I can feel the pressure and couldn't help but fidget my fingers. The pressure is overwhelming that I felt nauseous. I just locked my eyes on my fingers. If I could hide inside the dashboard in front of me, I already did. Oh god, please save me.
"How on earth, a person still alive, doing the whole house cleaning with a high fever?" I knew it. It's the third time he said this. The first one is when he heard from the doctor, the second one is when he gets into the car and now the third one, is at the traffic light. I literally can't handle this man anymore. He was nagged for the whole ride now.
"Thirty-nine Celsius degrees? Thirty-nine? Not to mention, you refuse to be warded?" Oh God please let this man shut for once. He gave me anxiety for so many reasons.
"Lack of nutrients? And working like a maniac? Extremely stress?"
I don't think I'm overworking, he just exaggerated the small thing. I don't have an appetite so I hardly eat anything. I probably have a fever because of the rain last night, and stress? Yes, extremely because of you!
"And why the fuck is your house so far? It going took us 45 minutes to arrive by driving, and what? You want to walk?" He glared at the navigation, nagging at me with a soft voice. I assumed he is a soft-spoken man? He did yell at me a few moments ago, but he talking softly for a while now. And since the beginning of the day. Even yesterday, he spoke with a very gentle voice. But right now...it does frighten me because I know he is pissed off and still talking softly.
"It probably took you an hour or two to reach my home, huh? Did you walk every day?"
I did say that I want to walk...I shouldn't...I didn't know he was the noisy type. I just walk there for two days.
"I'm not being noisy, I'm being realistic, Maddison." I looked at him with wide eyes, how does he...
" Your face is so obvious that you want me to shut up!"
He didn't even look at me though. I looked ahead again as the car started moving. I feel dizzy and sleepy.
"Sleepy?" he back with his soft voice. It's like he knows what's inside my mind. Did he read my mind? Is he a mind reader?
"Hmm." I just hummed, lacking the energy to talk.
"Just sleep, I'll wake you up soon." His voice is so soothing. Not as scary as before.
Now that I think, he is so kind and gentle, and yet I misunderstand him over my nightmare.
"Sorry..." I closed my eyes since it was getting heavier.
"Pardon?"
I took a deep breath, repositioning myself to get the comfiest position to sleep. "Sorry for the misunderstanding, and did something disgusting just now...I even made your shirt dirty..I'll wash it tomorrow, so...forgive me.."
"Where's the sorry for not knowing my name?" He teased.
"I'm sorry, I don't know your name..." I feel like, I'm about to sleep soon.
"Ayden. Ayden Winter. Bury that inside your mind, deeper so you won't forget it in future."
I think...
I think I like his voice.
-----
After a few days of recovery, I was back in front of his door. I sat on the staircase first before getting some rest. It will be a disaster if he knows that I climbed up here. I already had enough of his nags because I walked to work.
Since that night, I don't know how, but for some reason, he has my number and he keeps sending me a text, every minute, calling every hour to make sure I'm alive and even giving me his pin code for his house so I can come in and out easier.
Oh, wait, maybe because he had my resume. Dummy.
'Came at five am, I won't wake at the time so here the pin,' was what he said.
I finally stood up again and walked to his door.
I entered his pin code carefully and went inside. I jumped a little since the auto light flicked once I enter. That caught me off guard since it's dark. I carefully took off my shoes and put on the indoor slipper. I hang my bag and my cap on the clothing rack before walking to the kitchen.
I flicked the switch and the kitchen look alive, brightening half of the house. It's such a big house with two floors divided, three rooms upstairs and three rooms downstairs, big enough for a big family. But only one person lives here.
I pulled the fridge door to take out the ingredients. Let's just make a hash brown crust quiche. Maybe with bacon and cheese. Would it be okay?
"...I hope he would like it.." I took out hash brown, cheese, butter, heavy cream and bacon and put them on the worktop. My hands work diligently, making the meal. As the meal is done, it's already six, so I proceed to make him a coffee. Maybe a toast too.
As the clock ticked, the sun suddenly made its first peek through the giant windows. And the preparation for the breakfast is done. I sighed in relief since I made it on time, and walked to the bedroom to wake the owner up.
I knock twice before slowly opening the door to wake him up. "Ayden...it's six-thirty," I said.
Am I doing right? I walked closer to him, and poke his feet as I tried my second attempt. "Wake up, you'll be late."
I heard him grunting, and moving over. I poked him again but he stop making a sound. So I moved to the side of the bed and poked his shoulder instead.
"Wake up."
He grunted again. He clasped my hand, as he snugged his face into the pillow. "What time is it?" he asked in his husky sleepy voice.
"Six-thirty," I said, trying to pull my hand from his.
"Can I have 5 more minutes?" He said. He does have a nice face. He must be popular among ladies. Or maybe a womaniser. He pulled my hand softly, but strong enough to make me stumble on the bed.
The hell?
"No, you asked me to wake you up at six-thirty," I said, yanking my hands off him. How dare he! I come here at five because of him and he wants to sleep more? That's mean! I stomped outside and started to do the groceries list. Ah, I need paper. I turned myself back to his room, and peek inside. He still sleeping.
"Ayden?" I called his name and he quickly sat up, with his eyes still shut tight. He hummed as a replied. "Can I have a paper and pen, please?"
He flickered his eyes and it was dazzling. It's beautiful. It's been so long since I've seen something beautiful like his. It's enchanting.
"Umm...can you help me up?" he said, flipping his arms wide open as if he ask me to pick him up. What a baby.
I went closer and grab both of his hands, pulling him out of the bed. He's not even moving and picking my nerves. So, I threw his hands as a sign that I'm done with it.
"Just give me the paper please," I said firmly. He looked at me. His eyes piercing and unwavering. He then smirked and sighed.
"Alright, alright. Don't be upset."
I frowned. I'm not though.
He finally got up from the bed, stretching his whole body. This man loves sleeping without a shirt on. I stared at his well-defined body. It suits him well.
"Do you like it?" he asked, smirking. He knows that he has a nice body, and he knows well how women would react if they saw it. He probably testing me.
"Yes, it's very good," I said with a smile, genuinely. I mean he looks good like a god's favour and he was just woken up too. "I think you should be hurried, aren't you going to be late?" I turned around to bring myself out of his room.
I think the breakfast is getting cold.
"But, princess, I'm off today..." I stopped walking. Huh?
I looked at him, disbelief at what he said. He's yawning and putting his shirt on, scratching his gorgeous abs. This man...really started to pick my nerves.
"Huh?" my eyes followed his movement, rummaged his study desk and passing a paper and a pen to me, walked passed me lazily.
"I have an off day today," he repeated himself, sitting on the sofa.
"But you asked me to come at five and wake you up at six-thirty."
"Did I?" he tilted his head backwards, with a mischievous smirk on his face. "Did you make breakfast?" he now walked to the kitchen, sat down and eat.
What is the freaking world...I sighed. I need to calm down, he's my boss.
"...I'm going to run an errand soon, may I have some money?" Right, don't waste your energy over petty things, Maddison. It's tiresome.
I walked to the kitchen and started to jot down all the groceries I need to get.
"Why? What errand?"
"Groceries."
"Come here." I heard the demand, but I ignored it. I'm not a dog. And what for? I'm busy.
"Maddison Iyves."
Ugh! I rolled my eyes up and turned my head toward him.
"Come here and sit." My feet hurriedly went to the dining table. I'm so tired already.
"Sit, eat." He put a plate in front of me, so I did as he told me, took a slice of quiche and munched it.
"Does it taste good?" he asked. I glanced at him and nodded. Of course, it's good, I'm the one who cooked it.
"Hi." he smiled, resting his chin on his hands. His hair looks messy but still looked cute on him. He does have dimples on both sides of his cheeks, it's stunning. He's blinking slowly as his smile gets wider.
"Hi," I replied, awkwardly smiling. It's hurting my face since I haven't smiled for a while.
"How are you? Feeling good? You don't have a fever anymore, do you? Here, eat more. You need more nutrients." He put one more slice on my plate. Looking at it already enough to give me nauseous. I don't need this much to fill my stomach. I took a small bite but it was hard to swallow.
Especially when someone burning a hole in you.
"You're twenty-six, right? Did you have a boyfriend, princess?"
I frowned. Do I look like I have one or do I need one? And why the hell did he keep calling me that?
"Why did you always call me that?" It annoyed me when he called me 'princess'. He smiled at me but for some reason I think that smile wasn't sincerely, his eyes look cold, enough to send a chill to my spine.
"Hm..." he took a sip of coffee, without breaking our eyes contact. A chuckle escapes from his mouth, and now his eyes finally look alive. And his smile finally looks genuine.
"Because you look like an angel. I almost got a heart attack when I first saw you. And suddenly you show up in front of my door as my new housekeeper. You dazzling, like an angel."
I can see radiants around him or maybe it's because of the sunlight. But what kind of bullshit is this. First time? Huh?
"I thought, you will creep out if I could you angle, so I call you princess instead."
Is he drunk?
"And..." he paused, staring at my face like there was something on my face. He smiled wider, "...uh I think I might fall for you."
I clenched my fork as he said that, and I can tell that I have a very unpleasant face cause it was unpleasant. Absurd. Who would do that to me? Me? I'm not even pretty. No one ever tells me that, unless they want something from me.
"So, do you have a boyfriend?" he asked again.
"No."
"Why not? You're gorgeous!"
I looked at the quiche, I feel like I'm about to throw it out.
"...It's uncomfortable..." I murmured. Leaving an awkwardness between us. "Do I need to answer that?"
"So you don't have a boyfriend, right?" he back at that question.
"Can I have the money? For my errand?" I looked at him straight, before he asked the same stupid question again.
"Yes, of course. Let's go together." Together?
I scoff. He is annoying. He finished up his share and gulped the coffee down. "I'll be right back." He dashed toward his room, leaving me alone at the dining table.
I glanced at the quiche, at least he ate four slices and two toast. Hmm..we have two more slices. Maybe he can eat it as a snack soon. I took a bite on mine, even though I'm full. I'm relieved as I took the last bite. Finally!
I chugged down some coffee and bring the plates into the kitchen. I quickly jot down all the groceries that I needed on a paper, folded it and shoved it inside my jeans pocket.
"Ready to go?" I almost jumped when he suddenly showed up from behind. He brought the quiche and put a lid cover on top.
"I'll be washing the dishes first," I said and fold my sleeves up. Ah, I forgot the band-aid. Well, whatever. Once I'm done with the dishes, I placed them on the rack and untied my hair. As I turned around, once again, I felt like my heart almost jumped out of my mouth.
He chuckles. Amused by my reaction which caused me to glare at him.
"Let's go." I nodded and followed him to the front door, grabbing my cap and handbag with me. "Can I see the list?" He asked me, opening the front door, waiting for me to hand it over.
I take it out and passed it to him. I followed him out and went to the staircase.
"Where are you going?" he asked. I looked at him.
"Down?"
"Using stairs?" He raised one of his eyebrows and folded his arms. He looked so sleek in those black turtle neck and black trousers. We just going to run an errand but he looked like he was going to the club. "Why don't you use the elevator."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
I sighed and rubbed my eyebrows. It's kinda hard to explain. It's hard to explain. It's stuck inside my throat.
"I just can't. Go ahead, I'll be waiting for you soon."
Or maybe he waited for me.
"You used stairs every day?" I glanced at him. He looked...mad. Should I just ignore him?
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but not only did you walk yourself from home to here, but you climbed the stairs up and down too? From the lobby to up here? Climbing? The stairs?"
Oh boy, his voice getting a bit cold and higher. I can hear him sighing.
"Are you crazy?" he exclaimed. "Do you have claustrophobia or something?"
I shook my head as a no. It's not like that.
"Can we just go?" I took my first step down the stairs, but he dragged me from behind to the elevator.
"I can't use the elevator!" I claimed, struggling to escape. I really can't use it!
"Why?" he looked down at me, waiting for my answers. "Tell me why."
"Because I can't! Why can't you listen to me?" I yanked my hand off, screaming at him. "Why do you keep forcing me?"
"Because you're doing something crazy. Look at you! You just recovered, and now you doing something crazy again? What if you fainted again?" he yelled back and I'm scared. As the elevator opens, he went inside. "Come in."
This is stupid! Which part of it that he don't understand?
"Maddison, come in!"
I clenched my teeth as I glared at him. He keeps getting my nerves, especially today. And what's annoyed me more is, that I feel like I'm going to cry. I squatted down desperately.
"I said I don't want to. I can't! If I can, I won't waste my time, climbing up to your house too! But I can't..."
"What..are you crying?" he comes out of the elevator with a panicked expression. He squatted down too, rubbing my shoulder to calm me down. "At least tell me why. Hm?"
How am I going to explain? I never told anyone about it. I felt like I'm going to cry harder and it was always in front of him. I bite my lips, trying to muffle my voice.
"Hey hey, don't bite your lips. Take a deep breath. Inhale, exhale." I did as he told me. Inhale, exhale. He has a soothing voice. It was a bit scary when he yelled, but...it's feel nice when he talked like this. At this point, I probably tell him why.
As I thought...I like his voice.