Chapter 22

During the weekend, Felicity was in the kitchen with Mercy. She was sitting on the chair in the kitchen, telling Mercy a story she read in a book while Mercy cooked dinner for her.
The doorbell sounded and Mercy looked at her pleadingly "sweetie, will you be a darling and get the door?"
"Yes nanny Mercy" she stood up and ran to the living room, she opened the door and shock covered her face before turning into surprise and then shifting to excitement "aunt Katy!" She screamed.
Katherine covered her ears briefly with a smile before opening her arms and inviting her for a hug which Felicity obliged immediately.
Hearing her scream, Mercy left the kitchen and smiled when she saw the person "Katherine, you didn't tell me you were coming."
After kissing Felicity all over her face, Katherine looked at Mercy "I wanted to surprise you. I know you can't keep the secret from her."
"Does Mr. Baldwin know?"
"Of course, he was the one that sent me the address."
"Little Ray knew you were coming and he didn't tell me?" Felicity pouted.
"Ah, don't feel sad my darling for I was the one that told him not to tell you" Katherine tucked a lock of her honey gold hair behind her ear with a smile "if he had told you, you wouldn't have been surprised like you were just now."
"That's true" she smiled and grabbed her arm, pressing herself on her "it's good you are here. I have a lot of things to tell you. Little Ray have been treating my nicely, he buys me..." She remembered herself and shut up.
Katherine looked at her with a furrowed brows "bought you what?"
"Em, nothing" she released her hand and ran up the stairs.
"Felicity" Katherine called but she didn't stop. She looked at Mercy then "he bought her ice creams and cakes didn't he?"
Mercy chuckled "well, he does once in while but not always. Mostly is his grandmother that often send some cakes for her."
"Oh, guess she loves her that much."
"I told you Felicity is beloved by all who meet her" Mercy smiled before noticing her small bag "you are spending the night?"
"Yes" Katherine replied before leaving to sit on the sofa "I offered to let her come stay with me this weekend but he refused and then asked me to come over instead" she rolled her eyes "I have no choice and I really want to see her, so I agreed."
"Well, he still allowed you to come over."
"Tell me about" she sniffed and frowned "is something burning?"
"Oh my!" Mercy rushed into the kitchen and turned off the cooker "I totally forgot I was cooking."
Katherine chuckled and followed her "it happens" she watched her stir the food before sighing and asking "tell me Mercy, how has he been treating her?"
"Believe me Katherine, I'm surprise myself. The way he acts around her is unexpected, almost as if he sees her like his daughter. I will say he has been more like a loving father than a husband" she giggled.
"Oh" Katherine remained silent as her thought ran wild "you don't think he has done anything forbidden with her?"
"If he has, Felicity would have said so because it will be something new to her. You know how she asks questions when she doesn't understand things."
"That's true" she nodded.
"But let me ask, will it be wrong if he does anything with her? She is his wife legally you know" Mercy stared at her.
"It's against the contract!"
"I know but literally, the grandparents believes they are married, don't you think they will be expecting a certain news soon? I mean, their reason of wanting him to get married is to raise a family."
"What has come over you Mercy? Two weeks of working in his house and you are already on his side? I'm telling you that I don't want Felicity to end up with him and you are talking about her carrying his child?"
"But why can't she be with him?"
"He will hurt her Mercy, just like he hurts every other girl that stays with him. I have been by his side, I have seen them. How pitiful he leaves them, I don't want to see Felicity like that. I don't want her first awakening of love to be for a womanizer."
Mercy said nothing, she blinked twice "I think it's too late."
"What is too late?"
"She is falling for him."
"No she is not, it's only been two weeks."
"And he has been the only man who has treated her sweetly since her parents death. Don't worry, you will see for yourself. Although she doesn't know what she is doing but she talks about him a lot, little Ray this, little Ray that. She stopped Grace from visiting her, though it's only been three days. I don't know if she will change her mind later."
"She stopped Grace from visiting? Why?"
"She didn't give me the details I noticed but she said she doesn't want to see her for now because Grace talked to Raymond or something."
"How did you find out?"
"Grace was supposed to be here on Tuesday but she didn't come, I called her and she said Felicity told her not come, so I asked Felicity and she said she didn't want to see her. It was after asking for like three times did she say she saw her talking to Raymond. Don't you think something is amiss?"
"Of course!"
"And what's more? Felicity is jealous, maybe she thought Raymond is going to marry Grace too or something, I don't know. But what I do know is that she stopped her from coming because she was jealous. Now you and I know how much she loves Grace and love her visiting her, but then two weeks with Raymond, she doesn't want to see her around."
"Oh God! Did I make a big mistake by agreeing to this contract? By allowing her to marry him?"
"No, you gave her a chance to experience something new, something beautiful by agreeing to this contract and letting her marry him. Felicity's life might have been perfect before but when you look deeply at it, you will see she has no future. But this? This gave her a future, a reason to belong in the world, so believe me, your brother will be happy you made this decision for her. All you have to do is to go all in and let her experience all the wonders that comes with marriage."
"I don't want her getting hurt Mercy."
"I know, and I'm telling you Raymond won't hurt her."
"Who said so? Have you seen him with a woman? He is a freaking womanizer!"
"Impressive" a male's voice sounded and they turned to see Raymond standing at the kitchen doorstep "you came to my house to insult me" his eyes glared deathly stare at Katherine who shivered.
When did he come in? How come they didn't hear the sound of his car? "What are you doing here?" Katherine asked.
"In case you don't know, I will like to remind you that this is my house."
"Oh, that's true " Katherine murmured "but you are back early."
"If you are standing here not working, doesn't that mean I can come home too?"
Katherine said nothing then, she just heaved a sigh and looked up at him "how long have you been standing there?"
"You tell me. I walked into my house and the first word I heard was me being addressed as a womanizer. So tell me McCarthy, what brought such word against me?"
"I'm really sorry you had to hear that."
"Oh really? Which means you have addressed me like that countless of times behind my back, isn't that right McCarthy?" He crossed his arms on his chest as he watched her like a hawk.
"No, no, of course not. Today was the first time and it kind of dropped out, it won't happen again, I promise" no matter what, she must not forget that this is her boss and he can fire her at any moment.
Raymond said nothing as he glared at her then he looked at Mercy who was trying all her best to look invisible "where is Felicity?"
"In her room" Mercy answered.
Raymond looked at Katherine "please be mindful of your words when in my house, I will hate to hear such words from Felicity" he walked out of the kitchen.
Katherine looked at Mercy "what was that about?"
"I told you, he is more like a father than a husband."
Katherine didn't know when she started smiling, he is even more protective of Felicity than she is. Maybe it won't be so bad leaving her with him after all, she concluded.