Elsie POV

"Hey, Dexter. You were looking for me?" I asked once I entered his office at the mansion. He was on his chair and was occupied with his work when I strode into his office, as he requested.

"I want to free you from this mansion," he said, gazing at me with seriousness on his face.

I frowned at his statement. This was too sudden and I don't really get what he means by that.

"What do you mean by that?" I demanded an elaboration.

"You are no longer working for me. I already hired a new nanny for Andrea." He uttered every single word emotionless.

"Why?"

"Because I said so." Out of the blue, the stone-hearted mafia was back.

"Why you didn't let me know before you hire a new nanny? I'm still in this mansion, why can't you discuss this with me?" The emotion started to climb my mind. I gazed at him waiting for his reply.

"I'm the boss here, I don't think it is necessary to discuss with my employee if I want to find a replacement." He said with the same expression while leaning towards his chair.

"Have I done anything wrong? Am I not good enough?" I am still not satisfied with his answer as I can sense something fishy behind this.

"No reason, I just do what I wanted to do. I want you to leave by today. I will have someone to send you back to your home. For this month, I will pay you twice as compensation." His words hurt me as if for the past few days we were not in each other embrace.

"I don't believe you. Last few days you just asked me if I will ever leave you and right now you told me that you found someone to replace my place and can't wait to kick me out from this mansion. Why? There must be something behind this, talk to me, Dexter. We will fix this together." I said which sounded more like pleading. I want him to be honest with me not hiding it from me.

"Enough, Elsie. Don't make thing harder than it is. Just do as I said. Leave this mansion. I give you back the freedom that you want. You should be happy." He raised his voice, pissed off with my eagerness to know the truth.

"Not like this, Dexter."

"Remember, you said you will leave me if I ask you to. So, this is the time. I want you to leave this mansion, Andrea and me. Everything related to us." He stood from his chair and tugged his hands in his pockets.

"Andrea won't be happy if I leave. Did you talk to her about this?" I hope at least Andrea will be the reason I continue to stay here.

"No, she doesn't know about this yet. That is not your concern anyway. I will deal with it and I'm sure she will like the new nanny." He said with confidence that it hurts me.

"Dexter-"

"Call me Mr. Anderson." My eyes widened at his remark. I shook my head in disbelief.

"I don't know what caused you to be like this. I'm not a thing that you can take and throw away anytime that you like. You have no right to control my life, you invaded my life, and dragged me here and now telling me to get lost from this mansion without confront me the reason. I'm not trash!" Anger boiled inside me.

"I don't give a damn about your opinion nor your feeling about this. Perhaps you forget that you are dealing with a mafia now and we don't talk about anything related to feeling in our life." He snarled just like the first time I met him.

I thought things were getting better with him for the past few weeks. We start to talk about our personal life, we share secrets, we sending comfort to each other and we were there for each other. Or maybe, I was wrong all this while and the thought itself make me worst. I expect too much and I was too stupid to think that he changed for good.

"Right, I forget that I'm dealing with the mafia, Mr. Anderson," I smirked thinking about my own silliness. I walked to the door, ready to leave but not before asking him the last question that I really want to know. I halt and turned to look at him.

"Can I ask one last question?"

He stood at the same place, staring at me with his unreadable eyes. He raised his brow urging me to continue.

"What are we all this while?"

"A friend with benefit." He answered without hesitation. I could felt the tears were compiled at the edge of my eyes ready to flow anytime and I won't let him have the satisfaction to witness it.

I twisted the knob headed to my room and ready to pack my stuff and leaving the mansion, everything which related to him as he wishes for. I will grant his wish.

Dexter POV

"Boss, are you sure we are doing the right thing?" Alex, my right man asked.

"We have no choice, Alex. This is the best for her safety. Make sure to keep our men guarding her safety every day. Don't let her notices it and don't leave her out of their sight. I don't want anything to happen to her." I confessed. This was the hardest decision that I had to make. The new nanny and everything that I said to her was a lie.

I lost to my own enemy, Lorenzo. Although he was dead a few days ago, his words still plastered my mind and it made me felt uneasy every time the thought of Elsie being in danger because of me become real. I won't let that happen, I will fix everything before it was too late even though the sight of having her leaving the mansion hurt.

After this, I can't talk to her anymore, looking at her smile, listen to her laughter, listen to her voice, teasing her, hugging her, and spending time with her together with Andrea. I don't own this happiness and I can't be selfish to risk her life just to make my life contained with happiness. It wasn't fair for her. I decided to let her go in a harsh way so she will forget about me or better to hate me.

I will protect her from afar, always.

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