~9~
1110 Words
~DEMETRI [POV]~
"He can eat here with us," I said, waving at a maid who stood nearby and she hastily came closer.
"Surely you must be joking," Lydia said, an alarmed look marring her face like I'd just said the most absurd thing.
Ignoring her completely, I turned to the maid and said, "Bring a seat over here."
The maid nodded once and walked over to the other end of the table, carrying a seat before returning to my side.
I looked down at the young man still sitting on the floor like an obedient cat.
"Get up."
As always, he was quick to do as instructed. When he moved away from where he was sitting, I faced Lydia, who was still staring at me with her mouth hanging open.
"Scoot over," I ordered.
"What?" She looked even more stunned, but when my gaze turned into a sharp glare, she quickly understood that I was really not kidding.
With a scowl on her face now, she stood up and moved her seat, giving space for the maid to position the seat very close to mine, and I asked the young man to sit down.
Before he could move to take the seat, Lydia slammed her palm down on the seat, her face twisting in disgust.
"No way he's sitting at the table with us," she glared at him while he took a step back, intimidated by her, before her gaze snapped in my direction. "You can not seriously be doing this."
"And who made you the mistress of this table?" I raised a brow at the audacity she had developed during my absence. "Was it Marcus?" I glanced my brother's way, then at Jacob. "Or was it you, Jacob?"
"I don't have any dealings with Miss Barnes," Jacob replied immediately as one of the members of the house staff stepped forward and came to his side to whisper something to him after acknowledging us.
After listening, Jacob nodded, then pushed up from his seat.
"I have some work to attend to, excuse me."
I nodded at him before he left.
The moment he stepped out, my attention refocused on Lydia again, who was still trying to act stubborn and unreasonable.
This time, I did not speak to her again. I faced the young man and said, "It seems like she's offering her hand as a soft cushion for you, come on and sit down."
He looked hesitant as he stared at the seat apprehensively and then at Lydia, afraid to take a step forward.
It was already starting to feel like he enjoyed defying me.
"What are you waiting for?" I glared at him, and that had him moving.
He took the seat, his bum pressing down on Lydia's hand, which was still there.
"Ahh!" Lydia shrieked like a wounded animal as she pulled her hand from under his weight.
Her face was now red with pain and shame at the same time as she clutched her palm and glared at both me and the man.
"H–" her lips parted, but Marcus spoke first, cutting her off.
"Enough already, Lydia. What has gotten into you?" He now had a frown on his face despite being calm this whole time.
"But he–"
"Shut up." This time, I silenced her with a hard glare.
She quickly swallowed down her words when she saw the look on my face, gripping onto her fork and knife tightly without uttering another word.
The woman was in need of some reminding about the kind of man I was, and I was going to do that the moment I was back in my peak state.
"Eat whatever you like to your satisfaction," I said to the man who still looked nervous.
He nodded once and with shaky hands moved to serve himself. My gaze settled on his wrists, noting how tiny they were and how very feminine his fingers looked.
Before long, my eyes drifted toward his face, taking in his appealing facial structure, but when my gaze moved to his ear, my eyes narrowed upon noticing something odd.
I had already eaten to my fill, so I leaned back into my seat, watching my newest and most fascinating interest as he ate.
Even the way he held the spoon caught my attention.
There was something strangely delicate about every movement he made, from the way he lowered his lashes to how carefully he chewed his food like he was afraid of making a sound. He barely looked up from his plate, shoulders slightly tense as though expecting someone to lash out at him at any second.
After some time, Lydia stood up, scraping her chair on the floor to create a loud shrieking sound, and said, "I've lost my appetite. I would–"
"You should see a doctor then," I cut in without even sparing her so much as a glance.
"I don't need a doctor," she muttered under her breath before storming off.
I faced Marcus, who had finished eating but still remained sitting there, staring at my newest interest as he ate, oblivious to my brother's stare.
The way he was staring at him had my eyes narrowing.
"Have you gotten in touch with the rehabilitation specialist?"
His gaze snapped towards me at my question.
"Yes, I have. He will be here to examine you and start your rehabilitation tomorrow," he replied. "Since you weren't in a coma for too long and can even stand, he gave some assurance that you should be able to walk in a week's time."
"Hm." I was pleased with the news.
To finally be rid of this f*****g wheelchair would be bliss. My gaze fell back on the man who was still eating.
The more I continued to stare at him, the more my fascination deepened.
A thought suddenly formed in my head, a solution to fully satisfy my curiosity about this person.
"I would like to buy him from you, Marcus."
The person I was referring to choked and began coughing. I immediately poured a glass of water, handing it to him.
"Take small sips."
The maid standing the closest had made no move to pour water for the choking man like she ought to have.
"Brother, as much as I would love to accept your request, you should know that I gifted him to Lydia just yesterday," he answered before going on to ask, "Why do you want him?"
"The same reason I want most things that capture my attention." My reply was vague enough to reveal nothing. "I heard you bought him for two million, I will double your offer."
- Writer
