Chapter 104 - Who was that?

Tiana's lips fell open; she couldn't believe her eyes, her gaze turned to the workers in front of her and she realized that they were watching her with the same shock written on their faces.

She gulped; grabbing Nicklaus hand, she dragged him past the workers and into the mansion, her head looking downwards, in embarrassment. Nicklaus grinned as he let her pull him, watching her walk forward with heavy strides as though her tiny fingers could actually pull him forward;

He didn't realize she was taking him to her room until she opened the door and stepped in;

''Wow, this place is very beautiful, now I really want to stay here. ''

He grinned as he looked around the room;

Tiana glared at him, her eyes wide;

''Nicklaus, I'm serious. ''

She narrowed her eyes at him, her hands folded in front of her chest,

Nicklaus turned to look at her;

''What is it, beautiful? You don't want to stay with me? ''

He asked, raising his brows.

Even though his hug was like a nice warmer in the night, she really needed her privacy. ''

''No, I don't want to stay with you. '' She replied firmly, her gaze staring right into his.

Nicklaus grin dwindled drastically and he blinked, all color draining from his face.

No-one had ever rejected him right in his face before, and to think she was the first, he was finding it hard taking it in.

He swallowed, his eyes wandered a little before it rested back on her;

''I thought… ''

''It's not that I don't like to stay with you. It's just… '' Tiana stopped as she thought of how to say it without hurting his feelings;

''It's just that I don't want to continue dressing in the bathroom or have to check if I'm wearing something exposing, or be cautious all the time… ''

She spoke calmly, trying to make him understand his fears.

''And you have weird tastes, I don't like blank colors, and I don't like horrific paintings, your room is really scary, I don't think I can stay there… ''

She concluded, biting on her lower lip. The room grew very quiet as Nicklaus watched her, after some seconds, he inched closer and with his thumb, took her lower lip out of her mouth.

''Okay, if I change the paintings and take away the horrific pictures, will you stay? We don't need to stay in the same room as long as you can stay upstairs with me, and we can sleep together at night okay? ''

Nicklaus held her cheeks with both hands as he pleaded, his eyes falling to her pink lips which were pouted towards him;

Tiana blinked her eyes, ''You don't have to go through all that, I … ''

''Beautiful, I can't sleep without you by my side, can't you see? ''

Tiana had not heard a funnier joke. She knew he was just pulling her legs so he would sleep hugging her.

Tsk!

She rolled her eyes;

'' you don't have to flatter me, okay? ''                                                                                                                                                                                       

She watched him; ''Okay, I'll move, but we won't stay in the same room, and you'll still take away all those horrific drawings. ''

But I'm not flattering…

Nicklaus thought but he did not say it out loud;

''Are they that horrific? I drew them myself you know?''

Tiana's eyes widened at his statement;

''What? You drew those? They are really good, wow! I didn't know you drew them. ''

Nicklaus grinned; ''you just said they were horrific drawings just now? ''

''Yeah, they are dark arts, but that doesn't make them any less amazing.'' Her eyes watched him in admiration;

'' Wow, what are you not good at?''

Nicklaus grinned and scratched the back of his head;

''Well, isn't it obvious, 'm good at everything. ''

He replied with a smirk and Tiana rolled her eyes;

''Tsk, so proud ''

…

Later that night, Tiana lay on a couch in the parlor, watching TV. They had finished moving her stuff to the room opposite his, since she had insisted she won't stay with him. He promised to have the workers change the paintings and take down the drawings, the next day, since it was already so late.

They had dinner before Tiana went to her room to take a shower.

When she returned, he was in the bathroom, so she lay on the couch in the parlor and watched Netflix.

Remembering Gwen, Tiana picked her phone from the table and called her.

They spoke sparingly these days; she needed to know how she was doing.

After a few rings, Gwen picked up;

''Hello Tiana? ''

''Gwen! It's been a long while, how are you? I couldn't come since 'because I've been busy, I'm so sorry, but I'm coming tomorrow and we'll talk a lot okay? ''

''Ah, don't worry, I'm fine. Hope you're doing well? ''

''Yeah, I'm doing very well. Nicklaus has changed a lot; I'll tell you everything when I come to the house''

Changed a lot?

Gwen paused as she thought about what Tiana just said, whisking the thought aside, she replied;

''Alright that's good, thank God it's less than a month and then you'll be free forever. ''

Gwen replied intentionally, her tone inquisitive and her heart racing rapidly.

She had a bad feeling that something was going on between the two of them, something she really didn't want to happen.

She should be the one getting such lavish life, she was the one Nicklaus chose in the first place, if she wasn't going to get it; Tiana shouldn't too.

Tiana did not realize it was just a few weeks more and her deal with Nicklaus would be over, then what would become of them then?

Would their relationship progress or would he let her leave?

''Tiana? ''

Gwen called, cutting her off from her thoughts. ''

''Oh, yes! And you'll finally be free, we'll be free. ''

She spoke half-heartedly.

Why was she feeling bad that she was going to leave?

''Yeah, I'm really happy that you won't have to do what you don't want to anymore. Come by past twelve tomorrow, I won't be home earlier than that, okay? ''

More than anything, Gwen didn't like that Tiana was staying there any longer. She wished the days would run so fast and she would leave him. She just didn't want anything to happen between them.

''Alright then, I'll… ''

''Beautiful, did you see my phone?''

Nicklaus stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hair with his towel, he thought he had dropped his phone on the bed, but it wasn't there.

Gwen froze instantly, her eyes widening as she heard a deep voice on the phone .

''Who was that? ''