Buried in the arms, Anya blinked softly. There were numerous things she never shared with anyone. Whenever she shared one thing with Alvin, she felt like she was relieved from some weight.
Her lips faintly curled when she recalled how Alvin had snapped at her when she cried for the first time in front of him and how he was trying to calm her down now. Anyway, she hoped for him to understand her needs.
Alvin gently caressed her head. One or two landlords troubling her could be a coincidence but not many. He wanted to point out to her that there could be somebody who was targeting her in the past years. It might not be because she was a single mother and worked for long hours but somebody kept a close eye on her whereabouts.
His first and only suspicion was obviously his father and stepmother. He tried to think of others, but he got nobody else to his mind.
His arms tightened around her. He didn't regret giving up on his dream for her, but he should have looked for her sooner. Probably, he could have eased her a long back.
Anya lifted her head to look at him when she felt like he was trying to merge their bodies.
Alvin's lips curled to an enticing smirk seeing her dimples. She had lots on her plate to take care of, he chose to handle the person behind her struggles by himself. "Little Donut…"
"Hmm?" She tried to get away from his arms to speak properly but his cage-like arms were stronger than her.
"You need your own house." He stated.
With a gentle nod, Anya hummed in response without understanding what was going on in his mind.
"I will write this mansion in your name. It will be yours." He was up on his unreasonable ideas.
Anya: "..."
She tried to push him away but failed. She stomped on his foot and went away hearing him hiss. "Alvin Matthews…" She paused realizing she was going to argue with him and it hardly worked on him.
She changed her words, "I will take that when we get married." She pretended to be flipping her hair and crossed her arms with a smug look.
Alvin was pleased to hear that. But he didn't like to send her away. He needed a solution, otherwise, his Little Donut would forget him by getting busy in her life, just like in the university library.
Buried in the laptop, there were times she wasn't noticing when he was leaving the library or he was arriving there if he wasn't making any noise for her attention.
His eyes glinted brightly when he came up with the solution. Now he needs to persuade her.
Anya had the urge to run out of the room looking at his sly smirk looking as evil as it could be. "Little Donut." His fruity deliberate tone gave her goosebumps. She tried to run. He easily caught her hand.
"I am not going to listen to you." She squeaked getting out of his hold. She pushed him to escape but he twirled her back.
Both continued to wrestle without hurting each other. "You have no choice, Little Donut," Alvin stated the fact.
In the end, Anya fell on the bed with her hands on her ears and he successfully trapped her under him. She wanted to smack herself. If there was another man, she would have taken him down. When it's Alvin, she tries to run without thinking and he captures her.
"Huh?" Anya tilted her head in shock. Alvin doesn't negotiate but gets his work done.
"Take me there before you finalize." He needs to make sure the area is safe and he knows her place. If needed he will just buy out the surrounding area so that the Matthews family or anybody couldn't reach her with the thoughts of hurting her.
Anya agreed without a second thought, "Sure." That wasn't an issue. Anyway, she didn't get happy yet, she knew it was just the beginning of his list of conditions.
"You will keep the car which you drove yesterday."
Anya immediately shook her head. She could afford a car on her budget. Using his car wasn't required. Anyway, the cost of his car is worth more than the house she will buy. It would be unnecessary attention-grabbing.
Alvin stood up as he shrugged, "Then forget about moving out."
Anya was quick to grab his shirt and pulled him back to loom over her, forgetting she could stand and speak.
Thinking of the car, she will just accept his car and keep it in the garage. Then she use her car, "Deal."
Alvin pressed his knee on the bed as his right-hand fingers gently brushed over her hair. He maintained the distance between them and observed her silly smile hiding behind her calmness.
The dimples on her cheeks didn't fool him. "Little Donut, I will crush the car if you buy it."
Anya: "..."
'How did he read me so accurately?' Anya imagined her brand new car being crushed and swallowed hard.
'Why waste money?' She will need more money for the service of an inexpensive car. Sighing inwardly at his autocracy, she awkwardly smiled, "Why will I buy it?" She reluctantly decided to compromise for the car.
Alvin was satisfied so far. He picked his most important condition, "I won't stay here." He meant the Oasis mansion.
He never really stayed in the mansion for more than a night or two. Only because of her, he was staying in the city, so why not stay with her?
Anya giggled, nodding her head in acceptance of his tantrum. She innocently assumed that he might keep dropping by at her place.
"I will prepare a room as per your needs." Then she gently poked his cheek, "I will not have maids. So you better behave if you don't want me to throw you out."
'Room for him?' Alvin snickered at her naivety. He petted her head, "Little Donut, that little girl needs a room." He pointed out Angela.
Anya's expression changed a bit. She had forgotten it. Her guest room will have to be changed for Angela if she goes for a four-room villa or she will have to skip having a study room. So she needs five rooms.
'Three to five rooms. That's too extravagant.' She wasn't sure if she would get that in her budget.
'I should merge my study with the bedroom. The guest room for Alvin. One room for my Baby, one for Angela… Should I make one room for kids? But they will grow up in no time…' She snapped out of her thoughts when Alvin spoke.
Alvin continued to pet her head, "Don't worry your boyfriend is magnanimous. He will adjust in your room."
'Magnanimous!?' Anya couldn't believe he was shamelessly manipulating the words to share the bedroom with her. She could also play with the words.
She pretended to be shocked, "How could I let Young Master adjust? My baby will gladly share a room with me." She teased him back.
Alvin's brow tightened. He had forgotten his Little Enemy, "I guess you don't want to buy a house." He scoffed at her act.
He was pretending to leave again, and Anya pulled him back with a whine. "Okay, okay… You win." Sometimes he was very easy to please, sometimes truly difficult.
Alvin looked damn cool hearing her accept. So he went on with his conditions while she willingly or unwillingly gave into his silly conditions.
In the end, Alvin caressed her cheek, "My Little Donut has become so obedient today." She agreed to all the conditions.
She could only force a smile hearing him. 'Does anybody else know how childish you are?' She thought without asking him.
Alvin scooped her into his arms and went to the restroom. Anya obediently stood when he carefully indulged her by wiping her face with a wet towel and tidying her hair.
"I have conditions too," Anya said when he was done.
Alvin crossed his arms and became all ears.
"Help me in the kitchen whenever you are free." They might not become like her parents. At least, they could enjoy a little sweetness if they get time together.
Alvin was happy to realize her condition wasn't pushing him away but finding a chance to be closer. He didn't have a problem following her anywhere. He leaned closer and whispered in his hypnotic tone, "I can help you in the bathroom too."
Recalling Alvin carrying her out of the bathroom, her face flushed bright red in embarrassment. She punched him in the stomach, "Don't go too far."
Alvin bit back his laughter and countered "I am still at the kisses, Little Donut. Where is today's kiss?" He asked with a straight face.
Right, one of his conditions was a kiss per day at a minimum.
Anya looked away, feeling her cheeks turn hot hearing him ask for a kiss. She had thought he was very mature when she had met him seven years ago. Looks like he grew young, instead of old.
Nevertheless, her eyes twinkled and her lips curled to an enticing smile, "Alvin, did you forget these are the conditions when I move out?" And she was still in the Oasis mansion.
Alvin: "…"
She quickly ran out without getting to his hands.
"Momma!?" Zane looked at her in confusion seeing her run out of the bathroom. He had knocked on the door but no one responded so he entered inside.
Dennis and Catalina had completed breakfast with Linus. They went to pack their things and Linus went to the NGO. Zane was waiting for Anya, "Momma, let's have breakfast."
Being with Alvin, she had lost track of time. "Yes, Baby."
Alvin and Zane exchanged a complex gaze before the three reached the breakfast table.
—————
Sitting at the round breakfast table, the three started breakfast in complete silence while Zane observed Alvin and cooked up a plan. For his plan to work, he should send Anya away.
He grabbed the milk glass, "Momma, my milk has turned cold." He sounded helpless.
Anya nodded as she stood up, "Continue your breakfast, I will warm it up." She went to the kitchen as Zane hoped.
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