Chapter Eight

Alisa stood in front of a thick black iron gate that permitted entrance into a large estate that was surrounded by a high stone wall which denied easy access. Otherwise, for her it seemed that they would soon keep her in and deny her freedom. Reluctantly, she lifted her hand so that she could ring the buzzard and announce her arrival. She pushed the small metal call button on the intercom, hearing the buzz made her jump a bit as she was nervous to have to spend the day with Kaiba, in his mansion, alone. She was dressed in a simple white summer dress with floral print. She would have worn her normal attire, but Risa had told her that wearing that would be inappropriate. Therefore, the night before she had gone and picked out something appropriate for her to wear. She also made her style her hair in a loose side braid, which looked better than her tight straight down the back fish braid.

She even wore lip gloss, so she looked like she was properly dressed to be his guest and be presentable if he wanted to go out. 'Hello, Kaiba residence, please state your name and purpose of your visit,' she heard an older female voice ask.

'Hello,' she formally greeted, 'my name as Alisa Prism, I have an appointment with Mr. Seto Kaiba.'

'Ah,' she noted the recognition in her voice, but there was something else there too. 'I will buzz you in, please come to the front.'

The intercom cut off and the gate buzzed announcing it was unlocked, she took a timid step forward before opening the gate and making her way to the front of the mansion where an elder woman stood waiting for her. 'Hello,' she greeted her once again.

She nodded, 'Ms. Alisa, it is a pleasure to meet you. Master Kaiba is currently asleep, but he will wake up shortly. He told me to show you around and tell you the things that you will be doing today.'

'Huh,' she was confused, shouldn't he already be up expecting her.

'I see that the Master hasn't informed you,' the maid frowned at her boss's stunt. 'He has given his staff the day off and asked that you take care of the daily tasks.'

Alisa's face paled, not of fear but of rage, 'Excuse me?'

'Do not worry,' she led the young female inside and into the kitchen, 'your main purpose for today will be cooking all of the meals for Master Kaiba and ensuring that the kitchen, living room and his study are in proper order. Also, that his room is made and tidied.'

Alisa was still as she stared at the woman with wide eyes and a slightly slack jaw. There was no way that she was really called there to serve him for the entire day, right? 'There must be a mistake,' she finally found her voice.

'I am afraid not,' the woman stated as she grabbed the white cloth on the counter. 'This is for you.'

Alisa took the white garment and unfolded it to find an apron staring back at her. 'I am,' she crumpled the garment in her hand and forced a smile as she thought of how to poison Kaiba's food and call it an accident. 'Please,' she took a deep breathe to calm her anger, 'feel peace of mind as you leave your Master in my capable hands.'

The maid nodded her head, but she was a bit weary of the young female, seeing as she was clearly trying to hold back her anger. The young Master was clearly playing a cruel joke on the pretty young woman that seemed there to meet him for another reason. Not to come and serve him. 'If, you are sure?'

'Of course, I will apologize beforehand if I don't meet the Master's or your expectations. But you have to understand, I am but a humble book clerk,' she told her.

She was plotting something, but that was the Master's problem. She had known the young man since he arrived at Lord Kaiba's Mansion with his little brother and sometimes he could be a handful. He was a very bright and brilliant man, but his social skills were a little lacking and if people didn't know him didn't know that within his hard exterior was a kind man. He usually showcased it to his little brother and very rarely to those that were close to him. Very rarely were the key words. 'I will leave the Master in your care.'

Alisa nodded as she followed her to the door leading out from the kitchen. Once she waved good-bye to the maid, she shut the door and turned back to the counter where she threw the apron and set her belongings down. She then set out of the kitchen to roam the large mansion, walking down the short hallway she came out into the dining room with its grand chandelier and long table decorated with a floral center piece. Her shoes could be heard on the oak floor as they clicked with every determined stride. She exited the dining room and entered the living room that was modernly decorated and lush with black leather furniture that almost looked as comfortable as hers.

After looking around the chic room, she turned to the stairs that lead upstairs to the second floor. That was probably where the bedrooms were located, finding him was more work than she wanted to do. Reluctantly, she walked upstairs and frowned at the split, meaning that she would either continue wondering around or she'd find him with luck. She studied the doors leading to the rooms on the right, most of them were open meaning they weren't private rooms. She turned to the left and a few of the rooms there were closed, so she took a step in that direction knowing that one of the closed doors would be his room.

The first room was a bust, but the warm and earthy tones, as well as the male decor led her to believe that the room belonged to Mokuba. Quietly, she retreated and closed the door, not wanting to invade his privacy. The second room was bright with color and fresh flowers that greeted its occupant, yet it didn't have a lived-in feeling. She retreated and closed the door, leaving only one more room to visit. With a reinvigorated passion she marched down to his room and opened the door. She was going to rudely awake him but became speechless at the presence of a shirtless man sitting on the edge of a king size bed staring at her. 'So, you came,' his voice was huskier and laced with traces of sleep.

'Of course, I did,' she responded as she stepped back.

At first, he hadn't recognized her without the sweats and the tightly drawn braid down her back. The white summer dress with sunflowers printed on it matched her bright and outgoing personality. Her hair was styled in a braid, but it was to the side and loose which gave it character and made her lovely fair skin stand out. He wanted to ask if she was wearing make-up, but she wouldn't go that far. Maybe something on her lips to add to their appeal. He wanted to tell her that she looked nice but telling her that would be out of the question, he didn't need anything to boost her ego. 'Is breakfast ready?'

Right, she had come upstairs to give him a piece of her mind, not ogle his perfectly defined chest and abs. His long arms with toned muscles that could easily swoop a woman off her feet. 'Hi, nice to see you too,' she sarcastically stated. 'Breakfast will be served when your help gets back tomorrow. For I am here as part of my contract to see you, not serve you.'

'Fiery as always,' he muttered under his breath and thanked the heavens she hadn't started screaming like a banish. 'As far as your contract goes it doesn't really stipulate how you will spend the day with me. It just stated that I not allowed to touch you inappropriately or make any type of sexual advance. Since you aren't a hired prostitute. Otherwise, I am free to spend my day any way I deem. Therefore, if I want you to make breakfast or clean the house I am within my right.'

She had looked at the contract, he was right, however no one thought that she would be forced to do house work or actually spend the entire day with him. They had put a time frame from when he was to call on her, not to use it as a time frame to keep her. Otherwise, she was stuck with him until five. Alisa clenched her jaw as she tried to bite the insults that she wanted to throw at him. 'This is not how I was supposed to spend the day with my fan.'

'This wasn't what I bid on either and I am not your fan, don't worry,' he off handedly stated and watched her face sour. 'Now, if you'll please leave. I don't like to be leered at so early in the morning.'

'As if there is anything good to look at,' her face fumed as she pulled back and shut the door. Stupid, idiotic imbecile that thinks he's all high and mighty. Well, I will show him, two can play at this game, she thought to herself as she walked down the hall, down the stairs, through the living room, dining room and small corridor until she reached the kitchen. She grabbed her pursed and looked through it until she found her phone and called her cousin. Where she proceeded to ask him for a favor and if he could bring it to her, seeing that she couldn't leave the house until she was released. Next time she was roped into this she'd make sure to put a ton of clauses in the contract. As well as give Yu and the Chief a piece of her mind and forget her present story having a happy ending. She was going to kill off the main male character as soon as she got the chance. She tossed her cell phone on the counter and looked at the hideous apron that lay beside it, before pulling it off and angrily putting it on. Two could play his little game and he could laugh all that he wanted for now, because in the end she would have the last laugh.

Seto couldn't help but stare at her, she was actually doing as told. She even set the table properly and made a decent breakfast that was appetizing. 'If there isn't anything else,' she bowed, 'I shall take my leave.'

'Wait,' he ordered her, she stopped her retreat and turned back to him.

'Yes,' she asked.

'Sit.'

Alisa ground her teeth but nodded and did as told. She took a seat to the right of him, staring at anything but him as he studied the dish before him. She had made him pancakes with eggs and bacon accompanied by a side of fruit. For his drink she had prepared him a flat white as well as orange juice. 'You didn't poison this did you?'

'You give me too much credit, I would never do such a thing,' she said looking at the landscape painting on the far wall in front of her.

'Are you certain,' he poured syrup on his pancakes before he began to cut them so that he could take a bite.

'I am,' she nodded once again and wondered why he was making her sit beside him.

He took a bite of the big fluffy pancakes and didn't want to admit that they had a lovely taste to them. It would be admitting that she was capable of cooking. He quietly ate, but snuck glances at the stiff girl beside him and could see the appeal that she had on men. It was a saving grace that she always wore those unappealing sweats or else someone would have taken her away already. 'If I upset you earlier, by saying I wasn't your fan, I apologize,' he took a drink of his coffee.

'Not everyone can love my work,' she shrugged.

'That is not why I said it,' he placed the cup down. 'I just haven't gotten to read them yet.'

'It's a bold choice to spend so much money on an author or books you've never read,' she stated as she watched him from the corner of her eye.

'Hmm, maybe,' he wasn't going to tell her that his original intention was to rub it in her face that he got to meet the author that she liked. 'What made you decide to go into writing?'

What was he plotting now, she wondered as she turned to stare at him? 'I am just asking because I am curious,' he stated as he took a piece of fruit and ate it.

'Because I like to write,' she honestly answered him, 'it provides an outlet for my creativity and it's something that I can do from the comfort of my own home.'

'I see, why duel monsters?'

'Because this is Domino City, the mecca for them. Isn't that why you continue you evolve your VR technology for it?'

'There are other companies that offer tech for the game, but it is something that I personally use to enjoy,' he agreed with her.

'Are you saying that you don't play anymore?'

'Work keeps me busy and there is a new generation of duelist that desire their turn to shine.'

'Such a generous man,' she relaxed a bit in her seat.

'If you are a writer, why do you work at the bookstore?' He continued his inquisition.

Alisa found it strange that he had asked so many questions about her personal life that she almost offered to call the doctor. He was being civil or as civil as he could get considering she was still his servant for the day. It seemed that he wanted to have his Q&A with her in his own way. After breakfast she had to go and finish cleaning the kitchen and make his bed. Of course, his niceness only lasted so long, before he was telling her what to do again. She was dusting in the living room and he was reading one of his tech magazines when her phone dinged announcing a text.

Seto watched her from the top of his magazine as she cleaned, it was still surreal to have her in his home cleaning and looking refreshing. He was almost tempted to say that she looked like a wife taking care of her home and husband. He almost felt bad for her, seeing that she did dress up to come and spend the day with him. She was interesting, they might not have a lot of things in common, but they could hold a conversation that didn't involve them trying to bite each other's heads off. When he heard the sound of her cell phone and watched as she looked at it and smiled gleefully, he suddenly felt unease and displeasure.

'If you'll excuse me,' she announced as she bound to the kitchen to go and leave through the side door.

'Where are you going,' he asked as she was almost through the doorway.

'To go and get my lunch,' she told him, she had also texted her cousin to bring her a delicious juicy burger on his way to the mansion. 'But I need to go and get my money first, so please excuse me.'

Seto couldn't stop her, he wasn't going to starve her, but he didn't think that a meal would entitle her to look so happy and thrilled. In addition, if she ordered something why would she receive a message instead of them ringing the doorbell. He heard the door to the kitchen close and he walked over to the window that faced the front entrance. He watched as she hurried to the gate, standing in waiting was a tall male that looked as if he was a year or two older than her. His built was wide and muscular, his skin tanned and his hair dark as night. He even had a beard, he noted as he unconsciously rubbed his smooth chin. He had never felt inferior to anyone, but the moment she opened the gate to greet the person on the other side he felt lacking and angry.

How could she so freely throw herself into the arms of another? How could she show such a face of pure love and admiration for a lug that towered over her and looked as if his intellect was subpar? They exchanged as few words, before saying good-bye which led to another embrace. He pulled back and turned away before she could spot him. His mood had suddenly turned sour from what he saw and as he recalled his brother's words, "It seems that she's interested in someone." Could the male that had come to see her be the one that she was interested in? If so, what did she see in him? He went back to his seat, trying to calm the anger that he felt slowly begin to eat away at him.

Alisa opened the bag and saw her prize. The jerk was going to pay for forcing her to work so hard. Although, besides making her work he hadn't been all that demanding or full of himself. She pulled out the small clear bottle from the bag and stuffed it into her apron. She'd use the bottle for his dinner, that way she wouldn't have to deal with the repercussion of his fury once he figured out what she had done. She went to the kitchen, washed her hands and got two plates, one for each of them so that she could plate their meal. Once she finished plating, she took them to the dining room, before she went to get Kaiba. 'Master Kaiba,' she called out to him sarcastically and flinched when he turned to acknowledge her. He was angry, she noted as she felt a cold chill run down her spine. What had happened while she was away, 'Lunch is served,' she timidly announced.

She was also feeding him the crap her lover brought for her, he snared, how could she be so shameless. 'I am not hungry,' he snapped as he got up. 'I am going to go out.'

Normally she would have stopped him, however his anger this time around was hostile. If she were to stop him before he cooled off, she would more than likely get hurt. Not physically, but verbally, since he had a way with words that could easily cut her in half. 'Um, okay,' she answered lamely as she watched him leave, heading to the backroom so that he could exit into his back yard.

What had happened she wondered as she decided to head back to the dining room to take back their plates to pack up his food to save for later. She took a seat at the counter and began to eat her burger quietly as she wondered what was wrong with Mr. Up-Tight. Things had been going well, they had been cordial with each other, and he seemed alright until she left to go get lunch. Did someone call and upset him, because now they ruined her plan for tonight. She took out the small clear bottle from her apron pocket, if she did it while he was already mad it would defeat the purpose of aggravating him. She sighed and placed it down on the counter and just looked at the little bottle in disappointment.

After she finished cleaning up, putting everything away and finally getting rid of her apron. She decided to wonder off and explore. She had finished all her tasks for the day, all she had left was to care for the master that had wondered off in a fury and hadn't been back for over two hours. Since she didn't have anyone to annoy, she explored the mansion, finding Seto's private office, two more guest rooms, bathrooms and a library. Unfortunately, the library was geared to his preference science, business, technology and of course Duel Monsters. Wait, she had searched his entire library and failed to find her book series. Where did he have them? Maybe he gave them too Mokuba and he was reading them. At least that was what she hoped happened.

Since she couldn't find anything to read, she remembered that she brought his suit with her. She went downstairs to get it so that she could hang it up in his room. Since she was actually doing something, it meant that she wasn't invading his privacy. Alisa knocked on the door in case he might have come back after his walk that was taking forever. She yawned as she walked over to his closet and took out the suit from her gift bag. She grabbed one of the empty hangers and hung up his suit, good thing that she paid extra for the wrinkle free treatment. Otherwise, she would have had to hand iron it and she was too tired for that. She yawned again as she hung the hanger up and looked for her brother's suit. It wasn't hard to find, considering that it stood out against all the fancy expensive suits that he wore. She reached out, grabbed it and took it off the hanger. She then took it out and folded the suit to put it back in the bag to take it home. However, as she yawned one more time, she glanced over at the large king-sized white silk bed that looked comfortable and inviting.

He wasn't there and just a moment of bliss wouldn't hurt him or her, right? She placed her brother's suit on the end table and walked over to the soft and cool to the touch bed. Looking around tentatively in search of him or anyone else, she exhaled in relief before fulfilling her deed and climbing onto the bed and sinking into paradise. 'This is heaven,' she sighed in bliss as her head hit the pillow and she relaxed taking in the scent that its owner possessed. 'Stupid Seto,' she exhaled as she grabbed the other pillow and pulled it close to her once again inhaling that stupid jerk's pleasant scent.

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A/N: Man, I am so totally off about these chapters. I am seriously not trying to bait you all, however I do hope that you all are still enjoying this story. I know that as I am nearing the end, I am struggling to make this story enjoyable so that I can give everyone a happy ending. I hope that I meet those standards and that until than you all stick with me. Until next time!