Elise's pov;I came to Mr Alarcon house at 8 pm because we cleared out some stuff for decorations. When I came to the house, I saw Mr Alarcon and Brian eating at the dining table. Wasn't it too soon for dinner time? According to Mr Alarcon's rules. Brian yelled, “Emily, be quick. Let's have dinner together.”After seeing them together, I said, “It's alright. I ate out with my friends.” And I headed upstairs to my room in order to not disturb them. I dropped down on the bed as I stared at the ceiling above me. Mr Alarcon told me he'll help me but how am I going to ask him? And how should I do it? Should we make another deal? It's not a big amount to make a deal though. Let's just think of it as a loan and borrow from him. I feel hungry. I should have at least eaten the brownies which Teresa made at the store. I can't even go down stairs since Mr Alarcon and Brian are having their dinner. I sprang up from the bed and took my wallet and went downstairs. I said to Mr Alarcon, “I'm mee

Elise's pov;When I woke up, I was in the hospital bed this time. The white ceiling and the antiseptic smell surrounded me and when I lifted my head, I saw Mr Alarcon on his phone. After seeing me, he hung up on whoever he was on the call and asked me, “How do you feel now?”Why is he acting like he care about me? “What happened to me?” I asked as I sat straight on the bed. “I'll call the doctor.” And walked out of the room. The door opened and Mr Alarcon walked in along with the doctor. The doctor asked me, “When did you had your last meal?”“Morning.”“So that means you skipped lunch and dinner?”When I gave him a nod, he continued, “Skipping meals will make your blood sugar levels to drop that's why you fainted.” “I'll prescribe supplement tablets for you. You can take them after your meal. But avoid taking them in empty stomach.”Mr Alarcon asked the doctor, “Can I take her home then?”“Yeah, you can discharge her now.” And the doctor left. Mr Alarcon said, “I'll finish the d

Elise's pov;The next morning, At the dining table, while everyone was having their breakfast quietly, Brian broke the silence by asking, “Elise, when will you come to my school today?”“Today?”“The performance that I'm doing for the Christmas program is today. Did you forget it already?”I shook my head and said, “I do remember. I was just thinking about something else. When will the program start? When should I be there at your school?”“The program will start at 10 am but my part will come by 11am.”“Okay, I'll be there.” And gave a smile at him before getting back to eating. Brian asked Mr Alarcon, “Dad, I'll be waiting for you too.”Mr Alarcon, “I have a meeting today so I'll try to come.”Brian tapped on my hand and said, “Elsie, dad's making an excuse. Ask him to come see my performance.”Instead of talking to Mr Alarcon, I said to Brian, “Don't worry, I'll be there to cheer for you.” and patted his head. When we finished breakfast, he started getting ready for school. In t

Elise's pov;When morning light filtered through the curtains, I roused myself from sleep, feeling the need to escape any potential encounters with Mr. Alarcon. Hurriedly preparing for the day, I quietly slipped out of the house, finding solace in the familiar sights and sounds of my store. As my mind flitted anxiously to Brian, a sense of guilt tugged at me, knowing I hadn't bid him farewell. His peaceful slumber seemed suspended in time, prompting me to depart without disrupting his rest. The bittersweet air of my departure lingered, leaving a void where parting words should have been spoken.Teresa stood before me, her eyes filled with curiosity as she directed her question about my attire. She was already donning a festive elf costume, serving as a stark reminder of the occasion we were celebrating. Across the room, Theo, Morgan, and Harry emerged from the changing room, fully adorned in their respective outfits, adding to the jolly atmosphere that filled the space.In response to

Elise's pov;The next morning arrived with a sense of anticipation as I diligently packed all my clothes, neatly folding each item and placing them into my luggage. Emerging from my room, burdened with the weight of my belongings, I saw Brian approaching me eagerly. However, his excitement was halted suddenly as his gaze fixed upon my bulging bag. Caught off guard, I frantically searched for an explanation as Brian, in his innocent curiosity, posed the question, “Are you going on a trip, Elise?”Caught in a moment of hesitation, I began to formulate a response when Mr. Alarcon intervened with his typically blunt demeanor. His concise statement, “No. She's moving out,” cut through the tension with surgical precision. His ability to navigate such situations with smooth assertiveness was evident, though it left me pondering about the isolated existence he seemed to tolerate willingly. I questioned his need for such brusqueness, particularly in his interaction with the ever-inquisitive Br