Maya's POV

Isabella was hellbent on making me age faster. At first, I had judged Niklaus harshly but it was now obvious to me why he had to hand Isabella over to Adam; the girl is a terror.

Not to talk of her nannies, I heard none of them survived a day which was quite a miracle and a huge achievement when I survived day one of being her caretaker.

Initially, I scrubbed my skin till it turned pink just to remove the marker until Eden suggested using rubbing alcohol.

It was a known fact that Izzy Is good in acts so the drawing was quite detailed, but what puzzled me the most was how I was able to sleep through while she tattooed my face in permanent marker.

Eden offered to wipe away the stains but I kicked him out of my room, I wasn't stupid enough to fall into his trap.

Having spent time with Niklaus who was good at luring me into traps that would satisfy him in the end, I could now tell when someone wanted to make a secret move on me.

In the end, I called over my two cute angels: Anabelle and Pedro, to help me out - That little imp called Isabella was currently in my blacklist.

Pouring the alcohol into two separate bowls and handing out cotton balls to both kids, I sat in front of the vanity and watched through the mirror as they began to work on my face.

Anabelle pressed her lips together and focused on the task at hand with a firm and blank expression while Pedro had a more relaxed yet determined look.

They dipped the cotton balls in the alcohol and held it on my skin for a while before wiping it and repeating the same procedure until the stain was gone, as I instructed them since rubbing it could irritate my skin.

I fumed in anger while the kids continuously worked on my face. Who knew Isabella would pull such an evil prank on me? I was so busy protecting Anabelle that I forgot I was vulnerable to her attack too - I would give her a piece of my mind when my face looks more human.

Soon the kids were done, though they had a self-accomplished smile on their faces, I could tell they were exhausted; their arms were probably aching. To pay them for their hard work, I promised them to a treat later which had them grinning from ear to ear.

The marker had faded so I quickly washed up in order to go and visit the prankster - she had gone a bit too far this time. What if I had been allergic to the chemical used in producing that marker? I could have died before I even awoke.

Perhaps Isabella turned out this way because she had no motherly figure in her life. Fathers were great and all but a mom is always a mom.

I don't know what age Isabella lost her mother but the girl needs serious rehabilitation. Some of her behavior at times scares me and yes, she might take it as fun but the human body was still fragile, an accident could always happen unexpectedly.

So I marched to her room and knocked, only to discover it was open. I pushed the door wide and walked in expecting her to be on her phone or reading a book or something, but what I met was an Isabella sprawled out on the bed in an undignified pose and asleep.

I chuckled inwardly, does she think I would buy her act, what a joke. Isabella was a smart girl and must have guessed I was here to scold her for her prank, so must be pretending to be asleep.

"Hey," I said, with my arms folded across my chest, "I'm not going to be fooled by your act.

No response.

I smirked, so she was intent on continuing with the act. Fine then, let's see who would get tired with pretending.

"If you don't get up from the bed Isabella, I'll have you sent back to the city "

No response.

"Before the count of three "

Still no response.

"One.. "

No movement.

"Two.. "

She didn't even stir.

"Two and a half... "

Nothing.

"Two and a half and a half... "

Not even a snore.

"Three " I finished my countdown but my brows couldn't help but furrow into a prominent frown. For someone pretending to be asleep, it kinda looked real.

But that was impossible, she just awoke from a long night rest, even had the energy to draw on my face, so how could she be asleep again?

"Hey " I tapped her on the shoulder but she stirred and turned her back to me.

"Isabella " I shook her this time but winced when the back of my palm touched her neck by chance, her temperature was ridiculously high.

"What the… " I faltered when my eyes rested on the skin of her back where the polo shirt had not been able to cover, there was a breakout of rashes there.

"Oh my God." I gasped in shock, then tapped her again but she moaned tiredly and went back to sleep.

That serously couldn't be chicken pox.

Instantly, I forgot the main reason why I had to come up here in the first place and rushed down to get Eden. But I couldn't find him in the living room as expected.

" Where's is - "

"He is in his room" Mrs.El answered, having surmised I was searching for him.

I muttered a "thank-you" to her and located his room which was on the floor level with ease.

Perhaps, due to the fact that I was panicking, I totally forgot the courtesy action of knocking before entering. I tried the doorknob and hurried into his room but my jaw dropped open at the sight that welcomed me.

Eden was clad in nothing but a white towel wrapped around his waist exposing his toned flat stomach, his skin was flushed from the shower.

His wet hair plastered to his skull while my throat dried up when I saw water dripping from his hair, drop on his chest, and join other smaller droplets before trailing down to the deep V of his abdomen, soaking into his loosely wrapped towel.

He too was shocked to see my abrupt appearance but he recovered from his daze faster than I did.

"You could have joined me in the shower if you were that interested" Eden flirted, " I wouldn't have minded anyway "

His comment aroused me from my reverie and I blinked, just to be sure I was seeing right. Damn, I wasn't a pervert.

I turned away at once with a blush staining my cheeks, my eyes had seen what it can't unsee.

"I'm sorry for barging into your room" I apologized with my back turned to him.

Gosh, if this was still the olden days, I would have to take responsibility for him.

Why can't you be a reserved young lady for once, Maya? I scolded myself internally.

"You can go ahead and dress-up. I promise you, I won't look " I promised him.

"What if I want you to look? "

Perhaps, he intended that to sound romantic but to me, it sounded lewd. To hell with decency!

I turned around and faced him with a questioning look, "Why would I want to watch you dress up? Do I look like a pervert? "

Eden's mouth opened and closed, he was definitely tongue-tied.

What was he expecting anyway? That I would be in awe of his sexy abdominal packs?

No, that is not what the point! Sexy abs or not, the point is that I have developed an immunity to good looks so he should stop seducing me with that - by the way, He and Niklaus who have more six-pack abdomen?

"You sure you aren't? Else, why would you be staring at my chest that way? " he fired at me.

Ouch, I've been caught.

"Staring at what !" I denied his accusation with a straight face, "Your chest isn't that sexy by the way, I've seen countless better ones "

"Really" His eyes twinkled, "Then you must know what happens after you ogle a guy's chest in an enclosed room " He began to step towards me while I took corresponding steps back.

What have I gotten myself into? Maya, this mouth of yours would lead you into trouble one day!

"What do you think you're doing?" I breathed raggedly.

"What do you think I'm doing? " He pressed forward, a mischievous smirk on his face.

Of course, I knew this scene vividly well, how wouldn't I? A romantic like me? He would continue approaching me until my back hits the wall, then he would place both hands on either side of the wall trapping me and then, one thing would lead to the other and we would start kissing.

I rolled my eyes internally, what a lousy plan Eden. Does he think I have learned nothing from dating the mischievous Niklaus all this time?

Discovering I was about to be trapped, I put up a hand against his chest to stop him from moving further but withdrew it from shock when I realized what I was touching.

Unfortunately, my unruly hands somehow hit his loosely wrapped towel which fell to the ground right before my eyes.

I need holy water to cleanse my eyes….ahh!