Single Daddy's Obsession

Chapter 6

Maxine Martin's POV

I was taken aback by the argument I witnessed between Sir Lorenzo and his daughter.

"Luisa!" Sir Enzo called out again, but Luisa didn't turn back to look at her father. So, his gaze shifted towards me briefly before looking away.

I remained standing and subtly moved to the side to avoid being noticed. Why did I follow this man here? Oh, it's only my second day in the mansion, and I've already sensed the family issues between the father and his daughter.

"Dad, please forgive Luisa," Elijah interjected. "She's just excited because she cooked your favorite dish, only for you not to taste it due to Aunt Glaiza's emergency." Elijah's voice carried a hint of resentment.

I noticed another daughter of Sir stand up. They were three children present in the living room. The girl had a frown on her face as she walked directly towards the stairs. She probably intended to follow her sibling to offer comfort.

"Lindsey!" Sir Enzo called out to the other child, but it seemed like Lindsey didn't hear him as she ascended the stairs.

I heard Mr. Taylor let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, Elijah. I just need to go because your Aunt Glaiza's headache suddenly worsened again. I promise I'll be back soon."

"But, dad, you've missed several meals—"

"Don't worry. I'll make it up tomorrow," Sir Enzo interrupted, patting his son on the shoulder.

I bit my lower lip as I observed the father and his son. Then, my eyes widened when Sir Lorenzo suddenly looked at me. "I'm sorry for what you heard, Maxine."

Just when my heart rate was starting to calm down after hearing my name mentioned by Sir Enzo, it suddenly raced again. My God! Do I have a crush on Ethan's dad? I scold my friend, Klea for having a crush on our professor who's in his forties. If my friend finds out that I have a crush on Ethan's dad for sure she'll tease me relentlessly.

"Uh, sir, it's nothing," I said shyly, bowing my head. "Excuse me, I'll go to my room."

When I lifted my gaze, I realized Sir Enzo was still looking at me. I quickly shifted my gaze to Elijah and gave him a small smile.

Gathering my courage, I took a step towards the hallway leading to the guest room where I stayed.

I overheard Sir Enzo and his son continuing their conversation, but I couldn't understand what they were discussing. I shouldn't be listening to the Taylor family's problems.

Why does Sir Enzo have to go to his girlfriend just because she has a headache? Couldn't she just drink some medicine? Does Sir Enzo really need to be the one to administer it? I felt sorry for Sir's children, who seemed to be vying for their father's attention.

I reached the hallway, and my heart was a bit calmer now, although earlier it was racing with nervousness for reasons I couldn't explain.

"Maxine!"

I turned to the voice calling me. It was Noemie, smiling at me as she caught up.

"Noemie, hi!" I greeted the helper enthusiastically. I felt comfortable around her, even though I only met her yesterday.

"Maxine, you heard the argument between Sir Enzo and his daughter earlier, right?" she asked me.

"Uh, yeah, I did," I replied briefly. I felt a bit embarrassed to talk about it further, fearing she might think I enjoy eavesdropping on gossip.

I stopped in the hallway, facing Noemie.

"Please excuse Luisa, she's actually a good kid. She's a bit of a daddy's girl, so she always wants her father's attention, along with her siblings."

"Is that so?" was all I could say. I didn't want to ask any more questions. Although I was curious about Ethan's family, I had to focus on my studies. Besides, I would be staying here for a year, so I would learn more in due time.

"Why did you and Sir Enzo arrive home together?" Noemie asked when she didn't get a response from me.

"Oh, it's because earlier at the guardhouse entrance to the village, the guard almost didn't let me in. Sir Enzo just gave me a ride home. It turned out he and Ethan saw me at the restaurant where we ate earlier, so he recognized me," I explained to Noemie.

"Well, it's a good thing he saw you. By the way, I called you because dinner is ready. You can join Sir Enzo's children."

I quickly shook my head. "N-no, Noemie. I already ate before coming home. Plus, I might feel awkward." It's embarrassing because we're not close.

"I see, Max. Okay, I understand. But if you get hungry or need some milk or coffee, just head to the kitchen, okay?" she advised me.

I nodded at Noemie, who then turned and I went straight to my room.

Once inside my room, I went straight to the bed and sat down. The softness of the bed made me want to lie down, but I needed to study.

After relaxing my tired feet, I headed to the bathroom for a shower and to complete my hygiene routine.

Dressed in my shorts and a sleep shirt, I plopped down on the bed and started studying. I got so engrossed in my reading that when I checked the time, it was already past eight in the evening.

I felt thirsty and even slightly hungry, as studying had drained my energy. I wanted to go out to get a drink, but I felt embarrassed. I wasn't familiar with the mansion, and no one had shown me where the kitchen was. Yesterday, Noemie just brought me food without giving me a tour of the mansion.

Perhaps Sir Enzo's children had finished eating by now. And maybe their dad had returned, as I overheard earlier that he would just briefly visit his girlfriend and come back soon.

I endured my thirst since it was bearable for now. I continued reading. An hour passed before I decided to go out to find the kitchen and have a drink. I couldn't ignore my thirst anymore, and I was losing my focus. Besides, I planned to sleep after drinking.

Noemie had mentioned that if I wanted to prepare something, I could just go to the kitchen.

As I left the room, I walked down the short hallway that led to the living room. There was no one there, and the mansion was quiet. I didn't even know where the helpers' rooms were. I should have asked Ethan yesterday so I would know where to go if I needed to ask questions.

I started looking for the kitchen, and I quickly found it. There was no one there, and the Taylor family's kitchen was very organized. I hesitated to move because I didn't know where the glasses were placed.

"Excuse me!?"

I jumped at the sound of a voice and saw an elderly woman facing me.

"You must be Ethan's friend, Miss."

"Uh, yes," I replied. She seemed friendly as she smiled sweetly at me.

"It turns out Noemie was right when she said you're extremely beautiful, dear. My daughter has been talking about you since yesterday. She thought you were a model or actress," the elderly woman said to me.

I felt myself blushing from her praise. I just smiled back at her.

"Oh, not really," I replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"What do you mean, not really? You are truly beautiful. By the way, dear, I'm the housekeeper here in the mansion. My name is Marideth. You can just call me Aunt Mari."

Aunt Mari asked me why I was in the kitchen, and I explained that I was thirsty. She then served me and showed me where the other utensils were kept in case I needed to come back to the kitchen.

"By the way, Aunt Mari, if you need my help here, just let me know. Especially on weekends when I'm not working," I offered.

"Oh, no need, dear. We have two more helpers aside from the four nannies for Sir Enzo's children."

"That's okay, Aunt Marie. It's also a way for me to pay for my stay here with Ethan. I also know how to cook," I shared.

Aunt Mari suddenly asked about me, and I found myself recounting my life story. She was almost brought to tears by my story. She never realized that I was an orphan. I also couldn't help but shed tears as painful memories resurfaced.

"Maxine, dear, you're not just beautiful, you're also brave. So, finish your studies to be able to support yourself," she advised me.

My conversation with Aunt Mari seemed to last for thirty minutes. Just as we were both about to stand up and leave the kitchen, a man entered.

He glanced at me, his gaze lingering particularly on the lower part of my body. I felt a shiver run down my spine. It felt like he was undressing me with his eyes. I suddenly felt self-conscious, realizing how short my shorts were, accentuating my thighs and legs. I only wore such attire for sleeping at night.

Fortunately, he shifted his gaze away from my legs and turned to Aunt Mari.

"Aunt Mari, can you help me?" he asked.

"Oh, what happened?" Auntie inquired.

"Sir Ethan is in the living room. He just got home, drunk. His friend dropped him off here!"

I was surprised to hear that Ethan had just arrived. Aunt Mari and I hurried to the living room and saw Ethan, clearly intoxicated.

"Ethan, are you okay?" I asked, gently tapping his cheek.

He slowly opened his eyes. "Max."

I was taken aback when he suddenly started crying.

"Ethan, what happened?" I was still concerned, fearing that something might have happened to upset him.

"Max. I really miss Margaux. Why did she leave me, Max? I love Margaux so much," he said, tears streaming down his face.

I suddenly felt a pang in my heart upon hearing Ethan's words. I also felt the urge to cry, even though I had just finished shedding tears while sharing my story with Aunt Mari in the kitchen.

"Aunt Marie, where is Ethan's room? Can we bring him there?" I asked.

"Sure, dear. His room is beside the master's bedroom. Let's go."

Aunti Mari and I both helped Ethan. He was quite heavy, but thankfully we didn't fall down the stairs. When we reached his room, we gently laid Ethan on his bed.

"Dear, I'll leave you here, okay? It would be good to change Sir Ethan's clothes too. So he'll be more comfortable when he wakes up tomorrow."

"Uh, well..." I was about to protest, but Aunt Mari quickly left the room, leaving me alone. Perhaps she still had other tasks to attend to. I could only sigh.

I looked at Ethan, who appeared to be fast asleep. His breathing was deep. I also felt sorry for him, as he seemed to still be grieving over Margaux's death.

I surveyed the room and observed Ethan's surroundings. His room was almost the same size as mine, and the light blue walls gave a bright and airy feel.

I had no choice but to change Ethan's clothes so he would be more comfortable when he woke up. I searched his closet and found a towel, which I dampened in the bathroom. It would be refreshing for him when he woke up. I also looked for a t-shirt and shorts for him. Of course, I had no intention of changing his underwear.

I began dressing Ethan, feeling a bit nervous since I wasn't used to seeing a man's body. However, there was no malice in my actions. I removed his socks and shoes first, then followed with his shirt. I gulped when Ethan's bare body was revealed. He had a beautiful physique. Margaux was indeed lucky to have him.

I felt my face flush red, but I managed to wipe his body dry and help him put on the t-shirt, although it was a bit challenging. I then assisted him with his pants, covering his lower body with a blanket. I wasn't used to seeing what he had hidden behind his pants.

After successfully removing Ethan's pants and dressing him in new ones without seeing the color of his underwear, I wiped the sweat off my forehead. "Woah!"

I tucked him in after making sure he would sleep soundly before leaving the room.

But to my surprise, as soon as I stepped out of the room, the man who caused my heart to race earlier was right there, holding the doorknob of the opposite door. He was still wearing the same outfit as before. Had he just returned now?

I caught Sir Lorenzo's attention, and he glanced at me. My knees suddenly felt weak, and my heart raced as he passed his gaze over me, focusing on my legs.

Even though the very handsome and attractive daddy of Ethan was several steps away from me, I couldn't help but notice the rise and fall of his Adam's apple as he looked at the lower part of my body. I wasn't sure where his gaze landed... on my belly or on the sensitive part of my body covered by my shorts?