Chapter 14 : True Face

Lara stood frozen in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief and hurt as Leonardo's sudden aggression filled the room. The pain etched across her features was unmistakable, a testament to the depths of her emotional turmoil.
"Angela, can you take me to the kitchen?" Leonardo demanded abruptly, his tone cutting through the air like a sharpened blade. With a sense of urgency, Angela grasped his arm, her touch gentle yet firm, and guided him towards the door.
As they made their way through the house, Angela couldn't help but catch a glimpse of the raw emotions etched on Lara's face. The hurt and confusion reflected in her eyes hinted at a far more complex dynamic between Lara and Leonardo than Angela had initially perceived. Lara, overcome by her emotions, fled from the house in tears, seeking solace in the open expanse beyond.
The kitchen enveloped them in a heavy silence as Angela prepared a sandwich, her hands moving methodically while her mind raced with unanswered questions. Glancing over at Leonardo, who sat silently at the long wooden table, she sensed the weight of an unspoken burden upon him. Yet, she resisted the temptation to pry into his issues, understanding the delicate boundaries of privacy. There was a choice to be made, and for now, she decided to withhold the encounter with the enigmatic white lady in the orchard, guarding it as her secret, a puzzle piece that may or may not hold significance in the intricate tapestry of their lives.
After a few minutes, Leonardo ate his sandwich quickly, and Angela gave him a small smile. "Your glass of water is in the middle," she pointed out.
"I know," Leonardo replied, picking up the glass bottom up. He had been practicing the visualization techniques that Angela had taught him, and she was satisfied with his progress.
As they ate, Angela broached the topic of Leonardo's girlfriend. "So, you're giving your girlfriend a week to decide, but I don't think she'll stop working," she said, ending their game.
Leonardo remained silent, refusing to engage in the conversation. Angela continued, "Maybe you need to give yourself more time to reconsider the situation. If you're looking for a wife instead of a nurse--"
Leonardo cut her off, purposely keeping silent to avoid further discussion. Angela sensed his discomfort and chose not to pursue the topic, giving him space and peace.
"What happened outside?" Leonardo asked, shifting the topic.
Angela was grateful for the change in subject and decided to bring up something that had been bothering her. "May I ask you something, sir?" she asked.
"Shoot," Leonardo replied.
"I believe I saw a lady in a white gown in the orchards," Angela said.
"A lady? Did you get a good look at her face?" Leonardo frowned.
"No, it was just a seamstress in a white gown strolling beneath the orchard before she vanished," Angela explained.
Leonardo dismissed it, cautioning Angela about how the imagination can be tricky. As they conversed, Angela found herself studying Leonardo's face, realizing that there was more that she could do for him as a nurse. Despite her brain telling her to leave, something in the house compelled her to stay a little longer.
Lost in thought, Angela didn't hear the door open behind her.
Fredrick arrived at the door holding bouquets of red roses, a smile lighting up his face. "Hello, Miss Lovely," he greeted Angela, who felt her nerves beginning to fray. She wished she could stop him from speaking, but it was too late. Leonardo, the man she was trying to trick, had overheard everything.
"Miss Lovely?" Leonardo repeated, his expression darkening. "May I ask why you refer to my nurse in such a way, Fredrick?"
Fredrick continued to smile, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room. "I hope you don't mind, but I brought bouquets for your beautiful nurse. May I have your permission to give them to her?"
Angela's heart sank as she realized that Fredrick's grand gesture was a direct threat to her carefully crafted image. She wanted to run, but she stood frozen in place, unable to move or speak.
Fredrick turned to Angela, holding out the bouquets. "These flowers are for you, beautiful girl," he said with a smile.
Angela was shocked by his audacity. She turned to Leonardo, but his face was cold and expressionless. "Excuse me, Sir Leonardo," she stammered. "I need to get something from my room."
"Stay," Leonardo commanded his voice icy.
Angela felt a wave of fear wash over her as she realized that she was trapped. She waited nervously as Leonardo turned to Fredrick. "Would you describe my nurse for me, Fredrick?" he asked in a calm voice.
Fredrick chuckled. "Well, she has lovely green eyes, long straight hair, and kissable lips," he said, winking at Angela. "Her face is that of an angel, and she has an hourglass figure."
Angela felt sick to her stomach as she realized that Fredrick was trying to ruin everything she had worked for. She trembled as Leonardo turned to her. "Angela, take me back to my room," he said in a grim tone.
As they left the kitchen, Angela knew that her carefully constructed façade was crumbling, and she had no idea how to stop it. She found herself in a difficult position, compelled to obey Leonardo's orders. She led him back to his room, her heart pounding with every step. As they crossed the lobby, Leonardo's stony silence made her uneasy. The tension between them was palpable, and it was tearing her apart inside. Finally, they reached his room.
"Close the door," Leonardo demanded, his voice rough and commanding.
Angela did as he said, and leaned against the door, feeling vulnerable and uncertain. "The bed is on your right," she said softly, hoping to defuse the tension between them.
"Why did you lie to me, Angela?" he demanded, his voice rising. Leonardo was enraged because she had lied about her appearance. "What bothers me the most is the liar." And what you did was extremely impolite. Give me an answer now. What are your plans, and why are you hiding your true self from me? "
"I don't know," Angela bravely admitted. "However, I have no intention of deceiving you."
"What you did was deceptive!" exclaimed Leonardo. "Trying to hide your true face from me is a deceptive act. You lied to me! "
"I'm sorry," Angela said sincerely. "I didn't mean to deceive you; it's just that I don't feel comfortable describing myself as a pretty woman." I'm sorry, Mr. Vera. " As she struggled hard to escape from Leonardo’s grasp.
"Let me touch your face," Leonardo demanded.
"Why?"Angela was agitated. "You can't just touch my face."
"You have to, or you're not getting out of this room," Leonardo said grimly as he walked quickly towards the door. He knew exactly where the door was and stood there like a guard.
"That's not the door," Angela pretended.
"Stop deceiving me. You taught me to count the steps in every corner of the room."
Angela was astounded by Leonardo's brilliance, despite his blindness. And he was correct; she couldn't leave while Leonardo stood at the closed door.
"Well, that's up to you. Will you allow me to touch your face, or will you be trapped here for hours or days? Leonardo laughed. "Anyway, I'm fine leaning against the door. What are your thoughts?"
"Why did you make it such a big deal, Mr. Vera?"
Leonardo snorted, "How many days I suffered imagining you as you described yourself." I pictured you with bulging eyes, curly hair that I dislike, a funnel nose, and puffy lips that I dreaded. Most of all, I picture you as a heavyweight woman which was all lies!” He was angry. “And now, let me touch your face."
Angela was unsure how to respond to Leonardo's desire to touch her face. She tried to escape but Leonardo caught her in her waist as he slammed her into his bed. His action wasn’t coming from a blind man. And then he slammed his body on top of her, facing down at her. She was right. He was blind but not useless.
Leonardo’s right hand pinned Angela down to his bed, but his left hand started to touch her face starting on her forehead, and Angela had no power to refuse what he wanted to do to her.
"Stay still! How can I touch you if you continue to wiggle? " Leonardo yelled.
Angela froze and allowed Leonardo's hand to touch her face freely. Her stomach churned with excitement as well as agitation. She had not anticipated it. And she didn't expect Leonardo to react like a hungry lion to her true descriptions.
Leonardo's left hand rose, his grip on Angela's hand growing tighter as he delicately caressed her face. His fingers trailed gently across her forehead, tracing the contours of her nose and lips until they rested on her neck, the touch lingering with an unsettling intensity. Angela's voice trembled with a mix of defiance and unease, her growl breaking the charged silence. "What happens now? You've touched my face."
In a sudden burst of aggression, Leonardo shoved Angela with force, causing her to stumble onto his bed. "Get out now," he spat, his tone laced with venomous command. Angela, taken aback by the sudden violence, hesitated for a moment, but Leonardo's dismissive words pushed her toward compliance.