"Good morning, sunshine," Daniel greeted as Anna slowly opened her eyes.
He was sitting beside her bed, one knee bent, arms resting casually as if he had been there for a while."It's already 10 in the morning!"
Anna immediately pulled the blanket up to cover her mouth.
"Good morning… what are you doing in here?" she asked, still groggy.
"I called him, and he said you were here… so I rushed over just to see you," Daniel said proudly.
Anna chuckled softly. "Where is he?" she whispered.
"Right here," Tom answered from the door.
Both Anna and Daniel turned toward him.
Tom stood there casually, both hands in his pockets.
"I already informed HR that you can't go to work today," he added calmly.
Anna sighed.
"What is wrong?" Daniel asked her.
"Nothing…" she replied, then added softly, "I think he's mad at me."
"No… he's always like that," Daniel whispered, winking at her.
Anna sat up slowly on the bed.
"Come on… let's have breakfast," Tom said before walking away.
"How are you feeling?" Daniel asked.
"I'm fine," Anna replied—then suddenly, "Achoo!"
She sneezed into her hands.
"You're sick?" Daniel asked quickly, placing his palm on her forehead. "Hmm… a little warm, but you're okay."
"Achoo!" she sneezed again.
"Come on, let's eat. Tom cooks well—we should enjoy it before it gets cold," Daniel said.
They all sat at the table.
Tom glanced at Anna. "Don't forget to wash my clothes."
Anna immediately frowned. "I'm sick, remember?" she said, widening her eyes dramatically.
Daniel looked between them. "Ah…" he paused. "Yes… she's sick, cous."
"Achoo!" Anna sneezed again, clearly exaggerating it.
Tom raised a suspicious eyebrow.
"Achoo!" she sneezed once more.
"See? She's really not feeling well… maybe it's a hangover," Daniel added quickly. "After this, take some medicine if needed."
Anna nodded sweetly. "Aww… you're so sweet."
Daniel grinned and pinched both her cheeks. "Of course. Let's eat—you're so cute."
"Thank you, Lord," Anna said happily before eating.
"What time are you going home?" Daniel asked.
"After this," she replied.
"You're not staying a bit longer?"
"No!" she quickly said, leaning closer to whisper. "Or I'll end up washing his clothes."
Daniel laughed. "We can go out if you want."
Anna shook her head. "My father will kill me if I don't go home immediately."
"Really? He'll do that?" Daniel asked, surprised.
"Of course not! I'm joking," she said, laughing.
"I thought so," Daniel sighed.
Anna ate her scrambled egg. "But he's strict… like a pastor. I'll prepare my ears for preaching."
"He's always like that?" Daniel asked.
"Sort of," she admitted. "I broke the rules, so it's my fault."
"Wow… he sounds scary."
"No, he's not scary. Just strict."
Daniel offered her a pancake. "Here."
"I don't eat pancakes," Anna said immediately.
"Yes, she doesn't," Tom confirmed.
Daniel squinted at him. "Wow… you know a lot about her."
"No, just a few things, Dan," Tom replied.
Anna quickly interrupted, smiling. "Not a lot!"
Daniel narrowed his eyes. "Something's going on between you two."
"Nothing," they both said at the same time.
Daniel smiled knowingly. "Hmm… I can tell there's something."
Tom kept eating. Anna stayed silent.
Then Daniel laughed. "You two… something happened last night, didn't it? You accidentally kissed?"
"No!" they both shouted.
"What are you talking about?" Anna said. "You think too much!"
Daniel leaned closer. "Seriously? Nothing at all?"
"I'm 100% sure nothing happened," Anna insisted.
"Then tell me what happened last night," Daniel pressed.
"Hey, nothing happened!" Tom interrupted. "Finish your food."
Daniel turned to Anna again. "Please… tell me."
He grabbed her arm playfully, shaking it.
"Nothing happened," Anna said calmly—then added without thinking,"In fact, I don't even remember anything… except I saw him naked."
Silence.
Then—
Daniel burst out laughing.
"Opps!" Anna froze. "I didn't mean it!" she quickly said, covering her mouth.
Tom slowly turned his head toward her.
His expression darkened.
Anna immediately panicked. "I really didn't mean it!"
Daniel laughed even harder. "You and Mildred are the only ones who saw him like that!"
"It's your fault!" Anna whispered to Daniel.
"What? How is that my fault?" Daniel laughed.
"Shut up," Tom finally said coldly, walking away toward the sink.
Anna frowned. "Shame on you!"
"What?" Tom turned sharply. "Shame on me? You were drunk!"
"For God's sake, Anna! Because of Kevin, you're acting like this!"
"Hey! That's enough!" Daniel stepped in. "Both of you, calm down!"
Anna stood up. "I need to go."
"Please finish your food," Daniel said.
"I lost my appetite," she replied softly, packing her things. "Thank you, Daniel."
"Anna, wait," Daniel blocked the door. "Let me drive you home."
"No need. I'm fine," she said.
"Just tell me when you get home, okay?"
Anna nodded and left.
The door closed.
Daniel sighed. "What's wrong with you, Tom? She likes Kevin."
He grabbed his keys. "I'll drive her home."
And then he left.
Tom stayed behind in silence.
He sighed heavily, drank water, and avoided everyone's gaze.
Then quietly, he cleaned the table and washed the dishes—his thoughts louder than the room itself.
**************************************
Anna POV
"hi, miss!" Daniel greeted her, he parked his Ferrari 812GTS the V12spider in front of her " Wanna ride?" He took off his sunglasses
"Wow! nice car " she was amazed at the gray color
" It would be nice if the lady in front of me will join me" He teased her, he got out and open the door for Anna
Anna raised her eyebrows
"Please!, get in "
Anna smiled at him and she get inside the car, and Daniel got in and started the engine of the car,
"You love it?" He asked
" Yes..." she was excited
"I heard Lolo gave you a ride to his luxury car, "he says
"Does he tell you that ?"Anna asked
Daniel nodded " hey, I am sorry, on behalf of my cousin... maybe he was stressed you know, there's an upcoming board meeting for the next two weeks, they will check if his proposal is good in the
market or not...or if the stocks of the company are increasing or still... you know..."
Anna nodded " It's alright " and she smiled "Achoo!" she sneezed again
" You know what, that is not a good sign, you always sneezed since this morning!" he noticed
"I am fine!" she says, she sniffed and wiped her nose with a tissue
"Don't forget to take meds, alright?" he reminded her
"mm" she replied
Daniel Drove off to her Home, It's not traffic that time, thus they arrive in the subdivision for 15 minutes only, Anna got out of the car and waved to him
"Bye, Thank you !" she says
" Go on! take care of yourself," he says and drove off
Anna went inside of the subdivision and walked straight to her home, she slowly opened their main door, no one was inside, Her parents are not in the living room, she went to the kitchen and looked for the antipyretic in their medication canister. She intakes one tablet with water and hastily coming upstairs going to her room.
Anna was feeling not well, she lay down on her bed and rest, a few moments she didn't realize she fell asleep.
She woke up in the afternoon when she felt that someone was in her room, Her mother sat on her side and checked if she's feeling alright.
"Are you okay ?" she asked, her mother is mid 40's of age, her hair started to be grey, fair complexion, and has a chinky eyes, a pointed nose, and thin kissable lips, and a slender body.
Anna nodded and doesn't want her mother to be worried
"look at you, you broke the house rules, and yet you hide in here," she says
"I am sorry Ma, I will not do it again" she sat on the bed
" Your Papa, worried about you last night, what happened?" she gave her a glass of water and a tablet of med for antipyretic " Here, take it"
"I already took before I fell asleep," she told her
" Alright, after six hours you need to take another one, your feverish" she reminded her
"Thanks, ma"
"Are you hungry, I will ask your father to cook noodles for you " she was worried
" no I am not, I ate before I came home"
"Okay, take a rest, I will wake you up, later for your meds" her mother stood up
" Hm, I love you ma!" she says and smiled at her
Her mother hissed and turned back for her " tsk! you are clingy right now because you did something wrong !" her mother said
they both laughed " don't forget he will never forget this, he's going to talk to you sooner or later " her mother said " you know your father"
Anna agreed to her
"Go on, sleep tight," she says and she kissed on her head while hugging her
Anna closed her eyes and felt the warmth of her mother. after that Her mother left and went downstairs, meanwhile, Anna lay again to her bed, she's lethargic thus she can't hold her eyes to open, she had a body malaise so that a few seconds without knowing she fell asleep again.
Anna woke up in the late afternoon, She checked her mobile phone it's already 6:30 pm, She went downstairs, her siblings are watching Netflix on their TV screen, Her parents are preparing for their dinner, she sat down on the Chair, her mother checked her if she's feeling alright.
"How was your feeling?" her mother questioned
"I'm feeling better" she answered her
"Hmm, you just did that for you to escape from me" her father tease her
she chuckled " Of course not," she says " I am sorry pops!" she apologized to him " I know I broke the rules, and I promised I will not do it again, cross my heart " she explained
"Hmm, " he says and look suspiciously at her " tell me, you got drunk last night?" he asked
Anna grinned and nodded
" with BOYFRIEND?" he questioned
"You knew me, I did not, it's friend, my girlfriend?" she says
"Don't you dare to lie at me young girl" he said
"Believe me...me it's not, trust me" she convinces him " hm...please," she says
" If I knew you had a boyfriend, You know what are the consequences right?"
Anna nodded " Yes sir... 100 percent, claro Papa! " she says gave him a sweet smile
Her father hissed and smiled back to her, "Go and help us to prepare this food" he says to Anna
Anna sniffed the food on the table " Wow!, I miss your cook" she said to him
Her father walked toward her and messy her hair " find someone who can fill your empty stomach my child, marry someone like me" he teased her
"How can I find someone, If you didn't allow me to have a boyfriend now" she teased him and laughed
Her father clicked his tongue " Someday of course I will allow you too if you finished your study, you can find someone... you're a bachelor degree, the guys will look upon you "
Anna laughed " How I wished, But I am not an actress nor a model, right Mama? " she says
"you don't need to be an actress or a model," her mother said
"Don't lose your faith, God made a perfect match for you, he will give that man, on the right time" he added
Anna smiled and agreed to him "alright, I know that "she says and gave them a sweet smile
"Anna, someone looking for you ?" Karen said while entering on the door
Everyone was looked at her and wondered who will be
"I don't know" she shrugged her shoulders and looked at her parents
Her father gave her a suspicious look
*******************************************
Stay tuned, next chapter: the unwelcome visitor is coming