Unavoidable
1965 Words
Three days had passed since the fierce argument between Annie and Jadynn shook the opulent mansion.
The tension lingered in the air, even though there were no more screams or objects being thrown around.
Lumina stood in front of the guest room window, gazing at the empty yard. Her hand held a phone, staring at the bank transfer she had just received, an amount far exceeding her salary for several months.
“This is insane. She didn't even ask me if I agreed to it or not,” she whispered to herself.
Annie's message was terse.
'Stay at the mansion for a while. Take care of Nigel. I've transferred your salary, and it's many times your usual pay. Don't ask questions, just accept it.'
No explanation. No deadline. Just a self-centered directive, and then Annie disappeared just like that.
Lumina sighed. She had a life of her own, college courses to complete, a thesis looming. But the sum was too substantial to refuse.
“What will happen if I stay here too long? Oh God … I never wanted this.”
Lumina took a deep breath, her eyes looking wistfully out the window. She just wanted a peaceful life and not to be trapped in that family drama rife with intrigue.
Nigel never questioned where his mother was, and it seemed to have become a habit because Annie often left him without any explanation.
Even worse, Nigel always saw Annie bringing her affairs to the mansion. But Nigel thought they were Annie's friends.
"Will mommy come back?" Nigel inquired one morning, as Lumina helped him put on his shoes.
Lumina paused for a moment. "She will come back."
“I hope she doesn't come back so Miss Lumi will always be here.”
“Nigel, you shouldn't talk like that. You're one of the fortunate ones because you have a complete family and a mother.” Lumina stroked Nigel's hair.
“I prefer being with you.” Nigel stood up and hugged Lumina. Their bond grew stronger every day, and Lumina clearly couldn't bear to leave Nigel in such a chaotic family situation.
“Never leave me, Miss Lumi,” he whispered.
“I will never leave you, Nigel. I love you very much. You're like a little brother to me.”
Nigel looked up. “Then I'll call you Sister Lumi. Is that okay?”
Lumina smiled and nodded. “Of course, it's okay. Come on, let's go to school.”
Lumina hoped Annie would return soon and rebuild her bond with Nigel.
But would Annie really come back?
The morning sun bathed the mansion's veranda as Lumina guided Nigel down the marble stairs.
The five-year-old boy was neatly dressed, a small bag hanging on his shoulder, his face radiant with joy.
But then, the sound of a smooth engine shattered the morning silence. A luxurious black car, a Rolls Royce Phantom, stopped right in front of the stairs.
The automatic window slowly rolled down, revealing Jadynn with his sunglasses, making him look even more handsome and suave.
"Daddy!" Nigel exclaimed joyfully, immediately dashing towards the car.
Lumina bit her lower lip. ‘I'm not ready for this,’ she thought to herself.
Jadynn didn't smile, but he patted Nigel's head before looking at Lumina. "I'll take Nigel to school today. And I'll take you to campus as well."
His voice was flat, but there was an underlying tone, a command that couldn't be refused.
Lumina wanted to refuse, but Nigel had already opened the car door, waving eagerly. "Sis Lumi, come on, get in!"
She had no choice.
The car's interior smelled of new leather and mahogany wood. Nigel sat in the back seat, chattering about his plans to play soccer at school.
Jadynn was driving himself, not like usual when he always had a driver.
Lumina sat beside him, her hand tightly clutching her bag.
"You don't need to feel awkward," Jadynn suddenly said, his voice low. "I just wanted to drive because the driver is sick today."
Lumina nodded stiffly, remaining silent.
Jadynn focused on driving, and then Lumina turned to him. "Did Annie tell you when she's coming back?"
"No," he replied flatly and coldly.
There was something in his tone, suppressed anger, or perhaps... sorrow?
Lumina stayed silent for the rest of the journey.
After dropping Nigel off at school, with a warm hug from Lumina and a promise to pick him up later, the car drove off again.
But five minutes later, the car turned onto the wrong road, not towards Lumina's campus.
"This isn't the way to campus," Lumina protested.
Jadynn gave no response. The car stopped in front of a skyscraper. "This is my company. I need your help today. My assistant didn't come in, so I need a temporary replacement assistant."
"But I have to..."
"I'll pay you more," Jadynn interrupted.
"Why do rich people always use their money to impose their will?" Lumina retorted with boldness.
"Because money is everything. You won't refuse either, will you?"
Lumina simply remained silent and resigned.
That morning, Lumina found herself standing in front of Jadynn's desk, a stack of documents in hand.
His personal assistant, Jerry, suddenly had a family matter because his father was sick. Jadynn asked her, without much choice, to fill in that position for the day.
'It's just one day. I can handle it,' she thought, opening the door.
"You can start and ask me about anything you don't understand," Jadynn's voice sounded serious.
Lumina nodded and saw the man focused on the laptop screen, his fingers dancing quickly over the keyboard.
Without lifting his gaze, he handed her an empty coffee cup.
"Please make me a new coffee. Black, no sugar."
Lumina sighed, taking the cup. "Isn't this the office boy's job?"
"I don't like the office boy coming into my office."
"Alright," Lumina replied and turned to leave.
Jadynn was a perfectionist boss, but not without reason. His critiques were sharp but constructive.
When Lumina made a mistake with the meeting schedule that day, instead of getting angry, he just sighed and corrected it himself while explaining his priority system.
"The meeting with the Japanese investors is more important than the lunch meeting with the bank director," he said, pointing to the digital calendar. "They flew in from Tokyo just for today."
Lumina nodded, bracing herself. In between, she noticed how Jadynn always remembered all the staff's names and declined three important calls just to ensure the company's contract was in order.
This wasn't the indifferent and selfish man Lumina had always thought he was.
At lunchtime, Lumina returned to her desk with a salad box, and was surprised to find an identical one already waiting there.
"From Mr. Jadynn," said the office boy with a smile. "He said you didn't have breakfast this morning."
Lumina opened the box, quinoa salad with grilled chicken, just her favorite.
'How did he know I didn't have breakfast? Maybe the maid told him,' she thought.
When she glanced towards Jadynn's glass office, the man was busy arguing on the phone, not looking her way at all.
The man was so handsome and very charismatic. Unconsciously, Lumina looked at his lips. Her heart raced as she remembered Jadynn kissing her that night.
Lumina quickly shook her head, pushing the memory far away.
Towards the evening, Jadynn appeared at Lumina's desk with car keys in hand.
"I'm going to pick up Nigel," he said briefly, and Lumina nodded politely.
Now, Jadynn and Lumina were in the elevator heading to the lobby floor.
Lumina tried to ignore how close they were in this confined space. Jadynn's cologne, oud wood with a hint of vanilla, suddenly filled her senses.
"Your work was very impressive today," Jadynn said suddenly.
"Thank you. It was a very valuable experience for me," Lumina replied sincerely.
After picking up Nigel, the atmosphere was more relaxed than it had been in the morning. Jadynn even played Nigel's favorite Disney song, which was clearly not to his taste.
"Did the meeting with the Japanese investors go well?" Lumina asked, trying to start a conversation.
Jadynn nodded without much expression. "They signed a 5-year contract."
"Congratulations."
"Thank you for your help today." The words seemed difficult for him to say. "You ... are more competent than I thought."
Lumina bit her lip, feeling a bit awkward at the compliment, then she looked out the window.
The night breeze gently rustled through the corridor window curtains as she had just softly closed Nigel's bedroom door.
Nigel finally fell asleep after being read three bedtime stories.
"Finally, I can rest," she whispered, rubbing the fatigue from her temples.
However, as she headed to her room, a tall figure stood near the bedroom door, the shadow almost made her heart stop.
"J-Jadynn?" her voice caught.
The man turned, his face illuminated by the dim corridor light. "Sorry if I startled you."
Lumina held her breath. “What are you doing here? We ... shouldn't be here together," she whispered, trying to keep her voice steady.
Jadynn lifted a thick book. "I just wanted to give you this."
Lumina recognized the book cover, The Art of Corporate Strategy, a rare edition she had been searching for as a reference for her college assignment.
"You have this book?”
Jadynn nodded slightly. He stepped closer, handing over the book. But when their fingers accidentally touched, there was a warmth that made Lumina catch her breath.
"My library has a complete collection on this," Jadynn said, his voice lower than usual. "If you want ... I can show you."
Lumina should have refused. But her curiosity overpowered her logic.
"Alright," she finally replied.
Jadynn's private library was far more magnificent than Lumina had imagined, black wooden shelves reaching the ceiling filled with rare books, plush leather sofas, and an antique reading table with a Tiffany lamp.
And ... the library was always locked because Jadynn didn't want anyone disturbing the arrangement of his books.
"A family collection for three generations," Jadynn explained while pouring two glasses of red wine on the large table near the window.
They began talking, initially about business, then shifting to philosophy, art, and even global politics.
Lumina wasn't surprised to learn that Jadynn was a good listener and a sharp thinker, as Jadynn indeed seemed very intelligent and serious.
"You're just as I expected," she admitted without realizing it.
Jadynn only looked at her, his eyes glimmering in the lamp's glow.
An hour slipped by unnoticed. When Lumina stood to leave, Jadynn's hand gently caught her wrist.
"Don't go," he murmured, his voice hoarse.
Their eyes locked, Lumina saw an ocean of loneliness in them, while Jadynn found the light he had been searching for.
"Jadynn, we shouldn't get too close," Lumina said hesitantly.
"I... need you. Don't go."
They continued to gaze at each other, trying to read each other's thoughts. Jadynn then stood and gently caressed Lumina's cheek.
"Don't..." Lumina held Jadynn's hand.
Jadynn took Lumina's hand and kissed it softly. Lumina seemed to melt with that gentle kiss.
"Jadynn... please... don't involve me in..."
Then Jadynn interrupted Lumina's words with a soft kiss. So soft, that it made Lumina not want to push Jadynn away like before.
The kiss felt so natural.
What began as a gentle kiss quickly turned intense as Jadynn pulled Lumina closer.
Lumina did not resist; she matched his intensity, her fingers entwined in Jadynn's thick black hair.
Jadynn's kiss held pain, longing, and a long-buried need, and Lumina could feel it.
Lumina knew the kiss shouldn't have happened, but she could no longer deny what her heart fully desired.
Lumina wanted to kiss Jadynn, embrace his longing, cradle his pain, and erase the hurt he had carried for so long.
- Writer
