Chapter 30 Babysitting
Dandelion.
I didn't say a word as Alexander carried me through the halls.
My throat was still raw from choking and my body was still shaking but I wasn't sure if it was from cold or shock or shame, I didn't know. But I could feel the silent tension radiating off him in waves.
He is probably furious, and I couldn't even blame him.
I had somehow forced him to break his own rules severally, I made him jump into a pool fully clothed to save me. Again.
So I stayed silent with my arms wrapped around his neck, my face pressed against his shoulder to avoid looking at him.
Then he suddenly stopped, I felt his chest rise and fall with a deep breath,
I realized we had gotten to his bedroom door and when I dared to glance up at him, his jaw was clenched so tight I could see the muscle ticking.
He glared down at me.
I immediately looked down, staring at his chest instead.
Rule three: Don't enter his bedroom.
But here we are, and I can't even remember how many times he had broken his own rules because of me.
The pause stretched on longer than I expected and it was heavy and suffocating.
Then, finally, he pushed the door open and carried me inside.
\---
The room was exactly what I had expected.
The usual dark, minimalist decor and obsessively organized.
No personal photos or too much interior decorations, just clean lines and empty surfaces.
Just like him, I thought bitterly.
He suddenly set me down on my feet, and immediately my legs buckled.
I gasped, my hands shooting out immediately to grab his neck for support.
His hands caught my waist, steadying me.
Our faces were suddenly inches apart.
I froze, my breath paused.
His green eyes bored into mine, sharp and slightly irritated.
"Have you suddenly forgotten how to stand?" he asked, his voice cold enough to freeze fire.
"I...I'm sorry," I whispered, looking away.
He scoffed.
Then again, without warning, he lifted me again and carried me to the couch in the corner of the room, dropping me onto it like I was a sack of flour.
I winced.
He stood over me, still glaring hard at me.
"I didn't sign up to babysit you," he snapped. "So try not to act like a liability. I don't have time to deal with your recklessness."
The words hit me like a slap.
I opened my mouth to defend myself and tell him that it was his terrifying pet that scared me, but the mean look on his face stopped me dead cold.
So I just sat there, dripping water onto his expensive couch, feeling small and stupid and completely out of place.
He turned sharply and walked out of the bedroom slamming the door behind him.
A few minutes later, a female staff member came in, she was about the same age as Joan.
She was gentle and didn't ask me any questions as she helped me out of my wet clothes and into a soft robe.
Then she pulled out a hairdryer and began working through my tangled hair, section by section.
I sat in numb silence, staring into space.
I really feel like an idiot, of course he's angry. He should be since I've done nothing but cause problems since I got here.
The door opened again.
Alexander stepped in, wearing dry clothes now, dark pants and a black sweater that somehow made him look even more intimidating.
He stood by the window, arms crossed, still glaring at me.
What did I do now?, Why is he still so mad?
How was I supposed to know Willow was a giant wolf?, and who the hell keeps a wolf as a pet?!
Before I could think further, the door burst open again.
Grandma wini came in hurriedly, followed by another staff member carrying two bowls of steaming soup on a silver tray.
"There you are!" She beamed at us, oblivious to the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. "I brought soup. You both need to warm up before you catch a cold."
The staff set the bowls on a small table and quietly left.
Mrs. Winifred's gaze landed on me specifically, then on the staff member still holding the hairdryer.
Her expression shifted immediately.
"Alex." Her voice turned sharp. "Why is she the one drying your wife's hair?"
Alexander blinked. "What?"
"You should be the one taking care of her." She pointed at him accusingly. "Not a staff member."
"But Noona it's just—"
"Don't Noona me." She immediately ordered the staff member. "Give that to him."
The poor woman looked like she wanted to disappear but obediently handed the hairdryer to Alexander.
He stared at it like it was a live grenade.
"Well go on, dry her hair." Mrs. Winifred's tone left no room for argument.
I saw the exact moment Alexander's patience snapped.
His jaw clenched. His eyes flashed with barely contained frustration.
"My hair is already dry," I blurted out before he could say something we would both regret later. "Really. The staff just finished. There's no need—"
"It doesn't look dry enough." Grandma wini's eyes narrowed, sweeping between us. "And why are you two so far apart?"
My stomach dropped.
"What?" Alexander and I said at the same time.
She gestured between us him by the window, and at me on the couch. "You're married. Newlyweds for that matter. And yet you're acting like strangers."
"We're just--"
"What's your problem huh?" She turned on Alexander, her voice rising louder. "Why are you standing over there glaring at your wife like she has committed a crime? Why aren't you taking care of her?"
"I am--"
"You're not!" She threw her hands up. "She almost drowned, Alexander! And you're just... standing there, Being distant. What kind of husband are you?"
The word husband hung in the air like an accusation.
I saw Alexander's expression falter completely.
Oh no. She's suspicious now, and she might figure it all out.
Panic clawed up my throat.
If she finds out this is fake, Alex won't help me anymore. The contract will be void. I'll lose my chances to get back everything that belongs to me.
I have to do something. Now.
Without thinking, I immediately stood up.
The room tilted slightly, I was still dizzy but I forced myself to move.
One step. Then another.
Until I was standing directly in front of Alexander.
He looked down at me with confusion flickering across his face.
Yikes I'm so sorry, but I have to do this.
And then I wrapped my arms around him, holding him in a really intimate hug.
He froze completely.