Chapter 11

• Honestly, throughout her life, she had seen shirtless men not just once or twice. Even since she moved in with the Quirino family, the sight of broad chests and six-pack abs seemed like a normal occurrence to Olivia.
• However, seeing the Quirino sons never tempted Olivia, let alone elicited the intense thudding in her chest like it did now. With messy long hair and a bathrobe revealing a small part of his broad chest, for some reason, Olivia suddenly felt uncomfortable. Her hands seemed itchy, wanting to reach out and touch the tanned skin.
• And again, seeing stubbles and mustaches had become a daily occurrence for her since she started working for the Quirino family. But seeing the tanned stubbles and mustaches on the man earlier made Olivia...
• She shook her head vigorously and quickly walked towards the kitchen.
• Olivia took out the beef she had just put in the freezer. She thinly sliced the steak meat she had bought from the supermarket. Then, she took out some button mushrooms from the fridge and a few other vegetables like bell peppers and green onions.
• Olivia was puzzled; did the man eat rice or bread? But since it was impossible to cook rice quickly, Olivia decided to make a sandwich with sautéed beef and grilled mushrooms as the filling.
• She then skillfully chopped some ingredients using her kitchen knife. She diced onions and bell peppers, deciding not to use green onions. After that, she sautéed the ingredients in a heated pan. Once the onions turned fragrant, Olivia added the meat to the pan.
• She was so focused on her cooking that she didn't notice Ignazio had finished cleaning up and walked towards the kitchen. She glanced at him, catching the fresh soap scent wafting around him.
• "Need any help?" the man asked Olivia.
• Earlier, she stood far enough from the man not to notice that his body wasn't just tall but extremely tall. And also, big. Very big. Of course, complemented by broad shoulders and sturdy arms. Olivia had grown accustomed to being around Meizar, Rayyan, and other Quirino family members. But none of them compared to the large frame of the man next to her.
• Up to this point, Olivia had never once been tempted to touch their muscular arms, but looking at the man's arms beside her...
• Olivia shook her head to clear her mind. Today, Olivia was confused both mentally and physically.
• "Need any help?" the man repeated his question, causing Olivia to lift her head. This was the first time she truly looked at the man's face.
• His previously messy long hair was now haphazardly tied behind his head, leaving a few strands playfully framing his face. Like other members of the Quirino family, he had a thick beard. However, Olivia could see small, thin lips tinted pink peeking through.
• Aware of her insanity, Olivia shook her head quickly. "N-no, Sir," she replied nervously, mentioning the menu she planned to make, fearing the man wouldn't like it. "There's no rice here, so is it okay if I toast some bread instead?"
• The man shrugged in response. "No problem. As long as it fills my stomach, it's enough," he replied, then moved towards the fridge, opening it. "I guess Meizar or Rayyan didn't get drunk here?" the man asked without lifting his head.
• "I don't know about that. I'm just paid to clean the house," Olivia replied matter-of-factly. From the corner of her eye, Olivia could see the man nodding his head.
• "How long have you been working for Rayyan and Meizar?" he inquired, curious.
• Olivia shook her head and started spreading margarine on the bread. "I don't work for them, Sir," she replied honestly. "I work for Lorraine, Meizar's secretary."
• "I see. So, aside from working for Meizar's secretary, where else do you work?" he asked, making Olivia pay full attention to him.
• What was going on with this man? Why was he acting like an investigator? And why was he being more humane? Not growling or being as cold as the 'Beast'?
• "I'm not an investigator. I'm just curious, considering you're still young but working as a house assistant," he said as he took out milk from the fridge and then opened one of the kitchen cabinets to get a glass.
• Olivia furrowed her brow. How could a guest like him be so familiar with the kitchen layout? Usually, strangers would ask for help, right?
• "I am indeed young. But I have plenty of experience," Olivia replied without any intention of sounding conceited.
• "So? You work there and here?" Ignazio guessed again.
• Olivia nodded. "It's not exactly working here and there, because my jobs are all connected to one family."
• "Meaning?"
• "I work for the Quirino family in general. I work as a waitress in the Italian restaurant managed by Mr. Zello. I work for Lorraine, Meizar's assistant, to clean this penthouse. And before that, I worked as a nanny for the Quirino family's grandchildren." Olivia mentioned her resume casually.
• "Which branch of the Quirino family?" Ignazio inquired, curious. Olivia raised her head in confusion. "Antony? Altezza? Falisha? Geremia? Whose grandchildren did you look after?"
• "Grandpa's." Olivia answered as she toasted the bread. "I used to take care of Grandpa Altezza's grandchildren, and until two years ago, I was the nanny for Grandpa Antony's grandchildren."
• "Grandpa Antony.." Ignazio repeated softly. "Who were you taking care of?"
• "A beautiful and intelligent girl named Gianna." Olivia answered, unconsciously smiling.
• "Why did you stop taking care of her?" Ignazio asked, his curiosity evident. Olivia frowned in confusion, wondering about her employer's inquisitiveness.
• "Because there was nothing more I could do for her. She's a very smart girl, grew up quickly. At the age of four, she could already read and write," Olivia said proudly.
• "Did you teach her?" Ignazio asked again, curious.
• Olivia shook her head. "Her school, of course. I only accompany her when needed. I'm not a full-time nanny anymore. Just her playmate," she added. Ignazio simply nodded in response.
• There was silence for a moment until Olivia spoke up. "You can sit at the dining table; the food is almost ready," she said to Ignazio, who acknowledged her with a nod.
• With one hand holding the milk carton and the other holding a glass, Ignazio sat at the end of the table, waiting for Olivia to serve the meal.
• Olivia had already placed the toast on a plate. The grilled mushrooms and sautéed beef were on separate plates. "I hope you enjoy your breakfast," she said as she placed the plates on the table.
• "Aren't you having breakfast with me? It seems you came here long before breakfast time," he stated, not as a question but as an observation.
• "No, Sir. It's not polite to eat with a guest," Olivia politely declined. "If you permit, I'll continue my work," she added. Ignazio nodded, and Olivia resumed her cleaning duties with her cloth and spray bottle in hand.
• "Are you used to working while singing like earlier?" he asked as Olivia took a few steps away. She paused and shook her head.
• "I just sing while working to dispel the silence," she replied honestly. "Who wouldn't feel scared being alone in a place as large as this?" she said, shrugging her shoulders, choosing to clean the outside of the penthouse.
• "One more thing," Ignazio said, raising his voice slightly. "You haven't mentioned your name yet. At least, I should know your name when I thank Meizar, shouldn't I?" he asked, a smile forming at the corner of his mouth.
• "My name is Olivia, Sir," Olivia replied politely.
• "Olivia," Ignazio repeated the name in his mind.