JOAN’S POV
When I left Madame Helen’s playroom, I came back to the kitchen to finish up my work. Ms Sullivan, Sarah and Emily left to finish up some errands for Madame Helen.
I cleaned up the kitchen while they were gone. As I scrubbed the kitchen counters, my mind wandered back to Sir Derrick. I wondered why he didn’t like me. Things between us were supposed to be professional so it shouldn’t really matter if he liked me or not. Even at that, I just… I wanted him to and I didn’t know why.
Why was he so cold and mean? He gave me mixed signals. One day, he’s saving my life literally and another day, he’s telling me to get out of the room just because he doesn’t want to be in the same space as me.
What goes on in that head of his? I wish I knew. Why wasn’t he like the rest of his family? His relatives were so polite and nice but he… He was different. And I couldn’t help but think that there was a reason for his indifference and coldness. He seemed to have a special kind of coldness toward me, and I couldn’t understand why. Did I do anything wrong?
I cleaned the counter with more force than necessary, channeling my frustration into the task at hand.
Why did he dislike me so much? What had I done to earn his scorn? These questions disturbed me. And yet, despite his harshness, I found myself drawn to him in a way I couldn’t describe. I couldn’t explain it even if I tried. There was something about the way he carried himself, his dominant aura and the intensity in his eyes, that pulled me in.
My thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of footsteps. I flinched in shock. I looked up to see Sir Derrick standing there. His presence was commanding and magnetic at the same time.
“Bring a glass of wine to my room,” he ordered.
“Y-yes, Sir,” I stammered “W-which one?”
“Any kind is fine. I just need something to calm me down. Non alcoholic preferably”
“Okay sir. I’ll be tight there”
My heart raced as he left the kitchen. I quickly poured a glass of red wine and served it on a tray. As I walked up the stairs to his room, I took deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves. I couldn’t afford to mess this up. I didn’t want to give him more reasons to dislike me.
When I reached his door, I knocked softly.
“Enter,” he said.
I stepped inside the room. It was a bit dark. I figured that this was the way Sir Derrick liked it. It was no wonder he loved the colour black so much. His office was always dimly lit.
He was seated at his desk. His gaze was fixed on me as I approached with the wine. I placed the glass in front of him, my hands trembling slightly.
“Wait here until I’m done,” he commanded. “I don’t want to have to call you back.”
“Of course, Sir,” I replied.
I stepped back to stand in a corner of the room. I felt awkward, unsure of what to do with myself as he sipped his wine. His eyes never left mine as he drank it. The silence was heavy, charged a strong feeling of tension that made my skin prickle.
I tried to keep my breathing steady, but I could feel his gaze on me, intense and unwavering. I couldn’t help but hold his gaze, my eyes locking onto his.
When I looked at him, my breath got caught in my throat. There was something in the way he looked at me that made it impossible to look away. His eyes were dark, filled with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat.
Everything seemed to be in slow motion. My eyes fell on his lips, taking in the way he sipped the wine slowly. The way his lips worshipped the cup, the way his Adam apple bobbed, the way his tongue moved – it all made me heated on the inside.
As he continued to drink, the silence between us grew thicker. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. My heart raced even more and my pulse quickened. Despite his cold demeanor, there was a magnetic pull between us that I couldn’t deny. I watched as he finished his wine, setting the glass down slowly.
I swallowed hard.
He stood up and walked toward me. My breath caught in my throat again as he closed the distance between us. His huge frame towered over me. What is he doing?
I could feel the heat radiating from his body. The strong scent of his cologne filled my nose.
“Joan,” he said softly.
“Sir,” I managed to reply. My voice was barely above a whisper.
He leaned in closer till his face was inches from mine. I could feel the warmth of his breath on my skin. My heart pounded louder in my chest. I was aware of every inch of space between us. My body stood at attention at our proximity.
Doesn’t he know how much he affects me?
For a moment, it felt like time had stopped. His gaze was locked onto mine. I looked up at him, staring at his beautiful brown eyes and getting lost in them. He was beautiful. Everything about him was perfect – his jawline, his lips, his eyes… Everything. I wanted to grab him and pull him closer to me. I wanted to feel the heat of his body on mine.
I could see the flicker of something in his eyes. Desire, maybe? Lust? Attraction? My body responded to his proximity in a way I never knew before.
He leaned in closer till I could feel his breath on my lips. Just when I thought he might kiss me, there was a sudden knock on the door. The spell was broken, and Sir Derrick straightened up. His expression shifted back to its usual cold mask.
“Come in,” he called out, his voice once again commanding.
The door opened, and a man who I guess was named Santi stepped in.
“The fish is on the hook,” Santi said.
Sir Derrick nodded. Without another word, he turned and followed Santi out of the room, leaving me standing there.
As soon as the door was shut, I let our a breath i didn’t even know I was holding. I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me. I sank into a nearby chair with my legs trembling.
I was confused and my mind raced with so many questions. What had just happened? And why did I feel this strange connection to a man who seemed to take pleasure in making my life difficult? This man didn’t even like me.
I buried my face in my hands, trying to make sense of what I felt inside. Despite everything, I couldn’t deny the truth-I was drawn to Sir Derrick in a way I couldn’t explain, and it terrified me.