ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

-6-

"Make yourself at home." Joss said after the three of them were inside his penthouse. "Have a seat while I put this little boy in my room, so he can have a rest."

"No...I don't want to. I want to be with you and her." Rowan pouted in disagreement.

"Later...It's time for your nap. Besides, I don't want you, running around this place, and get your wound open again. Remember what the doctor said. And if you don't want to listen to me and the doctor, I won't let you sleep here tonight." Joss had to threaten Rowan, because that little boy looked sleepy. Probably due to the pain killer he had taken earlier at the hospital. "But I promise to wake you up, when the pasta is ready."

"But....but..what if she goes home before we eat?"

Eisaya smiled. "Do you really want me to stay?"

Rowan nodded vigorously.

"Then, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here, waiting for you, so we can have our meal together. I promise." Eisaya smiled at the little boy.

"Okay..." Rowan nodded again with a cute smile.

"Just give me a few minutes. I'll be back in a jiffy." Joss said to Eisaya and carried Rowan to his bedroom.

Eisaya huffed deeply and decided to have a tour around the penthouse by herself. And she was impressed by the simple interior that was done for Joss' penthouse. It totally suited her style. And the blue colour, it was one of her favourites. It totally changed the vibe of that penthouse.

Leisurely, Eisaya sauntered over to the glass wall and looked at the view below which somehow, triggered a weird thought in her brain. It was weird indeed because she couldn't help but wondered, how would it feel, falling down from that penthouse through a broken glass wall.

Joss who had came back a few minutes later, quietly moved towards Eisaya. "Hmm...you seem to be in your deep thinking. What's on your mind?" He asked after he came back and noticed that Eisaya was staring absentmindedly at something.

"Huh? Owh...Err...just thinking, whether I will die instantly if this glass wall is broken and I fell through it."

Joss immediately pulled Eisaya away from there. "From now on, you are not allowed to stand closer to the glass wall." He reprimanded and dragged her to his kitchen. "Just sit here and do nothing."

Eisaya blinked profusely before bursted into laughter. "You are being paranoid. The glass wall won't be broken that easily. And why do you have them installed, if you are scared of what I said earlier?"

"Because it's you. I don't want anything to happen to you. I probably change the glass wall tomorrow because of you."

"But that will ruin the beauty of the entire interior."

"Don't care, as long as you're safe." Joss retorted, then moved towards the massive refrigerator, and got all the ingredients he needed for the creamy chicken sauce. He even stopped by the cabinets and took out a packet of fettucine as well.

Eisaya quietly observed the man and smiled thinly. "My safety is not your concern or your priority. We're just neighbour for now. And I told you, I am not interested in going out with you."

"I know. You don't have to tell it twice. But that doesn't mean I will stop prioritize you over everything else. And you do know why." Joss replied while his hand started to get busy, chopping the chicken into tiny pieces, so, it would be easier for Rowan to chew.

"You talked like you want to devote your life to me forever."

Joss stopped chopping and lifted up his face to look at Eisaya. "I want to, if you give me a chance. Even if you don't, I will still do it. Because...no one has captured my heart other than you. So, I don't care if I will be alone for the rest of my life. I simply want to stay loyal to one love."

"That's stupid." Eisaya blurted out.

"It is. I am not denying that fact. There is a saying, a person will become a fool because of love. And I'm the evidence of that particular saying. But even though I am a fool, it's better to stay loyal, than having a love spree. At least, I am true to my word. Love will happen once in a lifetime. Yes, we can fall in love for the second time, but it will never be the same as the first one."

"Is this really your first time falling in love? Why do I have a hard time to believe you?" Eisaya relayed her doubt. Joss had everything that a woman wanted. Not just his divine features, but also his wealth, his personality, the husband material he possesed, and he seemed to be very good in handling kids, which obviously were the criterias that might give him a lot of bonus points to melt a woman's heart. But why only now, and only her, he wanted to have?

"It's up to you, whether you want to believe me or not. But I am speaking the truth. Lies won't get me anywhere anyway. Besides, I have accepted the fact that I was rejected by you. Why do I have to lie when you have already given me the answer?" Joss added and continued with his task.

The conversation stopped there. Eisaya was immersed in her deep thoughts regarding what Joss had said, while Joss was focusing on preparing the pasta, trying not to get distracted by her presence.

Half an hour later, the pasta was served on the dining table. Joss even made a jug of orange juice because it was Rowan's favourite as well. He smiled and turned his head towards Eisaya. "I guess, it's time to wake the boy. Why don't you take a seat, and help yourself first while I go and get him?"

"No....I rather wait for you both. It's rude to start without the host." Eisaya replied, staring at the mouthwatering pasta. She admitted that she was starving, but she was taught the proper ways to behave in other people's houses. So, she would wait, even though her stomach was growling pretty loud.

"Then...I'll be back as soon as possible." Joss quickly fled from there to get Rowan.