Chapter 9: The unexpected guest

When I woke up that morning, I could smell something warm and inviting drifting through the halls and when I walked downstairs, I froze.

Sean was in the kitchen.

He stood by the counter in a plain white shirt, sleeves rolled up, whisking eggs with surprising precision. The maids stood awkwardly nearby, unsure whether to help or leave him to it.

“You’re cooking?” I asked, still half in disbelief.

He looked up, and that calm, quiet smile I rarely saw touched his face. “Good morning to you too.”

I crossed my arms. “There are six maids here. Why are you doing their job?”

“They insisted on making everything heavy,” he said, plating something that smelled divine. “You look tired. Thought you’d want something lighter.”

I blinked, taken aback. “You… made breakfast?”

He shrugged casually, but there was a faint glint in his eyes. “yes.”

Before I could respond, Mrs. Miller entered, clapping her hands together. “Oh, Sean, this looks wonderful! You should cook more often.”

I sat down quietly, trying not to meet Sean’s gaze as he set a plate in front of me. “Eat before it gets cold,” he said softly.

As I ate, I couldn’t help thinking this man who everyone called cold and distant was… kind. Too kind.

After breakfast, I decided to stop by one of the retail stores Mrs. Miller had gifted me. I wanted to check how the renovations were going. The driver dropped me off, and after an hour of meetings and walking through dust and new paint, I finally got back in my car to head home.

But halfway through the drive, my world tilted.

Someone stepped onto the road too quickly, I slammed the brakes, but not fast enough. The sound of the bump made my heart drop into my stomach.

“Oh my God,” I gasped, jumping out. A man lay on the side of the road, clutching his arm.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t see you!” I cried, kneeling beside him.

He groaned, wincing. “No, it’s my fault. I wasn’t paying attention.”

He looked like he was in his thirties, with dark hair and a worn-out jacket.

“You’re hurt,” I said, noticing the scrape on his arm. “You need a hospital.”

He shook his head. “I don’t have money for that.”

“I didn’t ask,” I said firmly. “Get in. I’ll take care of it.”

At the hospital, the doctor said it was just a bruise, nothing serious. Relief flooded through me.

“Thank you,” he said as I handed him some painkillers from the counter. “I’m Michael, by the way. I used to do plumbing work, but it’s been rough lately.”

I hesitated before answering. “I’m Rose.”

He smiled faintly. “Pretty name. You’ve got a good heart, Rose.”

I didn’t know why, but his words made me feel strange, not in a good way. Maybe because I hadn’t heard anyone say that in so long.

When he mentioned he had nowhere to stay, guilt clawed at me. “You can come with me. Just until you’re back on your feet.”

His eyes widened. “You’re serious?”

“Yes,” I said, forcing a small smile. “I owe you for the accident.”

When we arrived back at the Millers’ estate, Sean was in the living room, going through some papers. His head lifted immediately when he saw me, then narrowed when he saw Michael trailing behind.

“Who’s that?” he asked, voice sharp.

I explained quickly, “He’s Michael. I accidentally hit him with my car, but he’s fine. I brought him here to rest for a few days.”

Sean’s eyes darkened. “You what?”

“I couldn’t just leave him!”

He exhaled slowly, setting the papers down. “Rose, you can’t bring strangers here. You don’t know him.”

Michael tried to speak, but Sean’s glare silenced him.

I crossed my arms. “He’s harmless.”

“That’s not the point,” Sean said, stepping closer. His tone wasn’t angry, just protective. “You don’t know what people are capable of.”

“I can handle myself,” I said firmly.

He studied me for a long second, then turned away.

Michael awkwardly thanked him before I led him to the guest room upstairs. He seemed polite enough, though there was something about his smile that didn’t sit right with me.

When I came back downstairs, Sean was still there, leaning on the table with one hand on his chin.

“You really can’t say no to anyone, can you?” he said quietly.

I sighed. “If helping people is a flaw, then I’ll live with it.”

Sean shook his head. “You’re too kind, And people like that… they get hurt.”

I didn’t reply. I just walked away, feeling his eyes on me until I turned the corner.

By late afternoon, I heard a car pulling up. I wasn’t expecting visitors, but then I heard familiar voices.

“Rose!” Dad’s voice called out, cheerful and fake.

I sighed. “What now…”

Anna followed him in, wearing a smug smile that made my skin crawl. “Sister,” she said sweetly. “You look… tired. I hope the Millers aren’t working you too hard.”

Sean was nearby, going through some files on the couch. He didn’t even look up at first, but the tone in Anna’s voice must have caught his attention.

Dad patted Anna’s shoulder. “She’s just joking, Sean. You know how sisters are.”

Sean looked up now, eyes sharp. “It didn’t sound like a joke.”

Anna’s smile faltered, but she recovered quickly. “Oh, come on, I was just teasing.”

Dad cleared his throat awkwardly. “They’re family. This is normal.”

Sean’s eyes flicked to me, questioning. I forced a faint smile, pretending it didn’t bother me. “It’s fine.”

When Dad finally asked to speak to me alone, I already knew what was coming.

He sighed dramatically. “Rose, you need to talk to the Millers about the project. Our company’s struggling, and if they invest... ”

I cut him off sharply. “No, Dad.”

His expression hardened. “You’re being selfish. This family needs you.”

I clenched my fists. “You don’t get to talk about family, not after everything you did to Mom or to me.”

His jaw twitched. “Watch your tone.”

“No,” I said coldly. “You have no talent, Dad. You never did. You lived off Mom’s money, and now you want me to sell my dignity again so you can keep pretending you’re a businessman.”

He went quiet, for once, truly quiet. Then he turned without a word and walked out.

Anna trailed after him, but not before muttering under her breath, “Don’t act high and mighty, sister. Everything you have still came from him.”

Sean’s voice came from behind her, calm but firm. “That’s enough.”

She froze, startled.

He stepped forward, his gaze cold. “You don’t belong here if you’re going to insult her.”

Anna laughed awkwardly. “I was just joking.”

Dad quickly grabbed her wrist. “Enough, both of you. Sisters always tease. Let’s go.”

Sean didn’t say another word, just waited until they were gone.

When the front door finally closed, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. My chest ached, with anger, shame, exhaustion, all tangled together.

I sank onto the couch, rubbing my temples.

A few minutes later, Sean came back into the living room carrying a bowl of fruit. He set it down gently in front of me.

“You didn’t eat lunch,” he said quietly. “So I made this.”

I stared at the colorful slices, strawberries, mango, pear, neatly arranged like something out of a magazine. “You didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to,” he said simply.

I picked up a piece of mango and smiled faintly. “You’re too good to me.”

He leaned back slightly, his gaze softening. “You deserve someone being good to you for once.”

For a moment, silence hung between us, comfortable, but heavy. His eyes lingered on me longer than usual, gentle yet intense, like he was studying every line of my face.

And for that brief moment, I could almost feel it warmth, safety, something I hadn’t felt in years.

But then guilt flooded in, sharp and cold.

I looked away, pretending to focus on the fruit. “You’re going to make people think you like me,” I said, half-joking, half-defensive.

He chuckled under his breath. “Let them think what they want.”

When he finally left the room, I sat there in silence, staring at the half-eaten fruit bowl.

Somewhere deep inside, I knew I was starting to fall for him and it terrified me.