I was startled awake by a voice calling my name, "Alyana." When I woke up, Stephen was holding a tray.
Have some breakfast here, he murmured, setting it down on the bed.
I ask out loud since I'm at a loss for words, "Are you cooking?"
"Is it not obvious?"
I jokingly remarked, "I'm just wondering, is it poisonous?"
I asked, sheepishly, "Do you fear I'm trying to poison you."
I apologized and bent before him, saying, "It's a joke, I was just kidding."
He sniffed as I turned to face him. "If you're sorry..." He said.
Does he want me to kiss him? Because of how he now acts and the fact that there are times when Stephen is incredibly kind to me, I couldn't help but smile inwardly. My cheeks were already hot when he told me he wanted me, but I remembered it right away.
I carefully leaned in to kiss him and I was about to do so when he spoke up. "Could you please explain what you're doing?"
"O-Oh, I thought you're asking for a kiss? I'm so s-sorry, I misread you. I misunderstood you a-again."
Argg! It was uncomfortable because I thought he wanted me to kiss him and he even smelled.
He kissed me on the lips and caressed both of my cheeks, which surprised me.
He kissed me on the lips and caressed both of my cheeks, which surprised me. "I'm kidding, you can eat now, but I want to kiss you,"
"You should always act that way when you're eating."
I looked at him, shocked, and taken aback. I looked at my body, reaching for a pillow to cover my chest, "Huh?" It's a little chilly because I'm naked.
I roared, "Pervert!" and started to eat.
He spoke suddenly, and I fixed my eyes on his. He said, "Don't go back to your house," and I just nodded in agreement.
I was momentarily at a loss for words; I couldn't stay away from home for the rest of my life. "Answer me, Alyana, don't go there! Do you understand?" I need to ask my mother, sister, and brother how they're doing.
If I notice you with cuts and bruises again, I can kill you; it doesn't matter if I'm still in jail; I have other means to escape.
Is he really dead? He's terrifying; I'm not going there. Could he possibly murder me?
I had a shower in my room after I finished eating, and when I came out, Stephen was lying on the bed.
"Do you have a stroll planned for today? Where are you going? What are you going to do?" He kept asking me these questions one after another.
Surprised to find such exquisite garments, I said as I walked up to the cabinet, "In Madam Nessy's place."
I haven't had clothes like this in as long as I can remember, so I asked, "Whose clothes are these?"
The merchant claims, "I bought it for you.
I pointed to myself and asked, "Mine?" He nodded. I grinned since I now had good clothes, but the sadness persisted because I wanted to utilize the money I had worked so hard to earn to buy the things I was going to wear.
I suppose getting clothes isn't all that bad... I'm not sure, but I don't want to since I have food or products that weren't made by the employer I worked for. At the time, Mom told me that the money she earned was superior to the money she was given. In any case, receiving blessings isn't bad.
I put on my old clothes. He followed me into the store and was about to take the clothes when I stopped him. "You don't like the clothes I bought? You just want me to throw them away?" he asked.
Is he going to discard those? Did he know that many individuals lack clothes, which they wear repeatedly because they are unable to afford to buy them? Wealthy people ought to be able to recognize their blessings and express gratitude for them. They simply discard items despite having a lot of money because they are unaware of their importance to others.
I cast a curious gaze his way as he said, "Sorry."
Why are you sorry?
"If you think I bought them out of sympathy for you, you're mistaken; I bought them because I wanted to. I bought those clothes for you because I realized you don't have a lot of clothes."
"Imagine if I gave you that for your birthday," he goes on to say.
Eh? Is this a late birthday present for me because my birthday has already passed?
I mumbled, "Thank you. I have to thank him since I thought my life would be a living nightmare here, just as when they made me at home, but I was wrong.
"Do you still have to work?" "Then don't go there; you can ask me for money."
"I don't want to rely on my wants from others if you work hard for the money, not simply what you asked for." You're not my husband to rely on you.
"I'll take you there."
You will undoubtedly transport me because I lack the means to travel there, most likely due to a lack of funds.
I met Madam Nessy when I arrived at her flat. "Oh, Alyana, you're here! You truly dropped from the sky, and I'm in desperate need of your help right now."
"Could you watch Nash while I'm away? I'm going somewhere and it'll take me s a little bit longer to come back I guess," she added.
"Madam, Nessy, where are you going?"
"I'm going to follow my husband since I think he's more interested in women than business right now!"
"All right, all right." Madam says.
Does Sir have a mistress? Even though Madam Nessy is stunning, he married a woman. Would there be a woman if I could get married I could?
"I'll simply give you a call. Oops, I forgot you don't have a phone..."
I took my phone out of my pocket and said, "Ahm, I already have a cell phone." Hehe, it's also wonderful to have a cell phone, even if it's a really costly one.
"Oh, that's great you got a cell phone; all right, please leave your number here and I'll call you; I'm not sure if I'll be able to come back here immediately away because my obnoxious husband is in Thailand right now." I simply nodded and dialed Madam Nessy's number.
She even gave me money before bidding me farewell.
"Mommy, I'm hungry. Wahhh! Sis Alyana!" he said as he ran over to me and hugged me tightly.
"Ate Alyana, where's mommy?" He inquired. Ohh? Madam Nessy didn't inform Nash that she's leaving?
I couldn't stop scratching my head. Should I mention that his mother fled because he went to his father? After all, madam suspected that her husband was having an affair.
"Your mom Nash just leave a few minutes ago... she had to take care of something urgent!"
"What time will she be back?" He inquired once again.
"I don't know, Nash, your mother didn't mention when she'll be returning," Madam Nessy said, without specifying when she would return. She stated that she would simply call.
"Are you pregnant, Sis Alyana?" My eyes widened and I coughed simultaneously, causing me to drool for a brief instant.
“What? No way. I just ate that’s why my tummy is kinda big. Sis Alyana is just full.” He even caressed my tummy as if there was a child inside.
“Ahh, what a waste. I’m sure your baby will be as beautiful as you, Sis Alyana." He said with a beam.
“You know, Nash, what you’re thinking is still far from our way. I’m still not ready to have a husband and a child.”

“But why tho?”
“I want to fulfill my dream first and build a house for my family.”
I was suddenly startled when something rang. “What’s that?”
“Someone is calling on your cell, Ate Alyana.”
Ah, it’s just my phone. I picked it up from my pocket and saw it was from Stephen’s. I don’t know why but I immediately recognized his number.
[Alyana, what time are you coming home?] I just came here yet he’s asking me when am I going home. I don’t even have an idea of what time am I going to.
“Once my boss get back home." I simply answered, and even if I can’t see him right now, I know his brows were knitted.
[When will she really arrive!?]
“Nash, check out the ref, there’s food there." I told Nash and he immediately did what I said, I know Madam Nessy never forgets to put food in the ref.
“Madam Nessy will go to Thailand today to go to her husband. She said she feels like Sir is having another woman.” I explained to him, almost in a whisper to avoid Nash from hearing it. But then I was shocked when I saw him beside me, looking at me, to be concise.
“Have you heard what I said?” I nervously asked and he nodded his head as if what he had heard was just nothing to him.
“Are you not going to cry??"
“Why would I? I am not gay; a real man doesn’t shed tears.” Real men cry, too, and doesn’t mean you’re crying, you’re already gay.
“That’s their relationship. It’s Daddy’s fault if he has someone else because he doesn’t know how to be contented with my mommy alone. That’s his choice, I don’t care.” This boy speaks as if he’s already, huh?
[So, you’re not sure if you’ll be able to come home today. Hey, Alyana, are you still there??] I forgot for a moment that Stephen was still on the line.
“Yeah, I guess s—“ My words were cut when he suddenly dropped the call.
What the! What the hell is his problem? Why did he do that? Is he mad? Did I do something? It’s not my fault that I won’t be able to come home as soon as possible. Doesn’t he have an understanding in his vocabulary!?
***
Here I am now standing, continuously shifting my gaze to the two of them to and fro. They are now seriously staring at each other without even blinking.
What is Stephen even doing here?
“Ate Alyana, who is he?” asked Nash as he pointed at Stephen who was in front of him.
“He’s Stephen.”
“Ah, Stephen... what an ugly name.” I tried not to laugh because of what he had just said. I heard Stephen force a cracked laugh as if he was irritated with Nash. This is because Nash speaks as if he’s older than Stephen.
“Is this the Nash you’re talking about, Alyana?”
“Yup, he is.”
“Why didn’t you tell me he’s ugly.” Ugly? Nash is a handsome kid, he’s not ugly.
“I’m not ugly, Mister. You’re the one who’s ugly here.”
I don’t know what to do with these hopeless beings. They just kept on throwing snide remarks at each other, what’s their problem? Do they have hatred toward one another?
I took some juice and sliced bread, then put it on the table in the middle. I sat next to Nash, he then went on my lap.
“Who are you to sit on Alyana’s lap?!” Stephen threw daggers at him. Is Stephen angry with Nash? What’s wrong with him? He’s fighting with a kid.
“What do you think? I’m just a child. I’m only 10 years old.” I grabbed a slice of bread and fed it to Nash.
“Ah, so you’re just only 10 years old. I thought you were already at 100.”
_
Stephen Wilson's Pov.
“I thought you’re still young, you know? Like around 50 years old.” This kid is literally mocking me!
My gaze shifted to Alyana’s hand, feeding that dwarf food. Tsk, she should only do that to me!
When the boy noticed that I was looking at them, he stuck out his tongue at me.
“Alyana, let’s go home,” I suddenly mumbled.
"Huh? But his mom hasn’t come home yet, there’s no one else to watch over him, Stephen.”
“That brat is old enough, he can handle himself.” I stated seriously.
“Ate Alyana, are you going to leave me here? Alone?” His tone was said, trying to charm Alyana. This kid is really something!
“No, baby, I’ll stay here while your mommy’s not home.” Baby? Did she just call that brat baby? How about me, when are you even going to call me baby?
“Yey, thank you, Sis!” He hugged Alyana. And because I couldn’t take it anymore, I stood up and sat next to them, I lifted this dwarfy Nash and put him on my lap.
“You know what? You’re cute, kiddo. So cute that I want to strangle y—I mean pinch that cheek of yours so bad,” I mumbled with my gritted teeth and pinched his cheek.
“Ouch! That hurts! You’re so bad, you lousy guy!” he retorted stiffly and pinched my nose, making me groan a little. This great boy is fighting back!
“Nash, don’t call him ugly.” Now, it’s my turn to stick out my tongue at him.
“Hey, dwarf, did you hear that? Don’t call me ugly!”
“Stephen, don’t call him dwarf, too.” And he did what I did, he stuck out his tongue at me and I was even more surprised when he raised his middle finger.
I took his hand and immediately showed it to Alyana. “Alyana, oh, look.”
“Nash, that’s bad!” I covered my mouth to suppress my laughter, the reason for him to glare at me.
“Idiot,” he whispered to me.
“Sorry, Ate Alyana, I won’t do it again,” he expressed as he pouted. And my eyes widened when he kissed Alyana on the cheek.
“Hey, why did you kiss her!” I wiped Alyana’s cheek and this brat’s lips. He tried to remove my hand but sorry not sorry because I’m stronger than him.