Icing on the Cake

THREE

Jaden looked at the rear-view mirror for the umpteenth time and couldn’t control himself anymore as the sight of Dave planting kisses on Sylvia’s cheeks and neck angered him. He suddenly parked the car by the road side, startling Dave.

“What is it?” Dave asked Jaden who was already rounding the car.

Before Dave could protest, Jaden had opened the car door and was already dragging Dave out.

“Hey! What is it? What’s wrong with you?” Dave complained as he was pushed out of the car.

“You know what? You’re just nothing but a worthless and senseless scum,” Jaden retorted trying to rein in his anger. “You know you don’t love her but yet you play her heart just because she loves you!”

Dave was speechless for a while. He hadn’t expected this but yet he retorted back. “And just who do you think you are? Some kind of super hero or a knight in shining armour who comes to her rescue,” he screamed. “For your information, she cannot leave me.”

“And what if she does?” Jaden snorted, his eyes narrowed and a sneer playing at his lips. His weight rested on his right hip. “What if she is not in love with you?”

Dave kept quiet a little. “You and I know that she is.”

“Well, I don’t.”

“Oh, stop playing dumb with me! She’s head over heels for me and when I’m through with other women, I could be faithful to her. Besides, she should know I hate commitments,” he said.

Jaden had to bite his tongue and tap his foot several times so he could not do something he might regret. If he hated commitments as he claimed, why then did he go ahead and get engaged with her? Wait a minute. Was she really engaged with this guy? He snorted silently. She was really naïve and more gullible than he thought.

Jaden c****d his head to a defiant angle. “So then, she’s going to stop loving you, because come to think of it, I haven’t heard anyone at her house mention your name, neither have I seen any of your pictures.” He guessed Dave didn’t visit regularly so he couldn’t have known that this was the first day of his work. “But even if she loves you secretly, she’s going to stop it,” Jaden added and started walking to the other side of the car to drive off.

“And who’s going make her do that? She’s strong-willed you know.”

“Oh, so you also know her personality?” Jaden said and nodded. “That’s nice to hear.”

“I asked a question.”

Jaden stopped by the other side of the car. “I’m going to make her do that.”

“And what do you think you are? Her driver or what?”

That got Jaden enraged and he went to Dave and gave him a mind-reeling punch in the face which sent Dave to the floor.

“You have no idea who I am, you...” Jaden stopped midway, not wanting to utter any foul word. He cursed under his breath and said, “I just wonder which dumpsite Sylvia picked you from.”

Jaden eyed him angrily and was about to walk out when Dave held on to Jaden’s right leg.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Jaden asked, trying to remove his leg from Dave’s grip.

“Please,” Dave muttered shakily, blood seeping in small drops out of his mouth. “Please... don’t tell Sylvia about this... please don’t,” he pleaded.

Kicking his leg out of Dave’s grip, Jaden replied, “You talk too much.”

With that, he crossed to the other side of the car, got in and drove off, leaving Dave on the floor by the road side.

Jaden got home in no time and carried Sylvia upstairs as she was asleep. He got to her room, entered, and laid her on her bed. Then, he used the blanket to cover her before switching off the lights and going out.

THE SUN ROSE gently the next morning, slowly brightening everywhere with its sun rays gleaming gently against the windows. The sun rays filtered into Sylvia's room. She tossed and turned until she finally woke up. She stretched and yawned lazily and then got off the bed.

She was still wearing her top and jeans so she said a short prayer and washed her mouth before going downstairs. She wanted to know what had happened the previous night because she couldn't remember anything after she drank, apart from the fact that she was dragged out of the bar by Jaden and was dozing off and on in the car.

She got to the kitchen and greeted all the workers who responded cheerfully.

"Um... has anyone by any means seen Jaden?" Sylvia asked looking from one housekeeper to another as they were all looking at her as if she'd spoken Greek.

"Uh... Jaden Ludascott," Sylvia explained further. "He's the new driver... and my personal bodyguard," she added in a voice close to a whisper.

"Oh! Is he the one you're referring to?" Ms. Humphrey - the woman who had shown Jaden round the house the previous day - spoke up.

She beamed. "He's a very nice young man. But I haven't seen him this morning. Seems like he's still asleep," Ms. Humphrey said and then, seeing the little frown on Sylvia's face, she added, "Uh... you know, after being out past midnight with you, I'm sure he was very tired and might still be asleep."

"Yes, and he even took you to your room last night. Oh! How sweet! He's a really fine young man, Miss," a young lady, Miss Mary chipped in, smiling sheepishly.

Sylvia's mouth opened slightly in shock before shouting, "What!"

"Um... Miss, he didn't really mean any harm. You were drunk so I'm sure he didn't have any other option than to take you to your room," another woman, Ms. Jane said.

"Uh? Oh! Yes," a still surprised Sylvia stuttered. "I was just... surprised. I just didn't remember I was that drunk. Thank you," Sylvia said, excusing herself.

As she left the kitchen, she pondered on what she had just been told, questioning herself why on earth Jaden would do that kind of thing. 'But yet, she shouldn't be fooled by his nice act,' she cautioned herself. He could still be a no-good snake-under-the-green-grass kind of person.

Gathering her wits, she walked into the living room looking for Jaden as she was sure he would not be so foolish to still be asleep at that hour. As she entered the sitting room, the front door opened to reveal Jaden. He stopped at the door and she also froze in her tracks. He was wearing a blue-streaked pyjamas and a pair of flip-flops. She swallowed silently. Why was he so handsome this morning? She blinked. Maybe, the sun was playing a trick on her. She took in a deep breath before walking up to him. Folding her arms across her chest, she gave him a leveled gaze which, she supposed brought a smile to Jaden's lips.

Taken aback, she asked, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing is, just a bright morning smile to cheer you up - that's if you need it. But before going into that, why would Miss Sylvia be looking for me so early in the morning?"

"So early in the morning?" she repeated sarcastically, blinking. "Is ten in the morning so early? Just hear yourself speak Mr. Ludascott. When I thought at least you had something for brains." She snorted, turning her lips upward. "Sorry, I didn't realize you were a dummy," she added, leaning her head towards him as she said the last sentence.

Jaden nodded, still smiling and said, "Duly noted. I now know when it is early and when it's so early. So, why were you looking for me?"

She scowled at him. She wanted to try and frustrate him so he would quit. "How did you know I was looking for you?"

"Why are you asking? Is it because a dummy like me wouldn't know when his boss needs him? Anyway, just go to the point, why am I needed?" Jaden asked; his voice not as friendly as it was a while ago. He was suddenly angry - forgetting his entire worker's etiquette - that Sylvia was being bossy when she was supposed to be kissing his feet and thanking him for all he'd done the previous night.

Sylvia tightened her lips. This young man had a stinging mouth too, huh? Well, anyway she was prepared anyhow it came.

"Is that how to talk to your boss?"

"Ah!" Jaden exclaimed and hit his head gently. "Sorry. I forgot." There was a tinge of sarcasm in his voice.

"Do you really have any experience or is this how you behaved to all your bosses?"

"I said sorry."

Sylvia exhaled exasperatedly. "What happened last night? Why was Dave not here when I woke up this morning?"

Jaden gave a short sarcastic laugh, turning his head away before looking back at her as if with pity. "Was that what he always did? Waiting at your house and seeing you in the morning before going?" He snorted loudly. "How pathetic!" Jaden said.

"Hey! How dare you talk to me like that? You clueless rascal," she said as she raised her hands to hit him.

Her hands were stopped midway though as Jaden caught her hand with his, and they stood there, staring at each other for more than five seconds.

Jaden didn't really know what he was doing. In spite of Sylvia's character, it seemed like he was starting to care about her than normal. 'No! That couldn't be it,' Jaden thought as he stared at her beautiful face. Just why did he have to come as her driver? How? He could have come in a more respectable way if only he'd known how beautiful and daring Sylvia would be. But since it was this way, then he could just be behaving like this because Wayne had entrusted Sylvia in his care. He nodded inwardly. Yes, that had to be the reason, he thought.

Then, he gently dropped her hand and kept his by his side.

"You should take more care of your hands, it could cause more trouble than it was meant to," he said and touched his face. "This face is not meant to be rough-handled. It has been taken care of for many years and might not bear any disaster you can cause with that hand."

Sylvia had started to nod her head before she regained herself and glared at him, just as Jaden started smiling.

"Hey! My hand does not bring disaster, you jerk!" she cursed and brought her hand up to hit him again but Jaden dodged her pretty little fist.

He caught her hand before leaning close to her and whispering, "You wouldn't want me to take care of this hand for you, would you?"

He smiled and stood straight, leaving her hand to drop back just as he left her dumbstruck.

"If that's all you wanted to say, then, I'll be going now," Jaden said and turned to go back outside.

"Wait!" she blurted out. "Wait," she said more quietly. "That's not all."

Jaden stopped and turned back to face her.

"I remember asking why Dave was not here," Sylvia said.

"Well... let's say he had some business to attend to," Jaden said, not hiding the sarcasm as he spoke.

She angled her head. "Do you realize it's my fiancé you're talking about in such a rude way?" she asked.

"No, I didn't. He's not like someone who's your fiancé," Jaden said, acting innocent.

She paused for a beat. "Then... what does he look like with me?" she asked softly.

Jaden smiled. "You wouldn't want to hear this, Miss."

"I want to."

"Okay then, you asked for it." He looked at her directly and said, "He looks like a misfit with you. He's more like someone you dragged out of a dumpsite and is struggling to fit in than your fiancé!" Jaden tried not to shout but he couldn't possibly hide his anger. Then, acting on impulse he asked, "Do you really love that guy?"

Sylvia stared at Jaden for a while. That was the plain truth. Someone had finally confirmed her suspicions. "What do you think?" she asked, turning back and walking out of the living room. "I just said he's my fiancé and you're asking that question," she said but he could barely hear her.

"You and I know that he's not your fiancé!" Jaden said.

Sylvia stopped, obviously shocked, but surprisingly had a warm feeling about the way Jaden had said what he had just said. Now, her reason for lying that Dave was her fiancé in the first place was not in vain. She turned and saw he was angry. And although she didn't laugh, she smiled.

"Keep it down, dummy. Everyone might think you've run mad," Sylvia said and turned and walked out, leaving an exasperated Jaden in the living room.

He sighed, cursed under his breath, and swore that Sylvia was the most naïve lady he had ever encountered.