Miss Poppy and the Beast

11. His accusation

When Poppy finished reading her copy of the contract, which Artemis had handed over to her in his office, she regretted big time agreeing to be Theo's Nanny before reading it carefully. According to one of the clauses in the contract, she has to live in the mansion for 6 days a week with Sunday off, for which she is free to choose if she wants to stay at the mansion or elsewhere .

It was pretty obvious that if Lyakios family wanted a Nanny, they would expect her to stay with Theo all the time, she knows. But why did this crucial point not cross her mind in time? She foolishly signed the contract reading only a few pages and skipping the important parts which needed much attention. She cursed her stupidity.

She was pacing back and forth in the middle of her living room, wringing her fingers in anxiety. She knows being anxious won't solve her problem and her doctor had strictly warned her to not get panicked, because it was not good for her heart. But she can't help it. She had called trouble for herself.

Never in her whole life could she live with that brat of a child, whose face screamed innocence but deeds like devil. He had already made her life a living hell in those daily mere hours of 4-5. What was he capable of when she would start to stay in the mansion? She has to face him throughout the day. A shudder ran down through her spine thinking about the possibilities of his mischievous acts. 

On top of everything, she can't leave her home. She had never stayed away from home alone even when she was a kid, when her parents were alive.  After the demise of her parents, she was not strong enough to stay away from her aunt, the only family she had left.

She wanted to sort this matter out with her employer as soon as possible, but how? How could she convince that obnoxious man to revise this contract when she had already agreed and signed up for this job? Will he agree?

Thinking negative won't solve her problem. She had to do it anyway. It might sound like an exaggeration, but her life depends on it. She had already made up her mind to talk to Mr. Lyakios. No matter what happens, she had to take the risk.

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On the very next morning Poppy reached the mansion at her usual time. The first task in her to-do list was to talk with the Devil. She was walking towards his office when she saw Him coming towards her. He was dressed in his usual finest suit and had gelled back hair. If looks can kill, he was capable of doing so. He could have made any girl gaga over him.

His one hand was tucked inside his pants pocket and the other hand was busy scrolling his phone with a crease on his brow. He was yet to realise who was standing a little far away from him.

The way he was coming towards her direction felt intimidating to her. Poppy wanted to stop him on his way and talk to him right there, but looking at his tensed face it felt like it was not the right time to do so. It might backfire her.

Her pride would never let her accept it, but this man's aura had made her whole body tremble in fear like a fragile leaf. Without thinking any further, she chickened out and hid behind the nearest pillar in lightning fast speed as if her legs had grown their own brain. Her heart was drumming in her ears. Why does she always get scared in his presence, she wondered? Why did she even hide? She didn't do anything wrong, right?

She peeked a little and finally released her breath, which she was holding throughout the time, when she saw him out of the scene. She tapped her chest to make her heart calm and turned around. As soon as she did that, she had a mini heart attack when she saw a tall figure towering over her.

"Do you want to give me a heart attack? You scared me to death. My soul was about to leave my body because of your sudden presence behind me.", she huffed, looking annoyed.