By the time they decided to head home, it was already ten—though for Manhattan, the night was just beginning.
Alex dragged his weary body to his apartment door. While window shopping had provided plenty of eye candy, it hadn't been kind to his legs. They felt like lead, and he silently thanked the building's architects for including an elevator. Without it, climbing six floors would have been torture.
As he inserted his key, thunderous music assaulted his ears, making him wince. The apartment was dark—what was going on?
"Ah!" A sudden scream, followed by the unmistakable sound of a chainsaw.
Alex froze. Emergency? Not even bothering to remove his shoes, he rushed toward the source—the living room. There he found Emma curled up on the sofa, knees hugged to her chest, eyes fixed on the TV screen playing "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." She trembled with each bloody scene.
"Bzzzz!" Another chainsaw sequence.
So the earlier feminine scream had been Emma's, while the power tool sounds came from the movie.
Was it normal for a woman to turn off all the lights, crank up the volume, and watch horror movies alone?
"Hey!"
"Ah!"
*Thwack!*
Alex tapped her shoulder, hoping to get her to lower the volume. Instead, Emma screamed and promptly smashed the remote control into his head. This was quickly followed by a barrage of cushions, fruit bowl, bananas, apples, DVDs—anything within reach became a projectile.
"Stop! It's me!" Alex shielded his head while fumbling for the light switch. When illumination flooded the room, peace was restored.
"Oh... Alex! You scared me to death!" Emma clutched her chest, breathing heavily.
"You nearly killed me!" Alex glared at her, gingerly touching the lump forming on his head. "And put down that phone—no need for casualties!"
"Oh, sorry!" Emma hastily replaced the phone she'd been about to throw. If Alex hadn't turned on the lights when he did, it would have been the next projectile.
Alex retrieved the remote and turned off both the sound system and TV. He dropped onto the sofa with an irritated sigh. Suddenly remembering Emma Winter across the courtyard, he hurried to close the balcony curtains.
"What exactly are you doing here?" Alex asked, rubbing his head. Damn, she had good aim with that remote.
"Watching... watching TV! So scary!" Emma stood before him. "Let me tell you about the guy with the chainsaw—"
"Stop, stop, stop! That's not what I meant," Alex cut her off. "Can you at least turn the lights on when watching TV?"
"But that ruins the atmosphere!" Emma protested.
"What atmosphere? Want me to buy you a chainsaw to play with? Look at this bump—you nearly committed murder!" Alex grumbled.
"Let me check it for you!" Emma quickly knelt on the sofa beside him, reaching for his head.
"Never mind!" Alex batted her hands away.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't hear you come in..." Emma pouted.
"With the volume that high, you wouldn't hear a plane flying overhead. And it's late—have some consideration for the neighbors! Let them sleep!" Alex lectured.
"Sorry, I forgot. I thought I was in my family villa!" Emma apologized. "Are you sure your head is okay?"
"If it wasn't, would I be sitting here talking?" Alex replied testily. "Just clean up this mess!"
"Oh!" Emma nodded and began gathering the items she'd thrown.
"Miss—"
"Call me Snow, I'm your housekeeper now!" Emma interrupted.
"Fine, Snow. Since you know you're the housekeeper, act like one! Look at this living room. I don't mind you eating popcorn and chips, but could you be a bit neater? Use a bowl or something. Look at the floor, the sofa... What's this sticky stuff? Oil?"
"Stir-fried... stir-fried rice cakes. They're delicious..."
"What?" Alex quickly tossed the leaking bag into the trash. It wasn't that he disliked the food, but getting it all over his clothes and hands was another matter.
"..." Alex pointed at Emma with oily fingers, speechless. Damn, he'd taken in a walking disaster. She'd completely played him, but he couldn't even properly express his frustration.
"Sorry, sorry!" Emma kept apologizing, grabbing tissues to wipe his hands. Alex wondered if apologies were her only skill.
"Never mind, I'll do it. Run a bath for me—I need to wash!" Alex took the tissues and cleaned himself.
"Oh, I can do that!" Emma responded eagerly, rushing to the bathroom.
"Ring!" His phone sounded in his pants. He quickly wiped his hands and answered—it was Emma Winter.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Playing with rice cakes!" Alex replied irritably.
"Playing rice cakes? What does that mean?" Emma asked, confused.
"Never mind—telling you wouldn't help!" Alex sighed.
"Must be up to no good. And why did you close your curtains as soon as you got home? Got something to hide?"
"What secrets could I have? Unless you want to watch me change clothes in the living room?" Alex retorted. She must be following Grace's instructions to spy on him.
"As if anyone would want to look! Open your curtains, let me see!"
"I thought you didn't want to look?"
"Not at you! I want to check your apartment for anything suspicious!"
Alex went to the balcony, pulling back the curtain to find Emma already standing at her window.
"If you've fallen for me, just say so. Why spy on me? Afraid I'll bring women home? Jealous, right?" Alex teased. Time for some thick-skinned tactics.
"You're disgusting!" Emma pointed at him angrily.
"I don't find it disgusting—but your method of using rivalry as an excuse to get close to me is rather cringeworthy!" Alex smirked triumphantly.
"Who... who's getting close to you? Take that back!" Emma shouted. They no longer needed phones—they could hear each other clearly across the courtyard.
"Explaining might be awkward. Only keeping things ambiguous maintains that air of romance. Being too clear might hurt your pride!" Alex lounged against his balcony railing, thoroughly enjoying her reaction.
"You... shameless! Who has any romance with you?" Emma had clearly fallen into his trap.
"Love's torment leaves us powerless, with no proof of affection, uncertain when to advance or retreat, lacking even the courage to embrace! Not my words!" Alex quoted dramatically.
"I'd rather date a thug than you!" Emma declared.
"Hey baby, we've got thugs right here! Come on down!" A voice called from below. Three or four men had gathered, whistling up at Emma.
"Haha!" Alex laughed. They were local troublemakers—this was their active hour, around ten PM.
"Get lost! I wasn't talking to you!" Emma stuck her head out, yelling angrily at the men below.
"Feisty one! I like that. Boys, she's mine—no fighting over her!"
"Boss, go ahead! We'll keep watch down here!"
"Real bros! Wait for me, baby—I'm coming up!"
"You dare!" Emma shouted, then ducked back inside. She emerged with two glasses, which she hurled forcefully at the men below.
*Crash!*
*Smash!* The sound was crisp and clear. Alex couldn't help but laugh at Emma's flushed, angry face as he lounged against his window frame, enjoying the show.
"Hmm? Got spirit! If I don't teach you a lesson, how can I face the neighbors?" The lead troublemaker declared loudly.
"What kind of man are you? Just standing there watching?" Emma finally noticed the crisis and shouted at Alex across the courtyard, still holding her phone to her ear despite him having hung up. She must be too agitated to notice.
"If you look like a dumpling, don't complain about dogs chasing you!" Alex laughed.
"Which bastard said that? Come out!" The gang leader's shout followed immediately. They'd clearly caught Alex's implied comparison to dogs. Emma now wore a look of anticipation for a good show.
"Are you fucking blind? Who are you talking to?" Alex shouted down.
"Who... Oh, Brother Alex! I didn't realize she was your woman—"
"Who's his woman!" Emma protested, blushing.
"Brother, this..."
"You know what they say—a flower may have an owner, but a hoe shows no mercy. If you swing that hoe right, any corner can be dug up!" Alex offered this piece of wisdom from his balcony.
"Alex Stone, you're no man!" Emma screamed.
"Whether I'm a man or not isn't something you need to know." Alex replied coolly. *Time to teach her a lesson, or she'll never learn.*
The gang below looked confused by this exchange. What exactly was the relationship between these two?
"You—!"
"Hey boys, your taste needs work if you're going after women like this! What's your boss been teaching you? Also, rabbits don't eat grass near their burrows—stop acting tough in your own neighborhood! Even if she is a shrew, as modern thugs, we should show some class, got it?"
"Got it, we're leaving!"
"Say hi to your boss for me!"
"Will do, Brother Alex!"
After the gang left, Emma let out a heavy sigh of relief before glaring at Alex's building. "You really are no good!"
"Oh? Getting brave now? Want me to call their boss back?" Alex threatened.
"You...! I'm going to bed. Remember to wake me tomorrow!" Emma shot him one last glare before closing her window and drawing her curtains, clearly afraid he might actually summon reinforcements.
*Hmph!* Alex flipped her off contemptuously. He was lazy enough himself, but here was someone even lazier—a woman, no less.
"Alex, the bath's ready! Perfect temperature!" Emma emerged from the bathroom, smiling.
"Oh!" Alex nodded and went in. Worried about what other surprises this heiress might have in store, he tested the water first. Hm, not bad—perfect temperature. Made sense—with how often she bathed, she'd mastered this skill if nothing else.
He'd worked up quite a sweat today. Stripping off his clothes, he sank into the tub.
"Ahhh!" Alex couldn't help moaning in pleasure. So the heiress wasn't completely useless. After the storm, a rainbow had appeared. Time to enjoy himself—he'd let her run his baths from now on! Hehe, and her figure really was stunning!
Lying in the bath, Alex couldn't help recalling the sight of Emma fresh from her shower.