Chapter Seven.
Anastasia's POV.
Sebastian Hunter, son of Mr Cole Hunter, the Third in media.
Sebastian. He's really proved to be a confusing one, because of his actions towards Olivia. The way he had addressed her when he asked for my attention.
I mean, after he came to meet us, he and Olivia had a little chat that didn't quite last long and sadly enough, I barely heard anything. Then, he asked to see me, to which Olivia agreed to when he was pestering.
I am currently leaning on the cool iron rails before the glassy part of the building, waiting for Sebastian to talk. He's been standing next to me for the past five minutes or so, and I can't take the silence anymore. My head's booming, and I'm tired of looking out into the distance. Just knowing I'm close to the glassy area is scary enough.
"So, what's to talk about?" I say and look at him.
A smile forms on his face right away, before he winks. "I was waiting for you to start up the conversation, and you did." Okay, that's weird. I straighten myself to take a firm look at him.
"Are you kidding me?"
He chuckles as a response, I guess. "Well, I'm not. I just wanted to know how you're feeling towards my actions earlier." He halts. Oh, good, he knows they weren't warming towards Olivia.
However, I frown, "I don't have an issue with it."
"But you have questions for me. I'm sure you want to know about me, but first, I want to ask," there's a slight pause, "did you fix that computer, yourself?"
I nod, not wanting to talk. Uh-ho, maybe he doesn't like people doing his work for him. "Sorry?"
He uses his hand to wave me off, "nah, it's actually cool that you helped me out. These folks are petty." His eyes move to the room, where the staff-mates are. I frown there. What's with him, hating them and them, hating him. That's completely not okay. "That's why I want to get close to you and form a friendship, if possible."
I smile there. "Well, it might work. But you've got to prove you can be a productive friend, as I would do the same."
He tsk slightly and lowly, "is that a deal?"
"We can shake hands to it." I help complete, and he chuckles, now, a bit louder.
"Sure," he takes my hand, and we go back to being mute for a few seconds. "So, you can ask what you want to ask."
My eyes gaze at him from the corner. "What do you mean?" I try to act innocent.
"Are you kidding me? You don't want to know why I'm hated here and hate them too, or why I'm even working here?" He has just said it all: he has just said the basic curiosity I want unveiled.
I nod my head, hurriedly. "Yeah, I want to know. It's confusing."
Releasing a villain-like smirk, he starts talking, "well, I can't tell you all for now, so take this as an invitation of me, proving myself worthy enough to be trusted with secrets and be reciprocal. My father, himself, sent me to this city for a very important reason, which I can't disclose. We had an information that there are some threats in this city." I raise my brows there. Ooh...funnily scary. "So, with that already said, I won't be staying here for long. And about why I hate those species in that room," once again, he looks to the room behind him but this time, with a hateful look that makes me furrow my brows, "it's a long story that you'll get to know about once you know me."
Sensing he's finished, I nod my head. I think I may have understood his point of view towards his office mates and maybe that's why they hate him, too. However, I don't want to start asking questions, because it'll only lead to me being a pervert and in the end, I may not get the information I need. Plus, what do I need it for? He's not a close friend yet, so I don't need knowing much.
His next words bring me back to the now, "can I ask you a question?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you know that Nicholas before?" His eyes squint at my face, as though, to read my mind to have the real answer.
"Um, no, why did you ask?" I release a tense laugh.
"Well, it's just that he pays attention to you a lot." His eyes shift from my face to the distance, within the room. I follow the trail to the other end of the room. There is Nicholas and next to him is a talking Olivia, who's showing him something but if I am correct, he is not paying attention to what she's saying. Rather, I think, he's looking at me. More like, staring. It's unnerving.
"Oh..." My voice is low. I look over to Sebastian, who's gazing at Nicholas with no respectful look in his eyes. It gives me the chill.
"And that's the definition of weird." Sebastian, saying, I find myself giggling.
"Oh, thank goodness I wasn't the only one to notice it." I had said before realizing. There's a short moment of taciturn before, all of a sudden, Sebastian burst into laughter.
I didn't think I was funny, was I?
"I think we are going to be great friends." He says, which is awing and, at the time, pushing.
"Well, could be true." I say and he nods.
"You know, it's good to know we are on the same page about these guys being so weird with that pale skins, bewitching eyes and hypnotizing look." There's something behind his words that tells me that he isn't being jealous, either seriously or jocularly, of how many of those in this mass offices look so different, awesomely different, but that he's trying to portray the over beauty that they have to have a disadvantage to someone like me and him.
"That's one way to describe them, I guess." I pause and continue, "you talk like they are different from us."
"Trust me, a lot of them are. At least, seventy percent, but we'll see." That last part: I don't think it's for me. "You can say that's why the CEO is weird in his actions, too." Well, he's right.
I want to say something but a presence, clearing their throat to voice out halts me and quickly, I turn my back to face who it is. I blink continuously, as I stare at Hillary, standing in front of me with his height, towering over mine. Jeez! He's even more manly now.
"Don't you just have a lot to say about us?" His question is directed at Sebastian. He clears his throat. "I thought your father, the Third, wanted you only to inspect and do the job given to you." Says Hillary, his tone tight. Wait, they are going to fight?
What does that mean, what Hillary just said?
"I don't follow any rule, especially not from one like yourself."
"Then, foremost, stop lurking around, in the night, distracting some fragile girl, if you know what I mean, and go back to being the office engineer that you are, so you don't get to be told what to do." Although Hillary is talking with such a smooth voice, I can guess he's burning inside but just trying to keep his cool. If anything, it's working greatly, unlike for Sebastian, who's flared up. His facial expression practically made me think he's going to fight his boss's best friend, but he just stomps away.
My nerves begin to settle just in time, Hillary takes a step closer. "Miss Sanusi, I'm sorry about that."
"No need, Hillary. And please, call me Ana." I say. He nods right at my words.
"Surely."
"I guess you're not occupied, are you?" I raise my gaze at his face, but failed to hold it long. He makes me feel almost like Mr Nicholas does. The kind of look they possess is so captivating that I fear I'll start gawking.
"No, not at all. Although, I'll be staying around till evening. Mr Nicholas has said he would be taking me to his house himself."
He chuckles lightly, "did he know," rhetorically, he stated. "That's fine. But why don't I buy your time till then. Nicholas has gone for a board meeting and Olivia has accompanied him. It'll take long. Since you seem like an avid reader, proven one, actually, we could grab some snacks two blocks from here and get to talk about writing." He invites and feeling like, for some reason, I can't reject, I nod my head.
"Sure. I can't say no, can I?" The laugh I laughed is an evident nervousness.
"Of course, you can. The fact that you are an employee here doesn't take away your rights. Not even at workplace." He says nicely.
"Let's do that. I'll be bored sooner than later anyway."
He gives me his arm, allowing me to hook mine inside of his, and we both walk out of the office. By the way, the amount of stares I got is enough to leave a residual on my body, funny enough.
Outside the office, he releases me when we get to the pavement. There's a car parked in front of us already. I look at him when he wants to open the door, before stopping him.
"I thought you said the snack shop is just two blocks away." I state more of a question rather.
He nods right away, "yes."
"Then, we can walk."
"Oh, I wouldn't stress you." That made me laugh. Only if he knew how much I have trekked in my life. My life is basically poor of money when compared to his life.
"No, not at all. Walking is an exercise too, remember."
"Of course. As you wish," he says, and leads the way. I walk side by side with him to the snack shop.
Chapter Eight.Anastasia's POV.The road is busy at this time of the day. When I check my phone, it's one minute past three in the afternoon. Wow. I'm glad time went fast today. Entering the small shop after Hillary, my eyes flare at the waiting line. There are too many people here, meaning it'll take long before it gets to our turn. "There's too many people here." I say out part of my thought, only making Hillary chuckle. "Ana, go find us a seat. What would you like to order? I'll get yours and mine." He sounds so cool once again, like it's not enough to be panicky about, even in the least.I chew the inside of my mouth softly, as I think about it. "I want cold chocolate tea, please, make it thick with some cupcakes with banana icing on top." He smiles a ghosty smile, "I like that order. A woman that knows what she wants." Him, saying that word, I blush right away and instinctively, my fingers go to my hair to brush it to the side, exposing my right ear. I leave him to do my par
Chapter Nine.Anastasia's POV.I had just placed my phone back into my bag when the door opened and Mr Nicholas walks in. Raising my gaze up to meet his, I find myself almost losing control and gasping right away. My eyes flare, and on the inside, it's like it might pop out any time from now, for staring too much. He looked away from me for a moment, and I take that chance to admire the handsome fellow that he is. He has a sour facial expression, like he's tired or something, but to me, it doesn't very much seem like it. His hair is sprawled around his head, so he's using his left hand to rake it, but sadly enough, the strands wouldn't do as bid and I feel the urge to want to help him out on that. Oh, my God. This usually happens to my female leads in my novels. How could I be also feeling the same?Mr Nicholas's hands swipe down at his coat to remove wrinkles just before he gets to my front. "You stayed, Anastasia."Of course, I would... especially after having seen this gorgeous
Chapter Ten.Anastasia's POV.The walk to the play room for Nicholas's kids is spent in silence. I keep roving my eyes around the space, watching at the fine materials that made up all these eclectic decorations. Oh, my... I can't get enough. Plus, I'm going to be living here, in this paradise-like place, and I'm sure I'll be having a lot of fun. Jeez! I've got a lot to talk to Kyra about. Oh, yes, I'll do a video call with her to show her all these. I shun my train of thought when we get to a door. Nicholas takes a second to breathe in and then, turn his eyes on me before he opens the door. "Prepare yourself." He murmurs...to whom? Me? Of course, it's me, stupid: I tell myself. He can't possibly be talking to Kira.As the door opens, and I take a glance of what's inside, I could have sworn for the first three seconds, my mouth dropped to the rugged part of the floor. The kids did a mess to the inside. I watch my steps as we walk inside. The whole place smells of mint candies, piz
Chapter Eleven.Anastasia's POV.A cheeky Kira in media."Did I mention it earlier that I like you, too, right back?" Kira's voice says to me and I smile. Her accent is American, by the way."Thank you, Kira." I reply. "You make it simple-ish. And you made a good first impression once again." Nicholas chimes in with a smile that makes my hand, unconsciously, brush my hair behind my ears, as I blush faintly."I told you. I have my ways with kids.""Nah, you did not.""Did I not?" "You did not.""I don't believe it. I thought I did on my first day, on the interview day.""I have a good memory, trust me, and you did not.""Can you two stop stupidly arguing and go check up on the boys, like right now! That bathroom is about to regret ever being built in the first place." Kira says, although funnily, when I am sure it's not. I know kids, and they don't do a little mess. Fast-forward: Nicholas says I won't be cooking any more today, since it's late, so we just get the kids to sleep after
Chapter Twelve.Anastasia's POV.*In media are majorly Kira and Kyra.*The next morning: I wake up to the sound of birds, chirping in the background. They voice sounds so angelic and so smooth that I smile at the tone. But wait, apart from that, my ears pick up the sound of waves, like at the ocean. My consciousness confused, I rub my eyes with my hands.My eyes open slowly at first before it snap wide, and I bolt out of the bed as in front of me is a wave, and I'm suddenly in the middle of an ocean. Jeez! My body feels like it's wet, and I can't see any bed here anymore. Oh, no! It must be a lucid dream! Not a reality, please.I scream, but then, stop when like a reverse, everything is back to normal. I feel like a psychopath right now. Like, insane!There's now a bed. There's now a room. There's now a wall, surrounding me. I'm back to the actuality I was in last night. Oh, shit! My brain dings and I yell, "Kira!""I'm sorry..." Her voice is tiny, like that of an adult that's known
Chapter Thirteen.Anastasia's POV.It's so easy: cooking breakfast is so easy in this house. At some point, I cannot even decide if I'm allowed to still call here a house. It feels more like a wizard dwelling place. There's everything that I need and the fun part, I repeat, the fun part, is that I don't need to bring out the oil myself before it's being brought out for me. Basically, Kira controls it all and since she now knows that my best friend's name is close to hers, she's been extra nice. I think she's trying, in her way, to strengthen a bond of friendship between us. It didn't take me that long to finish preparing the pancakes just the way that I want it and yes, the kids loved it. Nicholas brought them in a few minutes, right after I was done with cooking. I'm so glad when they say that they want me to keep me, as though I was some property of theirs, but I understand. You know, kids language. Nicholas gives me an I-am-impressed-look abreast, and it melts my heart: the fac
Chapter Fourteen.Nicholas's POV.The speed at which I run is flashy and stealthy, such that no human would be able to see me. They would only feel a gust of wind, passing by them, and before they even know what's going on, I'm off.In my run, my eyes glow a reddish glow around the lens and with that, I link up with Hillary, who has the connection to his mind opened for me. Once I am successful, I say, "Hillary, where are you?""Oh, you're on your way already. At the lake." "All right. And I'll be there soon." "Fine." Then, my eyes go back to normalcy and I increased my speed.Turning at a corner, I slide to the very end, to the left in order to avoid a vehicle. The road is silent, and that's why I'm passing through it. On busy roads, I dare not do this. Humans' eyes may not catch me, but trust me, Hunters' would. Hunters are our sworn enemies, oh, after the other ones that I haven't seen in a while and not about mentioning at all. And stories about these kinds of species will be
Chapter Fifteen. Anastasia's POV. I am glad that Mr Nicholas isn't around; it is absurd of me to think, I know, but I can't just help the fact that I am alone in his very fancy house and ready to take on an adventure of seeing all of it. It would be fun, and I can only imagine it. Jeez! The kids haven't been out since they finished eating. I don't even know where they are, but I'm sure wherever they are, they are likely to somehow, destroying the area with messes and ruins. Anyway, laying the subject back on me, after I finished washing the dishes, I ate again. Oh, my God! I know, right? It's not as though I am in my workplace. It is like I am on a vacation. I feel like I am on a vacation and it's so astounding. I love this feeling of euphoria. I just finished taking my bath, inside the tub, and not to lie, it is such a splendid bath. The tub was so captivatingly built with three step to getting inside its pinky painted inside. There are so many features built alongside it