บท 8: House Rules.
Shikera looked down at the girl who just called Ethan 'Daddy'. Shock was an understatement compared to what she was feeling now. Again, she wondered how it would be if the contract did not require her to keep everything she found out about Ethan, to herself. She would have been the most sought out reporter in the country by now for revealing both Ethan DeLoach's face and the fact that he had a daughter.
"Daddy?" The word was out of her mouth before she could realize it and she hurriedly clamped her hand over her mouth. She watched as the girl released her cloth and ran to Ethan, who in turn bent to pick her up. She was his daughter but why did they not look alike.
"Daddy, I asked a question!" The girl said, pouting her lips.
"It's just someone I have to take care of for a while." She heard Ethan say. She scoffed in disbelief, her jaw dropping. The most he could do was tell the little girl she was a visitor or something, why talk like she was a burden?
"She's Miss Anderson to you, "Ethan continued, before turning to face Shikera, "And she's Esther DeLoach to you."
Shikera nodded in acknowledgement before proceeding to enter the house. She didn't mind if any of them was following her as she walked up the stairs to the room Ethan had assigned to her the previous night.
Even though he had seemed to be annoyed when she had suggested that they sleep separately the previous day at the Anderson Corp. garage, he had shown her to this room when they got home, saying he was sure he would strangle her if they slept in the same room. It was a pity that she wasn't able to sleep in the room as she had to complete her incomplete projects so she had worked downstairs all through the night instead.
As she pushed open her room door, she heard Ethan's daughter calling out to her as her little feet stomped up the stairs.
"Miss, Daddy says you should come down when you're done." She said, turning to go back immediately she had delivered her message.
"Esther... Do you know why he's calling me?" Shikera asked the girl who looked annoyed that she had been stopped.
"Maybe he wants to tell you not to wear your shoes in the house. He tells me that everyday!"
Shikera sighed, waving her off. Even a little girl now saw her as a kid.
An hour later, Shikera sat down on a couch in the living room, directly opposite Ethan. She didn't know where Enoch and Esther were but she knew they were close by as she could hear Esther's enthusiastic voice gushing over something.
"I called you because I wanted you to be informed of the house rules." Ethan declared, assessing Shikera's expression as he talked. As he expected, she looked surprised.
"What house rules? We aren't in a variety show, right?"
Ethan sighed, it was surely going to be hard living with a reporter.
"Normal house rules. I don't have cleaners and maids so we have to split the house chores since you are now living with me!"
"What?! I have to split house chores with you? I am not the one hiding my face so why do I have to suffer along with you?" She asked. She struggled everyday before she could manage to go to work early, how would she cope if she had to do house chores too?!
"I don't care." Ethan deadpanned, as if he could hear her thoughts. "I will be the one in charge of cooking just like your father usually does but we take turns in cleaning. You can do your laundry yourself too. That's all."
Shikera could only watch as he stood up, walking towards the kitchen. As he got to the entrance, he stopped for a while, turning to her.
"I don't watch the news either so refrain from switching the TV on whenever I'm home. Also... You shouldn't bring anyone home, no matter how close you are to them." Then he stepped into the kitchen.
Shikera watched him from where she sat on the couch. He seemed to be fulfilling his own part of the contract, apart from the part where they slept separately, diligently which made her wonder what he would gain from the contract.
She walked to kitchen and stood before him.
"Eth.. Mr DeLoach, what's your own gain from this contract? I understand that my own gain is that you'll take care of me till my father comes but I haven't seen your gain in any of it."
Ethan looked up from the vegetables he was chopping, his eyes bearing an indecipherable emotion.
"There are so many gains for me just as there are losses which is why I can't afford to breach the contract. So, Miss Anderson should just keep her mouth shut and wait for me to be done."
Shikera nodded and kept her mouth shut. At least, she knew that she wasn't the only one gaining from this marriage.
"Then... Can you tell me why you hate reporters?" She asked again. This question had just popped in her mind and she decided to ask.
"Don't. Don't ever ask me or Enoch or anyone else I know, that question because trust me, you don't want to know the answer." The cold tone with which he spoke made Shikera realize that he hated reporters much more than she could imagine.
Slowly, she sidestepped to the refrigerator, pulling it open. She might be in the midst of people who hated her but as long as she had Ice Cream with her, she would be able to overcome all adversaries.
Ethan watched as she pulled open the refrigerator, her eyes bright with anticipation as they scanned it. He almost laughed out loud as her expression fell and she turned to face him.
"Mr DeLoach, why don't you have any Ice Cream at home?" She asked.
"Because I didn't live with any kid... until now!" The sound of the knife hitting the chopping board punctuated his sentence.
Shikera didn't care if he had indirectly, just called her a kid. All she wanted was a refrigerator full of Ice Cream so she tried to protest.
"But---"
Ethan knew what she was going to say so he interrupted her, "I got your medical history from your doctor and it tells me you only have to eat Ice Cream or any other junk food, once a week."
Shikera cursed inwardly. She had thought she would be able to enjoy herself for a while but who knew Ethan would have gone to see her doctor. Did he take the contract that serious?
"You met my doctor?" She asked, disbelief evident on her face.
"No. I will be meeting her in a few days so clear your schedule in advance."
Finally, Shikera walked back to the living room, dreading to eat whatever Ethan was going to cook. His words had shown her he was going to adhere strictly to her doctor's instructions which meant she was going to be eating a lot of veggies and unprocessed foods. This man was no different from her dad!
As expected, Shikera and Esther were forced to eat their meal by Ethan while Enoch taunted Shikera from the sidelines. Not that he liked the food though, it was too bland for his liking.
When they were all done eating, Enoch went to his room while Ethan went to put Esther to bed. Shikera was also feeling sleepy as she didn't sleep the previous night so it didn't take long before she found herself on her bed and fell into a deep sleep. Comfortable as if she was sleeping at home.
The house was already quiet when Ethan came out of Esther's room which was directly opposite Shikera's own. Their doors were the nearest to the stairs.
As he shut Esther's door behind him, he looked up to find Shikera's door ajar. He wondered where she went to when he heard the sound.
"Plowkkk!!!" The sound came from downstairs.
Suddenly, he remembered the contract clause he and Shikera had failed to follow and his feet quickened down the stairs.
His heart fell to his stomach.
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