Bought For A Baby, Kept For A Lifetime-Chapter 112: A Bargain?
Immediately Anne stepped outside the company, she caught sight of a familiar car in the distance.
She was utterly taken aback by the sight of that car, as it had been a long time since she’d last seen its owner.
Butler Jones stepped out of the right passenger side, lowering his head to her with a smile.
"Miss Thompson, I trust you had a good day." The man said politely.
"Hello, butler Jones. Is something wrong?" It was surprising to suddenly see the man at her workplace, so her confusion was quite evident on her expression.
"The master is here to see you."
That statement caused her heart to skip a beat as she looked towards the car’s backdoor whose glass was rolled up that she couldn’t see through.
"Here to see me?" Anne queried absentmindedly and butler Jones gave a small nod before shifting aside gesturing she come with him. He opened the car door for her and she caught a glimpse of the regal figure of a man sitting inside. The man’s long leg was crossed over the other, he tilted his head to the side, elegance dripping with every movement.
Though Anne couldn’t see the face hidden behind that mask, her heart began to thunder as she quietly sat herself inside the car.
The air smelled of a familiar musk that caused Anne to gaze at the man who was sitting silently even as the car started.
"Have you been well?" Anne asked breaking the silence. It took a few seconds of hesitation before a deep hum sounded in reply.
"Hmm."
She parted her lips as if to say something else but held back, wringing her hands together nervously.
What she truly wanted to say was;
I haven’t seen you in a while. I waited for you everytime, I don’t know why but I waited unfailingly looking at the door, hoping you would show up.
Her task was to go to him every Friday, but the past weeks he was never there. Anne had felt slight relief at first until something else set in, a quiet longing for him to appear through the doors. Not for anything, not even for the task that brought her to his manor every week, only to quench a quiet desire to see him. But then...
Anne gazed at him with a silent question burning in her eyes.
There was that suspicion, no, not just a suspicion. An instinctive feeling.
Is it you? She wondered internally.
Is it you, Andrew Sterling?
That question was one she wanted to ask, but she knew getting the answer would be difficult.
The person next to her was choosing to keep his identity hidden, if he were Andrew Sterling or not, he wouldn’t openly tell it to her even if she asked.
Since the man didn’t seem to want to speak, Anne maintained the silence, remembering the fact that he didn’t have to talk to her, the contract didn’t require that of him, there was only one thing he needed of her, and she was to achieve it.
Deciding not to think about that now, Anne banished the thought, feeling a little exhausted she rested her head back letting her eyes stare out the windows on her side when that familiar deep yet muffled voice sounded,
"Are you tired?"
The question took her aback, it made her head whip hastily to his direction.
The eyes behind the mask continued to stare at her awaiting an answer.
"Not really..." She trailed off but before she even completed the sentence, he spoke once more.
"Feeling uncomfortable?"
Hesitantly, she shook her head and he didn’t ask anything further, just looked at her for a while then shifted his gaze and rested his head backwards.
Anne couldn’t help but feel that it was always somewhat awkward between them, except for the moments she had been inebriated.
Shuddering at the sudden cringe that overcame her from remembering that, Anne gazed out the windows again.
But somehow, the reluctant indulgence with which he’d catered to her silly demands that night brought a small smile to her lips.
"If you’re tired then rest, but first tell me this..."
Hearing his voice drew her gaze towards him again.
"Is there anything you’d like to eat?"
She looked bewildered for a while and he clarified,
"You just got off work, probably had nothing to eat yet."
Understanding reflected in her gaze.
"Is there anything you’d like to eat?" He repeated the question again but Anne quickly shook her head.
"I’m fine, thank you."
He’d asked a polite question, things like these were the very reason Anne tried not to associate him with Andrew Sterling, but...not after that kiss.
The same thing that always happened to her whenever she thought about the kiss repeated itself right now. Her heart skipped with a fluttering feeling that tickled her insides sweetly. It was a sensation as if she were melting into a delicious little puddle.
"Holding back your appetite is not good for you. You should eat as much as your heart desires, especially now... I’ll ask again, is there something you want to eat? If you answer negatively I’ll be forced to feed you anything I can think of until I’m certain you’re full."
She was pulled out of her daze by his voice. Not dwelling on the fact that he’d trailed off from saying something at some point.
She had replied like that because she thought he was just being polite to her, hearing the conviction in his words Anne bit her lip hesitantly.
She wasn’t deliberately holding back her appetite, it was just that she was used to putting work first and her appetite last.
Him coming to look for her tonight, she was sure it was for the contract between them still pending. She thought to prioritize that over herself, that was why she wasn’t bothered by the fact that she hadn’t eaten yet.
His words left no room for her to refuse, so she thought about something that had been recurring in her mind a lot lately.
A steaming bowl filled to the brim with that mouthwatering delicacy, she’d seen it even in her dreams but she hadn’t been having a lot of time in her hands lately to make that highly craved meal she’d been thinking about, so she just let it pass. However...
Not too long after, she found herself sitting in the dining section inside the Black Thorn Manor, a steaming bowl of spicy chicken tortilla soup in front of her along with a few appetizers and snacks spread around the table.
Anne raised her gaze to the masked man sitting across from her with his arms crossed like an inspector watching her eat.
With a light chuckle she asked, "Would you like some? I can’t finish everything alone." She offered with a hidden motive, to see him eat she would have to see his face right?
She could imagine him raising a brow behind the mask but he was watching her calmly.
How was he supposed to eat with the mask on his face? That was the whole point of it, if he was going to eat he would at least take it off right?
"No thanks, go ahead. Eat as much as you can." He rejected her offer plainly making her pout a little disappointedly then proceeded to no longer resist the enticing aroma already making her mouth water.
She almost closed her eyes in delight when she took the first bite, somehow the food distracted her enough that made it feel like she didn’t currently have anyone around her watching her eat, she devoured every bite enthusiastically. Her toes curling at the flavors.
Lately, there were quite a few things she craved to eat, but this was at the very top of the list.
Unaware by the two people at the table, someone aside took a stealthy picture of the scene.
There was harmony in the air, the two people facing each other one wearing a mask, and the other a beautiful woman eating with so much delight as if she’d been given the whole world, they didn’t look like a couple madly in love but they would do just fine...this was what Elder Sterling thought when he viewed the picture butler Jones had just sent to him.
The older man smiled bitterly recalling his past. His own marriage back then had been filled with love, and it took quite a while for him to have this feeling of having found the right person for his grandson.
This woman in the picture, was the right person.
[Young master specifically asked her what she wanted to eat and then ordered it over especially for her, I have no doubt your plans will work.] Butler Jones sent in a message after the picture he just sent.
Elder Sterling nodded in agreement as he read through it. After which he exited the message and sent one to Andrew himself.
[See me when you get home, I have something important to discuss with you.]
After sending that message, the older man couldn’t help but get a feeling that a storm was coming. That important thing he had to discuss with his grandson, he was certain his grandson would refuse, and that was where the special negotiating chip would come in.
When Anne finished eating, she noticed the man across from her look down at his phone, his fingers tapping rhythmically over the table with a trace of impatience.
Wiping her lips she cleared her throat, "Thank you for the meal."
Another hum was the response she got.
Did it pain him to talk in full words? She wondered only to realize she knew someone else who was similar.
Would only talk a lot when he felt the absolute need to but other times he would only use a hum to replace words.
She looked at him, really looked at him. Well, there was nothing much to see except the eyes and her gaze was focused there, really focused until that feeling returned.
His eyes were just as cold, just as indifferent as Andrew Sterling’s.
Was it truly not him?
"If you’re done staring, you can go rest upstairs. Sleep well." He was out of his seat before she could react to his words.
He was leaving?
"Wait!" Anne called quickly unable to keep the slight panic from her voice.
He stopped walking, turning to her, she couldn’t see the expression on his face.
"I have to go." He said succinctly before beginning to walk away again.
"But, what about the contract?" Anne blurted before she could even think about stopping herself.
He stopped, turning to her fully now.
"What about the contract?"
She was suddenly rendered speechless.
She had assumed he brought her here tonight to fulfill the contract. Another night of copulation until she conceived. She didn’t expect he would be leaving so soon so she had blurted that without thinking.
Stupid, what is he going to think of you now?
Anne chastised herself internally.
