Alexandra blinked for a second. She must have heard it wrong.
"Just when did you own this house, Mr. St. Claire?" Alex asked vehemently. Her temper was rising every minute. "There wasn't a For Sale sign on this house."
"A while ago. You can simply call me Daniel or Dan whichever you like, Alexandra."
He said in a friendly tone.
"And you can take a seat by the way. You've been standing long enough."
Daniel added.
"I prefer to stand, thanks."
She said contradicting while shooting dagger eyes at him.
"But you're looming over and it's an unfair conversation for newly met strangers like us. Shouldn't you show your desirable side?"
He asked politely.
Before she could answer, her phone rang.
"Excuse me for a minute."
She said in a rush.
She took her mobile from her pants, went out of the kitchen, and took the call in the hallway.
"Why are you calling me at this time, Sabina?"
"Oh, there you are, Alex. I'm glad you take the call. I just got news from our company."
Before Sabina could continue talking, Alex interrupted her.
"I've just arrived home in Avery Hill and was having an unlikely conversation with Mr. St. Claire, Sabina when you ring."
"Oh, what happened?" Sabina asked in the other line forgetting the reason she called Alexandra.
"It appears to me this man just told me that he is the new owner of my house which is not only surprising but shocking news to me."
Alexandra said gritting her teeth while sharing the bad news with her best friend. She was pacing in the hallway.
"Shouldn't you call your mom about it?" said Sabina, concerned. "She must be the one who sold the house."
She said thoughtfully.
"She can't do it without my consent," Alex said immediately gritting her teeth.
Sabina was silent for a minute.
"Hey, Sabi, are you still there?"
"Yeah, I'm still here, Alex. Remember you told me before that you inherited your grandparents' house when you were sixteen and they added your mom's name so you could get the house?"
Alex gasped remembering about it and slapped her forehead.
"Mom should have called me first before she sold it to him."
She said furiously.
"I think I need to call mom," said Alex considering the situation then before she hung up she asked Sabina why she called.
"By the way, why did you call me up for?"
"Right. I called you to tell you that Mr. St. Claire is the new CEO of our company. I just read about it from our web news page."
"What…?!" Alex said screeching. "Isn't that news? I don't believe this guy. What does he want from this house anyway?"
She was rolling her eyes as she talked to Sabina.
"It's like his on a whim parade surprising us at every corner."
"Has he already told you what you're going to draw for your illustration?" asked Sabina sounding excited on the other line.
"Don't change the subject, Sab. Didn't I tell you that we were just starting a conversation when you called?"
"You should ask him then."
"I'll ask him when I finished calling mom and asked her why she sold this house to a stranger without telling me first."
"Maybe you should just ask him to marry you, too."
Sabina joked at the other line.
"Seriously, Sabina. Very funny. Maybe I should ask him to marry you," she said with emphasis.
Sabina laughed at her statement.
"You got the joke back on me, Alex. I'm hanging up now. I'm seeing Julian and my other cousins at gramps' house for our family gathering that you opted out of. I need to change. See you. Bye!"
Alexandra dialed her mother's number after Sabina dropped from the other line. It was her dad who answered the phone.
"Hello, Alexandra. What are you calling for sweetheart?" said her father.
"Hi, dad. Why are you answering mom's phone? Is she not around?"
"She's in the bathroom, Alexa. Taking a quick shower right now."
"Uh—okay."
She said turning into silence. Then, she remembered.
"Dad, did you and mom just left Avery Hill?"
"Yes, a while ago. We've just arrived home. Have you met Daniel St. Clair? He's the new bloke in the neighborhood."
"Yes and he's in the kitchen sitting comfortably doing something on his laptop while eating mom's lasagna."
"So, you've met him."
"Did you and mom just sell this house to him?"
"I can't answer about that, sweetheart." He laughed nervously.
She heard a door opening from the phone.
"Here goes your mom." He said sounding relieved and while seemed to be covering the phone on the other line, called his wife in a loud voice. "Agnes! Alexa is on the phone. She wants to talk to you."
Alex then heard her mom's voice on the other line.
"Hello, sweetie. What got you calling?"
"You know why I'm calling mom."
"Oh, dear. Is it about the house? Yes, I just sold it to Mr. St. Claire. You see, I told him while we were having a lively chat in the living room that I would love to change mother's house into an inn should I have the funds to do it. And he told me that he makes a living off building inns and lodges out of abandoned houses."
Alex shut her eyes tight.
"Mom, I didn't know that gran's house was an abandoned house the last time you stayed over. I just have my vacation here last month."
"But there are times when no one is using this house and instead of being empty wouldn't it be wiser if we use it up and build it to be something more of value? It will help us a lot anyway."
"I'll think about it, mom."
"But I already sold it to him, Alex. You just need to sign the papers."
Alex released an exasperated sigh. Trust her mom to see the golden opportunity right in front of her. She jumped right into the offer.
"You should have told me before selling this house, mom. Gran and Gramps gave it to me. Not you exactly." She said pointedly, begrudging.
"I couldn't pass an offer of a bright idea that I suggested in the first place, Alexandra."
"Oh, mom…"
Alexandra trailed speechless after her mother's honest confession.
Alex pressed the end button after her mom bid her goodbye on the phone and slid it inside the side of her jeans. She returned to the kitchen and sat across Daniel St. Claire who was typing on his laptop. She observed him in silence while he was oblivious to her working on his side.
She was considering the reason why her mom just so suddenly sold the house to this stranger who sat in front of her. Silently, Daniel St. Claire stood up from his seat again and went by the sink to get her a plate, a fork, and a glass and put it by her side.
She was surprised by his action. She looked at him suspiciously while he went back to the fridge to get another pitcher.
"Stop glaring at me, Alexandra," he said with his back at her.
"Do you have eyes at the back of your head, St. Claire?" she asked back.
"I could feel your deadly stare at me."
She frowned at his statement.
"For a stranger who's new at this neighborhood, you sure are so homey at my house, St. Claire."
Daniel returned to the table with a pitcher-filled Coke in his hand and a plate of cake on another.
"Your mom baked it, too."
Alex studied him, amazed. Her irritation turned to amusement. She was already hiding back her grin.
"Seems like mom and dad took a liking to you."
"Yeah, they did. They saw me the first day I arrived at the house next door across the street. They invited me for dinner."
She took a slice of cake and started on it. Daniel took a slice, too, and started eating.
She just looked at him to let him continue talking.
"How long have you been in this house?" she asked while munching on her cake.
"A week."
"You don't know how to cook, don't you?"
Daniel suddenly coughed while eating his cake.
"Mom loves to dote on helpless scoundrels who adore her cooking and baking," she said complacently. "You are one lucky stray."
She added pointing a fork at him.
"Agnes cooks great and since she invited me over that night, she said I can always come over to join them. I don't know my way in the kitchen and your mom has been great."
"Then, you should just get married," said Alexandra offhandedly. "Mom's not around to always cook for you, St. Claire."
"You can marry me, Alexandra, if you like," he joked her back.
Alexandra took a helping of the lasagna and savored it. Then, she looked back at him.
"I'm not as good as my mom, so no thanks."
She said straightforwardly.
"No, I mean it, Alex. Marry me." Daniel said looking at her while she was eating.
"Who would want to marry a helpless guy like you in the kitchen?"
She took a drink of Coke and looked at him.
"If I'm going to marry, St. Claire, I'll choose someone who knows his way in the kitchen."
"Alexandra Diaz, will you do me a favor?"
She just looked at him but Daniel was wearing a serious expression.
"Will you marry me?"