Misunderstanding

Chapter 19(Chase POV)

Alice placed a plate of shirred eggs and pan-fried french toast in front of me. Her delicate hands meticulously tucked a few stray strands of hair behind my ear before lifting a piece of toast to my awaiting lips, beaming a closed-eyed anime smile.

"Say aaa!"

I snatched her wrist. The toast slipped from her hands and landed on the floor, the egg and butter smudging. The temperature around us was dropped. "Alice, I request that you recognize your place."

The shock in Alice's eyes quickly dissolved to tears that gushed down her reddened cheeks. "I...I spent all morning preparing this breakfast for you.. and when I saw that you were in such a bad mood I was thinking to cheer you up by feeding you..." 

Her voice quivered with genuine hurt. The tight grip on her wrist relaxed, and Alice stumbled backward. "I even burned my thumb in the toaster..." With a trembling hand, she revealed the bandage wrapped around her thumb.

"The chef is responsible for the meals; you don't have to worry about it," I stated coldly, rising from my seat as my appetite evaporated. Fatigue weighed heavily on me; last night had been sleepless for me as I grieved over my mother's passing and experienced guilt for what I had done to Nathalie. After all, she had lost her virginity because of my actions. 

"No..." Alice's voice wavered as she reached out, grasping my arm. "I like you, Chase! Three years ago... I ended all relationship with my parents for you! Despite their protests, I refused to be the heiress of their company but work for you instead! I was there when Angelica betrayed you, there when Nathalie tried to hurt you... I've been silently by your side all these years... and now I finally have the courage to confess my love! I hope you accept my-" 

My head was spinning and I rubbed my temples. "You gave up the position of the heiress for me?"

Alice nodded earnestly, tears still streaming down her face. "Chase, please give me a chance to be your girlfriend. I know you might not like me now, but... you'll warm up to me!"

"I'm sorry, Alice, but you've always been a maid in my heart." I turned away. "However, you shouldn't continue to be my servant. You should connect and apologize to your parents. I don't want your future to be ruined because of me."

"Are you firing me?" I sidestepped away as Alice reached to grab my arm. She stumbled forwards and collapsed to the cold marble floor, glancing up at me with fresh tears again.

"Yes." I didn't know what to say about Alice's confession. Didn't know what I was feeling. My mind was currently a hot mess - guilt, anger, confusion, grief. 

Alice's eyes widened, piling with disbelief. 

"Henry!"

Henry appeared behind me, emotionlessly pulling Alice to her feet. She seemed momentarily stunned, her gaze locked in disbelief, as Henry guided her towards the exit. However, she snapped back to reality when she was assisted out of the mansion.

"Wait, no, Chase! Chase! You can't fire me!"

"Have a good day," I heard Henry tell Alice as he slammed the door in her face.  In a daze, I ascended the staircase, leaving behind the untouched breakfast.

Suddenly, I felt my phone vibrating inside of my pocket.  Weary, I answered, only to be met with a voice seething with anger.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Forgot me already? I'm Charlie!"

Charlie? What did he want?

"Where the hell is that brat?!"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What?"

"Where is that brunette?!"

I held my phone slightly away from my ear. Was he talking about Nathalie? "Why are you asking me? Isn't she with you?"

"She had somehow escaped when I went to check on her! The trucks doors were open and unlocked!" Charlie paused to catch his breath. "I remember that I locked the doors! Someone helped her get away, and who else could it be other than you?"

"Please, I was the one who sold her! You think I helped her escape?" I sneered. However, hearing that Nathalie was okay, I felt a huge weight being lifted from my shoulders.

"Yes!" Charlie spat.

"It's your problem that you lost her."

"You scammed me! Either give that wretch back or the money!"

I hung up the call. It wasn't that I couldn't afford to return the money - my least problem was money, but I didn't have the energy to deal with this guy.

But where's Nathalie now? She's penniless, jobless, homeless... she has nothing. How was she going to survive?