Page 24

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I hope you are having fun reading and please do not forget to give me your thoughts about the book In the comment section.

Thanks.

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Hazel twirled her back to him immediately, biting her lower lip in annoyance.

What is he trying to do? Piss her off or tempt her?

How could he tell her to come in when he's getting dressed?

A chuckle escaped his lips, what the actual heck is going on here?

"Turn around Hazel. I'm not going to bite you" he assured

YET.

"I'm okay this way. Maybe I should come back later" Hazel heads towards the door.

"I told you to turn," he said again.

Hazel paused, a look of complaint on her face.

Well, he told her to turn around and if she made him uncomfortable with her stares, he brought this on himself.

Hazel turned and sighed to see he had all his buttons done already.

He hands her his tie.

"I believe you can knot one" hrs asked

Hazel told the tie, not sure how to take this….

How on earth is she going to knot his tie without feeling all those biceps.

Hazel sighed, the thought of it made her imagine for a slight second what could happen if….

Vincenzo snapped his fingers

"Tie Hazel. It's not a concert" she reminded

Hazel moves closer to him, one step after another, full of uncertainty.

She stood on her toes to wrap the tie around his neck, her face closer to his face than she originally intended.

Simi knots the tie, not daring to meet Vincenzo's gaze although she could swear she knew he was staring at her.

He had his eyes following every moment of her silence…

It only made her feel nervous! Could he stop staring at her and allow her to knot this tie in peace so she could get out of this awkward and alluring position!

As though he read her mind, Vincenzo glanced at his wristwatch as Hazel finally arranged the tie in place and took a step back.

"It's all done" she offered

Vincenzo walks towards his table to get his briefcase, much to her relief.

"Are you okay?"

His question came as a surprise at first. Was her illness that obvious he could tell?

She wondered

"You were at the dinner table last night. I heard you were feeling a bit ill" he asked walking towards her.

"Yes but I'm better now Mr Vincenzo" she offered with a small smile

"Good. I wouldn't want to have a reason to fire you" he offered before stepping out of the room.

What?

Fire her?

'How generous Mr Vincenzo! You are going to fire staff for being indisposed. If you wanted android cleaning services, you could have said so and your boss would have made that readily available'

Hazel yelled internally.

What a jerk!

Hazel took a glance around the room, there was barely anything in the room that needed cleaning.

"A clean man uhm?" She muttered

Hazel laid the bed and adjusted the pillows. A little cleaning here and there and a bit of mopping too.

Wipping her sweat off with the back of her hand, she steps into the bathroom.

Ensuite style, big and luxurious.

This could easily mark a hotel standard bathroom. Neat and spacious with floating vanity with lights underneath. A jacuzzi close to the glass wall that overlooks the field and a huge cubicle for the shower. And to the toilet was enclosed with a white wooden door.

Classic!

Hazel twirls around with a smile on her face. How would It feel to know you own everything here?

Of course like a king!

Hazel soon cleans up the bathroom, organising all the products back in place. He sure loves perfumes.

There were several brands on the vanity but for some reason, he seems not to smell like any of these things….

Hazel shrugs and resumes back to her cleaning. Afterwards, Hazel found her way to the closet, her mouth agape at the size of this place.

It was twice her entire apartment!

The lights were warm, giving the whole place a boutique-like feel…

The suits were arranged on the hanger, and shirts were folded underneath. Shoes were stacked in an in-built shoe rack. Wristwatches were in a drawer. Several gold glittering and expensive ones could be seen. Another drawer for his ties, neatly folded in. Another for his underwear…

Hazel shuts the drawer quickly, feeling her heart quicken…

"You are an official pervert Hazel!" She muttered to herself.

Hazel resumed her work, cleaning the whole time and finally, she was done with her job.

QShe took a glance at her wristwatch and gasped at how much time had passed during her cleaning g session.

It was almost afternoon.

Goodness, so much time had passed.

Hazel gathered her things and head out of the room to meet the rest I'm the kitchen.

"Hazel!" Annie called in excitement.

She was accompanied by two other maids. one had her bag and the other had her snacks in hand. Who ordered something of this nature?

"I'm so worried about you yesterday when you didn't show up for dinner," Annie said

Hazel puts up a face, as she'd been through the harshest punishment she could think of.

"Could you help me with this?" Hazel hands the cleaning equipment to one of the girls. Annie took her bag from her while the girl takes the whole thing down the stairs to the store room.

"How was school?" Hazel asked

"It's a tutorial. Dad would never let me go to school, not after what happened last time" Annie shook her head

"You should go get changed while we prepare lunch" Hazel offered

"No, its fine. I'll have the snacks and eat them by dinner time. Dad won't be back till it's evening too" Annie replied

"Okay. Go freshen up then" Hazel smiled

"Please spend at least an hour with me? I have a lot to tell you" Annie pleaded

Hazel was puzzled, whether she admits it or not, she's the only one Annie feels comfort with able within the whole house.

"Okay. One hour and that's it" Hazel repeated

"Thank you"

Annie pulls Hazel's hand and led her to her room.

Her room was huge. All In blush pink and all princessly theme. From her dresser to their wardrobe, to the very stationery on the table, all in pink.

"You must love pink," Hazel said as she shuts the door behind her.

"My favourite colour is yellow" Annie replied

Hazel looked confused for a while.

"Then why is the whole room, pink?" Hazel asked

"Cause it's my mum's favourite colour" she offered, hanging her bag on a hook beside her bed.

"Your mum…" Hazel said nothing as her eyes caught a picture of a woman cuddling a young baby in her arms on her dresser.

"That's her. She's pretty right?" Annie smiled

"Pretty. You look just like her" Hazel offered

"Except the hair. Hers weren't red like mine" Annie shrugs

"You must wish you were her carbon copy uh?" Hazel asked

"Yeah" Annie laughed "since I am the only copy of her existence" she muttered

It didn't take so long for Hazel to realise the woman was dead. She felt sad for the little girl.

Hazel moved closer to her and pulled her in an embrace.

"I'm so sorry" she muttered

"It's okay. It's been so long ago" Annie assured with a chuckle

Hazel releases her, a smile on her face.

"I am sure she's going to be so proud of you. Where ever she is " Hazel smiled

"I know"

"Okay, what were you going to tell me?" Hazel asked, settling on her bed.

"What did dad say to you? Did he get mad? Scold you? Reduce your pay?" Annie asked, her sorry face was more than grievous.

"No. He did none of those things. He told me never to go against his instructions ever again and we…." Hazel trailed off as the images of their kiss danced in her head….

"And what?" Annie asked eagerly.

"And we had an understanding" Hazel gave a nervous smile.

"Understanding of what?" Annie pressed on

"That I would take his instructions seriously. That's it. " Hazel replied

"Thank goodness. I thought dad was going to rip you out alive" Annie said in horror.

In a way, he'd rip her off with a moan and pleasure….

"What about you?" Hazel asked

"He wouldn't hear my apologises and he's been giving me silent treatments lately" Annie sighed

"It's the worst feeling in the world. When dad treats you like you don't exist." She adds

"Well, you exist and you just have to try even harder to get his attention. You know, to plead with him and apologise" Hazel advised.

"I've tried everything I could think of" Annie whined

"Maybe a heartfelt letter on his desk would be of much help" Hazel offered

"A letter?" Annie puzzled

"Yeah. You could try that and see how it goes" Hazel advised

Annie moved to her dresser, pick a paper and a pen and soon, starts to write.

Hopefully, this would get her dad to speak to her again…