26. After Effects

AUTHOR POV

Mark ordered someone from the security team to return the car to its owner at the park after reaching Felix's mansion in Weston city. He got inside after entering the password to unlock the door, figuring out that his boss might be on his way home. As he was about to enter the kitchen, he heard some footsteps coming from the maindoor. Mark turned his head towards the hall and saw Felix removing his coat.

"You are back sir.. that was quick"

"You expected for me to stay in the park over night?" Mark noticed that Felix seemed a bit off and moody.

"...that is not what I meant sir" His voice low with hesitation as to what consequences he might raise if not spoken carefully.

"I'm not in mood to argue mark" Felix frowned. He placed the car keys on the centre table at the couch in the hall and stepped towards the stairs to his room on the first floor. But he stopped when mark spoke again.

"I am not trying to argue sir. What happened at the park? Why were you hiding behind the tree? Did something wrong happen?"

Felix didn't speak and kept silent for a few seconds. After hesitating for about few seconds, he finally opened his mouth to speak.

"Is there something wrong with this dress?" That's all he asked. Mark just stared at Felix in confusion. He could understand what he meant. Mark moved his eyes over his body from head to toe scanning his outfit. "The outfit is tailored to fit you perfectly sir. I don't see any wrong in it. Infact it makes you look extra handsome " mark frowned.

" I don't see any reason why people wouldn't wear it to the park. It makes you look lavish and elegant" Felix complained like a child ranting about someone mocking them for their silly dress. Mark realised the mistake Felix made by wearing formal dress to a place where people come for fun in casuals.

" Perhaps I can answer your question if you say what happened sir" mark tried to make Felix open up. But our little unbothered king just stared at Mark for a second and turned around to leave. Mark sighed knowing his boss and his nonchalant demeanor, he calmly stepped around. Just before he entered the kitchen again, Felix spoke stopping him in midway. "She asked what kind of person wears a suit to an amusement park and that I looked like a server at a five star restaurant" He said calmly from the middle of the staircase.

Mark couldn't help but swivel his head to his right in surprise. He remembered the moment when Felix was getting dressed to go to the park earlier today. Felix was so excited to go to her so he dressed up in formal stating he wants to look good infront of her. Never in his dreams he thought that Lyra would say something so absurd to him. Infact he did looked like a fool roaming around the park in formals. Mark took a note to remind him to dress accordingly to the place he is going to meet her next time and walked towards Felix to coax him.

FELIX POV

I watch as mark made his way towards me. His eyes filled with sympathy. A sympathy that is clearly shouting 'i guessed this would happen and here we go' into my ears. I stand in the middle of the staircase sliding my hands in my pockets. My mind is calm. Like stangant water. But as mark approached me, I look into his brown eyes which takes me back to the moment when I was so close to her.

Blood rushed to my face making the pale shade of my skin go to a light shade of pink. The once calm mind is now a huge mess of emotions. And the words I said to her played like a broken record inside my mind. I feel a rush of bliss in my heart. ' because I love you' the words that has been struck inside my mind are finally out of my body. These three words are the one's that got pushed to the back of my subconscious mind. Threatening to fade away with time slowly leading me to an infinite loop of struck in the past.

My lips curved up into a smile unknowingly the moment I remembered her face and that magical moment. I didn't realised mark is standing infront of me. He glanced at me and opened his mouth to speak something, probably trying to console me. But I am already out of that mood and stepped into something new. He looked surprised after watching me smile. I can see confusion written all over his face.

"I won't be able to understand your emotions ever again sir. One second your distressed and your smiling the next second. Love is taking the control of your feelings sir"

" Yes Mark. Love is taking turns controlling my heart. But I don't mind that. I am able to express my feelings after a very long time. It feels good " I lowered my head smiling wide.

" What do you mean sir?" Mark asked me puzzled.

"I proposed her "

".....what?" He couldn't believe his ears.

"I proposed her"

"Like you said you want to be with her?"

"No..like I said 'I love you' to her"

"WHAT??!!" Mark's scream echoed inside the huge mansion. I was startled because of the sudden outburst of echoing voice. I placed my hand on my chest in shock and looked at him asking, "Why are you so shocked?"

"What do you mean I am so shocked? Anyone would be shocked if you say this to them"

"Why??"

"You met her not even two weeks ago"

"Yes....and?"

"Its too early to say that you love her sir!!! Why would you...what did she say?"Mark asked me raising a brow. I wouldn't blame him. Anyone in his position would have reacted the same as I am the one at fault here. Its not like I proposed her for the first time. I know about her intentions of not wanting to love anyone and I just said that I love her. The only difference is that I haven't said that for a long time.

"She didn't say anything. She looked confused. And....that's all"

"She didn't even yell at you?"

"Ummm....no she just said 'what' "

"That's strange. Did you say something else ?" He frowned in confusion.

"No?"

"Why did you even tell her that?" He almost seemed like he is yelling at me.

" What do you mean why? I just felt like it" why would people even keep their love hidden if they can express it a truly honest way? I was about to turn around but Mark spoke again stopping me from moving.

" You just felt like it? Seriously??" He raised his brows like an older brother guiding his little brother to discipline." You are not so close to tell her that you love her yet. Even though you know her from another life" he added.

" I just got sucked into the moment. The Ferris wheel, the moon, the night and the climate, all of them worked on me. What should I do!?" Yeah..what did I do? The nature played it's part on me. I just spoke the words I have been so desperate for.

" Well you just had to stay in the present and talk carefully!"

" So you're telling me to supress the feelings and act consciously?" I don't know why I am arguing with him like a child.

" I am not telling to supress your emotions. What I am saying is to talk carefully. You might lose her again if you keep taking like this!!" Mark said with his hands moving around in tiny gestures.

" Well I can't just sit and watch her. I have to do something right?"

"You should?? But not this soon. You might scare her away!! You are so composed all the time. Why are you losing your patience now??"

" I can't wait for her to like me by herself. I should do something to persuade her!!"

" But you-"

I didn't noticed the maid enter the house with all the groceries as we both were cooped up in our little argument.

" SIR!!!"

AUTHOR POV

The young blonde maid interrupted, pulling them both into reality. Felix and mark both drifted their eyes towards her and she greeted Felix, bowing a little with a small smile. Her blonde hair pulled back into a braid with her bare honey toned skin shining under the golden light of the chandelier. She looked at Felix first and greeted him before shifting her eyes towards Mark. Felix blinked as he got out of the heat of the argument and his mind drifted to the argument. Meanwhile, mark just kept staring at her as she looked surreal to him. He locked his brown eyes on her hazel ones, with his heart beat rising.

Her cheeks flushed with a shade of pink while her eyes are fixed on him. Felix looked at Mark after realising that they have been arguing like five year old forgetting about eath other's designations. Mark is Felix's personal assistant and the company's Chief Operating Officer. Meanwhile Felix is the CEO of A&A Corporation. They debated for atleast five minutes before the kind hearted young woman interrupted them not letting them go too far.

Felix grazed his gaze from mark to the lady far away from them standing beneath the chandelier in the main hall way. He noticed the similar expressions on both their faces. Shy and hesitation. Sighing a breath, Felix shook his head in disbelief.

"You have the audacity to argue with me, the CEO of a reputed multi national company. But you just stare at her rooted to the ground unable to speak. Ha! So much for a man who yelled at me for taking my relationship to next step" Felix muttered making sure that mark could listen him. He just glanced at two platonic lovers infront of him who refused to admit that they love each other and turned around to leave sighing.

Mark's face got a little red too after listening to Felix's muttering. He drifted his eyes to avoid any unwanted attention from other maids, that he is staring at the young maid for too long. He lowered his head in embarassment when he remembered the bickering between him and Felix. The heated quabble about a silly reason that his boss proposed to a girl he met two weeks ago.

' I agree he knew her from her past life. But taking things too far as to propose her is too much' mark thought as he looked at Felix's retreating back. He stood in the middle of the stairs leading to the second floor where Felix's bedroom is. In the death of silence inside the living room, mark heard a soft voice call him from afar.

"Sir?"

He turned his head to his right and his once calm mind started to go all crazy the moment he looked at her face. Her blonde braid adding up the innocence to her hazel eyes as she looked at him with her lips lips shut tight in a thin line.

Felix, who is at the top of the staircase, smirked at the thought of what would happen next if everything is normal. Atleast he thought. Everything is not normal with them. Mark has been working with Felix for almost eight years now. He started staying in Felix's mansion whenever necessary from a year after he joined. Mark is used to travelling late at nights from his house to Felix's if the situation demands. So he cooked food for both of them during the times when maids were not available.

Rose is the daughter of a 47 year old maid who have been working in Felix's mansion for about 20 years. Felix know about her condition and he helped the old lady to lead a good life with her daughter. Rose is a student of business management in Norlona University studying under the scholarship donated by Felix's company. She is a straight A grade student during her school days. When Felix learned that the mother and daughter duo is being tortured by her father, a drunkard, he decided to help them by providing food and fee for her studies.

Rose used to help her mother in some works during her free time while staying in a small house nearby the mansion. She visited the mansion often to help her mother after finishing with her school works. Mark first met her personally to talk about the extra works she has to do in the house when her mother is sick. He used to glance at her while checking whether she is doing everything perfectly or not. He realised he is falling in love with her slowly only when they were doing their own works in the kitchen not long ago.

Both of the were persistent to admit that they love each other. She is a kind hearted, humble, gentle young woman who dreams of being a successful business manager. Mark is an enthusiastic, diligent, disciplined man whom every strict officer wants to have beside them. They both share exact same personalities along with their own fears and responsibilities.

"Thankyou.... For stopping the argument. Make something for us. We both are starving" mark nodded at her and turned to leave. Rose just kept staring at his back as he climbed up the stairs and turned back to enter the kitchen sighing.

Felix, who is waiting outside his bedroom to listen to their conversation turned the doorknob sighing. "he will never learn how to speak to a girl. Atleast, I can. Who knows...the argument is just an after effect of proposal. Wait and see mark I will win her over before you even try to talk properly with your flower" he entered inside the bedroom with a victorious smile on his face.