See Paloma again
Aria's POV
He was doing this on purpose. He wanted to test me now, didn't he?
Because... What other reason would Luca have to send Marcus to his wedding with a fiancée... As a bodyguard?
Of all things, a bodyguard?
Well... It was better than an outright lover, which Viola definitely wanted to turn him into, but still, it hurt like crazy.
After my conversation with Luca by the garden, I turned into the house and stayed in my room.
For two reasons...
One, I had to think of what to do.
Both Luca and his witch had left. I was about to make my way to his study when I returned to the house, and I noticed someone else was present.
Payson.
Payson was in the goddamn house!
What was he doing here? I wondered, changing my direction to my room.
I couldn't let him see me, not anywhere close to that place.
Payson, unlike Luca, didn't have much patience for me.
He regarded me like someone who was beneath him, completely... Worse than a servant or a slave.
The man stared at me with disgust every time I passed his front. Whenever our eyes met, I could see the disgust laced in them.
He hated me for some reason I didn't know, or care about.
One thing I was certain about was that if he caught me around Luca's study or discovered my plan... He would execute me first before asking questions.
And when Luca would return, he would probably just find one excuse or the other to give him.
I would know the truth through Luca's reactions. Whether or not he truly liked me, whether he would kill Payson to take revenge, or just dismiss my death as though it was something ordinary.
I would know the truth, but I would be dead. The best way to find out the truth and snoop without Payson would greatly reduce the chances of my dying.
I was still thinking of that when Payson's eyes suddenly came in contact with mine.
I flinched instantly looking away.
"Please don't let him notice, please don't let him notice..." I pleaded inwardly turning around.
But he probably did, because he began walking forward towards me.
My heart skipped a beat. My adrenaline levels and cortisol began to rise, reducing the levels of my serotonin hormone and those other shit they thought in anatomy class.
In short, I began to panic... Anxiety short in.
I stood not too far from Luca's study, studying Payson before, but now that it seemed as though he was coming towards me... I began to regret standing too close.
Or should I just leave? I thought staring at the other way.
If I just walked forward, if Payson wanted to complain about something like... 'You're staring too much." Or wanted to ask a question like, 'What are you doing here?' he wouldn't anymore.
He couldn't call me back because of a simple question like that.
But...
If he wanted to accuse me of something, running away would automatically make me guilty.
For example, if he wanted to ask if I was planning something against him, or how to get into the study because of how intently I stared... He would just conclude if I left.
After much contemplation between my brain and limbs, and hesitation... I decided to just go with the first idea.
Fuck it, I didn't care that much what he thought of me.
All I wanted was to be alive after the next few months, and living.
I turned my feet slowly, without raising my head, and tried to walk away.
It was just a trial because as soon as I moved a step, Payson called and put my name.
"Ms Bellani... Aria." He called out freezing me at my first step.
My shiver ran down my back. I had never been so terrified to answer my own name before.
I stood frozen there with my head lowered until I heard his footsteps... Now he was just right behind me.
'Aish... Dear lord please,' I inwardly begged before summoning up the courage to turn around and face Payson.
I planted a fake smile on my lips as I stared at the stone-cold person whom I had never seen smile.
"Hey... Payson right? How are you?"
'How are you? Really?' My subconscious scolded, and I nervously shut my eyes, lowering my head for a second.
"Aish!"
I panicked. I freaking panicked!
Did I just greet someone who barely ever spoke to me and probably wanted to kill me... How are you?
If he wasn't suspicious about me before, my actions were definitely changing him.
I returned my head upright, biting my lower lip while hoping... No praying that he didn't notice anything.
"I should be asking you that question. I heard about what happened between you and Ms Almedo. I hadn't come to apologize yet and greet you."
My mouth hung open for a few seconds.
Wait... what?!
Right from the beginning of his sentence, I had blinked multiple times.
He said more than a word to me... And it wasn't five.
It was more... Like a goddamn full sentence!
And he went further.
Not only did he stop after he asked about my health, but he even went on to say something as crazy as apologizing.
Apologize!
To who?
Me?
He wanted to apologize to me for what his boss's crazy fiancée did?
Why?
Like...why?
If he wanted to act like a saint, why wasn't he doing it in full?
Why wasn't he apologizing that his boss took me... An innocent fucking lady from her wedding brought me here to suffer?
Huh?
I wasn't mad... No. Not at Payson.
I was surprised. Just freaking shocked.
"Em... I..." Words refused to come out of my mouth.
Payson must have noticed my shock because his lips pulled up into a small smile.
Like a smile...
Oh my goodness.
I shut my eyes and then wiped it with my hands.
I had to be hallucinating. The shock Luca gave me from making Marcus his damn fiancée's bodyguard was yet to wear off.
Maybe that was why I was seeing and hearing things.
Maybe I wasn't even out in this hall at all. Maybe I was in my room, just imagining what my life could be like if...
"The boss instructed to inform you about something and take you somewhere." Payson suddenly spoke up, interrupting my wishful thinking.
I snapped my eyelids open.
He was still there. Although the smile had disappeared from his face... Maybe even he realized that it was weird.
But it could only prove one thing.
All that Payson had said to me... It happened.
But before I could get too excited, my brain registered his next words.
Luca had instructed him to tell me something.
What?
Payson took a few minutes as though purposely enjoying my curiosity and the tension it brewed, but then he eventually answered.
"What do you say about seeing your friend, Paloma again?"