Chapter 15: He cares

Chapter Fifteen of Ruthless.

Men like Nathan care too☺️

Ego is just too much 🙄

Tacha moved away from Nathan. The tension between them had settled, giving Tacha the boldness to look up at Nathan who was looking at her the whole time. Tacha stood before him ready to hear him out since she wanted to have a conversation with him too. Nathan had been giving her the silent treatment ever since Sunday night when they were both at fault for yelling at each other. Not trying to deceive herself that she was cool with it, Tacha wanted to really talk to Nathan about it. She wasn't going to apologize, but tried to stop the odd feeling building up around them so she could free her mind.

Tacha took a deep breath. "Thank you," she said, sincerity in her voice. "Thank you for giving Ricko back his job. I'm sure you must have seen the people who depend on him in his family. When you said he's back to his position, I'm happy for him not as his ex, but because you showed him that kindness," Tacha explained. This explanation wouldn't have been necessary but she found herself telling him anyway.

Nathan dipped his two hands inside his pockets. He stared down at Tacha. "I wouldn't care who and who feeds on his Table Tacha. The least I care about is what people think about me, or what they say I am. Once I sack you, you are gone from my company. I will always get the best in return." He shrugged his shoulder, showing he really doesn't care. "So why do I bother myself about that? But I did it for you. For you Tacha. I don't know, but it breaks my heart to see you cry and when you fainted, I thought my whole body was going to explode. That's strange, but it's just the truth. So I thought, maybe not talking to you is what you want. Then I realised you want to talk to me, and now...we are here. I'm not as heartless as you think I am. Or am I still?"

Tacha rolled her eyes.

If anyone ever told Tacha Nathan could talk to her this way, she would have called them a liar, laughed at them, and even chased them away. She looked into his eyes and the sincerity was there, but Tacha refused to accept that Nathan could be this calm and reserved. She wouldn't deceive herself with all the looks she was getting. Nothing was ever going to change who Nathan was no matter which side of him he tried to show her. Even as calm as he claimed to be, he was still pompous with his words. Tacha walked to Nathan's mirror stand, she picked up the glass of juice she had dropped on his table, and held the tray out, carefully putting the glass of juice back on the table this time. She was expected to return with that. Thank God he called her back.

Tacha came back to Nathan, but took a step back from him. She carefully rolled those eyes at Nathan and looked into his eyes. His eyes...gave Tacha an unexpected goosebumps that made her wrap her hands around her body. Those eyes were calm. They were filled with care, admiration, and desire. They weren't ashamed of not looking away from Tacha even once.

Tacha, please come to your senses. She said to herself for as long as she could.

Tacha heaved a sigh before speaking up. "I'm nothing but a lowlife, which is what you called me. Please, never do such a thing for me again. It makes me feel important when I'm nothing to you but an ordinary maid in your parents' house. I wanted to talk to you because I couldn't handle the silent treatment I was getting. Also, the fear that you might take it out on my mum really bothers me." Tacha said not looking at him anymore. "Please I want you to act normal with me. Whichever way you have been acting has really been affecting me here at work. Your mum thinks you like me which is not, not when the only thing you want from me is to take me to bed. It's not easy kneeling for thirty minutes straight every day." Tacha looked up at him, but quickly looked away from Nathan seeing his eyes had changed. They were obviously angry at her. She could see the pain in his eyes, yet he was so relaxed listening to her. He didn't try to stop her and that even scared Tacha so much.

Tacha's left hand flew to her neck as she tried to breathe. "Nathan say something."

"You will address me as Mr. Nathan starting from now." He said with an authoritative tone, his eyes telling Tacha to keep quiet while he talked, putting the fear Tacha had for him from the first day they met back into her eyes. Tacha swallowed as he moved away from her reaching for the buttons on his shirt. She expected him to change so quickly since that was exactly what she was to him. She lowered her head as he continued speaking. "You are never to come up to my room anytime I'm home again. Do me a favour and stay out of my sight any time you come to see your mum. And...never talk to me like we are age mates. I'm sure I've made myself clear "

"Yes sir."

"Take the juice with you."

Tacha obeyed as she walked to the table stand with a blurry vision. The tightness in her chest was so painful that her hands were starting to shake. Tacha reached for the glass, and slowly it slipped out of her hand to the tiled floor. Tacha gasped with fear, covering her mouth. Nathan didn't bother to move cause he saw it coming.

"Will you get up and not be stupid?" He said the moment he turned and saw Tacha trying to use her hands to pack the glass. "Call me Mary."

Still in her position avoiding his gaze, Tacha murmured. "I will just come back and pack it."

"Don't ever change my command. Get me Mary and leave my room this Instant."

Tacha slowly got up, walking towards the door. She turned around to look at Nathan hoping she could say something, but his bare back was facing her instead. Tacha turned back to the door and walked out.

✨✨

"Whao!" Mary walked in slowly, her eyes turning with admiration. She was someone who would always say it as it was. "Guys, you didn't tell me Mr. Nathan is that hot. Like, so hot." She laughed quietly. Fola agreed with her, but Halima wasn't really cool with it. Mary turned to Tacha who was dressing up to appear with the girls for dinner at the dining. She smiled at Halima for acting like a teenager.

"Haven't you been seeing him?" Tacha responded.

Mary laughed. "I saw him just once Tacha. Once he's around, he goes straight to his room and doesn't allow anyone in. You said it as you see him every day. How do you even manage to cope around him?" Mary's smile was so gentle. "When I got to his room. I guess he just came out of the bathroom. Holy mother of Mary! Like... Oh my God. Come and see his body." Mary acted like she was going to faint, causing everyone to laugh. "Except that." She stopped smiling. "He must have broken the glass of juice you took to him. Since I didn't know it was the reason he called me, I had to carefully pick up the shattered glass on the tiles before going back downstairs to sweep the remaining with a broom. He didn't even look at me at all."

"Don't be surprised, Mary. That's how he is. He does not care if it injures you or not. He could do that to anybody here." Halima said.

Tacha swallowed, unable to say a word because she knew the story around the glass that had been broken. Tacha walked up to Mary with a worried look. "Hope you didn't injure yourself. Maybe he didn't know you were inside."

Mary snorted. "He didn't know what! Are you trying to side with him? Someone who just pointed to the dirty tiles for me. And it's just a little cut. I'm fine sincerely. But I agree he must have expected me to go get something to clear it. Just that, I've heard about him from you guys and I don't want his trouble near me at all." Mary laughed. "But mhen, how was he able to keep a straight face like I wasn't even in the room. He didn't even look down at me or something. He was just going about his business till I finished mopping. Sincerely, I admire him for being so rigid. Some men can't stand seeing beautiful women all the time. Their senses would have let them go for long." Mary said, still clearly dazzled by Nathan, and overpowered to think well as her smiles were everywhere before she laughed it off. "Ehnn ehnn, that reminds me. Tacha, are you going home again today?"

"Today?" Tacha repeated. Clearly, it was a Friday night and the next day she was expected to be at her Aunt's party. She decided to tell them the truth. "Actually, my Aunt is having her introduction and Engagement party tomorrow, but I'm yet to tell Mrs. Brown cause I'm not sure I will be allowed since it's not my shift this weekend."

"Well, Mrs Brown herself told me to tell you to pack your things. By any chance did you tell Mr. Nathan?"

Tacha was confused about what to say. Nathan was aware. Could he have.... "No." Tacha lied. "He wouldn't have known. Maybe Mrs. Brown overheard me on the phone while I was speaking to my aunt."

"Oh," Mary said. "Was it your aunt who kept calling you today?"

It was her mum. "Yes." Tacha lied again.

"I actually picked it at first when the calls were too much and she was like, you need to tell that young lady not to forget her Aunt's party. Can you secretly send me the address of that place so I can pick her up myself?" Mary laughed. "Your Aunt is funny sincerely. She even promised to buy me chocolates."

Tacha's heartbeat went crazy in about three seconds Mary told her she picked up her mum's call. She didn't want her mum to know she works for Nathan's parents. She just doesn't want her getting to know about that information. Tacha wondered why everyone thought her mum was that funny when she was only doing too much. Tacha looked at Mary after she knew she was safe, thinking her mum was her Aunt. "Did she say anything else?"

"No," Mary said. "You should greet her for me. And I'm sorry if you didn't like it. I just thought since she kept calling it must have been important. Especially seeing expensive Gold. I know some aunties are gifts from heaven. God bless her heart."

"Uhmm...I will. That's not even a problem at all. Thanks for your prayer too. I should pack." Tacha turned away from Mary and began to pack. She wasn't planning to see her mum until tomorrow, but having been allowed to go home, her mum would be the first person she had to see.