Anya opened her lips to ask him to put her down but her throat went dry looking at his gaze turn intense. 'Why did he turn so serious?' She just wanted him to learn to be polite, she didn't mean to reach his arms. It wasn't her mistake, he was the one who held her.

Her heart was going crazy in her chest, he was too close for her comfort. His hypnotizing woody cinnamon cologne was just making it hard for her to compose herself. It was like a toxin, that reminds her of things she was trying to forget.

Seeing his eyes move down to her lips, she assumed he was waiting for her to speak. She didn't even consider he might be thinking something else. Hence she again tried to speak and just her lips moved, her voice seemed to be lost looking at his hooded eyes darkening.

She noticed him clench her teeth and purse his lips. 'Is he annoyed?' She wouldn't have cared if they were in their country, now it was very important to have coordination when two groups of people had their eyes on them.

She wanted to force herself out of his arm, anyhow she couldn't. Considering his strong caged arm around her, she might end up squirming against him. Then it will be even more awkward.

'Clack'

Anya stiffened hearing the door open. She flustered as if she was caught doing something forbidden. Dropping her hand, she desperately patted his shoulder, "Alvin, put me down."

Alvin's eyes shifted, he saw the man leave silently misunderstanding them to be physically intimate in the kitchen. Well, they were close physically but the one who was attracted, enticed was only him and she was clueless.

The first time he wasn't angry for being disturbed, or else he would have ended up doing something she would have hated him for. Either he would have triggered her fear or she would have flipped him to the ground.

Didn't he just want her to be around him to keep her safe?

Why was he getting attracted to her more than required?

She was like a magnet that kept him focused on her, ignoring everything that would have been important if he hadn't met her again.

And he knew it wasn't the first time. It started with her steely gray eyes when he first met her after five years, he had assumed it was the feeling of familiarity. Then her boldness, strength in her petite body, and her level-headedness in crucial times.

By the time he guessed who she was, there was nothing he disliked or annoyed about her, except one thing. Her eagerness to escape from him. Despite that, he wanted her beside him.historical

Her silliness, naiveness, and also anger were likable. He never tolerated anybody and there is no limit to his tolerance when it comes to her. Yet, all of these he could put behind his indifferent face.

He had presumed he had control over his physical desire but this Young Mommy started testing him, without even trying. This was something he never expected to happen. Keeping her safe and seeing her smile was what he always hoped for rather than being romantically involved with her.

He was just calling her as his wife to tease her, it was better than making her his sister. Did he get influenced by calling her his wife?

Then, shouldn't he make her as his, his real wife?

That's tempting. However, he should have the reins over his horses till they return to his mansion. Else she might start avoiding him on the ship and that's not safe.

"My Lady, are you trying to seduce me by throwing yourself at me?" His low, deep voice was mysterious that she couldn't read.

'My Lady!?' Anya wasn't sure how to react to his numerous ways of addressing her. She glared at him for pinning the blame for what she didn't do. If he hadn't held her, she wouldn't have even touched him. She wasn't so careless to fall on a man, even if it's Alvin Matthews.

"Your Highness, you need a royal physician to examine your brain." She remarked sarcastically and snorted, "If you don't put me down, your friend will suffer."

He should be glad she was warning him first when she was more than capable of paralyzing his precious jewel. However, he didn't react as she expected, "Well, my wife's son is also my son. So you better take responsibility for your actions." It was just to tease her, he couldn't even think of being impotent.

Anya's expression changed. It was difficult just to get used to being called his wife, she couldn't accept him calling her son as his son, even if it's for poking fun. The irony was that her son was actually his son but she wasn't his wife.

Alvin noticed her get serious and also turn cold at the mention of her son. She always smiled at recalling her son so he couldn't understand what affected her?

'Her son will be.. my son!?' Her son doesn't have a father, so he considered it a sensitive topic.

'Knock, knock, knock.'

He was leaving her back on the floor when he heard her warn him, "Never include my son in your fun."

'Fun!?' Well, he didn't poke fun. He was serious. Although he wasn't sure how to be a good father, he will try to be a hundred folds better than his father, Casper Matthews.

Eating his last donut, he watched her walk to the door. Why was he feeling like he was friend-zoned and whatever he said was sounding to her as fun? Damn, first he should bring her out of her comfort zone.

His expression darkened when he saw the old man, Wright entering the kitchen. He gritted his teeth and glared at the little woman who closed the door behind him. Matthews, Collins, and his stepmother's family were closely involved so they knew his birth history. He couldn't tolerate anybody else being aware of it or speaking about it. Hence, seeing the old man, his mood turned south.

He was walking out, ignoring the old man's sympathetic gaze which he absolutely despised. Before he could open the door, slender cold fingers wrapped around his wrist.

Glancing at the stern old man being empathetic to Alvin who is a stranger to him, Anya could make a guess why Alvin didn't want to be around the old man and why he gets angry. He was a prideful man, how could he take anybody's pity?

So she didn't force Alvin to be around her, rather, "Could you please wait two minutes for me?" She didn't want him to go around alone when somebody might try to hurt him.

Anya didn't leave his hand and waited for him to respond. He tried to pull his hand away but she stubbornly held him tight, without letting him run by avoiding her question.

Alvin looked at her hand, then at her face. She was angry at him, yet she wasn't ready to let him go anywhere alone. She was protective of him without considering he was stronger than her.

The old man looked at the two headstrong fellows unwilling to give up. One glared at another and another pressured him. He cleared his throat when he felt awkward watching the two in silence.

'Ahem'

Then he choked on his spit when the two sharp gazes turned to him.

Alvin took the chance and got rid of her hold. Instead of going out to wait, he checked his wristwatch, "You have two minutes." He was back to arrogant young Master who wanted everything to be as he ruled.

Anya: "..."

Is he really serious?

"115 seconds more." He reminded her.

Shaking her head, she quickly turned to the old man, "Mr. Wright, there are cameras everywhere on the ship. If you want to speak anything sensitive, keep it in a very low voice. I didn't check if there is a camera here." In a whisper, she briefed the situation.

The old man was smart yet he glanced at Alvin who was looking at his wristwatch.

Anya didn't want Alvin to be riled up and drag her out due to this old man's eyes on him. "Mrs. Wright, we don't have time."

The old man turned to Anya and quickly reported, "I wasn't planning to come on this vacation. Bernard doubted something fishy as all these miser cabinet ministers chose to go on this expensive cruise vacation all of a sudden."

Anya nodded in understanding. She got to know why Wright's details weren't there in the lists of confirmed guests. He took the ship at neck time and the manager and vice-captain allowed him easily. She should commend the old man for daring to step into the danger at the cost of his life. And also Bernard was tactful, for sensing the oddness in the early stage but failed to stop those ministers.

The old man passed her the iPad he was holding. "I have compiled some information that might be helpful for you." That meant he completely trusted her and Alvin.

"I have spoken to the security officer of the ship. He is the one who helped me gather some information. If you think he is safe for your mission, he will cooperate with you."

He took a pause and drew a long breath for nonstop speaking without a break. He has aged after all. "By the way, are you the one who shortened the trip or Harper Johnson?"

Anya's finger which unlocked the iPad paused briefly. Then she plainly lied looking at the old man, "I have no idea about it, Mr. Wright. I got to know after the announcement."

Alvin sniggered, realizing Anya doesn't trust the old man yet. Wright knew too much about them. Her assistant-general secretary job, Alvin's real identity, and their purpose on the ship. Trusting anybody could be terrible for them.

Anya looked at the old man and faintly smiled, "Thank you for your co-... Alvin.."

Alvin grabbed her hand and took her out before she could complete her words.

The old man was stunned for a second before sighing. He wasn't planning to hand the information to the couple. When he heard they were being constantly attacked, he felt the need to let them know who they should avoid. So he reached the kitchen after the security officer told him their location.

He always heard Alvin as a replica of Caesar Matthews: Indifferent, intimidating, and tyrannizing. Although the old man felt it was right looking at Alvin's behavior, that wasn't the entire truth. Especially how Alvin was with Anya.

And Anya, who was always distant and polite with everyone in any kind of situation, treated Alvin differently. She is stubborn, she gets angry and cares about him without putting the distant behavior.

'Are they truly just acting as wife and husband?'

They didn't look like comrades working on a mission. Rather, one protecting and caring about another.