SM WAS surprised when Knight told her that he'd leave for work. Her very protective boyfriend wanted to leave her together with the man she barely knew. Right there and then, she knew Knight was planning something. She knew her boyfriend well, and she could somehow read his mind.

So, she let him be.

When Knight had left the café, she faced Jacques. "A billionaire marquess..." she said, looking at the man. "Are you pranking me? Is this some kind of a joke?"

The marquess placed his hands inside his pockets. "Last time I checked, I was dead serious."

She took a deep breath before she glanced at Jacques again, amused. "My butler? You?"

He nodded and then smiled. When his phone rang, he reached for it and answered, but his face suddenly darkened. He ended the call and then stared at her. "Kindly call your lover boy and tell him to call off the ten snipers surrounding us with their guns aimed at me. I will not harm you in any way."

She smiled to herself. So, this was Knight's plan. One wrong move and the Marquess would drop dead.

"Let the snipers be," she said before sitting at the vacant table, crossing her legs while still looking at Jacques. "If you have no bad intentions, you have nothing to worry about. I'm sure those snipers won't shoot unless you do something bad."

Jacques took a deep breath. "You have a very protective boyfriend."

SM smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Jacques shook his head as he joined her at the table. "Are you not gonna ask me why I'm here and all that stuff?"

"Why don't you tell me yourself?"

Jacques stared at her for a few seconds before speaking. "My family has always been a part of yours as servants. And in this generation, it's my turn to serve you."

Her brows furrowed. "I have a very simple family, Marquess. My mother was a teacher, and my father was a simple office employee. So, I'm sorry if I'm having a hard time believing you. What you're telling me is impossible."

His stares became more intent. "Your father is a very powerful aristocrat. Very powerful that even my family, a family of marquesses, bows down to him in many ways."

SM was having a hard time absorbing all this information about her family—about her father! Her brain was trained to absorb information faster than normal people, but this piece of information the marquess was telling her... she's having a hard time wrapping her mind around it.

She softly chuckled, though nervously. "Trust me, my father is just a simple employee," SM insisted. "He's not some powerful aristocrat. I would know. We lived a simple life—not too rich, but not financially strained either. We had a simple life here. My father was a very hardworking man, and he died more than a year ago together with my mother. They were murdered."

The marquess's face hardened. "But I'm not lying. Your mother's name was Isabella Canja, and your father's name is Stevan Lopez. Am I right?"

She paused. She forced herself to think that everything the man in front of him was saying was a joke, but a part of her was accepting it. It just didn't make sense to her... a marquess coming to her, telling her that he was her butler. It was absurd!

"Do you think I'll drop everything just to come here if I'm kidding?" the marquess asked her, clearly annoyed. "I dropped a billion-dollar deal just to come here and be your butler, do you think I'm still joking? I take my family's beliefs seriously, milady. Since I was in high school, I diligently and earnestly studied how to become an efficient butler. I even studied your language when I learned from my father that your family moved here."

He learned her language? He was that serious?

She took a deep breath. "Say it's true... then why just now?"

"I just received a summons."

She raised a brow. "A summons?"

"A letter of order."

"Where did that come from?"

"From the house of Lopez, of course."

"From the house of Lopez?" she repeated, blinking. "M-my house?"

The marquess smiled at the incredulous look she had. "Yes. In Spain."

SM was stunned. No words came out of her mouth. She was shocked beyond belief. Their family had a house in Spain? What the freaking hell?!

SM blew a loud breath. "I'm shocked right now."

The marquess chuckled before turning serious. "I can tell you more, but you have to sign this first." He took out a piece of paper from the inner pocket of his Italian suit and gave it to her.

SM read the document's contents before giving a soft laugh. She looked up at the marquess. "So... I still have to accept you as my butler by signing this letter of order? It's not automatic?"

"No." He sighed. "There are five families that are more than willing to serve your family, and my family is one of them. I'm sure the representative butlers from the other families are already on their way to you, but I'm here first."

She raised a brow in disbelief. "So, what? It's a race?"

"Kind of." The marquess smiled.

"And what will you gain from me?" SM asked, puzzled.

"As I said earlier, you came from a distinguished family, and you are destined to do great things—"

"I bake great cakes."

The man stared at her. "Say what?"

She laughed at his reaction. "I bake great cakes," she repeated. "I have a very normal life. I own this small café, and I live in a normal house. The only amazing thing about me is my boyfriend."

"Count Knight Velasquez." The Marquess spoke Knight's name as if he knew him.

"You know him?" she asked, surprised.

The marquess nodded. "I have heard of him. Who hasn't? He destroyed the noble house of Suárez just because the head of the Suárez House misspoke about the Velasquez family. He's manipulative, cunning, and dangerous."

"My Knight?" SM asked, unconvinced. "My baby?"

The marquess frowned. "Your baby is a dangerous man, milady. He's not a nice person."

"Well, that's okay," she replied before letting out a soft chuckle. "I don't exactly like him for being a nice guy. I like him for who he is—flaws and all. Bad attitude and all. And if you want me to sign this"—she raised the piece of paper he gave her—"I suggest you don't judge my man. There's more to him than meets the eye."

"Yes, milady."

SM stared at the letter of order once again. If she signed this, then Marquess Jacques would be her butler. But if not, another one would arrive.

She looked up at the marquess. "My father... did he have a butler?"

Jacques nodded. "Unfortunately, he didn't choose my family at the time."

"Then why didn't I know about my father's butler?"

"I heard that when your family moved, your father left everything behind." He took a deep breath. "No one knows what actually happened. It was sudden."

So, her parents were from Spain, and they just moved here. For what reason? Unknown. Was that why her parents raised her this way? Her father taught her a lot of things that a normal father wouldn't teach their kids; he also enrolled her in a martial arts school. On the other hand, her mother taught her how to deduce a person to find their weakness and use it against them. At first, she thought that was normal, until she attended college and discovered it was manipulation.

From then on, she suppressed that side of her.

She took a deep breath and looked at the marquess. "I honestly don't know what to do with you."

"Accept me," he seriously said. "I'll help you in any way."

"Why do you want to become my butler?" She couldn't understand why the man in front of him insisted. "I have nothing to offer you, so I suggest you go home."

The marquess looked into her eyes. "I'm staying. You can't make me go away."

She returned the letter of order to him. "I'm not signing that."

"I'm still staying." He was stubborn.

"You won't get anything from me."

The marquess smiled. "Still staying."

She let out a loud, harsh breath. "It's up to you. I've told you what you needed to hear."

Jacques just smiled. SM shook her head in disbelief and was about to reach for her phone to call Knight when Jacques spoke again. "Are you gonna call your lover?"

SM nodded.

"Don't bother," Jacques said, puzzling her. "I'm pretty sure he can hear us since earlier."

SM scanned the café, and it was only then that she realized what Jacquess meant. The place is bugged?! she thought. In disbelief, her mouth opened.

"He is Count Knight Velasquez," the marquess stated matter-of-factly, as if it were the answer to all problems. "Do you really think he'll leave you alone with me without him knowing what's happening? He's not called cunning and manipulative for no reason, milady."

She calmly took a deep breath before saying, "I swear, baby, if you bugged my café, no hugs and kisses for you."

Her phone immediately rang: My Baby Calling... She picked up her phone and answered, "So, you bugged my café?"

"I have no excuse. I'm so sorry. I was just worried, and I want to make sure that that marquess is telling the truth," he quickly reasoned out.

"Well... is he"—she stole a quick look at Jacques—"telling the truth?"

"Yes," Knight replied, "but I have thoroughly searched the entire Orgánosi database, but I couldn't find any information about your father, which is odd because Marquess Jacques's family is a member of the organization—not a front liner, though. More of a supporter. The Orgánosi stands strong today because of the wealthy and powerful families backing it, such as the marquess's family."

But his father is not part of the organization. "Wait... are you thinking that my father is a member of your organization?"

"Yes," Knight answered honestly. "When I saw the marquess, I already had my suspicions, so I left to investigate your father. Not everyone in the organization gets to have a butler. But I was wrong. Your father—he's not part of the Orgánosi, and I don't have any idea where the marquess is coming from with this butler talk and serving you."

She looked at the marquess while talking to Knight. "He said he's staying."

"So, I heard." Knight sounded irritated. "Tell him that if he touches you or hurts you in any way, I'll destroy him."

SM smiled at the marquess. "My baby said he'll destroy you if you hurt or touch me."

"Duly noted."

She then returned to Knight. "He understands. And baby?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't care if you're the Boss of Asia." Her face darkened. "You have no right to bug my café. Remove this immediately. I'm not happy."

"Sorry, baby. I'll send Cloud to clean up."

She smiled sweetly. "Thanks."

"So... I'll have my hugs and kisses again?"

She tried not to laugh. "Nope. No hugs and kisses for you. Bye." She then ended the call and faced the marquess to ask, "So... where do you live right now?"

"Wherever you'll be," Jacques answered.

"I currently live in Knight's house."

"Then I'll stay there."

She just stared at the marquess in shock. "He won't let you in, I'm sure of that."

"Don't you have a house? I'll stay there."

"You're rich. You can pay for a hotel room or rent a house."

"I have to be close to you."

"Why?"

"Because I'm your butler," he insisted.

She massaged her temples. The situation was giving her a headache. "Surely, you're aware you're a marquess. By rank in nobility, you are just below the duke in power. You think I'll order you around?"

"Yeah." He nodded as if it were nothing. "It's my job."

SM blew out a breath in frustration. "Fine. You wanna be my butler?" She wanted to see if he was telling the truth. "Clean this place."

Without any hesitation or complaints, Jacques stood from his seat and cleaned up the café. SM, meanwhile, just observed him.

A billionaire marquess... cleaning my café. How absurd is this?

Cloud witnessed the scene as he entered the café. He was stunned that a marquess was cleaning a coffee shop.

"What the fuck is this?" Cloud asked in shock. "Is that Marquess Jacques Sotelo?"

SM nodded. "Yep."

"And the billionaire marquess is cleaning your café?" Cloud asked another time, still in disbelief.

SM nodded again. "Don't ask me why. I'm shocked too, Cloud."

Cloud blinked at the marquess. "I think I'm shocked too. I didn't even know that he knew how to operate a vacuum. Wow! He's holding a dustpan. Holy fuck..."

SM wasn't sure whether to remain shocked or laugh with what she had witnessed. Even Cloud was surprised. Who wouldn't be? A billionaire marquess, cleaning? Unheard of!

The marquess faced her with a smile. "I'm done. Should I cook for you now, milady?"

SM didn't know what to say or how to answer him. She just stared at him.

"Don't think of my title or my money. I'm your butler."

Cloud crossed his arms in front of his chest while he stared at the marquess intently. "Don't think of your title and money?" Cloud asked as if unconvinced about what he had heard. "Lord Jacques, you are wearing an Alexander Amosu Vanquish II Bespoke Italian suit worth one hundred and one thousand dollars. I even heard that it had to be delivered via an armored car because of the gold buttons. Your watch is a Louis Moinet Meteoris worth 4.6 million dollars. Your shoes are also worth thousands of dollars. Even your sunglasses are Prada. You are a walking million dollars. Now tell us to not think of your title and money."

The marquess met Cloud's gaze. "You're the one to talk. You may have no title, but I know you also came from a wealthy family, Cloud Beaumont Sebastian."

"At least I don't prance around with thousand-dollar clothing."

The marquess scratched the back of his neck. "If it bothers you, I have a pair of jeans and a shirt in the car. I can change."

SM could no longer take the conversation and roared in laughter. There was no point stressing herself over this. If the marquess wanted to be a butler, then so be it.

"Fine." SM stood from her seat while clutching her phone in her hand. "Be my butler, if that's what you want. You can wear the most expensive suit you have while cleaning, I don't mind. Whatever you are comfortable with, it's fine. It's not my business, so I won't interfere with you."

The marquess grinned. "Thank you, milady. I'll do my very best."

SM just nodded and smiled. "Tidy everything up," she told Jacques. "I'll have to close the café temporarily, so every corner must be clean. I hope that's okay, Marquess?"

"You can call me Jac." Jacques removed his coat. "I'll work hard."

Cloud and SM looked at each other. She shrugged. Since he was staying, she couldn't do anything about it. He wanted to play butler and serve her? Fine with her.

Whatever floats his boat, she thought. She wouldn't interfere. Maybe just like Knight... the Marquess was also a weird dude.

Well... only time can tell.

TO SM'S SHOCK, KNIGHT let Jacques stay in his house. His reason? He could monitor him up close, and he would immediately know if the marquess was planning something bad. So, they ended up with two butlers in Knight's house.

And she was right with her assumption—the marquess was just like Knight. Maybe because they were both nobility.

"So... after three minutes..." The marquess looked at Knight. "This thing," he continued, pointing at the instant cup noodles, "will provide a very tasty soup?"

SM tried to stop her laugh. Really? Provide?

And of course, Knight and his weirdness.

Knight nodded with pride. "Yes. Very delicious soup."

"That fast?" Jacques asked in disbelief.

Knight looked smug and proud. "It's not called instant for nothing. And there's more!" He looked excited while showing the coffee stick to Jacques. "This has coffee inside. No need to grind or soak. It's already a powder, and you just have to pour it into a cup then use that thing." He pointed at the thermos. "It's like magic, and hello coffee. We don't need a freaking coffee maker."

Jacques's lips parted in shock. "Wow... that's amazing."

"Very! And the good thing is... it's not poisonous!" Knight exclaimed. "It's commoners' food but a good food."

"Awesome!"

SM shook his head. She'd go over these two.

"Anyways," Knight said, "just a heads up for you, Jacques. I don't care if you're a marquess. You're in my territory, and if you touch my Sweet Monday, I'll destroy you from head to toe."

The marquess grimaced. "Duly noted. I can still clearly remember how you destroyed the Suárez family. I just want to be her butler. That's all."

"Good. Keep your hands to yourself," Knight added. "I'm that jealous. I can really kill you. So, don't think I didn't warn you, okay? Sweet Monday is mine. I'll cut you open if you try touching her. Trust me, I will not hesitate to end you. To hell with your title."

Later on, Knight grabbed SM and pulled her out of the kitchen and then up toward his room. He sat her down on his lap as soon as he took a seat on the long sofa.

"Baby, that letter this morning... Shun, my tracker, found no fingerprints. It's just yours and mine," Knight told SM. "I'm pissed. I don't care who he is. Only I get to call you baby."

So, he's jealous, that's why he's mad? She shook her head to herself. "So... where's the letter?"

"Still in the HQ. It's being analyzed."

She sighed. "Is the Triad really that scary that I have to close my café? I don't like this, Knight. I don't like being threatened. I don't like backing away. I'm only hiding because I don't want to worry you. But if it's just me, I'll fight."

"I don't want you harmed," Knight confessed using a soft voice as SM caressed his hair.

"Knight, when I learned about your past and what you do, I have already thought about the possible risks and dangers to me. And I want to face whatever threat there is head-on. I won't let them bully me into hiding behind your back all the time. I know how to fight, Knight. I can fight them."

Knight stared at her intently before sighing. "Let me guess, you're gonna ask me if you can open the café tomorrow."

She smiled and nodded. "I don't want to run away from the life that I have. It's my café... it's my life. I shouldn't be scared, they should be. And," she said as she cupped his cheeks. "You won't allow me to get hurt, right? And I have a butler now. I think he'll be able to protect me. And I don't mind being surrounded with ten snipers."

Knight let out a deep chuckle. "Then as long as you don't mind those snipers, I'll let you open your café."

SM grinned happily before kissing Knight on the lips. "Thank you! Thank you! Promise, I won't put myself in danger. I won't let you worry."

Knight took a deep breath before nodding. "I'm letting you open your café because I don't want to hold you back. I have thought about it earlier—it's not right to force you to hide. You've been fighting for your life and safety all these years without me. I don't want to change you and make you a coward. What I need to do is to support you with all that I have and protect you as long as I can. I will not block your way, baby, instead, I'll be by your side, holding your hand and encouraging you that you can do it—whatever it is that you want to do. I'm just here for you."

Her eyes welled up. He was really trying his best to understand her and not change her. "Thank you, Knight."

He smiled. "Anything for my baby."

She embraced him tight, and they only let go of each other when Knight's phone rang. He released a heavy sigh before reaching for his phone in the front pocket of his pants and answered, "Shun, you called." Pause. "What—wait! SM is with me. I'll turn the loudspeaker on."

"Hi," SM warmly greeted after Knight pressed the loudspeaker button. "Good evening. I'm SM, Knight's girlfriend."

"Hey. I'm Shun Kim," Shun replied from the other line. "Nice to finally speak with you. I'm one of Knight's best friends, but I'm always the second choice. He always goes to Valerian. I'm getting jealous already. He just remembers the name Shun Kim if he needs something. User."

SM softly chuckled. "Nice to finally speak with you too, Mr. Kim."

"Just Shun—"

"Whatever, motherfucker," Knight cut Shun off. "Just tell us why you called."

"So impatient..." Shun tsked. "Well, SM, has Knight told you how good a hacker and tracker I am?"

SM shook her head. "Not yet."

"Well, now you know. Anyways, I've been trying to look for any information about your father as per Knight request, and I stumbled into something weird."

SM didn't know why her heart suddenly started beating fast. "Define weird, Shun?"

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds before Shun finally spoke. "Weird as in... I think he's alive."

Her eyes widened, her lips parted.

My father... is alive?