RED

Sunflower (part 2)

"Helping you?" He repeated, still quite amused as he shifted his eyes back to her.

"Who says I'm helping you? I'm just trying to stop someone from coming into my home using the excuse of me not having a helper. I figured out giving the job to my assistant would be better than having a stranger over, so what do you say? Do you accept my offer?"

Kiana stared blankly at him quite confused about which reply to leave him with. On one hand, she does need a place to stay and the offer does sound tempting, but then on the other hand, he's her boss. He's also the same person she wronged years ago. She doesn't even know if he has gotten over it. For all she knows, she might just be falling into a trap. Truly, for her, to make a decision was hard.

"Kiana, think carefully before letting your pride speak up." He warned her, almost as if he could read her mind. She slightly bit her lower lip as she looked up to him. Her brows slightly furrowed.

"My pride?" She asked, regarding the sentence he just stated.

"Yes, your pride. We both know you have a huge one and it won't let you make a sensible decision."

"That's not true." She defended.

"Really?" He asked with raised brows, as he now folded his arms across his chest. A binge of amusement in his voice.

"I suppose then that your answer to my proposal is a yes."

"What?" She asked with furrowed brows, a little taken aback by his statement. Suddenly, he stood up to his feet, unfolding his arms as well.

"Don't go anywhere. I'll have a quick wash, dress and be down in a few minutes." He ordered and without sparing her a chance to say anything more, he quickly turned away and rushed off towards the stairs.

"What just happened?" She asked herself almost in a whisper, unable to wrap her finger around how everything eventually tuned out.

She sighed as she shut her eyes. Enrico might have seemed quite annoying and authoritative, but the fact still remains that he just helped her out. It might not seem so, but it actually just happened. Perhaps, there was still some good left in him. Tyler was still somewhere deep down within Enrico. He wasn't entirely gone and that thought alone brought a brief smile to her face. Suddenly, she felt dizzy for a second, as her nose tickled and then she sneezed, remembering to cover her mouth in the process. It didn't stop there as she sneezed a few more times before coughing. Afterwards, she just sniffed and tried her best to look presentable, although she was strangely starting to feel weak.

***

"I'll get off here." Kiana stated, as she pointed to a spot a few blocks away from the company's building. Enrico took one look at it and shifted his eyes back to the road.

"Why?" He asked, needing to know her reason for wanting to get off there.

"I don't want people to talk. We might share the same house, but... it won't be nice if people get the wrong idea." She explained to her own understanding. He took one look at her before shifting his eyes to the road.

"I didn't know you cared about what people think."

"Well, you don't know a lot about me." She retorted quite quickly, without sparing him a glance or thinking beforehand.

Enrico took another look at her, quite surprised by the manner as well as the speed in which she had replied to him. He eventually turned back to the road ahead of him. Suddenly, Kiana realised what she just did. It made her wonder why she snapped at him in such a manner. She lightly bit her lower lip in regret, before she slowly turned her head to take a look at him. Perhaps, he might not have understood her comment that way. Suddenly, he drove to a corner and came to a stop. Kiana hoped she hadn't really angered him.

Enrico sighed before turning his head to her. She turned to him as well. A strange smile grew across his face.

"I'm sorry; I think I forgot to make one thing clear. I'm still your boss, at work and at home. You're to do whatever I say and not ask why or rudely reply. Is that clear?" He asked, as his face held a different emotion from the tone of his voice. Kiana couldn't quite make out what to think, but one thing was sure and it's the fact that nothing would ever change between them. Enrico of a personality had taken over and Tyler was really gone. Perhaps, she rejoiced too soon.

"Yes, sir." She calmly stated before turning her head away from him. Enrico lingered on his stare at her before turning away. He let out a silent sigh. It was always good to set boundaries. She needed to understand the bitter truth and perhaps, it came out too bitter, but it had to be done; so he drove out of the corner which he parked and towards the building.

Kiana rolled her eyes quite vexed, as he drove past the exact spot she had asked him to drop her off. Clearly, he was going to do what suits fit and be the boss he is. Perhaps, she was going to do the same. She was going to be the employee he was paying her to be. Friendship was a long lost accessory.

***

Enrico's mobile phone rang and he picked it up from his desk. One look at the caller ID, he looked away and let out a sigh. He turned back to the phone before picking up the call.

"Enrico, this is really starting to get old. Why did you change the password? I was just here yesterday..."

"You don't have to do this anymore." Enrico interrupted her.

"What?"

"You said you'll only stop when I get a maid. Well, now I have one." He stated, quite pleased with himself. Finally, he was going to get her off his back. She was silent for what seemed like ages. Her silence gave away a bit of her disappointment.

"You... you got one."

"Yes. I have one and it would be better if you don't stress yourself anymore and just rest at home."

"Enrico, who's this maid? Which agency is she from and what makes you so sure that she's trustworthy?"

"She isn't from any agency. All this doesn't need to be discussed. I got a maid as per your wish. Now, please would you just stop coming over and changing the location of my properties?" He told her quite coldly and when she said nothing for a while, he knew it was time to cut the call.

"I'm quite busy, mum, so..."

"Son... I miss you very much." She stated amidst sniffing and growing sobs. Enrico rubbed and ran a hand through his hair before letting his elbow rest on his desk, while his head rested within his palm. He shut his eyes.

"I need to see you..."

"Mum, I told you a thousand times...I'm busy. I c-can't... good day." He stuttered before cutting the call, quite unable to say all that went through his mind. He sighed quite loudly as he threw his head backwards to rest on the headrest of his leather chair.

A lot of memories flashed through his mind and he just shook his head at it all. He didn't want to think about them. He didn't want to think about her. When he needed a mother, she was never there and later, she wanted to do it all, but Enrico couldn't see himself that way anymore. It was too late and all over.

Just as he was about to set his phone back down on the desk, it rang once more. Taking a look at the ID, he sighed once more before picking it up.

"Aunt Sofia."

"Enrico, I just got off a call with Cecile." She stated and at the mention of the familiar name, he felt either something good or bad was going to come out of this discussion.

"Do you want to know what she said?" Sofia asked and Enrico waited for her to reply to her own question.

"She said that you aren't her type. You're not sophisticated enough to her standards." Sofia, added before letting out a light chuckle. Enrico understood this, so it wasn't going to end as expected.

"But something doesn't add up. The Enrico I know can charm a woman if he puts his heart to it, but Cecile... She sounded like she wasn't wooed even a little bit. Now, I'm curious. Would you mind explaining to me what exactly happened yesterday?" Sofia asked, her tone of voice slightly changing. Enrico knew it all too well. He recognised this aspect of their discussion, which made him let out a silent sigh, quite exhaustedly, as he shut his eyes once more. It made him wonder if this was ever going to end.