The Painter's First Hello

Chapter Three

I didn't anticipate that day would come that the person I wasn't prepared to meet again showed up and witnessed my clumsiness. I'm still in so much embarrassment about what happened yesterday. Every time I remember his emotionless face, I bring back our first encounter. I don't know why or the reason behind it. I just can't help it.

The smoothness of the mattress couldn't stop me from stroking my fingers down to the folded canvass I kept. Luckily, I was given a chance to check this out. I was so afraid to find out that Beatrice burned something like this canvass. I don't know what the meaning of this, but the moment I felt that this canvass could be burned, it was a feeling I'd never felt before, despite the fact that this stuff should mean nothing to me.

I was preparing to go to Viktor's office about something he wanted to talk about. I could just wait for him after his office work rather than to go to his company and face the dramatic queen Beatrice Altagracia. I put the folded canvass back in my drawer for fear that I might lose it. I should give this back to the real owner, but have no plans yet about how to face him again. I might not see him again.

Viktor's bodyguard dropped me off at V. Levente's company. I remember before that their company was named under the control of his parents, which is Levente's company, but after he became the newly appointed CEO, he replaced it with V. Levente's company. I couldn't judge him as a territorial kind of person after all of his sacrifices. I believe he deserves all of this.

A lot of people and the employees of his company were all gawking at me as I entered the main entrance of the building. I know the meaning of this. Perhaps the majority of them were with Beatrice's side. Well, if this is true, then Beatrice has loyal partisans of hypocrites. I didn't mind those people because I'm not fond of this setup. I knew Viktor made some announcements for them. That's why others couldn't even look at me straight.

I entered Viktor's office and immediately saw the man I had business with. I'm facing his sturdy back while he's busy looking at the outside appearance of the company. Despite his deep attention to something, he still figured out I was already inside his office.

"My love," he said as he slowly turned to face me.

The coldness of the office and the familiar scent of Viktor lingered inside. I never take my eyes away from him. I know he's expecting me to look tense so that he'll assume that he'll still have an impact on me. He chuckled soberly, yet the gentleness and attractiveness of his face were noticeable.

"What exactly do you want to talk about? If it's not that important, I don't want to stay here for long," I said as I looked at his face solemnly.

Viktor knows I don't want to come to his office, not only for Beatrice, but because of his parents too. I won't mind if they throw some mean words at me. What I don't want about it is their presence. It's quite incisive to bring up what happened a long time ago. The major part where I felt more betrayed is when I found out that his parents never liked me in the first place. I thought they meant those words they had said to me that I'm the best girl they want for their son, but the truth is they are just putting on a show so that Viktor won't rebel if he finds out everything.

"Hold on," Viktor said, as he expected what was on my mind.

He stepped closer in my direction and looked at my face as he used to do. He wanted to do everything he wanted but he knew his limits. He knows the things I can't consider anymore. Although he started to do things in peace and with my will, he still won't change the fact that things will never be the same again.

"How are you? I know you can handle Beatrice and her arrival doesn't matter anyway." Viktor suddenly utters even the fact that I wouldn't be surprised. He knows how to make fun of me.

"Just so you know, I'm not afraid of your Beatrice. Why are you so persistent about looking like a joke when you know that I do not care about either of you?" Viktor smirked at my words.

"My love, stop saying Beatrice as someone I owned. You know that no one can replace you in this lifetime, Maryam Amira. But the truth is that you ended the things I still wanted to fight for, to chase, and to hope." Viktor said without the traces of emotions, instead of a pure feeling of seeking solace.

The moment he said those words I thought I could give him a chance for everything, but even hoping for prayers to give me a single reason to understand him failed me. I did everything to seek more possibilities but it just gives me nothing.

I recall what happened yesterday. I thought he'd defend Beatrice as he did in the past. I thought it would create major issues in terms of her parents, because I know Beatrice comes from a rich family. The thing is that I never noticed that he cared for Beatrice, but to the man, I never expected to arrive at his mansion. I did notice it the moment when the man walked over to me for no reason just to look at my face. At that time, I think that he didn't recognize me, but for Viktor, I saw pure skeptics.

"There's no room for hoping anymore..." I hadn't finished my words when he cut me off.

"I didn't ask you to follow anything at my wish. Just stay there, Maryam Amira. Stay where you want to stay. Do everything that makes you happy. Stay at where your heart beats. Just don't stop me from doing the things I want to. Run over and over because I'll chase you more than a billion footsteps." His face turned red, turned how unbelievable, I was the way I responded.

"Viktor, you made me confused with your words. If you want this to happen, if you want me to live the life I wish, then why are you caging me? Why not set me free because I don't understand you? You want me and all of a sudden you treat me like a convict." I said with full power. I couldn't stop the emotions that were overflowing within me.

If I go back to those days, I know I can't. I can't stand it because it will mentally kill me and drain me with so much pain. I will never recognize myself again. I will never see colors again. I will forget what the feeling is of being alive and maintain my peace for a long time.

I felt my eyes were turning red and before they could expose my sentiments again, I tried my best not to show them off to Viktor. I noticed the changes in Viktor's face. However, the softness and the clemency that he is giving me wasn't able to produce fire.

"How? How Viktor? Tell me, how could I trust you again?" My whole body felt numb as I let go of those words.

I saw how soft Viktor's expression had softened. He tried to approach me but I stepped back to tell him I didn't want to be with him. He stopped and I saw the bitterness on his face mixed with sadness in his eyes. I don't want to tolerate the darkness that comes from both of us. No matter how strong and lovely we were in the past, I couldn't stop myself from giving up and forgetting everything.

"What if...what if we rewrite our story, Maryam Amira? Will you agree if I say that it's the fault of the stars? Because what about me? What about me when everything I did is all because of you, but in the end, it gave me nothing?" He asked and cursed silently in the air.

I was taken aback and wasn't able to formulate a word. He seemed tired, repeating how proud he was doing all of it. Why can't he stop if he is frustrated? I chuckled bitterly and faced him inconsolably.

"I'm done with everything, Viktor. If you mean what you say, you shouldn't leave me. You should stay and keep me, but I realize that it's impossible for you to do it because, honestly, you don't need me. If these are the things you want us to talk about, then I must leave," I said as I slowly turned away from him.

"I have something to announce my love but it seems like you are not in the mood right now. I had better do this next time. This is something that I look forward to happening, of course, with you. I just want you to remind you that whatever happens, you should agree with me," Viktor said, which caused me to stop.

I didn't face him because I didn't want him to think that I had an interest in what he was saying. Instead, I laugh at his words delicately.

"Bye Viktor. Do everything you can, I won't come anyway." I said confidently, without even looking back.

I was surprised by what he said, yet I stayed calm despite the questions that came to my mind. What did that man want to say? Why do I have to follow him if he wants me to be happy? Why are you torturing me like this, Viktor? No matter what happens, I will never believe you, no matter how serious your reason is. It is too late to cover all the wounds we have gone through.

I walked absentmindedly in the spacious hallways of his company, still in deep thought about a while ago. I bet this area is only for executives and the board of directors because I haven't seen anyone like an ordinary employee roaming around.

I was in the middle of looking over at the paintings that were displayed on the luxurious walls when suddenly I stopped at my position. I felt like something hit my ankle that caused me to be paralyzed. I don't know why destiny makes its way to getting us close. I need to do something. I'm not ready to face him right now. Why, every time I avoid the path of the two of us to meet, destiny brings him within reach? The man who possesses a powerful aura. The man I adore for the second time. Before it was too late, I tried to move without noise to stay far from him and turned around to avoid his presence.

I feel the cold enveloping my body. I don't know why I'm sweating and why I can't move my legs. I thought everything would be fine. I thought I could completely avoid him by turning away, but I didn't think that, even today, I'm not the one to follow.

"Stop" someone ordered like a real lawmaker.

I struggled to breathe properly. I swallowed hard to suppress the uncomfortable feeling I had in my body. Slowly, I turned around to face him and was enchanted to look at his deep ocean eyes. He's just wearing pants and long white sleeves, but the courtliness and the hotness of his spirit is undeniable. I noticed his eyes were like a rigid chain that could secure everything around him. I was the first who looked away before he could notice that I was struggling to just look at him.

"Excuse me? Do we know each other?" I asked coolly, not even thinking that I sounded so full of myself.

I was more surprised to see that he's just looking at me attentively like I'm some kind of the rarest in the world. I'd like to take this time to get away from him. I looked at him soberly, pretending that I was not interested in him nor being astounded by his presence.

"If there's anything else you want to ask about, let me leave because, believe it or not, I don't talk to strangers," I said calmly, looking at his eyes.

I lost my cool when, for the first time, I saw him smirking. He smirked at my words, which caused me to blink twice. What was the meaning of it? Did he familiarize me? Because of so much embarrassment that I felt, I slowly turned my back away from him.

"Strangers? When will you stop pretending to be my lady? Aren't you the one who splashes a jar of water on my face? How come you forgot it when it just happened yesterday? Shouldn't I have the right to call you a stranger too, or better if I call you an elegant lady?" He said and I felt his body was just behind my back. How did it happen? Why is he so close to me?

"Lastly, I will never forget our first encounter." He said, which gave me goosebumps. I don't know what exactly was happening, but I felt like there was no space left for us to be strangers. What if Viktor saw me in this position?