###Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10


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Anthonia and Henry both walked into the living room, coming back from walking the sunrise.

Today was the second time he has done. The first time, he was forced by Emmanuella while the second time, he did it voluntary; willingly on his own.

He gently dropped Blossom's pram on the floor, going to the kitchen to get water.

He brought two bottled water and gave one to Anthonia who gladly took it, gulping half of it.

" How was it? Beautiful, right?" Anthonia asked. Her eyes piercing into his for answers.

He nodded, unable to talk under her strong gaze.

As if she read his mind, she looked away from him, picking up Blossom's pram.

" It was lovely. "

" I know. Your day will be more. . . better today if only you cooperate with the stars. " She replied, walking back to the elevator.

" I will try. "

" I would love to see you try, Denny. " She said as the elevator's door closed.

She didn't have the chance to see the horror on his face.

Only his wife has called him that, his mother never even call him that all his life. Anthonia just called him that without hesitation like she had it on the tip of her tongue.

He immediately shrugged it off, trying not to overthink it.

He entered the elevator and went to his room to shower again.

•••

Anthonia was in the kitchen, preparing Blossom's milk. She wasn't alone in the kitchen, a maid was there too, packing two lunchboxes.

She subconsciously turned around and faced the lady; she looks like she was around her age. All the maids here are around their early or middle twenties.

" Hey. " She muttered, loud enough for the lady to hear.

She lifted her head from the lunch boxes and looked at Anthonia in a kind of way before replying back. " Hey. You're the new nanny? Why aren't you gone yet?"

" Gone where?"

" You know, back to where you came from. " She replied, giving her a disapproving look.

Anthonia furrowed her perfect eyebrows, narrowing her eyes to the lady. " Excuse you? You don't get to tell me when I leave or stay, you don't get to tell me where to go or stay either. " She snaps, unable to contain her anger.

The way the lady is staring at her like she did something utterly outrageously unholy while she didn't, she was just trying to be nice and polite to her fellow human being.

" I'm just saying. I mean you obviously don't belong here, you don't have the experience to take care of a child; a week and some days old baby much more adding two toddlers to it. Tsk tsk tsk, poor poor you, it must be tiring. " She replied, shrugging her shoulders almost at every single word.

Anthonia saw right through her and smiled brightly. " Umph, I never knew you needed a certificate to get a nanny's job that I NEVER applied for, I was okay doing my PIZZA DELIVERY when I delivered pizza here and my lovely beautiful BABY girl stopped crying immediately I HELD HER IN MY ARMS. " She said, stressing some word to let the other woman know the emphasis of them. She made sure her sentences was spiteful enough to the lady who was determined to make her day bad.

The lady rolled her eyes and put the boxes in the bag while muttering something under her breath.

" Umm, are those the twin's lunch boxes you just made?" She asked.

" Yes, why?" She snaps.

Anthonia decided to let it slide, rolling it off. " Where are the fruits, dessert and juice box? You didn't put any except from a tuna sandwich, who takes a tuna sandwich to school? Or better yet, who gives five-year-old girls a tuna sandwich to take to school?"

" You have no. . . "

" I actually do. " Anthonia interrupts her, shunning her up. " I have rights to talk to you about the kids under my care. You are gravely mistaken if you think my appearance describes me, it doesn't in any way so watch your freakíng mouth else I will do something about it. As from today henceforth, you are relieved of your duty to, you know? Prepare or make lunchboxes for the kids that are under my care. Trust me, I can do better. "

" You might have rights on the kids but not their father. He'll not fire me not even if you beg him. "

Anthonia faked a gasps, touching her chest. " He will if I tell him to. "

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. " I'll love to see you try. "

" Alright. You are at fault at anything that happens. "

" Yeah, try all you want but he will not fire me no matter what you do. "

" What is your name? I would love to know your name so I can, you know? So, he can fire you. "

" Joyce. Good luck. " She said and left.

" I don't need luck. " She snapped.

Exhaling hard, she walked towards the elevator and entered it.

She knocked on Henry's room door, waiting for an invite.

" Who is it?" He asked, not bothering to walk away from the mirror in the closet.

" Me. It's me, Anthonia. I want to talk to you. " She replied, sharply.

She hatés being dared and Joyce just did exactly that. Maybe she doesn't want her job anymore and was looking for a way to leave.

" Come in. " He said.

She entered the room. This room is way bigger than her room. This is the third time for her being here.

The first time was in the night, the second time was when she spoke to Henry about the twins and now.

She was still shocked by the length, width, height and breadth of the room.

The interiors are top notch for some people but it wasn't really her style.

Looking at Henry in front of the mirror, drinking his handsomeness like he hasn't seen it before, she rolled her eyes.

" I saw that. " He said and faced her.

She gave him a blank look. "Umph. . . "

" Go ahead, what do you want to talk about?" He asked, brushing out the hair that fell on his face.

" Umph, I was. . . Can you fire Joyce?"

" What?" He asks, taken aback. He heard what she said but it is possible he mishears, right?

" I said, you should fire Joyce. " She repeated.

" Why?" He asked.

" It is because she. . . " She paused, biting her bottom lip.

**It might sound foolish. Why am I even doing this. No, I have to. She asked for it and she'll get it. No mercy for Joyce.* She thought, inwardly.

Henry stare at her like she has grown two heads. But it was a shocked reaction, it was actually amusing.

How he is smiling while staring at her is amazingly amusing.

" I just think you should fire her. She doesn't know her job and I will be doing the twins lunch from henceforth. Just fire her, please. " She continued.

" Why do you want her fired so badly?" He asks, leaning his back against the wall, folding his hands on his chest, looking quizzically at Anthonia for an answer.

" She is just so friggin' annoying and she dared me. She said you won't fire her no matter what I do or say to you and I just want to proof her wrong. " She blurts out before she could stop the word but escaping. She slapped her hand over her mouth, horrified and embarrassed. That wasn't what she wanted to say at all.

He laughed at her reaction and she gave him a cold icily glare which made him laugh more.

She rolled her eyes, exasperatedly. She then let out a groan.

" I was already planning on that. " He announced, shocking her.

" What?"

" The kids didn't like the food she packs for them. They said it isn't like their mom; Emmanuella's style. "

Anthonia smiled. " You must really loves your wife a lot. The way you talk about her and your eyes lit up and your smile deepens, it's lovely to watch. I'd love to experience that. "

He nodded, absentmindedly. His mind went to when he dreamt about Emmanuella telling him that Anthonia is his fate and destiny.

He was shook back to reality by Anthonia, looking at him like he was a monster.

" Earth to Henry! Finally, you're back, you travelled. " She said after she finished shaking him back to reality.

He muttered an apology.

" I'll let her go. " He said.

She smiled. " Really? Can I be the one to inform her about it? I would love to see her face crumble in shock and regret. " She replied, menacingly, smilingly.

He opened his mouth to talk but closes it back, deciding otherwise while Anthonia stared at him, waiting for a reply from him.

" No, I'll tell her myself. It is reasonable and sensible and not. . . Wicked. " He said.

She faked a gasp again, holding her chest. " You mean to say I'm wicked, isn't it?"

He replied with a shrug.

She nudges him on his stomach, playfully. " I'm not wicked. "

" Uhm, I don't think so. " He teases.

Anthonia frowned, folding her hands on her chest like a toddler who was refused from eating midnight snack. Her lips slightly puckered, making her look cute.

" Sorry, I just joking. " He apologized.

She smiled brightly. " Uhm, apologizes accepted. "

Before he knew what what he was doing, his hands were to her hair, ruffling it. When he realized his action, he halted for a second before raking his fingers down her hair, brushing it with his fingers. Anthonia stayed still, unmoving. It was only her eyes that was moving.

How her pupils dilated, staring at him, brush her hair with his fingers. He then tucked it behind her ears.

That was when his eyes met hers and his world came on a standstill.

He knew her eyes was pretty but he never knew it was this deep. It was like a deep blue sea that you drown in just that her eyes wasn't blue but brown, like melted chocolate; caramel.

As she stared at him, dilating her pupils like she was searching frantically for something in his black eyes. It was black; jet-black. There wasn't any type of warmth in them, they seemed cold.

They shared the intense eye contact for minutes, without breaking it until Henry's phone rang.

Anthonia backed away from him. " Uhm, I need to go. . .and give Bloom her milk. " She said, stuttering a little.

He nods his head but didn't say anything until she walked to the door to leave.

" The lawyer would be here in thirty minutes, be ready. " He said.

She nodded and left the room.

▽▽▽▽▽

The Harrison's House**

Smith stirred on her Queen's size bed, trying to find solace in any part of the bed.

The bed seemed like a rock against her body. It wasn't because she felt uncomfortable, it was because Austin said that they should take things slow to see if things might work out between them.

It made her both annoyed and excited. Annoyed because it might take time for things to work out, her breakup with Wade just happened. Even if she denies it, she still has feelings for him, she still loved him and can't stop thinking about the 'What if's' of her life. What if he didn't cheat? What if I didn't find out? What if. . . Things happened this way. Excited because, she also liked Austin. He is handsome, cute, smart, nice, gentle, soft, loved puppies. He's everything she wants in a man.

If only her mind stop playing tricks on her and let her be happy with Austin. He knew that there wasn't a way she wouldn't still like Wade. The way she scoffs whenever she see him with any girls, the way she roll her eyes whenever she hear girls gushing over him shows it all. She even once called Austin Wade which made him mad at her.

She likes Austin and she knows it but erasing someone completely out of your heart, mind and soul isn't as easy as she thought. It might take some time to get over Wade but what if it is too late then? What if Austin has found someone better? Someone who wouldn't call him another boy's name after a kiss between them? Someone who will love him unconditionally? Someone who will get to touch his dimple?

The really soft comfy bed seemed like a rock against her back. She sprang up, dashing to the bathroom to take a shower.

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Zenith Palace**

A man in polo and khaki shorts was seated in Henry's living room with a laptop on his lap.

Anthonia and Henry in front of him, telling him what to write and what not to write in the contract.

" I'd love to add one last one. " Anthonia said, gingerly. " If he snaps at me, he will pay financially. "

The young man by name; Harry looked at Henry for approval.

" What of if it is the other way around?" Henry asked Anthonia, directly.

" I'm a really good girl. I will never snap at you. " She replied, innocently peering into Harry's eyes then Henry's eyes.

" Right. Everything is all settled in. You'll receive the hard copy tomorrow. Gotta go. " He said, standing up on his feet.

" Alright. " They said in unison.

After he left, Anthonia made to leave but Henry called her back.

" Never mind. " He dismissed her and left.

She tilted her head, looking at his retreating figure. " He is being weird today. Firstly, he scattered my air all over my face and arranged it back then he called me and left. Maybe, he is about dying and wants me not to troubleshoot him at this time of his life, yep, that must be it. " She mumbled, walking into the elevator