Playmates Chapter 8 I Don't Need A Babysitter

"Excuse me, sir," Ethan's driver said, his voice laced with professionalism and a hint of humility.

"Shall I head to the Landon's estate, or would you prefer to go somewhere else?"

Ethan who was still boiling over from the invisible slap on his face from Charlotte, gazed out the window, his eyes fixed on some point in the distance.

"No, not the Landon's," he said finally, his voice low and even. "Stop at Penthouse lane."

The driver nodded, his eyes flicking to the rearview mirror to meet Ethan's gaze.

"Yes, sir," he said, his tone deferential. "Right away, sir."

As the driver turned onto the Penthouse lane, Ethan's expression remained impassive. But the driver couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine.

There was something about Ethan's command that was unnerving, a sense of quiet authority that brooked no argument.

The penthouse loomed ahead, its sleek, modern facade gleaming in the fading light.

The building was a testament to the Landon family's wealth and influence, a towering monolith of glass and steel that seemed to touch the sky.

As the driver pulled over, Ethan opened the door and stepped out, his movements fluid and confident.

The driver watched him go, feeling a sense of awe wash over him. What was it like, he wondered, to be a member of the Landon family, to wield such power and authority with ease?

As Ethan walked towards the entrance of the penthouse, the driver couldn't help but feel a sense of intimidation.

He had been driving for the Landon's for years, but he still couldn't get used to the sense of quiet command that Ethan exuded. It was as if he were a general, leading his troops into battle with a mere nod or gesture.

The driver shook his head, chuckling wryly to himself. He was just a driver, after all. He didn't need to worry about the inner workings of the Landon family.

Ethan pushed open the huge door at the entrance of the Penthouse,The housekeeper, Mrs. Jenkins, immediately appeared at his side, a deferential smile on her face.

"Welcome, Master Ethan," she said, her voice low and soothing.

Ethan snorted, his expression unyielding. "Summon the staff," he said, his voice curt.

Mrs. Jenkins nodded, her eyes flicking to the intercom on the wall. She pressed a button, and a soft voice echoed through the penthouse, summoning the domestic servants to the entrance hall.

They arrived quickly, a parade of faces that Ethan barely acknowledged.

"Welcome home, Master Ethan," they chimed, their voices a chorus of subservience.

Ethan's expression twisted in disgust. "Leave me," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Take a leave of at least five hours. I don't want to see any of your faces until then."

The servants exchanged nervous glances, but they knew better than to disobey Ethan's orders. They filed out of the penthouse, their footsteps quiet on the marble floor.

As the last servant exited, Ethan slammed the door shut behind them, the sound echoing through the hallway. He was alone now, and he could finally let his mask slip.

With a snarl, Ethan threw the flower vase on the tiled floor, shattering it into a hundred pieces. The sound was satisfying, a release of the tension that had been building inside him all day.

"How dare she defy me , what does Charlotte think she is", he growled like a wounded lion.

He stood there for a moment, his chest heaving with anger, his eyes fixed on the shattered remains of the vase.

Then, with a quiet growl, he turned and walked away to his practice room , where he specially picked for assembling his science project structure, leaving the destruction behind him.

Ethan's footsteps echoed through the penthouse as he walked away from the shattered vase.

The encounter with Charlotte had left him seething, and he couldn't understand why she had to be so stubborn and defiant.

As he walked, the sound of his footsteps was the only noise that broke the silence of the penthouse.

He passed by the opulent furnishings and artwork, but he didn't even notice them. His mind was consumed by his anger and frustration.

Finally, he arrived at his workshop door and pushed it open. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from the city skyline outside the window. Ethan walked over to the window and stood there, looking out at the view.

But he didn't see the city. He saw Charlotte's face, her eyes flashing with defiance as she scoffed at him.

Ethan's anger boiled over again, and he slammed his fist against the window. The glass shook, but it didn't break. Ethan stood there, his chest heaving with anger, his eyes fixed on the view outside.

He didn't know how long he stood there, but eventually, his anger began to fade. He turned away from the window and walked over to his tools table . He sat down on the edge of it, his eyes fixed on the floor.

He knew he had to calm down, to get his emotions under control.

He eventually started assembling his works, but it was hard, so hard, when all he could think about was Charlotte and the way she had defied him.

He angrily shoved his entire work onto the floor because it wasn't lighting up.

The pieces scattered across the room, some of them breaking into smaller fragments. Ethan didn't care. He was beyond caring.

He stood up and walked away from the table, He had already broken the vase, and now his work lay in pieces on the floor.

Why couldn't she just do what he wanted for ? , he thought inwardly.

Ethan's hands clenched into fists as he stood there, his mind racing with thoughts of Charlotte and how he could make her do what he wanted.

But deep down, he knew it was impossible. Charlotte was not the kind of person who could be controlled or manipulated.

Eventually, Ethan's frustration and anger faded, replaced by a sense of resignation.

He consoled himself by figuring out the weakness to use against her.

"Andrew, that girl-like boy..., he is that only one that will make her do things for me" , Ethan muffled with a devilish grin.

He turned away from the window and walked back over to his work, scattered across the floor.

He sighed and knelt down, starting to pick up the pieces. It was going to be a long night.

Meanwhile at the Landon's Mansion, Avery walked into the grand foyer of the Landon's house, her heels clicking on the marble floor. She was greeted by her personal maid, Piper, who was busy arranging flowers on the console table.

"Piper, is Ethan home?" Avery asked, handing over her bag to the maid.

Piper shook her head. "No, Miss Avery. He hasn't returned yet."

Avery frowned, feeling a sense of unease. She had expected Ethan to be home by now.

As the evening wore on, Avery tried to distract herself by reading but her mind kept wandering back to Ethan. Where was he? And why hadn't he come home yet?

When it was finally time for dinner, Avery made her way to the dining room. But Ethan's seat was still empty.

She sighed and took her seat, trying to enjoy her meal.

"Ethan must be angry because Charlotte went against him", she muttered to herself in a sullen tone.

Immediately dinner was over, Avery excused herself and went to her room. She pulled out her phone and dialed Claire's number.

"Hey, Claire," Avery said, trying to keep her voice light. "I just wanted to check in with you. Ethan's still not home."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "That's weird," Claire said. " Oooh he must still be furious that Charlotte turned him down"

Avery hesitated. "I think that's the case."

"Give him time to cool off," Claire suggested. "He's not used to being dejected."

Avery nodded, even though Claire couldn't see her. "Okay, I'll then .. Goodnight Claire."

Ethan spent the night at the penthouse, reassembling his work .

He barely slept, and when he did, it was fitful.

The next morning, he got dressed and headed straight to school, not bothering to go back to the Landon's mansion.

Meanwhile, Claire gave Avery a call to relieve her worry. "Hey, Avery, I just saw Ethan at school. He's fine."

Avery breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Claire. I was worried sick."

She quickly got dressed and left for school.

As she arrived, she saw Ethan standing by his locker, looking like his usual self. But Charlotte and Andrew, who were observing him from an angle, noticed something different.

"Buttercups, is it just me or Rude Riccardo looking somewhat different?" Andrew asked in a hush tone, raising an eyebrow.

Charlotte sized Ethan up from head to toes and made a joke. "He probably couldn't sleep because he was guarding his family's money last night."

The two burst into laughter, and Ethan, who had been watching them, scowled.

Avery approached him, looking concerned. "Brother, are you okay? You look a little off." She asked caressing his pale face.

Ethan shrugged her off. "I'm fine, Avery. Just leave me alone."

Avery looked taken aback by his tone, but she didn't push the issue. Instead, she nodded and walked to her classroom, leaving Ethan to his thoughts.

Charlotte and Andrew, who had been watching the exchange, exchanged a knowing look. Something was definitely up with Ethan.

As Avery walked away, Charlotte and Andrew couldn't help but notice the tension between her and Ethan.

"Wow, looks like someone's in a bad mood," Andrew whispered to Charlotte.

Charlotte nodded, her eyes still fixed on Ethan. "Definitely. And I think I know why."

Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Charlotte smiled mischievously. "Because he couldn't handle dejection from me, that's why."

Andrew chuckled. "Oh Buttercups, you're really getting under his skin, aren't you?"

Charlotte grinned. "That's the plan."

Ethan, who had been watching them, scowled even deeper. He turned back to his locker, trying to shake off the feeling of being watched.

As he closed his locker door, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror attached to the inside of the door. He looked tired, his eyes sunken, his skin pale. He looked like he hadn't slept in weeks.

And then he remembered Charlotte's joke, about him guarding his family's money. He scowled again, feeling a surge of anger. How dare she.

As he turned to walk away, he caught her eye which was as free from the mask, and for a moment, they just stared at each other.

"Don't be under the impressed that you won against me, Ryder expect my next move".

Charlotte unfazed by Ethan's threats smiled sweetly and said "Wow Ethan..!, I see you finally found a way to match your dark personality with your dark circles!, Charlotte paused scrutinizing his facial expression.

"DID you try a new eyes cream or was it just a sleepless night of plotting Charlotte's Domination." She concluded Andrew immediately busted into laughter.

Ethan sneered and started walking away , he was obviously irked by her audacity.

"Hey Ethan , I'm neither Claire or Avery ..therefore be careful around me, don't try and impose your decisions on me" ... Charlotte warned him before he exited into the classroom.

The classroom was buzzing with students chatting and laughing when Jessica walked in with her crew.

All eyes turned to her as she made her way through the desk. Her hair, once a vibrant blue, was now a sleek black, falling in loose waves down her back. Her skin looked radiant, fairer and smoother than before, a testament to her spa day and skincare routine.

"Someone finally decided to get a new look after failing woefully"..Hazel mumbled immediately Jessica passed her desk.

"Oh Hazel , please shut up", Samantha reprimanded hazel with a glare.

Some of Jessica's loyal friends and followers, flanked her on either side, admiring her new look.

"Jessica, you look stunning!" one of them gushed. "The black hair really brings out your eyes."

Jessica smiled, confident and poised, as she scanned the classroom. Her eyes landed on Ethan, sitting by his desk, looking like his usual brooding self.

She raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the dark circles under his eyes.

"Looks like someone had a rough night," she whispered to her Zoey, nodding towards Ethan.

Her friends followed her gaze, and they all started giggling.

"Maybe a day alone with Charlotte as an assistant turned out to be a disaster ," Samantha snickered.

Jessica chuckled, her eyes still fixed on Ethan. "Maybe," she said, a sly smile spreading across her face. " I think if he makes it through the week , he will come begging, asking me to assist him instead."

Charlotte , Andrew , Avery & Claire who were seating nearby, watched with interest.

" Buttercups..!!, Looks like Jessica's got a new look," Andrew whispered to Charlotte

"And a new attitude," Avery added, eyeing Jessica's crew.

As they watched, Jessica made her way over to Ethan's desk, her confidence and poise drawing attention from the rest of the class.

"Hey, Tan," she said, her voice sweet and innocent. "I see you're looking a little rough around the edges. Maybe you need some help getting your life together."

Ethan looked up at her, his expression unreadable. But Claire and Avery could see the way his jaw clenched in response to Jessica's teasing.

"Oh, Russell, I think I can handle myself, I don't need a babysitter" he said, his voice low and even.

Jessica smiled, undeterred. "I'm sure you can, Tan. But just in case, I'm here to offer my assistance."

"Just quite being an attention seeker , it's not gonna work on me", Ethan snickered rolling his eyes.

Jessica continued to tease Ethan, her comments becoming increasingly playful and flirtatious.

Ethan, on the other hand, seemed to be getting more and more agitated, his responses becoming shorter and snappier.

As the two of them bantered back and forth, Charlotte couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement.

"This is going to be a very interesting week." Charlotte muttered.

Andrew, who was sitting next to Charlotte, leaned in and whispered, "Oh, this is getting good."

Charlotte grinned mischievously. "I know, right? ".

Andrew turned to Avery and whispered, "Don't you think Jessica's got a crush on your brother , ?"

Avery raised an eyebrow. " She better not cross her limit, not under my watch"