Sarima's legs shook terribly as she went out of the room. The warmth of the hallway hit her immediately and she didn't realize when she inhaled deeply, warming her lungs and nostrils after battling to breathe properly in the wine room. Her feet padded slowly across the warm floor as sunlight poured through the open windows, brightening the hall.
Her eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness as she walked through the hallway and into her room. Her gaze drifted lazily across the expanse of the room stretching to her balcony. She could never get used to this punishment, no matter how many times they put her through it.
Her feet dragged her to the bathroom. Her body sank into the already prepared warm water in the tub. She let out a tired sigh and dipped her head into the water.
Lifting her head from the water, droplets dripped down her coils. Tears welled in her eyes as the warmth reawakened the emptiness she felt without her parents and how deeply she missed them. A dull ache throbbed in her chest. At unfortunate moments like these, she always felt lost. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she began to sob. Her breathing trembled and her shoulders shook.
A knock interrupted her sobbing. Her tear-filled eyes snapped to the door.
The knock came again.
"Miss Sarima," a maid called. "What?" she said lowly. "Your mother said I should help you prepare," she replied.
"I'm coming." Sarima said finally from the bathroom.
They wouldn't even let her process her pain, she thought bitterly. She sniffed in sharply and cleaned her tears. Concluding her bath, she wore her bathrobe and stepped into her bedroom.
The maid's eyes lingered on her before looking away and heading to the large wardrobe almost reaching the ceiling. At times Sarima wondered if they expected her to grow wings and fly like some bumbling bee to place anything at the top level. The maid had already opened the wardrobe doors and stood there waiting for her to choose which clothes she would want to wear.
Sarima took her sweet time creaming her body and applying her skincare products with gentleness. If they won't let her live in peace, the least she could do was delay them through her actions.
She looked at her reflection with pity. Her hands went up to her pale lips before her eyes drifted to the pristine white envelopes on her bedside table. Her stomach tightened. She turned and looked at them properly and then the maid who followed her gaze and mouthed an understanding 'oh'.
"They were here yesterday afternoon when I came to dress your room and the day before, when I came to empty the trash can." She spoke almost hurriedly. "How long was I there?" Sarima asked, staring at the envelopes. "It's been three days," The maid replied. She walked away from the dressing table and picked up the envelopes. They were three, she thought, which aligned with the number of days she spent in that terror room. No name, just the familiar scent attached to it.
"Who's the visitor?" Sarima asked, tearing her gaze from the envelopes to the maid. "I don't know" the maid denied and shook her head.
She rolled her eyes at the childishness of her parents actions. Of course they must have told the maid to keep shut. They never saw her worthy enough to be told majority of things even when they all concerned her. Their decisions used to take her by surprise at how crude they were. If this was how surprise parties were thrown, she thought, then she didn't want the outcome.
She finished dressing up and walked out of her room with the maid tailing behind her. Her body still ached as she had not rested at all yet she held her head high. "Where are they?" She asked, assuming that one of her parents would be keeping whomever it is company. "They are in the garden having tea" The maid replied.
As they neared the garden from the manor, she heard voices getting louder and clearer. "If not for the fact that you haven't been around as you were on a business trip to..." Her father trailed. "Germany" a deep voice resonated.
She paused her steps. He came back? She thought...it was awkward for them last time and he came back?. She began walking again and increased her pace. "I wanted to speak with you on creating an alliance between our companies" her father voice cut in. "Hmmm" The deep voice resonated again as if in deep thoughts.
Sarima walked into the garden, her eyes immediately landed on Aetos whose eyes raised to meet hers from his cup of tea. A small smile grazed his lips and she could swear it felt mischievous to her or maybe was she just overthinking it?.
"If our companies create an alliance, with your company being a major force in the economy and mine providing influence and support,we'd be unstoppable." her father continued, oblivious to the little exchange that just occurred. "Mr Vixen" Aetos's voice chimed in, calm and commanding without pressure. "My grandfather's company as you seem to forget whom it belongs to, doesn't need an alliance to be unstoppable, it already is unstoppable, so, you'd need to convince me with a better proposal on why we need you." Everything went quiet.
Sarima's eyes darted from Aetos to her father. She knew her father didn't like him and would shamelessly latch unto a rival just to benefit. A smile had begun to appear on her face and before she could school her expression, Aetos spoke to her. "How have you been miss Sarima" His gaze locked on her and his fingers circled the rim of the cup. She opened her mouth to speak but her father jumped in first. "What was it you inquired her for? Hope she didn't do anything stupid." He glared at her before softening his gaze back to Aetos. Aetos's eyes didn't leave Sarima and so did her eyes.
Truthfully, he wasn't interested in any matter not relating to his service and his grandfather's company but this feisty one here...she intrigued him. There was something about her he couldn't place that piqued his interest. His smile didn't leave his face and now he saw anxiousness begin to slip into her.
He stood up and walked to her. She didn't flinch or look intimidated. She looked away from his eyes and to his hand which was stretched out. "I don't have anything that belongs to you so what are you asking for?" Sarima asked innocently. "Would you mind taking a walk with me as I have something that belongs to you" Aetos's deep voice stated calmly. She looked at her father who had no expression on his face as he looked at them. She placed her hand in his and his hand gripped her small one.
"Excuse me Mr Vixen as I'd like to talk to Sarima and hand over her belonging to her." Aetos looked at Paul, giving him the little authority he wanted. Paul nodded and Aetos led her away, farther towards the waterfall.
She dragged her hand away from him when she looked around and saw no one else. "What's this? Some victorian era romance setting?" Sarima looked at him pointedly. "Don't you like a prince in shinning armor?" Amusement flickered across his face as her expression widened in surprise at his tease. "What are you doing here really" she asked him, already turning impatient as she wasn't sure she could keep her head high any longer than few minutes as her body might fail her. He looked at her and handed her a golden bracelet. "It must have removed when I fell" she murmured "Thank you" she said and took it from his hand. She looked up only to find him already watching her with those blue eyes. She moved her gaze away to the flowers, beginning to feel small in his scrutinizing gaze. "Do you always attract crisis...or are you the crisis?" He asked her, noticing her stance change from discomfort and her face looking pale even as she tried to hide it in makeup.
When he reached his house after that incident, he had dipped his hand into his pocket to empty it only to feel her bracelet still there. He had wanted to give it to her but was occupied and forgot. His hand hovered over the bin holding the bangle but he placed it on his his table. As time went by, he was seriously occupied with the company's work and couldn't find a free time. Three days ago he had planned to come but the rain had stormed and he had to later travel that night for a business meeting in Germany after the rain had completely stopped. He came back this morning and went to check his feed, only to see her father drag her through the hallway on the morning of the day he travelled and saw no movements to bring her out till then so he rushed over with the bangle as an excuse to visit her and bring her out.
"Excuse me?...did u just call me a crisis?" Her voice came out annoyed. He leaned in close and his citrus cologne clouded her thoughts. Her eyes darted to the few buttons open on his white long sleeved shirt. The tattoo peeked out and her throat went dry with words. "That would be all for today miss" he said with a smile tugging at the end of his lips and walked away. She stood there bewildered at how easy it was for her brain to ditch her for a tour ride. She smacked her head and watched his retreating figure leave.