In the end, Jessa held unto Anne while she watched as Sara left with Alex, and Sandra left her nanny. She sighed and helped the girl out.
"At least now I only have you to worry about," she said, looking at the bright side. "Come on, let's go," she helped her to her car and drove off.
Ian quickly exited the car as soon as he saw his boss coming with a woman in his arms. Bridal style. He didn't get to see the woman's face, but there was a sense of familiarity that he didn't think too much about as he opened the door for Alex to enter with the unknown woman.
"Sit still," he uttered, and she glared at him while he entered and sat beside her. "Get us home, Ian," he said without looking at the driver.
Finally seeing the face of the woman through the rearview mirror, Ian couldn't believe who it was. He couldn't believe that his boss would drive out here just to get her. He was a kind person but not so kind. He couldn't help but question what was going on between the two.
Knowing not to butt in on what didn't concern him, he started the engine and drove off.
Alex carried the now sleeping Sara in his arms as he entered the front door of his house. A small smile formed at the corners of his lips as he stared at her. She was now in his home. Under his roof. Even if it was only for tonight, that was something.
"Have a hangover soup prepared. She'll need it by the time she wakes up," he said to the housekeeper, Mrs Lawson.
"Yes sir," the humble woman replied. But curiosity beamed in her eyes as she wondered who the woman could be.
"Come up and help out of her clothes and a bath," he ordered, snapping her out of her thoughts.
Without a word, she followed him up to his bedroom.
Alex let Sara down on the bed, made sure she was alright before he left the room so that Mrs. Lawson could look after her. As much as he would love to be the one to take care of, taking off her clothes would be going too far, and she would definitely hate that.
"Young Master," Mrs Lawaon called before he could leave. "There are no female clothes in the house, am I to dress her up or…" she let her words hang, knowing he could complete the rest.
Alex shifted his gaze to Sara. She was still sound asleep. It was already so late, and he didn't want to disturb some salesperson's sleep by calling them over at such an hour. "I'll find something," he said, and she nodded and went ahead to help Sara up and take her to the bathroom. While Alex entered his closet to find something for her.
Moments later, he returned with a shirt and placed it on the bed. Wearing only a shirt and nothing underneath was still pretty dangerous, but it was better than being stark naked. Leaving the room, he headed for the study where he instead worked himself hard enough to tire him out so that by the time he returned to the room, he would just sleep.
°
Alex returned to the room, the lights were turned off, and the window left open for the night breeze to enter just as he preferred it.
The natural air was much more preferable compared to the air generated by the air conditioners, but he doubted she would like that. He turned on the lights and saw how peaceful she was. The thought of closing the windows left him.
Getting on the bed, he now realized just how much he had anticipated a day… No, a night like this. Or perhaps both night and day like this.
The thought of having her beside him at all times and able to hold her while he closed his eyes to sleep. Kissing her good night or being kissed goodnight by her.
He slipped under the covers and pulled her closer, careful not to wake her and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight, sweetheart," he whispered with a smile and shut his eyes.
He didn't know when he slept off, but he knew it was a peaceful night.
That was until morning when Sara woke up with a stir and nearly fell off the bed.
"Careful," he said as he hurriedly held on to her, pulling her back inside and her back slammed against his chest but he didn't keep his hold on her for long.
Sara scampered away like a startled kitten, Turing to face him with furrowed brows and a thousand and one question breaking in her eyes. The headache she felt added more to her confusion.
"Where… ouch," she held her head in both of her palms and closed her eyes. Talking wasn't easy. It made her headache worse.
"Relax and listen," Alex said and she opened her eyes, staring at him with a warning glare. "I won't lie and I didnt do anything," Sara looked down at her clothes and then at him. "Mrs Lawson changed that for you," he said, knowing where her thoughts must have gone.
"Then how am I…?" She shook her head as if that would shake off the splitting pain striking against her skull.
"Ask your question once you have your hangover soup," he said while making a call to someone she didn't know. "Get the soup here," he said and hung up. "Mrs Lawson will bring it to you soon."
Sara stared at him and then at the door. There was a knock shortly after as if whoever he was talking to had been waiting there just for that permission.
An elderly woman walked in with a tray and a single bowl in the middle. 'This must be Mrs Lawson,' she thought. She was relieved that there was indeed a woman and she was the one who helped her out of her clothes.
"Young Master, Miss," she greeted them and handed the bowl of soup to Alex who then dismissed her.
"Drink this and you'll be fine. We can talk after that," Alex uttered as he passed it to her.
Although skeptical, she still took the bowl. She couldn't feel.anything wrong with her body. Beside the oversized shirt which she had only now noticed, nothing seemed out of place.
"The shirt…" She looked at him and he smiled. There was no need to answer that. She was already on his bed, the shirt was just another unexpected thing among the many.