49
Anthony Brown
I walked into the kitchen, expecting to see the staff preparing lunch. But as I scanned the room, I realized that I was alone. I furrowed my brow in confusion and pulled out my phone to contact them. Maybe they were running late, or something had come up.
As I was about to call them, I noticed my coat draped over a chair. Alexa must have grabbed it for me. I walked over to it and picked it up, feeling a sense of relief wash over me as I put it on. I was needed at my office, and I couldn’t afford to waste any time waiting around for the staff to show up.
“Alexa,” I called out, hoping she was still in the house. “Have you seen the staff?”
“No, Mr. Anthony,” she replied, coming out from around the corner with a smile on her face. “I’m sorry, they haven’t arrived yet.”
I looked at her suspiciously. How could she be so calm about this? Didn’t she realize the implications of the staff not showing up? I wondered if she knew something that I didn’t.
“Okay,” I said slowly. “Please let me know if they show up. They might have been called by the agency that I hired them from.”
Alexa nodded, still smiling. “Of course, Mr. Anthony. I hope everything goes well at your office.”
I nodded in return and headed for the door, wondering what was going on. As I walked out, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. I made a mental note to call the agency as soon as I got to my office.
Later that day, I returned home exhausted from a long day at work. As I walked into the kitchen, I saw Alexa standing there with the staff behind her, glaring at me. My heart sank as I realized that something had gone terribly wrong.
“What’s going on?” I asked, looking at Alexa.
She scowled at me and pointed to Nolan, the head chef. “He’s been recording us, Mr. Anthony. He’s been spying on us and treating us like we’re his property.”
My eyes widened in shock as I realized what she was saying. I had tried my best with Nolan and told him to stop acting like a jerk from day-to-day tasks around the house, but I never imagined that he would behave this way.
“Nolan,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. “Is this true?”
He shrugged, looking at me with a defiant expression. “I don’t care if I send the video to you, Anthony. I’d rather leave this house than deal with you and your entitled attitude.”
I felt my blood boil as I heard his words. How could he be so disrespectful? I was his father and I had taken care of him all his life, and this was how he repaid me?
“Get out,” I said, my voice shaking with anger. “All of you. Get out.”
Nolan and the staff started to leave, looking at me with a mixture of anger and disgust. As they walked out, I realized that I had made a huge mistake in trusting him. I had let my desire for convenience blind me to his true nature.
I turned to Alexa, feeling a sense of gratitude towards her. “Thank you for letting me know what was going on,” I said, meaning every word.
She smiled at me, looking relieved. “Of course, Mr. Anthony. I’m glad that you’re home.”
As I watched her clean up the kitchen, I realized that I had underestimated her. She may not have known about the set-up with Nolan and the staff, but she had been the one to bring it to my attention. I made a mental note to show her more respect in the future.
I let out a deep sigh as I sat down on the couch, running my fingers through my hair. Alexa was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, but I had no appetite. I just wanted to be left alone for the day.
“Are you okay, Nolan?” Alexa asked, peeking her head into the living room.
I shook my head. “No, I’m not okay,” I replied, my voice heavy with emotion.Belongs to NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, concern etched on her face.
“I don’t know,” I said, frustration lacing my tone. “I just feel lost, like I don’t know what I’m doing with my life.”
Alexa sat down next to me on the couch, placing a hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay to feel that way, Nolan. We all go through periods of uncertainty.”
“I know,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “But it’s been going on for so long now. I thought I had it all figured out, but now I realize I had no plan at all.”
Alexa squeezed my shoulder gently. “It’s not too late to figure things out, Nolan. You’re still young and have your whole life ahead of you.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “That’s what everyone keeps telling me, but it doesn’t make me feel any better. I just wish I knew what I wanted to do with my life.”
Alexa was quiet for a moment before speaking. “Maybe you need to take a break from everything and just relax. Clear your mind and see where it takes you.”
“I don’t know if I can do that,” I admitted. “I feel like I’m running out of time.”
“Nolan, you’re not running out of time,” Alexa said firmly. “Take a day off, clear your mind, and see what comes to you. I promise it will help.”
I sighed, knowing she was right. “Okay, I’ll try. But I just need to be alone for the day.”
“Of course,” Alexa said, giving my shoulder another squeeze before getting up from the couch. “I’ll leave you to it then. If you need anything, just let me know.”
“Thanks,” I said, my voice barely audible.
Alexa disappeared into the kitchen, and I let out another sigh, leaning back against the couch. I closed my eyes, trying to clear my mind and focus on my breathing. After a few minutes, I felt myself relax, the tension in my body easing.
I sat there for what felt like hours, just breathing and letting my mind wander. Eventually, I realized that I was hungry and decided to go to the kitchen to make myself some lunch.
As I walked into the kitchen, Alexa looked up from her book and smiled at me. “Feeling better?”
I nodded, smiling back at her. “Yeah, I think so. Thanks for giving me the space I needed.”
“Of course,” she said, putting her book down. “What do you want for lunch?”
“I’m not sure,” I said, opening the fridge to see what we had. “Maybe a sandwich?”
“Sounds good,” Alexa said, getting up from the table to help me.
As we made our sandwiches, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. I still didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, but for the first time in a while, I didn’t feel so lost. Maybe taking a break was exactly what I needed to find my way again.