CHAPTER 9

Scarlett woke up with a start immediately after her alarm went off, put a shirt over her head, and rushed downstairs. She would not want to attract any mundane talk from Lucas.

Ever since Daphne left, he complained about everything she did, and how she could barely get a simple job done.

She moved about with so much trepidation that made her bump into things, and sometimes, break things as she went.

"Don't you have any shame?" He would bark at her. She had once thought of leaving the job. She would be better off as a barista in a peaceful coffee shop than in a luxurious home, with good pay but a grumpy boss. 

But whenever she looked at the kids, and how much they warmed up to her, she would always have a change of mind. She loved them like her own and she would want them to remain in her care. Days had passed and they were only getting fond of her with each passing day.

Scarlett flipped the eggs in the pan carefully to avoid a break. It was the way Lucas loved his breakfast. The idea of scrambled eggs did not sit well with him, and he had looked at it with disgust on the first day she had served it to him for breakfast.

The croissants were her best part of making breakfast. She enjoyed the entire process. Cooking had not been one of her strong sides, but she tried at every opportunity that she was given.

When she had carefully set the table for breakfast, she proceeded to get the kids dressed. She looked in the direction of Lucas' room and his door was slightly ajar. She wanted to go peep inside, to know what the man was up to. As she drew closer, she heard his voice but it was muffled. He seemed to be speaking with someone over the phone.

"I know that we have a deal, but I cannot just up and leave my children for a few days," his voice was stern, but it was calm, and to her amazement, soothing. He paused and she guessed he was listening.

There was no denying that Lucas was an attractive man, and was the cynosure of all eyes. She had once gone to a ball with him and the kids, and she saw the way the women clung to him. He was a widower, and that was an added advantage. He was the most eligible bachelor in the city asides from being one of the richest.

"Okay then, I will be there tomorrow. I'll ask my secretary to book me a quick flight tonight," he finally said, and she heard him end the call and let out a sigh.

Was he traveling?

Scarlett did a little celebration dance. She hoped he was, so she could have even a few peaceful days alone with the twins.

She soon proceeded to their bedroom and woke them up. Claire was more eager than Callan, but she managed to get them dressed for school after all and bring them downstairs.

She set their breakfast before them, and as soon as they had started eating, she reentered the kitchen and began to do the dishes. 

Lucas stomped down the staircase just then and kissed his kids 'good morning' on the top of their heads.

"Morning sir," Scarlett said without turning back and she heard him hum his response. She rolled her eyes as she began to plate his breakfast. She felt him boring holes in her back with his eyes. He probably had a disgusted look on his face, she thought.

She turned around to go serve him. One look at him and her jaw dropped. Lucas Maxwell was standing there in all his glory, in nothing, but a pair of sweatpants that hung loosely around his torso.

Scarlett's eyes went from his messy hair that had strands across his forehead that seemed to be a result of him running his hands through them continuously. He looked like he had been sculptured into the person that he was.

His eyes glazed in the morning sun, and his well-muscled arms looked bigger unclad. Her eyes shifted to his broad chest and shoulders and finally fell on his well-toned torso, and the rest of it deliciously disappeared into the sweatpants.

"Can I have my breakfast?" She heard him bark in a hoarse voice. She rolled her eyes but would not let him see. Of course, he had to interrupt the moment of bliss that she had created for herself out of his well-built figure.

"My apologies sir." She said, headed to the dining area and placed his breakfast before him. The children were already finished with theirs and she took their plates away.

"Your croissants are too crusty," he complained, and she saw him take it away from his plate. It made her sad as she had taken her time to prepare it. "I'll have some bread slices instead," he added. She played some immediately and placed it before him swiftly and was grateful she did not bump into anything or break anything as she did so. He would have some more degrading words prepared for her.

"The eggs are too salty," she heard him complain again and drop his fork loudly as she turned to leave. She shut her eyes tightly and fisted her hands in exhaustion before turning around to him.

She saw the scowl on his face and she sensed immediately that it was not just about the food. Something else was on his mind, but she would not show any sign of concern for him. He did not deserve it from her.

"Just pour me a cup of coffee since you can barely whip up a decent meal for breakfast," he said. His tone was laced with mischief as he looked at her like she disgusted him. When he turned back to his kids, he did so with a big smile, and she wondered how he managed to switch personalities in a split second. Lucas had to be crazy, she thought.

As she took out a mug from the cupboard, it slipped from her hand and fell to the floor. She panicked, as she did not know what to expect from Lucas. She did not know why she had to be so clumsy and keep dropping things. 

She stood there for a long minute, staring at the shattered pieces before she was suddenly hit by a whiff of his cologne as he passed behind her, reached for the cupboard, and took out a mug.

"I cannot even get a cup of coffee from you without any trouble," she heard him mutter as he went to pour himself some coffee.

"What is wrong with you though?" He asked her, turning to her angrily. "If this job is too much for you, can you give up already and leave? It's obvious that I do not want you here at all," he blurted, before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Daddy, stop scolding Scarlett, she is our friend," Claire said softly, and the tears that had brimmed in Scarlett's eyes slipped. 

Lucas did not say anything. He only headed upstairs, and in some seconds, she heard the door to his study slam shut.

The driver soon pulled up in the driveway and Scarlett helped the children into the car and bade them goodbye. As she reentered the house, it was as though she was stepping into the lion's den again.

She moved about noiselessly as she put the abandoned breakfast in the trash and did the dishes, muttering to herself how much she had to endure from the man.

When she was done, she decided that a quick rest in her room would not hurt. But as she made to enter her room, Lucas slid out of his study. His upper body was still unclad and she swallowed hard.

"So, have you decided?" He asked her, a smirk playing at the side of his lips.

"Decided what?" Scarlett asked, feigning confusion, her eyes briefly resting on his lips. She looked away immediately.

"If you would still retain the job," he answered her as though he knew that he had frustrated her enough.

She walked up to him, her chest pounding as she did so, but her eagerness to make him see how angry she was at him overcame her fright. She folded her hands beneath her breasts.

"Well, first, I am not here for you but your kids," she began, surprised at herself for the kind of audacity that had suddenly enveloped her. "And if they wanted me here, which they do, then I will stay," she added as she looked straight at him, his eyes piercing into hers. She could not read his expression but she knew she saw a defeated smile crawl up his face.

"I have a meeting outside town tomorrow. I leave tonight. Take care of the kids," he finally said curtly. He turned to leave, but suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to her again.

"If anything happens to my kids, I will lock you up for life," he added before he finally left.

Scarlett jumped for joy. A few days of freedom would not hurt.