The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
[Book 2] Chapter 5

Knox POV

My fingers danced across the keyboard, a dance I was used to, my eyes peeled to the computer, a large soda precariously balanced on the edge of the desk as I continued to bring up several screens, checking and double-checking the prototypes and the various software that the investors wanted to be installed on it. I didn't trust the memory chip they wanted to be used, the manufacturer was based in China and its materials were cheap and of poor quality, making a note of it and sent that along with the visual of the prototype to lan with an explanation as to why a different memory chip would be better and why its materials were better quality and suited to the job.

I had no sense of time. It was lost to me but that happened every time I sat in front of the computer. The soda was warm but almost gone which indicated at the very least I had been cloistered inside my room for hours. The room was stuffy. I hadn't opened any windows and I was dimly aware of the stench of sweat in the air. The sound of my bedroom door opening didn't even register until I heard my twin's voice, sounding slightly disgusted.

"Knox."

I continued to type, focussed on what I was doing. I had finished making an assessment of the prototypes but I had several ideas for improving on them and needed to make sure of their viability. "Knox."

What was that annoying sound? It pounded in my eardrums and made me frown.

"Knox" the voice was practically yelling now.

I removed my headphones frowning and turned. Ian stood in the doorway, his arms folded across his chest, crumpling his suit slightly as he eyed me with narrowed eyes and a look of concern on his face. "How long have you been in here?" he demanded gesturing wildly about the room.

I blinked at him and then glanced around the room. "I'm not sure" I admitted with a shrug "Why?"

He gave a low growl "Two days Knox. You've been in here for two days. Have you even remembered to eat?" he accused. Two days? That was impossible, but by the expression on lan's face, I wasn't so sure that it was a lie. "Um, no," I said sheepishly and pointed to the soda "I had coke," I said lamely.

He looked ready to tear me limb from limb. "I appreciate your notes on the prototypes but I don't appreciate you practically killing yourself in an effort to get them to me. I thought you would only take a few hours to do them, not go to this extent" he snarled "I wouldn't have known you hadn't stepped foot outside your room if a maid hadn't alerted me and let me know."

A maid had alerted him? I frowned. I didn't remember seeing any maids in the room. Had one tried to speak to me? I couldn't remember. I was lost in a haze of confusion which was nothing new to me.

"I um, don't recall seeing a maid" I coughed, feeling a little sheepish.

lan's eyes narrowed some more "You don't remember yelling at a maid to get out of your room while you were typing? According to her, you were practically screaming."

I shifted uncomfortably on my chair "We both know that I don't like to be disturbed when I'm working" I began in my defense.

"Cut the crap" lan interrupted glaring at me "There's no excuse for being rude Knox. I know you get so focused on your work that you can't see anything else going on around you, but the maids are growing tired of your temper. This one was in tears. She resigned on the phone Knox. Another one" he exhaled sounding frustrated "We've gone through six maids in the last two months alone. At this rate, the agency is going to start refusing to send us anymore. Just because we're Grants it doesn't mean we can treat our staff like they are indispensable."

"I didn't mean to" my voice is apologetic "I just..." I trail off unable to explain it.

"Get lost in another world where nothing else exists" lan sighs "I know but Knox, I wish you would loosen up a little. Maybe try and walk away from your computer and go for a walk or something" he added.

I tried not to snort. My stomach growled and I glanced down at it, suddenly feeling ravenous. lan sniffed the room and wrinkled his nose, crossing it to open the window. I recoiled as bright sunshine lit up my room.

"It's too dark in here" lan muttered disapprovingly as I tried to adjust to the harshness of the light and felt the breeze beginning to enter the room.

He sniffed me and shook his head. "Go and shower" he instructed "You're not eating until you do."

My mouth dropped open. "Ian I'm not a child you can order around" I protested but he glared at me.

I discreetly sniffed myself. Whoa, I stunk. I got to my feet and stumbled towards the adjoining bathroom. I was quick to shower and head back into the room. Ian was sitting on the bed and glancing around the room with displeasure.

"It's a pigsty in here" he commented, glancing at the clothes on the floor, the disheveled bed, the chaos of my desk, and the piles of papers stacked everywhere, not to mention junk just piled wherever.

"I don't have time to clean" I snapped, dropping the towel and getting dressed hastily.

"That's why we have maids" lan countered "Only you refuse to let them in to clean the room."

He was more than exasperated, I noted, as I put my shirt on.

"I don't like them touching my computer and my stuff" I waved at my desk "It takes me forever to replace my stuff again and I have a system" I grumbled.

"Then tell them that," lan said irritably.

"I have" I growled "and they still do it."

He sighed and got up "Come on, lunch is on the table. I've already informed the agency that we need a new maid" he muttered "No thanks to you. They were not pleased either," he said tersely.

I ignored his pointed comment and walked downstairs, heading straight for the dining table. It was piled high with Chinese takeaway. I grabbed a carton of chow mein and tucked in with a fork. Ian knew I wouldn't use a plate. My father sat down and eyed me with sparkling eyes.

"He finally deigns to grant us with his presence" he teases as lan grunts and sits down, taking another carton.

"Sorry father I was busy" I mumbled between mouthfuls.

"Too busy to eat apparently" he sighs and takes a small carton of food for himself, eating gingerly.

"Why does everybody get so upset over that" I mumbled, still scoffing down food "I'll eat when I get hungry."

Father and lan shoot each other concerned looks. "Knox, about this maid situation" Father begins quietly.

Maid situation? As far as I was concerned we didn't have a maid situation. So we had gone through a few maids. It was no big deal. It's not like we couldn't go to another agency or something. They were making it out to be a bigger deal than it was. "We think you need to learn to interact with people a little better," lan said tactfully.

I stared at them "Interact? I interact just fine" I pointed out, slurping up a noodle.

"With people you know, like Flair your sister and her husband," Father said agreeably "and even Johnathon her ex-husband but when it comes to well the working class" he's very polite and tentative "you can be a little abrupt and dismissive." Abrupt and dismissive? Did he mean I was rude? "I'm very polite" I deny.

lan snorts "You treat them as though they are dispensable and you don't care how rude you are if they interrupt you while you're working. You're normally so laid back but when it comes to your computer and when you're hacking...." he trails off but the implication is very clear.

I look at them indignantly "Well it's not easy work."

"No one is saying it is son," Father says calmly "but the next maid we get, is going to be your personal maid" he adds with a pointed look at me.

Personal maid? I frown. "What do you mean?"

Father is tactful "Well the thing is" he shoots a look at lan who gives a subtle nod "the other maids are blatantly refusing to clean or help you," he says grimly "so it's up to the new one to assist you. Also the agency has said they won't send anymore after this" he added with a wince "so if you scare this one away, you will be responsible for cleaning up after yourself and quite frankly" he pauses and looks even more grim "none of us want that. So please make an effort to be nice to this one" he almost pleads. "In other words act like a damn adult and be gracious towards the maid" lan drawls eating and leaning back in his chair "Got it?"

"I'm not a child" I snapped just as the cook came wandering in.

"Would you all like a drink?"

"Ice tea please" Father requested.

"I'll have a gin and tonic" lan requested.

I refused to meet anybody's eyes "Strawberry milkshake please" I mumbled.

It was one of my favorite drinks. I could see lan trying to fight back his laughter. I glared at him, daring him. He smirked at me. I let out a growl of anger and focussed on my food.

"Fine" I snapped, pushing the carton out of my way and glaring at them both "I'll be polite to the damn maid. Stop acting like I'm some damn psychopath that's going to cut her into a million pieces if she looks at me wrong."

"If the shoe fits" lan muttered as I shot him an indignant look.

"Thank you, Knox," Father says as our drinks arrive and my milkshake gets placed in front of me "That's very grown up of you."

I didn't feel very grown up as I began to slurp down on my milkshake and the grin on lan's face said he knew it too. I poked my tongue out at him feeling even more childish. He chuckled. "At least you still have your sense of humor. I'm sure the maid will appreciate that."

I deflated.