CHAPTER 4
2117 Words
(The Perfect Guy Whom I Like)
HER GRANDFATHER'S FURIOUS VOICE raged at the hall as they entered the mansion. She felt her knees trembling, even though she should not. She did nothing wrong. The feeling of being afraid was normal because she was only an eleven-year-old child.
"I told you to watch over her. Tell me, how come she arrived home with a cut on her lips?!"
The old man hurried down the stairs, raising his palm in front of Justin, their butler's son. She knew that her grandpa is about to slapped him. Immediately, she stepped between the two adults, thinking that what she did could stop her grandpa. And she just did.
She can see how the old man's jaw tightened and his palm turned to fist, lowering it down.
"What are you doing, Brianna?! Step aside," he commanded her.
She didn't listen to him. She even turned around, looking up, to face Justin. She could not see his face with the slightest fear. It was as if he already knew he would be punished.
"Honestly, he saved me. A cut on my lips is just okay. It stings, but still okay. I would have gotten worse if he hadn't come. He shouldn't get punished or slapped for that, but I think a 'thank you' would be enough for what he did back there."
Justin looked into her eyes. He's glad at she stated.
The old man behind her sighed deeply, expressing his lost on what she said. He told Justin to follow him to the library. The situation already calmed down so she let them talk privately.
For how many minutes, she went back and forth in front of the library door. When she finally saw it opened and Justin came out, she immediately approaches him.
"What did the old man said?" she asked and followed him walking.
"Nothing, young miss."
"Weren't you scolded? Or did he still slapped you?"
He stopped walking and bent down so thier eyes could meet. He smiled genuinely.
She had been living with the twenty-year-old young man in the mansion for several years but only now did she see him smiles.
What else did she not know about this guy? Aside from being so perfect.
"I'm fine, young miss."
"Brianna," she whispered. It's been a few years but he still calls her "Young miss". She wanted to see how he would say her name.
His forehead frowned.
"Call me by my name. Brianna."
"But young miss," refusing, he said. He obviously didn't want to do what she asked.
"I saved you earlier from the old man's slap. You work for us, don't you? I command you to call me by my name."
"Brianna," he called her name while smiling and patted her head twice.
"WHO ARE YOU?!"
She automatically raised her hands, when she felt the gun on the back of her head. Her feet had just landed on the ground, covered in a high-maintained grass. She just climbed the lofty black fence of the mansion.
She turned around slowly.
"Miss Brianna?!" the man called her name, obviously shocked. He was one of the house's staff, a member of the family and one of the men of her grandpa.
"Shh!" Brianna signaled, pointing her finger on her lips.
The man lowered the gun and bowed to apologize.
"I'm sorry, Miss. I didn't know it was you."
"It's okay. Just don't let the old man know what I'm doing."
"But--"
She once again signaled him to keep it down before silently entering the enormous house. Now, she looks like a thief in her own home.
Almost all the lights are off, leaving the few wall lamps dimly shining the hall.
She also went home a few times like this for quite some time now, so she already knew what she had to do.
She tried living outside the mansion, having her own life and freedom, but was immediately found and forcibly sent home. So now, she secretly go out whenever she goes to work.
The house has a classic design with its very own fountain, guarded by a mythical god and goddess. The design of the fence, garden and exterior of the house is already luxuriously screaming. In fact, the outside was even simpler than the interior of the mansion she had lived in for several years. Original paintings made by famous artists were hanged on almost every wall. Even the gigantic vases stiffly standing in the bottommost part of the grand staircase came from a dynasty in china that she didn’t know. They were even bigger compared to her.
She didn't even bother to turn on the lights when she entered the house. She had memorized every corner and part of it.
She was about to step on the first staircase when she felt something coming towards her. She can hear pages flapping, allowing her to know that it is a book. She managed to move before it even hit her. It hit the wall before sliding down on the floor. Based on the sound of it, the cover is pretty a hard-bound.
"Are you really going to work?!"
The lights turned on, making the chandeliers shine like diamonds. She immediately saw the old man in a black robe while holding a cane next to a sofa.
He looks weak because he is already old that some white fibers in the hair are obvious now, but his words are still powerful. His every utterance is obeyed by all men under the clan, the mafia family he holds. His grandfather Don Rafael Imperial was the head of the Imperial mafia.
She was also scared at first because she witnessed his cruelty, but upon seeing how he really care for her, she learned how to accept him. She even learned how to pissed him off.
"You're an Imperial. What's the use of having so much money? You'll inherit all of that. Even all my properties. You don't have to work," he began lecturing.
He took a deep breath and sat down the nearest chair.
"I thought, you want money?" he reminded her.
"Yes, but I don't want any of your money if its my freedom you want to take away."
"You're just going to get married. It is only for business. We can have more power if we can have them in our family. They will no longer be our enemies. They're offering us peace with your marriage with their son."
"I'm sorry, old man. I don't want to. If you're scaring me because I dropped out of school, I'm sorry. I'm not going back. I hate school."
"What did you just call me?"
She can feel his tone starting to get irritated.
"Old man. Because you're really old." She smiled when he saw his forehead curled.
He suddenly grabbed the empty glass on the coffee table and threw it at her again, like what he did on the book.
She could clearly see now the glass, making her to reach for it like a pro catcher of baseball.
"Don't get mad. That'll make you even older," she said, juggling the glass on her hand.
A man in his late twenties came walking in a very light footsteps, looking so noble and gentle. Their butler butt in without showing any emotions on the face.
His father was the former butler of the family but he passed away when he was still in college, making him took over his father's job at a young age. The family decided to let him continue his studies because of the advance capability of his brain. Being a butler is not that difficult for him, that he can still practice his degree while working for them. Actually, it is beneficial to the family.
He immediately approached his grandfather, giving him a glass of water and medicine to calm him down.
She straightened her back, putting the few strands of her hair behind her ears. "Hi, Justin," she sweetly greeted him.
"Young miss," he called her.
His every move is very composing, like his clean haircut brushed in a firm direction. The clothes that he wore every day are perfectly ironed in a straight line.
He's very perfect in everything, like a prince charming, making her curious about his floss or weakness.
One of the reasons that she doesn’t look at other guy is because of this man. She liked him for years now, ever since she developed a childhood crush on him. She knows that their age are apart, almost ten years, but what can she do if she thinks so highly of the man even though he works for them.
"I raised you well. I took care of you. And all you did is to give me headaches."
Her attention went back to her irritated grandfather.
"Calm down, Don. Breathe deeply," Justin said as he gently stroked his back.
"What about the man who tried to hold you up?"
Her smile dropped at what Justin asked. He really meant to let her grandfather hear that.
She doesn’t know how but he knows everything that is happening to her. It has always been that way. So she wasn't surprised that he already knew what had just happened to her a while ago.
She shook her her, signaling him to shut it.
"What?! Hold up? Who the hell did that to you?! I'll kill him!" The old man spoke in anger.
"I thought I was the one you wanted to kill earlier?" she muttered, moving her lips on the side.
"It's different when it's you we are talking about," the old man stated.
A soft curve on her lips was drawn. She ran to the old man and hugged him tightly.
"Aww. Don't worry. He was the one who lost his money, not me. Aren't I the best thief you know?" she boasted.
He released a deep sigh. "Who else will watch over you? Of course, I'm on your side even if you give me headaches," he said and stroked her head.
"So, are you thinking of not marrying me to someone anymore?" she asked smiling.
His hand stopped and gave her forehead a sharp flick. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him.
"The agreement is still on. And you're meeting your fiancé tomorrow night."
"Seriously?" Her eyebrows curled.
"Yes. The Ayasaki family will be here tomorrow for a dinner. Their son just arrived here in the Philippines."
"Ayasaki? Grandpa?!" She suddenly stood and stamp her foot on the floor, exclaiming her disapproval.
She was about to speak for her side when Justin suddenly pulled her by the hand without even saying anything. They went to her room which he opened.
"What was that?" he asked.
She couldn’t even read if he was angry or what.
"What? I just wanted to say that I don't want to get married," she said, controlling her voice not to show any roughness.
"Why do you have to act like that? He only cares for you. Your grandfather is old. He needs to be sure you're in good hands. He needs to be sure you're okay," said Justin.
"I am okay."
"Just do what your grandfather told you. We just have to bring the two families together."
"Marriage? It's like I'm selling my freedom. And I can't because--"
Her breathing was heavy and deep when she stopped to what she is about to say.
Because I like you.
She wanted to say that. She wanted that confession to come out of her lips but her tongue retreated.
“Because I like someone else,” she mumbled.
He stared at her for a few seconds.
"Don't. You're not allowed to like someone else. As an Imperial, acting like one is your responsibility."
Her head bowed down to what he said.
"You should rest. Tomorrow night, you'll get to know the family your grandfather chose."
He turned around and went ou her door.
"Hey, Justin?" she calls him.
The man turned around.
"Can I have his contact at least? The one my grandpa had chosen."
He smiled and took a step towards her. She rarely see him smiles. For her, it was an honor to see such an expression of him.
"Don't stay up too late. Goodnight, young miss." He patted the top of her hair.
"Brianna," she reminded him to call her by her name.
"Brianna."
Ah! Her name seemed to be a name of a princess whenever he pronounces it.
When she could no longer see the guy, her phone beeped inside the bag she was wearing. That's where she came to her senses.
A sweet smile curved on her lips when she saw the message coming from Justin.
- Writer
