Chapter 0005

NIKOLAI

I sagged onto the couch, weary of the events that were taking place in my life. My mother simply insisted on me getting married to Alyssa, now that she was twenty-four. It had been five years since they decided on that so-called engagement with Hayes's only daughter, and to think she was only nineteen at that time. What are the oldies thinking?

I refused to marry a young woman, not my taste and they're immature. They are a headache.

They want me to watch over an immature and boisterous woman when I hardly have time to take care of myself? How annoying.

I rolled over the couch as I tried to find a more comfortable position to relax my mind and body.

I was about to close my eyes when my new maid's face sprang into my thoughts, leading me to instantly open them.

I believe I've seen those Argentine eyes before.

A tingling sensation spread across my chest as her vanilla-sweet aroma filled my nose.

Where did we first meet? She looks slightly familiar, but I can't distinguish where I may have seen her.

I sighed and shook my head. Why am I even thinking about my new maid? She should be reprimanded for bringing her child to work. Her husband should be lending her a hand in taking care of their child.

Nowadays, men don't feel ashamed to shirk the enormous burden of being a father and a husband.

I was about to nod off when I flinched in shock at a loud shriek coming from downstairs. And that annoying voice somewhat belonged to an annoying person in my life.

With a deep sigh, I strode downstairs and saw Alyssa hitting my new maid. She dares to hurt my people.

"What's happening here?!" I yelled to stop her from shrieking like a lunatic. Can she grow up?

"Nikolai, your maid ruined my dress!"

"Shut the hell up!" I yelled at her, causing her to shut her mouth for once. My new maid was still on the floor as I turned to face her.

That double slap must be painful. I helped her stand up. "What happened?" I questioned her calmly.

She wasn't the kind of girl who made a mess initially, and I could see that as soon as I saw her.

"I-I... I accidentally spilled iced tea on her dress."

"See!" Alyssa interrupted, which forced me to tightly close my eyes. Her voice irritates my ears so much.

"Why are you giving her iced tea, she's not my guest," I told-- I completely forgot her name.

"She insisted--"

"You bitch!" Alyssa was going to grab my maid's hair, but I concealed my maid behind me.

"STOP." I stopped her from getting nearer and pushed her lightly. Her eyes darted on mine, teary-eyed.

Fuck, I only need peace of mind but here she is, trying to lose my patience.

"What are you doing here? Who told you to come here?" I questioned calmly, rubbing my temple in frustration.

"I am your fiance!"

There she goes again.

"It's been five years and you're still hanging with the oldies bullshit? I didn't agree to all sorts of things, so please, leave now. I'm fucking tired and at least give me an inner peace."

"Nikolai!!"

"Tone down that voice of yours, Alyssa."

She cried out as she clutched my arms, "Don't push me out~" but I quickly ignored her and looked at my new maid, who was still lowering her head. Is she traumatized?

Alyssa is really a pain in the ass. When can she disappear from my life?

"Leave," I grabbed Alyssa's arm but she pulled away from my grip. She was staring intently at my new maid. "Enough with that," I warned but she continued to take a step toward the girl, who I believe was almost the same age as her.

"Wait... have we met before?"

My brows were drawn together. Does she think she's familiar either?

The new maid shook her head hastily and ran off without even bothering to look at us. In fact, I think she's strange. She's been avoiding meeting my eyes since earlier.

After escorting Alyssa to her car outside, which took me a lot of effort to do, I called Linda to request the personal information of the new maid from the employment agency.

I need to investigate her. She's acting strange and she seems somewhat familiar that I cannot recollect where I must have seen her.

"Camilla Lopez, 23, single mother, has a son named Mikolaj Lopez... Boyfriend deceased?" I assumed he was the father of Miko.

She's not married yet.

She previously shared a studio-type room with her son, and this is now her ninth job. In those years, even when she was still carrying Mikolaj in her womb, she was taking different jobs for both of them to live in this cruel world.

How unfortunate.

She got pregnant at eighteen, too young to become a mother.

How did she even manage to survive without anyone else's help?

I walked over to the window and saw her cleaning the garden and her son, Miko, assisted her.

The corner of my lips raises, seeing them looking so fine on their own. She's brave and mature for raising a child by herself despite her young age. Because of her son, she comes to appreciate her life. Despite how difficult life is, she persists for the sake of her son's future.

Miko patted a towel on Camilla's face when he saw her sweating. She gives him a tender kiss and sweetly smiles before going back to work.

That's beautiful.

But... Why do I feel saddened? When I first saw them together, my heart squeezed in agony, but when I later saw them laughing and looking so wonderful despite the heat from the sun, my heart leaped in delight.

Fuck! What's the matter with me?

I'm having trouble sleeping lately. Perhaps I should visit a doctor to get a prescription.

I yawn and collapse back onto the couch. What must I do regarding my parents?

It's been fucking five years that they've been pressuring me to wed Alyssa. But I'm not marrying her.

Arranged marriage. What era are they living in? I'm an adult but they are still controlling my life, for fucksake!

I walk to my fridge and pull out a beer in a can, unable to control my rage at my parents' self-centered choice.

My current personal crisis is the cause of all of my insomnia.

Due to my parents, I don't even have time to find a girlfriend.

But no...

I downed the entire half of the drink, then ran my hands through my hair.

I actually can't find women interesting anymore because of this one girl I can't remember from this one night. Since then, she's haunting me in my dreams and making me horny the following morning.

This is Alyssa's fault at a birthday party. She gave me a drink, and I guess she secretly put something weird in the drink that made my whole body heated. Thankfully, it's not her with me doing something in the bed.

Due to the darkness inside the room, I can't see the woman's face clearly. I only recalled the night she made me burst into pleasure. She made me crave more but we passed out from weariness, and the next morning, she was gone.

How ironic that I stole her virginity but she refuses for me to take the responsibility.

I had no idea that there were women like this in the world.

I walked out of my study to find Miko downstairs. He is using a mop to clean something off the floor. Just seeing him behave like an adult makes me grin.

"Leave that. That's not your job, boy."

"My name is not boy." He scowled, and his cute tone made me smile more. He was frowning, yet his tone belied what his expression said.

I chuckle. He has a sharp tongue. "Then, Miko, leave that to the responsible adult."

"I'm responsible but still not an adult."

I pull the mop away from him and carry on tidying up the mess he made.

"Excuse me, Sir, but I spilled the water on the floor, I should be the one who's cleaning that."

Hearing him say those statements made me smile. How did a single mom raise this smart-ass kid?

"My name is not Sir."

"Nikolai."

My laughter sprang out. Why is this little brat sometimes annoying but finds it adorable?

Because he knows how to be nice in his tone of voice, I can't be furious at him or resent him for talking back.

"Mikolaj," I smirk as I mop the floor. There was water all over the place.

"How did you know my real name?"

"I have ways to find out," I said with a tone of arrogance.

"Really, can you find my father?" My eyebrows furrowed as he asked, but he quickly covered his mouth as his eyes widened. "Oops, please don't tell my mommy. She will cry again."

I stared at him, wondering if he was four years old. But something caught my attention.

"Mommy must be thirsty. Thank you for cleaning the floor for me, Nikolai." He said, picking up the glass of water on the floor.

I immediately grabbed his arm and squatted down, leveling his face.

I knew this face… I've seen him before…

I suddenly felt his features seemed familiar. His ocean-blue eyes, nose, and eyebrows are similar to—

“Sir Nikolai?"