Chapter 2

In the kitchen, Ara stood frozen, still reeling from the unexpected kiss she had just shared with Nathan. Her fingertips gently brushed against her lips, which moments ago had been pressed against his.

A wave of nervousness washed over her—not because the sensation felt wrong, but because of her youth and inexperience. She would be turning eighteen next month, yet the intensity of what had just happened left her unsettled.

What frightened her most was the undeniable spark she had felt. Nathan belonged to a world far removed from her own, and she refused to allow any trace of lust or longing to take root. Their lives were too different; any attraction could only lead to complications she wasn’t prepared to face.

Yet, beneath her apprehension, a strange warmth lingered. She had kissed the strikingly handsome man—the same man she had found it almost impossible to look away from the night before. For a fleeting moment, she had enjoyed it.

“Boo!” Joy suddenly shouted from behind her, expecting a startled reaction.

But Ara barely flinched.

Joy tilted her head, studying her friend with visible surprise. She knew Ara better than most, yet the distant, almost dreamy expression on her face was entirely out of character.

“Wait… have you gone hungry already?” Joy asked, trying to make sense of her friend’s unusual demeanor.

“No,” Ara replied quietly, almost absentmindedly.

“Then what’s wrong with you?” Joy pressed, her brows furrowing in concern.

“I don’t know how to explain it,” Ara hesitated, her voice soft and uncertain.

“How long does it take to explain something to me?” Joy asked, her tone growing more insistent as she frowned. “How am I supposed to understand if you won’t even tell me what happened earlier?”

Still shaken, Ara leaned closer to Joy and quietly recounted the unexpected encounter with Nathan that had just occurred in the kitchen.

She made her friend promise to keep it a secret, warning her firmly not to breathe a word to anyone. As Ara finished explaining, Joy’s eyes widened in surprise. Before Ara could react, her friend reached out and playfully squeezed her cheek.

“What are you doing? Why did you squeeze my cheek?” Ara asked, startled.

“Because you’re beautiful,” Joy replied with a grin, and maybe Nathan likes you. You know, sometimes I think you must come from a rich family. You carry yourself differently, and your skin is so flawless compared to the rest of us.”

“Maybe I inherited it from my mother,” Ara replied softly, placing a hand over her chest in an attempt to calm her still-racing heart.

That was all she could manage to say. In truth, she had never met her mother and knew almost nothing about her. Yet it had never become a deep wound in her life. She had learned to live without a mother’s presence, and her father had raised her to be strong, independent, and resilient.

At nine o’clock that same morning, Ara returned to her duties. The kitchen staff was busy preparing breakfast for the household. Once all the dishes were elegantly arranged on the dining table, Madam Lucia and Don Benedict arrived right on time. A few minutes later, their daughter Crissy joined them.

“Good morning, Ma’am and Sir,” Ara greeted the couple with a warm, respectful smile. She then nodded politely toward Crissy.

“Good morning,” the couple replied in unison, their voices kind and pleasant.

Ara genuinely admired them. Unlike many wealthy families, they treated the entire staff with genuine respect and never made anyone feel inferior or different. Her smile faltered, however, the moment Crissy spoke.

“Hey! Stop staring at my parents,” Crissy snapped, her tone sharp and condescending.

Crissy’s eyes narrowed with clear disdain as she glared directly at Ara. She yanked out a chair and dropped into it with an ungrateful thud, her posture radiating arrogance.

Ara stood frozen for a moment, shocked by the young woman’s rude behavior. She had only been working in the Madrid household for a short time and had barely interacted with their daughter until now.

“I’m sorry, Ma’am,” Ara apologized softly, lowering her gaze.

“Tsk… Stop acting so innocent!” Crissy snapped dismissively, waving her hand as if shooing away an annoyance. “Stay away from in front of us!”

“Crissy, honey, please stop,” Madam Lucia interjected gently. “Can’t you try to be friends with them? We treat everyone here like family.”

“No, Mom!” Crissy shot back, her voice rising with irritation. “They are our housemaids, and we are their bosses. They’re here to serve us, not to act like equals.”

“That’s enough,” Sir Benedict said firmly, his tone calm yet authoritative. “We are at the dining table. Show some respect for the food and the grace before us.”

Ara remained silent, stunned by the stark contrast. She had not expected the Madrids’ daughter to be so entitled and ill-mannered. It was the complete opposite of her parents’ kind and respectful demeanor toward the staff.

“Ara, could you please go upstairs and call Nathan to join us for breakfast?” Don Benedict asked, his voice returning to its usual warmth.

“Yes, Sir,” Ara replied with a small nod. She was about to turn away when he called her back.

“Dear, I’m sorry about her behavior,” he said, gesturing toward Crissy with a regretful expression.

“It’s okay, Sir. No problem at all,” Ara responded politely, offering a faint smile.

Before she could fully turn around, she heard Crissy let out a loud, exaggerated groan of annoyance. It was obvious the young heiress was displeased with her father’s apology.

Ara made her way upstairs toward Nathan’s room, her heart still unsettled from the tense exchange. She wondered if he had slept well after whatever he had drunk the night before.

Ara reached Nathan’s room and knocked softly on the door. She waited patiently for a response, but when none came, she hesitated for a moment before raising her hand to knock again. She assumed he was still sound asleep after the previous night.

Just as her knuckles touched the wood for the second time, the door swung open abruptly. Her hand froze mid-air as her eyes landed on Nathan standing before her. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of black boxer briefs that left very little to the imagination.

Ara’s eyes widened in shock. A sharp gasp escaped her lips, and she instinctively bit down on her lower lip when her gaze inadvertently drifted to the prominent outline of his manhood.

“Holy shit,” she blurted out, her voice louder than intended.

Her heart hammered wildly in her chest. Mortified, she spun around immediately, turning her back to him. He didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed about appearing almost naked in front of her.

“I-I’m here to tell you that breakfast is ready,” she stammered, keeping her eyes fixed on the hallway wall.

“Ahm… Can you face me when you’re talking?” Nathan asked, his voice calm and slightly amused.

Does he even realize what he’s saying? Is he crazy? Ara thought frantically. How am I supposed to talk to him like this when he’s practically naked?

“How can I possibly talk to you when you’re naked?” she replied, her voice laced with embarrassment and irritation.

Before she could take another step, Nathan stepped forward, wrapped his strong arms around her from behind, and gently but firmly pulled her into the room.

Ara let out a startled scream as the door clicked shut behind them. She struggled against his embrace, twisting in his arms until she faced him directly, even though the sight of his near-naked body filled her with discomfort and unease.

“What are you doing?” she demanded, her tone sharp and irritated.

“Whoa! Just calm down,” Nathan replied, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’ll just ask you to do something for me.”

“What is it?” Ara asked, still wary.

“Can you iron my polo shirt?” he explained with a sheepish smile.

“That’s why I’m like this… I’m not used to wearing clothes that haven’t been properly ironed.”

“Okay! Okay!” Ara muttered quickly, eager to end the awkward situation. “Give it to me so you can get dressed and come downstairs. They’re already waiting for you at the table.”

She took the shirt from him and immediately set to work ironing it with practiced efficiency. Once finished, she handed the crisp polo back to Nathan and hurried out of the room, leaving him standing there, momentarily speechless. Despite everything, a small part of her noted how mischievous he could be.

Yet, as she descended the stairs, Ara found herself secretly smiling at the series of unexpected moments she had shared with Nathan. She didn’t fully understand why these encounters made her feel this way — a strange mix of nervousness and quiet delight.

“Hmm… Ara, please stop these illusions,” she scolded herself under her breath, trying to regain her composure.

Back in the kitchen, she rejoined Joy, who was busy preparing drinks for the family. Ara quickly lent a hand, helping carry the fresh juice to the dining table.

When she entered the dining room, Nathan was already seated. His gaze locked onto her immediately, intense and unwavering. Ara’s heart leaped wildly in her chest, like a ball bouncing out of control. She quickly averted her eyes, forcing herself to stay calm.

Why does my heart race every single time our eyes meet? she wondered, flustered.

Ara moved gracefully around the dining table, carefully placing each glass of juice in front of the family members one by one. She remained quiet and unobtrusive, allowing them to converse freely. She knew they would call if they needed anything further. As she turned to leave, however, Sir Benedict’s voice stopped her. She paused and turned back toward him respectfully.

“Yes, Sir? Do you need anything else?” she asked gently.

“Ah, no,” Don Benedict replied with a warm smile. “I just wanted to let you and Joy know that I’d like to speak with both of you after breakfast.”

“Understood, Sir. I’ll inform Joy right away,” Ara replied with a polite nod.

She quickly found Joy in the kitchen and relayed the message. The two friends exchanged puzzled glances, both wondering what their employer could possibly want to discuss with them.

“What could be so important that he needs to talk to us?” Joy asked, her eyes wide with curiosity and a hint of concern.

“I have no idea,” Ara replied, shaking her head. “I’m just as clueless as you are.”

After breakfast, Don Benedict and Madam Lucia moved to the living room and waited for them. Ara and Joy approached with nervous anticipation, their stomachs tightening with uncertainty about the upcoming conversation.

“Sit down, you two,” Sir Benedict said kindly as they entered.

“Thank you, Sir,” they both replied softly, lowering themselves onto the sofa across from the couple.

“What did you want to talk about, Sir?” Ara asked, unable to contain her curiosity any longer. Don Benedict leaned forward slightly.

“I simply wanted to inform you that Nathan and Crissy will be attending the same university as you this school year. Since you and Joy are both in your first year of college, and Crissy will be starting as well, it makes sense for you all to go together.”

“W-What?” Crissy exclaimed sharply, her voice filled with disbelief.

“Yes, honey,” her father replied calmly. “You’ll be going to the same school with them.”

“No way, Dad!” Crissy refused sharply, her voice laced with defiance.

She had no intention of attending the same university as the household staff. Raised in a life of luxury and privilege, Crissy firmly believed that people from lower social classes had no place in her world. In her eyes, the housemaids simply did not belong in the same circle as her family.

Tension thickened the air in the living room as the conversation grew heated. Crissy remained adamantly opposed to the idea of sharing her school life with her parents’ employees, while Sir Benedict and Madam Lucia stood firm in their belief that helping those less fortunate was a core family value. To them, the longtime staff members were far more than servants — they were considered part of the family.

“Give us a good reason why you don’t want to go to school with them,” Madam Lucia said calmly but firmly. “They have served us faithfully for years, and we consider them family.”

“Mom… Dad… because—” Crissy faltered, falling silent as she struggled to find a convincing argument.

“I’ve already spoken with the Principal,” Don Benedict interjected, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

“Everything is arranged. You and your brother will attend the same university. That is my final decision.”

“It’s fine with me, Dad,” Nathan replied casually, his voice steady and unconcerned.

“Ugh! Nate, you’re not even going to object?” Crissy snapped, her irritation evident.

“What’s the problem with them going to the same school as us?” Nathan asked, genuinely puzzled.

As he spoke, Nathan’s gaze drifted repeatedly toward Ara, a subtle warmth in his eyes. Crissy’s face, meanwhile, twisted with barely contained fury at her parent's decision — her expression a mix of disbelief and resentment.

“I just don’t like them, okay?” Crissy shot back, narrowing her eyes in disdain.

“What will people say when they see me with… them? People like that don’t belong with people like us.”

“Enough!” Sir Benedict rebuked her, his voice sharp with disappointment. “Why are you being so mean to them? Where did you learn such behavior? Your mother and I raised you better than this. We taught you good manners and respect.”

“Dad!” Crissy yelled, her face flushing with anger and humiliation.

Crissy shot up from her seat, her face flushed with rage as she confronted her father directly. Her sharp, venomous eyes flicked toward Ara and Joy, who stood quietly in front of the family.

“Why are you so kind to them?” she demanded, her voice dripping with contempt. “What have those poor people ever done for you that you treat them like this?”

A sharp, resounding slap echoed through the living room. Madam Lucia had struck her daughter across the cheek. She could no longer tolerate Crissy’s cruel words.

Never in her life had she imagined that her only daughter would fail so completely to inherit the family’s values of kindness and compassion.

Crissy’s hand flew to her stinging cheek, her eyes wide with shock and humiliation. Tears welled up instantly as she began to cry. Mrs. Amalia, one of the longtime household staff, hurried over and gently comforted the young woman, rubbing her back soothingly in an attempt to calm her.

“Ma’am Crissy, are you okay?” Mrs. Amalia asked softly, her voice filled with genuine concern.

Instead of accepting the comfort, Crissy shoved the older woman away with unexpected force. Mrs. Amalia stumbled backward and fell heavily to the floor with a pained gasp.

“Stay away from me!” Crissy screamed at her, her voice raw with fury.

Without another word, she turned on her heel and stormed upstairs, leaving a heavy silence in her wake.

Ara and Joy immediately rushed to Mrs. Amalia’s side, helping the elderly woman back to her feet with care.

Don Benedict and Madam Lucia approached quickly, their faces etched with deep regret.

“We’re so sorry, Amalia,” Don Benedict said, his voice heavy with apology. “Please forgive our daughter’s behavior.”

Madam Lucia added gently, “You know we’ve always treated you like family. You’re the same age as us — more like a dear friend than staff.”