On the surface of the dining table were a large number of ready-to-eat menus. Amanda stood silently beside the dining table when she saw all that. Her husband was already sitting there without eating anything but focusing on his laptop screen."Why are you just sitting there? You can't sit down, huh?" Oriaga scolded."I know you can afford anything, even if it means acquiring ten Michelin-certified five-star restaurants, but that doesn't mean you can bring this much food just for one human, Oriaga." His wife was frustrated, although when experiencing severe hunger, she was sure she would not be able to finish that much food."Hey. I bought some because I didn't know what you wanted and what your tastes are at the moment. I had no idea. Stop blaming." Oriaga defended herself. "You should appreciate Zayn for standing in line while buying at some places. Can you understand that?"Amanda rolled her eyes. She pulled out a chair roughly before sitting there, arguing in front that food was n
The atmosphere in the office this morning was different and quite strange. If other people said hello, it would be expected, but unfortunately, after saying hello—they were talking about Oriaga behind his back, something that rarely happened in Gregorious' office.The man didn't respond, and he thought it might be the scent of his new perfume, or let's call it the perfume he had stolen from his wife last night. Oriaga picked it up from the dressing table and put the glass object in his pocket before leaving the mansion.He was sure Amanda was confused about not finding her perfume this morning. While the man had said nothing about 'borrowing' or 'asking for' it, could one call this situation theft?"Joana, do I look strange today?" asked Oriaga when he found Joana sitting behind her cubicle while the man had stopped."Strange, sir?" Joana was puzzled. She moved to take in her boss's appearance. "I think everything is fine.""Really? Or is it the scent of my perfume?"The woman only re
Before fall came and made all the leaves on the trees around the mansion fall, Amanda still had time to take shelter under a tree, sitting on a park bench while holding some blank papers and stationery.Although she had gotten upset and thrown them away a few days earlier, Amanda was feeling as warm as the sun at ten in the morning.The woman sat between the avocado and apple trees, she had asked the servant to make hot cross buns as a snack because Amanda didn't touch her breakfast, she claimed to be bored and asked for something else, so the waiter followed her orders without intending to complain to Zayn again."Maybe I should start by drawing a daisy, it's been years since my hand has touched a pencil, or rather after getting a job as a secretary. My hand muscles must be stiff, they need to be loosened up." Amanda muttered as she picked up the pencil, she noticed the daisy plants around her.A maid had just received a package from the guard at the gate, she didn't know what it was
"Nadine, it doesn't matter if your sister can't always get in touch. She's married, has her new life, and is trying to start things off with her partner. You don't have to worry about your sister, I'm sure Oriaga is taking good care of her." Mateo shared his advice after Nadine told him that Amanda had contacted her again last night."Yes, I know." Nadine nodded. "Maybe it's because we're together every day, and the week before she was always in touch indefinitely, that I find it strange when Amanda suddenly goes silent, that I get scared, Dad.""It's natural, whether you, your father, or your mother must feel the same way, but after that, we have to start getting used to being without Amanda so that you don't have to think about her all the time.""I'm sorry that the way I think about her is just too much." Nadine chuckled."It's just Amanda now, but one day you'll catch up with her—marry someone, and then you'll have a new life with a real busy life, while it's just your mom and dad
Still, in the same place on a different day, Amanda sat on a park bench in the mansion's backyard, trying to relax her hand muscles as she repeatedly tried to draw anything around her, and who knows how many papers she crumpled in annoyance.Fortunately, Amanda did not give up. She had much free time as an 'unemployed,' making the woman still try despite the occasional swearing. Sometimes, something once her favorite would be difficult to return to when it was left for too long.It wasn't that Amanda couldn't draw. She just wasn't used to it.The woman moved to sit cross-legged on the grass just one meter in front of the park bench. In the afternoon, the sunlight became more subdued, so even if she chose to sit in the middle of the lawn—it wouldn't sunburn her. The light had changed direction.Amanda was interested in drawing a low apple tree, and she shaded some parts as she looked down."Maybe I should start asking someone if this drawing is eye-worthy," the woman muttered.She drew
"Amanda's dress is torn?""That's right, sir. If you don't believe me, I can send you a photo.""Yes, you can, but what did that woman do to tear her dress, huh? Is she depressed and crazy to ruin her things?""No, sir. Miss Amanda is fine. I confirmed it with the servants, but they did not know about the torn dress."Oriaga snorted. "Thank you for reporting it to me, Zayn. It turns out she's quite a prodigy.""Yes, sir. I'm ending the call."After putting the phone away from his ear, Oriaga opened the marketplace app again, and he did not feel burdened if he had to spend money on Amanda, even though Oriaga had spent tens of thousands of dollars to pay off all his wife's family debts.He looked at several official stores of other clothing brands before ordering seven dresses and three pajamas for Amanda. Like yesterday, Oriaga would immediately fill in the mansion's address as the delivery destination.He switched to the corded phone and spoke to someone. "Please bring the catalog of
"What kind of silliness is this." Amanda's head became so dizzy after seeing several maids enter her room while carrying many shopping bags filled with gift boxes with various ornate ribbons tied, and they looked very luxurious.Now, the bed in Amanda's room was full of them, making her cluck and complain, as Oriaga's behavior was too much for her.If only she had a cell phone, she would have immediately called her husband to protest and return the items."Yesterday it was perfume, so what will it be today?" She huffed, looking at everything on the bed because Amanda never expected anything from Oriaga. She didn't want the man's wealth, and she just wanted an everyday life.Amanda was in denial that having a wealthy CEO husband like Oriaga Niel must have brought many surprises, and she could get anything if she asked for it, even when Amanda never said anything to her husband, making Amanda feel like the mansion's walls could hear everything.All the facilities in the mansion made her
Usually, Oriaga would visit the mansion after office hours, but today, the man showed up early, around seven in the morning. Even though Amanda had not yet woken up, his wife was still asleep even though the autumn sunlight had greeted the earth's inhabitants.Oriaga did not need anyone's permission to enter Amanda's room, so he immediately opened the door without knocking. She was sleeping on her right side with the blanket wrapped around her, Amanda's hair partially covering her face.Oriaga's footsteps seemed to echo but had not managed to disturb Amanda's morning. The man approached the window before opening the curtains wide enough for sunlight to penetrate Amanda's room, which was previously only lit by a bed lamp."I still want to sleep, so let me do it. I went to bed at two in the morning last night." Amanda babbled without opening her eyes, feeling that the person who had opened the curtains was one of the mansion's servants."So lazy. How did she fall asleep at two in the mo
"Immediately prepare the data of all office employees with contracts that are about to expire at the end of this year, Joana. The data should be ready by the time I get to the office, probably in an hour due to the situation outside. Thank you." Oriaga put his phone back after ending the call.The three were in the car, still halfway to the mansion. As Zayn was driving was deliberately slowed down to keep up with the clearing of the surrounding snow piles.Zayn deliberately set the music to make the atmosphere in the car less quiet because since the pair of humans sat in the passenger seat, they were united in silence as if there was a cold war."Sir. Do we have to return home after taking Miss Amanda to the mansion?" Zayn asked as he glanced at the overhead mirrors, confirming the situation behind him."No, no. It's too time-consuming. I have a few changes of clothes in the office.""Alright.""Do you want to buy anything before arriving at the mansion?"The question had not been rea
"What were you guys talking about that you only came back to this room near midnight? You seem to have a lot of energy."Amanda snorted as she stared irritably at the gray-shirted man on the bed. She thought Oriaga had fallen asleep since leaving the living room about two hours earlier, while Amanda had joined her family to relieve her longing."Although I have little energy, I will try to make the most of my time when it comes to my family." Amanda sat on the edge of the bed, her back to her husband."Yes, of course, you can only see them when I give you the chance."Amanda made no sound. She lay in the space beside Oriaga as she pulled up the blanket. She didn't want to face the man, so she tilted her body to the right."You're going to ignore me?""You ignore me a lot, Oriaga. Don't overdo it.""Exaggerate? I very rarely even lie beside you.""It's not my fault, you did it. I've always been lying in the mansion's bed at your convenience while you chose to sleep elsewhere.""You're
Amanda was all smiles from the moment she stepped back into her parents' home, receiving a warm welcome, and it was fortunate that Nadine had returned to work as soon as she could after receiving word from Mateo that her sister would be visiting.If there had been no such news, Nadine would most likely have approached Rudolf at his coffee shop to help her lover."Mom, I have a gift for you," Oriaga said as he took something out of his coat pocket before removing it: a blue jewelry box with the 'Gregorious' emblem on the top. He placed it on the table right in front of Pamela.About five people sat on the sofa by the lit fireplace, the atmosphere becoming quite warm as the light in the sky dimmed."What is this, Oriaga?" Pamela grabbed the object and opened it, and she was quite surprised to find a bracelet with several pearls around it, very pretty and luxurious. "Oh my! This must be expensive.""Is it the latest collection from your brand?" asked Nadine.Oriaga shook his head. "No, i
"I want to go back to work.""Work?" Pamela was surprised to hear her husband's wish. "Why go back to work? Don't we have enough to live for?""Yes. I know." The man grunted as he leaned back on the sofa—they were sitting by the dying fireplace. "Your son-in-law did guarantee our lives, even paid all the debts, but don't you think if one-day Oriaga announces his marriage to everyone, they will ask, 'Who is that man married to? What is her family background?' do you know what I mean, Pamela?"The wife paused, then snorted as she understood the meaning of Mateo's words. "It seems like this could cause a bit of trouble.""Right, aside from the judgment of others, I also want to protect my daughter from anyone's evil words. Although I'm sure Oriaga is taking good care of her, there's still a bit of guilt when I remember why Amanda had to get married."Mateo thought back to the past. If it weren't for the massive debt, he probably wouldn't have accepted Pamela's decision for Amanda to marr
"You know a guy named Jeff pretty well, huh?"Amanda didn't budge, as her husband was visiting the mansion in the middle of the night for the winter. In other people's homes, they choose to rest or watch thrilling romance movies, but at the mansion, a man named Oriaga Niel Thompson is trying to harass his wife.Amanda is already asleep and is forced to wake up due to Oriaga's relentless harassment, causing her to almost punch him in the face.Now, Amanda had to stand facing Oriaga in the library, and the opening question was enough to make Amanda understand the annoying situation."Why not answer it, Amanda?"The woman exhaled harshly, folding her arms across her chest. "I'm sure you already know the answer, so why ask, huh?""I have the right to say anything.""How ridiculous. You woke me up to ask about Jeff, huh?""Again, I have the right to say anything. After all, this is my house. I also have the right to disturb anyone, including you.""I hate to hear such strange rules.""Seco
Oriaga had examined some of the latest jewelry designs submitted by the three Gregorious jewelry designers. Still, the man had not shown any satisfaction with the images on the table, either because he had not found the best or was influenced by something else.It was a good thing he was alone in the CEO's office, so he wasn't asked to comment on the designs because Oriaga didn't have a definitive answer yet, his mind like a ship adrift in the middle of the ocean. Thanks to Amanda's words this morning, he was not eager to work.He collected all the design papers and intended to put them in a drawer. He could review the designs tomorrow or the day after before commenting on their flaws or satisfaction. Still, after pulling out the drawer and finding Amanda's cell phone, Oriaga's attention was distracted.He put the design paperback on the table and took out Amanda's cell phone, which had been stored there for months. He immediately connected the object to a powerbank. When the cell pho
Amanda exhaled harshly when she looked in the mirror before the sink and found several kiss marks around her chest and neck. The man was being quite brutal, more than usual, making Amanda feel tortured even though it wasn't violent.She quickly took off her entire towel kimono before soaking in the bathtub filled with soothing, warm water. At least this room was the best reason for Amanda to secure herself. If Oriaga woke up, the man would immediately repeat their hot activities like a hyper while his wife had given up.It was now close to midnight, and Amanda ventured into the bath as the snow piled up more and more outside."That man should go home. I don't want him to stay here, and all my joints are aching from the pressure of Oriaga. What's gotten into him like that, huh?" She complained even if she said it in front of Oriaga, he wouldn't care; he was just obsessed with Amanda's body.She hadn't realized that someone had woken up and searched for her while feeling the bed's surfa
Amanda's feelings became anxious after Oriaga ended their video call. Although his expression was flat when he spotted it, intonation was enough to emphasize that the man was angry, even though Amanda had not shown the final part of the lingerie that she had cut out carelessly.Amanda swallowed; from the beginning, she realized that she had challenged Oriaga, but when the man answered her challenge—it caused a different kind of anxiety, and Amanda didn't like the way she felt.She lowered the lingerie box from the top of the closet, double-checked, put the item back, then double-checked. She kept doing this because the confusion, as the saying goes, 'rice has become porridge,' fit Amanda's anxiety perfectly.Time passed, and it became dark. All the lights in the mansion were bright, including Amanda's room, but she still couldn't shake off the anxiety. She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the lingerie box on the surface of the dressing table."What else am I supposed to do with
The man wasn't lying, and he sent many things to the mansion the day after visiting his wife. Many boxes piled up in the main room, making Amanda angry at her husband's behavior.What looked like a variety of gifts from many people, and damn those items were from luxury brands. Amanda regretted she should have insisted that Oriaga buy something ordinary so that she could wear it without thinking about the price."Miss. Should we move all these boxes to your room?" asked one maid among the other two; they witnessed Amanda getting frustrated."I don't know." The woman sat down on the sofa, supporting her chin with her hands as she stared at the pile of multicolored boxes. "Why would he buy this much stuff, huh? It's too much, and he could have used the money to donate to an orphanage or something.""But, Miss. Isn't Mr. Oriaga a regular donor at an orphanage?" A servant interjected as Amanda spoke to herself."Really? Where is it?""I'm sorry, Miss. But, we don't know enough about it."