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A month has passed since Nolan’s graduation and he has been working tirelessly to fulfill the company’s quota. He had taken up every project his father had left behind, and with the help of the skilled architects in the company, Nolan had been able to complete them with ease. Despite the pressure, Nolan had found a sense of fulfillment in his work.
Alexa, on the other hand, had been busy managing the mansion. She had taken up the role of the housekeeper since Nolan had insisted that she didn’t have to do it all alone. However, Alexa had been hesitant to hire new staff as she was used to doing everything herself. But after much persuasion from Nolan, Alexa finally gave in and agreed to take on the additional help.
Nolan had made sure that the new staff were well-trained and capable of taking care of the mansion’s needs. He had also instructed them to take direction from Alexa as she knew the ins and outs of the mansion better than anyone. With the new staff on board, Alexa could finally relax a bit and take some time off for herself.
Alexa couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed to tell Nolan the truth. She had been holding onto this secret for far too long, and it was eating away at her. But every time she tried to bring it up, something always seemed to get in the way. She didn’t want to jeopardize their relationship or cause any more pain than necessary, but the guilt was becoming unbearable.
As she stood in the kitchen, preparing Nolan’s lunch, her mind was consumed with thoughts of confession. She didn’t hear him come in, so she was taken aback when she felt his arms wrap around her from behind. She turned around to face him, and he smiled at her, looking handsome and carefree. Alexa couldn’t help but smile back, but the guilt lingered in the back of her mind.
Nolan leaned in and kissed her softly, and Alexa felt her heart flutter. She wanted nothing more than to stay in this moment forever, but she knew she couldn’t keep the truth from him forever. As they pulled away from the kiss, Nolan spoke up.
“I came home early because I want to spend the rest of my afternoon break with you,” he said, looking into her eyes. “We never get enough time alone together, and I want to change that.”
Alexa’s heart swelled with love and affection for Nolan, but she knew that she had to tell him the truth. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for what was to come.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
“Hey, do you need any help with that?” Nolan asked as he walked over to her.
Alexa was surprised by his offer. “Are you serious?” she asked, feeling a little flustered at the thought of Nolan doing the cooking.
Nolan nodded. “Yeah, I mean, I wouldn’t want you doing this all the time. Besides, I might someday want to make food for you to eat.”
Alexa felt guilty for not being able to take care of everything, but she also felt grateful for Nolan’s help. She showed him how to properly cut and cook the food, and they worked together to prepare the meal. When Alexa’s timer chimed, Nolan volunteered to take the food out of the oven and grabbed the oven mittens.
Once the food was ready, they sat outside in the garden to enjoy their meal. As they ate, Alexa asked Nolan how his company was doing. Nolan told her that he had made some changes under his orders since he noticed how much pressure his father had left on the employees. As a result, he saw the employee satisfaction rate rise as well as the productivity of almost all the employees working under him.
Nolan then told Alexa that the board of directors would soon be elected, and they presumed him to be the next president of the company, since his father was supposed to be in place. They saw potential in him to be a good leader and were pursuing him for every leading position.
Alexa chuckled at Nolan’s description of the board’s interest in him. “Sounds like a cult,” she joked.
Nolan laughed along with her, then grew serious. “You know, Alexa, it’s refreshing to be with you. I hope you’ll be by my side until I grow old.”
At this, Nolan called over one of the maid staff to retrieve his acoustic guitar. He proceeded to sing a song Alexa had heard before, “Grow Old with You” by Adam Sandler.
“I wanna make you smile, whenever you’re sad. Carry you around when your arthritis is bad. Oh, all I wanna do, is grow old with you…”
Alexa shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She had been thinking a lot lately and knew that she needed to tell Nolan the truth.
“Nolan, there’s something I need to tell you,” Alexa said, taking a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately, and I’ve decided that I want to quit my job as your contracted guardian.”
Nolan’s face fell. “What? Why?”
“It’s not because of you, Nolan. I just feel like it’s time for me to move on and find something else to do with my life.”
Nolan looked thoughtful for a moment. “I understand, Alexa. I’ll support you in whatever you decide to do.”
Alexa felt relieved and grateful for Nolan’s understanding. She knew it wouldn’t be easy to leave him, but she also knew that it was the right decision for her.