The Unknown; Hellbent

"Miss, you don't have to. We can help you," the maids pleaded, concern etched on their faces. It was afternoon, and Alexia was already drenched in sweat, her hands smeared with dirt. If the master came home and found her like this...

"It's fine. I used to do this with my mom; it's no big deal," she reassured them, waving them off. "I'm almost done anyway."

By 1:30, she was finished. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and smiled, admiring her work. The once somber black mansion now bloomed with life—tulips, roses, lilies, hibiscus, daisies, violets, and sunflowers adorned the garden, transforming it into a vibrant masterpiece. Satisfied, she hummed softly and headed upstairs to shower.

After her shower, Alexia sat down to sketch ideas for her next project. She doodled absentmindedly, creating a rough sketch of Zeke in his housewear from the previous evening. A soft smile tugged at her lips as she worked. Once done, she called Gina, who was currently halfway across the world with yet another new boyfriend.

Lying in bed afterward, Alexia stared at the ceiling, her thoughts lingering on Gina. She understood her friend's spontaneous lifestyle but couldn't help worrying about her safety. Her mind drifted back to Zeke. She imagined him in a business meeting, his expression as stoic as ever. The thought made her smile again, and she drifted off to sleep.

---

The sky was painted in faint hues of dusk when Alexia woke up. Checking the time, she realized Zeke would be home soon and decided to do something special for him.

Walking into the kitchen, she found the maids preparing dinner. "Hey, I'd like to make dinner tonight," she announced.

The cook and the maids froze, staring at her in shock. Apprehension was clear in their eyes—was this really the heiress of the Liu Group, the same woman Boss Tyler had described?

"It's okay," Alexia said, smiling at their incredulous expressions. "Honestly, after high school, I spent a lot of time at home with my mom. She doesn't let the maids cook for us unless it's a special occasion, so I always helped. I want to do this for him."

Reluctantly, they agreed, though their curiosity didn't wane. Alexia decided to make a hearty broth soup. The maids assisted by dicing vegetables and meat, and soon the dish was ready. Alexia served the food just as Zeke and Tyler arrived.

---

The sight that greeted Zeke and Tyler from the parking lot stopped them in their tracks. The once stark mansion was now alive with vibrant colors—red, white, pink, yellow, and more. Zeke's gaze darkened while Tyler burst into laughter, already guessing the culprit.

"Pfft… I told her she could make changes, but I didn't think she'd do it on her first day," he said between chuckles.

Zeke's gaze darkened as he glared at Tyler. "Why did you let her do this?" he demanded in a deep, menacing tone.

"What was I supposed to do? If I hadn't, she would've done it anyway. Don't act like you don't know how stubborn she is," Tyler replied, still laughing. "Honestly, it's an improvement. This house finally has some color." Tyler teased.

Zeke scowled but said nothing. Honestly didn't like the way Alexia was already changing things like it was her home. She was supposed to leave after.

When they entered the house, they were met with another surprise. Alexia stood in the dining room, her hair tied up in a messy bun, with loose strands clinging to her sweaty face. Her cheeks glowed, and her lips glistened with moisture. She was dishing out soup, oblivious to their arrival. Zeke's earlier frustration softened as he watched her.

Noticing their presence, Alexia turned to them and smiled brightly. Nervous, she approached Zeke, still feeling self-conscious after kissing him the night before.

"Did you plant those flowers?" Zeke asked as she drew near.

"Yup. Do you like them?"

"All by yourself?"

"Yeah."

Hearing her say she did it alone made him turn to the maids, but Alexia quickly interjected. "Don't worry. I asked them not to help me. I'm used to this." She grinned. "Now hurry up, you and Ginger Head. Dinner's ready!"

Before Zeke could respond, Alexia stepped closer and loosened his tie, mirroring what she'd seen her mom do for her dad countless times. "You must be tired. Go freshen up and come eat. I cooked," she said softly, her hand still on his tie.

Zeke froze, his usual composure slipping as he stared at her.

"Wow, Miss Red actually cooked! I can't wait to try it," Tyler teased, thoroughly enjoying Zeke's immobile reaction.

Alexia smiled. "I was bored, so I thought, why not? From now on, I'll be cooking—it's fun!" Her auburn eyes sparkled with excitement, and Zeke, though reluctant to let her take over, couldn't bring himself to argue.

"Little Red," he said quietly. She looked up at him curiously. His fingers brushed a strand of hair from her face, making her heart race. "You've been telling me to leave, but you're still holding on to me," he added amused, with a faint smile.

Flustered, Alexia quickly let go of his tie. "Okay, okay, go! Your food's getting cold, and I still have to draw you," she said, shooing him off.

Mn" he muttered before going into his room. Tyler couldn't help but grin, it hadn't been a day yet she's acting like she owned the place, she was sure very soon she'll own Zeke too. He couldn't wait for that time, he could already see some changes in Zeke and he was happy. Zeke had finally found a reason to live.

---

"How is it?" Alexia asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation as Zeke and Tyler ate. She leaned forward, awaiting their verdict like a child eager for praise.

"Not bad," Zeke said nonchalantly.

Alexia's face fell slightly, and Tyler rolled his eyes, instantly understanding her disappointment.

"Geez, Zeke, you log! She put effort into this, and all you can say is not bad?" he exclaimed.

Realizing his mistake, Zeke glanced at Alexia. "It's good," he said, his tone still flat.

Tyler groaned and facepalmed himself "What this log means is it's amazing. Honestly, it's the best broth soup I've ever tasted. Who knew you could cook this well?"

Alexia beamed. "Thanks, both of you! My mom always cooks for my dad, so I thought I'd do it for my boyfriend," she said cheerfully. Zeke just stared at her as she said 'my boyfriend'.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Alexia squealed suddenly, startling them. "I've got the perfect nickname for you!"

Zeke raised a brow as she announced proudly, "It's... Kiel!"

The table fell silent.

"You don't like it?" she asked, pouting. "But it suits you! I think it's cute."

Zeke's lips twitched, his expression unreadable. Tyler, on the other hand, couldn't hold back anymore and burst out laughing, making Alexia look at him, slightly getting annoyed.

"I like it," Zeke said quietly, catching both of them off guard.

Tyler choked on his soup, coughing as he downed a glass of water. "*cough* *cough* Seriously? You like it?" he exclaimed. It was obvious he didn't like it, so why did he say that. A mischievous grin formed on his face, 'of course he liked it because it's her, Zeke the log is changing, wait till Ramon hears this' he thought to himself. Not noticing when the two stood up and walked to Alexia's room.

Once he came back to his senses, he realised he was the only one at the table.

"....."

————

Meanwhile Zeke and Alexia who had left the dramatic fellow in his own world were currently in Alexia's room. Zeke was standing with his hands tucked in his pocket, posing for Alexia.

Who would have thought that the mighty Zeke would one day stand as a life mannequin just for a girl to draw him. But he was doing it well, even following her instructions on how to pose, though he was a bit stiff, it didn't matter to her.

"Done!" she announced, gazing dreamily at her work. "Perfect."

As Zeke turned to leave, Alexia called out, rushing toward him.

"Can I take you out tomorrow?" she whispered, leaving him momentarily stunned.