Single Daddy's Obsession

Chapter 3

Maxine Martin's POV

"Lindsey, you're right," the girl next to her agreed. "If I know... maybe that witch is just faking it. Maybe she doesn't really have an illness and just wants to ruin our family time. She just wants to monopolize our dad!"

I swallowed hard, then bit my lower lip. It seemed like the siblings didn't even notice my presence and were fully focused on their dad's girlfriend.

"Luisa, you too," Elijah chided his other sister.

Luisa glanced at Elijah. She just rolled her eyes. "Fine! Okay. My day will just be ruined if we talk about her again," Luisa mumbled, pouting. But why was she still so beautiful even with a frown?

I couldn't stand the siblings' conversation anymore, so I cleared my throat loudly to get their attention. I couldn't exactly say "excuse me" because where would I go?

Everyone suddenly turned to me.

"I'm sorry, Max," Ethan said quickly. "I-I'm sorry you had to hear our sibling talk."

"Ah, it's okay," I said shyly, turning to Ethan.

"Bro, is she Margaux's sister?" asked a child who seemed to be only seven or eight years old.

"Yes, Layla." Ethan smiled at the child, then walked over and ruffled her hair. She is really cute. I wanted to pinch her cheek. She's the kind of child who would stand out even in a crowded place because she's so cute.

Already, I was confused and if they were going to introduce me, I wouldn't be able to remember their names because there were so many of them.

"Hi, sis! You are so pretty, like Sis Margaux."

I smiled sweetly at the child, although my heart felt like it was going to break when I heard my sister's name. It still hurts so much that I haven't accepted Margaux's passing yet.

It seemed like they knew Margaux. Ethan probably brought her here to the house. My sister never mentioned that her boyfriend was a billionaire. I never even suspected that Ethan and Margaux saw each other often. It's probably because I was too busy studying.

"Hey, guys..." Ethan suddenly said. "I want you to meet Margaux's sister, she is Maxine."

Almost all of Ethan's siblings smiled. Some didn't have any emotion on their faces. I couldn't tell if they were happy to see me or if they didn't welcome me to their home.

"Max." Ethan turned to me again. "Meet my siblings, this is Elijah. I'm the eldest, and he's next after me. He's nineteen years old."

I nodded slightly at the smiling man. Ethan was handsome, but I think I was more attracted to Elijah. He looks nice too.

"Hi, Max. Nice to meet you," Elijah said politely.

"That one is Luisa, next after Elijah. She's seventeen years old."

Luisa and I locked eyes. I couldn't tell what her expression was, and she didn't seem happy to see me. Or maybe she's still upset about her dad's girlfriend.

"That is Lindsey, she's sixteen." Ethan pointed to the girl next Luisa, who was also just staring at me.

This guy really even tells their ages? Even if he does, I wouldn't be able to remember even their names. I'm surprised that Luisa and Lindsey were born just a year apart.

"That is Erwan, fourteen years old." Ethan pointed to the young boy next to the youngest. The boy's eyes seem so sad. But he was able to nod at me and gave a faint smile, unlike the two older girls.

"This is Lorraine." Ethan pointed to the child he held by the hair. So cute and I want to pinch her cheeks. "She is eleven years old."

Good thing there's a three-year gap between Erwan and Lorraine. Hey, wow...

"Hi, Lorraine. You're so cute," I said smiling.

"Thank you, Sis Maxine." She smiled and became even cuter in my eyes.

"This is Lara. She is ten years old," Ethan continued introducing.

I looked at Lara and she was just silently looking at me so I smiled. Good thing she smiled back. They seem nice so far. Except for Luisa and Lindsey who seem like spoiled brats, and Erwan who seems to not want to talk. I hope they're easy to get along with.

"That is Errol. He's nine years old." Ethan pointed to the one beside Elijah.

I was stunned by the age gap between Lorraine, Lara and Errol. Only a year apart each? Does their mommy give birth every year!? Maybe their mommy's stitches are still not fully healed and their daddy is already at it. Their mommy must be really beautiful that's why their daddy can't resist. Actually you can see from Ethan's family that they are all beautiful. Maybe their daddy is handsome too.

"And finally, the cutest of all... our youngest, Layla. She's seven years old."

"Hi, Layla," I greeted, slightly waving at her.

"Hi, sis Max. Can we play sometime? I have lots of dolls..."

I awkwardly smiled at the child because I'm not really into playing with children. "S-sure, baby."

"Wow, I'm so excited!" the young Layla exclaimed happily. She was even holding a doll. She seems to still enjoy playing even though she's seven years old.

"Guys, I'll take Max to her room. She's going to live here for one year while schooling. I hope you'll be nice to her like how you treat Margaux."

"Yes, bro!" Almost everyone said. I don't understand some of them and they seem to still be annoyed.

"Come on, Max. I'll take you to your room. I'll also introduce you to the people in this house."

I immediately followed Ethan inside their mansion. I was almost breathless because of how beautiful the inside was. I felt embarrassed to be living in such a beautiful house.

"By the way, Ethan." I cleared my throat. He turned to me. "Do your siblings see Marg often? It's like they know her really well."

"Yeah, Max. She comes here about two or three times a month," he answered.

I was surprised because my sister wasn't really talkative about her frequent visits to this mansion. But maybe she was just shy because she got a boyfriend first.

After a while, Ethan took me to the guest room. He said there are three guest rooms in the mansion and they rarely get used. This guest room was conveniently on the ground floor. When we reached the room where I'd be staying, I was amazed.

"Is this really where I'll sleep, Ethan?" I asked as I looked around.

My God! This room is as big as the house we rent. It even has appliances. The room is bright with periwinkle-colored walls. There's a sofa and a table in one corner. I also saw a closet. It feels like more than just a guest room, not just a place to sleep. It feels like a room for a family member, I think.

"Yes, Max. Is there anything you don't like about it?" he asked.

"No. It's just too big and I'm alone. I could just stay in the smaller room. Or maybe where the maids' quarters are. It's embarrassing, Ethan, especially for your dad and he probably doesn't know—"

"You won't be a maid here, Max. If you just want to help with chores, that's up to you. But I'll introduce you to dad as my assistant and I'll let him know that you'll only be staying here for a year until you find a job. I'm sure he'll allow you to stay."

"But it's still embarrassing for your dad. I'm a stranger. What if he doesn't agree?" I said hesitantly.

"Don't worry, dad's a good guy. I'll convince him."

I couldn't refuse Ethan. He's too persistent.

"Do you want to rest first or should I introduce you to the helper? I'm not sure what time Dad will be back. He might be late because his girlfriend is sick."

Ethan's face suddenly changed. He doesn't seem to like his dad's girlfriend either.

"Ah, can I just stay here and be alone first? I also want to study because I have a lot of lectures to catch up on. Some of my professors might give surprise quizzes tomorrow," I said.

"Sure, Max. I'll just call you when it's time for lunch so you can eat with us. Later, I'll introduce you to the helper. I'll have your things sent over too. And don't worry about your job... I'll tell you what to do next week. My secretary will also train you so you can learn the work faster."

I just nodded. I had so many more questions, but I wanted to give my brain a break from all the information that had just been thrown at me. I had so much to think about, I even forgot the names of his siblings. Who were they again? Elijah, Lorraine, Erwan, Layla. Etc. I couldn't remember the rest. They all started with 'L' for the girls and 'E' for the boys. I also couldn't remember if they mentioned their dad's name.

Ethan left right away. As soon as he closed the door, I sat down on the soft bed. It was so big, it could probably fit three people tossing and turning in their sleep. I felt a strange kind of sadness. This mansion I would be living in, with all its children and people, yet I felt so alone. I still felt out of place here.

I let out a sigh. Right now, I didn't know how I'd get along with Ethan's family. His siblings seemed nice enough, but what if his dad was grumpy? And what if he had other thoughts about me living here?

I pushed away the doubts in my head before I started to overthink. I opened my bag and grabbed my phone. I texted my friend Klea to let her know I had arrived at Ethan's house. She knew my situation. I also told some of my relatives about my new job.

I heard a knock and rushed to the door to open it. A girl, who looked around my age, greeted me.

"Hello, Ma'am Maxine. I'm Noemie, the housekeeper's daughter. Sir Ethan sent your things."

"Oh, please don't call me Ma'am. Just Maxine or Max," I said with a smile. She smiled back at me.

I let Noemie into my room so she could put my things down. I felt embarrassed because I thought she had carried everything up here herself. Thankfully, she had asked the driver for help.

Noemie left right away. It seemed like I would have a friend in the mansion—at least.

Time passed and it was time for lunch. Ethan came to my room again, and even caught me studying. He invited me to eat with him and his siblings. I declined, because honestly, I was still shy. I also used it as an excuse to say that I needed to study. Ethan seemed to understand.

He just sent food up to my room. The same thing happened for dinner. I was a little embarrassed about not leaving my room, like I was sick and needed to be visited. But I was really shy. I would face them tomorrow.

Even before bed, Ethan came to check on me. I was already wearing a T-shirt and shorts to sleep in. I had already showered. Wow, they had everything in the bathroom, like imported toiletries.

"Max, are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Ethan. Sorry for staying cooped up here," I replied.

"I understand, Max. I know you're still shy. Don't worry, you'll get used to it. But starting tomorrow, you're coming to dinner with us, okay?" he said.

I just nodded. Soon after, Ethan said goodbye and headed back to his room. He said he would take me to school tomorrow because we were going the same way. Of course, I agreed because that would be really convenient for me.

The next day, I woke up early. I got ready for school. After getting dressed and making sure I had all my things, I wasn't sure if I should go out. I was embarrassed because I would be walking out, and I didn't know anyone yet. Thankfully, there was a knock at the door, and when I opened it, Ethan was standing there.

He looked so handsome in his business suit. I paused for a moment to admire him. I wanted to compliment him, to say he looked amazing, but I couldn't. We weren't super close yet. And besides, he might misinterpret what I said and think I had a crush on him.

"Shall we go?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied.

I was grateful to finally be out of that room.

"Let's just grab breakfast, Max, whenever we pass a restaurant. That way you won't be shy around my siblings yet. They're already in the dining area eating. They're all busy because they're still students. My dad left earlier. I'll introduce you tonight."

I smiled faintly and nodded. They probably had so much fun there. They're all students and their older brother is like a father figure. He works.

Ethan and I left the mansion right away. He was using a different car today. Was he that rich that he could just change cars like he was changing clothes?

"Ethan, what do you do for work?" I broke the silence as we were driving. He wasn't really talkative. I was the one who was awkward.

"I am the Operations Manager of Taylor Motors Inc."

My eyes widened in surprise. Taylor Motors Inc? My goodness! It's one of the leading companies in Seattle. That's why he's so rich.

Ethan started talking about how he started his job. His dad was the one who trained him after he graduated. His dad wanted him to be the CEO of the company so he could focus on his other businesses. Apparently, the Taylors have a lot of businesses. They have a Hotel Business, Banks, and even a Construction Company.

I was amazed at how wealthy Ethan was.

Our conversation didn't continue as we spotted a restaurant and Ethan parked the car there. Honestly, I was hungry, so I didn't refuse even though I was thinking of just eating at school.

When we entered the restaurant, the waiter led us to a table for two. As we were about to order and I saw the prices on the menu, I let Ethan do the ordering. Breakfast here is quite fancy.

"Excuse me, Ethan. I'll just take a quick trip to the restroom," I said, stood up, and took my bag.

As I was approaching the restroom, I almost bumped into a beautiful woman whose cleavage was almost bursting out. Honestly, she was blessed in that area, and I think she must be wearing a size D cup bra given the size of her chest. She got momentarily distracted as if she was answering a call.

"Hello, hon, I'm here inside the restaurant—"

The woman's sentence was cut off as she lost her focus, and I accidentally bumped her hand, causing her phone to fall.

I immediately looked at the floor and saw that the woman's phone was broken. I suddenly felt nervous that she might blame me. Although, I was also distracted by her chest size, so I didn't notice that I bumped her elbow - I also have some fault in this.

"What the hell!" the woman raised her voice and angrily looked at me. "Can't you watch where you're going!? Stupid!"

My eyes widened at what I heard. I quickly glanced around and saw that other diners were looking at us.

"Miss, I'm sorry!" I replied, intentionally trying to sound stern. It's obvious this woman is older than me, maybe in her late twenties or early thirties, but I don't think I can respect her if she calls me stupid. "You weren't looking at—"

"How dare you talk back to me!" The woman raised her eyebrow, looking me up and down.

"Aunt Glaiza?"

I suddenly heard Ethan's voice from behind me, clearly approaching me after seeing the commotion. I didn't turn around and kept my gaze on the woman who was scowling at me, then I looked at Ethan.

"Ethan?" the woman, apparently named Glaiza and familiar to Ethan, said. In a moment, I saw her shift her gaze in another direction. "Enzo, hon," Glaiza said, stepping towards me and bumping me.

I slowly turned and saw Ethan. But I immediately stopped and gasped when I saw the incredibly handsome man approaching us.