Burning Heart

Chapter 4: An appointment at the bar

"Ummm I didn't mean that haha the air outside is unusually good, might as well just enjoy it a bit haha." There was silence around with nobody finding anything funny with what she said.

The silence went on for minutes with Bianca waiting for Alexander to say something to her but he kept mute and just stared at the sky completely ignoring her, her face flushed in embarrassment.

"Hey Alex, I brought you something delicious to eat!" Bianca perked up trying to still sound cheerful.

"I made these spicy rice cakes for you." Thrusting the nylon bag in her hand that she had been clutching the whole while forward it looked very embarrassing as the person she was showing it to didn't even spare her a glance.

"A lady of your status shouldn't be seen offering food to a man at odd hours. Goodnight." With that, the sliding door was shut in her face with Ethan stiffing a chuckle behind her.

"Alexander must be feeling under the weather today umm just keep this for him you can heat it for his breakfast tomorrow." With that she walked briskly out of the mansion garden without sparing Ethan a glance, she was so embarrassed that she let out curse words at Alexander but of course in her mind.

"Haha, that was fun." Ethan looked down to glance at the fancy nylon bag Binaca had tossed into his hand before shaking his head and making his way to the entrance stairs and pushing the entrance door open.

He wasn't surprised to see Alexander leaning on the railing gracefully as always in all black giving him an enchanting look without even trying to look good, his hair was sleek and in place despite him just getting out of bed.

"Explanation Ethan" Alexander croaked out in his valet voice as he dangled the glass cup he was sipping from between his fingers, his eyes dropping low to rest on the nylon bag in Ethan's hand.

"Well, I could have stopped her from getting in but after the last time you ordered us not to handle her roughly and you know Bianca she is always in over her head." Ethan shrugged his shoulders as he raised the nylon in his hand.

" She also said I should make this your breakfast." Ethan grinned, making Alexander's eyes tick in annoyance.

They had a good relationship and Ethan was more than just a butler to him when needed.

" Trash that." With those two words, Alexander made his way up the grand staircase that glimmered in the night. One would notice that black seemed to be the most prominent color in the house giving it a mysterious look.

"Why are you always cold to the miss, it's clear she likes you and she even came out in the cold night to bring you food," Ethan called out to the retreating back of Alexander as he chuckled but got no reply.

That was Alexander, always cold and distancing to people around him. Bianca had been after him for years now and nothing seemed to be improving.

Alexander had everything from power to money to looks but he lacked the most basic of things: warmth, and family. He never let anyone close to him the only exception was his close friend Ethan who also acted as his butler specifically to fool Bianca.

***********

Very early that morning Sofia was woken up by a pounding sound on her door, with sleepy eyes she moved forward to check who was at the door.

"Sofia!" She heard her mother's sharp voice of disapproval call out to her and she hurriedly got to the door and let her in while wincing in pain as she moved.

"You sleep like the dead" Sofia winced a bit at the smack her mother just delivered to her head before she walked in followed closely by her younger sister whose appearance just gave her an ache in her chest.

In a practical sense, she worked for her younger sister. The small purse she had in her hand looked very expensive though she didn't know anything about identifying a brand. Everything about her screamed money but she…she was just plain.

"I have brought Garcia with me to get you ready for your interview in the bar, Betty had asked for you to show up by 10:00 am it's almost 9:30 now." Her mother gushed out as she pulled the still-standing Sofia roughly by her hand and dragged her to the shower.

Just like a doll she was tossed and turned around before being fitted in a tight spaghetti strap dress that showed too much skin for her linking.

Sofia would admit even she looked surprised when she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her curly black hair was packed in a ponytail with some let loose and came down to frame her face.

The fitting yet simple cotton black gown that adorned her body felt a little too much to her as it hugged her frame a bit too much making her feel vulnerable.

"Can't I wear my own dress at least?" Sofia questioned as she looked down at her outfit once more.

"So you can go there looking like an old wrench?" Sofia's mother brushed it off as she put the last pin on her head.

Funny enough she could not even remember her mother braiding her hair or dressing her up, it had always been Nana, but she was dead now and Sofia missed her every single day, she had been like a mother to her.

"Now get in your shoes!" Sofia was ordered yet again and her chest burned in anger.

She was tired of putting up with all these demands from her mother, maybe it was the guilt she carried in her heart for what happened to their father, and if she was ever to deny her mother anything she would not hear the last of it.

"Now when you get there just ask for Betty and she will come get you. Be good, you must get the job." Her mother rambled on about what she had to do and not do while Garcia sat to the side, her eyes glued to her phone like she couldn't care less about what was going on.