His Devious Rule

Anya kneeled in front of her son, hugged him, kissed him, wished him the night. Zane obediently went to bed.

Alvin: "…"

He watched her sit back on the chair and tilt her head when their eyes met. Her eyes shone like two moons in the dark sky and sat there anticipating him to say something without a hint of annoyance or losing her cool.

Alvin knew he melted right there. His lips were craving to curl up and his fingers itched to pull her cheeks.

He expected her to leave him for her son. Although he would have understood her, it still displeased him. Now that she prioritized him, he was greedy for more attention. So he started testing his luck and continued to ignore her.

An hour passed, Anya knew her stubbornness was just her stupidity. Yet she sat there, hoping the heartless man would show some kindness.

Didn\'t he want to marry her? Then how could he ignore her so blatantly? She sulked watching him work.

She could be stubborn and playful with her son, her parents, and Krystle. It was the first time she was being silly, that too for a man.

She doubted if she would dare to do something like this if he goes to sleep without speaking with her.

It was half-past eleven, Alvin noticed her checking the time again and again. So he shut his laptop and stood up. Anya lazily stood up and walked right behind him.

Alvin, who thought to send her to bed, looked over his shoulder. He noticed her leaping on his invisible footsteps mark on the floor.

Since her eyes were on the floor, she didn\'t see he was purposefully taking large steps. In the end, she followed him to the bathroom in complete silence.

When he stopped, she lifted her head and saw him remove his shirt.

Anya: "…"

Why don\'t men have any shame?

She felt like he was purposefully showing off his body when her eyes involuntarily went down his irresistible back.

But, she scoffed before going out of the bathroom, "Don\'t even think of escaping from the windows."

Alvin bit back his laughter before entering the shower. He knew she was stubborn, this time, her stubbornness made him happy rather than irritated.

….

When he went out of the bathroom, properly dressed in nightwear, he sensed something flying at him. He swiftly caught the pillow and saw Anya standing on his bed with another pillow in hand. He was inarticulate and also amused.

Anya hoped he would say something now, but he silently walked towards her. She lifted the pillow again to hit him as she asked, "Why aren\'t you talking with me?" She whined and flung her hand to hit him.

"Are you always this childish? Or am I privileged?" He mused, tossing the pillow on the bed.

Anya\'s hand froze. She felt like it had been a decade since she heard his voice. She snapped at him, "You are childish."

Alvin\'s eyes went down to her toes and raised his brows. Who stands on the bed? Even her son was more mature and jumped off the bed in the morning.

Anya cleared her throat. She would never call herself childish, "I am mischievous." She proudly accepted.

Alvin added seeing her smug, "Officer Owen isn\'t."

Anya tilted her head. He was right. Officer Owen is cold, distant, antisocial, shrewd, and cunning.

Then she hugged the pillow and sat on the bed, "Alvin Matthews, when I try to understand you, can\'t you cooperate? Just a bit." She sulked, curling her lips down. She almost thought he might throw her out of the room without speaking with her.

Alvin looked at her pretty pitiful face. He reached out and brushed her hair away from her face. His thumb caressed her smooth cheek.

Anya didn\'t evade him. She sighed hearing nothing again. "I wish I could read your mind. If you don\'t tell me, I won\'t know. If we don\'t speak, there will be misunderstandings and they are hard to solve." She tried her best to explain, "A relationship should be free of misunderstanding."

\'A relationship?\' It piqued him. Alvin shifted his hand and pressed his palms on the bed as he went close to her. "Are you agreeing to marry me?" He had very high expectations.

Anya shifted the pillow to cover her lips as she moved back, looking into his cognac eyes. He didn\'t look upset anymore. His fresh woody hinted cologne felt too strong and raided her nostrils.

Her brows faintly creased at his words, \'Marrying him?\' She generally talked about every kind of relationship. She snorted, "You ignored me for more than six hours. So no marriage."

Alvin: "…"

\'Well, I deserve it.\' He could only sigh as he knew she was very disturbed the whole time.

Instead of apologizing, he used what he had learned by watching her and her son. He suddenly dipped his head and kissed her forehead. He wanted her to get used to being around him so much that she shouldn\'t think of leaving.

Stunned, Anya, who was supporting her weight on her elbows, fell on the bed. She wasn\'t sure if he does these little actions knowingly or unknowingly, it makes her heart flutter.

He watched her widened eyes and her cheeks turn rosy. He couldn\'t believe one who didn\'t react seeing him half-naked was blushing for a kiss on the forehead.

Alvin gently flicked on her forehead to bring her out of the daze. Cupping her head and supporting her back, he helped her sit. Sitting next to her, he accepted his mistake, "Alright, I won\'t do it again."

Anya shook off her thoughts and happily nodded. It would be annoying if he keeps ignoring her time and time again without telling her the reason.

She quickly took a peek at the time and waited for him to say why he was acting weird half the day.

Alvin, who had seen her check time in the study room, asked, "Are you sleepy?" She didn\'t look like one.

Anya shook her head and stuck to the previous topic, "Why were you mad?"

Alvin wasn\'t mad. He was displeased seeing Young Mommy and her son don\'t approach him for anything. He shrugged stating nothing.

Anya: "…"

How to coax a man to speak?

She didn\'t know. She got off the bed, wore her slipper, ready to leave, Alvin caught her hand and tugged her back. He knew she was annoyed.

"I won\'t talk with you until you speak." She said, ready to storm out.

"Let me ask you something then." He said and saw her obediently sit and face him.

He was amused seeing her mood change just like that. "Why don\'t you ask for help but struggle yourself when I am right next to you?"

"Huh?" Anya\'s head titled hearing him. She recalled it was always him who reached out to give a hand. "Are you mad because of that?"

Alvin squinted his eyes and Anya quickly responded, "I have always depended on myself, dealt everything on my own. If there is something, I will think about how I could solve it. I don\'t have a habit of looking for help." Five years of her job and being a single mother taught her a lot of things.

Guessing he was expecting her to depend on him, she added, "If you are expecting me to look for you at my troubles, then it takes time. You should have patience. I can\'t change overnight."

Why did she feel like she was committed to him?

She shrugged in her mind and tried to make him feel light "Did you forget? I am pissing off Harper Johnson because I have you." She might not be asking for help but she was depending on him.

Alvin who heard patiently understood that she had struggled alone all these years.

Anyway, he mocked her brutally, "Were you a turtle in the past life? You need time for every bloody thing."

Anya: "…"

She controlled herself from facepalming. She always feels like she wastes her breath to explain to him.

So should she explain to him every kind of relationship that takes time to build?

Meanwhile, Alvin had different thoughts. He deadpanned looking at the bed, "So right or left?"

"Huh?" Anya looked at his cunning smile and followed his line of sight. She leaped away from the bed immediately.

Why will she share a bed with him?

"You aren\'t my Baby." She snorted.

Zane got his new room. Alvin was cent percent sure she would crawl up to Zane\'s bed like the previous day. It amuses him how people talk about women and how his Goofball is the total opposite.

He started to teach her the adult world. "Sweetheart…" His flirty tone temptingly addressed her "You should…"

Anya knew what he was up to. She quickly covered his lips with her hand and reported hurriedly, "Alvin, I am going out. I will be back before dawn. Do you have a low-end car?" She had seen his car garage, they were filled with expensive cars that she couldn\'t afford even if she worked for tens of years.

She could have handled the car issue after leaving. But she put forward the request to show that she also reaches out to him if needed.

Alvin stared at her for a few seconds. He understood why she was checking time repeatedly. He wondered where she might go in the middle of the night like a thief.

Pulling her hand down from his lips, "I will ask the driver to get the car out."

Surprised, Anya thanked him, "Thank you… Rest well." She hadn\'t expected Alvin to agree so easily without asking her anything.

****

After fifteen minutes, Anya stared at Alvin who was standing by the ford. She was a fool to assume Alvin agreed to her. He slyly avoided arguing with her, \'Devious man.\'