It also had a serene and calm ambiance, a deceitful factor really. If only one knew all that went on inside the house itself.

Alexa had come to learn a long time ago and with that knowledge, the house had lost its stroking beauty.

As the driver approached the gates that led to the mansion, Alexa jerked herself out her relaxed position.

She leaned forward in her seat to look through her windows at the houses that seemed to move backward, away from the car as they sped past.

At the gate into her father’s compound, they were stopped for inspection by security. The search didn’t last long for when the lead guard came face to face with Alexa’s less than impressed look, he quickly ordered for the gates to be opened.

”Thank you,” she released in a sarcastic fashion as they passed through to the porch steps where the driver stopped.

After mouthing off instructions to Lou about her pick up time, Alexa exited the car and walked up the front steps that led to the entrance, ignoring every staff she passed on the way.

She really wanted to be out of there as quickly as possible and stopping to say pleasantries —which she didn’t do normally— was just time wasting.

In the years that she’d been away, the house had changed a bit. There were new furniture and antiques that Alexa hasn’t seen before, no doubt the work of the slut.

Her father hardly cared about replacing things that didn’t add value to his business. Alexa threw her face away from anything she didn’t recognize, not wanting to acknowledge anything that had to do with that woman.

After walking into a few empty rooms the woman finally found her father in his study, sipping tea from a customized mug while reading a book with a title that certainly wasn’t in English.

Silently, she stood at the door, waiting for him to acknowledge her. Even though she could be rebellious at times, Alexa still knew her place.

Finally, he looked up from his book and smiled at her. He’d probably been waiting to get to a reasonable point in his book.

”Nǚ’ér,” he breathed out softly, then gestured for her to enter.

Alexa walked in slowly, took off her gloves and presented her hands to him when she got to where he was seated.

Her father took the hands as though it were a present offered and after kissing the back, offered her a seat.

”You look beautiful, as always,” He commented.

”Thank you, father,” Alexa replied, basking in the compliment. No matter how many times she’d heard it, every time her father mentioned it, Alexa still blushed. It hit different when the compliments came from the one who bred you.

”You on the other hand need a vacation; you look terrible.”

Her father laughed and dropped the book he was holding so he could offer her tea from the pot before him.

Alexa took the cup he held out to her and took a small sip before returning it to the tray.

”How was your trip?”

”Exhausting, I need sleep.” Alexa would have yawned just to indicate the truth in her words, but that would be uncultured.

Mr. Yang nodded in understanding.

”How long are you around for?”

Alexa sighed.

”How long can I beat around the bush father?,” whispers Alexa.

She didn’t want her father to know she was actually interested in Edward; it would make her look soft and the last thing Alexa wanted to be was appear weak before the man that trained her.

Before Mr Yang could recover from his shock and answer his daughter, a knock came on the door.

They both looked towards it and his face broke into a smile when he saw Penelope standing there.

He waved her in and she entered, a smile directed towards Alexa as she approached them.

”I heard you were around, so I came to say hello,” Penelope revealed.

”Penelope,” Alexa simply said in acknowledgement and looked away.

Undeterred, Penelope lowered herself onto Mr. Yang’s lap and placed a peck on his lips. As she scanned the scene before her, Alexa thought to herself: this woman had poisoned my father with her American ways.

She found it disgusting really; but it was none of her concern, when her father got tired, he would certainly get rid of her.

”I’m tired father, may I go?” In the meantime, Alexa decided she’d leave first.

”But dinner is almost ready, don’t you want to stay?” Asked Penelope, innocently.

Another cringe worthy behavior. In the mafia such act would have attracted execution as punishment. It was blasphemous to speak out of place.

Alexa didn’t reply, she simply looked to her father for his answer and when he moved his head in approval, quickly stood up and let without another word.

Mr. Yang knew his daughter didn’t like Penelope and had decided he wasn’t going to force her to.

With time, she would come around and if she didn’t then that was of no risk to him. He didn’t need her approval for anything; he was the head of the Yang empire not her.

”Will she ever like me?” The sadness was evident in the question. It was as though Penelope was close to tears.

”That is nothing for you to concern yourself with my love. Now come, let’s go get ready for dinner.”

***

Alexa was more than happy to drop face first into bed, her body doing a happy dance as her muscles were finally going to relax.

The next day was going to be a long one of pruning and pampering herself, as she planned on impressing Edward so much he wouldn’t help but go down on one knee. She was going to be Mrs. Wu one day, she might as well look the part.

Men always thought that going to the spa and working on yourself was an easy talk, if only they knew the amount of pain one went through just to come out looking like a doll.

Alexa flicked for the hundredth time when the lady pulled at the wax paper, the hair coming off smoothly. She was a tough cookie, but even she was not immune to the pain from waxing.

The ladies all around her were giggling and gossiping; Alexa didn’t have time for any of those. She hardly even kept friends, that was for the weak.

Her assistant— the only constant presence in her life— was beside her though, making calls and appointments for Alexa. Yes, she had a rich father but Alexa liked being useful and so had insisted on running her father’s foundation.

She found the work comforting and fulfilling, filling up her time and not allowing room for unimportant thoughts.

After her wax, she lay by the pool while her face was covered by a mask. She was getting bored, which was a first for Alexa so, she grabbed one of the magazines the spa kept on the side table for the guests.

She flipped through the pages, uninterested until a particular page had her sitting up abruptly.