Maya's POV

My room felt oddly quiet and empty after Eden left, so I just tossed and dallied on the bed for a while before I decided to tour the house.

The housekeeper was there to serve me the moment I walked into the living room.

She bowed to me which was quite awkward considering the fact she was possibly the same age as my mother - scratch that - ex-mother.

"Do you need anything miss? " She asked with her head still lowered.

I scratched the back of my scalp, "You can't serve me with your head down, right? " I tried to make a joke out of this situation but she took it too seriously.

"My deepest apology Miss, forgive this subordinate for being disrespectful " She bowed again, this time lower than earlier.

I was quite taken aback, were Eden's people always this meticulous and professional in their service.

I shook my hand and head, " No, no, you don't need to help me, I'll find my way around "

She still persisted, "But miss - "

"No" I insisted firmly. "Go ahead with what you were doing, I would be fine by myself moreover, I'm not a kid "

"Alright then, if you say " She bowed her head once more and left.

While she left, I kept on watching her inquisitively - Tut,tuk, don't their waist hurt at all?

I took a tour of the house and was quite impressed with what he did here, it was wonderful.

My journey continued to the basement level where I found myself in a wine cellar.

" Wow " I gasped in amazement and excitement as my eyes took in the hundreds of collected wine resting on the shelves.

"Oh my God " I gasped with a fascinated delight and walked further into the cellar that was built like a cave and had little to no sunlight with a ceramic floor that looked like wood.

"Take a look at this pristine glass! " I cried out in joy and picked out a Château Léoville Poyferré 1990, feeling it against my cheeks.

"My baby " I cooed, placed it back on the shelf, and picked a Spanish Garnacha, held it to my chest, and twirled around, lost in my imagination.

How could someone have this much collection? I bet there were about six hundred bottles or so and he had a balanced collection; white, red, dessert, prestige bottles - you name it!

It was not a secret that I'm a wine lover, my eyes gleamed with excitement just viewing at the accumulation of bottles.

Tracing the rack, I pulled out a Châteauneuf-du-Pape and my lips curled up - Eden has many prohibitively expensive wines, it wouldn't hurt to taste this wine.

Wines were known to near their peak with age which was why I chose this one thanks to Eden's diversification; mature ones taste the best.

The housekeeper gave me a weird and suspicious gaze when I requested for a wine glass and corkscrew, but obeyed nevertheless.

"Ahh, life is good. This is what I'm talking about " I closed my eyes and moaned in satisfaction while the warm water relaxed my tensed muscles.

I was currently lounging in my bathtub with a glass of red wine by my side and surrounded by frothy bubbles - is there a better feeling than this?

The light was low and I was singing along with the music playing from the music channel on the television.I had opened the bathroom door a bit and increased the volume so I could hear the music playing.

"But even if the stars and moon collide

I never want you back into my life

You can take your words and all your lies

Oh oh oh I really don't care "

I grabbed the glass of wine balanced on the edge of my tub and took an occasional sip of it.

"Love doesn't last forever even for those who claim to be in love, but I can promise you that I'll remain faithful once I commit to you, moreover there are a million ways I can make our married life exciting but the question is, will you let me? "

I remembered Nik's exact words the day I gave consent to our relationship.

"Liar " I murmured under my breath as tears slipped down my cheeks, my heart was hurting.

"You promised the world and I fell for it " A different song started to play from the television.

I lay apathetic, dull, and gazed up at the ceiling while the lyrics tugged at my heart and made me close my eyes tight, beginning to recall my time together with Niklaus.

"I saw the signs and I ignored it "

I always felt it from the very start, like we were never meant to be together, not a match made in heaven. I just wanted to savor our moments together, unfortunately , the memories hurt - so bad I felt like dying.

Lost in my memories, exhaustion washed over me and made my eyes begin to droop.

Whatever happened next, I couldn't exactly recall but all I knew was that I found myself in a sea. Flapping around, I tried to breathe in to survive all to no avail, instead drank more water, there was no air.

I struggled and struggled until I had no strength anymore and just gave up. Death was so peaceful but not quiet - why was someone calling my name persistently.

" Maya! " I felt pain on my face as if someone was slapping my cheeks.

Something was pressing hard on my chest before I felt forced air rush down my lungs causing me to awake with a loud gasp.

I sat up coughing and vomiting a mouthful of lathered water while my eyes stung - I think I just got soap into my eyes.

"What happened? " I winced, rubbing my eyes.

"I should be asking you that?! " Eden yelled at me with a furious intensity that made me jump out of my skin.

I was speechless.

Though my eyes were shut, I could feel the anger coming off of him, he was definitely pissed at me.

Out of nowhere, I felt him drop something on my chest and this time, soap- in-my-eyes or not, I tore my eyes open.

I was naked!

Eden saw me naked!

I was naked all this while!

"Don't you think It's a little too late to hide your immodesty? I've already seen everything " he commented with no ounce of shame the moment he saw me wrapping the towel across my body.

I glared at him.

He glared back at me, " I don't think you're in a position to be angry at me, what the hell were you thinking?!"

Yeah, he yelled my head off.

"I was just relaxing in- "

"Yeah, relaxing with a glass of ten years old matured red wine?! " He scolded me, pointing to the shattered mess on the tiled bathroom floor.

"Don't you know the risk of chilling out with music in the bathtub while drunk? I almost lost you, Maya! "

This time the television now belting out old blues received its own fair share of the blame.

"You fell asleep while drunk and almost drowned Maya!" He reminded me again as if his boisterous words

weren't ringing in my head already.

"I'm really sorry, I didn't mean it to happen " I apologized but apparently, Eden wasn't done with his lectures.

"The next time you want to commit suicide, please do it in your place and convenient. Don't drag others into an undeserved guilt trip "

He stormed out of the room leaving me speechless. Guilt trip? His words unsettled me, had my unexpected drowning session trigger a bad experience or memory?

I felt guilty, I had not meant for any of this to happen; I just wanted to have a good time.

Dressing up I was disoriented, I couldn't concentrate, my thoughts were all over the place. But I couldn't continue this way , I was unintentionally hurting the people around me and myself.

I had to forget about Nik, push him to the uttermost back of my mind - if that was possible - and move on with my life - this heartbreak has to come to a stop.

I was so embarrassed I couldn't face Eden and decided to sleep the rest of the night but my stomach growled so loud I was frightened.

I bit into my pillow cover in frustration and groaned out loud, there was no other choice than to go downstairs in order to grab something to eat.

Eden was sure to be there...oh and Annabelle - perhaps the girl would be able to brighten the gloomy and tensed mood.

I made my way downstairs and as usual, the housekeeper who seems to always have her eyes on me came out of nowhere - now that's creepy.

"I was just about to inform you, Miss, Sir Eden wants you at the dining table " she bowed and told me politely as always - was she a robot? Doesn't her backache at all?

"This way " She directed me when I took a wrong turn.

"Oh," I smiled bashfully and followed her lead.

"What's your name if I may ask please, " I asked curiously, I couldn't keep on calling her the housekeeper, it sounded a bit awkward.

"Mrs. El "

"Mrs. El? That's all? "

"We are here Miss," She said, drawing my attention to the dining room. But what I saw made my jaw drop?

Seriously?!