Chapter 4 4

6 years ago....

Daisy had been so tired these days. She didn't have the time to sleep, didn't have the time to even eat. In her free time, she would have served that weird man in the VIP room. Although he never insisted on a pile of works or anything fatiguing, his intense sight was intimidating itself that made her exhausted by its sanity. His little request was always to sit beside him and let him stare at her for a long hour. The scariest part was, she never knew if he was drunk or not. She never understood if he was happy or sad.

"Ms Daisy."

Daisy faced the voice that rose from behind. Catching sight of a man in front of her around his twenties, she bowed politely. "Hello, sir. How can I help you?" She recognized his face. He was a famous model and had a shoot here. He arrived in this hotel with his team last night. But as expected, she didn't remember his name.

A faint whiff of disappointment swept over his face. "My name is Drake. I will be glad if you call me by my name." He had his denim jacket on with his ripped jeans. His skin was fair and defined. The pair of golden eyes below his dark eyebrows looked like a perfect art of an artist.

"I am afraid I can't. It's my workplace and I am just a hostess here." Daisy's statement came out polite and formal. She dared not to be informal with any guest which can cause her to lose the job she treasured the most right now.

"I see, you are very professional and disciplined." Drake laughed it off as he stood beside her and his gaze found its way to the water feature cascading over the top of the sculpture into a pool. "But how about telling the authority that we are childhood sweethearts?" He was probably a flirt, a smart one.

Daisy managed to smile along with it. "We are not. I can't lie."

"And you are loyal. Perhaps, you were in Army before?" He tilted his head and his fluffy pinkish lips pursed close.

She shook her head. "I was a bad student. I hate to wake up early. And exercise... is not my cup of tea." She couldn't deny the fact that it was kinda fun to chat with him.

Although his mouth curled in a smile, his eyes pierced straight through her. They were an unusual colour, a pale amber that reminded her of something vaguely eerie. "Then you have a boyfriend." It was a flat statement.

She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. "That's just one of those luxuries I can't afford. Even every hour I spend without getting paid is a luxury I can't afford." Her voice trailed off at his blank face.

After a moment of silence, he exhaled a long breath. "But having a boyfriend by your side isn't a luxury and I know, you will have one soon. A caring and loving one." He stated cutely as his firm hand settled on her hair, patting on her head.

Daisy had to gasp and consequently, her rounded gaze flew upward to those unfathomable golden eyes, was totally taken aback by his gesture. "How..." Before she could say another word, the sensor box in her hand vibrated.

A sigh was heeded from Drake. "Seems like, you will leave me now."

She had nodded. "I must. Bye, sir."

"See you."

* * *

After knocking on the door twice, Daisy made her way inside the VIP room when she heard the voice say. "Come in."

The lights were on and likewise, the man was drinking, sitting on the couch alone. But, today he had developed a new habit. He was drinking from the litre without mixing any tinge of soda or water in the alcohol. The hardened lines across his face were enough to understand that he was mad, displeased although the reasons were disguised to her.

Heaving a sigh of dismay, she bowed. "How can I help you today, sir?"

"Flirt." In crisp, uncompromising tones, he had dictated his order.

"What?" She puzzled.

"Flirt with me just like you did with the model earlier." His voice was calm but commanding.

She didn't like his tone one bit, but she'd developed a talent for dealing with difficult people. "Excuse me." She overlooked it although she was quite sure now that he'd witnessed her with Drake when they were chatting. "I wasn't flirting with anyone." She persisted.

The lids over those pale darkened eyes drifted open. "Let's say you weren't. But still, you were smiling. So, do it." He ordered once again.

"Do what?" Her voice was louder this time, not formal as before.

The tendons in his neck bunched as he let out. "Smile."

She didn't, instead, she stared at him blankly without any hint of a smile. She won't smile. She wasn't a doll to play with that will smile and cry whenever he wants.

"I am fucking telling you to smile." He shouted and smashed the bottle down on the floor. The broken pieces tumbled across the table and the screeching sound almost made her tremble in fear.

But despite her fear, she clenched her fists tightly and flared at him. "I don't want to smile. But I really want to do something else that is important as hell. And it is..." She paused as she stepped close to him and snatched the second litre bottle from his hand that he was trying to open.

"How dare you?" He almost shouted when she dropped the bottle down. It whacked on the floor and was shattered into pieces like the previous one.

She swallowed her own breath and forced the voice out of her dried up throat. "You have tortured yourself enough. I think you should stop now." It could lead her to danger but she decided not to care this time. She had tolerated this man torturing himself enough and she really didn't have the intention to tolerate more.

"How much do you know about me?" His voice came out shaky.

Her eyes filled with tears, yet she remained strong. "I don't know anything about you. I have no any idea about what happened to you and why you have been drinking like a fish from the day you came here. But yeah, it's enough already. You should stop."

"Alex." He'd averted his eyes from her, face held low as his eyes were slightly reddened by the time.

"What?" She asked, frowning.

He took a long breath before he garnered his courage to meet her gaze again. "My name is Alex."