Chapter 04 Strangers with memories

Ma'am Cassandra? Why was he speaking as if he's lower than me when he's supposed to be my boss? Is it because I'm my father'a daughter?

I decided to ignore it. I shook my head slightly, trying to push the thought away. I lowered my head and untied my hair, shaking it loose so it fell over my shoulders.

When I raised my gaze, I noticed that his attention was fixed on my hair. His eyes slowly moved to mine and stayed there for a moment before drifting down to my lips.

“So… does the red lipstick work on me?” I asked with a playful smile, lightly tapping my lips as if inviting his opinion.

I frowned in confusion when he suddenly glared at me. He shook his head, turned his back, and stepped out onto the balcony. I followed him while pouting. He sat down on the lounging chair where I had been sitting earlier and took out his phone.

I followed him outside with my arms crossed and my lips still pouting. I sat across from him, wondering if I had done or said something that offended him. Honestly, I felt like I should be the one offended because he kept ignoring my presence.

“I made some black tea earlier,” I said, trying to sound casual. “Do you want some? Dad said it actually tasted pretty good.” I reached for the glass pitcher and poured tea into his cup.

I paused and looked at the cup before glancing back at him.

“Uh… wait. Are you okay sharing a cup with me?” I asked awkwardly. “Because technically that means we’d be… sharing saliva.”

I flinched and my eyes widened when he suddenly slammed his fist on the table. The items on top nearly fell over.

He pressed his fingers to his temple while glaring at me. “Are you seriously doing this on purpose?”

I looked left and right before slowly sitting back down, fixing my posture while silently asking him what his problem was. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and grabbed the teacup before bringing it to his lips.

“What? I was just asking,” I muttered defensively. “That’s the same cup I used earlier. If you don’t want to share, I can just grab another one from the kitchen. No need to explode like that.”

I became uneasy again when he suddenly stopped drinking the tea. He slowly lowered the cup and ran his tongue over his lower lip.

Maybe the only reason I wasn’t completely irritated with him yet was because of how handsome he was.

“It’s good,” he said shortly.

My eyebrows lifted in surprise. I couldn’t believe he had just complimented me. I tried to hide my smile but failed.

“Well… I like learning new things, Mr. Villanue—” I stopped and pouted when I realized I didn’t like how his name sounded when I said it. “Actually, can I just call you Adrien instead? No offense, but I hate saying full names like that.”

He didn’t answer. He simply stayed silent while looking at me.

“And you can just call me Cassandra,” I added quickly. “Please don’t call me ‘Ma’am’ again. It makes me feel old.”

“So… how was life in America?” he asked suddenly.

I leaned back in my chair and laughed lightly while glancing around. I played with a few strands of my hair as I tried to think of a believable lie to tell him.

“O-oh, it was great,” I said quickly. “Everything there is bigger… and colder. It’s really different from here.” I clapped my hands lightly and stood up. “Uh—excuse me. I’m just going to use the bathroom for a second.”

I quickly left the balcony. Since Dad had given me a short tour earlier, I already knew where the bathroom was. I closed the door and went straight to the sink, turning on the faucet and letting the cold water run over my hands.

I closed my eyes and lightly bounced in place from stress. I felt like I might faint.

I didn’t realize how hard it would be to lie to everyone. I had only just started, and it already felt awkward. Adrien looked smart. I was sure he was, otherwise Dad wouldn’t trust him with the resort. He barely showed any emotion and was very quiet.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror and smirked. The red lipstick actually looked good on me. It was my first time wearing this color, and it wasn’t as bad as I had expected. It made me look more mature.

But it needs to be put off now.

I wiped the lipstick off using the back of my hand and washed my hands afterward. I fixed my appearance and smoothed the wrinkles on my clothes before leaving the bathroom.

When I returned to the balcony, Adrien was still there. He was sitting quietly, staring at his empty cup of tea. His jaw was moving slightly and his eyes looked sharp, as if he was thinking deeply about something.

“Adrien?” I called softly.

He immediately looked at me. My heart skipped a beat when his piercing gaze met mine. Why did he look so angry?

“Hey… do you think we could use the kitchen for a bit?” I asked hopefully as I approached him and sat down across from him again. “Can you come with me? Dad and I arrived really early, and I still haven’t eaten anything. My stomach’s starting to hurt.”

He glanced at the phone in his hand, checked the time, and showed it to me.

“I still have work to do,” he said flatly. “I’ll ask someone to escort you instead.”

He stood up while fixing his clothes and rolling up the sleeves of his shirt until they reached his elbows.

He was tall. The sunlight hit him directly, making his tan skin glow slightly under the morning light. The wind even started to move his hair.

“Why can’t it be you?” I complained lightly. “Dad literally told you to take care of me. What if I tell him you abandoned me? You might lose your job.” I tried to sound teasing, though there was still a hint of complaint in my voice.

I looked away and crossed my arms while staring at the ocean.

I tried to sense his reaction. It was easy to guess what expression he had.

“Just have breakfast with me first,” I insisted. “After that, we can deal with whatever work you have. I mean… I’m your assistant now, right?”

He let out a deep breath while looking up at the sky. His Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed.

“I’m serious, Miss Cassandra,” he said firmly. “I have something important to do.”

“Why are you being so mean to me?” I complained as I stood up and blocked his path. “You’ve been acting like you’re mad at me since the moment you arrived. What did I even do?”

He sighed again. One hand rested on his waist while the other fixed his hair that had been messed up by the wind. I was surprised when he suddenly smiled, though it looked sarcastic and forced.

“The kitchen doesn’t even have the proper ingredients and appliances yet,” he said coolly. “You wouldn’t be able to cook anything. Besides… do you even know how to cook?”

I grimaced, disliking the tone of his question. “Excuse me? I can cook,” I said, placing my hands on my hips. “I know plenty of dishes. And if the main kitchen isn’t available, then there must be another one somewhere or you could just tell me so nicely.” I stepped closer to him. “You’re seriously starting to offend me, Adrien. You’ve been doing it since earlier.”

Because I was standing so close, his breath brushed near my face. I caught a faint scent from it.

I was startled when I suddenly felt his hand on my waist. I looked down and saw his hand slowly moving behind me.

A strange sensation ran through my body when his hand touched my side, even through the thick fabric of my clothes. I let out a shaky breath, feeling uncomfortable in his hold. I gasped softly when he suddenly pulled me closer.