the night before and definitely not after what just happened. She could still feel the weight of his body against hers, the smell of alcohol on his breath. She quickly got into the car and mmed the door shut. The driver, sensing her urgency, hit the gas and the car zoomed off, leaving Nn behind. Alexa tried to steady her breathing, her heart still pounding in her chest. She looked out the window, watching the mansion disappear in the distance. She didn¡¯t know what was going to happen next, but she knew one thing for sure ¨C things were going to change. 103 As Alexa stepped out of the car in front of Anthony¡¯spany, she looked around nervously. She had never been to his office before, and she wasn¡¯t sure what to expect. As she was about to head towards the entrance, she saw Anthony walking towards her. ¡°Alexa, my dear, it¡¯s so good to see you,¡± he said, reaching out his hands to her. ¡°You look stunning in that dress.¡± Alexa felt her cheeks flush as she thanked him, feeling a little self-conscious in the tight-fitting dress. Anthony took her hand and led her towards another car parked nearby. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Alexa asked, feeling a little nervous. ¡°It¡¯s a surprise,¡± Anthony said with a grin. ¡°But I promise you¡¯ll love it.¡± Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel a little suspicious as they got into the car and drove off. She tried to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over her, focusing on the passing scenery outside the car window. After a while, the car turned off onto a long, winding road surrounded by lush greenery. As they drove deeper into the woods, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of foreboding. She had no idea where they were going, and the silence in the car was starting to get to her. She turned to Anthony, hoping for some sort of exnation, but he just smiled back at her. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the car pulled up to a sprawling estate nestled in the heart of the woods. Alexa¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she took in the sheer size and grandeur of the ce.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°This is amazing,¡± she said, feeling a sense of awe wash over her. Anthony smiled, clearly pleased with her reaction. ¡°I thought you¡¯d like it. This is my private estate, and I thought we could spend the day here, just the two of us.¡± Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel a little overwhelmed by Anthony¡¯s gesture. She wasn¡¯t used to this kind of extravagance, and it made her feel a little ufortable. But as she looked around the estate, taking in the beauty of the ce, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of gratitude towards Anthony. He had always been kind to her, even when she didn¡¯t deserve it. And for that, she was grateful. Alexa and Anthony were enjoying their lunch date when Jade and David walked into the restaurant. Alexa was surprised to see her best friend and her boyfriend in the same ce as her and Anthony. She could see the shock on Jade¡¯s face as she realized what was happening. Anthony stood up to greet them and introduced himself as Alexa¡¯s boss. Jade was speechless and couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. Alexa quickly excused herself from the table, giving Jade a signal to follow her to thedies¡¯ restroom. Once inside, Alexa took a deep breath and turned to Jade, who was still in shock. ¡°I know this must be a lot to take in, but please don¡¯t be mad at me,¡± Alexa said, her voice shaking a bit. Jade looked at Alexa, still trying to process everything that had just happened. ¡°How could you keep something like this from me?¡± Jade asked. Alexa looked at Jade with sadness in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know how to tell you. It¡¯splicated, and I didn¡¯t want to jeopardize our friendship,¡± Alexa said. Jade took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°I understand, but you could have at least told me,¡± Jade said. Alexa hugged Jade tightly. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll make it up to you, but for now, please don¡¯t tell anyone about this,¡± Alexa said. Jade nodded in agreement. ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone. But, Alexa, what¡¯s going on between you and Anthony?¡± Jade asked, looking at her friend with a curious expression. Alexa hesitated for a moment before answering. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Jade. It¡¯splicated, and I¡¯m still trying to figure things out,¡± Alexa said. Jade looked at her friend with concern. ¡°Just be careful, Alexa. You know how men can be,¡± Jade said. Alexa nodded in agreement. ¡°I know, Jade. But I trust Anthony, and I believe he has good intentions,¡± Alexa said. 104 Alexa was still in the restroom with Jade, trying to exin everything that had happened so far, but Jade was still in disbelief. ¡°How could you do this to Cody, Alex? You¡¯re supposed to be in amitted rtionship with him,¡± Jade said, shaking her head. ¡°I know, Jade, but it¡¯s not what you think. Anthony is Nn¡¯s father, and he just wanted to take me out to lunch to discuss something,¡± Alexa replied, trying to make Jade understand. ¡°But you¡¯re dressed in that stunning dress, and you¡¯re having lunch with a man who¡¯s not your boyfriend. That¡¯s cheating, Alex,¡± Jade said, still not convinced. ¡°I¡¯m not cheating, Jade. I love Cody, and he means everything to me. I just had to do this for Nn¡¯s sake, and Anthony promised that he would help me,¡± Alexa exined, hoping that Jade would understand. ¡°But what if Cody finds out? What will happen then?¡± Jade asked, her voice filled with concern. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Jade, but I just have to trust that Cody will understand,¡± Alexa replied, hoping that everything would work out. Just then, David walked into the restroom, chuckling to himself. ¡°Wow, Alexa, I never thought you had it in you to cheat on Cody. This is going to be an interesting story to tell our friends,¡± David said, pulling out his phone to take a picture. Jade was quick to snatch the phone from him. ¡°David, stop it. This isn¡¯t something to joke about. Alexa is going through a tough time right now, and she needs our support,¡± Jade said, scolding her boyfriend. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to make things worse,¡± David said, looking apologetic. ¡°Let¡¯s just leave, David. This isn¡¯t our business, and we shouldn¡¯t interfere,¡± Jade said, grabbing David¡¯s arm and leading him out of the restroom. Alexa was left alone in the restroom, feeling overwhelmed by everything that had happened. She couldn¡¯t believe that her best friend and her boyfriend had found her out like this. She just hoped that Cody would understand her actions and forgive her.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! As Alexa sat back down at the table, she tried topose herself and hide her nervousness from Anthony. She could feel his eyes on her, waiting for her response. Finally, he summoned the courage to speak. ¡°Alexa, I know this may seem sudden, but I can¡¯t deny my feelings for you any longer. I want you to be my girl.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She knew that this was a decision that could change her life forever. She took a deep breath and looked into Anthony¡¯s eyes, trying to read his true intentions. ¡°Anthony, I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± she stuttered. ¡°I¡¯m in a rtionship with Cody, and I don¡¯t want to hurt him.¡± Anthony reached across the table and took her hand in his. ¡°I understand your concerns, Alexa, but I promise you that I will never hurt you. I care about you deeply, and I want to make you happy.¡± Alexa felt a pang of guilt as she thought about Cody. She knew that she couldn¡¯t deny the attraction she felt for Anthony, but she also knew that she needed to make a decision soon. ¡°Anthony, I need some time to think about this,¡± she said softly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to rush into anything.¡± Anthony nodded understandingly. ¡°Of course, take all the time you need. Just know that I will be here waiting for you, whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± The rest of the lunch passed in a blur for Alexa. She couldn¡¯t focus on the food or the conversation. All she could think about was the choice thaty before her. When they finished, Anthony escorted her back to the car and they drove back to the mansion in silence. As they pulled up to the front door, Anthony turned to Alexa and took her hand once again. ¡°I know this is a difficult decision, Alexa, but I hope you¡¯ll consider giving me a chance. I promise you won¡¯t regret it.¡± Alexa smiled weakly, feeling overwhelmed by the intensity of Anthony¡¯s gaze. She stepped out of the car and walked back into the mansion, her mind racing with conflicting emotions. 105 Alexa looked stunning as Anthony led her into the grand banquet hall. She wore a shimmering silver evening gown that hugged her curves in all the right ces. The back of the dress was open, revealing her smooth, toned back. Her long, dark hair cascaded down her shoulders in loose waves, and she wore a pair of diamond earrings that sparkled with every move she made. Anthony looked equally dashing in a tailored ck suit that entuated his broad shoulders and chiseled features. They made quite the power couple as they strode across the room, with all eyes on them. Anthony made sure to introduce Alexa to all of his important investors, and she charmed them all with her quick wit and intelligence. Nn watched from a far end of the banquet hall with his girlfriend, Kathy, who seemed to be jealous of the way he was looking at Alexa. As the night wore on, Alexa and Anthony danced to the soft music that yed in the background. He held her close, whispering sweet nothings into her ear, and she couldn¡¯t help but be swept away by the romantic atmosphere. Kathy¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and she stormed off in a huff. Nn watched the whole exchange with interest, but he didn¡¯t say anything. After a while, Anthony and Alexa retired to a quiet corner of the room, away from the hustle and bustle of the party. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how beautiful you look tonight,¡± he said, his eyes glinting with admiration. Alexa blushed. ¡°Thank you. You look pretty handsome yourself,¡± she replied, smiling. As the night wore on, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of guilt when she caught Nn¡¯s eye. She knew that he still had feelings for her, and she didn¡¯t want to hurt him. But at the same time, she couldn¡¯t deny the attraction she felt towards Anthony. It was aplicated situation, and she didn¡¯t know how to navigate it. But for now, she was content to just enjoy the moment and let the rest sort itself out. As Anthony left to grab drinks, Alexa stood alone, taking in the luxurious surroundings of the party. The ballroom was elegantly decorated with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, the walls adorned with paintings and gold trimmings. She felt a little out of ce among the wealthy and influential guests, but she stood confidently in her stunning dress. Suddenly, she was approached by one of Anthony¡¯s board of directors, a middle-aged man with a stern look on his face. ¡°Excuse me, Miss,¡± he said, ¡°may I ask what your rtionship with Anthony is?¡± Alexa was taken aback by the directness of the question. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. ¡°We work together,¡± she finally managed to say, hoping it would suffice. The man raised an eyebrow skeptically. ¡°Is that all? Because it seems like there¡¯s more going on between you two than just a professional rtionship.¡±T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Before Alexa could respond, Anthony appeared beside her, handing her a ss of champagne. ¡°Is everything okay here?¡± he asked, eyeing the man suspiciously. The board member quickly backed off, mumbling something about needing to check on another guest. Anthony put a reassuring arm around Alexa¡¯s waist, pulling her close. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him,¡± he whispered in her ear, ¡°he¡¯s just a nosy old man. Let¡¯s go dance.¡± Alexa smiled, grateful for his support. As they made their way to the dance floor, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a rush of affection for him. He was kind, charming, and protective of her. She had never felt this way about anyone before. As they danced, Anthony pulled her even closer, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. ¡°You know, Alexa, I would do anything for you,¡± he said, his voice low and intimate. ¡°I would die for you if need be. You mean everything to me.¡± Alexa felt her heart skip a beat at his words. She had never had anyone talk to her like that before. It was both exhrating and terrifying at the same time. She was falling hard for Anthony, but she knew she had to be cautious. She didn¡¯t want to end up hurt like she had in the past. But for now, she pushed those thoughts aside and allowed herself to enjoy the moment. She looked up at Anthony and saw the genuine affection in his eyes. Maybe, just maybe, this time things would work out for her. 106 Alexa was surprised to see Nn approach her and Anthony on the dance floor. She wondered what he wanted, especially after what happened earlier in the day. Anthony was equally surprised to see his son, but he smiled and greeted him. ¡°Nn, what brings you here?¡± Anthony asked. ¡°I just wanted to talk to Alexa,¡± Nn replied, looking at Alexa. Anthony nodded and excused himself, leaving Nn and Alexa alone on the dance floor. Nn took Alexa¡¯s hand and led her to the center of the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Kathy earlier,¡± Nn said, looking at Alexa. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Alexa replied, not really knowing what to say. ¡°I know it¡¯s not an excuse, but she¡¯s been having a hard timetely,¡± Nn continued. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Alexa asked, curious. Nn hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°Her mother has been sick, and it¡¯s been hard on her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Alexa replied sympathetically. ¡°I just wanted to apologize for her behavior earlier. She didn¡¯t mean to be rude,¡± Nn said. ¡°It¡¯s okay, really. I¡¯m not upset,¡± Alexa reassured him. Nn smiled and they continued dancing. Alexa noticed that he was a good dancer, and they moved in sync with each other. As they danced, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense offort and ease with him. It was as if they had known each other for a long time. ¡°You know, you¡¯re a good dancer,¡± Alexa said, breaking the silence. Nn chuckled. ¡°Thanks, my mom taught me when I was younger.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he mentioned his mother. She knew that he had grown up without a mother figure in his life, and she didn¡¯t want to bring up any painful memories for him. She decided to change the subject.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°So, how¡¯s school going for you?¡± she asked. Nn¡¯s face lit up,¡±thanks for asking. I actually have a big projecting up that I¡¯m excited about.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Alexa said, smiling. They continued dancing and talking for a while longer, until Anthony returned with their drinks. Alexa could sense that there was tension between Anthony and Nn, but she didn¡¯t want to get involved. She took her drink from Anthony and thanked him. Nn watched as Anthony excused himself to attend to a worker who was approaching him. He turned to Alexa and took her hands in his, causing her to look up at him. ¡°Alexa,¡± he began, ¡°I need to know, do you love my father?¡± Alexa¡¯s eyes widened at the question, and she was momentarily taken aback. She had grown to care for Anthony deeply, but she was unsure if it was love yet. She took a deep breath and looked up at Nn. ¡°I care for your father a lot, Nn. He¡¯s been nothing but kind and supportive of me since I started working for him,¡± Alexa replied carefully, trying not to give too much away. Nn studied her face for a moment before nodding his head slowly. ¡°I understand. But just know that my father is a good man. He¡¯ll treat you right and take care of you,¡± he said earnestly. Alexa smiled at Nn¡¯s words, appreciating his concern for her well-being. ¡°Thank you, Nn. Your father is a wonderful man, and I¡¯m grateful to have him in my life,¡± she replied. Nn¡¯s face lit up at her words, and he smiled at her before releasing her hands. Just then, Anthony returned to their side, a small smile on his lips. ¡°Everything okay here?¡± he asked, looking between Alexa and Nn. Nn nodded his head, and Anthony turned to Alexa, taking her hand in his. ¡°Shall we go back to the table, my dear?¡± he asked, his gaze warm and loving. Alexa smiled at him and nodded, allowing Anthony to lead her back to their table. As they walked, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if what she felt for him was indeed love. 107 As Alexa stood on the balcony, trying to calm her nerves and process the events of the evening, she noticed a familiar car parked at the end of the driveway. It was Cody¡¯s car. Panic set in as she realized that he was here, right outside the mansion. Her heart started to race as she quickly made her way back inside, trying to avoid being seen by Anthony or Nn. She made it to the door and started to open it, but before she could step outside, she heard Cody¡¯s voice behind her. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± he hissed.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Alexa turned around slowly, dreading the confrontation that was sure to follow. ¡°I-I was just trying to rx,¡± she stuttered, hoping he would believe her. Cody didn¡¯t seem convinced. ¡°Rxing? Really? You know we have a job to do tonight, and you¡¯re out here risking everything by being seen.¡± Alexa felt a twinge of guilt. He was right ¨C if Anthony or Nn caught her with Cody, it could ruin everything. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I just needed some air.¡± Cody didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°Well, you better get your head back in the game. We¡¯re going to be hitting that mansion tonight, and if you mess this up, we¡¯re both screwed.¡± Alexa nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. She didn¡¯t like the way he was talking to her, but she knew better than to argue. She just needed to get through tonight and then figure out a way to end things with Cody for good. As she turned to walk away, Cody grabbed her arm roughly, causing her to wince in pain. ¡°And one more thing,¡± he said, his voice low and threatening. ¡°If you tell anyone about our n, I¡¯ll make sure you regret it.¡± Alexa nodded again, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes. She couldn¡¯t believe she had gotten herself into this mess. She quickly pulled her arm away from Cody¡¯s grasp and ran off, hoping to put as much distance between them as possible. Alexa stormed into her room, mming the door behind her, frustrated and angry. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She was tired of being a victim to Cody¡¯s abuse and his criminal ns. She paced back and forth in her room, her mind racing with thoughts. She knew that she had to end things with Cody, but she didn¡¯t know how to do it. She had been with him for so long, and she didn¡¯t want to hurt him, but she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. The constant fear and anxiety that came with being with him was suffocating her. She sat down on her bed, her head in her hands, trying to calm herself down. She took a deep breath and started to think about what to do. She knew that breaking up with Cody was the right thing to do, but she was scared. She had never been alone before and didn¡¯t know how to deal with it. As she sat there, lost in thought, she realized that she needed to do something to take her mind off things. She got up from the bed, walked over to the window, and looked out at the night sky. The stars were twinkling in the sky, and the moon was shining bright. It was a peaceful scene, and it helped to calm her down. Alexa decided that she would break up with Cody in the morning. She was done being his punching bag and wanted to start a new chapter in her life. She also decided that she would not tell Anthony about Cody¡¯s robbery ns. She didn¡¯t want to get him involved, and she knew that it would only cause more trouble. Shey down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She knew that breaking up with Cody would be hard, but she also knew that it was the right thing to do. She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down, hoping that she would be able to get some rest. As she drifted off to sleep, she hoped that tomorrow would be a new beginning for her, one without Cody and his criminal ns. She knew that it would be hard, but she was determined to make it work. 108 Alexa turned to face Kathy, bewildered at what she was insinuating. ¡°What are you talking about, Kathy?¡± she asked. Kathy let out a bitterugh, ¡°You really don¡¯t know, do you? You¡¯re the reason Nn doesn¡¯t like me anymore.¡± Alexa was taken aback by Kathy¡¯s words. ¡°What? That¡¯s not true. I haven¡¯t done anything toe between you and Nn,¡± she said, trying to defend herself. Kathy rolled her eyes, ¡°Oh,e on, Alexa. You¡¯ve been parading around here with Anthony, unting your new rtionship in everyone¡¯s faces. It¡¯s no secret that Nn had a thing for you before Anthony came into the picture.¡± Alexa shook her head in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous, Kathy. Nn and I are just friends,¡± she protested. Kathy scoffed, ¡°Friends? Please, Alexa. You don¡¯t know anything about rtionships. Nn has been ignoring me ever since you started hanging out with him. He¡¯s clearly interested in you, and you¡¯re too blind to see it.¡± Alexa was starting to get annoyed at Kathy¡¯s usations. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate you ming me for your problems with Nn. Maybe you should look at yourself and figure out why he¡¯s lost interest in you,¡± she retorted. Kathy stood up, her face red with anger. ¡°You¡¯re such an idiot, Alexa. You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. Just stay away from Nn and me,¡± she Said her eyes welling up in tears. Kathy sniffled, her eyes still red from crying. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for acting that way, Alexa. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m so obsessed with Nn, and I can¡¯t seem to help it.¡± Alexa ced aforting hand on Kathy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kathy. You don¡¯t have to apologize. I understand how you feel, but you have to remember that you have a whole life ahead of you. Don¡¯t waste it waiting on a man, especially one who doesn¡¯t seem to care.¡±T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Kathy nodded, wiping away her tears. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve been so foolish, and I¡¯ve let my obsession get the better of me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not foolish, Kathy. You just need to focus on yourself and your own happiness. Once you start doing that, everything else will fall into ce.¡± Kathy hugged Alexa tightly. ¡°Thank you so much for being here for me, Alexa. I don¡¯t know what I would do without you.¡± ¡°Anytime, Kathy. I¡¯m here for you, no matter what.¡± As they hugged, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of relief wash over her. It was good to see that she could make a difference in someone¡¯s life, even if it was just by offering a shoulder to cry on. As they parted, Kathy gave her a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m going to go home now. Thank you again, Alexa.¡± ¡°Take care, Kathy,¡± Alexa replied, watching as Kathy walked away. With Kathy gone, Alexa was left alone with her thoughts. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what other secrets Nn was keeping from her. Was he really just using her for his own gain? And what about Anthony? Did he really care about her, or was he just pretending to get what he wanted? Alexa sighed, knowing that she wouldn¡¯t find the answers to these questions anytime soon. All she could do was trust her instincts and hope for the best. 109 Nn led Alexa through the darkened mansion towards the poolside. The only sound came from their feet hitting the tiles. ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea, Nn?¡± Alexa asked hesitantly. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± he replied with a grin. ¡°Trust me.¡± As they approached the pool, Nn pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two sses from his jacket pocket. ¡°Here, have a drink,¡± he offered, pouring the amber liquid into each ss. Alexa took the ss, feeling the coolness of the ss against her hand. She brought the ss to her lips and took a sip. The warmth of the whiskey seeped through her throat, spreading throughout her body. Nn sat down on the edge of the pool and motioned for her to join him. Alexa sat down next to him, feeling the coolness of the tiles against her skin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about earlier,¡± Nn said, his voice low. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have pushed you like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Alexa replied, taking another sip of whiskey. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what to say.¡±T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Nn chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything. Just be with me.¡± Alexa sighed. ¡°Nn, I can¡¯t just run away with you. I have responsibilities and people who depend on me.¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± Nn replied, taking a gulp of whiskey. ¡°But don¡¯t you ever think about what it would be like if we were together?¡± Alexa turned to face him. ¡°Of course I do. But we can¡¯t just ignore reality.¡± Nn leaned in closer to her, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. ¡°But what if we could? What if we could just be together and not worry about anything else?¡± Alexa felt her heart racing in her chest. The idea of being with Nn was tempting, but she knew it was impossible. ¡°I can¡¯t, Nn,¡± she said softly. ¡°I just can¡¯t.¡± Nn¡¯s face fell. ¡°I understand,¡± he said quietly. After a while, Nn led Alexa inside the mansion, guiding her towards her room. He kept a supportive hand on her back, careful not to let her stumble or trip. As they approached her room, he turned to her and said, ¡°Goodnight, Alexa. I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡± Alexa looked up at him, a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes. ¡°Goodnight, Nn,¡± she whispered, her voice barely above a murmur. Nn hesitated for a moment, then leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. ¡°Sleep well,¡± he murmured, before turning and walking away. Alexa stood there for a moment, watching him go. As he disappeared down the hall, she let out a deep sigh and closed the door to her room. She leaned back against the door, trying to steady her breathing. Despite everything that had happened that night, she couldn¡¯t help the flutter of her heart whenever she was near Nn. But she knew that she had to resist those feelings, that she had to stay strong and keep her distance. With a heavy heart, Alexa made her way to her bed and crawled under the covers. She closed her eyes and tried to shut out the memories of the night, the sound of Nn¡¯s voice, the feel of his hand on her back, the touch of his lips on her forehead. As she drifted off to sleep, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if things would ever be different between them. If there would ever be a chance for them to be together. But for now, she knew she had to focus on herself, on her own goals and aspirations. And maybe, just maybe, one day the future would hold something different for her and Nn. 110 CH110 As the morning sun shone through her window, Alexa woke up with a smile on her face, ready to face the day ahead. She remembered Anthony¡¯s invitation to hispany and the thought of it made her feel excited yet nervous. She quickly got up from bed, washed her face, and got dressed in a sleek, ck dress. As she was applying her makeup, there was a knock on her door. She was surprised to see Anthony standing there, looking dashing in his suit. ¡°Good morning, Alexa,¡± he greeted her with a smile. ¡°Good morning, Anthony,¡± she replied, feeling her cheeks flush with excitement. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not disturbing you. I just wanted to invite you officially to mypany. I would like to introduce you to the board of directors,¡± he said. Alexa was surprised but also ttered that Anthony would introduce her as his woman to his board of directors. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a big deal. But isn¡¯t that too soon?¡± Alexa asked, feeling a bit hesitant. Anthony understood her concern and quickly replied, ¡°You¡¯re right. I didn¡¯t think about it. We can take our time with this. I just wanted you to know that I¡¯m proud of you and what you¡¯ve achieved so far.¡± Alexa smiled at Anthony¡¯s words and felt a warm sensation in her heart. ¡°Thank you, Anthony. That means a lot to me,¡± she replied, feeling grateful for his support. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Alexa. Now, take your time to get ready. I¡¯ll wait for you downstairs,¡± he said before leaving the room. Alexa took a deep breath and finished applying her makeup. She was excited about the opportunity to see Anthony¡¯spany and meet some of the people he worked with. After a few minutes, she walked downstairs and saw Anthony waiting for her in the living room. He turned around as she walked down the stairs, and his eyes widened at the sight of her. ¡°You look stunning,¡± heplimented her, his eyes sparkling. ¡°Thank you,¡± she blushed, feeling self-conscious. Anthony smiled and held out his arm for her. ¡°Shall we go?¡± As they walked towards Anthony¡¯s car, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of joy and excitement. She knew that Anthony was special, and being invited to hispany was a sign that he valued her. The car ride was quiet but pleasant. Anthony talked about his work and hispany, and Alexa listened attentively, fascinated by his passion and drive. When they arrived at thepany, Alexa was awed by the size and grandeur of the building. They walked inside, and Anthony introduced her to some of his colleagues. Alexa was impressed by their professionalism and friendly attitudes. As Anthony and Alexa walked through the hallways of thepany, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty about keeping the truth from him. She knew that Nn was nning on leaving the house, but she didn¡¯t want to burden Anthony with that information. As they entered Anthony¡¯s spacious office, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by the luxurious decor. The walls were adorned with paintings and photographs, and the furniture looked expensive and well-crafted. Anthony gestured for Alexa to take a seat on the leather sofa as he took his ce behind his desk. He looked at her with a small smile on his face, clearly happy to have her there with him.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°So, Alexa, what do you think of thepany?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s impressive,¡± she replied, trying to sound enthusiastic. Anthony chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m d you like it. I wanted to talk to you about something important. As my woman, I want you to be involved in thepany. You have a sharp mind and great instincts, and I think you could be an asset to our team.¡± Alexa felt a pang of guilt as Anthony spoke. She knew that Nn was nning on leaving the house because of her, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel like she didn¡¯t deserve to be there. But she also knew that she couldn¡¯t let her guilt get in the way of her opportunity. ¡°Thank you, Anthony,¡± she said. ¡°I would be honored to be a part of your team.¡± Anthony smiled warmly at her. ¡°That¡¯s great to hear. I¡¯ll have my assistant send you some documents to look over, and we can discuss them further at our next meeting.¡± As they continued to talk, Alexa tried her best to focus on the conversation at hand, but her mind kept drifting back to Nn. She knew that she needed to tell Anthony the truth, but she didn¡¯t want to ruin their rtionship or cause any trouble for him. 111 CH 111 As they entered the restaurant, Anthony scanned the room for an empty table. He spotted one at the far end and gestured for Alexa to follow him. As they made their way to the table, Alexa¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she spotted Cody walking towards them. She tried to hide behind Anthony, but it was toote. Cody had already seen her. Cody gave Alexa a menacing look that made her skin crawl. She could feel her anxiety building up and hoped that Anthony wouldn¡¯t notice. But just as she thought she was in the clear, Anthony turned around and saw Cody. ¡°Hey, Cody,¡± Anthony said, extending his hand for a handshake. Cody hesitated for a moment before reluctantly shaking Anthony¡¯s hand. Alexa couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. Cody was supposed to be her secret, but now Anthony knew about him. ¡°Alexa, is everything okay?¡± Anthony asked, noticing the worried look on her face. Alexa hesitated for a moment before answering. ¡°Yes, everything is fine,¡± she lied. Anthony didn¡¯t seem convinced, but he let it go. They took their seats, and the waiter brought them their menus. Anthony began perusing the menu, but Alexa couldn¡¯t focus. All she could think about was Cody and what he might do. As if reading her mind, Cody walked over to their table. ¡°Alexa, we need to talk,¡± he said, his voice low and threatening. ¡°Not now, Cody,¡± Alexa replied, trying to keep her voice steady. Cody red at her for a moment before turning his attention to Anthony. ¡°Nice to see you again, Mr. Johnson,¡± he said, a fake smile stered on his face. Anthony nodded politely. ¡°Likewise, Cody. Is there something I can help you with?¡± Cody hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°No, everything¡¯s fine. I was just leaving.¡± Alexa breathed a sigh of relief as Cody walked away. She knew she needed to break up with him, but she didn¡¯t know how. She didn¡¯t want to risk him telling Anthony about their rtionship, especially now that Anthony had invited her to hispany. As they ate their lunch, Anthony talked about hispany and his ns for the future. Alexa listened intently, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of dread that had settled in the pit of her stomach. After lunch, they left the restaurant and headed back to the mansion. As they walked, Anthony turned to her. ¡°Alexa, I couldn¡¯t help but notice that something¡¯s been bothering you. Is there something you¡¯d like to talk about?¡± Alexa hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just a bit tired.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Anthony didn¡¯t seem convinced, but he let it go. ¡°Okay, well, let¡¯s head back to the mansion. I have some work to do, but I¡¯ll see youter.¡± Alexa nodded and watched as Anthony walked away. She knew she needed to break up with Cody, but she didn¡¯t know how. She was trapped in a web of lies and deceit, and she didn¡¯t know how to get out. 112 CH 112 As Alexa saw Cody walk out of the restaurant, she couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of unease that had taken over her. She turned to Anthony and said, ¡°Can we go somewhere else? It¡¯s too crowded in here.¡± Anthony looked at her, noticing the unease in her eyes. ¡°Sure, I know a private ce we can go to. Follow me,¡± he said. They got up from the table and walked out of the restaurant. Anthony led her to a nearby park that had a small pond and plenty of trees surrounding it. They found a bench and sat down, taking in the peaceful scenery. ¡°Is this better?¡± Anthony asked.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Alexa breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Yes, thank you. I¡¯m sorry, I just got a little ufortable in there.¡± Anthony reached out and ced a hand on her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I understand. You don¡¯t have to exin anything to me if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Alexa felt a rush of gratitude towards Anthony. He was so kind and understanding, unlike anyone she had ever met before. As they sat there, Anthony began to open up to her about his own past struggles. He told her about his upbringing and how he had to work hard to get to where he was today. He also shared with her his fears and doubts about running his business, and how he had to constantly remind himself to keep pushing forward. Alexa listened intently, amazed at how vulnerable Anthony was willing to be with her. It made her feel closer to him, as if they shared a deeper connection. After a while, they decided to have lunch. Anthony pulled out a pic basket from behind the bench and began to unpack it. He had brought along some sandwiches, fruit, and a bottle of wine. As they ate, they talked about their interests and hobbies. Alexa found out that Anthony loved to read and was passionate about art. He even took her to a nearby art museum and showed her some of his favorite pieces. The more time Alexa spent with Anthony, the more she realized how much she enjoyed being around him. He was kind, caring, and so unlike any other man she had ever met. As the afternoon wore on, they finished their lunch and decided to take a walk around the park. They strolled along the pond, taking in the beautiful scenery and enjoying each other¡¯spany. Anthony and Alexa got back into the car and drove back to the mansion in silence. Alexa was still thinking about the encounter with Cody at the restaurant, and she couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of uneasiness. Anthony noticed that she was quiet and asked, ¡°Is everything okay, Alexa?¡± Alexa shook her head and replied, ¡°Yeah, everything¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just a little tired, I guess.¡± Anthony looked at her intently for a moment before saying, ¡°You know, you don¡¯t have to keep everything to yourself. If there¡¯s something bothering you, you can always talk to me about it.¡± Alexa smiled weakly and said, ¡°Thanks, Anthony. I appreciate it.¡± When they arrived at the mansion, Anthony escorted Alexa inside and offered her a drink. They settled in the living room, and Anthony asked her about her day. Alexa told him about the meeting with the board of directors and how impressed she was with their vision for thepany. Anthony listened attentively, and then he said, ¡°I¡¯m d you enjoyed the meeting. You¡¯re going to be a great asset to thepany, Alexa.¡± Alexa smiled and replied, ¡°Thank you, Anthony. I¡¯m really excited about this opportunity.¡± 113 CH 113T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Alexa and Anthony returned to the room, their eyes meeting as they stepped through the door. Anthony leaned in, pressing his lips against hers in a passionate kiss. His hands moved over her curves, exploring every inch of her body and igniting mes of desire within her. Anthony murmured words of love and admiration as they sunk into the mattress, their movements bing more and more intimate with each passing moment. They clung to one another, feeling a connection that ran deeper than anything either of them had ever experienced before. Their lovemaking was slow and tender, yet filled with an intensity that neither of them could deny. Alexa whispered words of encouragement as Anthony explored her body, sending waves of pleasure through both of them. She feltplete in his arms, like nothing else mattered but the two of them together in that moment. Time seemed to stand still as they made love, their hearts beating in perfect harmony for eternity. They moved in unison until neither could take it anymore, copsing into each other¡¯s arms as the most intense pleasure spread throughout their bodies. Finally, after moments that felt like years, Alexa and Anthony fell asleep in each other¡¯s embrace, content and fulfilled in a way they never had been before. ******************************** As soon as Alexa tells Anthony the news, his eyes widened in shock. ¡°Pregnant? Are you sure?¡± he asks, his voice quivering with emotion. Alexa nods solemnly, ¡°Yes, Anthony. I just found out. I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Alexa knew that lying to Anthony about being pregnant was not the best idea, but she felt like she had no other choice. She had toe up with a way to stop Cody¡¯s nned attack on the mansion, and this seemed like the only option. She took a deep breath and said to Anthony, ¡°I have something important to tell you.¡± Anthony looked at her, concerned. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked. Alexa paused for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant,¡± she said finally. Anthony was stunned. ¡°What? How is that possible?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Alexa said, trying to sound convincing. ¡°It just happened.¡± Anthony looked at her for a long moment, then he smiled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s amazing news,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re going to have a baby together.¡± Alexa felt a pang of guilt as she looked at Anthony¡¯s smiling face. She knew that she was lying to him, and she knew that it was wrong. But she also knew that she had to do whatever it took to protect the mansion and everyone who lived there. Over the next few weeks, Alexa did her best to keep up the charade. She pretended to be sick, and she told Anthony that she needed to rest more often. She even went to see a doctor to get a fake pregnancy test result. Anthony was over the moon with joy, and he showered Alexa with love and affection. He bought her presents and took her out to dinner every night. Alexa felt guilty about deceiving him, but she also knew that it was necessary. One night, as they were lying in bed together, Anthony turned to Alexa and said, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to meet our baby. I already love him so much.¡± Alexa felt a lump form in her throat. She knew that she couldn¡¯t keep up the lie forever, and she knew that Anthony would be devastated when he found out the truth. But she also knew that she had to protect the mansion at all costs. ¡°I love you, Anthony,¡± she said softly. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to start our family together.¡± Anthony smiled and kissed her forehead. ¡°I love you too, Alexa,¡± he said. ¡°More than anything in this world.¡± Alexa closed her eyes and tried to push away the guilt that was eating away at her. She knew that she had a lot of work to do if she wanted to save the mansion and everyone who lived there. But for now, she was content to lie in Anthony¡¯s arms and pretend that everything was going to be alright. 114 CH 114 Anthony couldn¡¯t contain his excitement as Alexa broke the news of her pregnancy. He felt like he had won the lottery. He held her in his arms and spun her around, nting kisses all over her face. Alexa smiled andughed, happy to see him so joyful. But in the back of her mind, she knew that she had just told a lie. Anthony¡¯s mind was racing with thoughts of how he would be a father, how he would raise his child, and how he would provide for his growing family. He felt like he was on top of the world. He was so happy that he didn¡¯t want to ruin the moment by telling Nn about the pregnancy. He knew that Nn would have questions and concerns, and Anthony didn¡¯t want to deal with that just yet. As they sat on the couch together, Anthony couldn¡¯t help but keep his hands on Alexa¡¯s belly, imagining what their child would look like. He talked about all the things he wanted to do with their child, like taking them to the park, teaching them how to ride a bike, and watching them grow up. Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty about lying to him, but she couldn¡¯t let Cody¡¯s n destroy everything that Anthony had worked so hard for. As the day went on, Anthony kept his excitement about the pregnancy to himself. He didn¡¯t want to tell anyone until he knew that everything was safe and secure. He knew that Nn would be happy for him, but he didn¡¯t want to take any chances. For now, he was content just knowing that he was going to be a father. Alexa, on the other hand, was still worried about Cody¡¯s n. She knew that she needed toe up with a n to stop him, but she didn¡¯t know where to start. She hoped that she could buy herself some time by lying about being pregnant, but she also knew that it was only a temporary solution. She needed to find a way to stop Cody before it was toote. As they went to bed that night, Anthony held Alexa close, still overjoyed by the news of her pregnancy. Alexa closed her eyes and tried to push away her worries, hoping that everything would work out in the end. But deep down, she knew that things were about to get a lot moreplicated. Alexa spent a sleepless night contemting her decision. She knew it was a risk, but she couldn¡¯t keep lying to Anthony about her pregnancy. She made up her mind to take Nn¡¯s offer and leave the mansion with him. Early the next morning, she found Nn in the backyard and told him her decision. ¡°Nn, I¡¯ve decided to leave with you to New York,¡± she said, trying to hide her nervousness. Nn¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Really? That¡¯s amazing, Alexa! When do you want to leave?¡± ¡°As soon as possible,¡± she replied, trying to stay calm. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll make the arrangements. We¡¯ll leave tomorrow morning,¡± he said, giving her a reassuring smile. Alexa felt a wave of relief wash over her. She had made a decision, and now she had a n. She went back to her room and started packing her things, trying to be discreet so that nobody would suspect anything.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. 115 115 Alexa sat at her desk, pen in hand, staring nkly at the paper in front of her. She knew what she wanted to say, but the words just wouldn¡¯te out right. Finally, after a long moment of silence, she began to write. ¡°Dear Anthony, I don¡¯t even know where to begin. I feel like such a fool for getting involved in all of this. I should have known better, I should have seen iting. But I was blind, and now it¡¯s toote. I¡¯m sorry, Anthony. I¡¯m sorry for everything. I know you must hate me now, and I understand why. I lied to you about the pregnancy, and I¡¯m sorry. I only did it to buy us some time to get out of that situation. I never meant to hurt you, but I know you must hate me now, and I understand why. I lied to you about the pregnancy, and I¡¯m sorry. I only did it to buy us some time to get out of that situation. I never meant to hurt you, but I realize now that I did. But there¡¯s something else I need to tell you. Something that¡¯s been weighing heavily on my conscience. I knew about the robbery, Anthony. I knew about it all along. Cody asked me to be a maid so he could use me and rob the house. I didn¡¯t want to do it, but I was desperate for money. I didn¡¯t know what else to do. I¡¯m so sorry, Anthony. I never meant for any of this to happen. I hope you can forgive me, even though I don¡¯t deserve it. I realize now how naive you were, how close-minded you were towards Nn. And I¡¯m sorry for leading you on all this time. I should have been honest with you from the beginning. But the truth is, Anthony, I choose to be with Nn. I know it¡¯s not what you wanted to hear, and I¡¯m sorry for that too. But he needs me now, more than ever. He¡¯s hurting, and I want to be there for him. I hope someday you can understand that. I miss you, Anthony. I miss the way things used to be between us. But I know we can never go back to that. I hope you find happiness, and I hope someday you can forgive me. With love and regret, Alexa.¡± Tears streamed down Alexa¡¯s face as she finished the letter. She knew it was time to move on, to face the consequences of her actions. She folded the letter, put it in an envelope, and sealed it shut. She would mail it to Anthony in the morning, and then she would face whatever came next. As Alexa dropped the ne on top of the letter, she couldn¡¯t help but feel the weight of her guilt pressing down on her. She knew she had toe clean to Anthony about everything that had happened, including her involvement in the robbery and her false pregnancy. She also had to apologize for leading him on and hurting him. It was the least she could do before leaving with Nn. Taking a deep breath, she ced the letter on his desk in his home office and walked out of the room. She knew it was time to face the consequences of her actions, no matter how difficult they may be. As she made her way back to the mansion, her phone beeped with a message from Cody. Her heart sank as she read the words on the screen. He was going to rob the mansion, whether she liked it or not.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. 116 116 That night, as they had nned, Alexa and Nn finally confirmed their n to each other. They were going to leave everything behind and start a new life together. They had already packed their bags with all the essentials they would need for their journey. The adrenaline rush was keeping them both on edge, but they knew they had to be careful and stay focused. Nn looked at Alexa, and with a hint of concern in his voice, he asked her once again, ¡°Are you sure about this, Alexa? We can still turn back now if you want.¡± Alexa took a deep breath, trying to suppress the doubt that was lingering in her mind, and replied with a nod, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. I have never been sure about anything in my life before, but I know that this is what I want.¡± Nn gave her aforting smile and held her hand, ¡°Then let¡¯s go. We have a long journey ahead of us.¡± As they started packing their bags, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she truly loved Nn or if she was just going with him because he had chosen to escape with her. The thought lingered in her mind, making her feel uncertain about the decision she had made. She went back to her room and sat there, contemting whether she was doing the right thing by leaving Anthony behind. After a while, she decided to pick up her phone and call the cops to inform them about the robbery that Cody and his gang were nning. She knew that this would give them enough time to get away safely. ¡°911, what¡¯s your emergency?¡± the voice on the other end of the line asked. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a robbery at a mansion on Westerly Road tonight. Please send some officers immediately,¡± Alexa replied in a nervous voice. ¡°Can you give us more details about the location and the suspects?¡± the operator asked. Alexa quickly provided the information she had about the robbery and the suspects, hoping that it would be enough to stop the robbery. After she hung up the phone, she finished packing her bags and waited for Nn to arrive. Just as they were about to head out, they heard a loud noise from downstairs. It sounded like someone had broken in. Cody and his gang had arrived at the mansion, armed with guns and wearing ski masks. They were ready to carry out the robbery as nned. Alexa and Nn quickly made their way to the back door, hoping to escape without being noticed. But as they were about to open the door, they heard footstepsing towards them. They turned around to see Cody and his gang members blocking their way. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Cody asked with a menacing tone. Alexa and Nn froze, not knowing what to do. They were trapped, with no way out. Cody pointed his gun at them and said, ¡°I think it¡¯s time for you two to join the party. You can¡¯t just leave us out like this.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Alexa and Nn exchanged a worried look, realizing that their escape n had been foiled. They were at the mercy of Cody and his gang, with no one to turn to for help. The tension in the room was palpable, as they all stood there in silence, waiting for something to happen. The fate of Alexa and Nn hung in the bnce, as they wondered what their next move should be. 117 117 Anthony was in a state of panic as he heard themotion in his home. He had never experienced anything like this before and was frozen with fear, not knowing what to do. He heard gunshots and screamsing from various parts of the mansion, and he knew that he and his staff were in danger. Cody and his gang were ruthless as they searched the mansion for anything valuable. One of the housekeepers tried to run, but Cody caught up with them and shot them dead. The others were forced to stay in a room and stay quiet, afraid for their lives. As Cody and his gang searched the mansion, they found phones and devices and smashed them on the floor. They also searched the pockets of Anthony, Nn, Alexa, and the staff for any other phones and smashed them as they found them. It was clear that they didn¡¯t want anyone calling for help. Once they were done, Cody ordered the members to stay put as they gathered furniture from upstairs to take. Only four members were left to watch over the 15 staff members and the trio. It was a terrifying situation for everyone involved. Alexa saw an opportunity to untie Nn when one of the gang members recognized her. She was surprised when David spoke up and said that the Alexa they knew had run off a few days ago after their encounter with Cody. David continued to distract the two members while the other two kept watch. Alexa untied Nn and then he untied her.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Once they were free, Nn attacked the armed men while Alexa kicked the member with their back turned from her. David helped them by knocking out the four members. However, their victory was short-lived as they heard a gunshot and saw David bleeding from behind him. Cody had shot David¡¯s body convulsed as he copsed to the ground. Alexa¡¯s heart raced as she saw the crimson stain growing on his shirt, spreading like a dark flower blooming on his chest. She rushed over to him, her hands shaking as she tried to stop the bleeding. The metallic tang of blood filled her nostrils as she pressed her hands against the wound. The blood seeped through her fingers, warm and sticky against her skin. Her mind raced as she tried to think of what to do. She needed to stop the bleeding, but she didn¡¯t have any medical supplies. David¡¯s eyes fluttered open, his breathing shallow and ragged. His lips moved, but no sound came out. Alexa leaned in closer, trying to hear what he was saying. ¡°Alexa,¡± he whispered, his voice barely audible. ¡°You have to stop them.¡± She nodded, tears streaming down her face. She couldn¡¯t let David die in vain. She had to stop Cody and his gang, no matter what it took. She looked around, trying to think of a n. Nn was still fighting off the other members, but there were too many of them. They needed a distraction, something to give them an advantage. Alexa¡¯s eyes fell on therge chandelier hanging from the ceiling. She knew what she had to do. She stood up, her hands still covered in David¡¯s blood. She looked at Nn, who had just taken down another member. ¡°Nn, help me with this,¡± she said, pointing to the chandelier. Nn nodded, his eyes wide with understanding. Together, they grabbed the chandelier and started pulling it down. The metal groaned and screeched as they yanked it from its mountings. The remaining members turned towards them, their guns raised. Alexa could see the fear in their eyes as they realized what was about to happen. With a final heave, the chandelier came crashing down, shattering into a thousand pieces. 118 Cody knew David would help Alexa and called him an idiot for even stepping out of line. Alexa noticed Jade pointing a gun at Cody and tried to distract him as she shot at him around the house. The staff were getting free one by one and attacking the members by throwing expensive items they took from upstairs. Alexa helped Anthony free from the ropes and helped him up. Suddenly, they heard police sirens rming nearby, and Nn asked who called the cops. Alexa lied that maybe some of the staff did. As Anthony tried to walk, he was shot on his thigh by one of the gang members. Cody shot Jade, who jumped behind Alexa to stop him from shooting her friend. Alexa was shocked and let Nn and Anthony escape while she carried Jade outside. Cody noticed and heard the police siren, so he shot at Alexa¡¯s leg, making her fall. This made Nn stop to check on Alexa. Alexa¡¯s mind raced as shey on the ground in agony, holding her bleeding leg. She knew she had to stay focused and keep fighting. Cody was her ex-boyfriend, and she knew him well. She knew he would never stop until he got what he wanted. She looked up and saw Nn¡¯s worried face as he kneeled beside her. ¡°Are you okay? Can you move?¡± Nn asked, his voice filled with concern. Alexa nodded weakly, gritting her teeth against the pain. She knew she had to be strong, for herself and for Jade. She nced over at the unconscious Jade, lying on the ground beside her. She was relieved to see that her friend was still breathing. ¡°We have to get out of here,¡± Alexa said, struggling to sit up. ¡°The police will be here soon.¡± Alexa¡¯s mind was spinning, her thoughts a jumbled mess. She tried to focus on the pain in her leg, hoping to distract herself from the fear and confusion that threatened to overwhelm her. But the pain was too intense. It was as if a hot, searing knife had been plunged into her flesh, tearing through muscle and bone. She could feel the blood trickling down her leg, sticky and warm. Every breath she took was a struggle, as if her lungs were constricting around her. The pain was spreading, radiating outwards from her leg and engulfing her entire body. She could feel herself slipping away, drifting into a dark and terrifying abyss. The world around her seemed to be fading, bing nothing more than a blur of shapes and colors. And yet, even in the midst of her agony, she could hear Nn¡¯s voice, calling out to her, urging her to stay with him. She clung to that voice like a lifeline, holding on to it with every fiber of her being. It was the only thing that kept her from sumbing to the pain, the only thing that kept her from slipping away into the void. She focused all of her energy on that voice, willing herself to stay conscious, to fight through the agony.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. It felt like an eternity, but eventually the pain began to subside, receding into a dull ache. The world around her started toe back into focus, the shapes and colors bing more distinct. Alexa let out a ragged breath, her body trembling with exhaustion. She felt Nn¡¯s arms around her, holding her close, and she clung to him, grateful for thefort and the safety he provided. But even as shey there, wounded and broken, she knew that her ordeal was far from over. She had to find a way to stop Cody and his gang, to put an end to the violence and the chaos that threatened to tear their world apart. She had to find the strength to keep fighting, even in the face of overwhelming adversity. And with Nn by her side, she knew that she could. Nn helped her up, and together they started to move towards the front door. They could hear the sound of police sirens growing louder by the second. Alexa¡¯s heart raced as she limped towards the door, her mind racing with thoughts of escape and survival. 119 119 The police finally arrived at the mansion, sirens ring as they rushed towards the scene. An ambnce followed closely behind, the paramedics on high alert as they prepared for the worst. As they entered the mansion¡¯s grounds, they were met with chaos and confusion, screams ringing out from every direction. Alexa watched as the paramedics rushed towards Jade, whoy on the ground in critical condition. Her heart raced as she realized the gravity of the situation, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel helpless in the face of such violence. How had a simple dinner party turned into a nightmare?Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. As she turned her attention back to Cody, she could see him marching his way towards Nn and Anthony. With a sense of urgency, Alexa rushed towards him, grabbing hold of his leg to try and stop him in his tracks. The sudden force almost caused him to lose his bnce, but he quickly regained hisposure and turned his gun towards Nn and Anthony. Nn desperately tried to drag Anthony away from the line of fire, but they didn¡¯t make it far. Before they could reach safety, Cody opened fire, hitting Nn on the shoulder and causing both of them to fall to the ground. Alexa knew she had to act fast if she wanted to stop Cody from doing more harm. With lightning-fast reflexes, she lunged over Cody and pinned his arms down to stop him from shooting. Even with her weight pressing down on him, he still managed to fire off a few rounds, narrowly missing their heads. The leading housekeeper rushed to help Alexa pin down Cody¡¯s hand, but before they could secure the gun, they were both shot under their chin and died on the spot. Alexa was kicked to the side as Cody realized that the police were closing in. With time running out, he knew that his best chance of escape was with the surviving gang members who were making their getaway with the valuable items. Without a second thought, he made a run for it, leaving behind a trail of devastation in his wake. As the dust began to settle, the true extent of the damage became clear. Some of the staff were found to have died, and others were seriously injured. Alexa watched in horror as Nn held on to his father¡¯s lifeless body, tears streaming down his face. She tried tofort him as best she could, but the words seemed to fall short in the face of such tragedy. As the ambnce finally arrived, the paramedics rushed to attend to the wounded, but it was already toote for Anthony. Alexa and Nn screamed out in agony as they realized that he was already dead by the time the ambnce and police arrived on the scene. The once-beautiful mansion that stood as a symbol of power and wealth was now nothing more than a crime scene, marked by shattered ss and bullet holes. The events that had transpired would leave an indelible mark on the lives of those who survived, forever changing their perspectives on life, love, and the fragility of the human condition. The tragedy of that fateful night would never be forgotten, a stark reminder of the dangers thaty just beneath the surface of even the most morous and luxurious lifestyles. 120 120 The news of Anthony¡¯s death had hit Nn and Alexa like a ton of bricks. They were both devastated, but in their own ways. Alexa med herself for not calling the police sooner, while Nn withdrew into himself and didn¡¯t talk to anyone. At the hospital, Nn stayed silent while listening to the doctors¡¯ reports alongside Alexa. The doctors had already told them that Anthony had died when he was shot. Alexa knew it was her fault for not calling the police sooner. She couldn¡¯t help but feel responsible for what had happened. They stayed at the hospital for a while, visiting the staff that had suffered during the invasion and checking up on their families. Nn had offered to pay for their hospital expenses and evenpensated for their stay until their recovery. Alexa was surprised that without hesitation, Nn would do such a thing, and it made her guilt grow even more. In her mind, she wished that Anthony had survived the robbery. She hoped that he would have been able to see his son¡¯s immediate action to help other people affected. She watched as Nn put everyone first before himself, skipping meals to help feed the kids of the housekeeping staff. Some of the older housekeepers had grandchildren of their own, and Nn even helped them cope and give hope. It made Alexa wonder if Nn too had hope in him to get him by. The ones that didn¡¯t survive, Nn took immediate action to help them financially and to embrace their usation in the kindest manner. He didn¡¯t flinch when one of the sons of the leading housekeeper yelled at him that he let his father die. He made it clear that it was none of anybody¡¯s desire to have their loved ones hurt. He even brought up how his father died. But Alexa knew she could have done something to stop it. All throughout the week, Nn mostly left his room to tend to those who were hurt and killed. Yet he never bothered to eat nor even drink a ss of water to get him going. Alexa verbally told Nn she would stay by his side, but he seemed oddly calm at her words.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The time came when Nn had to face his father onest time. He had never seen Nn so broken. He was stoic as he walked up to the coffin, but Alexa knew he was struggling to keep it together. She stood by his side as he said his final goodbyes, and she felt a wave of sadness wash over her. The day of the funeral was overcast and gloomy, as if the skies themselves were mourning Anthony¡¯s passing. A somber procession of mourners made their way to the church, dressed in their finest ck attire. Nn, wearing a ck suit and tie, walked alongside Alexa, who held his hand tightly. The church was packed with people paying their respects, many of whom had worked for Anthony over the years. The altar was adorned with white lilies and arge portrait of Anthony, dressed in his finest suit, looked down upon the proceedings. As the service began, the priest spoke of Anthony¡¯s life, his generosity, his kindness, and his dedication to his family and employees. Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of guilt as she listened to the eulogy, knowing that she could have done more to prevent his death. Nn, on the other hand, sat stone-faced, his eyes fixed on the portrait of his father. He had hardly spoken a word since the robbery and seemed to be in a constant state of shock and disbelief. As the service came to an end, Nn and Alexa joined the procession of mourners as they made their way to the cemetery. The rain had started to fall, adding to the solemn atmosphere. At the gravesite, the priest recited a final prayer, and the pallbearers lowered the coffin into the ground. Nn stepped forward andid a single white rose on top of the casket, his hand trembling slightly. As the mourners began to disperse, Nn remained standing by the graveside, lost in thought. Alexa approached him and put a hand on his shoulder, offering him somefort. For a long moment, they stood in silence, the rain falling around them. Finally, Nn turned to Alexa, his eyes filled with pain and sadness. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to go on without him,¡± he whispered. ¡°He was my everything.¡± Alexa didn¡¯t know what to say, but she took his hand and squeezed it tightly. Together, they stood there in the rain, mourning the loss of Anthony and trying to find the strength to carry on. 121 121Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After the funeral, the mansion that once stood as a symbol of power and wealth was now a hollow shell of its former self. The staff who had survived the brutal invasion had been sent home to recover, and the mansion was left empty, with the exception of Nn and Alexa. Nn had retreated to his room and refused to leave. He didn¡¯t bother to hire new staff to keep the mansion¡¯s state at bay. Every day, Alexa would spend her time making food for Nn and prepping a nice hot bath for him to have. She would inform him of the food and the bath, but all she could ever get was the sound of his cries under his bed sheet. Alexa felt helpless in the face of Nn¡¯s grief. She knew that he needed time to heal, but she also knew that he couldn¡¯t spend the rest of his life in his room. She tried to talk to him, tofort him, but he refused to open up to her. Days turned into weeks, and Alexa¡¯s concern for Nn grew. She didn¡¯t know what else to do. She spent her days trying to take care of Nn, making sure he had everything he needed, but she couldn¡¯t force him to leave his room. One day, as she was cooking lunch, she heard a faint knock on the front door. She hesitated at first, wondering who it could be. She cautiously walked towards the door and peered through the peephole. It was an old woman, looking frail and weak. Alexa opened the door and greeted the woman. The old woman asked if Nn was there, and Alexa hesitated before telling her that he was in his room. The old woman nodded and thanked her before making her way to Nn¡¯s room. Alexa watched as the old woman knocked on Nn¡¯s door. She listened as the old woman spoke softly to Nn, telling him stories of her own grief and how she hade to terms with it over the years. Alexa could hear Nn¡¯s sobs turn into sniffles, and she knew that the old woman¡¯s words were reaching him. As the days passed, Alexa noticed a slight improvement in Nn¡¯s demeanor. He started to eat more and even ventured out of his room for a brief period to check on the mansion¡¯s state. Alexa was d to see Nn taking small steps towards healing, but she knew that he still had a long way to go. One day, while Nn was taking a bath, Alexa noticed that he had left his phone on the counter. She hesitated at first, wondering if she should respect his privacy, but curiosity got the best of her, and she picked up the phone. As she scrolled through Nn¡¯s text messages, she noticed a message from Anthony. It was a message that Nn had never seen, and it read, ¡°Son, I¡¯m so proud of you. You¡¯ve be a better man than I ever was.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart sank as she read the message. She knew that Nn needed to see it. She quickly put the phone back on the counter and rushed to Nn¡¯s room. ¡°Nn, you need to see this,¡± she said as she handed him his phone. Nn looked at her quizzically before taking the phone from her. As he read the message, tears streamed down his face. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I see this before?¡± he whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I think it¡¯s time for you to start moving forward. Your father would want that for you,¡± Alexa replied softly. Nn nodded, and Alexa knew that he was finally ready to start the healing process. Over the next few weeks, Nn slowly but surely began to venture out of his room more often. *** Alexa had been feeling restless, constantly pacing back and forth in her room, trying to find a way to track down Cody. She knew she couldn¡¯t do it alone, so she decided to visit the hospital where David and Jade had been admitted. Upon reaching the hospital, she found Jade sitting alone in a room with her head buried in her hands. Alexa could see that Jade was grieving the loss of her lover, David. ¡°Jade, I¡¯m so sorry for your loss. I can¡¯t even begin to imagine what you¡¯re going through,¡± Alexa said softly as she approached her. Jade looked up at Alexa and shook her head, tears streaming down her face. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Alexa. Cody is the one who¡¯s responsible for all of this. He¡¯s the reason David is dead. I hope you find him and make him pay for what he¡¯s done.¡± Alexa nodded solemnly and took a seat next to Jade. ¡°Do you know where Cody could be hiding? I need to find him.¡± Jade looked hesitant at first but then took a deep breath and told Alexa all the possible hiding spots that Cody had taken David to when they had a mission. 122 122 Alexa looked at Jade with concern in her eyes. ¡°What are you nning on doing now that you¡¯re free from Cody?¡± she asked softly. Jade looked up at Alexa, tears streaming down her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she replied, her voice trembling. ¡°David was the only person who ever loved me, and now he¡¯s gone. I feel so lost.¡± Alexa put her hand on Jade¡¯s shoulder, trying to offer somefort. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Jade. I can¡¯t even imagine what you¡¯re going through right now.¡± Jade sniffled and wiped her tears away. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said, taking a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m just grateful to be alive, thanks to you.¡± Alexa gave her a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m just d I could help.¡± Jade looked away for a moment, deep in thought. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to move somewhere no one knows me,¡± she said, finally looking back at Alexa. ¡°Start over, you know?¡± Alexa nodded understandingly. ¡°I get it. Sometimes a fresh start is what we need to move on.¡± Jade smiled weakly. ¡°Yeah. And I think it¡¯s best if I keep my distance from anything rted to Cody.¡± Alexa¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best. I¡¯m not sure what I would do if I saw him again.¡± Jade nodded. ¡°He¡¯s a dangerous man, Alexa. But I have faith that you¡¯ll catch him.¡± Alexa¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I will. I won¡¯t rest until he¡¯s behind bars.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Jade looked at Alexa with admiration in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re one of the strongest people I know, Alexa. And I¡¯m grateful to have you as my friend.¡± Alexa felt a pang of sadness in her chest. She had lost so many people in her life, and she didn¡¯t want to lose Jade too. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for you too, Jade. Please keep in touch with me once you¡¯re out of the hospital.¡± Jade nodded. ¡°I will. I promise.¡± Alexa stood up, knowing that she had to continue her search for Cody. ¡°I have to go now, but I¡¯lle back to check on you soon.¡± Jade nodded again. ¡°Take care, Alexa. And be safe.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Alexa said before leaving the hospital room. As she walked down the hall, she couldn¡¯t help but think about the strength that Jade had shown. Despite all the trauma she had endured, she was still able to find the courage to start over. Alexa knew that she could learn a lot from her friend. Jade¡¯s eyes flicked up to meet Alexa¡¯s, a flicker of admiration in her gaze. ¡°You¡¯re brave,¡± she said, her voice filled with genuine respect. Alexaughed at thement, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m not brave. I¡¯m just¡­ determined, I guess.¡± Jade smiled wistfully. ¡°Bravery isn¡¯t something you¡¯re born with, hun,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m goddamn afraid for my life, that¡¯s for sure. But I am not brave, I am determined.¡± Alexa thought about that for a moment, letting the words sink in. ¡°I never thought of it that way,¡± she admitted. ¡°But I guess determination is a kind of bravery, in its own way.¡± Jade nodded in agreement, her expression serious. ¡°It is. And you have it, Alexa. You have more of it than you realize.¡± Alexa felt a flush of pride at the words, grateful for the encouragement. ¡°Thank you, Jade,¡± she said quietly. ¡°That means a lot to me.¡± Jade gave her a small smile, her eyes closing as she leaned her head back against the hospital bed. ¡°Just promise me you¡¯ll be careful,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose another friend.¡± ¡°I promise,¡± Alexa said firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful. And I¡¯ll be in touch as soon as I can.¡± Jade nodded, her eyes already drifting shut. ¡°Good luck, Alexa,¡± she murmured. ¡°Take care of yourself.¡± 123 123 As Alexa walks out of the hospital, she sees a man in a trench coat with a detective badge hanging from his pocket. He¡¯s a tall man with short grey hair, and his face is stern and serious. Alexa approaches him cautiously, wondering what he could want with her. ¡°Excuse me,¡± she says, ¡°can I help you with something?¡± The detective looks her up and down before speaking. ¡°Are you Alexa? Saw you somewhere before. Do you know me?¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The detective was a towering figure, with broad shoulders and a chiseled jawline. His piercing blue eyes seemed to see through the surface of things, as if he had the ability to discern a person¡¯s deepest secrets with a single nce. His dark hair was meticulously groomed, and his suit was perfectly tailored to fit his muscr frame. As he approached Alexa, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of unease. This man was no ordinary detective. His very presence seemed to demand respect, and his steely gaze made it clear that he was not one to be trifled with. His voice was deep andmanding, and every word he spoke carried a weight of authority. Alexa nods slowly, her heart racing. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Is there something wrong?¡± The detective pulls out a notepad from his pocket and flips it open. ¡°I¡¯m Detective Williams. I¡¯ve been investigating the recent burries in the area, and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.¡± Alexa furrows her brow, trying to remember if she saw anything suspicious in the neighborhood. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll help in any way I can. What do you want to know?¡± Alexa began ¡°So, what are you going to do next?¡± The man replied ¡°We¡¯ll keep looking, but I have to be honest with you, it¡¯s not looking good. We don¡¯t have any leads, and we¡¯re not sure where to even start looking.¡± Alexa added¡±What about his aplices? Surely, they must know something.¡± Tge detective chimed in ¡°We¡¯ve already questioned them, but they¡¯re not talking. They¡¯re too scared of what Cody might do to them if they betray him.¡± Alexa replied ¡°What if I can get them to talk?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea, Miss. You could be putting yourself in danger.¡± Alexa: ¡°I don¡¯t care. I need to find Cody, and I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to stop him.¡± The next week was a blur for Alexa as she traveled from city to city, searching for any trace of Cody. She went to rundown motels and bars, questioning anyone who looked remotely like they knew him. She walked through dimly lit alleyways and abandoned warehouses, always keeping her guard up in case Cody decided to make an appearance. At times, she would catch a glimpse of someone who resembled Cody, but upon closer inspection, it would turn out to be a false rm. Her frustration grew with each passing day, and she was beginning to lose hope that she would ever find him. 124 124 The guilt was eating Alexa up from the inside like a slow poison. She felt like a sinner who hadmitted the most unforgivable crime. The weight of her guilt was so heavy that she felt like she was carrying a boulder on her back every time she entered the mansion. The once-beautiful mansion now felt like a haunted house that reminded her of the grave mistake she hadmitted. The thought of confessing to Nn crossed her mind several times, but she couldn¡¯t muster the courage to do so. She feared that he would never forgive her and would end up hating her forever. After losing Anthony, she couldn¡¯t bear the thought of losing another person she loved. Despite her guilt, Alexa continued to take care of the mansion all by herself. Nn hadn¡¯t left his room since the day of the funeral, and Alexa knew that he needed time to grieve. But it didn¡¯t stop her from taking care of the mansion¡¯s needs. She dusted every corner, scrubbed every surface, and trimmed the garden back into its glorious state. Days turned into weeks, and Alexa¡¯s guilt only grew stronger. She found it hard to sleep at night, gued by nightmares of Nn finding out her secret. She felt like she was walking on thin ice, waiting for it to crack beneath her feet at any moment. But despite everything, Alexa didn¡¯t give up. She continued to take care of the mansion with utmost dedication and care. She made sure that everything was in order and that Nn would have nothing to worry about when he finally decided to leave his room. As she worked, she tried to push the guilt to the back of her mind, but it refused to budge. It was a constant reminder of the mistake she had made, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what would happen if Nn ever found out. Days turned into weeks, and Alexa began to feel like she was losing herself. She had never felt so alone and lost before. The guilt was like a monster that had taken over her life, and she didn¡¯t know how to get rid of it. But she refused to give up. She knew that she had to make things right, no matter what it took. So she continued to take care of the mansion, hoping that one day, she would find the courage to confess to Nn and make things right. Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sadness as she saw Nn watching her from his window. She knew he was still grieving and hadn¡¯t left his room since the funeral. It had been weeks, and he was still in the same state. It worried her, but she didn¡¯t know what to do to help him. As she continued to work, she thought about how much she missed the old Nn. The Nn who would tell her jokes and tease her about her cooking. The Nn who would take her out to the movies or the park on a sunny day. She missed his smile and hisughter, but most of all, she missed the person he used to be. Alexa was busy mowing thewn in front of the mansion when she heard the sound of approaching vehicles. Looking up, she saw two sleek ck cars pulling into the driveway. She straightened her back and wiped her sweat with the back of her hand, wondering who the visitors could be. As the cars came to a halt, a group of well-dressed men stepped out. The board of directors had arrived.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Alexa recognized them immediately from the party and the funeral. They were all impably dressed in expensive suits, each carrying a leather briefcase. One of the men, who appeared to be the leader of the group, approached Alexa with a stern expression on his face. ¡°Excuse me, miss,¡± he said. ¡°We are looking for Mr. Nn. Is he here?¡± Alexa swallowed nervously, feeling a twinge of anxiety in her chest. ¡°Yes, he is,¡± she replied, pointing to the mansion. ¡°He¡¯s been staying in his room since the funeral.¡± The man nodded, his face unreadable. ¡°Very well. We need to speak to him urgently. Please show us to his room.¡± Alexa led the men to the mansion, her heart pounding in her chest. She wondered what could be so urgent that the board of directors woulde looking for Nn. As they entered the mansion, Alexa noticed how clean and tidy everything was. She had spent the past few weeks tirelessly cleaning and trimming the whole mansion back into its glorious state. She hoped it would make a good impression on the visitors. As they climbed the stairs, Alexa felt her nerves intensify. She hoped Nn was up for visitors, especially from the board of directors. When they reached his door, Alexa knocked softly and announced their arrival. ¡°Nn, there are some gentlemen here to see you.¡± There was no response from the other side of the door. Alexa turned to the leader of the group. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, he¡¯s not answering. Maybe he doesn¡¯t want to see anyone right now.¡± The man¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not an option. We have an urgent matter to discuss with him. Open the door, please.¡± Alexa hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. She had promised Nn that she wouldn¡¯t let anyone disturb him. But at the same time, she didn¡¯t want to upset the board of directors. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Nn was lying on his bed, staring nkly at the ceiling. When he saw the group of men enter his room, he sat up abruptly, looking both startled and annoyed. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± he demanded. The leader of the group stepped forward and introduced himself. ¡°Mr. Nn, we are from the board of directors. We need to speak to you about thepany¡¯s future ns.¡± 125 Nn mmed the door of his bedroom behind him, his anger boiling over as he stormed into his room. He could feel his hands shaking as he tried to control his emotions, but the rage inside him was too strong. He paced back and forth, his mind racing with thoughts of Anthony and the betrayal he felt. As he calmed down, he heard a knock on his door. He ignored it, but the knocking continued. Soon, he heard multiple people at his door. He was about to yell at them to go away when he heard Alexa¡¯s voice among them. He hesitated for a moment, but then decided to ignore them again. He didn¡¯t want to talk to anyone. But the knocking didn¡¯t stop. It continued relentlessly, and soon, Nn began to feel like he was being invaded. He opened the door abruptly, his face contorted with anger. The group outside, consisting of Alexa, the board of directors, and a few other employees, all looked at him with concern. ¡°What do you want?¡± Nn snapped.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The board members stepped forward, looking slightly intimidated by Nn¡¯s hostility. ¡°We just wanted to talk to you, Nn,¡± one of them said. Nn rolled his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say to you people.¡± ¡°We understand that you¡¯re upset, Nn,¡± Alexa said gently. ¡°But we¡¯re all here for you. We want to help you.¡± Nn¡¯s eyes flicked to Alexa, and for a moment, he softened. But then his anger returned. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help,¡± he growled. The group continued to try to reason with Nn, but he refused to listen. Finally, they gave up and left him alone. **** THE NEXT DAY. The board members arrived in their luxury cars, each one of them looking more sophisticated than the next. Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel a little bit intimidated by them, even though she knew that she had nothing to be afraid of. As soon as they got out of their cars, they made their way towards the mansion, marching like an army towards Nn¡¯s bedroom. Alexa followed them closely, wondering what was going on. When they reached Nn¡¯s door, they began to knock on it loudly, calling out his name. ¡°Nn, are you there? It¡¯s the board of directors, we need to speak with you,¡± one of them shouted. But there was no response. They continued to knock, bing more and more agitated with each passing moment. Alexa tried to stop them, exining that Nn was not feeling well and needed his rest, but they ignored herpletely. ¡°Make us some iced tea, girl,¡± one of them ordered, brushing past Alexa to enter the kitchen. Alexa was offended. She was not some servant to be bossed around by these men. ¡°Excuse me, but I am not your servant. And my name is Alexa,¡± she said, trying to stand her ground. One of the board members turned to her, looking surprised. ¡°Anthony never mentioned what you were to him. We apologize, Alexa. We will be sure to treat you with the respect you deserve from now on,¡± he said, nodding at her. Alexa felt a little bit better, but she still didn¡¯t like the way they were treating her. She went to the kitchen to make the iced tea, trying to calm herself down. As she prepared the tea, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the board of directors wanted from Nn. She hoped that everything was okay, but she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. After a few minutes, she brought the tea to the board members, who were now sitting in the living room, waiting for her. They thanked her for the tea and began to discuss their business with Nn. Alexa listened intently, trying to gather as much information as she could. She couldn¡¯t hear everything they were saying, but she caught snippets of their conversation. ¡°He needs to make a decision soon,¡± one of them said. ¡°We can¡¯t wait forever,¡± another added. Alexa wasn¡¯t sure what they were talking about, but she knew that it couldn¡¯t be good. As the meeting drew to a close, the board members thanked Alexa for her hospitality and made their way towards the door. But before they left, one of them turned to her and said, ¡°You know, Nn is a lucky man to have a girl like you by his side. You¡¯re smart, capable, and beautiful. He¡¯d be a fool to let you go.¡± Alexa felt a blush rising to her cheeks. She didn¡¯t know what to say, so she simply nodded her head and watched as the board members left the mansion. As soon as they were gone, Alexa went to Nn¡¯s bedroom to check on him. But when she opened the door, she found that he was gone. **** ALEXA¡¯S POV. As I listened to the board members talk, a sense of dread washed over me. I had no idea that Nn¡¯s inheritance included such high stakes. If Nn didn¡¯t take over thepany, everyone would crumble into poverty and be sued with no hesitation. It was my responsibility as his guardian to ensure that he aligned with his destiny to be the next CEO, but I couldn¡¯t force him to do it. I asked why they couldn¡¯t just hire someone else, but they justughed at me for not understanding the situation. Anthony built and imed everything in his will, including thepany, and it was up to Nn to take over or risk losing everything. The board made it clear that they were not joking about the consequences of not following through with Anthony¡¯s will. I felt offended that they treated me like a peasant, but I realized that Anthony never told them about my role in Nn¡¯s life. They simply assumed that I was just an employee. As the board members continued to talk, I tried toe up with a solution in my head. Maybe I could convince Nn to take over thepany, but I knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy. If I broke the contract, the board would sue me, and I couldn¡¯t afford to lose everything. The stakes were too high, and I had to figure out how to convince Nn to take over thepany. I couldn¡¯t let everyone crumble into poverty because of his indecisiveness. I remembered the board¡¯s order for me to convince Nn to take over thepany or else everyone would go bankrupt. It was up to me to figure out how to make that happen. I didn¡¯t know where to start, but I knew I had to try. I couldn¡¯t let everyone down, especially not Anthony. 126 Alexa wakes up early in the morning, feeling anxious and restless. She knows what she needs to do, but the thought of it scares her. She prepares Nn¡¯s breakfast and takes it to his room, but this time, she doesn¡¯t just knock on the door and leave it outside. She gathers her courage and enters the room, hoping to see some progress in Nn¡¯s condition. To her disappointment, Nn is lying in bed, in the same position he has been in for weeks. He doesn¡¯t acknowledge her presence, and Alexa feels a pang of sadness in her chest. She knows she can¡¯t give up on him, but she also knows she can¡¯t force him to get better. Days pass, and Alexa continues to bring Nn his meals and check up on him. She notices that his room is bing more and more cluttered, and the smell of the room is bing unbearable. It¡¯s clear that Nn has given up on himself and has no intention of getting better. Finally, after a month of waiting, Alexa decides she can¡¯t take it anymore. She enters Nn¡¯s room and forcefully pulls him up from the bed. He resists, but Alexa is persistent. She argues that she knows how hard it is to lose someone you love, but it¡¯s much harder to watch the onest person she cares for lose themselves. Nn finallyplies with her demand butins that he just wants to be left alone. Alexa ignores hisints and insists that he needs to get out of his room, take a shower, and eat a proper meal. Nn grudgingly agrees, and Alexa helps him to the bathroom. It takes a while, but Nn finally emerges from the bathroom, looking slightly more presentable. Alexa guides him to the dining room, where she has prepared a healthy breakfast for him. She sits with him, encouraging him to eat, and they make small talk.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Alexa spent weeks looking for Cody, but he was nowhere to be found. She was worried sick about Nn, who was still in bed, barely eating or drinking anything. Alexa would leave him breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but she had to force him to eat, which made him angry every time. Alexa¡¯s days consisted of going out to search for Cody anding back to the mansion to take care of Nn. She barely had time to rest or take care of herself. It was taking a toll on her, but she couldn¡¯t give up on Nn. One day, as she was force-feeding Nn, she noticed that he was slowlying back to his physical self. His once sunken cheeks were slowly filling up, and he was gaining some color back in his face. However, his once muscled arms were now soft to the touch, and he smelled like he didn¡¯t shower for months. Alexa knew that Nn was still grieving, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little bit frustrated. She wanted to shake him and tell him that he needed to take care of himself, but she knew that he wouldn¡¯t listen. Days turned into weeks, and Alexa was starting to lose hope that she would ever find Cody. She was so focused on taking care of Nn that she barely had time to think about anything else. One day, as she wasing back from the grocery store, she was shocked to see Kathy walking inside the mansion. Kathy was Anthony¡¯s sister, and Alexa had only met her a few times. She was surprised that Kathy woulde to the mansion without any prior notice. Alexa quickly put away the groceries and walked towards the living room where Kathy was waiting. Kathy was sitting on the couch, sipping a cup of tea, and looking around the room. ¡°Hello, Alexa,¡± Kathy said as she noticed Alexa walking towards her. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not intruding.¡± Alexa was caught off guard. She wasn¡¯t expecting Kathy toe to the mansion, especially since she knew that Nn was still grieving. As Kathy entered the mansion, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but notice her outfit. She was wearing a long white flowy dress that seemed to be made of a light and airy fabric, perfect for the warm summer day. The dress hugged her curves in all the right ces, highlighting her slim waist and entuating her ample bosom. The dress had a deep V-neckline that showed off just the right amount of cleavage, leaving Alexa feeling slightly envious. The straps of the dress were thin and delicate, adding to the overall feminine vibe of the outfit. The dress flowed down to her ankles, swishing with each step she took. As Alexa¡¯s eyes traveled down, she noticed that Kathy was wearing a pair of strappy sandals that were a few shades darker than the dress. The sandals had high heels, making Kathy appear even taller than she already was. The pedicure on her toes was a bright red, adding a pop of color to the otherwise white ensemble. Kathy¡¯s long blonde hair was styled in soft waves that cascaded down her back. Her makeup was minimal, with just a touch of pink lipstick and some mascara to highlight her bright blue eyes. She carried a small beige purse that matched her sandals and seemed to hold just the essentials. ¡°No, not at all,¡± Alexa replied, trying to keep herposure. ¡°Is there anything I can help you with?¡± Kathy smiled at her, and Alexa noticed that she looked different from thest time she saw her. She looked more rxed and carefree, which was strange considering the circumstances. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Nn,¡± Kathy said, still smiling. ¡°I heard that he¡¯s been going through a tough time, and I thought I could help.¡± Alexa was surprised. She didn¡¯t know that Kathy was close to Nn, but she didn¡¯t want to question her. She knew that Nn needed all the support he could get. 127 127 As Alexa walks into the dining room, she sees Kathy arranging boxes of pizza with a young woman she recognizes from BCI. The woman is packing the boxes neatly, ensuring that the toppings are evenly distributed. Alexa approaches them and asks, ¡°Kathy, what are you doing here? I didn¡¯t hear Nn invite you over.¡± Kathy turns around and smiles at Alexa. ¡°Oh, hey, Alexa! The board of directors ordered my family to help the nanny in convincing Nn toe back. We¡¯re just trying to do our part.¡± Alexa nods, understanding the situation. She¡¯s surprised to see another person with Kathy, a man who looks to be around the same age as her. ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± she asks, gesturing to the man. Kathy giggles and takes the man¡¯s hand. ¡°This is my boyfriend, Laurence. He works for my father¡¯spany.¡± Laurence smiles warmly at Alexa and introduces himself. ¡°Nice to meet you, Alexa. Kathy¡¯s told me a lot about you.¡± Alexa greets him politely before turning her attention to the other woman. ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± she asks, indicating the woman packing the pizza boxes. The woman looks up and smiles at Alexa. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m La. I¡¯m a friend of Kathy¡¯s from one of thepanies Anthony owned.¡± Alexa nods, realizing how many people would actually get involved with the fall of Anthony¡¯s empire wealth. ¡°Well, thank you foring to help. I really appreciate it.¡± Kathy smiles. ¡°Of course, anything for Nn. Do you need any help with the groceries?¡± Alexa looks at the bags she¡¯s carrying and nods. ¡°Actually, that would be great. Thanks, La, could you give me a hand?¡± La nods and follows Alexa into the kitchen. As they unpack the groceries, Alexa can¡¯t help but wonder if this is what her life has be ¨C surrounded by people who have a stake in the sess of Nn and BCI. She makes a mental note to be more cautious in the future.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. As Alexa parked the car, her mind was racing with questions. Why was Kathy there? Why did the board of directors order her family to help? What was going on? She couldn¡¯t fathom the idea of anyone meddling in Nn¡¯s life right now. He was fragile, and she didn¡¯t want anyone to interfere with his healing process. Kathy¡¯s car was also parked outside the mansion, gleaming under the bright sun. It was a sleek, ck sedan, the kind that exuded power and sophistication. The car had a polished finish that shone in the sunlight, making it look like a work of art. The body was smooth and aerodynamic, with sharp, angr lines that gave it a sense of speed and agility. The windows were tinted, so Alexa couldn¡¯t see inside, but she imagined the interior was just as impressive. The wheels were big and bold, with glossy ck rims that matched the paint job. The tires looked new and expensive, with deep treads that suggested they were designed for speed and performance. As Alexa got closer to the car, she noticed that the headlights were on, even though it was broad daylight. The lights were bright and intense, like two burning orbs that seemed to stare straight through her. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit intimidated by the car, and wondered what kind of person would drive such a powerful machine. Alexa had one thing in mind, and that was sourcing out want Kathy and her small group were up to, else Nn was fucked. 128 128 The morning after La and Laurence¡¯s visit, Kathy and the others packed up and left the mansion, leaving Alexa alone with Nn once again. As they were leaving, Kathy turned to Alexa and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for Nn¡¯s behavior, Alexa. I hope you know that he doesn¡¯t mean to be so difficult.¡± Alexa shook her head and replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to apologize, Kathy. I understand how hard this must be for him.¡± Kathy¡¯s expression softened. ¡°I just wish there was more I could do to help him. But I trust that you¡¯ll take good care of him. He¡¯s the hope of BCI, after all.¡± Alexa nodded, grateful for Kathy¡¯s kind words. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± As the group left, Alexa felt a mix of relief and sadness. She was d to have some time alone with Nn, but she also missed thepany of the others. She headed back into the mansion and up to Nn¡¯s room, carrying his breakfast on a tray. When she entered the room, she was surprised to see Nn sitting up in bed, looking a little more alert than usual. He nced up as she approached with the tray, and she could sense the tension in the air. ¡°Good morning, Nn,¡± she said softly, setting the tray down on the bedside table. ¡°How are you feeling today?¡± Nn didn¡¯t answer right away, instead staring down at the tray in front of him. ¡°Why was Kathy here?¡± he finally asked, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°She came to check up on you,¡± Alexa replied gently. ¡°I think everyone is worried about you, Nn. They just want to see you get better.¡± Nn fell quiet again, and Alexa busied herself with arranging the food on his te. She could feel the weight of his gaze on her the entire time, and it made her uneasy. Nn¡¯s confusion is evident on his face as he looks at Alexa, unsure of what to make of her sudden change of heart. ¡°Why do you suddenly seem to be on my father¡¯s side?¡± he asks, his voice tinged with suspicion. Alexa takes a deep breath, steeling herself for what she knows will be a difficult conversation. ¡°Nn, I¡¯m not on anyone¡¯s side. But your father left a lot of people behind when he died, people who are counting on you to step up and take his ce. And whether you like it or not, that¡¯s a responsibility you can¡¯t just ignore.¡± Nn listens to Alexa¡¯s words carefully, his expression softening as he begins to understand where she¡¯sing from. ¡°I just don¡¯t know if I¡¯m ready for all of this,¡± he admits, his voice wavering slightly. ¡°I feel like everything is moving too fast and I don¡¯t know how to keep up.¡± Alexa nods sympathetically, knowing that Nn¡¯s fears are not unfounded. ¡°I know it¡¯s a lot to take in,¡± she says gently. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to do it alone. We¡¯re all here to help you, every step of the way.¡± Nn looks at Alexa with gratitude in his eyes, realizing for the first time just how much he needs her support. ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispers, a small smile ying at the corners of his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I would do without you.¡± Kathy surprised Alexa by offering to stay the night and help her take care of Nn. The two women stayed upte talking about their lives and experiences, with Kathy providing a listening ear and words of encouragement. Alexa felt grateful for thepany and support, as she had been feeling alone and overwhelmedtely. The next morning, as they bid each other goodbye, Kathy hugged Alexa tightly and promised to check up on her soon. As the car pulled away, Alexa felt a sense of emptiness and a small pang of loneliness, but quickly brushed it off as she had to focus on taking care of Nn. Once inside the mansion, Alexa made her way upstairs to Nn¡¯s bedroom, carrying his breakfast on a tray. As she entered the room, she was shocked to see Nn sitting up in bed, looking much better than before. He was no longer lying down in his usual position, staring nkly at the ceiling, but instead was propped up against a mountain of pillows with a book in his hand. Alexa stood in the doorway, frozen in shock. It had been weeks since Nn had done anything other than sleep, eat, and use the bathroom. Now, he was sitting up and even reading a book. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Nn looked up and noticed Alexa¡¯s presence. He gave her a small smile and greeted her, ¡°Good morning, Alexa.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart swelled with happiness at the sound of Nn¡¯s voice. She had missed his deep, soothing tone. ¡°Good morning, Nn. How are you feeling today?¡± she asked, approaching his bed. Nn shrugged nonchntly, ¡°I¡¯m okay, I guess. Better than before, at least.¡± He looked down at the book in his hand and added, ¡°Kathy gave me this book to read, and it¡¯s actually not too bad. I haven¡¯t read in years.¡± Alexa couldn¡¯t help but grin at Nn¡¯s progress. She had been waiting for this day for so long. ¡°That¡¯s great, Nn. I¡¯m so d to see you up and about.¡± As Alexa exined her reasons to Nn, she could see the confusion and frustration in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± he said in a low voice. ¡°How can you be on my father¡¯s side? He never cared about me. He never even tried to understand me.¡± Alexa sighed, knowing that this conversation wouldn¡¯t be easy. ¡°It¡¯s not about taking sides, Nn. It¡¯s about doing what¡¯s best for everyone. Your father left behind a legacy, and there are people who are counting on you to continue that legacy.¡± Nn remained quiet, staring at Alexa as she spoke. He didn¡¯t want any part of his father¡¯s legacy, but he couldn¡¯t deny that he felt some sense of responsibility towards it. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared,¡± Alexa said softly. ¡°I am too. But we can¡¯t let fear hold us back from doing what¡¯s right.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Nn nodded silently, still deep in thought. Alexa could sense the tension in the air as she prepared his table for breakfast. They ate in silence, the only sound being the clinking of utensils against tes. After breakfast, Alexa left the room without a word, leaving Nn to his thoughts. She knew she had to give him space to process everything she had said. Alexa spent the next few hours searching for Cody, hoping to get some answers about the strange urrences in the mansion. She was scared, but she knew she had to be brave for Nn¡¯s sake. As lunchtime approached, Alexa hurried back to the mansion to prepare Nn¡¯s food. When she entered his room, she was surprised to find him waiting for her at the entrance, tears streaming down his face. ¡°I thought you actually left,¡± he whispered softly. Alexa¡¯s heart broke at the sight of him. She rushed to his side, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere, Nn. I promised to take care of you, and I intend to keep that promise.¡± Nn clung to her tightly, his body shaking with sobs. Alexa held him for what seemed like an eternity, knowing that this was the first step towards his healing. As she led him back to his room, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for Nn to ovee his demons and embrace the legacy his father had left behind. 129 129 Alexa walked into Nn¡¯s room with a heavy heart. She had seen him in such a weak state before, but each time she saw him, it felt like the first time. His eyes were sunken and lifeless, and his skin was pale and fragile. She felt a wave of sadness wash over her as she realized how much he had been through in such a short time. ¡°How are you feeling today, Nn?¡± she asked, her voice soft and gentle. Nn froze in his ce, not sure how to respond. He knew that Alexa had been working tirelessly to help him, but he didn¡¯t want her to put herself on the line to avenge Anthony. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, Alexa,¡± he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Alexa looked into Nn¡¯s eyes and told him sincerely, ¡°I know I don¡¯t have to do this, Nn. But I want to. Anthony was like a brother to me, and I can¡¯t just sit back and watch as his killers get away with it. I will do whatever it takes to put them down.¡± Her words were firm and resolute, and Nn could see the determination in her eyes. Nn kept quiet for a moment, his heart heavy with emotion. He didn¡¯t want Alexa to put herself in harm¡¯s way, but he also knew that she was right. Anthony¡¯s killers had to be brought to justice. Without saying a word, he pulled Alexa closer to him, holding her tight in a warm embrace. She rested her head on his shoulder, feeling the beat of his heart against her chest. They stood there for a few moments, lost in their own thoughts, until Nn finally spoke up. ¡°Thank you, Alexa,¡± he said softly. ¡°Thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for me. I don¡¯t know where I¡¯d be without you.¡± Alexa looked up at him, a small smile on her face. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me, Nn. I¡¯m just doing what I can to help you. We¡¯re in this together, remember?¡± She ced a gentle kiss on his cheek, feeling a warmth spread through her body. TWO MONTHS LATER. Two monthster, Nn has finallypleted his major and passed his licensure exam, officially bing a professional architect. Alexa wanted to celebrate this momentous asion, so she threw a party for Nn at BCI, inviting his bandmates and employees. A banner was put up in the hall that read, ¡°Now build an empire, Rockstar!¡± The banner was decorated with colorful stars and a sketch of a guitar. As the party was in full swing, Nn and Alexa finally found a moment alone by the hall. Nn looked up at the banner and asked, ¡°What¡¯s this all about?¡± Alexa smiled at him and replied, ¡°It¡¯s about you, Nn. You¡¯ve aplished so much and we¡¯re all so proud of you. You¡¯re a rockstar in your own right.¡± Nn chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m not sure I would go that far.¡± Alexa looked at him intently and said, ¡°I would. Remember when I told you that you could live to work under your father¡¯s shadows while shining bright like a star? This banner represents that. You can live your life as an architect while still pursuing your passion for music.¡± Nn smiled, feeling grateful for Alexa¡¯s encouragement.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. They continued to talk about the possibilities and potential of his future endeavors while still practicing architecture. Nn listened intently to her words and felt inspired by her unwavering support. As the night went on, Nn mingled with his guests and enjoyed the festivities. He yed some music with his bandmates, and everyone sang along to their favorite tunes. Alexa made sure that he was having a good time, constantly checking in on him and offering him drinks and food. Eventually, the party began to wind down, and the guests began to say their goodbyes. Alexa and Nn found themselves alone in the hallway after the party had started to die down. Nn had been on cloud nine all night, celebrating his graduation and the sess of his band, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little apprehensive about the future. Alexa could sense his hesitation and asked, ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, Nn?¡± Nn took a deep breath and replied, ¡°I just can¡¯t believe it¡¯s all over. I mean, I worked so hard to get my degree and be an architect, but now that it¡¯s happened, I¡¯m not sure whates next.¡± Alexa ced aforting hand on Nn¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°You know what I think, Nn? I think you can have it all. You can be a sessful architect and a rockstar at the same time. You don¡¯t have to choose.¡± Nn looked at her, surprised. ¡°But how?¡± he asked. ¡°Remember the day I told you that you can live to work under your father¡¯s shadows while also shining bright like a star?¡± Alexa asked. Nn nodded. ¡°Well, I still believe that, Nn. You can live your life in the professional world while still pursuing your passion for music. You just have to find a way to bnce the two.¡± Nn smiled at her. ¡°Thanks, Alexa. You always know how to make me feel better.¡± As they walked down the hallway, Alexa led Nn to his father¡¯s penthouse office. Nn had never been there before, but he had heard a lot about it. It was said to be the ce where his father had made some of his biggest decisions, and where he had created some of his most sessful designs. When they entered the room, Nn was awestruck. It was even more impressive than he had imagined. But what caught his eye was the tinum and ck bass guitar that was ced at the center of the office. It was like it was calling out to him. Alexa noticed where Nn was looking and said, ¡°That guitar belonged to your father. He loved to y in his free time. He would have wanted you to have it.¡± Nn walked up to the guitar and gently picked it up. He ran his fingers over the strings, feeling the smoothness of the metal against his skin. 130 A month has passed since Nn¡¯s graduation and he has been working tirelessly to fulfill thepany¡¯s quota. He had taken up every project his father had left behind, and with the help of the skilled architects in thepany, Nn had been able toplete them with ease. Despite the pressure, Nn had found a sense of fulfillment in his work. Alexa, on the other hand, had been busy managing the mansion. She had taken up the role of the housekeeper since Nn had insisted that she didn¡¯t have to do it all alone. However, Alexa had been hesitant to hire new staff as she was used to doing everything herself. But after much persuasion from Nn, Alexa finally gave in and agreed to take on the additional help. Nn had made sure that the new staff were well-trained and capable of taking care of the mansion¡¯s needs. He had also instructed them to take direction from Alexa as she knew the ins and outs of the mansion better than anyone. With the new staff on board, Alexa could finally rx a bit and take some time off for herself. Alexa couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she needed to tell Nn the truth. She had been holding onto this secret for far too long, and it was eating away at her. But every time she tried to bring it up, something always seemed to get in the way. She didn¡¯t want to jeopardize their rtionship or cause any more pain than necessary, but the guilt was bing unbearable. As she stood in the kitchen, preparing Nn¡¯s lunch, her mind was consumed with thoughts of confession. She didn¡¯t hear hime in, so she was taken aback when she felt his arms wrap around her from behind. She turned around to face him, and he smiled at her, looking handsome and carefree. Alexa couldn¡¯t help but smile back, but the guilt lingered in the back of her mind. Nn leaned in and kissed her softly, and Alexa felt her heart flutter. She wanted nothing more than to stay in this moment forever, but she knew she couldn¡¯t keep the truth from him forever. As they pulled away from the kiss, Nn spoke up. ¡°I came home early because I want to spend the rest of my afternoon break with you,¡± he said, looking into her eyes. ¡°We never get enough time alone together, and I want to change that.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart swelled with love and affection for Nn, but she knew that she had to tell him the truth. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for what was toe. ¡°Hey, do you need any help with that?¡± Nn asked as he walked over to her. Alexa was surprised by his offer. ¡°Are you serious?¡± she asked, feeling a little flustered at the thought of Nn doing the cooking. Nn nodded. ¡°Yeah, I mean, I wouldn¡¯t want you doing this all the time. Besides, I might someday want to make food for you to eat.¡± Alexa felt guilty for not being able to take care of everything, but she also felt grateful for Nn¡¯s help. She showed him how to properly cut and cook the food, and they worked together to prepare the meal. When Alexa¡¯s timer chimed, Nn volunteered to take the food out of the oven and grabbed the oven mittens. Once the food was ready, they sat outside in the garden to enjoy their meal. As they ate, Alexa asked Nn how hispany was doing. Nn told her that he had made some changes under his orders since he noticed how much pressure his father had left on the employees. As a result, he saw the employee satisfaction rate rise as well as the productivity of almost all the employees working under him. Nn then told Alexa that the board of directors would soon be elected, and they presumed him to be the next president of thepany, since his father was supposed to be in ce. They saw potential in him to be a good leader and were pursuing him for every leading position. Alexa chuckled at Nn¡¯s description of the board¡¯s interest in him. ¡°Sounds like a cult,¡± she joked. Nnughed along with her, then grew serious. ¡°You know, Alexa, it¡¯s refreshing to be with you. I hope you¡¯ll be by my side until I grow old.¡± At this, Nn called over one of the maid staff to retrieve his acoustic guitar. He proceeded to sing a song Alexa had heard before, ¡°Grow Old with You¡± by Adam Sandler.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I wanna make you smile, whenever you¡¯re sad. Carry you around when your arthritis is bad. Oh, all I wanna do, is grow old with you¡­¡± Alexa shifted ufortably in her seat. She had been thinking a lottely and knew that she needed to tell Nn the truth. ¡°Nn, there¡¯s something I need to tell you,¡± Alexa said, taking a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking a lottely, and I¡¯ve decided that I want to quit my job as your contracted guardian.¡± Nn¡¯s face fell. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because of you, Nn. I just feel like it¡¯s time for me to move on and find something else to do with my life.¡± Nn looked thoughtful for a moment. ¡°I understand, Alexa. I¡¯ll support you in whatever you decide to do.¡± Alexa felt relieved and grateful for Nn¡¯s understanding. She knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy to leave him, but she also knew that it was the right decision for her. 131 Nn sat at his desk, staring nkly at hisputer screen. His mind was consumed with thoughts of Alexa, his assistant. She had just dropped a bombshell on him, saying that she wanted Evans to be her new boss. Nn was shocked at her words, and he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. He had been thinking about it after she said it and was very disturbed. He couldn¡¯t imagine working without her by his side. ¡°Nn, are you okay?¡± Alexa¡¯s voice broke through his thoughts, and he looked up to see her standing at the door of his office. Her expression was worried as she studied him. Nn looked up at her, still feeling a sense of disbelief at what she had just said. ¡°No, I¡¯m not okay,¡± he said, his voice low. ¡°Why would you want to leave me and work for Evans?¡± Alexa hesitated, her eyes flickering away from Nn¡¯s gaze. She couldn¡¯t manage to tell Nn the truth, as she was afraid to hurt him. Deep inside, she loved him too much to lose him, but she knew that her decision was final. ¡°It¡¯s just time for a change,¡± Alexa finally said, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°I feel like I need to move on and explore new opportunities.¡± Nn didn¡¯t believe her, and he could sense that something else was going on. ¡°Is it because of the money?¡± he asked, his tone using. ¡°Or is it because you don¡¯t feel like you¡¯re in the same position as me?¡± Alexa was shocked and speechless. She couldn¡¯t believe that Nn would think that way about her. ¡°No, Nn,¡± she said, her voice shaking. ¡°It¡¯s not about the money, and it¡¯s not about my position. It¡¯s just time for me to move on.¡± Nn took a moment to think, and he realized that Alexa might feel belittled for being a ¡°lowlife.¡± He had never thought of her that way, and he wanted to make things right. ¡°Listen, Alexa,¡± he said, his voice softening. ¡°You don¡¯t have to leave. You can be my close assistant, and we can work together.¡± But alexa was resolute in her decision. Alexa tried to refuse one offer after the other, but Nn wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer. He could see how much she meant to him and he wasn¡¯t going to let her go without a fight. Nn started tearing up, which made Alexa cry as well. She couldn¡¯t bear to see him in pain.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Nn was confused as he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong to make her quit. Alexa held Nn close and apologized, telling him how much she loved him and how she didn¡¯t want to hurt him. Nn hugged her tightly, not wanting to let her go. He knew that he couldn¡¯t imagine his life without her by his side. Alexa felt a deep sense of sadness wash over her. She was leaving behind a part of her life that had been so meaningful, and she didn¡¯t know what the future held. But she also knew that she had made the right decision. Over the next few days, as she sorted through her belongings and prepared to leave her job, Alexa couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of loss that apanied her every move. She would miss the routine ofing to work every day, the camaraderie she had with her colleagues, and thefort of knowing that Nn was always there for her. But even as she grieved, Alexa felt a sense of excitement building within her. After Alexa had left Nn¡¯s office for thest time, she spent the next few days in a haze of sadness and uncertainty. She had left behind a life that she had known for years, and the thought of starting over was daunting. As much as she knew that she had made the right decision, her heart ached with the pain of leaving Nn behind. As she sat in her small room in Nn¡¯s house, her mind kept wandering back to her decision. Had she made the right choice? Was she really ready to leave Nn behind and strike out on her own? The more she thought about it, the more uncertain she became. But as she went about her daily routine of cleaning the house and preparing meals for Nn, Alexa began to realize just how much she hade to rely on him. He had been a constant presence in her life, a source of guidance and support. She couldn¡¯t imagine a life without him in it. One evening, as she was putting away the dishes after dinner, Nn came into the kitchen. He looked tired and worn, and Alexa could see the stress lines etched into his face. He sat down at the table and rubbed his temples wearily. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Alexa asked, setting down the dish towel anding to sit beside him. Nn sighed heavily. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just work stuff. I¡¯m so swamped with deadlines, and I can¡¯t seem to catch a break.¡± Alexa felt a pang of sympathy for him. She knew how hard he worked, and how much he had sacrificed for his career. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± she asked, her voice soft. Nn looked up at her, surprise written on his face. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. ¡°I mean, maybe I could help you with some of your work. I used to do some administrative stuff in my previous job, and I¡¯m a pretty quick learner.¡± Nn looked thoughtful for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± he said slowly. ¡°But are you sure you want to do that? I don¡¯t want to take advantage of you.¡± Alexa smiled reassuringly. ¡°I¡¯m sure. I want to help you, Nn. You¡¯ve done so much for me over the years, and I want to give something back.¡± Nn¡¯s face softened. ¡°Thank you, Alexa,¡± he said, his voice filled with gratitude. ¡°That means a lot to me.¡± Over the next few days, Alexa threw herself into her new role as Nn¡¯s assistant. She helped him with paperwork, scheduled appointments, and answered emails. It was a lot of work, but she loved every moment of it. She felt useful and needed, and it gave her a sense of purpose. As the days turned into weeks, Alexa and Nn fell into afortable routine. They would wake up early in the morning, have breakfast together, and then get to work. They would break for lunch, and then resume their tasks in the afternoon. In the evenings, they would cook dinner together and talk about their day. It was a simple life, but it was also filled with joy andpanionship. Alexa loved being able to spend so much time with Nn, and she could feel their bond growing stronger every day. She knew that she had made the right decision to stay with him. But as much as Alexa enjoyed her new role as Nn¡¯s assistant, there was one thing that still weighed heavily on her mind. She had kept the cause of Nn¡¯s father¡¯s death a secret all these years, and she knew that it was only a matter of time before the truth came out. In the end, she decided to change her mind and stay by Nn¡¯s side as his assistant and keep the cause of his father¡¯s death to her grave. 132 132 As Alexa walked down the busy street with the new butler, she couldn¡¯t help but feel overwhelmed. The stores were buzzing with activity and the bright lights were making her head spin. She had never been a fan of shopping, but Nn had insisted that she get some new clothes for work. ¡°I really don¡¯t need any new clothes, Mr. Evans,¡± Alexa said, trying to convince Nn¡¯s butler. ¡°Nonsense, Miss Alexa. Mr. Evans wants you to look your best and I¡¯m here to help you do just that,¡± the butler replied with a smile. Alexa sighed and followed the butler into the first store. As she tried on outfit after outfit, she couldn¡¯t help but think of Anthony. He had always been the one to apany her on shopping trips, helping her pick out the perfect outfit. She missed him terribly and couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he was watching over her from above. After several hours of shopping, Alexa was exhausted. She had tried on countless outfits and was ready to go home. However, Nn had arranged for her to get her hair and makeup done at a nearby salon. As she sat in the salon chair, Alexa felt herself rx for the first time in weeks. The masseuse worked her magic on her shoulders and neck, releasing all the tension that had built up. The stylist then worked his magic, giving her a new haircut and applying makeup that made her feel beautiful. As Alexa left the salon, she felt like a new person. Her doubts and guilt were temporarily forgotten and she felt like she could take on the world. However, as she got into the car, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she was being watched. The feeling only intensified as she arrived at the mansion. As she got out of the car, she looked around, trying to see if anyone was watching her. But the streets were empty and there was no one around. As she walked up the steps to the mansion, Nn emerged from the door, a smile on his face. ¡°Miss Alexa, you look absolutely stunning,¡± Nn said, taking her hand and leading her inside. Alexa blushed at thepliment and followed Nn inside. The housekeeping staff had prepared a beautiful dinner,plete with candles and fresh flowers. As they sat down to eat, Nn thanked Alexa for all her hard work and dedication. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have done it without you, Miss Alexa. You truly are an invaluable asset to me,¡± Nn said, raising his ss in a toast. Alexa smiled and raised her ss in return. Alexa noticed that Nn was acting differently. He seemed more rxed, yet mature and responsible at the same time. It was as if he had finally found his footing in life after his father¡¯s death. Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of sadness at the thought of Anthony, the man who had given her a chance and treated her with kindness even though she was just a maid. As the meal progressed, Alexa found herself admiring Nn even more. He was more handsome than she remembered, and his smile seemed to light up the room. She was surprised at how much he had grown since thest time she had seen him. It was clear that he had matured a lot in the time since his father had passed away. After dinner, Nn invited Alexa outside to the pool bar. He poured them both sses of wine, and they sat together in the cool night air. Alexa couldn¡¯t help but notice how beautiful the moon looked as it reflected off the water in the pool.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Nn took a sip of his wine and turned to Alexa. ¡°Do you remember the dance we shared at the charity event?¡± he asked. Alexa felt a sudden warmth in her chest as she thought back to that night. ¡°Of course I remember,¡± she replied, smiling. Nn grinned. ¡°Then would you like to dance with me again, under the moonlight?¡± Alexa felt a rush of excitement as she stood up and took Nn¡¯s outstretched hand. They made their way to the small dance floor next to the pool, and as they began to move, Alexa couldn¡¯t believe how natural it felt. It was as if they had danced together a thousand times before. As they swayed to the music, Alexa felt Nn¡¯s arm around her waist, holding her close. She looked up into his eyes, and in that moment, she knew that she had fallen for him all over again. She was afraid to admit it, even to herself, but she couldn¡¯t deny the feelings that were welling up inside her. Nn seemed to sense her hesitation, and he pulled her even closer, as if he could read her thoughts. Alexa closed her eyes and let herself get lost in the moment, forgetting all of her worries and fears. As the song came to an end, Nn leaned in and whispered in Alexa¡¯s ear, ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here, Alexa. I don¡¯t know what I would do without you.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart swelled with emotion, and she knew that she could never leave Nn¡¯s side. 133 133 The morning sun had just risen, illuminating the entire mansion with its warm glow. Alexa was already up and ready for her first day as Nn¡¯s assistant. She was dressed in her new work clothes, a white blouse and ck pants, feeling confident and excited for the day ahead. As she entered Nn¡¯s office, he greeted her with a smile and introduced her to his colleagues and the board of directors. Alexa felt weed by everyone, and they were all eager to work with her. Nn took Alexa around the office, showing her where everything was and exining her duties. She was relieved to find out that it wasn¡¯t going to be difficult as she only had to manage Nn¡¯s calls, emails, and files. He also introduced her to his personal secretary who was going to show her the ropes. As the day went by, Alexa found herself settling into her new role with ease. She was efficient and organized, and Nn was pleased with her work. He was also d to see his colleagues interacting well with Alexa. During the lunch break, Nn took Alexa to thepany cafeteria where she met some of the other employees. They were all curious about her and asked her many questions. Alexa politely answered their questions without giving away that she was living with Nn. The employees found Alexa very approachable and friendly. They shared their day-to-day lives outside work, telling her about their families, hobbies, and interests. Alexa enjoyed the conversation and felt grateful for the friendly and weing atmosphere. As the day came to an end, Nn thanked Alexa for her hard work and dedication. She had managed his calls and emails with ease, and he was impressed with her efficiency. He also noticed that his colleagues had taken a liking to Alexa, which made him even more pleased. As Alexa left the office, she felt relieved that her first day had gone smoothly. She was grateful to Nn for giving her the opportunity to work with him, and she knew that she was going to do her best to help him seed. As Alexa settled into her new role as Nn¡¯s assistant, she quickly found that managing his calls, emails, and files was not a difficult task. Nn seemed pleased with her work, and she was happy to be able to help him out. However, she found it challenging to interact with his coworkers and board of directors without revealing that she lived with Nn. During one of Nn¡¯s office meetings, Alexa mingled with the BCI employees, listening to their day-to-day lives outside work. She found that they were fond of her, and they seemed to get along well. However, Alexa was hesitant to reveal her living arrangement with Nn, as she didn¡¯t want to cause any issues or biases inside the office. Nn noticed Alexa¡¯s reticence and asked her why she was keeping her life discreet. Alexa hesitated for a moment before exining that she didn¡¯t want her coworkers to think that she had any biases towards Nn or that there was any favoritism in the workce. **** Alexa had been working as Nn¡¯s assistant for a few weeks now, and she was loving the job. It was challenging enough to keep her on her toes, but not too overwhelming that it caused her stress. She had adapted well to Nn¡¯s work style, and he was pleased with her performance. One day, while they were having lunch together in Nn¡¯s office, Alexa noticed him looking at her intently. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± she asked, setting down her sandwich. Nn shook his head. ¡°No, not at all. I was just thinking about how well you¡¯ve been doing in this job. You¡¯re a natural at it, Alexa.¡± ¡°Thank you, Nn,¡± Alexa replied, feeling a flush rise to her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that.¡± Nn took a sip of his drink and then set it down. ¡°Can I ask you something, Alexa? Why do you keep your personal life so private?¡± Alexa¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She had been hoping to avoid this conversation. ¡°I just think it¡¯s best to keep my personal life separate from my work life,¡± she said carefully. ¡°But we¡¯re not just coworkers, Alexa,¡± Nn said, leaning back in his chair. ¡°We live together. I don¡¯t see any harm in telling our colleagues about our rtionship.¡± Alexa felt her pulse quicken. She had been dreading this moment since she started working for Nn. She knew that once their colleagues found out about their living arrangement, it could cause tension in the office. ¡°I just don¡¯t want anyone to think there are biases in the office,¡± she said, trying to keep her voice even. Nn chuckled. ¡°Alexa, you worry too much. I¡¯m sure our colleagues won¡¯t care if we¡¯re together. In fact, I think they¡¯ll be happy for us.¡± Alexa wasn¡¯t so sure, but she didn¡¯t want to argue with Nn. She decided to change the subject. ¡°Is there anything else you need me to do today, Nn?¡± Nn shook his head. ¡°No, nothing urgent. But I was wondering if you¡¯d like to go out with me tonight.¡± Alexa¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, I want to take you out on a date,¡± Nn said, a smile ying at the corners of his mouth. ¡°We can go to a nice restaurant, have a good meal, and then tell our colleagues about our rtionship. What do you say?¡± Alexa¡¯s mind was racing. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was ready to go public with their rtionship, but she didn¡¯t want to disappoint Nn. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Nn. It¡¯s a big step.¡±T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Nn reached across the table and took Alexa¡¯s hand. ¡°I understand that you¡¯re nervous, Alexa. But I love you, and I want everyone to know about us. Please, will youe with me tonight?¡± Alexa looked into Nn¡¯s eyes, and she saw the love and sincerity there. She knew that he was right ¨C it was time to stop hiding their rtionship. ¡°Okay, Nn,¡± she said, a smile spreading across her face. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you tonight.¡± 134 134 As Alexa entered the office the next day, she felt a strange energy around her. Her coworkers, especially thedies, kept ncing at her and whispering to each other. She tried to ignore them and went straight to her desk, ready to start her work for the day. However, as she was answering Nn¡¯s emails, twodies came up to her and started asking questions about Nn. ¡°How did you meet him? He¡¯s such a catch, isn¡¯t he?¡± they asked, trying to keep their voices low but not low enough. Alexa felt ufortable and was about to answer when Nn suddenly appeared beside her. ¡°Good morning,dies,¡± he greeted them with a charming smile. ¡°Is there something you need from my assistant?¡± Thedies giggled and blushed, clearly pleased with Nn¡¯s attention. ¡°We were just asking Alexa here about how she met you,¡± one of them exined. Nn chuckled. ¡°Ah, I see. Well, let me clear that up for you.¡± He turned to Alexa and took her hand, leading her to a more private corner of the office. ¡°You see, I¡¯ve known Alexa before. And I¡¯ve made it clear to her that I will be her suitor.¡± Alexa¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, but Nn continued. ¡°So,dies, you better not get your hopes up too high. I n on swooning her heart,¡± he said with a wink. Thedies giggled again and started teasing Alexa, telling her she¡¯s lucky to have such a handsome and sessful boss who¡¯s clearly head over heels for her. Alexa blushed and tried to y it cool, but inside, she was feeling a mix of emotions. She couldn¡¯t believe that Nn had just announced their ¡°rtionship¡± in front of her coworkers like that. As the day went on, more and more people started to gossip about them. Some were happy for them, while others were envious and suspicious of the special treatment Alexa was receiving from Nn. Alexa tried to keep her head down and focus on her work, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious about how this would affect her work and her rtionship with Nn. Later that day, Nn called her into his office. ¡°Hey, Alexa. How are you holding up?¡± he asked, looking concerned. Alexa took a deep breath. ¡°To be honest, Nn, I¡¯m feeling a bit overwhelmed. I didn¡¯t expect this kind of attention from our coworkers.¡± Nn nodded sympathetically. ¡°I understand. And I¡¯m sorry if I made things harder for you. But I just couldn¡¯t resist teasing them a little,¡± he admitted with a smirk. Alexa rolled her eyes but couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°You¡¯re impossible sometimes, you know that?¡± she teased. Nn grinned. ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s why you love me,¡± he said, leaning in closer to her. Alexa¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she quicklyposed herself. ¡°Um, anyway, is there anything you need me to do?¡± Nn shook his head. ¡°Nope, I just wanted to check on you. But speaking of which, I was thinking, why don¡¯t we go on a date this weekend? You know, to make it official and all.¡± Alexa felt her cheeks turning red. ¡°Nn, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. I mean, what if someone from the office sees us?¡± Nn shrugged. ¡°Who cares? We¡¯re not doing anything wrong. And besides, I want to show you off to the world. You deserve to be treated like a queen,¡± he said, taking her hand. **** The night was filled with stars as Alexa left the office with Nn. Her colleagues at work teased her about the date, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little embarrassed. However, Nn¡¯s warm hand on her back made her feel safe. As they arrived at the seaside near the dock, Alexa was taken aback by the beautiful yacht Nn had reserved for them. ¡°Wow, this is amazing,¡± she breathed as they boarded the boat. Nn smiled at her, pleased with her reaction. ¡°I thought it would be a nice change of pace from the office,¡± he said as he led her to their table. Alexa was in awe of the scenery around her. She couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful to be spending the night with Nn, who had always been so kind to her. ¡°Thank you so much for inviting me on this date,¡± she said, looking at him with a smile. Nn chuckled. ¡°I should be the one thanking you foring with me,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m having a great time already.¡± As they waited for their food, they conversed about various topics. Alexa was surprised at how easy it was to talk to Nn outside of work. She had always known him as her boss, but now she was seeing a different side of him. Theyughed at each other¡¯s jokes, and Alexa was pleased to see that Nn had a good sense of humor. However, she was caught off guard when he told her a story about how he had bullied a girl in high school until she turned lesbian. Alexa¡¯s smile faltered as she listened to his story. ¡°That¡¯s not something to be proud of,¡± she said softly. Nn¡¯s face fell. ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°I was young and stupid back then. I regret it now.¡± They continued to talk about their childhood, and Alexa shared a funny story about how she had presented a mud cake for a science project and won first ce. Nn was impressed by her creativity, and theyughed about it for a while. As they nibbled on their charcuterie board, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but make a cheesy joke. ¡°What did the nut say to the farting cheese?¡± she asked, grinning mischievously. ¡°You may smell funky, but you sure taste yummy.¡± Nnughed so hard that he spilled wine all over himself. Alexa couldn¡¯t help but giggle at the sight. As they left the yachtte in the evening, Nn apologized to Alexa for making a mess. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Iughed so hard,¡± he said, wiping the wine off his shirt. ¡°I¡¯ll ept your apology if you go on a date with me again.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Alexa smiled. ¡°Deal,¡± she said, feeling grateful for the amazing night they had shared. 135 I walked back to my desk after lunch with Marjorie, Kenjie, and Sarah, We had all had a great time catching up andughing over our meals, but now it was time to get back to work. As we settled into our desks and started concentrating on our tasks, I felt someone¡¯s eyes on me. I turned to see, Nn, walking past our cubicles with a smirk on his face. My heart raced as I realized he was staring directly at me. I felt my face flush with embarrassment as Nn disappeared into his office. I knew my coworkers had seen the whole exchange and I could feel their eyes on me as they settled back into their own work. After a few minutes, Sarah leaned over and whispered, ¡°He is cherry around you. Are you guys messing around?¡± Kenjie chimed in, ¡°Yeah, and what of your date how did it go¡± I pretend not to hear what they were saying smiling. Nn, our boss, was interested in me? It was hard to wrap my head around it, but at the same time, I felt a little giddy at the thought. My coworkers could tell I was blushing and they cheered me on, ¡°Come on, Alexa, spill the beans! Would you date him?¡± I just smiled, thinking of how my life would change if I were to date Nn. It was a tempting thought, but at the same time, I wasn¡¯t sure if I was ready for all that came with dating Nn. As I walked out of the office building, I felt excited. Nn had asked me out on another date, this time to a musical theater show. We met up at the theater, and as we settled into our seats, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little nervous. We both ordered some light snacks and watched the show, enjoying the music and the storyline. After the show, we ended up at a fast-food restaurant nearby. Nn admitted that he had never been to Taco Bell before. I was surprised. Nn had the strength to rebel against his father and go out to sing in concert openings, but he had never tried Taco Bell? Iughed and Nn looked at me weird. Heughed at my speech about the fast-food chain. As I ordered for both of us, Nn seemed hesitant to try the burrito I ordered for him. I rolled my eyes at his hesitation and took a bite from his food to show him that it wasn¡¯t poisonous. To my relief, he chuckled and took a bite of his food, surprised that he didn¡¯t expect it to taste so amazing. We ended up talking andughing as we finished our food, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel morefortable around Nn.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After we finished eating, we walked back to the car. He opened it for me, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little flutter in my stomach. ¡°Thanks for a great night,¡± he said, smiling at me. I smiled back, feeling a little shy, ¡°Thanks for taking me out.¡± 136 As we walked into the house, Nn held my hand, guiding me into the nervous. We got to the top of the stairs, and he reluctantly let go of my hand to go to his room. ¡°Do yo want to sleep in my room¡± we both asked each othe simultaneously We bothughed at the coincidence, and Nn asked again, offering his room. I epted. I went into the room feeling tired and drained from the day¡¯s work. With a sigh of relief, I dropped the bag onto the floor and made my way to the bathroom. The sound of the water running was soothing, and I let myself rx for the first time all day. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and gasped. My hair was a mess, my makeup was smudged, and my clothes were wrinkled. I looked like aplete mess. Nn saw me looking like this I thought cringing. I stepped into the warm, inviting water, and the sensation of it on my skin was blissful. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, allowing myself to be enveloped in the steamy air. The scent of myvender body wash filled my nostrils, and I felt my muscles begin to loosen. As Ithered my hair, I felt the knots and tangles begin toe undone. The shampoo foamed up and tickled my scalp, and I couldn¡¯t help but let out a smallugh. It felt like all of the stress from the day was being washed away with each passing second.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Once I was clean, I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, feeling rejuvenated. I wrapped myself in a fluffy towel and made my way back into my room. The air was cool and crisp, and I shivered slightly as I slipped into my warm, cozy pyjamas. The soft fabric felt like a hug. I walked into Nn¡¯s room and he suggested we watch a movie, knowing that it was a weekend tomorrow. I joked that I didn¡¯t want to watch porn, and this made him blush andugh at me. We chose to watch an action movie, and I fell asleep in the middle of it. I was startled awake when I felt Nn moving after turning off the TV. As I looked up at him, I noticed that he was blushing. He was looking at my boobs, I wasn¡¯t wearing a bra underneath my pyjamas , and my nipples were showing. I felt embarrassed, but Nn just smiled and chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I woke you up,¡± he said softly. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I replied, feeling shy. We bothy there in silence for a moment before Nn spoke up. ¡°Alexa,¡± he said. ¡°I find you incredibly attractive.¡± I looked up at him, feeling my cheeks turn red. ¡°I feel the same way, Nn,¡± I said softly. Nn leaned in and kissed me. It was a soft, gentle kiss, he pulled away and kissed me all over my face. 137 He slowly moved his hands around her as he moved her closer to himself, she could see the hesitation in his eyes as he slowly moved his hands around her and it broke her slightly. She ced her hands slightly on his shoulders as she looked into his eyes. ¡°Nn?¡± She called slightly, like a woman ying the role of a seductress. ¡°Alexa¡± he called back before finally speaking up. ¡°Are sure about this?¡± He asked her and she sighed as she cupped his face with her hands, smiling slightly as she stared at him. ¡°Yes, I am. There¡¯s no need to worry¡± she told him. He smiled, it was all he ever wanted to hear and before she could speak again, he turned her over on the bed as he slowly started to caress her lips, mming his lips right against hers as he thrusted his tongue right into her already open mouth. She let out a slight moan as he cupped her breasts with his hand, unhooking her bralet as he did so. She let out slight moans, turning him on. The night was so pleasurable, her in bed with Nn by her side as he made sure no part of her body was left out in this pleasure feeling journey. She couldn¡¯t help but continue to let out sighs and moans, he was just too good. He spread her legs wide as he threw her panties to the floor. She had a wide smile on her face, one that gave him buttterflies and he loved it. He bent as he nted a soft kiss on her forehead before throwing his belt to the floor, it was going to be a soft one.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± She let out a soft moan as they fell to the bed, tiredly, panting. He stared into her eyes peering like he wanted ess into her soul. She looked very beautiful and he couldn¡¯t control himself as he turned over to her, giving her light strokes as he patted her hair. She closed her eyes, it just felt so good being in Nn¡¯s arms and it pleased her. She smiled to herself as she stared at him, this was almost like a dream to her. He smiled as he gave her a light kiss on the lips again, rubbing her back as he did so. She smiled, his kisses were just so gentle. She took a deep inhale before turning to him and then speaking, ¡°I want to say something, may I?¡± She asked him with a slight smile. It was like she was nervous to say whatever it was she wanted to say. He smiled, ¡°you don¡¯t need to ask¡± he pulled her closer to himself, making their faces barely an inch apart. ¡°Say it¡± he told her. She smiled, ¡°I love you.¡± She told him and he stared at her, speechless for some time. She took a deep inhale before saying it again, ¡°yes Nn, I really love ¡­..¡± before she couldplete her statement, he pulled her closer to himself in a tight embrace. 138 Nn smiled to himself as he watched her fold herself in the nket. ¡°I love you, Nn¡± she muttered as she smiled and she looked so cute in her sleep. He rubbed her back slightly as she continued to mutter his name in her sleep and he couldn¡¯t help but smirk slightly. He smiled to himself, she looked really cute and she with the memories from the previous night when they had made love, hot roundsing to mind, he couldn¡¯t help but smile even more. He sighed as he put his hand to her hair, stroking it slightly which caused her to slightly open her eyes and seeing him, she blushed before turning away as she recalled confessing her love to him. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be shy, Alexa¡± he told her with a smile as she got off her back, sitting up. ¡°Good morning¡± she greeted him and he cupped her face as without even greeting her back, he pulled her to himself, mming his lips tightly against hers and her eyes opened wide in surprise. He thrusted his tongue right into her mouth as he sucked on her tongue and then her lower lip before moving to her upper lip. Gosh, she had just woken up but she still tasted so sweet. He had kissed her for a while but then stopped when he noticed she was running out of breathe. She smiled as she tucked her hair behind her ear. ¡°Is tbat a better way to say good morning?¡± He asked with a smile on his face and she nodded. She got out of bed and made to walk away, her cheeks reddened when he pulled her to himself, causing her tond on him, on the bed.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He rolled her over, making him on top as he blew some air to her face. ¡°Tell me, would you like to go somewhere?¡± He asked her and she stared at him, surprised. She wasn¡¯t sure where but then, Nn had offered after all and she couldn¡¯t refuse him, even if she tried. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± She told him with a smile. . She closed her eyes as she let the fresh scent of the woods intoxicate her, gosh, nature smelt so freaking good and she couldn¡¯t deny it. As she ran her hands slowly through the leaves, she couldn¡¯t help but feel so relieved. He smiled as he stared at her, he was d she was having fun at this and he wrapped his hands around her waist as he pulled her closer to himself. ¡°Do you know why this ce is so special to me?¡± He asked and she shook her head. ¡°Why?¡± He ced a soft kiss on her lips before answering, pointing forward. ¡°Look there, that¡¯s a paragliding retreat, my dad and I used toe here a lot when I was a kid.¡± She turned as she stared at it, her jaw dropping in shock. She couldn¡¯t believe this, this day couldn¡¯t get any better, she thought to herself. . MANY MOMENTS AFTER¡­ She ced her hand to her chest as she sighed, this was the best day, all the lessons, flying with Nn by her side, they were memories she could never forget, not even if she tried. She cupped his face, ¡°I love you¡± 139 After spending a full week in Texas, Alexa and Nn chose to have their earl holiday in Sweden. The past few days had been nothing short of beautiful for Alexa. ¡°Are you alright, Lexa?¡± Nn asked as Alexa unpacked her luggage. He¡¯d been observing her since they got into his private jet. Her face seemed a little pale and she maintained a hunched posture almost all through the flight. Her hand also held her abdomen asionally. ¡°S-Sure, Nn.¡± She managed a smile. ¡°Are you sure?¡± He reached for her hand and pulled her toward him, searching her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t look too good.¡± His eyes darted to her face and he pulled up her chin. ¡°I-I¡¯m just a little jetgged.¡± Alexa shut her eyes, taking a calm breath. ¡°I¡¯m alright. There¡¯s nothing to worry about. I just need to have some rest.¡± Her mouth was dry, an empty feeling coursed in the pit of her stomach. Nn¡¯s lips pursed, his head cocked to one side, and he let out a deep sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll just use the bathroom.¡± Alexa excused herself and closed the door behind her. She immediately puked into the sink the moment she reached the sink area, choking in the process. She grabbed a handful of toilet paper rolls and wiped her mouth. Turning on the faucet, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Colour had gone off her face and dark circles formed around her eyes. A sheen of sweat also broke on her face and her stomach tightened. About two hours and thirty minutes had passed since they arrived at their hotel room, and Alexa had spent most of her time in the bathroom, peeing and puking. She¡¯d only rested for about thirty minutes. ¡°Are you sure you can manage?¡± Nn who had been observing her charily the past few hours asked, as she tied her hair in a ponytail. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Nn.¡± He simply nodded and cleared his throat before holding her hands in his. Nn asionally rocked in his seat, crossed his arm and nced at Alexa on the drive to the hill. When they arrived at the bottom of the hill, he suddenly stalled.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this if you¡¯re not feeling alright, Alexa,¡± Nn paused. ¡°I can always arrange another flight to Sweden some other time. We still have more holidays to spend together.¡± ¡°I really want to go skiing today. I¡¯ve nned for this, Nn. You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯m alright. Trust me.¡± She reached for his face and pressed a kiss against his lips, distracting him. Nn deepened the kiss and held her firmly against him, exploring her mouth. When she finally withdrew, they were both breathless. Nn gripped her gloved hand firmly and they walked up the snow-covered hill. The sound of the creaking ski chairs, the swish of skis through the snow, the whistling sound of the wind, the rustles of trees, the scrunching sound of boots through the snow, and most importantly, the heartwarming giggle of Alexa as she moved on her snowboard made Nh chuckle, releasing tension from his body. All through their skiing time, Alexa did a good job of concealing the uneasiness in the pit of her stomach. About three hourster, they arrived back at their hotel room, and Alexa moaned as Nh¡¯s hands worked on her muscles, massaging them. 140 Their holiday came to an end earlier than expected. Although, Nh¡¯s excuse to Alexa was that he had an emergency at hispany, which was partly true, his main reason for putting the holiday to an abrupt end was Alexa. He had been so worried sick for her. Thankfully, Alexa wasn¡¯t angry or sad about the news. Perhaps, it had something to do with what had been going on with her. On the way back to Los Angeles, Alexa was stopped by a rather churlish bald ruddy attending officer who appeared to be in his early forties. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that you can¡¯t go through the checkpoint, ma¡¯am. You look visibly unwell, and you have a rising temperature. I can¡¯t jeopardise the health of others because of you. Who knows? Someone might catch the flu or something.¡± Nn, who had earlier stepped away to receive a call arrived just in time to the sight of an angry Alexa. The hair on her nape was erected like bristles and her nose red. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Nh¡¯s eyes darted from the attending officer to Alexa. ¡°I was just politely telling the miss here that she can¡¯t go in because she¡¯s sick. Her temperature is high.¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡± Nh held Alexa firmly by the waist and didn¡¯t miss the confusion in the attendant¡¯s eyes. ¡°We came in Alexa¡¯s private jet, and in case you don¡¯t understand what I mean, we were alone. Private jets aren¡¯t amunity transport means. If you¡¯d excuse us.¡± Without sparing the befuddled attendant another nce, Nh guided Alexa away and chuckled as her lips curved in a smile. ¡°Thank you, Nn. You didn¡¯t have to lie, though.¡± Alexa rested her head on his shoulders. ¡°Alexa, you¡¯re going to take a whole week off work, till you get well,¡± said Nn after a momentary silence. ¡°But, I¡¯m not-¡± ¡°No ¡°buts¡± will be entertained. I¡¯ll see to it that your full stipend is paid for the week.¡± ¡°We just got back from our holiday. I assure you that-¡± ¡°Will you listen to me, Alexa?¡± Nn¡¯s voice was a little shrill. ¡°I don¡¯t want you working yourself out in this state,¡± he paused. ¡°Get well first, alright?¡± He looked down at her face, gripping her jaw softly before nting a kiss on her forehead. Alexa woke up to an empty bed the next day. She must have slept for a long time. She nced at the clock and sighed as she saw what time it was. It was 9:30 am. She rolled on the bed and her hand touched a ribboned paper. ncing down, she caught sight of an envelope which had her name on it. She untied the ribbon, opened the envelope and pulled out a handwritten letter. ¡°Hey, Lexa love. I would be at work already when you see this. How was your night, sweetie? Don¡¯t use up your energy doing anything. I want you well rested. Don¡¯t even lift a spoon, Lexa and I mean this. Betty and the others are more than enough to do kitchen work. You could pick up any book in my library if you¡¯re bored, watch a movie- or better still send a text or call me, I can spare a few minutes. I¡¯ll see you soon. Bye. Hugs and kisses. ¨C Nn.¡± Alexa blushed hard at the note, and she pressed the paper to her chest, shutting her eyes. She was about to head out of the room when she heard a knock at the door. ¡°Come in.¡± It was one of the kitchen staff. She had a tray in her hand, and in less than a second, the aroma of lobster roll and buffalo wings filled the air, causing Alexa¡¯s stomach to churn. There was also something else, that Alexa couldn¡¯t make out. It wasn¡¯t until the tray was brought before her that she beamed at the sight of espresso. ¡°Good morning, ma¡¯am. I hope you had a beautiful night.¡± The old maid¡¯s head was bowed, her hands in her front. ¡°You don¡¯t have to act all formal around me. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re way older than my mother.¡± Alexa smiled. ¡°The master expressly asked me to look after you, ma¡¯am. He said that you haven¡¯t been feeling too well.¡± Her head was still slightly bowed. ¡°Believe me, Nn is-¡± Alexa¡¯s stomach suddenly tightened again, and she immediately scampered to the bathroom. She came out after a few minutes and flopped on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve just been somewhat queasytely.¡±T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should say this-¡± ¡°You can speak freely to me, please. Go on.¡± ¡°I think you should visit the doctor. You may be pregnant, mydy.¡± 141 ¡°You may be pregnant, mydy.¡± Alexa¡¯s dry mouth ckened, her eyes widened, a lump formed in her throat and her head shook vigorously. ¡°No way. That can¡¯t be. It¡¯s impossible. How could I be pregnant?!¡± Alexa leaned back to steady herself and a sheen of sweat broke on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll leave now, mydy. If you need anything, you can reach me through the phone on the desk or ring a bell.¡± She bowed onest time before heading to the door. ¡°Wait!¡± The olddy stalled. ¡°Send for one of the young maids. Tell her to get a pregnancy test kit as soon as possible.¡± She rubbed the back of her neck and paced about the moment the door clicked. Pregnant? Biting at her fingers, Alexa mused, trying to put two and two together. She hadn¡¯t seen her period in two months. Alexa hadn¡¯t given it much thought because it fluctuated sometimes due to stress. It was also about two months ago that she¡¯d had sex with Nh without pills. Nn hadn¡¯t also used protection that day. Her heart raced, and her mouth fell open. She reached for her cell phone and checked the inte for the apparent symptoms of pregnancy. It wasn¡¯t as though she didn¡¯t know some of them, she just wanted to be sure. She massaged her temple and gripped her phone tight the moment her fear stared right at her. The knock she had been expecting came just in time and she ordered the young maid in. Without wasting any time, she grabbed the kit from her and headed to the bathroom. A few minutester Alexa came out of the bathroom with dted eyes and parted lips. Her belly fluttered and her heartbeat raced. Falling to her knees, she blinked rapidly. Colour and sheen reced the paleness of her face. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant! I. AM. PREGNANT!¡± Alexa eximed, whoopeeing. She fanned herself with her hand as sudden heat coursed through her body. The old maid from earlier rushed in as she heard Alexa¡¯s scream. ¡°Is everything alright, mydy?¡± Steadying herself, Alexa sat at the edge of the bed. The young maid who brought the kit was at the corner of the room. She mouthed to the olddy that Alexa was pregnant. ¡°I¡¯m. Pregnant,¡± said Alexa again. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Nn a thing about this. It¡¯s gonna be a surprise.¡± The next day, Nn was all dolled up for work. He reached for his wristwatch from his shelf and nced at an unusually quiet Alexa. ¡°Are you alright, Alexa?¡± He asked, leaning forward. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ve never been better.¡± ¡°Great. Ensure you rest well today, and remember to stay indoors. Don¡¯t even take a walk. I forbid you to.¡± He held her chin firmly, his eyes straining hers, and Alexa nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading out now.¡± Nn nted a feathery kiss on her lips before bidding her goodbye. About twenty minutes after Nn left, Alexa headed out of the room, dressed in the silk yellow dress and sweater Nn got her. She managed to evade the maids, and once they were out of sight, she made her way out of the mansion. About ten minutester, she walked into the first gift shop she spotted. Her eyes caught a small green box, and she grabbed it. She headed to the counter and paid with her credit card.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Now, she could keep the pregnancy test kit safely in there. The moment she walked out of the door, four menacing figures osted her. Alexa¡¯s heart immediately caught in her throat the moment she stared at a familiar face. It was Cody, her ex-boyfriend. 142 Cold beads of sweat broke on Alexa¡¯s face, her face turned ashen, her lips trembled, and for a probable one minute, all she could do was stare. ¡°C-Cody, what are you-¡± ¡°Miss me, Alexa?¡± Alexa¡¯s eyes fluttered, her throat dry and her body went stiff. Her eyes darted the moment her senses kicked in. She tried to use her fingers tomunicate with the shop owner via signnguage. Her body however jerked the moment Cody pulled out his gun. In the next minute, he grabbed he by the hair and pulled her to his front, forcing her to watch the moment he pulled the trigger and blew off the shop owner¡¯s brains. A shrill cry escaped from Alexa¡¯s lips and she fidgetted, body trembling. Her heart almost exploded as the briefly saw the lifeless body of the shop owner, a pool of blood around his head.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Cody overpowered her, pulling her roughly into the van ahead, and Alexa¡¯s numb hand dropped the box that contained the pregnancy test kit. As soon as she was in the van, Cody tied her hands and feet firmly with a zip tie, and a yelp erupted from her mouth, which he immediately gagged with a rough cloth. Alexa tried to fight by wrenching her body off him, but the moment Cody covered her face with a napkin, her body went limp, and she fell unconscious. Alexa woke up to the nauseating stench of cigarettes, alcohol and drugs, and her insides tightened in a knot. She tried to move her hands which were by her side but soon figured that it was a dead-end as she was tied firmly to a chair. She took a cursory look around the strange room she was in and froze at the sight of dry skulls, broken bottles and rusted metal rails. Indistinct footsteps drew her attention. Alexa¡¯s heart palpitated the moment the thudding sound of boots became vivid. She resulted in feigning sleep, unsure of what else to do. ¡°Alexa, Alexa.¡± Cody¡¯s familiar shrill voice drawled. ¡°Wakie wakie, I have a present for you.¡± Alexa held her breath, adrenaline spiking in her body, eyes still shut. Cody signalled to one of the men beside him, who spilled water on her face. Alexa gasped as freezing water rolled down her face, causing goosebumps to appear on her tingling skin and her eyes fluttered open. ¡°C-Cody¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s rude not to acknowledge guests, Alexa, even though you¡¯re sleeping.¡± Cody crouched to his feet right in her front, bat in hand. His eyes lowered to her chest, and Alexa suddenly became revolted. ¡°S-Stay away from me!¡± Alexa¡¯s shoulders were tight, and her body jerked. ¡°Poor Alexa. See this?¡± Cody waved the bat in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s a present. If you behave well, I might be tempted to be a good guy.¡± He tipped her chin forward roughly with his gloved fingers. ¡°You¡¯ve been a really bad girl, Alexa. You dared to call the cops on me.¡± He chuckled, gritting his teeth almost immediately. Alexa tried to yank her head away from his grip, but it was too tight. ¡°You know that I could shoot you dead right now if I wanted to.¡± Alexa¡¯s heart gripped in her chest and her eyes fluttered. ¡°But I¡¯ll go easy on you, conditionally, of course. Listen carefully to me.¡± His grip tightened all the more and her jaw almost hinged. ¡°You¡¯ll have to do as I say, and everyone will be happy. You¡¯ll go back into that dimwit¡¯s mansion, take everything he has and bring them to me.¡± Cody waited for a reply and was about to pull Alexa by the hair when she suddenly spat right in his face. Cody touched his face very slowly and his lips pressed in a firm line. Rising to his feet, he stretched out his handzily to one of his men who handed him his bat, and before Alexa could prepare for what was toe, he hit her hard repeatedly on her stomach. Alexa squealed, digging her nails into her finger as pain coursed through her body. Her eyes watered, her body jerked and her teeth clenched. ¡°Don¡¯t. You. Dare. Do. That. Again!¡± Cody snarled as tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°Teach her a lesson! Ensure you leave visible marks. I¡¯ll have that bastard know that I can kill her if I wish to!¡± Cody removed his gloved and exited the room, but not before whispering to one of his men that Alexa be kept alive. 143 Nn¡¯s POV It was a hectic work day for Nn. He¡¯d tried reaching Alexa that he would beingte at night, but much to his surprise, she hadn¡¯t replied to his texts or calls. He¡¯d been too busy to check on her again. Since it was alreadyte at night, and he was heading home, he decided to see her at home instead. Nn walked into his house and was surprised to meet an empty room. The bed wasn¡¯t made and Alexa¡¯s phone was lying right on it. He picked it up and saw that she hadn¡¯t used the phone since he texted and called her hours ago. ¡°Alexa, Alexa.¡± Nn was quite aware that it was foolish of him to think that she was in the room, but he couldn¡¯t help calling her name. He marched to the second floor of his house, calling out her name. His face turned white, tendons stood out in his neck, and his muscles tightened. ¡°Where is Alexa?¡± Nalon asked the old housekeeping staff whom he instructed to look after her. ¡°I-I-I don¡¯t know¡­ She was in her room thest time I saw her. I-¡± ¡°You. Don¡¯t. Know?¡± Nalon¡¯s gaze narrowed at her. ¡°What the fuck do I pay you for?¡± His jaw clenched and his gaze flicked upward. Pacing about, hands akimbo, he said, ¡°You¡¯ll go right out of that door and find me, Alexa! I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t know where she is. Find her and bring her to me. Do you understand?¡± Another housekeeping staff rushed out just in time, head bowed to the ground, body trembling. ¡°A-A-About m-m-mydy, sir¡­ I-I saw her heading out¡­ in¡­ a¡­ hurry¡­ I think she¡­ st¡­ stepped out to g-get something.¡± ¡°You what? Didn¡¯t I order you to always apany her? And myst fucking order was that she never leaves the house!¡± ¡°I-I-I tried to stop her when I saw her leave, b-but she insisted that it- that it wouldn¡¯t take time,¡± said another housekeeper. Swallowing hard, Nn asked, his eyes shut, ¡°What was she wearing?¡± ¡°A w-woolly sweater and a yellow dress.¡± Nn staggered a bit and groaned. Nn was aware of what that meant. Alexa had nned to go to the building. He didn¡¯t see here in. He was certain that she didn¡¯t reach the building because if she¡¯d been there, he would have been informed by his secretary. Nheless, he needed to confirm. ¡°You¡¯ll all be held responsible if I don¡¯t find Alexa.¡± With that, he scuttered out of the house. He called his security maintenance and they confirmed that they hadn¡¯t seen Alexa. He would have to exhaust all possible options. He got into his car, his engine reeved and his tires screeched. He asked everyone he saw in the street if they¡¯d seen Alexa, showing a picture of her. Nn spotted a coffee shop owner and asked if he¡¯d seen Alexa, showing her picture to him.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I saw her earlier today. She looked really happy. She stopped by that shop down the road.¡± He pointed at the gift shop down the road. ¡°Congrattions, mister.¡± Nn¡¯s brows arched and lines of creases formed on his forehead at the old man¡¯sstment. He headed down the road and came to a halt at the gift shop which was in a bad shape. His chest tightened the moment he saw the broken window which had a bullet hole. Nn stepped into the taped-off shop and saw trails of blood on the floor. He didn¡¯t need to be a detective to know that someone was shot right here. Only crime scenes were tapped off. That couldn¡¯t be Alexa¡¯s blood. He would have to go to the police to find out any information he could. Nn kicked the air in frustration and just then his foot touched something. Crouching to his feet, he stared at a small green box lying inconspicuously at the end of the door. The police must have missed this. Pulling his handkerchief from his pocket, he grabbed the box and opened it. It was a pregnancy test kit. 144 Nn made his way to the district officer¡¯s office, having confirmed the particr station handling the case. Filing a report and going through court processes would have been cumbersome and time-consuming for Nn, who had no time. The district officer was initially a little reluctant to provide a copy of the CCTV footage in his custody, but after Nn exined the situation of things, he immediately forgot about the usual due process ofw. The officer slipped the disc into hisptop and Nn subconsciously ran his hand down his pants legs, pupils dting. About five minutester, Nh staggered, his lips parted, and he suddenly became dizzy. How could this be? It was Cody? The same man who killed his father? His lips suddenly went dry. Scared that he would slump down to the ground, the officer held him, pulling him down a chair. After some probable five minutes, Nh regainedposure, having quenched his thirst with a ss of water. Suddenly, his senses kicked in. He remembered that he¡¯d missed something. ¡°Can you y the footage again?¡± Tugging at his tie, he flexed his fingers. It was then that he caught sight of the box. His eyes fluttered and beads of sweat formed on his head. Alexa had been holding the green box that contained a positive pregnancy test. Nn¡¯s heart squeezed in his chest, he bit his lip hard and ran a hand through his curls. ¡°H-How do I find her? S-S-She¡¯s pregnant. M-My Alexa is pregnant. She was going to tell me about it. S-She wasing to me.¡± He grabbed the box and ced it on the table. ¡°I saw it at the crime scene. She dropped it.¡± Nn¡¯s lips ttened and he ground his teeth. ¡°That son of a bitch took her! He fucking took her.¡± The veins in his forehead throbbed and his eyes reddened. Nh¡¯s phone beeped, just in time. ¡°Fuck!¡± He mmed his hand hard on the desk. ¡°We have to find Alexa and my baby, do you understand-¡± ¡°You should take that. It could be the link we¡¯ve been looking for. You never can tell.¡± The district officer alerted the technical team immediately, just before Nn reached for his phone. Clearing his throat, Nn slid the screen of his phone and waited patiently for the caller to speak first. ¡°That was fast. You¡¯ve been expecting my call, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Where is Alexa, you bastard?!¡± Nn said with clenched teeth. ¡°If youy a fucking finger on her, I¡¯ll rip out your throat.¡± Nn banged his fist hard on the desk, his vein pulsing. ¡°You must be really angry that sweet Alexa is so far away from you. We don¡¯t have to do things the hard way. Do what I say, and everyone is happy. You can have back your Lexa.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. You. Dare. Call. Her. That.¡± Nn¡¯s teeth bared. ¡°I didn¡¯t only call her Lexa, Nn, I did more than that. You¡¯ll have toe and see for yourself. Come and see what I¡¯ve turned pretty Alexa into.¡± ¡°You son of a bitch! What do you want from me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Money. Lots of it.¡± Cody inhaled and exhaled over the phone. ¡°How much? How much do you fucking want?!¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Only a hundred million dors. For the life of our sweet Alexa. I¡¯ll text the time and ce to you.¡± ¡°Fuck you! Son of a bi-¡± ¡°Remember the golden rule. No police. If you involve the police, consider her good as dead!¡± ¡°Go to hell, fucking son of a bitch!¡± Cody¡¯s sinisterughter filled the air, and Nn fell to his knees, punching the floor hard, guttural roars erupting from him. 145 ¡°We will have to track down Cody but the only way we can do that is by waiting to get another call from him,¡± the police informed Cody. ¡°Why should we have to wait to get his call?¡± Nn asked, not sure of the terms. ¡°We have a tracking device already, all we have to do is ce it near the phone once he calls,¡± the police informed. Nn nods his head as a sign to show that he now understood what they meant. ¡°For now you have to get further evidence of the kidnapper and the rtion of him with his father as it might give us a clue on why he continues to torment you,¡± the police demanded, giving Nn the task of searching for more information. ¡°Alright but why notmence a silent search and rescue them while we wait,¡± Nn suggested to the police, theye to an agreement, after which Nn goes back to the mansion to search for any clues of the hideaway or information. He goes into his father¡¯s home office for the first time since his father died. He rummages through file cabs and tearing down paintings to find any hidden walls or clues. ¡°Where are the evidences for fucks sake!¡± He eximed out of frustration. He searches through the family safe to look inside the files there. Still he finds nothing.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He then stops by his father¡¯s desk, as he goes through the many documents, he finally finds the letter Alexa had left for Anthony. It had the ne Alexa wore at the party on the day that he had thought Alexa was the most beautiful woman he had everid eyes on. He opened the letter and began to read through it, where he finds out that Alexa had a hand in the robbery and he nearly goes crazy. The one woman he had given his heart, love and attention too betrayed him. ¡°So Alexa happens to be involved with that scumbag? She has been working with him all along and probably was sent to me by him,¡± he muttered in realization. Did she ever love me? Was I just a toy to her all along? This and many more questions kept running through his mind, he decided he was going to turn Alexa in, to the police. Alexa was called in to questioning, where she revealed the truth about her involvement with Cody. She tried to apologize to Anthony for deceiving him but he didn¡¯t want to hear anything from her because he feels heart broken. He didnt even think she could apologize. She confesses about not having a brother and tells them that she admittedly came from the orphanage. Nn¡¯s anger could not be justified. He had never felt this foolish and used in his life. The first woman whom he was willing to love, made him lose all hope that night. He was so mad, that he was angry enough to destroy his father¡¯s office. 146 ALEXA¡¯S POV Three nights had passed and Cody was bing more impatient. He paced around in anger, trying to think of what to do. In anger, he grabbed my weak and bruised body and brought his mouth close to my ears. ¡°Can you see now that Nn doesn¡¯t give a damn about you? He doesn¡¯t care about you, that¡¯s how these wealthy people behave. You left me just because of him and now, you can see the grave consequences ying before your eyes,¡± Cody said as he dropped me on the floor in frustration. I yelped in pain, and I was terrified of what else he could do in anger. Nn can¡¯t possibly leave me, I know he loves me and can do anything to save me. ¡°Nn woulde to save me, I knew that. And if he fails toe, I¡¯ll make sure I save myself from this mess ande back to hunt you down. You will beg at my feet for mercy, Cody,¡± I voiced out with all the strength left it in me. ¡°Whoa, I love that boldness and certainty. If you really think you can get out of here ande back to hunt me down, well then, go ahead!¡± Codyughed hysterically while beating his legs. I was so furious at Cody that I found him disgusting. I wondered how I fell in love with a psycho and a merciless being. Likewise, I felt regret and resentment rushing through my veins. If it were possible, I would have knocked him down and made him beg for mercy. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll be leaving now. I want you to watch her without any mistakes from you, okay!¡± He ordered the guard and gave me a mocking look. I was so irritated by his look, and rage was filling up in me. He went out, and I looked at the guard, I needed to get out of this ce, but I had to think of a way to get past this guard. Then a thought sprang up! I was going to bore him with many conversations. He was sure to sleep after that. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the most boring job you¡¯ve ever done?¡± I asked, acting hopeless, so he could think I¡¯ve given up. ~Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. I was able to seed in boring him with different boring conversations, he was showing signs of being sleepy, but he was fighting it. I knew I could still get him to sleep off if I kept hitting him with boring talks. Finally, he could no longer fight it again, he began to doze, and then he fell into a deep sleep as I had already poked him a few times, and he didn¡¯t wake up. I began to untie myself, the ropes seemed like they were knotted by an amateur, or probably they felt I couldn¡¯t even escape if I loosed it. Then I carefully took his phone and called the police first, in case anyone could catch me. 147 ALEXA¡¯S POV Three nights had passed and Cody was bing more impatient. He paced around in anger, trying to think of what to do. In anger, he grabbed my weak and bruised body and brought his mouth close to my ears. ¡°Can you see now that Nn doesn¡¯t give a damn about you? He doesn¡¯t care about you, that¡¯s how these wealthy people behave. You left me just because of him and now, you can see the grave consequences ying before your eyes,¡± Cody said as he dropped me on the floor in frustration. I yelped in pain, and I was terrified of what else he could do in anger. Nn can¡¯t possibly leave me, I know he loves me and can do anything to save me. ¡°Nn woulde to save me, I knew that. And if he fails toe, I¡¯ll make sure I save myself from this mess ande back to hunt you down. You will beg at my feet for mercy, Cody,¡± I voiced out with all the strength left it in me. ¡°Whoa, I love that boldness and certainty. If you really think you can get out of here ande back to hunt me down, well then, go ahead!¡± Codyughed hysterically while beating his legs.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. I was so furious at Cody that I found him disgusting. I wondered how I fell in love with a psycho and a merciless being. Not only that, but I felt regret and resentment rushing through my veins. If it were possible, I would have knocked him down and made him beg for mercy. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll be leaving now. I want you to watch her without any mistakes from you, okay!¡± He ordered the guard and gave me a mocking look. I was so irritated by his look, and rage was filling up in me. He went out, and I looked at the guard, I needed to get out of this ce, but I had to think of a way to get past this guard. Then a thought sprang up! I was going to bore him with plenty of conversations. He was sure to sleep after that. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the most boring job you¡¯ve ever done?¡± I asked, acting hopeless, so he could think I¡¯ve given up. ~ I was able to seed in boring him with different boring conversations, he was showing signs of being sleepy, but he was fighting it. I knew I could still get him to sleep off if I kept hitting him with boring talks. Finally, he could no longer fight it again, he began to doze, and then he fell into a deep sleep as I had already poked him a few times, and he didn¡¯t wake up. I began to untie myself, the ropes seemed like they were knotted by an amateur, or probably they felt I couldn¡¯t even escape if I loosed it. Then I carefully took his phone and called the police first, in case anyone could catch me. 148 ALEXA¡¯S POV After the shootout, the police had called the paramedics. One of them attended to me, to treat the wounds and bruises that Cody had inflicted me with. I observed my environment as other paramedicsbed the area and picked up the dead bodies. I could see that they were the bodies of the men that inflicted pain on me. They had beaten me and made me see hell on earth. During those times, I had thought I was going to die but thankfully, I was strong until the end. I noticed a body bag that they were carrying with ease. It was Cody¡¯s dead body, I looked at him, gave him a spiteful look. If I had not withdrawn from these bad ways, this would have been my end too. Thank goodness that I left those sinful ways. I looked away as they carried his body into the vehicle. Then I began to worry about Nn. Nn wasn¡¯t able to save me, and he hasn¡¯te to see me. I¡¯m sure he knew that I was saved already, or could he be nning something? Not long after I thought about Nn, one of the female officers who just finished talking to her colleagues regarding the case, came over to meet me.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She hugged me deeply and patted my back like she was telling me I¡¯m fine now and already in safe hands. ¡°I hope there are noplications, Alexa?¡± She asked with a concerned face. ¡°No, I¡¯m totally fine,¡± I assured her while looking around for Nn. ¡°If you are looking for Mr. Brown, he asked me to bring you home,¡± she gave a light smile and helped me up. While we walked back to the car, I thought about why Nn didn¡¯te over to meet me instead. It felt like my mind could go crazy, trying to understand the situation. ¡°Can I ask you some questions, if you don¡¯t mind?¡± She asked while putting on her recorder. ¡°Please, put that off. I can¡¯t answer any questions right now, I really need rest from all I went through,¡± I said, as I would rather not say the wrong thing. ¡°Alright,¡± she put off the recorder and started the car. After a few hours, we got to Nn¡¯s house and I thanked her for the ride. I went into the house and saw as everywhere was dark. Only the light from Anthony¡¯s office illuminated the stairway. I looked around and remembered when I came here to get a job and all the nice times I had with both Anthony and Nn. Things seemed a bit dark and scary with the whole Cody issue, but I felt better as I witnessed his death. There would be no more threats from him or his people. Then I climbed the stairs, heading to Anthony¡¯s office to see who was there and to my surprise which was just 50% because who else would be there, if not Nn. He sat on his father¡¯s chair with the letter I wrote, left open on the table. 149 I felt anxious and my tummy churned as I saw the letter. I looked around and noticed the mess that was around Nn, where he sat. It seemed like he had thrown things out of anger. Fear gripped me as I felt the air was tensed, I looked at Nn with guilt and regret. Then he looked up at me, and I could see disgust and anger beaming likesers at me. He kicked a small miniature model of the BCI building next to his father¡¯s desk. I jumped at this reaction and my hands became cold, I began to apologize to Nn as I knelt down. He didn¡¯t say a word and brought out a ne that Anthony had given to me. I couldn¡¯t bear to look at him for long, guilt had overwhelmed me. ¡°How long have you been hiding this truth from me? How long?¡± He mmed his wrist against the table, with rage. I began to stutter as I couldn¡¯t control my words due to fear of being caught, and not in the nicest way. ¡°How long have you been lying about having a brother? ¡± He asked, with rage in his eyes. I still couldn¡¯t find the courage to speak out as I was in tears and watched him throwing questions at me. ¡°When did you start sleeping with my father? Wait, have you ever loved me?¡± He asked in pain as tears rolled down his cheeks.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. My heart broke as I saw him in tears and I finally found my tongue. ¡°I truly love you, Nn. I had no choice than to do this, and I really wanted to put an end to it, sincerely,¡± I said, rubbing my palms together, pleading. ¡°Liar! I can¡¯t believe these web of lies! What¡¯s your rtionship with the man that killed my father?¡± He shouted at me, restraining himself from hitting me. ¡°He is my ex and I chose Anthony over him. Anthony had always been obsessive over me and I witnessed how he always belittled you. Try to remember how I picked you over Anthony after all. Please, you have to believe me,¡± I pleaded with tears welling up again. ¡°Have you ever tried calling the cops to tell them the location your ex wanted to carry out his operation? Do you know how much I wanted to follow my father to the grave after his demise? You are the cause of my father¡¯s death!¡± Nn continued to shout in anger. I decided to overlook hisst statement as I felt he said it in anger. He looked as if he noticed I didn¡¯t believe his words, and this angered him the more. ¡°We shared moments together and they were a lot. You had every chance to tell me the truth, you could have told me then, so we would forget about it,¡± he punched the wall continuously in anger as blood started trickling down his knuckles. ¡°How could I tell you in that state? It took me a long time before I could get you out of that depressed state, how could I possibly tell you the truth then?¡± I yelled at him, as I tightened my eyelids to let the tears fall. ¡°Just leave,¡± he said calmly as he sobbed. ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°Leave.¡± 150 He slowly moved his hands around her as he moved her closer to himself, she could see the hesitation in his eyes as he slowly moved his hands around her and it broke her slightly. She ced her hands slightly on his shoulders as she looked into his eyes. ¡°Nn?¡± She called slightly, like a woman ying the role of a seductress. ¡°Alexa¡± he called back before finally speaking up. ¡°Are sure about this?¡± He asked her and she sighed as she cupped his face with her hands, smiling slightly as she stared at him. ¡°Yes, I am. There¡¯s no need to worry¡± she told him. He smiled, it was all he ever wanted to hear and before she could speak again, he turned her over on the bed as he slowly started to caress her lips, mming his lips right against hers as he thrusted his tongue right into her already open mouth. She let out a slight moan as he cupped her breasts with his hand, unhooking her bralet as he did so. She let out slight moans, turning him on. The night was so pleasurable, her in bed with Nn by her side as he made sure no part of her body was left out in this pleasure feeling journey. She couldn¡¯t help but continue to let out sighs and moans, he was just too good. He spread her legs wide as he threw her panties to the floor. She had a wide smile on her face, one that gave him buttterflies and he loved it. He bent as he nted a soft kiss on her forehead before throwing his belt to the floor, it was going to be a soft one. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± She let out a soft moan as they fell to the bed, tiredly, panting. He stared into her eyes peering like he wanted ess into her soul. She looked very beautiful and he couldn¡¯t control himself as he turned over to her, giving her light strokes as he patted her hair.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She closed her eyes, it just felt so good being in Nn¡¯s arms and it pleased her. She smiled to herself as she stared at him, this was almost like a dream to her. He smiled as he gave her a light kiss on the lips again, rubbing her back as he did so. She smiled, his kisses were just so gentle. She took a deep inhale before turning to him and then speaking, ¡°I want to say something, may I?¡± She asked him with a slight smile. It was like she was nervous to say whatever it was she wanted to say. He smiled, ¡°you don¡¯t need to ask¡± he pulled her closer to himself, making their faces barely an inch apart. ¡°Say it¡± he told her. She smiled, ¡°I love you.¡± She told him and he stared at her, speechless for some time. She took a deep inhale before saying it again, ¡°yes Nn, I really love ¡­..¡± before she couldplete her statement, he pulled her closer to himself in a tight embrace. 151 Nn smiled to himself as he watched her fold herself in the nket. ¡°I love you, Nn¡± she muttered as she smiled and she looked so cute in her sleep. He rubbed her back slightly as she continued to mutter his name in her sleep and he couldn¡¯t help but smirk slightly.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. He smiled to himself, she looked really cute and she with the memories from the previous night when they had made love, hot roundsing to mind, he couldn¡¯t help but smile even more. He sighed as he put his hand to her hair, stroking it slightly which caused her to slightly open her eyes and seeing him, she blushed before turning away as she recalled confessing her love to him. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be shy, Alexa¡± he told her with a smile as she got off her back, sitting up. ¡°Good morning¡± she greeted him and he cupped her face as without even greeting her back, he pulled her to himself, mming his lips tightly against hers and her eyes opened wide in surprise. He thrusted his tongue right into her mouth as he sucked on her tongue and then her lower lip before moving to her upper lip. Gosh, she had just woken up but she still tasted so sweet. He had kissed her for a while but then stopped when he noticed she was running out of breathe. She smiled as she tucked her hair behind her ear. ¡°Is tbat a better way to say good morning?¡± He asked with a smile on his face and she nodded. She got out of bed and made to walk away, her cheeks reddened when he pulled her to himself, causing her tond on him, on the bed. He rolled her over, making him on top as he blew some air to her face. ¡°Tell me, would you like to go somewhere?¡± He asked her and she stared at him, surprised. She wasn¡¯t sure where but then, Nn had offered after all and she couldn¡¯t refuse him, even if she tried. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± She told him with a smile. . She closed her eyes as she let the fresh scent of the woods intoxicate her, gosh, nature smelt so freaking good and she couldn¡¯t deny it. As she ran her hands slowly through the leaves, she couldn¡¯t help but feel so relieved. He smiled as he stared at her, he was d she was having fun at this and he wrapped his hands around her waist as he pulled her closer to himself. ¡°Do you know why this ce is so special to me?¡± He asked and she shook her head. ¡°Why?¡± He ced a soft kiss on her lips before answering, pointing forward. ¡°Look there, that¡¯s a paragliding retreat, my dad and I used toe here a lot when I was a kid.¡± She turned as she stared at it, her jaw dropping in shock. She couldn¡¯t believe this, this day couldn¡¯t get any better, she thought to herself. . MANY MOMENTS AFTER¡­ She ced her hand to her chest as she sighed, this was the best day, all the lessons, flying with Nn by her side, they were memories she could never forget, not even if she tried. She cupped his face, ¡°I love you¡± 152 Tears streamed down her cheeks as she knelt before him, ¡°please Nn, I swear I meant for none of this to happen¡± she told him as tears streamed down her cheeks even more. She could no longer bear it, he was upset with her, very upset and she knew she deserved it. He turned away from her, he was broken, he didn¡¯t want to listen to whatever it was she had to say. He clenched his fists as he started to walk away from her but then she rushed to him as she held on to his coat, ¡°just listen to me Nn, please.¡± She told him. He shook his head as he sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t want to listen to whatever you have to say, Alexa. Leave me alone, please¡± he told her but she wouldn¡¯t listen. She was already choking from the tears and her head ached her badly but she ignored it, every single pain she felt. ¡°I swear I wanted to call it off but then¡­¡± before she couldplete her statement, he put his hands to her lips and she stopped talking. She smiled slightly as she stared into his eyes, had he finally decided to listen to her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything¡± he told her and it felt like everything was going back to normal when he spoke, ¡°just leave, get out!¡± He yelled angrily as he pushed her away. She staggered as she stared at him in shock, tears streaming down her cheeks even more. She got up as she dried her tears, ¡°do you really want me to leave?¡± She asked him as her throat became even more dry from the tears that had clogged her up. He clenched his fists and without even turning to her, ¡°I don¡¯t have to answer that. Just leave¡± he told her angrily and she sniffled as she staggered backwards, was this it? Would it be the end of it all? She coughed slightly as she held on to her stomach, how did everything suddenly change. She swallowed as she turned, starting to walk out. She stopped at intervals as she turned to look back at him, hoping he would call her back but for once, she didn¡¯t even lock eyes with him talkless of him even turning to stop her. She wiped her tears as she walked out, maybe this was it, it had to be it. .Property ? N?velDrama.Org. She got to the door as she held on to her bags, tightly wrapping her hands around it as tears streamed down her cheeks. She sighed, this was it, she wouldn¡¯t even get to tell him about her baby, their baby. She dragged them as she walked out of the mansion, how would she be able to live now? She stopped when the gate of the mansion was opened for her as she stared at the mansion one more time, holding on to her stomach as she wiped the tear that was threatening toe out of her eyes. She sighed, ¡°I wish you knew about the baby¡± she muttered. 153 She said few words before sighing and then taking her bags out. She stepped out of the gates and on turning for thest time, she saw Nn midway at the mansion¡¯s door. She gasped as she tried to call out to him but then, he didn¡¯t even act like he knew her. She narrowed her gaze to his hands and she could see them tightly clenched. She took a deep sigh as she watched him step back before turning away and then walking back into the house. This time, the tears could no longer be held back in her eyes and she turned away before walking out of the gate, finally. She dragged her suitcase on the road as she couldn¡¯t think of anything else but what had just happened. She held on to her stomach, at this moment, there was only one thing on her mind, her unborn child. She swallowed hard as the thought of how she would take care of her baby, alone bothered her. She sat on the bench she had found in the sidewalk, she was tired, she had being walking for so long and she rested her head, backwards. What was she supposed to do? It felt like her whole life was a mess and she hated this, it was never how she¡¯d wanted things to turn.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She sighed and just then, she heard the thunder p and she didn¡¯t need anyone to tell her it would soon start to rain. She frowned slightly and just then, a cab pulled over. She extended her hand as she called out to it. She immediately got into the cab with her bags and just then, it started to rain, heavily. She smiled slightly as she ced her hand to the window of the car, she wished things would be fine and just then, the car started and drove off. Tears streamed down her cheeks when the cab passed by the mansion, Nn¡¯s mansion. She could see the lights in the house being turned off and it shattered her. As they turned off, she felt like every single joy in her life was also getting turned off and it shattered her, immensely. The cab finally drove past the house and she moved away from the window seat to the center as she rested her head, if there was one thing she really hoped for at the moment, it would be Nn¡¯s forgiveness. She turned back as she stared at the mansion one more time, ¡°I know you¡¯re listening to me Nn, please forgive me.¡± She muttered as she finally turned forward. After careful consideration, she took out her phone. This was going to be one of the toughest decisions she has had to make but then it was for the best. She made sure to write her resignation letter properly as she sent it over to BCI. She no longer had Nn and she wanted to start afresh with her baby and for that, she would need a new job, one with no strings attached. 154 Tears, pain and aches flew by her as they dwelt in her. Seeing the numerous messages from her colleagues, now ex co workers questioning her about her choice of resignation broke her and she couldn¡¯t help but clench her fists. How was she supposed to exin to them? What was she even going to tell them? ¡°Tell me Alexa, what made you change your mind?¡± ¡°Did you fight with someone?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Did someone try to force their self on you!¡± All these messages kept flooding her phone and she couldn¡¯t take it anymore, she just couldn¡¯t. She switched off her phone as she threw it to the side, she could not answer their questions, not now at least. Tears streamed down her cheeks, one day woulde, perhaps she would be able to answer their questions then. She ced her hand in her bag as she took out her wallet, opening it as she checked it thoroughly, she needed to be sure she had enough money. Even if she didn¡¯t want to take care of herself, she had to think about her baby. She heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that she had enough money to move far away from Nn and then start life afresh with her baby. She swallowed, this would have to be for the best. She sighed as she opened one of the bags, staring at the baby supplies in it and she couldn¡¯t help but be grateful for Anthony, at least he had gotten her baby these things. She sighed, she could move away and start life anew even though she didn¡¯t have that much money but then, at least she had some money to rent a dingy apartment and then start little by little. It was like they said, little drops of water made mighty oceans. She would be like those little drops, she would make sure she made and prioritized every single chance she got. TWO DAYS LATER¡­ Tears streamed down her cheeks as she twisted the Knob of the door before walking into the house, it was a small apartment which looked very dusty and old and it felt like rats had upied the house for a very long time. She coughed as the dust filled her nose and she walked to the window as she pushed it open with force. The window was stiff which meant it had being closed like that for a very long time. Staring at the condition of the house, she could undertand why it had being deserted for so long and she turned to the man at the door who was staring at her questionably, he would definitely never have believed that someone would take this house. ¡°Will you take it?¡± He asked, just to be sure. She nodded as she sniffled, ¡°yes, I¡¯ll take it.¡± She told him as she clenched her fists to stop the tears from pouring. ¡°That¡¯s good then¡± he told her. ¡°I¡¯ll have it cleaned.¡± She walked to the side as she held on to her stomach, ¡°you¡¯re my only priority, I¡¯ll make sure I take care of you, no matter what¡± she spoke to herself as she rubbed her stomach. 155 Alexa woke up to the sound of the roosters crowing outside her window. She stretched and yawned, feeling the weight of her baby bump as she got out of bed. She walked to the bathroom, sshed her face with water, and brushed her teeth. She took a moment to admire her growing belly and wondered what her baby would look like. After getting dressed, Alexa headed to the convenience store she managed. She unlocked the doors, turned on the lights, and started organizing the shelves. Her staff came in one by one, and they greeted her with smiles and hellos.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Good morning, Lexie,¡± one of her staff members said. ¡°Good morning,¡± Alexa replied with a smile. Alexa loved her job. She enjoyed interacting with customers, organizing products, and managing her staff. It was a fresh start for her, and she was grateful for the opportunity. As the day went on, Alexa¡¯s thoughts drifted to Nn. She wondered how he was doing and if he ever thought about her. She missed him, but she knew she had to move on. She couldn¡¯t risk her new life and her baby¡¯s safety by reaching out to him. However, Nn was never far from her thoughts. She found herself thinking about him more and more as her due date approached. She wondered if he knew about the baby and if he would want to be a part of their lives. Alexa sighed as she stepped into the small security office, the shelves lined with monitors and a small desk with aputer. She gave her friend Bobby a nudge, who was slumped over in his chair, and reminded him that she would be locking up the store soon. As she turned to leave, she couldn¡¯t help but notice the TV on the desk, ring with ate-night show. She walked over and turned it down, muttering to herself about the electric bill. But as she did, she caught a glimpse of Nn¡¯s name on the screen. Alexa stood frozen in the security office, staring at the television screen that disyed Nn¡¯s image. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. Nn, the man she had fallen in love with, was on national television, being interviewed by a famous talk show host. And he was talking about his recent appearance in a popr concert. As she watched him speak, Alexa felt a pang of jealousy surge through her. She had been so happy living in the countryside and starting anew, but the thought of Nn being in the spotlight, living his life without her, made her feel insecure and envious. Her heart raced as she saw him sitting on the couch, smiling and rxed as the host asked him about his recent appearance in a popr concert. She watched intently as heughed and joked with the host, looking happy and carefree. It had been months since Alexa had seen or heard from Nn, and she had tried her best to move on with her life. But seeing him on the screen brought back a flood of memories and emotions that she had tried to bury. As the interview continued, Alexa couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of jealousy as she watched Nn flirt with the female host. She tried to push the feeling aside, telling herself that she had no right to be jealous after everything that had happened between them. 156 Alexa looked at Bobby and thanked him for volunteering to take care of her son. She couldn¡¯t afford a full-time nanny, so she was grateful for Bobby¡¯s help. Bobby smiled at Alexa and told her that he understood her need to save money for her newborn. He was surprised that she had just been discharged from the hospital a month ago and was already back to work. Alexa reassured him that she had been through a lot and could endure any amount of pain. Bobby teased Alexa about missing her routine of watching ¡°Rockstar Cutie¡± on TV. Alexaughed and said she didn¡¯t have time for that anymore. After bidding farewell to Bobby, Alexa locked the back door and went to the counter where the TV was on. She switched the sign to ¡°closed¡± as she knew there wouldn¡¯t be any customers at midnight. As the live performance was announced by the talk show host, Alexa smiled as she watched Nn sing the same song he sang to her while they ate in the garden. It was a punk version of ¡°Grow Old With You.¡± Alexa felt a tear escape from the corner of her eye as she couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous for the lucky girl he was singing the song to. As the song finally finished, the show proceeded to interview Nn and his bandmates. Nn exined his life as both a band member and an architect, and how the love of his life pushed him to be who he is today. Alexa was surprised by his statement and noticed his expression as if he had slipped up, until the host asked Nn who the lover was. Nn changed the subject immediately and told the host that it was a private matter for him. Alexa was startled by a knock on the ss door. She didn¡¯t realize that she had been staring at the TV for too long. She saw Jade standing outside, drenched in the rain and pregnant. Alexa opened the door and let Jade in. Jade told Alexa that she was passing by and saw her watching the TV. She couldn¡¯t help but notice how jealous Alexa looked when Nn was talking about the love of his life. Jade then revealed that Nn was talking about Alexa and that he was in love with her. Alexa was stunned by Jade¡¯s revtion. Jade exined that she and Nn had a falling out and that she had moved away for a while. She had juste back to town and saw Nn performing on TV. She knew that Alexa was working at the convenience store, so she decided to drop by and tell her the truth. Jade also revealed that she was pregnant with Nn¡¯s child. Alexa was in shock. She didn¡¯t know what to think or feel. Jade reassured her that Nn loved her and that he regretted not telling her earlier. Jade also told Alexa that she was willing to step aside and let her and Nn be together. Alexa was grateful for Jade¡¯s honesty and kindness.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Jade then left the store, leaving Alexa alone to process everything. She couldn¡¯t believe that Nn was in love with her. She thought back to their brief encounter and wondered if there was something more there. She realized that she still had feelings for him and that she wanted to see him again. The next day, Alexa went to work feeling conflicted. She didn¡¯t know how to approach Nn or what to say to him. She decided to focus on her work and put her feelings aside. As she was stocking the shelves, she heard a familiar voice behind her say, ¡°Hey, Lexie.¡± She turned around and saw Nn standing there with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. 157 Three years had passed since Alexa hadst seen Nn. She had only caught glimpses of him on TV a few times since then. In the meantime, she had been busy raising her son, who bore a striking resemnce to Nn. As Alexa kissed her son goodbye and turned to Jade, she couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for her help. Jade had moved in with her to help pay the rent, and they had been taking turns caring for their children while working. Jade was currently calming down her daughter, who was having a tantrum. ¡°Thank you so much for helping me, Jade,¡± Alexa said with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I would have managed without you.¡± Jadeughed and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Lex. We¡¯re like family now. I love your son like my own, and I don¡¯t mind helping you out at all.¡± Alexa felt a sense of relief wash over her as she hugged Jade. It wasforting to know that she had someone she could rely on. As Jade pulled her aside, she whispered to her, ¡°You need to tell your son the truth about his father soon, Lex. He¡¯s been asking me who his dad is.¡± Alexa felt a knot form in her stomach. She had been dreading this moment. She knew she had to tell her son the truth, but she didn¡¯t know how. She thanked Jade for letting her know and said goodbye to her and the kids. As Alexa left, she got into her old pick-up truck and drove to the public school where she worked. She ced her ID on herself and walked inside, greeted by many elementary school children calling out, ¡°Ms. Lexie!¡± She smiled and waved, feeling a sense of pride in her work.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Walking into the teacher¡¯s lounge, she was greeted by her colleagues, who said good morning and asked how she was doing. She waved to Bobby, the school¡¯s security guard, who was standing by the back gate. Sitting down at her desk, Alexa turned on herputer and began preparing her lesson ns for the day. As she worked, she listened to a ylist of songs that Nn had sung and performed. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of sadness as she listened to them. Suddenly, she saw that Nn had released a new album. Without hesitation, she clicked on the link and listened to the songs. As one of the songs yed, Alexa was surprised to hear that it was the song Nn had written about her. She sat back in her chair, stunned. The lyrics spoke of their time together, and how much he had loved her. Tears filled her eyes as she listened to the song, remembering the good times they had shared. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what could have been if things had turned out differently. As the song ended, Alexa wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. She knew she had to focus on the present and take care of her son. She made a mental note to talk to him about his father when she got home. For now, she had a ss to teach and children to inspire. As she stood up from her desk, she couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful for the life she had built for herself and her child. 158 Alexa woke up to the sound of Nn¡¯s voice singing histest song, ¡°Echoes of You¡±. She smiled and pressed y again, letting the melody fill her ears. She couldn¡¯t help but hum along with the chorus, ¡°You¡¯re the echoes of me, the echoes of you, and I¡¯m lost in between, what¡¯s false and what¡¯s true.¡± As she got ready for her day, Alexa continued to listen to the song on repeat, even while she was in the shower. She was so caught up in the melody that she didn¡¯t even realize she was humming along with it until she stepped out and heard herself in the silence. Alexa spent the whole day at school with Nn¡¯s song stuck in her head. She couldn¡¯t focus on anything else, not even the lessons, and found herself humming the tune whenever she had the chance to, without even noticing it. As the week passed by, Alexa was approached by a girl at break time. She was minding her own business, eating her meal when the girl came up to her chuckling. The girl pulled out a banner of Nn and his band, which made Alexa smile. The girl exined that the ss she was in, as well as a handful of others, noticed how much Alexa loved Nn¡¯s band and wanted to surprise her with the banner. Alexa thanked the small girl and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little giddy inside. As Alexa came home, she hid the banner in her dresser with all of her umted albums that Nn produced, as well as a brochure of BCI advertisement. She didn¡¯t want anyone to know how much she was obsessed with Nn and his music, especially since he was so famous. Alexa walked inside her kitchen and saw her best friend, Jade, pouring herself a ss of wine. Jade offered her a ss too, and Alexa dly epted. Jade then asked if Alexa was nning on telling Nn about their son. Alexa confessed to Jade that there wouldn¡¯t be any use, as she knew Nn would ignore her. She added that she knew Nn hated her and was only pretending in front of a crowd.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. After Jade left, Alexa sat at the kitchen table, lost in thought. The idea of reaching out to Nn was both exciting and terrifying. She had spent so many years keeping this secret and now she was considering opening up and potentially facing rejection. But the thought of Anthony growing up without a father weighed heavily on her mind. She didn¡¯t want to make the same mistakes as her own mother had. Alexa took a deep breath and retrieved a pen and paper from a nearby drawer. She knew what she had to do. As she wrote the letter to Nn, she poured out her heart and soul onto the page. She told him everything, from the day they had met to the day Anthony was born. She didn¡¯t hold back any details, including the fact that she had kept their son a secret from him all these years. It was a difficult letter to write, but it was also cathartic. As she wrote, Alexa realized just how much she still cared for Nn. She had never stopped loving him, even after all this time. Finally, after hours of writing and re-writing, Alexa sealed the letter and addressed it to Nn¡¯s home address. She ced a stamp on the envelope and dropped it into the mailbox outside. The next few days were some of the most nerve-wracking of Alexa¡¯s life. She couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the letter and what Nn¡¯s reaction would be. Would he be angry? Would he want to meet Anthony? Would he want nothing to do with them? Alexa tried to distract herself by listening to music and spending time with Jade and Anthony. But no matter what she did, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of anxiety that gnawed at her stomach. Days turned into weeks, and still, there was no response from Nn. Alexa was starting to lose hope. Maybe he never received the letter? Maybe he threw it away without reading it? 159 159 Alexa had been carrying the burden of not telling her son Anthony about his father for so long. She knew that Nn hated her for what happened between them, but she still wanted Anthony to know the truth about his biological father. She had talked about it with her best friend Jade and decided to take matters into her own hands.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Days had passed since Alexa wrote the letter to Nn, and she had been anxiously waiting for his reply. She kept checking her phone for any email or message from him, but there was nothing. She even checked her mailbox day and night, hoping to see a letter from him. But as the days went by, she slowly epted the fact that Nn might never respond. Alexa felt heartbroken and disappointed, but she knew that it was what she had expected from him. She had made peace with the fact that Nn hated her, and that she had to do what was right for her son. Instead of moping around her apartment, she decided to spend the weekend with her kids and Jade. Alexa had saved up enough to take all four of them to an amusement park, and to treat the kids. Anthony and Dove yed and had ridden the kiddie rides, while Jade won most of the gambling games to win prizes for the kids. Alexa attempted to win, but failed miserably. It was by midnight when Alexa was surprised that the kids were allowed to ride the ferris wheel. She buys tickets for all four of them, and as they got inside, her son Anthony asks Alexa out of nowhere if his dad is up with the stars with Dove¡¯s daddy. Jade is surprised as well, and Dove looks at Alexa curiously. Alexa clears her throat and tells Anthony that his father is in fact with the stars. He is still too busy to be with them, and that she tried to contact him and let him know that he exists. Anthony asks Alexa if he could meet his dad so that he could ask him to adopt Jade and Dove into the family. This made Jade cry, and Dove yells at Anthony for making her mom cry. Alexa wipes a tear and tells Anthony that she will try to contact his dad again so that he can have Dove and Aunt Jade be with him as long as he wants to. As the kids fell asleep when the ferris wheel settled down, Alexa drives them back to the apartment. As they approached the apartment building, Alexa saw a man sitting by the front doorstep, looking at her with tear-filled eyes. She didn¡¯t recognize him at first, but as she got closer, she realized that it was Nn. He looked at her and then looked at the small boy she held in her arms. Nn pulled out the photo of Anthony that Alexa had sent along with the letter and asked if that was him. Alexa began to cry and nod. Nn looked at her and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alexa. I shouldn¡¯t have left you like that. I¡¯ve missed out on so much.¡± Alexa was speechless, and she couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. Nn continued, ¡°Can I meet him, Alexa? Can I meet my son?¡± Alexa couldn¡¯t believe her ears, and she felt a mix of emotions. She was happy that Nn was finally taking responsibility, but she was also scared of what might happen. She didn¡¯t know if Anthony was ready to meet his father, and she didn¡¯t know how Nn would react to seeing him after all these years. 160 160 Alexa had been carrying the burden of not telling her son Anthony about his father for so long. She knew that Nn hated her for what happened between them, but she still wanted Anthony to know the truth about his biological father. She had talked about it with her best friend Jade and decided to take matters into her own hands. Days had passed since Alexa wrote the letter to Nn, and she had been anxiously waiting for his reply. She kept checking her phone for any email or message from him, but there was nothing. She even checked her mailbox day and night, hoping to see a letter from him. But as the days went by, she slowly epted the fact that Nn might never respond. Alexa felt heartbroken and disappointed, but she knew that it was what she had expected from him. She had made peace with the fact that Nn hated her, and that she had to do what was right for her son. Instead of moping around her apartment, she decided to spend the weekend with her kids and Jade. Alexa had saved up enough to take all four of them to an amusement park, and to treat the kids. Anthony and Dove yed and had ridden the kiddie rides, while Jade won most of the gambling games to win prizes for the kids. Alexa attempted to win, but failed miserably. It was by midnight when Alexa was surprised that the kids were allowed to ride the ferris wheel. She buys tickets for all four of them, and as they got inside, her son Anthony asks Alexa out of nowhere if his dad is up with the stars with Dove¡¯s daddy. Jade is surprised as well, and Dove looks at Alexa curiously. Alexa clears her throat and tells Anthony that his father is in fact with the stars. He is still too busy to be with them, and that she tried to contact him and let him know that he exists. Anthony asks Alexa if he could meet his dad so that he could ask him to adopt Jade and Dove into the family. This made Jade cry, and Dove yells at Anthony for making her mom cry. Alexa wipes a tear and tells Anthony that she will try to contact his dad again so that he can have Dove and Aunt Jade be with him as long as he wants to. As the kids fell asleep when the ferris wheel settled down, Alexa drives them back to the apartment.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. As they approached the apartment building, Alexa saw a man sitting by the front doorstep, looking at her with tear-filled eyes. She didn¡¯t recognize him at first, but as she got closer, she realized that it was Nn. He looked at her and then looked at the small boy she held in her arms. Nn pulled out the photo of Anthony that Alexa had sent along with the letter and asked if that was him. Alexa began to cry and nod. Nn looked at her and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alexa. I shouldn¡¯t have left you like that. I¡¯ve missed out on so much.¡± Alexa was speechless, and she couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. Nn continued, ¡°Can I meet him, Alexa? Can I meet my son?¡± Alexa couldn¡¯t believe her ears, and she felt a mix of emotions. She was happy that Nn was finally taking responsibility, but she was also scared of what might happen. She didn¡¯t know if Anthony was ready to meet his father, and she didn¡¯t know how Nn would react to seeing him after all these years. 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