Chapter 24: .•9.1•.

She had reluctantly agreed to comply with his request, even though she evidently felt so jittery and anxious now. He hadn't even given her any further explanations. Only that he wanted her back down there as soon as possible. What was happening? What was going on? She wanted to know. She wanted to know what he wanted from her. What he had planned to do to her. Why did he request this of her? What was going to happen next?

Oh god, I hope that it doesn't involve anything lewd! He may be her boss and he was definitely paying her so much more than enough for the few hours of labour she was doing here, in his house but that didn't mean that it entitled him to any untoward liberties with her! She was not that type of girl! And she was definitely about to tell him that.

Her legs shook as she stood and stared into the floor-length mirror, giving herself one last perfunctory glance. She had chosen to wear a simple summer dress, after long and tedious moments of debating. She had initially wanted to change into a comfy hoodie and a pair of sweatpants, just so that she could show him that she was categorically not interested in whatever he was about to propose to her. But then she realized that it would've been too rude of her. That was not how she was raised. And he was still her boss after all. She needed to show at least an ounce of respect. No matter how much his peculiar request seemed to have rattled her.

She turned around and exited the room, walking down the corridor with fast and determined strides. She would show him. Extinguish whatever this was into the blink of an eye. She may be his employee but that didn't mean that he could do whatever he wanted with her. She...

Her knees almost buckled as soon as she saw him standing there, by the foot of the grand staircase, his dark eyes trailing right up to her. She couldn't help but notice that he was still wearing those same clothes from earlier, save for the vest.

She swallowed, her hand shaking as she placed it onto the railing. Tightly gripping it for a moment.

She deeply breathed in, gathering whatever ounce of courage she had left inside of her. And with slightly shaking legs she finally descended, keeping a calm and neutral expression plastered over her face.

Nicholas's sensual lips curled up to form a pleased smile as soon as she approached him, making her throw him an equally curious and worried look as she glanced up at him.

"W-what's going on? Why are we doing this?" She couldn't stop herself from asking. She just wanted to know already.

"You're having dinner with me tonight, miss Diana," he informed her, peering between her eyes. She hadn't failed to notice the way that his hand gently moved to rest over the small of her back as he'd uttered those words to her.

"Why, are you not hungry?" He expressed a mild frown, still peering between her eyes with that intense and dark gaze of his.

She blinked, growing somewhat bewildered.

"I...I am,"

Wait. This was it? He just wanted to have dinner with her?

That smile of his reappeared, taking but a step back before he curtly offered her his hand. She timidly took it, expressing a small "thank you". Why hadn't he just said so? It would've certainly saved her all that trouble and those fried nerves!

She allowed herself to relax a little, becoming slightly less tense as he placed her hand over his tattooed arm, and then proceeded to walk her straight to the dining salon.

The girl quietly walked with him, struggling not to take into account that subtle and enticing scent of his. How good his body heat made her feel. His enchanting presence. He was just...charming. That was all. He was just a pretty face and she definitely didn't feel anything for him. Not lust. Or anything like that. She was a decent girl with decent manners, about to have a nice and perfectly normal dinner with her employer. Nothing wrong about that. Right?

"Wait. W-where's miss Nancy?" The girl blinked as she suddenly noticed the empty room as soon as they entered, along with only two sets of cutlery and plates sitting on the table. No third one. And the food was already placed in the middle.

"Oh, it's her day off. She takes a day off from time to time to go visit her sister and she's been missing her very much in these last few weeks," Nicholas explained to her with an air of nonchalance, turning to offer her a questioning look.

"Why, are you not comfortable having dinner only with me?"

She stared up between those hypnotizing eyes, her throat working before she timidly replied,

"I...am..."

Good god. They were about to have dinner...all alone?

"Perfect. Now let's sit down, shall we?" He offered her another one of those dazzling smiles of his, that hand splaying over the small of her back once again before he guided her to her designated seat. Which happened to be right across from his. Both sets of cutlery and plates had been set up at one end of the long table, making it rather look like a romantic dinner as they were about to sit facing each other, and very close as well. Too close for her liking.

She forced herself to act calm and unimpressed though, offering him another small "thank you" after he'd held her chair and helped her sit down.

He smoothly slid into his right after, giving her his pearly white smile. She timidly returned it, rushing to lower her gaze to the large tray of steaming pieces of vegetable and meat sitting between them.

"Y-you made this?"

She heard him let out a laugh at that, her gaze involuntarily raising to meet his.

"Good lord, no,"

She swallowed again at the sight of that beautiful smile.

"I could manage to burn even plain water,"

"Nana actually did this. Right before she left,"

"Oh," she quickly nodded, lowering her gaze back to her plate. When did she leave? Five minutes ago? And how come she hadn't seen her leave the house? They had been in the foyer just moments ago...

She lightly shook her head. I must be reading too much into it. He didn't want any certain pieces of her ass like Dan had so lewdly suggested. Right? She stealthily rose her gaze to have another quick and questioning look at him at that thought, just in time to notice that he wasn't making any moves to touch the food from the table.

Huh. He must've been waiting for her to scoop up the first few pieces. How polite of him. She timidly smiled, proceeding to grab those tongs and help herself with a few pieces of roasted vegetables, followed a few small slices of meat. He swiftly copied her actions, putting some vegetables and meat onto his plate as well.

"Bon appetit, darling,"

She mindlessly nodded, her actions though faltering for a moment as she finally took notice of that term of endearment at the end of his sentence.

Wait. He really was trying to-