Preparing her favorite

I shut myself off to make life bearable. I'm like a damn machine sometimes. Unfeeling. Uncaring. Emotionless.- Monica Murph

Stefano

I woke up earlier than usual today or let's just say I didn't get enough sleep as I wanted.

I got back to my penthouse around 3:30am.

I tried to rest but I wasn't able to as I kept tossing around on my bed thinking about her helplessly.

I tried to count the glistening crystals at the side of my room but it's not still helping.

I stood up abruptly and took a cold shower to take my mind off her.

I got back to my bed around 4:20am. The next I opened my eyes again... I saw 6:05 am.

I growled as I stood up from my massive bed and strolled down to my basement for my daily workout.

I worked longer than usual untill I heard a footstep behind me.

" Buorgiono Boss" Ivan said as I shrieked my face at his direction. He chuckled... He knew why I was glaring at him. I've warned him several times to address me by my name but he wouldn't listen.

" I hope you won't wound yourself with workout this morning... I mean it's almost 8 already" He mocked, glancing briefly at his watch.

I walked passed him picking my bottle water to have a gulp of it and I took my shirt at the other hand walking upstairs back to my room.

" I'll make breakfast" He shouted after me and left to the other end where the kitchen was located. Weird right? We cook for ourselves.

Yeah I'm a great cook along with this bastard here anyways.

I rarely let the housekeeper prepare a meal for me.

Besides I don't let them sleep over at my penthouse. They work thrice a week and that's it.

My Mom tried to hire cooks for me but I rejected them all as many of them bash their lashes at me and put on impossible dressings to seduce me instead of preparing meal for me.

Same goes with my Dad who tried to instill bodyguards at the entrance of my penthouse... I refused them all but trust my father, you can't go down a lane without a fight with him.

Always impossible. After several argument, we settled on two instead of 12 he proposed.

AFTER my cold bath, I joined Ivan in the kitchen who was trying carefully to turn the pancakes on fire.

I went past him and brought out Nutella as pancakes are sweeter when digged into it.

I was trying to dig in the already made pancakes into the Nutella when I felt Ivan's grey eyes on me before he averted it away with a feeble smile on his face. I raised my brows.

" Whhatt?" I asked with a mouthful of pancake.

" Nothing" He said faking an innocent face as he turned the last piece of pancake on the fire. What's wrong with him?

" So ...so...." I tried to say, he looked at me.

" So?" He said trying to mimick me.

"Ivanovo!" I faked a frown

"Oops...sorry Boss" He smirked. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Uhm... How is she?" I looked everywhere but Ivan as if there was a huge stone blocking my passage of speech.

"She?" He repeated sardonically as if he didn't know who I was talking about.

"Ivanovo!" I sighed frustratedly as he chuckled.

"Well, the hospital just called your house line when you were at the bathroom and said she's awake already." He said as I almost choked on my pancake.

" Easy there" He said hiding his laugh, trying to act like he cared moreover he's enjoying seeing me like this. This guy is a great actor.

" Okay you have to make more Pancakes" I said in a millisecond and stood up to the cabinet bringing out the flour.

" Pancakes? There's seven on the serving plates already" He reasoned giving me the' who will eat the rest?' expression.

" What? Just do it. No question " I stated casually, I went to the refrigerator at the right side of the kitchen to get more Nutella because we were out of the one stocked inside the fridge.

" Make like six more..." I said which left Ivan confused for a moment but didn't last.

I brought out the Nutella and went to the other side of the kitchen where I think I kept the lunchbox my Mother made for me to take meals to the office.

I rejected this box several times but I never knew it will be of use today .

I felt Ivan's eyes on me again with a synchronizing smile on his face.

" What again?" I asked trying to place the box on the table.

" Interesting days ahead... I missed this side of You." He commented.

" What do you mean?" I asked indecorously.

" Can't wait to see Ms. Bennett reaction" He said as he flipped over the pancakes on fire.

" What... It's not what you think amico..." I tried defending myself.

"And what do I think fratello?" He asked in a teasing tone

" Whatever... She need to feed... I don't want anything to taint my company's name since she's under us and I felt buying food will be waste of time and money" I said in a quick tone. He laughed abruptly which made me wonder what was funny in what I just said.

" Since when did a Multi-Billionaire care about the money spent on little things like food?" He asked sardonically

"What... I mean..."

" I understand what you mean Boss...no need to explain and let me guess... Pancakes is her favorite right? That's why you're trying to impress her huh!" He said in mockery voice.

" Impress who? I'm just doing my job as the Head of the ALCAN'S Group. Nothing more nothing less!" I said in an affirmative tone.

"Hmmm" He said nodding his head frantically.

"The last time I checked, you rejected this lunchbox from your Mom" He added sarcastically

"Wh... No ... I mean just pack everything in the box including the Nutella and yeah add Yogurt when you're going to deliver it to her" I said abruptly

"Okay Boss" He said in a teasing tone.

I strolled to the refrigerator and brought out chicken...

Ivan eyed me with a calculative smile on his face " we're adding chicken huh?" His devilry eyes continue to dance in excitement. How I love to clean of that smirk from his face.

"It Chicken Divan...not a big deal" I stated avoiding his gaze at my back as I made the divan myself.

I tapped on the cabinet impatiently for the meal to be done as Ivan's eyes wouldn't leave me for a moment.

"Okay can you stop with the intense stare... you're not my mistress" I walked past him to get a plate when I heard him chortled.

"You don't need one... There's already one waiting for you at the hospital" I stopped packing abruptly and glared at him.

"In your dreams" I clicked my tongue flatly.

"Unfortunately... it's reality" He supplied with a smug smile on his face.

I decided to ignore his ridiculous remarks and focused on the packaging.

"I never knew you're this good at packing food box...a lot to learn from you boss." He commented cynically. I ignored his words try to focus on placing every food at the right place.

I'm doing this for the company's sake not for my own benefit. If it was for mine... I'll would have let her suffer alone without caring a bit after all It's nothing compared to what she had made me go through in life.

I made my way past him as I jogged up the stairs but stopped midway ... " Ivan never mention where the meal originated from huh?" I said without waiting for his reply.