Chapter 8 (1474)
ALEXA'S POV
"Oh! Oh god- I am so sorry, sir" I covered my eyes immediately as I realized I've been caught staring.
"No, no- It's alright," I hear him chuckle as I turn around embarrassed.
As I was about to take my leave, I felt his hand touch my shoulder and he stopped me from leaving.
"What were you doing out of your room?" His voice was calm with a hint of curiosity in them.
"I couldn't sleep, sir, I just thought it would be alright to wander around in your house- I mean, mansion," I still couldn't take up the courage to turn around and face him, but his hold was forcing me to do so.
His gaze met mine and I was trying hard not to panic under his hold.
"Hey, why are you so tense? It's alright wandering around for the first time. You just startled me with your presence," He smiles as he pats my shoulder and walks to the side.
He grabs a towel from the tanning bench and makes his way to the bar at the furthest side from the pool, but before he could go any farther from me he turns around.
"What are you just standing there for?" He asks, wiping his hair roughly with the towel.
"I'm sorry, I'll just-"
"No, I mean come- join me," Mr. Brown motions to follow him to the island bar where he stands behind the booth and gestures at the seat in front of him.
Sitting down in front of him, he grabs two different-sized glasses and then quickly turns to me.
"Do you drink?" Mr. Brown asks.
"Yes, Mr. Brown-"
He then lets out a soft chuckle before saying, "Call me Anthony, you can drop the formality when it's just us,"
"Er- alright. Sir Anthony, I do drink,"
"Then, what would you like, Madame Alexa?" Mr. Brown jokes as leans on the island table making me laugh.
"I'll have anything you recommend, Anthony." I smiled at him after replying, making him nod in approval.
I watch him take a glass shaker from the cabinet and put squirts of different labeled bottles inside, shaking it after putting the lid to close. He pours it into a big glass with lots of ice.
He slides the drink to me and serves it with a straw.
"What is it?" I ask as I look at the deep purple drink with sugar on the rims of its glass.
"Try it, then I'll tell you," Anthony says as he takes more ice from below, a bottle of beer, and coke to pour into his glass.
Sipping on the drink, it had a sharp tart flavor but it came out sweeter than I imagined.
"Is it good?"
"Yeah," I gladly took another sip after replying.
"So what is it?"
"It's a secret," He whispers to me as he walks around the island to sit a seat apart from me.
"Oh come on, Mr. Brown-" My eyes widen as he gives me a knowing look.
"It's a purple people eater," He chuckles after answering.
A long pause closes in between us and nothing comes to mind to strike up a conversation.
Surely, this man had heard every joke and story considering his age and wealth. But what I wonder is how he had come to this point of success in his life.
Looking around me, the gardeners he had paid must've cost a lot to keep it in this state. Accounting for the number of staff and help he has around the house, I'm guessing he must have had a grandfather or two that passed their lineage to him.
I couldn't help but look at him as he space out staring at the sky. He looks absent like his mind is elsewhere.
For a rich man with his life already made for him, he sure does look sad. If I was as rich as him, I could be living guilt-free.
I would surely let my children choose their path but not miss a day of being there by their side, and if I had a mansion as big as this, I wouldn't have a freakishly looking chandelier that's accident-prone.
But I would have a handsome husband to keep me company… As good-looking as him.
"Alexa, why did you apply for your role as my son's nanny?" Out of nowhere, I sat back into reality with his question.
"Huh- sorry, what?"
"Why did you apply?" Looks at me as he catches me staring at him, making me blush.
"I-"
Shit, I have to think of something, or else he might suspect.
"Haven't I already answered that during the interview, Sir?" I ask, trying to change the direction of the topic.
His lips moves into a line and letting out a low hum before speaking, "I don't recall if you have, but it did pique my interest as you are far too young to take up a job like this"
"Pardon, sir?"
"I'm sorry if I seem narrow-minded, but I expect someone your age should be in college like my son… I guess his girlfriend must've felt threatened by your presence," He chuckles with his remark.
"Well if I had the opportunity, sir, I would… But as of now, I can't," Anthony shoots me a look of surprise and worry, observing my reaction to his.
"What?" I ask.
"Nothing, it's just… Why?" Anthony crosses his arms around his bare chest where I stared at him before.
His eyes glistened along with his face under the dim purple lights of the bar.
"I took up this job to take care of my brother," I answered with a hint of sadness, thinking on the spot for a justification for my decision to apply.
I wouldn't want my boss to think I had some motive to take anything from him, I could use his familial love to influence his perception of who I am.
"Is that so?"
"Yes, Sir. I didn't mention it before as I wanted to steer clear from any dramatic introduction on my behalf before anyone asked," And instantly enough, his reaction gave me enough satisfaction to calm down.
He seemed pleased that I cared for someone, close enough that it wouldn't put me up as a suspect if anything wrong happened with Cody and his plan. Not that I'm hoping for it.
"And how is he?"
"Who, Sir?" My eyes furrow at his question.
"Your brother, of course,"
"Well, he's going through a lot lately… Not having me around," I gulp at another added layer to a lie.
"I'm sorry if I'm prying you with questions, but could you tell me more?"
Well with that question, I might just regret if I let this slip up. I just need to remember and not give too much detail since I don't want it to look like I'm lying to him.
"I didn't have anywhere else to go, we were both in the orphanage… I wasn't frankly fond of people my age, but I had it in me to protect him while we were stuck together" I started, taking note mentally of what I was saying.
"Oh, I'm sorry," He looks away, looking guilty for even asking. Good, this is a good start.
"No- It's fine, I'm used to it"
"Why is that?" His eyebrows raised at my openness to further talk about my "past".
"It has always been set in stone that eventually one of us would have to endure being the caretaker, even though he would promise countless times he would make it up to me," I couldn't help but think about Cody and his excuses.
"Life was rough with just the two of us," I sighed, rubbing my elbows as I look down.
"Life isn't easy," He whispers, joining in with a sigh.
"Fuck yeah! Like-" I scoff at the memory of Cody missing out on every opportunity he could make to work his ass.
"Like?"
"Well, my brother, I found ways to make it up to me… You have no idea how hard it was for the two of us to survive those years, those 13 years!-"
"13?!" I shot him a look with wide eyes and nodded as I continued my story.
"I would schedule him for job interviews… All he could ever get out of it was thousands of excuses… Until,"
"Until?" I look up at him again before turning to face the island table and sipping my drink.
"He got sick… We had to take up a loan under my name-"
"No… Why?"
"He's my brother, why couldn't I?" I sighed remembering Cody ending up in the hospital after the aftermath of a failed mission.
"He is all I have left…"
"I know how that feels,"