Angela stood at the door for a moment, her hand resting on the cold metal of the knob.
"Does he have a thing for me?"
Her mind replayed the way Lyan had looked at her, the quiet warmth in his voice when he'd said goodnight. It wasn't just the words—it was how they made her feel, like she was the only one that mattered in that fleeting moment.
She closed her eyes and sighed. "Get a grip, Angela," she murmured. "This isn't a fairy tale. And you're definitely not Cinderella."
The next morning, Angela overslept.
She groggily opened her eyes at the sound of a knock on the door. She blinked a few times, trying to orient herself. Another knock, louder this time, pulled her out of her daze.
"Angela? Are you awake?" It was Mrs Jones. "Breakfast is ready."
Angela groaned softly, rubbing her eyes as she forced herself to sit up. "Coming!" she called out, her voice still laced with sleep. She stretched, trying to shake off the heaviness of oversleeping.
Mrs. Jones knocked again, her tone more insistent this time. "Don't take too long, dear. Everyone's already at the table."
Her heart skipped.
Everyone.
"Perfect," she muttered. "Just what I need—an awkward breakfast with him."
She quickly got out of bed, her mind flashing back to the previous night. "Great," she muttered to herself. "Just what I need—an awkward breakfast with him."
She hurried to freshen up, pulling on some of Lyan's sports wear he had given her. As she ran a brush through her hair, she caught her reflection in the mirror. "You've got this," she told herself firmly. "It's just breakfast."
Everyone looked at her as she descended the stairs. Tania shouted at the sight of Angela in Lyan's clothes.
"Who gave you permission to wear his clothes?" Tania's voice rang out sharply, cutting through the morning calm like a knife.
Angela froze mid-step, her hand gripping the banister tightly. Her cheeks flushed, but she quickly composed herself, lifting her chin slightly. "Good morning to you too, Tania," she replied coolly, ignoring the question for now. "I slept well. Thanks for asking!"
Lyan, who had been sitting at the head of the table, looked up from his plate, his brow furrowing as he glanced between the two women. His gaze lingered on Angela for a moment and their eyes met for a moment before Lyna looked down.
"Are you deaf or stupid that you don't understand a simple question?" Tania asked.
Angela smiled as she pulled a chair for herself. "You got me totally wrong. I was teaching you basic manners, Tania. When you meet someone first thing in the morning, the right word to say first is a simple good morning. Then all the other things you want to say come later," she said, and turned her head to Lyan, then to Mrs Jones who was setting the table. "Good morning Mr Chandra, morning Mrs Jones!"
Mrs. Jones smiled warmly at Angela, clearly appreciating her effort to bring some civility to the situation. "Good morning, dear," she replied, placing a basket of warm bread on the table. "I trust you slept well?"
Lyan nodded in Angela's direction, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Good morning, Angela," he said, his tone calm but carrying a hint of amusement as his gaze briefly flicked toward Tania.
Tania, on the other hand, bristled, her knuckles whitening as she gripped her fork tightly. "I don't need a lecture on manners from someone who—"
"Tania," Lyan interrupted, his voice sharp but measured, silencing her mid-sentence. "Let's enjoy breakfast without any unnecessary drama, shall we?"
Tania looked as though she wanted to argue but thought better of it, snapping her mouth shut and turning her attention back to her plate. Angela, meanwhile, couldn't hide the small, satisfied smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she poured herself a cup of tea.
Mrs. Jones broke the tension with her cheerful tone. "Angela, would you like some eggs? Or perhaps some fruit? There's plenty to go around."
"Eggs would be lovely, thank you," Angela replied politely, glancing at Mrs. Jones with gratitude for her kindness.
Mrs Jones placed some eggs on her plate.
"I would like some too!" Lyan said in a respectful tone.
Mrs. Jones smiled at Lyan and nodded, picking up the serving spoon. "Of course, Mr. Chandra," she said warmly, placing a generous portion of eggs onto his plate.
Angela glanced at Lyan, surprised by his polite tone. He was the boss of the house, the famous Lyan Chandra, in the business world. But the way he treated Mrs Jones made Angela admire him even more.
Tania, however, let out a dramatic sigh, clearly seeking attention when she saw that Mrs Jones was about to leave the room. "Really? Bring your dirty self here now. How dare you disrespect me? Didn't you see that I have nothing on my plate? Do you know who my father is?"
The room fell into a stunned silence as Lyan's voice cut through the tension, his tone firm but calm. He set his fork down, fixing Tania with a cold, piercing stare. "Tania, can't you be respectful? Do you realize the woman you're talking to is old enough to be your mother—or your grandmother?"
Tania froze, her mouth opening and closing as if searching for a retort. That could never be my...."
"Shut up!" Lyan's voice became grew with anger.
Mrs. Jones, who had stopped in her tracks near the doorway, turned around with a quiet dignity. "It's alright, Mr. Chandra," she said softly, though her voice trembled slightly. "I'm used to it."
"No, Mrs. Jones," Lyan interjected, shaking his head. "It's not alright, and it never will be. If this is how she treats you whenever she comes here. I declare right now that she won't ever step her feet into my house again."
Angela decided to add her voice, her tone calm but firm. "You come from a good family, but they failed to teach you respect. Lyan had every reason not to marry you. What kind of wife or a mother would you make if you can't even respect your elders?"
Tania's face turned red, a mix of anger and humiliation flashing across her features. She opened her mouth to retaliate, but the icy finality in Lyan's tone and the calm firmness in Angela's words left her utterly speechless.
"You don't deserve Lyan, nor any other man," Angela continued, her gaze steady, unflinching. "Not until you take a long, hard look at yourself and learn what respect and kindness truly mean."