Chapter 31

SILVANA

James and I walked into a restaurant, and settled into a table. A waiter promptly approached us.

"What would you like to order?" He asked, politely. James looked at me, but I shrugged, unsure of what to order.

"What do you recommend?" James asked the waiter who nodded before speaking. "Our signature dish. Spicy Tuna Casserole."

James shook his head. "She doesn't like tuna."

I frowned. "How do you know that?" I asked and he looked at me. "Know what?"

"That I don't like tuna."

"Oh," He chuckled, nervously

He shrugged, " I just guessed."

"You just guessed?" My eyes narrowed but he was now staring at the waiter.

"Just get us Risotto with abalone if you have it."

"We do, sir. Your order will be here soon." The waiter bowed and walked away.

Clearing my throat loudly, I glared at James who was intentionally avoiding my eyes.

"Are you going to avoid me now?" I asked, my voice laced with sarcasm.

James replied, still avoiding eye contact. "I'm not."

Smirking, I moved my face to his line of sight. Our eyes met, and I raised my brows questioningly.

"Care to answer my previous question?" James sighed, placing his hands on the table and leaning in.

"I just know it...oh, I saw you!"

"Saw me where?" I questioned.

"At the party, you refused to eat tuna."

"I refused?" My eyes narrowed. I don't think tuna was served at the party or was it.

"Are you sure?"

"I am, you don't have to worry, I will never do anything to hurt you." He said and my heart skipped a beat, but I quickly snapped out of it, rolling my eyes.

"I never said you were gonna hurt me." I mumbled.

"It seemed like it." James said, and at the moment, the waiter arrived with our order.

"Enjoy your meal." He smiled once he finished arranging the meal on the table. He walked away.

"Let's eat." James said, and I took a spoonful of the Risotto. It melted in my mouth, and I nodded my head.

"It's nice." Mumbling, I took another bite. I could feel James gaze on me as I did, but I ignored him and continued eating, expecting him to look away, but nothing happened. I was now close to finishing my food, but he was still staring at me. Sighing, I dropped my spoon loudly and looked up at him.

"Why the stares?"

"You look cute while eating."

I blinked, taken aback. Is he serious right now?

"You leave your food to stare at – " I stopped talking when he leaned in, wiping the corner of my lips with his thumb. He took his thumb away and licked it, resulting in a loud gasp from my lips.

"Why – would you do that?" I stuttered, pointing at his lips, but he smiled. "It's nothing, as long as it's you."

My heart raced and I felt a flutter in my heart. Why is this happening so often!

________

JAMES

"Enjoy your day!" I waved goodbye to Vana as she rushed into her company without looking back. Chuckling, I drove out of the company, reminiscing how she almost caught me that I kept tabs on her.

Thirty minutes later, I arrived at the company.

"What are you doing here?" I asked in surprise as I walked into my office. Chad was seated on a chair with his legs on my desk.

"What do you think? I came to have lunch with you but I heard from Vince that you were with Silvana. Is it true?"

"It is, why?" I spared him a glance, sauntering over to my chair and swatting at his leg. "Get your leg off my desk!"

Chad shook his head, drawing closer instead. "You like her, don't you?" He asked, his eyes sparking with teasing.

"Maybe."

"Ooh, that's a yes!" Chad laughed, moving his eyebrows teasingly.

"Don't you have work to do?" I turned away from him to turn on my computer.

"Nope, I'm free for today, but it's so nice to see you interested in a lady after your breakup, I wish you all the best. You must get her, okay?" He leaned in and I chuckled. Why is he taking it to another level?

"So how about we visit the club together."

My fingers halted on the keyboard and I shook my head. "Not me."

"Stop being a killjoy and come with me. I wouldn't be disturbing you if you had lunch with me." He let out a groan.

"I'm busy."

"Fine, suit yourself." He huffed and I looked up. My eyes landed on his pursed lips, and I shook my head. Is he a boy?

Chad left and I worked till late in the night before heading home. When I arrived, Mrs. Claire was waiting with an impatient look. My brows furrowed as I walked over to her.

"Is something wrong?" I asked and she jumped in fright like she was just seeing me.

"You are here!" She said,

"Yes, why?"

"Can I leave for today? My daughter is going to bed today."

"Really!" I exclaimed and immediately gave her my approval. In a minute, she was out of the house.

I was now the only one in the house apart from the guards outside. Heading upstairs, I had my bath, changed into black shorts and white shirt. I took my phone and moved to my bed, sending a 'goodnight' message to Vana. Even after sending it, I kept waiting, hoping for a reply from her, but nothing came, even after minutes.

Sighing, I dropped my phone on the bed stand, and my eyes moved to the window. Drops of rain hitting the window made my eyes widen. The weather forecast didn't say it was gonna rain.

Biting my lips hard, I kept staring as the rain intensified. Rain is something I hate, I get panic attacks anytime it rains, especially at night when I'm alone.

I could only take my eyes off it after a while, and slowly settled in my bed, closing my eyes. But, as expected, sounds of yells and cries filled my ears after some minutes. The traumatic scene replayed in my head: my parents and I in a moving car. It was nice at first, but when the car increased speed and refused to stop, the atmosphere became a frenzy of scared emotions. Little me was crying while holding onto my mum who suddenly pushed me out of the car. In the next second, the car sped towards the bridge and fell off, leaving me in a state of terror.

Gasping, my eyes snapped open with my heart racing fervently. My fists clenched the bedsheet as my chest constricted and my breath began to seize. It was happening again.

Reaching for the drawer on the left side of the bed, I took out the white pill bottle, and with shaky hands, opened it, but it was empty.My eyes widened in desperation as I shook the pill bottle, hoping for even one pill to drop out, but there was nothing.

My breath hitched, and I began to choke on my breath. Tears slipped out of my eyes as I took my phone. I moved to the dialer with shaky hands and began searching for Chad's number, but it seemed to have disappeared. I started feeling dizzy, and my eyelids became heavy. My fingers moved, tapping a number, but I couldn't see who it was before my eyelids closed, and everything went black.

"Aren't you asleep?" Vana's familiar voice rang in my head, but I couldn't give a reply.