On the surface, I looked normal to everyone, but I learned how to please myself since I was seven years old, and no one knew about my dark secret, except for the newly hired bodyguard who’s arrogant enough to piss me off.

Unlike the daughters or sons of a business tycoon, I don’t work in my father’s company. Instead, I turned my hobby into a business and Coffee Time did well ever since. It’s the only coffee shop in Keiraville Heights which served good coffee and cake. Last year, I hired additional staff to cater to a growing number of customers, and I had to expand the area. I got lucky to have an efficient manager who ran the coffee shop smoothly.

“Good morning, Madame.”

I glared at the man who waited outside my bedroom and ignored him as I walked towards the lift. When I looked back, he followed me and got in the lift before the door closed on him. “What do you think you’re doing now?” I asked him.

“I have to be with you all the time,” he replied with a monotone.

His response caused me to raise my eyebrow and cursed, “That’s bullshit, Xander!” The man didn’t say anything until we reached the dining hall where my nanny served me with my favorite breakfast. “Aunt, why are you giving him a plate?” I protested when Aunt Suzy, my nanny since I was a toddler, invited Xander to have breakfast with me.

“Watch your language, young lady! I didn’t raise you to be a bitch!” Aunt Suzy scolded me in front of Xander and I was embarrassed.

I focused on my food and regretted my action in front of Aunt Suzy because the old woman has always been strict when it comes to my behavior, and she has a nasty tongue. After my Mama died, she was the one who raised me, loved me, nurtured me, and the least I could do was to treat her as my mother. “I’m sorry,” I apologized to Aunt Suzy.

“No, you should apologize to him!” Aunt Suzy said and I stomped my feet on the floor to protest, but she didn’t take any of my tantrums and scowled as she rearranged the decors in the dining area.

Actions speak louder than words, as others would say, so I stood up and helped the man filled his plate with food, then I sat beside him. Under Aunt Suzy’s watchful eyes, I smiled at Alexander and apologized. “I’m sorry,” I said the magic words, but of course, I didn’t mean it.

“No problem,” he replied, and started to eat his breakfast.

When Aunt Suzy left to check something in the kitchen, I kicked Alexander’s feet under the table. He glared at me, but before he could retaliate, Aunt Suzy returned with two mugs of hot coffee. “Thanks, Aunt, are you done eating?” I asked her when she handed a cup to me.

“I’m done, Emma. Alexander, enjoy your meal.” Aunt Suzy said before she left us again.

“You are mean, Madame,” Alexander said when it was only the two us in the dining table.

“Mean? That’s mean!” I said after I poured the coffee on his crotch. He stood up and scowled at me.

“What the hell!” Alexander cursed, as he tried to wipe the coffee on his pants. When he glared at me, my stomach churned in fear.

The man’s ferocious expression told me that it wasn’t a good time to provoke him some more, so I stood up and prepared to leave but Alexander was fast enough to grab one of my wrists.

“Where do you think you’re going, Madame?” He asked, and his glaring eyes scared me!

“I have a business to run, sir.” Shaking in fear, I replied in a low voice and pulled my wrist away from him.

“Sit down!” He ordered.

For a moment, I contemplated running away but he looked menacing enough to try my luck. He was furious! “Alright, talk,” I told him after sitting down and showed him who the boss was, even if my nerves shook in fear as I waited for him to speak.

“Can’t we set aside our differences and just work?” He asked in a more business-like tone, and I felt bad for being nasty towards him.

Maybe he needed a job to feed his family, and my indifference threatened his source of income. However, his presence unnerved me! “I already told you that I don’t need a bodyguard! Now, let’s end this discussion!” I stood up to leave but he placed his strong hands on my thighs to stop me from leaving. I stared at it with disgust, but he didn’t move his hands away from my body!

“I know that you preferred to be…alone!” Alexander emphasized the word “alone” and it made me uncomfortable on my seat.

“Bastard!” I cursed at him, and he smirked at me. Then he laughed, sarcastically!

“What a beauty! I love how your doll-eyes spat fire on me, hmmm I bet that you’re full of fire on the bed too.” He whispered the last words and it has an unfamiliar effect on me.

“Fine! If you want this job badly, then you can have it, but once you failed to come to work even just once, you’re fired, understand?” He nodded and let me go. Finally, I was able to breathe again.

“Deal,” he said and extended his hand for a shake. I accepted it but once our palms touched each other, I felt the electricity ran through my veins and it shocked me! Before I could comment on the matter, Alexander picked up his plate and transferred to a seat far from me and continued to eat, as if nothing happened!

The man wasn’t the first human being who placed his hand on my skin, but everyone before him disgusted me! However, my body’s reaction to his nearness was different. Occasionally, I glanced at the man who had his breakfast at the far end of the table and I wondered what was special with him.

What was wrong with me? I asked myself when I couldn’t take him off from my mind! No matter how much I tried, his dark eyes were embedded in my brain! Was he a Greek God or something because he looked like one to me? The man was a clear definition of tall, dark and handsome! For a couple of minutes, my eyes were glued to him as I studied his perfection, and I thought, there’s no way he could be a pure Filipino.

A thought occurred to me that it would be better to befriend my bodyguard. Later on, I shook my head in disagreement because we shouldn’t become friends! It was dangerous to get close to him and the man was bossy! I convinced myself that he’s not my type, and our relationship should remain as employer and employee.

I expressed a sigh as I stared at my plate, but maybe it was loud enough for the man to hear because he questioned me with his eyes. “It’s nothing. I think I’ll be staying at home today, so take a day off. Tomorrow, I will be busy.” I told him.

He nodded.

And I smiled because I lied.