Chapter 2: Breakfast together

While arguing, they don't even realize how close they've come. An awkward silence falls between the two of them. There is only an inch distance left, and she can sense the warmth of his breath; she can make his facial curves even more clearer. She difficultly gulps her saliva down, her heart beating fast.

She has never been that close to anyone else since this day. Even when she was in a relationship with Kris, she kept her distances from him, but right now, she just let herself loose.

Janice cast her eyes over his forehead and then to his nose and lips. His symmetric, pink lips tempting her. She leans toward him; Dylan also mimics her. She strongly feels that there generate some kind of magnetic field- while her lips acting as a south pole and his as a north pole- attracting each other. She again looks into his eyes, and then Dylan immediately withdraws, collecting himself.

Janice finds herself blushing. Though she tries hard to suppress it and act cool, Dylan notices her and immediately looks away. He unpins her, stands up, and straightens himself. He shakes his head. "You've fifteen minutes, fresh yourself and then come downstairs. You've slept here the whole night, so in return you will make breakfast".

Huh? Strange, she thinks. But she exhales, calming herself that she only has to serve this brat breakfast and not her body- which he wants earlier. Although he was teasing her, but right now, she isn't reliable herself. She feels relaxed now that he has put it that way they will be even, and no one will owe each other. But still, she has too many questions in her head that she wants to ask him.

She is engrossed enough in her own thoughts that she doesn’t realize he is still in the room. He smiles at her, which somehow comforts her. "Don't stress your brain. You'll get your answers," He pats her head and then turns around, unlock the door shakes his head, and leaves.

She ponders how come he read her mind? But who cares at the moment? Smiling to herself, she hurriedly walks straight towards the washroom since she only has 15 minutes to take a bath. After a shower, she dries her body with a towel and opens the closet.

Eh?

A squeak slips from her lips. WHAT HAS SHE JUST SEEN? Too many clothes? All from a highly recognized brand!” she exclaims, clasping her hands to her mouth.

"This hunk isn't even a champion but rich too. Well... what should I wear?” she casually runs her fingers through the deluxe dresses when a frock catches her eyes.

“Oh! New edition? which has just been released and is not marketed to someone ordinary? This is also in the closet. Let’s give it a try!”. Janice takes the dress and went on trying.

The dress is red in colour and is neckless, and its sleeves are replaced by the beads, which are carefully and delicately tucked by the designer. The frock is not too long, falling above the knees. Janice zip up the frock and twirls around twice in front of the mirror to check how she looks and give a wink.

"Gorgeous!"

She looks at the clock, ticking, and notes that only a few seconds are left, and her timer will run out soon. She hurriedly glances at the wardrobe, looking for a hair dryer but can't find it, so she simply leaves her long blond hair wet and open; wears black heels, and head straight downstairs.

She finds Dylan sitting at the table. In front of him is the breakfast with numerous varieties; waffles topped with hot chocolate and strawberries, scrambled eggs, lemon tart, and a jug of freshly squeezed orange juice.

Dylan hears her footstep and stops dead in the middle of chewing and gulping. He takes a sip from his orange juice. "Can't differentiate whether the dress is beautiful or the one wearing it,” he murmurs, carefully aware that she is out of earshot.

“Whoa! Waffles and scrambled eggs, they are my favourite,” Janice exclaims as if her head is gonna blow up if she sees another luxury. Though, Janice was raised by a wealthy family of Wu but never got the perks to enjoy. Her identity of being an adopted child always remains a hindrance for her. She was not allowed to show herself at gatherings or parties; her birthday had never been celebrated. It was always her sister- not her blood-related sister, though, has always been the charm of the events. She plays dirty tricks on big shots who attend the party, lures them by her beauty, and takes advantage. Meanwhile, Janice remains in her room. Well, it was more like hell to her than to call it a room. She never gets to enjoy the breakfast fully and has always been given leftovers, so the only means of getting it was to steal it while making.

“Dig in,” says he, feeling satisfied.

Janice pulls the chair opposite to Dylan and sits down. She is again facing him but right now, not too closely. "Well, I was supposed to be the one treating you... wasn't I?" She takes a glimpse at the large hall and finds it fascinating. At the centre of the hall lies a table, onto which she has just seated herself, which is wide in means of length. On the walls are the sceneries and pictures. Her eyes fix on a framed picture that is carefully placed at the wooden table; she tries to focus to see it clearly but fails because the picture is small and far away from her.

Dylan serves her waffle. “You can treat me by other means.” He smirks at her, and she rolls her eyes taking a mouthful of waffles. Emm, yum. The words unconsciously escape from her mouth, and she sees Dylan smiling out of the corner of her eyes.

“Eat more," he says, passing her the bowl of scrambled eggs.

“You aren't eating?” she asks, accepting his offer and tossing the last piece of waffle in her mouth, enjoying the hot chocolate.

“Nah! I'm full,” he says. Full of what... flirting? She thinks.

While eating, she tucks a strand of her wet hair behind her ear. Dylan notices and asks, "You couldn't find the hair dryer?"

What can she say at this moment? He was too demanding just now. He had only given her 15 minutes, and then she was asked to prepare the breakfast too. How can she manage everything in such a short period? Meanwhile, keep in mind that she has to please him too so that she won't owe him anything. Flustered, she simply says "no". So, he stands up and heads towards a room that opens from the hall.

She didn't notice that room in the first place because she was attracted by the tempting breakfast earlier. Moreover, the room somehow looks like a trap room where one can hibernate for years if he wishes to. The house is too big that she thinks it might take a whole day to tour it. She has only been to the room and this hall which is quite enough to blow her head.

A few while later, he emerges, holding a hair dryer. Janice tries to refuse his favour by saying she is okay with her wet hair and will dry on their own, but he has already plugged in the wire and is now dealing with her hair.

“What if you catch cold?” he asks.

She feels awkward because, in her right mind, she knows that she has never ever been treated like this in her whole life, but now everything has changed since last night. She thinks that she has remained in underpasses till now, and at present, her life has taken a big U-turn. She can see the bright light illuminating her life. She can fly, she can achieve, she can win, but is she demanding too much, or is this U-turn just taking her into another underpass? Well, she doesn’t want to think anything today. Currently, she just wants to enjoy the blessing in disguise of Dylan, so she dares not to argue and try to be a nice and obedient girl.

“By the way... you own this big house?” she asks, pouring the orange juice for her.

“Yes, well...” he begins. “Never mind,” she interrupts him. Dylan clenches the hair dryer hard but looking at her face, he loosens his grip. He dries the last strand of her hair and puts the hair dryer aside.

Janice thinks that he is too handsome and rich and she is just a little girl who is dumped by her boyfriend. He has done enough for her, and she has only been the trouble for him the whole time. She owes him too much. How will she repay him... by her body? A shiver runs down her spine, and she tightens her grip on the glass.

Dylan read her panicked face. “If you don't like the design, you can change but why break it?" asks Dylan staring at the glass in her hand. She gives her head a slight jerk and puts the glass on the table. Her hand turns red due to pressure and accumulation of blood.

“Hey! Are you okay? Are you done eating?” asks Dylan, concerning her thoughtful expressions of her, though he knows that she has been through enough.

Janice nods, pushing the plate away. “Ah! Yes, I'm full”.

“Great! I want to take you somewhere,” he says, giving her the coat to put on. "Afraid that you might catch a cold," throwing a glance at the outfit she wears.

It is the start of the winter season, and she knows that she is allergic and will surely catch a cold, so she simply puts it on without saying a word though she sticks her tongue out.

“Childish!” snaps Dylan taking her hand in his.

“Hey, what's the rush? You're dragging me,” asks Janice running to keep up with him.

“You're too slow, just like a turtle celebrating his golden jubilee,” he replies. Janice snorts and then rolls her eyes. Dylan coughs. Well, it is more like a laugh than a cough to Janice.