I can't help but curse every time I think about the psychotic security guard that has broken into Nevaeh's room. Even though he's now behind bars, it reminds me of how I failed to manage the building properly.

It's such a shame that Nevaeh had to go through that. What a horrible way to meet her again.

I let out a heavy sigh, touching my forehead as I lean back against my chair at my office desk. The human resources department needs to suffer the consequences just as much as the head of security does, even though I do feel guilty for him after Nevaeh told me that I shouldn't have fired him. Should I not fire him?

"Mr. Klein?" Chloe, my temporary secretary, knocks on the door, carrying a pile of documents. "I'm here to bring you the contracts."

I nod to let her come in, and a big smile creeps on her lips as she makes her way toward me.

Her hips sway sensually as she walks closer, and I can't help but notice how short her skirt is. It does a terrible job in covering her upper thighs, and I don't understand how she feels comfortable wearing that in the office.

The sound of her heels clicking on the marble floor echoes, and I have to get used to it for a few more days until my permanent secretary, Mrs. Rogers, returns from her trip after sending her daughter overseas for her first year in college.

Chloe arrives at my side and puts the papers on my desk. "Here are the agreements you have to sign today, Sir." She tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear and gazes at me dreamily under her lashes.

I focus my attention on the documents instead, but when she bends down, it's impossible to not notice her cleavage that she also fails to hide by wearing a deep V neck top.

She stretches her neck to accommodate the view, assuming that I would enjoy this. The smell of her perfume reaches my nostrils, and I don't pull away to detach myself from her.

Because a part of me wants to know how my body would respond this time.

I stiffen, suddenly feeling nauseous. That makes me lean back on my chair to draw the distance between us. Disappointment crosses Chloe's expression, while the only thing I can give her is a cold stare.

"You can leave now," I say sharply, and a small pout touches her lips.

Nevertheless, she understands the command and turns on her heels.

While she's walking to the door, my gaze darts on her long wavy blonde locks, round ass, and smooth long legs. I wouldn't deny that she's an attractive woman, but just as I'm aware of, women don't affect me.

Not anymore.

Not even physically.

It's fucking ridiculous that while the image of her body is very vivid in my eyes, my body doesn't feel anything. I can't feel anything.

Maybe it's about time that I visit my doctor or therapist. Ashton has reminded me countless times that I should do that, but I don't feel like it.

Fuck. It's fucking irritating to be treated as a sick person.

I'd rather bury myself with work to forget that. Working overtime has been my habit for the past two years. It's enough as therapy for me. The good thing about living alone is that no one would be waiting for me at home.

Now that I think about that, I have another problem. Nevaeh now lives with me, and I have to hide her from everyone else.

I can't imagine if Luna knows about this. She would be shocked, and I don't know whether she's willing to hide this from Max. If Max knows about this, he will most probably tell Nevaeh's father, and if that happens, Nevaeh's dreams will be crushed. I will be the cause of that.

My business reputation may also face threats, depending on her father's wrath. But most importantly, I don't want to cause chaos between Max's family and mine.

Fuck. Fuck that stupid security guard for causing all of this mess. I've never thought that I would be trapped in this complicated situation.

The fact that I'm hiding this from our families makes me feel restless. I ball my fist on the desk, throw my head back, and squeeze my eyes shut.

Goddammit. I have a girl in my damn house.

I don't think I have a reason to be restless anymore. Holy shit. This house is wonderful.

Now that the sun is up, I can see more clearly how beautiful this place is. I've never lived in a penthouse before, and the view of the entire city from up here is spectacular.

I follow Ashton as he guides me throughout the house tour. The next place he's going to show me is the pool. Once I step into the area, I stare at the view before me in awe.

It's an indoor swimming pool overlooking the city. I can imagine spending time here to relax at night and stare at the beautiful city lights after a long tiring day. The sight is amazing.

"Does he usually come here?" I ask Ashton, who then raises his brows in response. "Aiden."

"Not that often," Ashton says. "But he does come here once in a while. He spends a lot of time in his home office. I'll show you."

We walk back into the hallway, and after going further inside, we reach Aiden's home office.

"This is where he works," Ashton says as I step into the room. "As you can see, he reads a lot. Although you may find a lot of books here, I'm afraid that this may not be the ideal library you're looking for. His books are mostly about business and economy. It may seem a bit..." Ashton hesitates before clearing his throat, "boring."

I chuckle. Ashton is right, though. Unlike Dad's library back home, which Dad built for Mom and me, this library doesn't have boks from any genre.

However, I make a note to myself to read at least one book here because whatever Aiden reads definitely works in the business world. I may not find my comfort reads here, but maybe I can be smarter. A grin creeps on my lips as I think about that.

"There's another room that very much describes him," Ashton says. "Let me show you." With that said, he walks off, and I follow him.

While walking along the corridor, I catch sight of maids cleaning a bedroom. Since the door is partially opened, I can see how huge the room is.

"That's his bedroom," Ashton says, and I stop in my track.

I peek into the master bedroom, but as soon as I realize what I'm doing, I snap my head away in embarrassment.

Stupid Nevaeh. You should respect his privacy.

Ashton's chuckle snaps me out of my thoughts. His eyes glint with amusement. "Don't worry. I'm sure that he won't mind if you just want to take a look."

Ashton pushes the door until it's fully opened, and there, before my eyes, is Aiden's room.

"By the way, this isn't the room I was talking about," Ashton says. "Please follow me."

I frown as I follow Ashton again.

A room that very much describes Aiden other than his bedroom and his office? What room is Ashton talking about?

Ashton finally halts at the end of the hallway and opens another door. A gasp leaves my mouth when my eyes travel around the room.

It's an art studio, and it's filled with beautiful paintings.

Aiden's paintings.

My gaze darts on various paintings of objects, landscapes, and people. His works are breathtaking -- I can almost feel the emotions in every piece of his art.

My legs stop walking as I find a painting of a lake with mountains in the background, covered in snow. A village rests on beautiful hills, and the sky above them is bright and blue. This painting is so beautiful that I feel like crying. I suddenly feel so much joy and sadness at the same time.

Something is written at the bottom right of his painting, on top of his autograph. It reads: 'When they first met.'

Why do I feel so many emotions just by looking at one picture? Aiden is indeed a great artist for inflicting such emotions in his work.

Contrary to the other rooms I visited just now, which feel stoic and cold, this room is filled with so much creativity and warmth. This room alone explains that Aiden Klein doesn't hold back when it comes to expressing his emotions as an artist.

"It's amazing," I echo. "This must be his comfort place, right?"

To my surprise, Ashton doesn't answer my question and smiles sadly. He walks away instead, making me wonder.

"Is the water warm enough for you, Ms. Spencer?" the maid asks.

Another amazing thing that greets me when I come back into my room is that a warm bath is already prepared for me.

I check the water's temperature, and it's perfect. It's already filled with soap too, enough for me to play with the bubbles.

I nod, and the maid smiles before walking off. After she closes the door, I peel off my clothes and step into the tub.

A sigh of contentment leaves my lips as soon as my skin makes contact with the soothing warm water. I lean back comfortably, and a soft smile touches my lips. Before I know it, I burst into giggles.

Oh, God, this feels like heaven.

I don't know why, but staying in this house makes me calm. It's strange because I still remember how I was shaking with fear last night. Now, I feel exactly the opposite.

The more I spend time in this house, the more I feel safe. There's nothing to worry about because this is Aiden's house. I'm not alone here. The people here have gained his trust and are so nice to me.

I close my eyes and throw my head back, still with a smile on my face. I have a feeling that Aiden and I can be good friends. I've never expected that I would stay in his house. Somehow, it stirs something in me, and I know why.

I want to know more about him. I want to see that he's doing alright.

Hope starts to fill my heart at that thought.