June couldn’t help the irritation that stroked her heart at the tone of the woman in front of her. After the night she’d had, the last thing she needed was another woman trying to get on her nerves.
“Who are you and why are you here?!” The woman screeched when June didn’t spare her a word.
“I should be asking you, seeing you came to my home.”
A scoff. “Your home? Where the hell is Rafael?!”
“What are you doing here?” A cold voice said from behind June.
Rafael and Luis had joined the party. June stepped away from the door, refusing to handle any unnecessary drama. The woman in front of her seemed to have no shortage of drama to unleash.
“Rafe… Who is this woman and why is she in your home this late at night?”
June couldn’t help but notice the fondness in her tone as she spoke to her husband. What was their relationship?
Rafael seemed to be running short of patience, and instead of answering, moved to close the door, but the woman stuck a leg into his home.
“Mother said I could spend the night here!” She said in a high-pitched tone.
June’s brows corked at the sight of her desperation.
“I got locked out of my house and I need a place to stay the night.” She said, lying through her teeth. “Mother said I could come here!”
That explained the luggage behind her, June thought, watching the scene unfold with Luis by her side.
“This is not a hotel.” Little Luis said with a bite in his tone. “I don’t want her here.”
The coldness that emanated from the little prince was a shock to June who was only used to his warm personality. It didn’t end there, Luis took June by the arm, dragging her back to the dining table.
His father could handle the strange woman. He needed to feed his auntie!
“Name?” Rafael said in a cold tone, it took a minute for the blonde woman to understand he was requesting her name. Further aggravating him.
“Marie! Marie Constantin.” She said with a smile that seemed too big, flapping the overly long faux lashes.
“This is not a hotel.” He repeated the words of his son, “Leave or the security will make you.”
Marie turned around and noticed the men on suit who let her in remained in their spot, no doubt, ready to carry out their master’s orders.
Before she could speak a word, Rafael shut the door in her face, making a mental note to call his mother and strictly communicate his displeasure.
He didn’t have the leisure to do that. The next second, the blare of his ringtone filled the air. He knew who it was. There were only a few people who had his personal line.
June watched her husband sit and resume his dinner like a woman was not out there with her luggage, getting escorted from the property. A thousand questions swirled through her mind.
By the seventeenth ring, Rafael picked up the call with a grotesque look on his face. His mother’s voice rang clear.
“Let Marie in this instant or I will be the face you see first thing in the morning.” She threatened, and she meant every word.
“I already told you. I am not interested in women.”
June’s spoon slipped off her hands at the declaration of her husband, while Luis blinked repeatedly. Rafael swore when he realised how that may have sounded.
“You should have told me sooner, son! I was matchmaking you with the wrong gender all this while!”
June and Luis, “!!!”
“I am not… I don’t need your help finding a woman, mother. I have told you several times, I can manage-” Rafael said, shaking with anger.
His mother cut him off. “Make sure Marie is in that house, she has nowhere else to go. Do not test me, son.”
Before Rafael could say a word, the call disconnected. His mother had hung up on him! Suddenly, knocks were heard on the door and Rafael was close to losing his mind.
“Get out!” He roared, startling June.
At the sight of his auntie jumpy at his father’s tone, Luis’s features worsened.
“Stop raising your voice.” He snapped at his father.
The door springs open and once again, Marie stood there with a tight smile.
June blinked in confusion. How on earth did she come in?
“Mother gave this to me.” She flashed a Master Card. “She predicted you wouldn’t let me in so-”
At this rate, dinner was over.
Rafael looked at the woman in front of him and suddenly felt tired.
Marie stepped into the house with a smile on her face, taking in the new environment. “You’ve always had such an impeccable taste, Rafael.” She commented on the house.
“I’ve missed you so much!” She said, attempting to hug him but was stopped by the coldness that emanated from him.
Although Marie was unhappy with the cold treatments, she maintained a smile. This man had always been cold. She couldn’t help but feel upset that he didn’t even remember her after the wild night they once had.
Nevertheless, she wasn’t deterred. She was going to make him want her before the end of her stay here. With Mother Beatrice on her side, she would stay here until she became the next Mrs. Ambrose! She would never be discouraged.
“Rafael, where is your room?” She asked, “Did you already eat? I could make you some fresh tea so you sleep more easily.”
June’s brows perked at her words. This woman acted so familiar with her husband. She wanted to know who she was, and why her face felt so familiar.
As though feeling her gaze, Marie turned around and spotted Luis, standing beside June. She immediately rushed towards the little one, coming for a hug but was met with a cold reception.
Little Luis went as far as hiding behind June with an irritated expression. Not bothering to spare her a word despite her many attempts to get him talking.
“Luis! I see you are still not a big talker. Auntie missed you and Daddy so much.” She cooed, only to be met with a snide look from the little one.
June picked up Luis who was standing behind her, and he wrapped his little arm around her neck. It was a silent tell he wanted to leave. June was happy to leave too.
“I will tuck him in for the night.” She said to no one in particular and made to leave but was stopped by a curt reply from Marie.
“You haven’t told me who you are.” Her tone was unfriendly and rude. Marie turned to Rafael, “What is she? The maid? Why is she dressed so provocatively?”
“She is-”
“The nanny.” June suffixed, stopping Rafael from speaking further.
“Then you should dress like one!” She said in a reprimanding tone.
“June is not-”
“I understand. I will be on my way.” June said once again, then to Rafael, she said; “May I have a word with you, sir?”
It took a second before he nodded, and followed her towards the stairs. Halfway through the stairs, he remembered the woman who stood down with her luggage, holding a distasteful look on her face.
“Pick one of the rooms downstairs and disappear before daylight.”
Marie let out a huff and stomped her feet. Although she was upset, she didn’t like the idea of causing a ruckus. What’s the rush? She had a lot of time to show that servant how to behave around her man.
Meanwhile, June sat by Luis’s bed until he fell asleep. It didn’t take a long time seeing he was already way past his bedtime. June felt remorse at having him stay up so long.
She stepped out of his room to meet Rafael waiting for her in her room. Surprisingly, the thought of him having access to her room didn’t make her feel odd.
“Maybe it is time I introduced you as my wife.” Those were the first words out of Rafael’s mouth.
June shook her head. They had agreed that unless it was absolutely necessary, they would keep things quiet. “I think it’s better I remain the nanny. Besides, she leaves tomorrow.”
Rafe corked his brows. He couldn’t tell what she thought and it irked him. He stepped forward, eroding her personal space with his husky scent. “You realise it is only a matter of time before you are introduced as my wife.”
She swallowed. Then nodded, “I understand. But for tonight, I am the nanny.”
The duo stared into each other’s eyes, none backing up as the tension between them thickened. Rafael couldn’t help but notice how red her lips were, how he could lower his head and capture them in a much-needed kiss.
However, he could tell that tonight was not the night. Judging from her looks since she returned from that party, it was clear there was something was wrong, hence the reason he called his assistant who just returned to the country as soon as he stepped out of her room.
“Find out everything that happened at the Lontoc family party. I want the reports on my desk by daybreak.”