morning Sir." I stutter and bite my lips nervously.

"Make sure my food is ready in the next 20minutes." He tells me coldly and walks away but not before carrying his briefcase along.

"Wow, what an arrogant man!" I scoff in anger and walk into the kitchen. He may be handsome but I don't like that cold and indifferent attitude of his, I wonder what happened to him to make him bitter like that.

I knock on the door and hear a come-in before I walk into his room, he is seated on the sofa in the room with his eyes closed and a glass of wine in front of him. I quietly drop the tray and dish out his food, I am done, I should probably turn around to leave but I can't stop staring at him. His perfectly arched eyebrows, his cutely pointed nose, his soft pink lips, the column of his neck, I'm entranced.

I gasp when his eyes suddenly flutter open and he caught me staring at him, I quickly turn around to leave but he grabs my wrist. I feel a spark start in my wrist and go through my entire body and I shiver slightly.

He gives me an intense look with his stormy blue eyes piercing through mine.

I bite my lips nervously, not knowing what to say or do.

"You are five minutes late." He says with his eyes is locked on mine and drops my hand.

"I-I am..."

"You may leave." He cuts in and turns towards his food thereby dismissing me.

"What a jerk!" I mumble under my breath.

My eyes widen in shock when he turns towards me sharply and I realize that I might have said that aloud.

"You say what?"

"Nothing," I reply quickly and rush out of his room.

When I step back into the kitchen, I see that the chicken I placed in the microwave is now slightly burnt since the timer has run out a few minutes ago. It is not that burnt, it can still be managed but I'm not taking that risk with Ashley. The idea of trashing it makes me cringe, I hate wasting food and I make up my mind to eat it. I place it inside a plate and as I turn around I see Ashley standing directly behind me, I was so startled that I drop the plate of chicken. Immediately I caught the expression on her face I know that I'm in trouble.

"A-Ashley...I-I didn't mean to burn it." I stutter.

"Can your dead parents afford that piece of chicken, you wretched idiot?" Ashley yells in my face. "What is your job in this house? Huh?" She yanks my hair. "Answer me?"

Tears start rolling down my eyes uncontrollably, not because of the pain I feel at the root of my hair but because of what she said. I know I came from a very poor family and that I'm an orphan but must she rub it in my face every day? Why does she like disrespecting my dead parents by insulting them anytime she is angry at me?

"I bet you were planning to serve it to me like that right?"

I see her lift her hand to slap me and I quickly close my eyes waiting for the impact of her hand on my cheek.

"Ashley!" I hear an authoritative voice call her sternly. I open my eyes to see Jace at the entrance of the kitchen, he is carrying the tray I used to serve his food.

"Drop your hand and step away from her." Ashley hesitates. "Now," Jace said calmly but behind that calm voice, there is a threat.

Ashley glares at me with hatred before stepping back.

Tears roll down my cheeks as I avoid her glares and stare at the chicken on the floor.

"Now apologize to her."

Ashley gasps dramatically as if that is the most ridiculous thing she has ever heard. "Me? Apologize? To her? Never!" She replies stubbornly.

"Do it now."

I can't stand the drama anymore, I rush to escape it all but Jace blocks the exit.

"Jace, she burnt my breakfast," Ashley whines like a baby.

"I will not repeat myself, Ash. DON'T DARE ME."

Ashley's lips quivers and tears fill her eyes, that's because her pride is wounded and her ego is bruised. She never apologizes to anyone whenever she is wrong talk-less of apologizing to me, I think she feels embarrassed.

"I-I a-am..." she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "... sorry." She eventually says and releases the breath she has been holding.

"That is not sincere enough, say it again and add her name," Jace tells her calmly.

"What?!" She looks at him like he has grown two heads.

"You have 5 seconds to do that. 1,2..."

"I'm sorry Sasha." She repeats quickly with tears rolling down her cheeks. She tries to run out of the kitchen but Jace does not let her.

"One more thing Ash, if I should ever catch you bully her or any other person again you will not like what I will do to you." He warns her and finally lets her do the walk-or rather-run of shame.

"I hate you!" She yells while running to her room.

"I love you too," Jace smirks.

I was speechless, no one has ever done that to me, no one has ever defended me like that. I stare at Jace and I feel whatever I am feeling for him before multiplying. I open my mouth to thank him but that cold expression slides back into his face and he walks out.... before I can thank him.

I keep on rolling on the bed not knowing what to do since sleep has decided not to come, it is late at night and Ashley hasn't come back home since Jace scolded her. That means she is either sleeping over at Cassie's place or she is out partying again.

I'm worried because I know that being the kind of person she is, Ashley won't let what happened earlier go without retaliating and I'm afraid of what she might do.

Looking at the wall clock for the umpteenth time, I see that the time is quarter past 11 and Jace is also not yet back from wherever he went to. A few minutes later, I hear a car horn and the sound of the gate opening, I peep out through my window secretly hoping that it is Jace.