15 I just woke up

After dinner, Ariel went back to her room and tried to sleep. Raymond did not have dinner with her so she ate alone but not really alone. She was in the company of Betty and Allison who stood behind her and served her.

There were also other maids present at the dining table but it just made her uncomfortable. Thanks to that, she nearly suffered from indigestion.

Ariel laid on the big bed that looked like it could contain five people, tossing and turning. She couldn't sleep. Everything felt too surreal.

"It's okay, I'm going to have my revenge soon." She said to herself. "And I don't have to work as a sex slave either. I just need to work hard and become the most arrogant woman in the world. But... Can I really do it? Can I look down on people I don't even know?"

While thinking she wouldn't be able to sleep, these questions that kept playing in her head bored her to sleep.

The next morning, Ariel was woken up by the rays of the Sun that shone directly on her face.

'I thought the curtains were closed.' She thought as she parted her eyelids in an attempt to open her eyes.

Though she was curious as to where the source of light was coming from, she felt too lazy to wake up, completely forgetting the fact that she was in someone's house.

'The bed is comfy.' She thought as she closed her eyes, snuggling under the duvet and getting ready to continue her sleep.

"Do you usually sleep this late?" The low and calm voice of the house owner jolted Ariel out of her sleep and she immediately sat up.

Raymond sat by the window with a cup of coffee in one hand and his phone in the other.

"Ma... Sir Raymond." She spoke up. "What are you doing here?"

"I myself can't find an answer to that question." He said but it only confused Ariel. Yet, she did not ask about it.

"How long have you been sitting there?" She asked him.

"Not long." He said and checked his golden Rolex watch that matched well with the brown tailored suit he was wearing. "I'd say two hours."

"What?!" Ariel exclaimed in shock. She immediately shoved the duvet off her body, in an attempt to get up from the big bed. "Why did you wait there? You would have woken me up the moment you got here."

"I didn't think it was necessary." He said. "It's already noon yet I had not the slightest interest in waking you up from your slumber." He said and sipped from his coffee. "Of all places in this huge mansion, I strangely find tranquility here in this room that had only been occupied just less than a day ago. It has a girl sleeping so soundly and her gentle breath sounded like a relaxing melody that I didn't want to wake her up."

Ariel was confused and a bit creeped out. It gave her goosebumps. What was such a scary man saying to a girl who just got out of bed?

It was weird enough that he said such a cheesy line but why did that cheesy line strangely make her feel something deep down in the heart that was heavily stabbed?

Seeing Ariel's reaction, Raymond cleared his throat.

"So, how's that?" He suddenly asked, confusing her more. "I read the lines of a completely lovestruck sugar daddy would tell his baby lover." He put down his cup of coffee on the table and watched her.

Ariel blinked her eyes twice. She did not see that coming.

"You did?" She asked but he just stared at her. "Wait... I'm sorry, what?"

"I thought I might practice a bit and get used to it." He said and crossed his legs, placing his hands comfortably on his hooked knees. "You said you're a good actress, right?" He asked and Ariel silently cursed why she said that. "What will 'you' do when the first thing you see as soon as you wake up is your handsome lover sitting by the window with a cup of coffee in one hand while scrolling through his phone with the other?"

Such a tricky question.

Ariel was not really confident in her acting skill but if she could at least recreate a scene she read in a novel once, she wouldn't have a problem… right?

'I just woke up.' She thought as she took steps towards him. 'I hope my breath doesn't stink.' Not only that, she was also a bit scared. Raymond's vibe was terrifying.

But after last night, she felt a bit more comfortable with him.

Raymond watched her as she approached him, wondering what she had in mind.

Ariel walked towards him, got behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck before dropping her head on his shoulder.

"Babe," she called in a silent voice. "...why didn't you wake me up? I know last night was rough but you could've at least woken me up to eat. It's your fault I slept so late last night yet here you are sipping coffee. You're so bad."

Her performance, though a bit rigid, had a surprisingly natural flow.

'Why is he silent?' Ariel thought. 'Is it over? Should I stop the act?'

She wanted to untie her arms from his neck but he suddenly held it and said.

"I was indeed 'rough' with you last night." His gaze locked with hers and she felt a sense of danger. "What do you want me to do to make up for it?"

His response froze Ariel and she got lost in his cold eyes. They were deep and scary but for some reason, she felt a bit attracted to them.

Maybe it was because he was such a handsome being that his eyes were so pronounced and she saw them as attractive.

"Handsome." She accidentally muttered out.

"What?"

Ariel immediately realized what she said, gasped and moved away from him.

"I didn't mean that." She said but Raymond went silent.

Sure, he had heard from a lot of people how handsome he was and hearing it from her with her flustered appearance didn't change anything but seeing her like that, it was definitely amusing.

"Why did you stop? I thought it was part of the act." He said and she looked at him surprised. He thought so?

Raymond got up from his chair and slowly approached her.

"It's not uncommon for 'you' to compliment your 'lover' for no reason, is it?"

"No, but..."

"What? Was there another reason why you called me handsome?" He asked but she did not respond. "Then would it be fair if I called you beautiful?"

"Of course not." She suddenly snapped, shocking him. She threw her face aside as she said, "There's no way it will be fair if you suddenly called me beautiful. I'm not beautiful at all so it would feel more like an insult to me."

"What?"