chapter 7
1221 Words
,,Miss Adeline?" Noah asked tenderly.
"Yes, yes, of course... I'm already doing it, sir."
Ada quickly put down the mop and then walked over to the counter.
She looked around for a moment, then Mrs. Tanya approached her.
"Here, kid, here's the coffee." She said, pointing to the cabinet next to her.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Vanderlyn, I haven't had a chance to show her everything yet." She said turning towards Noah.
,,It doesn't matter. I'll wait as long as it takes." He laughed as he sat down at the table.
Adeline's hands involuntarily shook as she took the cup. So many things could have gone wrong!
"Calm down, pour in 3 tablespoons, pour in water, add a little sugar... Mr. Noah doesn't drink coffee with milk, remember." The oldest housewife whispered to her.
"Thank you very much, ma'am" She whispered in response, smiling.
"Well, actually, today I'm more in the mood for espresso than ground coffee." He said, looking at his watch.
"Oh... Mr. Vanderlyn, you never drink from the espresso machine." Another cleaner intervened.
,,Sit quietly." He answered her coldly. She changed from a forced smile to an icy expression, staring at Adeline.
,,Okay, I'll show you." Mrs. Dobbins turned on the coffee machine in front of her.
...
Half a day flew by. Adeline cleaned, made drinks, tidied up, took care of the dog, cleaned, and helped one of the children with homework. His name was Anthony, he was 7 years old. He had just started school and was having a little trouble with it. From what she understood, he was the son of Victoria, Mr. Alaric's wife. He was an illegitimate child.
Normally, married children have top-notch tutors, but these don't... they manage on their own. If their parent requests it, the housekeeper can help.
Adeline found herself in just such a situation. While tidying up the beds, a woman approached her. She introduced herself as Victoria Vanderlyn. She asked her for help with her son's homework. He was a bit more dim than other kids his age. He couldn't handle math at all.
Mrs. Vanderlyn looked at Adeline for a long time. As she left, she told her that she reminded her of someone and that she was cute.
She felt happy because she felt it was a sincere compliment. Mrs. Victoria was very nice.
Her son, unfortunately, is less so. Anthony is a very energetic and explosive child. He couldn't sit still, and when she told him to focus on the task, he threw his notebook at her and said that his grandfather would do to her the same thing he did to the previous stupid women.
He scared her a little, this kid.
It was almost 12 noon when Noah left his office. He walked towards Adeline, looking at her carefully.
,,How are you feeling, better than yesterday?
He asked, grabbing her chin so that she looked into his eyes.
She felt very awkward.
"Yes, thank you for asking, sir."
"Don't be silly, Adeline. Call me by my name."
He said without losing eye contact with her.
,,Noah, I'm at work." She took one step away from him.
,,"You're at my work." He corrected her, laughing.
"I make the rules here, baby"
Addie flinched at these words.
"Okay, okay, now I have to get back to..."
Noah grabbed her chin a little tighter now.
"You're not telling me something, are you?"
He asked her, watching her reaction.
"I don't know what you're talking about..."
Adeline immediately broke out in a cold sweat. You could see the terror in her eyes.
Noah left without a word, wondering if his the chosen one was actually dating someone. When he thought about it, Adeline was distant but not unapproachable.
Meanwhile, Ada ran to the bathroom to calm her breathing. Noah suspected something, or already knew. Maybe she shouldn't lie to him openly? But what was she supposed to tell him now... she had to wait until she spoke with her future husband. She was hope it isn't ugly and old.
...
Noah he entered the office, slamming the door.
,,Who?" He asked his assistant coldly.
"Mr. V.. Vanderlyn... if I checked correctly, Miss Evans is engaged to.. to Theodore Prescott." Mr. Ash trembled at the sight of his master's furious eyes.
"Are you... sure?" He asked, lowering his voice significantly.
"Yeah... I guess so." He said, avoiding eye contact.
"However, they are to be married by contract."
Noah pounded the table and then sat in silence, thinking.
,,From the contract? I could offer her money too... what makes him better than me?" He spoke, rubbing his face with his hands.
,,Mr. Theodore announced a competition some time ago to find his wife, thousands of candidates applied... including Mrs. Adeline, and well... he chose her." Mr. Ash replied.
"So it's really just about the money, isn't it? So how much would I have to offer her to dump him for me?" Noah smiled bitterly. If Adeline chose him, Theo would become the laughingstock of the town.
...
Adeline was finishing her shift. She carefully arranged her maid uniform, making sure it was wrinkle-free. She only had a few hours left until her first meeting with her future husband..
She was about to leave when a strong male hand grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him.
,,Noah, what are you doing?!" She squealed in surprise.
"Where are you going in such a hurry, huh? To Theo?" He asked with obvious annoyance.
"What? Who is Theo?" She asked, confused.
"You don't even know who you're marrying?" He laughed ironically.
It was true that Ada had not previously verified her fiancé's name.
"Um..." She looked at him awkwardly, still in his arms.
"Listen, Adeline... I'm just worried about you. Theodore is a ruthless tyrant, he's not looking for love, just a companion. He needs a wife for his image, but in private he will do whatever he wants with you. You are nothing more than a toy to him." Noah spoke calmly, trying to convince her not to go.
"I know we've only known each other for a short time... but I want to protect you. You're safe with me."
Adeline didn't know what to answer. She thought Noah was a nice and decent man. Ivy's reaction, however, did not indicate that Ada would suffer with Mr. Prescott. But shouldn't another billionaire, a man of her class, know more about this than her friend?The secrets of the upper class are unknown to the lower classes. Noah looked into her eyes with obvious concern.
She gently moved out of his arms.
"Thanks for the warning, Noah, but I think I should go. Even if I have to cancel, I have to do it respectfully.Finally, my application was in the system, so I asked for it.." She replied, having in mind that it was not she who had actually entered the competition. Ivy did it behind her back.
,,Adeline, I understand you needed the money. It's not easy being a young homeless woman." He wrapped his arms around her waist again.
"But I can also provide you with a decent life."
She listened to this in silence. She hadn't known Noah long enough to simply believe everything he said. And trust him.
,,How can I be sure?" She asked, looking into his eyes.
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