Chapter 15

★A GLACÉ TIE DRAG★

"I can't.....I'm sorry" Ethel rejected calmly.

Nathan released her hand and nodded slightly.

"I'm glad you declined, I guess I was crazy when I asked. Goodnight" He muttered and left her in the living room.

Birdie bit her lips and sighed.

'If you keep chasing after him, he might use and dump you later' That's Hailey's voice in her head.

Ethel turned and walked out of the house.

Nathan came back after some minutes, he stood there staring at the food he ordered on the table . He dialed a number on his phone and almost immediately a guard entered.

"Boss" He bowed.

"You can have this one together with the one you ate" Nathan muttered.

"Oh, thank you boss!"

"Lock the door when you're out" Nathan said and went upstairs.

***

Getting home, Ethel met her granny in the living room still waiting for her.

"I'm home" Ethel announced and hugged her shortly before going in.

"Did something happen?" Olivia wondered and sighed.

Ethel got inside her room and met Hailey sitting.

"Hey, you're early today" Hailey smiled and stood up

"Did something happen?" Ethel asked.

"Of course not, why are you asking?" Hailey asked.

"I just wondered what you are doing in my room waiting for me, do you miss me that much?" Ethel asked and Hailey chuckled.

"I waited last night also, but I had to leave because I was gonna wake up early this morning. Here" Hailey handed her a drink.

"I wanted us to drink together but I need to go right now, sleep tight" Hailey stroked her hair before going out.

"Gosh" Ethel immediately uncapped the bottle and gulped down half of the soda.

"Refreshing" She groaned and fell on the bed. Her mind went to Nathan and she took her lips in.

"Just sleep well tonight Ethel, don't think about anything" She said to herself and closed her eyes.

"Great, I need to wash up first" She got up and went into the bathroom.

******

AXEL'S MANSION

Evelyn entered Axel's bedroom with a tray of his dinner. She was expecting to come downstairs but it seems like he was still too mad to even eat.

Axel just came into the bedroom after a wash, he was in his pajamas but the shirt was unbuttoned, almost swaying Evelyn's heart away but she controlled it and looked away.

"Sir your...."

"Take it away, I'm not hungry" Axel said coldly and left the bedroom.

Evelyn didn't move, Axel came in and still met her there.

"What are you doing? I said I'm not hungry, stop making me talk too much" Axel said.

"I'm sorry, I won't repeat what I did again....."

"Leave" Axel said and climbed on the bed, he grabbed his laptop and began to operate it. He looked up again and saw Evelyn still standing with the food tray. He sighed out and dropped his laptop from his laps.

"What the fúck are you still doing here?" Axel asked.

"I'm just worried.....you shouldn't skip dinner because of me" Evelyn muttered, looking down.

"Who said it's because of you?" Axel asked and she looked at him.

"Then please eat, I don't want to waste food" Evelyn said in a pleading voice.

"Drop it" Axel muttered and Evelyn immediately went to drop it on the table,she opened everything and looked at Axel who was also looking at her, their eyes met and Axel rolled his eyes before getting up. He walked to the table and sat down.

"Stay here until I'm done so you can pack the plates, I hate the smell of food in my room" Axel said.

"Yes sir" Evelyn smiled.

Axel scoffed and started eating.

He only ate a little before he asked Evelyn to pack, she immediately did and left the room.

"Gosh, why the heck did I get her?" Axel roughs his hair and rests his back on the chair.

******

PLAYGROUND

Arya sighed out loudly as she took one tiny bite from the bread she was eating, her legs swinging here and there under the bench she was sitting on. Anytime she thinks about her encounter with Nathan this evening, she would let out a sad sigh.

"I deserve it" She muttered,taking another bite from the bread.

"But why the fúck is this so hard?!" She asked aggressively, chewing angrily.

"Here" A hand holding a milk bottle came in her face and she looked up instantly.

"Adam!" She called, smiling brightly before collecting the milk.

"Thank you" She said and sipped.

"You shouldn't eat bread like that" Adam muttered, sitting next to her.

"I know.....but I don't have enough money" Arya muttered and suddenly grabbed his shirt.

"Where do you work?" She asked.

"Why are you asking?" Adam raised his brows.

"I'm looking for a job....."

"Job? You think you can get a job? You're not even seventeen yet, you're just sixteen. Who would give a sixteen-year old girl a job?" Adam scoffed and Arya sighed.

"I can just fake my age to eighteen....."

"Stop it, you don't even look eighteen" Adam said.

"So what am I supposed to do now? I'm alone in my world, I feel like I don't have parents again, my mom doesn't even care if I eat or not....what am I supposed to do?" Arya asked,tears falling down her eyes.

Adam sighed and slowly wiped her tears.

"Don't cry" He said and Arya drank from the milk.

"You can tell me anytime you're hungry, I will buy you food" Adam said and Arya looked at him.

"Why are you nice to me?" She asked.

"I feel like I should have a sister, I'm lonely in my house anyway" Adam said and Arya chuckled.

"Really? How old are you? So I can see if you can be my brother"

"Nineteen, I'm three years older than you, so....."

"When did you clock nineteen?" Arya asked.

"Three months ago....."

"I will be seventeen next month, so it's not three years, it's two years" Arya cut in and Adam scoffed.

"I heard sixteen-year old girls are absolutely rude, now I see that there's no lie in it" He said and Arya laughed.

"I'm not really rude, I'm just telling the truth" She pouted.

"Same way you always stain your lips with food" Adam muttered and used his thumb to clean her lips.

"Whoa, you're really acting like a brother already" Arya teased and Adam pushed her head.

"Don't be annoying" He said and she laughed.

"Thanks for the milk" Arya said and he nodded.

"Gosh, the moon is becoming so bright. It's winter but I feel hot inside of me" Arya said and Adam smiled.

"Do you want to bathe inside ice to feel cold?" He asked.

"That's wickedness" Arya faced him.

Adam checked the time.

"Get up, I'm walking you home. It's late already" He said and Arya stood up.

"Ouch" she whimpered and held her leg before sitting down again.

"Are you okay?" Adam asked with concerned.

"Yes I'm fine, it's nothing" Arya said and tried standing again.

"Ahh!" She sat down back

Adam immediately bent in front of her, he removed her left leg sneaker...her ankle was so red and swollen.

"What the fúck happened!" Adam shouted.

"Its....."

"Don't tell me you walked all the way from home to NX today" He said and Arya bashed her lashes.

"How.....how did you...."

"I work there dummy" Adam snapped and Arya bite her lips.

"Geez, you better don't leave the house tomorrow....."

"No, I have to make an appointment with my uncle's Secretary" Arya said and Adam looked at her.

"Uncle? Who?"

"Xavier Nathan...he's my uncle" Arya mumbled and Adam got up.

"For real? So why was he acting that way..."

"Leave that to me, you can't understand" Arya immediately said and Adam sighed.

"Fine, if you say so" He said and bent down again, turning his back to her.

"Get on before I change my mind"

Arya smiled and immediately got on his back.

"Do you even eat at all? I can't feel anything" Adam muttered when he started walking.

"I'm sorry you can't feel anything" Arya mumbled, resting on his back.

Adam smiled and said nothing.

******

NEXT MORNING★ NX ELITE

"We got a contract proposal" Vivian told Nathan as they both approached his office.

"From??" Nathan asked.

"SBY...it's a company in New York" Vivian replied.

"Let me have a look" Nathan muttered and Vivian immediately handed over her ipad to him, Nathan went through it and returned it back to her.

"Fashion line...beauty standard....why the proposal?" Noah asked.

"I think they need a collaboration, Christmas is coming, and Xavier Nathan is surely a big name, they would surely benefit from us" Vivian said with a smile.

"But according to my research, the company is a big one, so this contract is definitely worth billions, we shouldn't miss it. They have great influence also, not just In New York but around the world. If we collaborate with them to make something crazy money in our company's account, it's a rare opportunity" Vivian said.

"Let me see the proposal first" Nathan said.

"I will get it from my office" Vivian said and walked away.

Nathan entered his office and walked straight to the fridge, he opened it and took one of the strawberry milk before going to his seat, he opened it and started drinking.

The door opened minutes later and Vivian came in, she dropped the proposals on the table.

"You just have to read things and sign where necessary, if you do that. I will prepare a meeting immediately, they are waiting for my call. But take your time" Vivian said and Nathan looked at her.

"You're sure hardworking" He muttered and Vivian smiled.

"You know me already" She said.

"You can go, I will tell you my decision later" Nathan said.

Vivian glanced at him shortly and walked out of the office.

Nathan took the papers and was about to start checking when his phone buzzed, he dropped the papers and took his phone.

📩 IF YOU LOVE YOUR LIFE, REJECT THE PROPOSAL, IT'S NOT A CHILD'S PLAY.

The mail is from an unknown and hidden contact.

"Wow" Nathan muttered and dropped his phone, he looked at the proposal again and put it to one side.

He dialed a number on the line phone.

"Yes boss??" A voice from the other side answered.

"I need you to help me check something, come to my office" Nathan said and hung up right away.

******

A COFFEE SHOP★ 2PM

"This is crazy, you just got the proposal and you're getting threatened already? What the fuck is this?" Axel scoffed and dropped Nathan's phone.

"So what are you planning to do?" He asked.

"I'm not going to sign...."

"Are you crazy? What do you mean by "you're not going to sign it?" Axel snapped.

"You know the money is not my problem...."

"I know, but we must get the bastard behind this shít, gosh dude you live life too freely and carefully like you don't have enemies" Axel said.

"Do I have enemies? I've been minding my business, I don't think I have a fight with anyone..."

"Do you have to fight with people before they make you their enemies? Nevertheless, you're signing that contract" Axel said and Nathan sighed.

"I would really prefer a silent life Axel" He muttered.

"Fine, suit yourself" Axel said.

"I'm going to reject, just this once. So don't worry about me" Nathan said.

"I understand" Axel replied.

"How about your little one?" He asked with a grin.

"Which little one?" Nathan scoffed and drank from his coffee

"You know who I'm talking about" Axel said and Nathan sighed.

"It's my first time in nine years seeing you show your soft side to a girl" Axel said.

Nathan said nothing.

"You enjoy her company don't you?" Axel asked.

"She's interesting" Nathan muttered and Axel smiled.

"Just interesting?"

"What else?" Nathan scoffed and Axel chuckled.

******

CHICKEN RESTAURANT★n8PM

Ethel is the only one left in the restaurant, she's in charge of cleaning tonight so she has to wait behind.

She was cleaning the tables when she suddenly heard the door opening.

"We are closed for the....." She turned and was surprised to see Nathan.

"Anaconda" She called.

"Why are you still here?" Nathan asked.

"Cleaning.,....."

"You mean you serve, do the delivery and also clean. You don't have a cleaner?" Nathan asked.

"No" Ethel muttered.

"Oh wow, such a place to work" Nathan said and leaned on the wall.

"Go on, I'm going to wait and take you home" He said and Ethel smiled.

"Thank you" She said.

Nathan sat down after a while, his eyes on her as he cleaned up. About fifteen minutes later she was done.

"All done" Ethel faced him with a smile and gently removed the apron she was wearing.

Nathan's eyes scrolled down her outfit, the skirt she was putting on was only her thighs length.

"Hey Bug" Nathan adjusted on his seat

"Huh."

"Did you....did you really come all the way from your house....in this?" He asked, pointing at her skirt.

"Yes" Ethel said and Nathan chuckled inwardly.

"What, it's ugly?" Ethel asked

"No it's just....nice" Nathan muttered.

Ethel walked closer to him to pick up her phone that was on the table.

"I'm ready, we should..."

Nathan grabbed her hand and pulled her on his laps, Ethel's eyes widened and she faced him.

"What..."

"Were you planning to come over to my office tonight?" He asked.

"No" Ethel replied.

"So, why are you putting on this?" Nathan asked and Ethel blinked her eyes thrice at once, their eyes still locked.

"I.....I..I just...decided to wear it" She stuttered, her heart was beating so fast as usual, it's like a normal thing anytime she's with him.

Nathan stood up with Ethel in his arms, he dropped her on the table and pulled her hair to the back, Ethel swallowed without uttering a word.

Nathan stared at her lips, Ethel was staring at his eyes. Suddenly Nathan looked away.

"Let's go" He mumbled, trying to drop her down.

Ethel grabbed his tie at once and dragged him closer with it, Nathan immediately placed his hands on the table to balance himself, he looked at Ethel with shocking eyes, their faces almost touching.

"Hey bug..."

Ethel held his face and pressed her lips on his own, shutting him up.