Alexander's POV

100 years ago (1915)

Being the rascal that I am, it's only natural for me to get involved in everything I illegally do. One thing that I didn't expect was to steal something from a wealthy family. Although this could feed us for a long time, I didn't expect to encounter someone who could change my life. As my men are looking out for the area, it is my chance to steal all of their jewelry. This manor sure is empty during the night. As I found where the indicated location of the jewelry was, I heard a faint sound.

"I can hear you," I warned; the sound became louder as a woman walked in a white dress.

"Sorry, are you the jeweler?" She asked and pointed at my hands to where the jewelry was, damn it. It is not the time to get caught.

"Yes, ma'am, sorry to wake you up this late. You can go back to sleep and I'll be done with this," I assured her, although she looks pale.

"Ah, is that so?" She chuckled and handed me her handkerchief.

"Why are you giving me your handkerchief?" I asked the woman.

"Because you seem to be sweating a lot from just holding my jewelry," she says, even with a sick look, she seems cheerful about it. Her scent is also sweet to me. Instead of that typical scent of a sick human being, she forcefully gave me her handkerchief.

"Thank you, ma'am," I said and wiped the beads of sweat forming and trickling down my forehead.

"Oh, please, drop the honorifics. Call me Monica," she extends her hand at me, what is she doing? She waves her hand, gesturing for me to shake it as well. I hesitantly move my hand to shake hers, but she takes it. She smiles at me as we both shake our hands, this is dangerous.

"I'm Ron-- Alexander. Alexander Hugh," I announced myself and lied about my name— I can't let her know that I'm an immigrant, although Monica's eyes are brimming with joy.

"I'm really sorry if I look excited to you, I have never interacted with someone before. My mother is the one holding all of the interactions, so this is kind of thrilling for me." Monica giggles at me, I don't care. But I have to act as if I care, and I plastered a smile at her.

"It's fine, but you have to go back to sleep. If your mother found you hanging out with me, she'd be angry." I explained to her, but she shakes her head. Why won't you go away?

"I should make you dinner while you work, so feel free to be comfortable," Monica says

"No need, Monica—" The sound of my stomach grumbling cuts me off, why is nothing going my way?

"Your stomach says so, stay still." Monica turned around to quickly gather food and I rolled my eyes in frustration, looking back at the jewelry I have; I reluctantly put it back to where it belonged. She came back with a big platter of food, and I internally drooled.

"Monica, you shouldn't—" she puts her finger in front of me.

"I insist, Alexander, have a feast." She smiles at me as she gives me the utensils.

"I— Thank you, I mean it." As soon as I said that, I stuffed myself with the food Monica gave me.

"Woah, slow down, Alexander. You're gonna choke," she chuckles and wipes my face with a cloth. I stopped eating and looked at her. Monica has her charm, why am I even checking her out?

"I'm fine, thank you." Out of nowhere, she brings a bottle of wine.

"Here, to quench your thirst." Monica poured me a glass of wine and handed it to me, okay, I had enough.

"Be honest with me, Monica, why are you being like this?" I asked.

"What else could I show you except for a little bit of hospitality?" She questioned me back, and it hit me.

"Forgive me, Monica, I wasn't used to this kind of hospitality that you are throwing at me." I sincerely answered, to which she nodded.

"I understand, Alexander, it must've been difficult for you to do these kinds of jobs. Knowing that there are a lot of ungrateful people who mistreat you," Monica points out, my brows creased a little but she looks genuine. You're confusing me, why am I confused?

"It is hard for me to get around with my work, mostly making ends meet. I'm glad you can see through me, but if I have to be honest with you, I have a lot of families to feed." Monica gave me a questionable look.

"You're already married?" She curiously asks.

"What?" I questioned back.

"What?" Monica asks, I sighed.

"Of course not! My brothers and sisters are hungry, I'm the only one working in the family." I explained to her.

"Oh! Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry I thought wrongly of you!" Monica bursts into laughter, although she's annoying, I can't help but chuckle. Then, a loud slam on the door was heard, and both of us were surprised.

"Monica, my dear! Why are you up so late at night?" The elderly woman who seems to be her mother is looking at me furiously.

"Mother! This is the jeweler that we contacted last night, he's here to check if the jewelry you bought at an auction was real or not." Monica averred. I'd be as good as dead now that I'm taking longer because of this unfortunate event.

"Yes, ma'am. I apologize if I came in late without an announcement, but I assure you this will be quick once I do an inspection. Alexander Hugh, by the way." I gestured for a magnifying glass, and both of them looked at me confused.

"You didn't bring your equipment?" Monica's mother asked me in a surprised tone.

"Well, you told me not to bring any because you want your equipment to be of use instead. You said that you know that it is not a fraud." How many times am I going to explain? Her mother nods at it.

"Very well, let me get the right equipment." As Monica's mother exited the room, I sighed in relief, but she doesn't seem more relieved than I am.

"My mother said that?" She asks.

"What else could she be saying if not true, then?" It's getting old, questioning each other.

"I feel like you're not telling the truth," Monica immediately points out.

"Okay, fine, I forgot to bring one. But your mother should have her own—" I cut myself off when I hear Monica's footsteps nearing the room, even though she couldn't physically hear it, she notices me looking at the doorway and sighed.

"Act like everything is okay," She says before sitting down.

"Mr. Hugh, as much as I am delighted to have met you tonight, there is nothing else that I can spare after your unannounced visit."

"Oh, mother, actually there is something that we should talk about while he inspects your jewelry." Both of them left the room and I can hear my made-up name being mentioned outside.

"Monica, you're sick! You should've woken me up, my dear." Her mother worryingly says to her.

"I know, mother, but he seems to be tired from all the work that he has to do and he was hungry as well. I apologize for acting abruptly on my own, but I have to show hospitality."

"I applaud you for being hospitable, but you're frail, Monica. You'll be coughing all night after this, so you should change clothes." I smelled the jewelry and now I realized that all of the gold was fake, but the diamonds are real nonetheless.

"Yes, mother." Monica's footsteps recede as she walks away, and her mother walks back in.

"So, Mr. Hugh, what seems to be the problem?" She asked.

"All of the gold is fake, but the diamonds are a real deal. So it's a loss to the ones who sold it to the auction, I can make the replica."

"Is that so?" Monica's mother looked at the jewelry, picked up the hammer, and smashed the fake gold.

"You would damage the diamonds if you keep—" I was cut off when she put the diamond on the packet to where the gold was placed earlier and gave it to me.

"Ah, so it is. Keep the diamonds to yourself, sell them if you will. It's no use to me anymore, if it could help you feed your family, then it is the utmost pleasure that you could have. Now, you may leave, Mr. Hugh." Monica's mother bid me farewell and I was left all alone in the room. They may be wealthy, but they sure are pretty nonchalant when they see that things are useless to them anymore.

I picked the packet up and left the room as well, but I smelled Monica's scent, indicating that she is near. I looked back and thought if I should say my thanks, but it's probably for the best if I just leave them alone. As her mother said, it's no use to her anymore. So I stayed longer, but I couldn't let go of Monica's scent. I went back to the room and picked up her handkerchief, and as soon as I did that, her scent got stronger.

"Oh, Alexander, you're still here." Monica tried to talk but she ended up saying nothing, and she sighed.

"Is there something you'd like to say, Monica?"

"Well, it's kind of saddening that I was able to talk to only one person."

"Don't be sad about it, Monica, be thankful that you're able to interact with someone." She thinks about it, then agrees.

"I guess you're right, so, thank you."

"Why are you thanking me out of the blue?" I asked her

"Well, because, even though I'm pretty sure that I'm annoying once I get to open my mouth; you're not mad about it, so, thank you for having this conversation with me." Monica points out and leaves the room, I just left the place as well and am reunited with the Cazador.

"Mr. Ronaldo, it took you four hours to get there."

"There's no time to talk, we already got what we came here for." We left the place and waited for the sun to rise. As tomorrow comes, I already pawned the diamonds and earned a hefty sum of money that could feed us for six months. But all of it wasn't enough, I was standing in front of the city's board to see if there are any available jobs, and a familiar scent whiffs up beside me. Could it be Monica?

When I turned around, I saw her petite figure standing beside her mother. Her mother is buying a new dress for her, she's wearing a light blue dress and was smiling as she talks to someone. A tall man is the one assessing their needs, and I picked up his scent. He's like me but from a different pack. I was so focused on listening to their conversation when I saw him look at me.