CASSIA
"What do you want?" Kairos grunted, the veins along his firm jawline standing out.
The look on his face made it clear he hated the interruption.
For me, I felt the opposite.
I didn't even want to think about what had almost happened. And to be honest, it was humiliating that she had walked in on us again at a moment like that.
Mrs. Moore straightened, letting go of the doorframe. She tried to compose herself, but the shock was still evident in her expression. Her gaze shifted to me, and I could clearly see the revulsion in her eyes.
"I asked you a question," Kairos repeated.
She cleared her throat before answering. "Doctor Brian is here."
"Good," Kairos said.
His eyes dropped to my leg, and only then did I remember the pain there. I had completely forgotten about it. My mind had been too occupied with Kairos's hand and where it had been moments ago.
He stepped back from me, his hardened gaze sweeping over my body.
I swallowed, my cheeks burning as he examined me like I was some fragile object being inspected.
Just moments ago, he had looked at me with hunger, with a kind of desire I had never seen in his eyes before.
Now…If looks could kill, I would already be dead.
It was as if he had suddenly remembered every reason he had to hate me.
"Get dressed and come to the living room," he ordered coldly.
"Yes, sir," I whispered, giving a mock bow.
Kairos's eyes narrowed at my response, his jaw twitching slightly. I saw the warning there, the same one that always flashed in his obsidian gaze whenever I tried to be clever with him.
The silent message was clear.
Watch your attitude. Or face the consequences.
I didn't flinch under his stare. I hadn't said anything wrong. He had given an order, and I was his captive. I didn't know what else I was supposed to call him.
Kairos left the room, though not before telling Mrs. Moore to assist me with whatever I needed.
Of course. He had to leave me with the one person I least wanted to be around.
She stepped inside as the door closed behind him. I ignored her and walked to the wardrobe. After rummaging through rows of dresses and skirts, I finally found a pair of joggers and a plain white shirt.
I pulled them on quickly and moved to the mirror.
Standing there, I untwisted the towel from my hair and let it fall over my shoulders. My fingers slid through the strands, working out the tangles.
"What is your relationship with him?" Mrs. Moore asked. I paused, my brows knitting together.
She stood behind me. Our eyes met in the mirror.
"The brush is in the second drawer," she added with a small nod.
"Thank you," I murmured, opening it and taking out the brush. I began running it through my hair.
She still hadn't moved. Her gaze remained fixed on me.
"He already told you we're siblings," I said.
"Siblings?" Mrs. Moore scoffed. Her lips curled in disgust as she shook her head. "More like a gold digger looking for her latest catch."
Heat rushed to my face at her words. I had done nothing to give her that impression. She had only just met me today, yet she was already judging me like she knew everything.
"And don't even get me started on the tension between you two," she continued. "No siblings look at each other the way you do."
"What is it to you?" I asked, meeting her gaze in the mirror. "Why do you care what's between the two of us? Is that part of your job description?"
Mrs. Moore let out a disbelieving scoff. Her eyes narrowed, her teeth grinding together as she looked around the room, as if making sure we were alone.
Then she started toward me. "You—"
"I'm sorry to interrupt!" Tilly stammered, cutting her off. She stood by the door.
"Little shit," Mrs. Moore hissed under her breath.
Tilly lowered her gaze immediately, her shoulders trembling. "I'm sorry, but the boss asked me to be here."
Mrs. Moore huffed. She shot me one last sharp look before stalking out of the room.
The moment she disappeared, Tilly released a relieved breath.
I waited for her to deliver whatever message Kairos had supposedly sent her with, but instead she rushed forward nervously.
"I'm sorry for lying," she blurted. "The boss didn't ask me to come. I just heard her talking to you. I know it's not my place to interfere and—"
"It's okay," I said, offering her a small smile. "Thank you."
Tilly looked uncertain, her dark brown eyes searching my face. She shook her head quickly and then nodded twice, as if arguing with herself.
"I don't want to get in trouble, ma'am. I'm sorry again!"
Before I could respond, she darted out of the room, leaving me staring at the door.
I groaned softly and turned back to the mirror, pursing my lips. A psycho boss and a vicious head maid.
What a wonderful combination to live with.
No. It was terrible.
After seeing Doctor Brian, my ankle had been secured in a brace to reduce the swelling. He had also given me some pain medication to help with it.
Now I was seated at the dining table with Kairos across from me and Mrs. Moore beside him. And no, we weren't simply eating.
Or maybe I was the only one eating.
Mrs. Moore seemed far more interested in Kairos than the food.
She hovered over him, doing things that were far more disturbing than my own attraction to him. She caressed his free hand, touched his face, and wiped away every tiny crumb from his mouth. At one point, I half expected her to shove her fingers inside just to make sure he hadn't missed anything.
Then she started looking at him with those ridiculous, goo-goo eyes.
I mean, she was obviously older than him. If anything, he should have been her son.
She didn't seem to care that I was sitting right there. The other maids looked uncomfortable, though Kairos appeared to enjoy every second of it.
Was he into older women? Was that why she disapproved of me so much, not just because he had introduced me as his sister?
The thought of the two of them tangled together in bed, sweaty and breathless, bodies pressed together…
No. Absolutely not.
Kairos would never do something like that.
Yet it wasn't unheard of for men to be with older women. Still, imagining them together made my stomach twist.
My appetite vanished. I never had one before anyway.
I set the spoon aside. Kairos glanced at me, his eyes briefly drifting to the untouched food on my plate.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as I pushed my chair back and stood.
"Thanks for the food," I said.
"Isn't it to your liking?" Mrs. Moore asked, looking at me with exaggerated concern in her eyes.
I rolled mine. As if she actually cared.
"I can make—" she began, rising from her seat.
"No need," I told her. "I've lost my appetite."
"Oh," she whispered.
"I'll go to bed early," I muttered, walking away from the table without looking back.
Kairos didn't try to stop me.