The Blessing

The room turned into silence. Ruby looked at Blake who was just out from the small room that connected to her study.

"I need to. I told you…I need to test her first to know if she really loves you or your money." Ruby said while putting the chequebook back in the drawer.

"And I clearly told you, she didn't know that we are this rich." Blake was so angry. He took a week to convince his grandmother that she was not like other women that she had met before. He ended up agreeing to this when she still didn't want to let him marry her.

"Now she knows." Ruby was still not convinced.

"She refused right? I agree to this stupid test that you plan just because I want you to stop disturbing her or her family." He kind of regretted his decision but if he didn't agree to this, her grandmother would not stop. In fact he believed she would continue until she could get proof that Marissa was after the money.

"Three months." Ruby suddenly said. "Let her work at our hotel for three months and I will give her my blessing."

Blake sneered, "We don't need your blessing."

Ruby smiled and nodded several times. "Yeah, but my blessing will make both of your lives easier."

Blake immediately understood the meaning behind her words. Money, she was referring to the money he used everyday and the company that he managed, that was all hers.

He snickered. "Are you threatening?"

"No, why should I?" She smiled. "Well, my blessing is not much and I'm sure you can survive without it."

Silence came after that. Blake was sure, there was another meaning behind her words. Did she know what he had been doing in secret?

He stood up and intended to leave when all of sudden Ruby said, "Make sure she reports duty to Jackson by Monday."

Blake couldn't hide his dissatisfaction hearing the name. "Why Jack?"

"Well he is the Director of BL Hotel." Ruby was stating the fact but honestly, she had another plan on her mind.

"We are not obliged to follow your rules just to get married." Blake walked out of the room and closed the door. Sighed, he glanced shortly at the close door. He didn't know why he was so careless that he ended up agreeing to those nonsense things his grandmother planned. He needed to be more careful, she was wicked and a second of being careless would result in his loss.

Starting the engine, he drove the car straight to his penthouse. Along the way he couldn't stop thinking about Marissa. He didn't contact her for a week and just sent his staff to settle the bill. It was not like he was still mad, but there was a lot for him to manage before he could finally propose to her.

Blake parked the car and headed straight to the elevator. He pushed the penthouse button and saw the elevator's door closing. Entering his penthouse, he put the car keys and phone on the table and then immediately slammed his body on the couch. Such a tiring day for him and he closed his eyes thinking for a quick nap.

Teet teet! Teet teet!

He kept his eyes closed. It felt so heavy but then his thoughts made his eyes open wide. He grabbed his phone and opened the notification. It was from the CCTV he installed at his apartment. It would send a notification with a picture if someone appeared in front of the door.

Instantly stood up, he grabbed the car keys. The picture that was sent to his phone by the apps made him couldn't waste any more time.

Marissa was standing in front of his apartment. It happened the other day too but because he was sleeping at that time, he saw the notification late.

Teet teet! Teet teet!

Another notification arrived while he was driving. Blake glanced at the phone and saw the notification of a failed attempt of entering the correct passcode. That put a smile on his face. Marissa must have forgotten the passcode, she had a problem remembering the numbers.

He opened the apps on his phone and monitored the camera when he stopped at the traffic light. After three failed attempts, it was supposed to be locked but he cleared it for her right away. So at the fourth time, she managed to get it right. He saw how she was hesitating to go in but still entered after half a minute.

After twenty minutes, he was standing in front of his apartment. Blake recalled the day he signed to buy this apartment. The apartment was bought just because he wanted to be near her. Since he had been busy and the environment there was not as he expected, he often went back and forth.

Instead of using a passcode, he scanned his thumbprint to make less sound. Slowly entering the house, he took off his shoes and saw how her shoes were neatly put on the shoe rack.

There was no sound that could be heard from the living room, so he thought she was in the bedroom. To his surprise, the moment he stepped on the living room, he spotted her sleeping soundly on the couch.

"Ah…she must be exhausted…" He whispered and fixed the hair that was covering her face.

He stared at her face for a while. The face that made him fall in love at the first sight. The face that made his heart thumping hard.

Unconsciously leaning his lips towards her lips, he left a peck on them. He frowned as he smelled alcohol from her mouth. He leaned once again to make sure and confirmed that she must be drinking before coming here.

Oh, that was not his first time leaving a peck on her lips. Since Marissa is a deep sleeper, she didn't wake up easily. But that was it, he didn't go more than a peck. He held his desire and just stopped with a peck. Even though her plum lips always invited him for a deep kiss, he knew he shouldn't go that low and she would wake up for sure.

"What did it taste like?"

Blake was stunned. Marissa asked with her eyes still closed.

"My lips…what did it taste like?" She slowly opened her eyes and looked straight at the man that was crouching beside her.