Maya's Pov

My head throbbed painfully at the sight of the two annoying figures who weren't on the verge of giving up.

"So have you made a decision? " They asked at the same time rendering me speechless. One had a persuasive look on his face as if he could readily convince me to give in to his request while the other had a smug grin on his lips as if he could easily charm me over.

Before I could react, someone else beat me to it and it all happened in a blur.

"Oh yes, she has " Izzy replied, moved past me and swiftly snatched the bags from their grip and slammed the door shut right in front of their faces.

"And that's how you handle the two idiots " She appraised herself flaunting her wits dramatically

"What was that for?! " I hollered, utterly bewildered

"Obviously helping you out, barbie " She quipped, rolling her eyes.

"For love sake, would a little manner kill you?"

She looked taken back for a moment before her gaze hardened , prompting her to leave with the bags while murmuring to my hearing

"This is what I get for helping someone out, you all can go to hell "

I sucked in a shaky breath and opened the door but regretted it right away after seeing the victorious smirk on Nik's face.

If it wasn't a known fact that he wasn't on good terms with his daughter , I would've thought he and his daughter were in cahoot to ruin my life.

"Daddy! " A tiny excited voice screamed from behind and I didn't need to guess who it belonged to.

I turned to see a sleepy Annabelle who was still rubbing her eyes run into her Father's embrace.

"Haha! My lovely bumpkin, daddy missed you last night " He said engulfing her in a loving hug while she nestled her head in the crook of his neck.

"I missed you too, daddy "

The warm and loving scene stirred my heart to the extent I was close to tears. I indeed had a loving family but their love wasn't for me, it was for the other daughter.

I quickly snapped out of my thoughts, it was already in the past so there was no need crying over spilled milk.

Now talk about the other family.

Nik's adam's apple bobbed restlessly as he tried to start up a conversation with his er....loving daughter?

"It seems you had a lovely sleep last night, mom's ghost didn't haunt you enough? " Izzy dropped as soon her dad approached her.

Bam! A deafening silence enveloped all.

I stared at this girl stunned to the core , couldn't she see her dad's trying to bridge the distance between them and what sleep? Even a blind man could make out the dark circles on his face, he obviously didn't get a wink last night.

Nik suddenly paled for a while but he covered it up with his poker face and he spat

"Oh yes, she did come but I killed her a second time "

*Cough*Cough* Emily who was witnessing the family soap opera choked on her drink while I facepalm.

Was this idiot building bridges or burning bridges?

"Oh that's true " Izzy sneered "I've forgotten that you're the only psychopathic killer yet to be jailed "

This time I mentally gave Izzy a thumbs-up, when it comes to exchange of words, the girl was totally unbeatable.

But I couldn't just sit by and watch them destroy each other, I had to do something.

Unfortunately it seems they guessed my intention cause as soon as I moved, they sent me a death glare that pinned me at that spot .

I raised my hands in surrender, fine just kill yourselves already, I'll gladly send your corpse to your father!

I sat back deciding this time to greedily watch the unfolding soap opera without interrupting.

All that was missing was a bowl of popcorn and a comfortable couch , the stool I was sitting on wasn't quite comfortable to watch on.

I stared at the two figures who had positioned their body in an argumentative stance, it was already a draw so it was left for another person to drop another bomb.

"Really? " Nik laughed but I could perceive the coldness behind it and when our eyes met, I could literally see an infinite number of knives suspended in the air waiting to be projected towards their unyielding victim.

"Really " Replied Izzy, an equally malicious smile on her lips with her own infinite number of knives locked unto her target.

They were literally shooting lasers from their eyes.

I chilled at once while internally praying to God, 'Please don't let them drag me into their family drama' .

Thankfully God answered my prayer .... at the expense of another.

"Izzy, you shouldn't talk to uncle that way... " Annabelle interrupted unexpectedly and I shook my head sympathetically for the girl.

R. I. P

"Shut up ! , don't interrupt when the elders are talking " Izzy sassed back as expected, glaring daggers at the poor girl who hurriedly turned to her father wailing and demanding to be avenged .

Unfortunately for Annabelle , even Eden knows when the dice isn't in his favor. He knew how to tread carefully cause the girl's quite a prowess in both the word and mind game so he could only find another way to placate his daughter.

"It's alright sweetheart " He said sweetly running his hands through his daughter's hair "Don't mind Izzy, she's just jealous of your beauty "

A loud snort came from behind but one needn't bother to find out who did it.

I couldn't blame Izzy, there was just some allegations sometimes you don't bother to clarify cause the result is quite obvious.

Even though both girls were beautiful , the difference was quite clear.

Annabelle had straight brown hair with baby blue eyes that one could stare on for centuries, her eyes were so alluring that I could see why Eden couldn't refuse her a favour.

She just had to blink her eyes repeatedly and pout her lips a bit and even a man with the strongest mental strength would give in.

If one were to summarize her features, it would be her beauty's doll like, she's just like a real life barbie cartoon character except she's missing the blond hair.

On Izzy's side, there was only one word to term her and that was 'succubus '.

Her beauty's defined and so attractive that I'm afraid Nik might become a father-in-law before she turns eighteen.

Just like a demon from hell, her beauty's so heart-stirring that even a malicious smirk from her could steal one's breath away .

If not for the fact she's a cold beauty, there wouldn't be a moment of peace in the classroom cause it takes quite a lot of will for one to take their eyes off her and she knows that.

And that's what I'm afraid of.

I'm afraid if she's becomes a player like her dad, she would wreck more havoc than her dad ever did . I wouldn't be surprised if broken hearts becomes the norm of the day.

Like father like daughter? I just hope gene lies this time, else the male population are in for a long and rough ride.

"As much as this has being entertaining ,it's now sick and over.If you still have grievances , go work it out at your place of comfort " Emily who've being surprisingly quiet all this time spoke up dismissing the two revolting figures

Emily continued "If you're here for breakfast, sit tight but if you're not , better get your fu*king ass outta this place and be warned " She cursed aloud and everyone settled down in the twinkle of an eye.

I stared at Emily amazed, what hidden trick did she use this time?

I was yet to get my question answered when she gestured with her hand for me to drag my lazy ass to the kitchen.

So I stood but Eden stood along with me, I stared at him perplexed

"I can help out" he said.

I gave him a skeptical look which Emily noticed cause she defended him right away

"Don't worry, he's the chef of the family "

I stared at Eden astonished, was there anything he couldn't do?

Notwithstanding his negative traits but he's a good father, intelligent, successful and also good in the kitchen and in bed? Well, that's yet to be confirmed.... Uh.. not that I'll be confirming it anyway .

If not for the fact that he's totally way out of my league he'll probably be the guy I'll settle down with .

I imagined the scenario : I try to cook but he lovingly persuades me to go rest and leave the work for him since he knows I dislike cooking a lot and then Annabelle runs up to me and places her head on my tummy trying to make out the baby's heartbeat while I chide her naughty attempt playfully.

Such heartwarming scene but come back to reality, Maya

"Earth to Maya " Emily called snapping her fingers at my face just as soon as I returned from the land of thought.

"My bad, you were saying? " I apologized producing a sheepish grin.

"Kitchen? Remember? "

"Ahh, right "

I slapped my head, silently scolding myself for being stupid but that didn't last long cause another announcement dumbfounded everyone.

"I'll help out too"

Everyone's gaze landed on Nik that if eyes were bullet he would be long dead by now.

"You would? " Emily and I asked simultaneously , a doubtful gleam obvious in our gaze.

Nik seem to have gotten annoyed over the skeptical gaze we were passing him cause he agitatedly asked "What's so hard about it that you guys are passing me such dubious look? "

We shrugged innocently, who said we didn't trust him?

"If Eden can do it, then there isn't anything hard about it at all "

Prideful and boastful, I sneered internally , praying he remembers this moment when he burns himself.

Truth be told, I've never seen Nik in the kitchen aside from the fact he comes to pour himself a cup of coffee every morning.

The guy's so doubtful of everyone including his own daughter.

"Fine, tag along. If you really want a death wish, I'll grant that to you willingly " Emily snorted and sauntered away while we followed along like interns obeying their senior's every command.

In the kitchen every one went ahead busying themselves with one chore or the other save Nik who had no clue where or what to start with.

I stared at Eden who was busy slicing the onions with quite a skillful demeanor that I couldn't help but be attracted to this heart stirring scene.

The onions he cut was so slim and sleek as if it was done by a professional cook moreover his chopping movement on the cutting board was so fast and didn't make much of a noise along the way.

I stared at Eden dreamily, he was truly my dream husband if only - bam!

I almost shrieked from the loud chopping sound as Nik miserably tried to dice a few carrot that Emily had set aside to be used.

what the heck?

I stared at Nik, he was flushed and barely paid much attention to the noise he was creating as he fought with the carrots.

The scene was amusing cause most of the diced carrots were rough and uneven while the rest were more sliced than diced.

I unknowingly let out a chuckle, it was insanely funny and I saw Eden give him a mocking grin.

Annoyed, Nik tried to speedily dice the carrot just like Eden did earlier but that's when disaster struck.

Immersed in the challenge he barely avoided amputating his five fingers and ended up with quite a huge cut instead.

Blood slowly poured out from the affected finger and I instinctively grabbed his hand guiding the injured finger into my mouth and suckled it.

I felt the strong metallic taste in my tongue and sucked on it further trying to stop the bleeding without knowing I just woke a sleeping lion.

My little innocent rescue was so sudden that I didn't have the chance to think twice about the repercussions until I looked up .....and froze