CHAPTER 2

Ye?

Poppy's eyes grew wide in confusion. 

"W-why?" She peered past Xavian to Cily, looking for some kind of explanation, anything of the sort. All that preparation and rushing over here just to do what? Get fired? 

"Poppy, that's it, right?" Xavian was frowning, a crease between his dark eyebrows. "I see this is the job you weren't willing to mess up." 

"W-what are you talking about?" 

"Yogurt? Job? I know it rings a bell," he said. 

Poppy blinked, and the sudden realization dawning on her had her pupils dilating so widely, her lips fell apart. "Oh my goodness, y-you're the man from the store. I—I was, wait, this isn't..." 

"You weren't willing to give the yogurt because of this job, right? Well, that sucks for you. You're fired." The man shoved her aside and began to walk towards the stairs that led up to the second floor. "Fix my medicine, Cily." 

"Xavian!" Cily frantically glanced at the both of them and hurried to Poppy. "What the heck did you do?" 

Poppy shook her head, not sure what to do or say.

"It's not like that. It was just—I don't—"

"Wait here." Cily left her standing there and rushed after Xavian, who'd already made it to his master bedroom. She knocked on the door, and already inside, slipping off his socks, he permitted her in. 

"Xavian." 

Xavian arched a brow at her. 

"You can't fire her," she said. "I don't know what happened between you two, but you can't fire her. She is good for this, there are no bad reviews on her work, and you know how long I've been searching for a good caregiver for you."

His lips pressed into a thin line. "That woman will not work for me, anyone but her." 

"You're being petty, brother." 

The look he gave her was unimpressed. 

"Find another caregiver, double the payment if you have to. It's not that—" He winced in pain, taking a step back, his hand slapping over his forehead. Cily quickly shut the door and rushed over to him, gripping his arm. 

"Are you okay?" Her expression held deep concern as she helped him sit back on the couch. "Xavian, please, you need her, I'm not always going to be here. She's a trustworthy human, even her boss had high recommendation of her. You need her with you until we can figure out what is going on with you. I don't know what happened, but If you want an apology, I'll even make her give you one. You need her help, and she needs your money. And with her, your condition is guaranteed not to make it out there." 

"Cily—" 

"Xavian, please. It took you a while to climb to where you are now with these humans, and you can't let petty reasons like this ruin this for you. I'm your sister, and I'm only looking out for you. Listen to me, just this once," she pleaded. "If after a few weeks you still can't stand her, I promise I'll find you another caregiver. Deal?" 

 Xavian's jaw tightened. "Fine, she's rehired." 

Cily left the room with a smile, returning back to Poppy, who was still waiting downstairs. 

"You're rehired," she said. "But once you get up to his room there, apologize to him. I don't know what happened between you two, but please apologize to him." 

The look on Poppy's face strained. 

Cily raised a brow at her. "You can decide not to, that is, if you don't want the job." 

"I want it." She sighed.

The woman moved closer to her, patting her shoulder. "Xavian is a lot…to deal with, so, uh…good luck, and try not to offend him too much. His temper is easily triggered, you know, frustration from the migraine and everything." 

"I understand." 

"Do you?" 

"Yes." 

"Okay." She nodded. "I leave him in your hands then. You can find him in the third room with the white door." 

As soon as she was gone, Poppy groaned and randomly began to rage to herself. This had to be the unluckiest day of her life.

She brushed her fingers through the strands of her chocolate hair and beelined for the stairs, hazel eyes looking out for the white door. She stood in front of it and gave three light knocks, waiting for permission to be let in. 

"Come in."

She stepped inside, shutting the door behind her, and immediately bowed her head apologetically. "Mr. Winslow, I apologize for earlier today. Sincerely." 

"Cut the bullshit. If you want to fool me with your pretentious apology, hone your professional skills more, I've seen people more skillfully pretentious than you," Xavian snapped at her, face screwed in irritation. "If you want to keep this job, shove that pretense down your throat." 

"P-pretense?" Poppy asked. "You don't think I'm being sincere?" 

"Are you?" 

Her nostrils flared. "You know what? No, I'm not, because I have no reason to apologize to you." 

Silence. 

Seconds ticked by. 

"I see," Xavian said, steepling his fingers and crossing his legs. "You look less irritating now." 

"You prefer me to be honest, sir? Fine. What would you have had me do?" Poppy asked. "Give the thing to you, because of what? I didn't even know who you were. If I had known you were Xavian Winslow, yes, I would have given it to you, because then I wouldn't need the milk to calm my nerves. But since I didn't, you think I'd sacrifice my job for someone in full disguise—"

"That milk calms my migraine a bit, and I needed it!" 

"We both needed it! What's wrong with putting myself first? You didn't even ask nicely."

"You little shit." A muscle in Xavian's jaw twitched. "I like the honesty."

He stood up from the sofa and began to storm closer to her. Poppy stepped back at every approach, swallowing the second her back hit the wall. 

"What are you doing?" 

But Xavian didn't stop, not until he trapped her between the wall and his tall frame, intimidating her smaller figure. 

"M-mr Wins—" 

"Shut it!"