Alicia assessed the gigantic building, the exterior was quite impressive. Beautiful plain white and a few touches of blue.
She followed Noah every step of the way, holding two big shopping bags, while Noah was carrying three.
Passing through the yard to the front door, Noah managed to jiggle the doorknob and went in first, and Alicia came in next.
Aurora halted her pace on the staircase immediately after seeing the unfamiliar lady who came in with her father.
Meanwhile, Noah was already beaming at this point, “Hey, baby. Meet Alicia, my new chef tutor,”
Aurora blinked her eyes twice and hurriedly climbed down the rest of the stairs to where Noah was. She wasn't sure if she had misheard or her father had just misspoken.
“What do you mean chef tutor, Daddy? You're planning to learn how to cook?” Aurora asked quizzically, her eyes and mouth widened in disbelief.
“Yes, sweetheart,” he answered sweetly and then turned to face Alicia, who had been peeking her eyes at every single thing in the enormous living room.
The interior design was quite simple yet marveling and Alicia couldn't help but admire every bit of it.
“Come with me, Alicia,” Noah's voice snapped her back to reality, and that was when she realized that there was a kid standing close to her.
“Hi, dear. How are you?” she greeted Aurora with a cheerful smile, “I'm fine,” Aurora answered with a little smile and quickly followed behind her father.
“Daddy, have you told Jasmine about this?” she asked again while walking behind him in the direction of the kitchen.
“No, Aurora. I want it to be a surprise. I mean, in a few days to this time, I would be able to prepare some dishes on my own. Isn't it, Alicia?”
Alicia smiled and nodded, admiring the confidence in his voice.
“Now, please, let's get to work. But first, I would like you to prepare something for my daughter,” Noah said pleadingly with puppy eyes, bringing a big smile to Alicia's face.
“No problem, sir,” she replied and walked wholly into the kitchen, passing by Aurora.
Aurora intertwined her elbows across her chest, her little pair of cute eyes sweeping back and forth over her father's face.
Noah was oblivious of his daughter's stare as he continued to bring out the foodstuffs and groceries in the bags.
Accidentally, his gaze met Aurora's, who was keenly looking at him as if she could no longer recognize him. If only she could understand that her father had become someone else just for love.
“Go back to your room now, baby, I'll let you know once your lunch is ready,” Noah told her with a beam.
Aurora didn't say anything and then slowly turned out of the kitchen. In her eyes, her father seemed so weird, but she couldn't figure out why, and she wished she could.
Jasmine made use of the security card that has been given to her by Noah last night. He had told her that she could come to his house anytime that pleases her.
Grinning widely, she readjusted the black body hug dress she was wearing and also smoothed her hair.
She was off-duty today, but she purposely didn't tell Noah last night. She was going to surprise him with her unexpected visit and not only that, she had intended to come to prepare lunch for them.
In a matter of moments, she opened the front door and took her pace into the enormous living room.
She advanced toward the staircase, but some noises from the direction of the kitchen ceased her eager stride.
Still smiling, she reckoned that it was Noah and his daughter in the kitchen. Perhaps he was trying to make what they were going to have for lunch again.
However, he needed not worry anymore. She was here, and would do that for them.
With long strides and a few corners, she arrived in the kitchen doorway, and the scene she was seeing made her heart sink instantly as she thought back to that dreadful day she went to Xavier's house and saw him smooching a lady in his living room.
Although, it was different with Noah. This unknown lady was holding his hand as they both whisk the content in the bowl the lady was carrying together.
Apparently, Noah looked so happy with what he was doing. The smile on his face only grew deeper and deeper.
She blinked rapidly to see if her mind wasn't playing tricks on her, but it wasn't, what she was watching at that moment was real. Noah was seeing another lady, or maybe he didn't love her at all from the beginning.
Thinking about this, her nails were almost embedded into her palm, but she did not realize it. She felt like collapsing with shock, but soon held on to the door for support.
This sudden sound caught Noah and Alicia's attention as they both swiftly look in the direction of the door.
Stunned, Noah rushed over to hold Jasmine, but she didn't allow him to, blocking away his advance with her hand.
“Please don't touch me,” she choked between sobs, her eyes glistening with tears.
“Tell me, what happened, babe? What's wrong?” Noah asked with a big mess inside his heart, endeavoring to hold her, but she only shifted backward.
“I thought you truly loved me, Noah,” she swallowed hard over the lump of emotion lodging in her throat, allowing her tears to streak hysterically out of her eyes.
Noah made a face. He couldn't understand what she was trying to say, and his good mood was now long gone.
“Please, Jasmine. If it's a joke, you've got me already, please stop now,” his voice trembled without him realizing it.
Jasmine gazed at Alicia, who in turn stared back, a hint of regret flashing in her eyes. She seemed to untangle the reason behind Jasmine's attitude, but she couldn't understand why Noah was too blind to see it.
This time, Noah followed Jasmine's line of sight and his brain turned quickly as he burst into a peal of brief laughter.
“Oh, no, I'm so sorry if my surprise turned out to hurt you. This is Alicia, she's my new chef tutor. I'm eager to learn how to make dishes because of you, Jasmine,” he explained logically while putting forward some pace.
Hearing his explanation, Jasmine's tears came to a sudden halt, while she gradually took her eyes back to Noah's impeccable face.
“That's the truth, Miss. And to be honest, I envy the great love he has for you. I've never come across any man who would be willing to learn how to cook because of a woman before, a millionaire at that. You're so lucky, Miss,” Alicia voiced out her sincere words with a bright smile glimmering across her face.
Immediately after Alicia's words, a hint of shyness flashed through Jasmine's eyes as she lowered her head slightly to cover her blushed face.
Smiling, Noah reached out and stroked a wisp of hair and tossed it behind her ear. Without leaving immediately, he stroked all the way along the outline of her ear and stopped at the earlobe.
“Why would you want to learn how to cook because of me?” she asked in an extremely low voice.
Noah's lips gradually approached hers, the lust flashing in his eyes was very intense, but he was still forcing himself to restrain as he continued to play with the skin behind her ear.
“Remember your words to Denis back in Paris, I heard you telling him that you love it when a man knows how to prepare dishes,”
Jasmine immediately recalled that moment. Moreover, it was the truth.
“That's true. But I love you just the way you are, Noah. You're perfectly made already, so stop stressing yourself out, I don't like it,” Jasmine pouted staring intensely into his deep eyes.
Noah gently took her hand in his. His palm was wide, firm, and warm, it could inexplicably soothe one's mind.
“Just this once, Jasmine. Please let me do this. It's just a three week training,”
Jasmine's eyes widened, “No, Noah. Three weeks is way too long, I won't accept it,” she declined directly, sneaking a peek at Alicia out of the corner of her eyes.
“How do you expect my mind to be at peace after knowing that you'll be seeing another lady every day?” she blurted out her heart, looking everywhere in the kitchen, but Noah's face.
Noah laughed out loud, heartily while ramming his arm around her tiny waist and pinning her onto his chest.
“Your jealousy is bad, you know?” he said with a laugh in his voice.
“I'm not jealous. One week is enough, okay? Don't worry, I'll teach you the rest you need to know,”
She said her short sentence sternly and kissed his face with quick action, leaving him no chance to protest.
With that, she disengaged from his embrace and walked out of the kitchen with high shoulders.
Noah laughed the more as he watches her back view disappearing out of the door.
“She's amazing, sir,” Alicia spoke up for the second time, her smile not fading away from her face.
Noah nodded his head slowly, still watching her figure that had left.
***
A week later.
Mrs. Antonio was seen pacing back and forth frantically across her house. It was late in the night, but it seemed she was waiting for someone.
A few minutes later, a cab rolled to a stop in front of her flat, and she watched as the person she had been waiting for came down from the taxi and then roared away afterward.
“Over here,” Mrs. Antonio waved at the person, and the person thereafter crossed over the road to meet her.
“How's it? Did you use it just exactly how I instructed you to?” she asked impatiently, her eyes gleaming with expectation.
The person raised her hand and stretched it out toward her, revealing a little container.
“I'm sorry, ma'am, but I couldn't do it,” she let out in a low yet steady voice.
Mrs. Antonio felt like a torrent of electricity drifted through her whole body system in an instant.
“What did you just say?” she asked in a deep voice, her eyes broadening with shock.
“I don't know what she has done to you that warrants death, but believe me, she doesn't deserve it. She's as wonderful as her boyfriend. During the short period of time, I spent with Mr. Cooper, I've learned a lot from him. He treated me like a sibling and not as an outsider. So many things I can't mention, he's just an extraordinary man,”
Mrs. Antonio was now fuming steam at this point as she glared right at this lady standing an inch away from her.
“So, tell me, ma'am. How do you expect me to poison his beloved?”
*Slap*
“How dare you, Alicia? How dare you open that dirty mouth of yours to lecture me after being paid for your job?” Mrs. Antonio trembled violently because of anger.
Alicia touched her face, the area where she was slapped was stinging and there was a buzzing in her ears.
“I know how disappointed you are right now, and that's why I wouldn't react. My service at Mr. Cooper's house might be over already, right? But believe me, I'll always get in touch with him, if you dare mess around him or his girlfriend, then I won't hesitate to reveal your dreadful plan to the whole world,”
Alicia threatened ferociously and after one last glare, she spun around and walked away, leaving Mrs. Antonio dumbfounded with her mouth opened wide in disbelief.