Chapter 10

• With some effort, Olivia pressed the code next to the door and proceeded towards the elevator. Olivia didn't particularly like being in small, enclosed spaces. People referred to it as claustrophobia. Fortunately, Olivia's claustrophobia wasn't too severe. As long as she didn't spend too much time in the elevator, she believed she would be fine. She couldn't imagine having severe claustrophobia, as it would mean having to climb the emergency stairs all thirty floors every time she visited the place.
• Olivia stepped out of the elevator, walked towards the door on the right, and entered the opening code. And there it was—a penthouse dominated by glass walls, offering breathtaking views of the city.
• Olivia had been going back and forth to the penthouse for two years. But every time she entered, she felt amazed. Looking out the window, it was like observing a beautiful metropolis painting.
• She placed her bag on the bar table, walked towards the island set, and started organizing the items she had just bought. She washed what needed washing, packed things away, and then neatly arranged them in the refrigerator.
• Olivia disposed of the leftovers in the fridge that couldn't be consumed while tidying up the ones that were still edible.
• Afterward, she headed to the back where the messy kitchen and her cooking tools were located. She put on a waterproof apron, tied her hair up high and tight, then secured a sweatband around her forehead. Additionally, she put on a headset connected to her phone, blasting music at a high volume before slipping her phone into her apron pocket. Only then was she ready to work.
• Certainly! Here's the passage translated into American English:
• "Can I call you baby?"
• A faint melody from outside the room made Ignazio open his eyes. "Who's playing music?" he asked, his eyes still sleepy.
• "Can you be my lover up until the very end?"
• Who is that? Just a song, without music. Clearly, someone was humming. Ignazio thought, his head still throbbing with pain.
• "Let me show you love, oh, I don’t pretend"
• The sweet and gentle voice finally prompted Ignazio to rise from his bed and focus on listening.
• "I’ll be there, whenever you want me"
• Ignazio lowered his feet and reached for the black bathrobe he had worn the previous night. He walked away from the bed while tying the robe's belt. The closer he got to the door, the clearer the voice became.
• "I need somebody who can love me at my worst"
• Ignazio opened the door and saw a girl wearing jeans and a short-sleeved shirt, her back turned, wiping the TV stand. The girl sang while continuing to wipe, still unaware of Ignazio's presence behind her. And her voice—as a producer, or former producer—sounded so melodic to Ignazio's ears.
• "I'll be right here, baby, you know I'll sink or swim"
• Ignazio chose to stand there and carefully listen to every lyric.
• "I need somebody who can love me at my..(Pink Sweats – At My Worst)worst- the fuck!” The girl let out a scream as she turned around. Her petite body recoiled reflexively, hitting the edge of the table, while her eyes widened in terror as she looked at Ignazio.
• "Wh-who are you?" the girl stammered, fear evident in her voice. Her eyes remained fixed on Ignazio, trying to scrutinize him carefully. "What are you doing here?" she repeated her question. "A-are you human?" she asked, her forehead creasing in disbelief.
• 'What kind of question is that?' Ignazio thought, annoyed. 'Does the girl think he's not human?'
• Ignazio lowered his head and looked at himself. There was nothing wrong with him. He was simply wearing a knee-length black robe. And both of his feet were clearly touching the floor, so how could the girl suspect he wasn't human?
• Did the girl think... Ignazio grasped the sleeve of his deep black robe and smoothed down his shoulder-length hair. Did the girl suspect he was an astral being? What do they call it? A demon?
• "Who are you? What are you doing here?" the girl asked again, her accusing eyes studying Ignazio nervously. Her gaze roamed over Ignazio from head to toe, and then she abruptly turned away.
• 'Now what? Why is she turning away?' Ignazio thought, irritated.
• "I should be the one asking," he finally spoke curtly, his frustration evident in his subdued growl. "Who are you? What are you doing in my place? And how did you manage to get in here?" The man continued with a series of cold questions.
• Instead of addressing each other face to face, the girl shrugged her shoulders and resumed talking. "I manage this penthouse," she replied more calmly. "Are you a friend of Meizar?" the girl inquired.
• 'Ah, she's Meizar's servant,' Ignazio thought to himself. He then shrugged his shoulders in response. "Possibly," he answered ambiguously.
• The girl turned her body around again, her head bowed towards the floor. 'Disrespectful,' Ignazio fumed inwardly. He needed to inform Meizar that his sister's messenger lacked proper etiquette.
• "If you brought a woman here for fun, you better ask her to get dressed immediately. I feel uncomfortable seeing fellow women walking around without clothes," the girl said in a commanding tone, making Ignazio bristle instantly. "Even Meizar or Rayyan understands that," she continued challengingly.
• Ignazio lowered his head, realizing the girl's perspective. Underneath the robe, he was only wearing underwear, no other clothes. So, did the girl think Ignazio was a lecherous man bringing a woman to spend the night and harass her?
• Ignazio wanted to laugh bitterly, but he held back. Unfortunately, he didn't need to tell the girl that his body had been numb to women since his wife passed away five years ago.
• And why would Meizar do something naughty in his place? That kid better watch out.
• "I didn't bring anyone here. I just came and slept," Ignazio replied, feeling oddly compelled to explain it to the girl who still clutched the cloth tightly in her hands.
• Ignazio intended to go into his room and freshen up when he felt his stomach rumble with hunger.
• "Do you get paid to cook as well?" he asked, directing his gaze at the girl.
• The girl lifted her face and looked at Ignazio, puzzled. But then, Ignazio saw her nodding slightly.
• "In that case, could you please make me breakfast?" Ignazio requested gently. The girl nodded her head again.
• "What would you like to eat?" she asked politely.
• "Anything, as long as it's edible. I'm not a picky eater," he said as he entered the room and closed the door softly.
• Olivia let out a breath she had been holding since earlier.
• Oh God, what was wrong with her? When she turned around earlier, she was shocked to see a tall, burly man with messy hair in front of her. The one thing that came to her mind was the 'Beast' character from the Beauty and The Beast cartoon. Big, hairy, and messy. Even the man's grumbling voice sounded remarkably similar.
• But Olivia realized that the man was not a fictional character but a real creature. What made her panic and embarrassed afterward was that the man seemed to wear nothing under the tightly wrapped black bathrobe around his body.
• Sexy.
• That was the word that crossed Olivia's mind when she accidentally glimpsed the man's large thigh peeking out from the side of the robe.