Chapter 81 The Mysterious Letter
ARYA’S POV
I woke to an empty bed and a hollow feeling in my chest that I refused to acknowledge.
What had I been expecting? That Giovanni would still be there, holding me like he had last night?
I swallowed hard against the hurt that threatened to surface and climbed down from the massive bed, my feet hitting the cool floor.
The bathroom was a welcome distraction. I turned the shower as hot as I could stand it, letting the water wash away the confusion of the night before.
By the time I dried off and dressed in a simple sundress, I had almost convinced myself that I didn't care that he left without a word.
Almost.
A sharp knock on the door made me jump. "Miss Arya? Are you awake?"
Claire burst in before I could answer, her eyes bright with barely contained excitement. She looked like she was about to explode with whatever gossip she had concocted in her head.
"Good morning," I said, watching her practically vibrate with energy.
"Good morning?" She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "That's all you have to say?"
I frowned, moving to the mirror to run a brush through my damp hair. "What else would I say?"
"Oh, I don't know." Claire's voice dripped with false innocence. "Maybe something about how you spent the night? You know, whether someone stayed with you? Whether that someone might have been tall, dark, and brooding?"
I rolled my eyes even as my cheeks warmed up. "Claire."
"I mean, Madam Maria told me that the boss went to check on you." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "And I noticed he didn't come back to his room last night. So naturally, I have questions."
"We didn't spend the night together," I said flatly, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.
The smile on Claire's face dropped immediately, replaced with a slight purse of her lips.
“Wait, what? But Maria said…" She stopped, studying my face. "Oh. Oh, Miss Arya."
A strangled sigh left my throat. “I don't want to talk about it." I set the brush down harder than necessary. "It doesn't matter anyway."
She frowned. “Miss Arya.”
"Claire, please." I turned to face her, forcing a smile. "Can we just... not?"
She looked like she wanted to argue, but something in my expression must have stopped her. She nodded slowly, though concern still creased her forehead.
"Okay. But if you need to talk, I’m here."
"I know." I squeezed her hand. "Thank you."
Downstairs, the breakfast table was already set, and Maria was arranging fresh fruit in a bowl. I tried not to notice the two empty chairs or the way my stomach dropped when I realized Giovanni wasn't there.
"Good morning, dear," Maria said warmly. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, thank you." The lie came easily. "Are Giovanni and Enzo...?"
"They left for work early this morning." Maria handed me a plate. "Giovanni said he had meetings all day."
Of course he did. I nodded, focusing on filling my plate even though I had suddenly lost my appetite.
I didn't want to think about what it meant that he left without saying anything. I didn't want to think about him at all.
"Arya!"
Jasmine's cheerful voice cut through my thoughts. She breezed into the dining room like a ray of sunshine, her energy immediately lifting the heavy mood that had settled over me.
"Jasmine, hey." I managed a genuine smile this time.
"I have the day off from the clinic, and the kids have an excursion today." She grabbed a piece of fruit from the table, grinning. "Want to come with us? I could use an extra pair of hands, and it'll be fun. I promise."
The idea of spending the day away from thoughts of Giovanni and his empty promises, was too appealing to refuse. "Really? You wouldn't mind?"
"Mind? I'd love it!" She looped her arm through mine. "Come on, eat quickly. We need to leave in twenty minutes."
The drive to the children's center where Jasmine worked was filled with easy conversation.
She told me about the kids, ranging from ages five to twelve, and how they'd been planning this trip to the nature reserve for weeks.
Her face lit up when she talked about them, a kind of pure joy that was almost infectious.
"You really love this, don't you?" I asked, watching her expressions shift as she described each child's personality.
"I do." She glanced at me, her smile softening. "It's not just a job, you know? These kids, they trust me. They open up to me. Making even a small difference in their lives... there's nothing else I'd rather do."
When we arrived at the center, I was immediately overwhelmed by the chaos in the best possible way.
The children rushed toward Jasmine, shouting her name, hugging her legs, showing her drawings and toys.
She knelt down to their level, giving each one attention, remembering details about their week, their siblings, and even their pet.
"Everyone, this is my friend Arya," Jasmine announced, pulling me forward. "She's going to come with us today. Isn't that exciting?"
A dozen pairs of eyes turned to me, some curious, some shy, some already planning mischief. A little girl with pigtails grabbed my hand.
"Do you like butterflies?" she asked seriously.
"I love butterflies," I said, and her face broke into a brilliant smile.
Watching Jasmine with the children stirred something in my chest. The way she listened to them, and how she celebrated their small victories and comforted their disappointments.
She knew exactly where she belonged.
"I wish I loved something like that," I said quietly as we helped the kids board the bus.
Jasmine looked at me thoughtfully. "It's not hard, Arya. You just have to find what it is. What makes you feel alive? What would you do even if no one paid you?"
I smiled tightly, not having an answer. I had spent so long just surviving that I never thought about what I actually wanted to do with my life.
The excursion started a bit chaotically with the kids talking over each other, fidgeting in their seats, asking "are we there yet?" every five minutes. Then an idea struck me.
"Hey, everyone!" I stood up, steadying myself against the seat. "Who wants to play a game?"
The bus went silent, all eyes on me.
"It's called 'Nature Detective.' When we get to the reserve, you'll each get a list of things to find but you have to work in teams. The team that finds everything first wins a prize."
The excitement was immediate, even the older kids perked up, already forming alliances. Jasmine shot me a grateful look.
The day unfolded in a blur of adventures; we hiked trails, identified plants, watched birds, and the kids' enthusiasm was contagious.
I found myself genuinely laughing, the weight I'd been carrying since waking up alone slowly lifting.
But throughout the day, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me.
It was subtle at first, a prickle at the back of my neck, a shadow in my peripheral vision that disappeared when I turned.
I told myself I was being paranoid, that being around Giovanni had made me jumpy. But the feeling persisted, following me through the afternoon like a ghost.
As we made our way back to the bus, tired but happy kids chattering around us, someone tapped my shoulder.
I turned to find a young boy, maybe eight or nine, that I didn't recognize. He wasn't part of our group.
"Miss?" He held out a folded piece of paper. "This is for you."
I blinked in confusion, frowning but I collected the paper. "For me? Who gave it to you?"
But he was already running off, disappearing into the crowd of families heading to the parking lot. I sighed and unfolded the paper.
You look happier. - M
M? There was only one person who fit into the description… Marco.
My blood ran cold. I spun around, scanning the crowd, but there was no sign of who sent the note.
"Arya? You okay?" Jasmine called from the bus.
I clutched the paper tighter, my heart pounding. Marco was here and has probably been watching me all day.
But how long had he been following me? And why?
"Yeah," I called back, my voice surprisingly steady. "Coming."
I climbed onto the bus, the paper burning in my hand, and wondered what the hell was happening.
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