Chapter 5

Today was the day that jerk was coming back.

My three-day princess life in his house was officially over. Those three days had been so peaceful. No grumpy boss barking orders at me out of nowhere, and no one complaining about every little thing I did.

I wish it could stay like this forever.

I was lying comfortably on the sofa after finishing the housework when my phone suddenly buzzed.

I picked it up and saw a message from Sir Ethan.

Cook pork sinigang for dinner. I immediately frowned. I hope your blood pressure shoots up from eating so much pork. Of course, I only said that in my head. Since it was already late afternoon, I took the pork out of the refrigerator to thaw before organizing the kitchen and preparing all the ingredients for the sinigang. As I washed the vegetables one by one, I couldn't help complaining to myself.

Here we go again... back to my exhausting routine.

Whenever that jerk was around, he always managed to get on my nerves. I sighed and continued preparing dinner. No matter how much I complained, it wouldn't change anything. He was still my boss, and I had to follow his orders.

But one day, I'll graduate from college, and you won't be my boss anymore, Sir Ethan, I silently promised myself while slicing the vegetables.

I had just started simmering the pork when I heard the front door open.

I peeked out of the kitchen and saw Sir Ethan had just arrived home. He quietly sat on the sofa, so I returned to cooking. I hadn't been back in the kitchen for long when I heard his voice.

"Arabella." I quickly washed and dried my hands before walking into the living room. "Yes, Sir?"

He remained seated while I stood in front of him.

"Aunt Rose told me you want to continue your studies." My face instantly brightened.

"Yes, Sir." He looked at me quietly before speaking again. "I'll let you enroll next month. I'll pay for all of your school expenses." My eyes widened. Huh? Did I hear that correctly? I was so shocked that I couldn't say a word. A moment later, he continued. "But..." My heart skipped a beat. He looked straight into my eyes, his expression serious. "I'll choose which school you'll attend. And don't forget your responsibilities here in this house... and to me." I blinked.

Wait a second... Responsibilities to him? Wasn't being his maid already enough? Judging by the confused look on my face, one of his eyebrows lifted. "What?" I quickly shook my head. "N-Nothing, Sir." But the question kept lingering in my mind. What responsibilities is he talking about? He's not planning to make me sign some lifetime slave contract... is he? I forced myself not to frown as I looked at his serious face. Then he suddenly spoke again.

"Ara, be ready tomorrow at noon. I'm taking you to the mall." I became even more confused.

"What for, Sir?" I asked. Instead of answering, he glanced toward the kitchen. "Go back. Your food might burn." I simply nodded. "Yes, Sir." Even though I was completely confused, there was nothing I could do except obey him.

As I walked back to the kitchen, I couldn't stop thinking about what he had said about my education. A smile slowly spread across my lips.

I wouldn't have to spend my own savings on tuition anymore. He was going to cover everything. That meant I could save even more money and send it to Mom and Dad while helping pay for my siblings' education. Just thinking about it filled my heart with happiness. When the sinigang was finally ready, I set the table and carefully arranged the dishes before returning to the living room.

"U-Um... Sir, dinner is ready." He didn't respond. He simply stood up and walked to the dining table. I watched him as he took his seat. He really doesn't talk much. Sometimes I wondered if speaking exhausted him. Shaking my head, I returned to the kitchen and continued cleaning while Sir Ethan quietly ate the dinner I had prepared. When he finished eating, he stood up and left the dining room without saying a single word..

I let out a helpless sigh. I'm going to die of boredom living with this man. He acted like a ghost. He only spoke whenever he wanted something or had another order to give.

Sometimes, even though we were under the same roof, he'd send me a text message instead of simply calling my name. He's unbelievably lazy when it comes to talking. After he left, I finally sat down to eat. When I was done, I cleaned the kitchen, put everything back in order, and headed to my room. I couldn't help feeling excited about next month.

I'd finally be able to go back to school. The thought alone made me smile. Just then, my phone buzzed again. It was another message from Sir Ethan. Bring beer and ice to the living room. I frowned. Huh? Why is he drinking? Did he get his heart broken or something? I left my room and headed to the kitchen, where I grabbed several bottles of beer and a bucket of ice. When I entered the living room, I was surprised to see that Sir Ethan wasn't alone.

A man who looked about his age was sitting on the sofa across from him. The moment he saw me, he smiled. "Ethan, your maid is beautiful." I nearly dropped the tray in my hands. "Cut it out, Liam," Sir Ethan replied coldly. Then he looked at me. His gaze wasn't harsh, but it was enough for me to understand that I was no longer needed there. I quietly placed the beer and ice on the table. "Sir, your beer." He simply nodded.

Without another word, I turned around and returned to the kitchen. As I walked away, I couldn't stop thinking about what his friend had said. Beautiful? I smiled to myself and gently shook my head. At least someone in this house knows how to appreciate my beauty. Unlike one grumpy boss who seems allergic to giving compliments.