Chapter 28

Why is it that Felicity nice curves is driving him out of his mind and he really wants to take her but not for pleasures but to keep? What's so special about her?
She is most definitely not his type of woman, she is too childish and easily coerced.
She has a tendency to forgive easily when promised just an ice cream or a cake.
She laughs over anything whether funny or not.
She worries if she sees a single frown on his face.
She sulks if he just as much as told her to leave him alone.
She blushes when he flirts with her.
She looks away bashfully if he shows a little affection to her.
Her eyes lit up just as the sight of him.
She doesn't hesitate to act cute when he is around.
And right now, she is stuffing ice cream on her face that always remind him just how much of a child she is.
But why, why is it that all those things he mentioned is what that draws him to her?
Why does he have this urge to wipe away that cream on her nose?
Why does he want to pull her closer and kiss her?
What the hell is wrong is wrong with him?
Snap out of it, Raymond Baldwin!
"Are you okay?" Felicity's soft voice pierced into his heart and soul, he woke up from his deep thoughts. His gaze fixed on her, studying her facial features, her diamond shaped face, her emerald green eyes that is trying to figure out what is wrong with him now. Her natural defined nose and her, oh God, sexy heart shaped lips. He forced himself to look away from her and mumbled 'mm."
"Why are you looking at me like that?" She looked down on her almost empty plate of ice cream.
"Nothing, just staring at the creams on your face."
"Oh, would you help me clean it?"
"Why can't you do it yourself?"
"Because I can't see it and" she looked up at him slowly "aunt Katy and grandma always help me clean it. You have done so once too" she looked down again.
Raymond let out a frustrated sigh, he hates how she acts so pitiful whenever he challenges her, but if he doesn't, how is she going to learn? He picked up a napkin and handed it to her "here, it's at the tip of your nose and your cheeks, wipe them off."
Felicity looked up at him before taking the napkin from him slowly "okay" she dabbed at her nose and her cheeks softly "like that?"
Raymond watched the way she was acting like an abandoned puppy and almost felt sorry for her but he toughened, he guessed it's because he was acting too soft with her that's why he was getting this abominable feelings for her, maybe he has to show her his other side, the one that got him his reputation. Perhaps with that, he can finally get rid of this stupid idiotic feelings. Come on, he is Raymond Baldwin, he doesn't love and he can't love. He just needs to stop caring about her and everything will go back to normal "yes, like that. You have to learn to start doing things by yourself" he signaled the waiter then.
"Little Ray" she called softly before looking up "I want to start doing things by myself but aunt Katy never let's me" she bit her lip.
"Well it's good you are not living with aunty Katy anymore. Besides, she will leave for her house tomorrow, you are better now" he paid the waiter and stood up, walking out of the café without even looking back.?
Felicity stood up and trotted after him in silence.
In the car, Raymond tried as much as possible not look at her or worry about how silent she was. He knew his new change of attitude puzzled her but he has no choice. He can't lose to Katherine by falling for her. Their togetherness was by a contract and contract alone. Once the year is up, then is bye bye to their marriage which is for the best. So he needs to wake up now before it's too late and he will do it, no matter how hard or rude he has to be to her.
His pride is his utmost priority and he can't afford Katherine to trample on it. He must keep his ego in her presence. He has to!?
When they got home, he bypassed Katherine and Mercy and went straight to his room.
Katherine was surprised as well as Mercy, they didn't know what was wrong with him. He was quite chatty and friendly when they left but the attitude he expressed just now was that of his previous self and his signature nickname as the arrogant rich boss.?
They called Felicity who was rather too quiet close and asked her if she did anything but She said she has done nothing wrong, "he only told me to start doing things by myself" she added.
"But why?" Katherine asked.
"I don't know" she replied.
Katherine and Mercy exchanged looks and both sighed, "it's okay" she patted Felicity's back "I will ask him to explain better. I'm so happy you talks to us now" she smiled and kissed her hair "please don't do that again okay?"
Felicity nodded "I won't. Maybe it's why little Ray is angry with me now" she intertwined her fingers nervously.
"Nonsense, he was worried, true, which is why he tried his best to get you to talk. I think he is just thinking over something relating to company. He will be better tomorrow you will see" Katherine smiled as she comforted her "now go rest okay, everything will be fine tomorrow."
She nodded and stood up "goodnight aunt Katy, good night nanny Mercy."
"Good night my darling."
"Good night dear" Mercy smiled and Felicity left for her room. She turned to Katherine then "what do you think is wrong?"
"I don't know. But I will try to talk to him tomorrow, Felicity just started talking today, she doesn't need another emotional trauma. I only hope he understands that and let go whatever he might be thinking now."
"I hope so too."
"Goodnight Mercy" Katherine stood up "I'm going to try to sleep better tonight than I have in a month."
Mercy chuckled "me too."
They turned off all the lights in the house and turned in for the night.
?
The next day, Raymond left for the office before Katherine got the chance to talk with him, so she decided to do that at the office.
After her breakfast with Felicity, she said goodbye and left for work. When she got to the office, she first went to Raymond's office to talk with him. She met Morris on his way out and they shared a brief greetings before he walked on.
Katherine hesitated for a second before knocking on the door, she waited for Raymond's voice to let her in and entered when he did, "good morning Mr. Baldwin."
"McCarthy, didn't it occur to you that you are not the person I want to see right now? I think I have had enough of your face for a month, or don't you think so?" He looked up from his desk then to offer her his piercing glare.
Katherine cleared her throat, "actually sir, I want to talk to you about your wife."
"Any what concerns you with my wife?"
Katherine was shocked but she still got herself to calm down, even if he is married to her niece, she still has to remember that he is her boss, "I believe you already know the answer to that, she is my niece and I care about her."
"Oh really? So what are you saying McCarthy, that I don't care about my wife? Be careful and don't let people hear that" he replied nonchalantly.
"Then do you? Because forgive me for asking, you don't act like you do."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Raymond's gaze chilled by a few degrees.?
"She had been in trauma for the past month and only gets to talk last evening, thanks to you. But instead of keeping a smile on her face, you just put her back into worrying. Must I remind you that she has a fragile heart? That things affect her a lot?"
"McCarthy, I think over familiarity is making you forget your place. You don't have the right to come into my office and question me, do you get that?" Raymond was angry.
"No I don't, not when you are toying with my niece's feelings. Don't tell me a man like you can't tell when a woman cares for him? Felicity has the tendency to care a lot for people and it's because I don't want her hurt that's why I didn't let her get involve with a lot of people. Ever since her parents death, you are first man I let get close to her, to get into her life. Although I will do anything to not make it true but she..." She heaved a sigh "she has grown attached to you" she softened her voice "I know this is against the contract but, I was thinking you will have a little affection for her because of her condition. She is used to people caring for her."
"Good McCarthy, good that you know that this is against the contract. When we sign those papers, you kept nagging in my ears that I should stay away from her, that I should not get involve with her in any way, that I should make sure I abide by the contract. Now I did those, I avoided her but yet you are not satisfied? Now you want me to care for her? Now you want me to be involve with her? What exactly do you want McCarthy?" Raymond stood up angrily as he yelled.?
"I just want to take any chance I can to get her better. The doctor said she will need tender loving care to overcome her shock, to free herself from it's grasp on her. That is why I did anything she wants, why I gave her everything. Why to people it will look like I spoiled her, I just want her to be the woman she was supposed to be. Next month she will turn twenty five, but you and I know she still acts like a child. When I noticed she cares about you and you might do the same for her base on the way you have been acting for the past month, I thought, maybe you are what she needed, the one medicine to get her better" she looked at him as she wiped away her tears "but I guess I was wrong, you will never care about someone. You are Raymond Baldwin after all, you never commits. And I was a fool for thinking you will" she let out a deep breath "I can't wait for this contract to be over."
"I'm sorry if I didn't live up to your expectations McCarthy but it's not my fault I did not fall for your broken niece" he replied.
Broken niece, the two words repeated in her head, of course, to him, Felicity is broken. He has been with a lot of models and famous celebrities, why won't he see Felicity as broken? "I'm sorry for trying to make you breach the contract. Please, let it be the way we once said. I only hope time will fly faster" she turned and left the office.
Raymond slumped on his chair, his gaze fixed at the door, what has he just done? He wanted to get rid of his feeling for Felicity because he didn't want to lose to Katherine and now, he just found out that she wants him to be with her niece and he gave it up?
But it's okay, he brushed himself up, he doesn't want to be with Felicity, he doesn't want to be with any woman, he doesn't love. So it's better this way, at least knowing that he agitated Katherine like this and she will never let him be with Felicity is for the best. He doesn't want to be with her anyway.?