Nigel's POV
"Where is the car, Alex?"
"I received an order not to let you out today, sir." Aki's bodyguard just stood there.
Damn it! Now, this is alarming. I am just relaxed earlier but I can't do it now.
I am calling Aki but he keeps on rejecting it. He sent me a message instead. "If you are calling to say that you want to go out, It's a NO. I already warned you last night, didn't I? Stay at home and plant with mom. I'll see you later."
Akiiiiiiiii!!!!
"Why did you go back?" Rye asked me laughing. He knows Aki's plan for sure.
"Shut up, Rye."
"If you are bored, you can clean my studio." He suggested.
"Shut up!"
I keep flooding Aki with messages. What if my customers think that I can't accept negative feedback to my cafe.
"Baby, Alex will be with me. There is nothing to be worried about." I sent this to Aki.
"You can never convince me, Gel. NO." He replied.
Should I use my Nikki card?
"Baby, I remembered Nikki might come to the cafe today." This will work, right?
"Then tell him I am not letting you out. That easy. Tell him what you did and what are you still doing." Failed. It didn't work today on Aki.
Damn it!
I just smiled my stress out.
Mommy Reese and daddy Aidan were looking at me, asking me what happened.
"Grounded, mommy. I guess I'll need to make myself busy today. Do you want to do something?"
"Just clean with me."
He suggested.
"Better than to sleep all day."
We started cleaning the whole floor while Aki and his siblings are all in school.
Daddy Aidan is just in the living room, virtual meeting with his business partners.
After two hours of cleaning, mommy Reese surrendered already.
He is now resting on his husband's lap. I wonder how's the feeling of a housewife. Mommy Reese just stays here all the time or if he will leave, his husband always comes with him.
"Hi, baby. You done with lunch already?" I messaged Aki.
"No. Where are you?" He quickly replied.
"Home, of course, baby."
He called me.
"Hi, baby. Are you still mad at me?"
"What do you think, Gel? Come on, stop making things complicated and just send her away. If you want a reason, I don't like her. I have bad feelings toward her. She told you she has a sister, right? Let me tell you this, she has none. She has no parents too."
"You heard this from Jared?"
"And so? I asked him to dig in some information from that girl." Aki said.
"If she has no sister and parents, the more that she needs help. She is alone."
"Fuck! I don't care if she is alone. I don't care about her sad story at all. Don't you get it? She is lying. That bitch good for nothing is lying."
"Baby, what if Jared is wrong?"
"He can never be wrong," Aki said.
Yeah. Never. Because for you, Jared is so perfect who can never be wrong.
"Okay, Aki. Eat well."
I message Jared.
"I hate you, Red."
"What is this again? You drunk?" Jared replied.
"Do you think Aki is still in love with you?" I am being crazy again.
"Fuck, Gel. He was never in love with me. Aki told you that already. He is looking up to me when he was a kid. That time he can't distinguish the difference between love and idolizing. I will be mad at you if you keep being jealous. He is just a little brother to me. That's it. End of the conversation."
I can't believe I am still dragging Jared in our issue when he is just doing his job.
"I am sorry, bro."
"Aki loves you. Trust his words. And avoid the girl in your cafe, Gel." This is his last message.
Why is everyone wanting me to avoid her? Are they seeing something that I cannot see? I only see her potential. I like her drive to learn. Her passion for baking is very the same as mine. Besides, I am really soft for those who have no family. I feel like they deserve more love from the people around them. I grow up with only Nikki and Ezrah and with my brother's friends. I never saw my parents. Nikki has been a good guardian to me. I just pity Elliana.
I don't feel any negative about her. She seems so genuinely kind and loves baking.
Aki's POV
I saw Alex waiting outside the mansion. "Return the car, tell the Elites in the gate, you're dead if you let Nigel out today."
I got in my car and message Jared. "Give me all the details of Nigel's staff in the cafe. Everything. All of them."
He sent me the details just in time when I arrived at MSU. All of the are from Bangkok. However, this Elliana was never a resident of BKK. In contrast with what she said to Nigel, she has no parents and siblings. Why is she making a story up? Now, I am curious. She is in Bangkok for just three months now.
Nigel has no enemy whatsoever. Some people want me gone, but I am not related to this girl.
Maybe, I was just wrong. Maybe, I overreacted.
I know how Nigel loves me so much.
I don't want him to waste his attention on people who don't matter.
"Do you want me to dig more?" Jared asked.
"To that Elliana girl only."
It's been days that Nigel is not opening his cafe. It's his fault. He should have listened to me.
Rye came here yelling at mom as if he is the only one who has a problem here. He pushed me so I punched him.
"Don't you fucking yell at mom. I don't care about your problem with the party boy but leave mom out of this. Riley must have found out that you are an asshole." Try punching me again, I'll break every single bone you have.
"Baby, stop it now." Nigel dragged me into my room. "Don't add to his problem."
"Didn't you see him yelling at mom? As if mom is the one who asked Riley to reject that bastard."
"He is your twin brother. Calm down.
He is hurting too." Nigel tried to caress my back until I fell asleep.
I woke up to realize that Nigel is still brushing my hair.
"What time is it?"
"It's just 1 AM, baby. Nikki asked me to visit them. I didn't tell him yet about what happened. He thought I am just on vacation." Nigel told me.
"Let's go after my class."
"Thank you, baby." Gel kissed the top of my head. "I am sorry about what happened. I just felt bad for her but trust me, I have no bad intentions."
"I know. I am just trying to protect you. We don't know her."
"I understand. I'll quit now. I'll think of another business." Oh, shit. His voice cracked.
"This past few days, I've been so emotional. I don't understand myself." He really cried.
"What happened to you? I thought we are okay now?"
"I can't manage the cafe now. No one can replace me. I need to train another staff again and that would be back to zero. Elliana finally mastered it. Blue doesn't like baking. I can't bake in bulk. It won't taste good. I want all my brownies to be freshly baked daily. This business is hard. I'll ask Ezrah for another business recommendation."
"If you really need Elliana, okay, take her back. One wrong move and I'll kill her with no questions. Will you be okay with that?"
"It's okay, Aki. I can just stay here if you want to."
"And feel bad every day? Tell her she can return."
I need to watch that girl and what is she up to. Maybe Nigel is not her target, maybe it's our family. I will ask someone to follow her.
"Are you sure? Can I open my shop again tomorrow?"
I nodded at him. He planted many kisses on my face.
"Is that how you say thank you?"
"No, I say thank you to my Aki differently." He climbed on top of me.
That is more I like it.
I got up early. Nigel is still comfortably sleeping.
"Baby, breakfast."
"Later. I am sleepy." He yawned.
"I thought you want to open your shop today?"
"I am lazy. I just want to sleep today." I can't blame him. Last night was so tiring.
Breakfast with my family seems so gloomy today.
"Anyway, I ranked one in our department. How about you three?" I asked the triplets. No need to ask for Kiro as he is sure the rank 1 as always.
"Cloud ranked 1." Sky said.
"And you?"
"8th. Peace everyone." She chuckled.
"It's okay, baby." My dad said.
"How about you, Rye?" My mom awkwardly asked him. Maybe he is scared that Rye will yell at him again.
"I have no idea." Rye answered. I want to twist his neck right now. I clearly told him not to talk to mom like that.
I am prepared to go to MSU but Gel is still sleeping. "I need to go. Are you not going to send me outside?"
"Baby, I am sleepy. My head hurts."
Nigel whined.
"Should I stay and take care of you? I am not going to class."
"I'll be okay. Just let me sleep more." He asked.
"Text me, okay? I'll tell mom to check on you from time to time."
It was already lunchtime. I don't see Rye in his room.
I was alone busy messaging Nigel. He is not replying. I called mom and he said Gel is still sleeping. It's already noon.
I went home after my PM class. I excused myself from the next one. Nigel is already in the living room massaging his head.
"I'll bring you to the clinic."
"No need. I am feeling better now. Aaackkk...wait." He ran to the restroom. What just happened?
My mom looked at me, asking me what happened to Gel.
I followed Gel and saw him throwing up.
"Baby, you okay?" I rubbed his back.
"Get out first, please." Nigel asked.
"Baby, rest insi..."
"I said get out." He yelled. Okay, I stepped back. I think this is the first time he shouted at me angrily.
My mom pulled me away. "What did you do to Gel?"
"I didn't do anything."
Nigel came out of the restroom, wiping his mouth.
"I am sorry I yelled. I am quite annoyed. I shouldn't have done that. I am going to sleep again."
He entered our room.
Is he that mad at me? The Nigel I know would never yell to anyone.
I received a message from Jared. "Boss, Elliana stayed in US for almost 20 years. And her real name is...Ara."