Bruno
"Lina?"I call for the second time after she freezes.
I don't understand it.What happened?
"Lina.Is everything alright?Are you feeling okay?"I ask worriedly,cupping her face in my hands.
Maybe she is coming down with something.She did get dizzy this morning but I think that she was just worried about me,unlikely as that sounds.
"I'm calling a doctor,"I say when she just stares at me without a word,looking lost.
I remove my good hand from her face and reach into my pocket.
I pause my movement when she quickly walks past me and goes to where one of the movers is standing with a box.
Without a word,she hastily opens the box and freezes.
The guy looks at her curiously when she reaches in the box with both hands and brings out two books.
She looks at them with a horrified expression.
I think I'm starting to understand what this is.
Quickly,I walk towards her and grab her arm before dragging her out of there and towards the bedroom.
She drops the books on the floor and lets me do it,still looking a bit shocked.
"What the hell was that,Bruno?"she says after I close the door.
This is going to need privacy.
"I think you already know,Lina.It's your stuff,"I say.
"I know that it is my stuff.What is it doing here!"she yells,stamping her foot.
" I assumed that you would still need them,"I say while looking at her seriously.
"I don't need them here.I need them at my house where I also belong,"she says,tears starting to mist her eyes.
"Not anymore,Lina. And I don't understand why you're reacting like this. We did talk about it yesterday."
She gives a small,hysterical laugh.
"Talk about it?You mean when you just told me that you would do it,not even asking me?"she says.
"Bottom line is that you knew. Stop being overdramatic,"I tell her.
"Overdramatic?You got to be kidding me,"she says while shaking her head in disbelief. "A practical stranger is kidnapping me and now he is also doing the same to my stuff.
So what if I knew,Bruno? It doesn't make any of it easier for me to bear,"she explains to me,looking angry, annoyed and on the verge of crying.
"Lina..."
"And do you also expect me to be okay with the fact that strangers got into my house without permission?"she asks,
"They had permission,mine,"I say coming to their rescue.
"And of course it is what you say is what matters.Not me,the owner of the house,"she says, tears falling down her eyes.
"Actually, you don't own the house anymore.I'm selling it and your car.And I also emptied out your bank accounts this morning,"I say for her to stop her tearful ranting.
Okay,I know that one may think that the moment may be right might to tell her this but I disagree.
The sooner the better,I always say.
Waiting will just be delaying the inevitable.
"You can't do that,"Lina says in a low disbelieving voice.
"I already did,Lina."
"H-how?"she asks.
"Let's just say I have my ways,Lina,"I tell her in a rather arrogant but honestly manner.
When I say "ways",I actually mean people who can hack,forge signatures and bribe other people.
It's been quite the eventful morning.
"So all my possessions are gone?"she asks with a teary voice.
And now I'm feeling like the monster that I am.
"Yes,"I tell her.
She places both arms in her head,looking more lost than ever.
"How could you do this!"
With money and a lot of power,I think but of course I'm not dumb enough to say it.
"That was all I had,everything I have worked for and now it's all gone,"she says.
"You don't need any of it here,Lina.I can give you all that and more,"I say getting near her to console her as much as I could.
Big mistake.
She slaps me right across the face.Hard.
I bite the inside of my bottom lips,getting my body's instinctive reactions under control.
"Don't get near me,"she tells me looking me in the eye."I dont want anything from you.And I don't know how or when,Bruno Rossini but I am going to make you regret doing this,"she says getting out of the bedroom to god-knows-where.
"I'll never regret it,"I say as the door slams shut.
******
After our arguement, Lina had escaped to the the library room with her laptop,to work,I'm told but I know that,that is just an excuse to aviod seeing me or anyone else really.She firmly refuses to take part in the process of unpacking her things.
Convincing myself that that she will get over this soon,I decided to oblige Lina and spend the rest of morning in my study, getting some work done thereby leaving Anna and other servants to deal with the unpacking of Lina's belongings.
But I found myself not able to concentrate,my thoughts constantly turning to Lina.
Maybe I should go to her?
But No.I'm the last person she wants to see.Which is understandable since I'm the dick who keeps turning her life upside down.
But the reason I'm doing this is because I want her to get any ideas of leaving me out of her head.So that she knows that she can't survive without me just like I can't without her.Even if It means hurting hurt her in the process.
Anyway,she will get over her anger and uncertainity about the situation and accept it.She will also accept me.
I just have to be patient, I think while sitting on the leather chair of my desk.
Just then,a hesitant knock comes on my door.Raising my voice a little,I tell the person to come in.
Anna walks in wearing her customary pencil skirt and white t-shirt.As soon as I see her,pinched face,I know that something is wrong.
"Excuse me for interrupting you sir but I have to talk to you urgently,"she tells me,hands behind her back.
"It's okay,Anna.I understand that it must be important for you disturb me like this,"I say for her to gulp.
She knows how I hate to be interrupted.
"It's Miss Rivera,sir,"she says dramatically as if expecting to shock me.
I give her my best poker face,not surprised in the least.
"What about her?"I ask calmly.
"She threw the breakfast that you had me prepare for her across the room,"complains Anna with wide eyes.
It is clear that she was far from amused by my precious's antics.
Anna has been my housekeeper for about two months now and I know that nothing displeases her more than letting her hardwork going to waste.
See,she was raised by parents who were in the military.
I sigh.
"I'm sorry about Lina's behaviour Anna.I will be sure to talk to her about it,"I say for her to smile,pleased that something was being done about it.
"I think that would be best,sir,"she says while nodding." Can I bring you some coffee?"she follows up by asking.
I frown a bit.
If there was anything I didn't like about Anna,it was that she was a little too eager to please.
"No ,thank you,"I say."You can close the door on your way out,"I say for her face to fall .But she takes it in stride,exiting the room with grace.
When she is gone,I get up to see Lina.
Right now,I don't care if I'm the last person she wants to see, I am definitely going to talk to her.
I have to let make sure that she knows that she can't just refuse to eat like this and that her behaviour towards Anna was out of line.
And most importantly, I have to make sure that we address this situation before we go see her parents.
*****
I let myself into the library,making sure that she hears me coming.
She looks up at me and frowns before going back to her laptop.
Standing infornt of her ,I say,"You hurt Anna's feelings."
She pauses what she is doing.
She bites the bottom of her lips,looking guilty but she does not say anything.
"Look at me,Lina,"I tell her.
Angrily,she snaps her head at me.
"I know you're angry and you hate me but Anna has done nothing to you.You had no right to insult her by sending the food that she prepared flying,"I say to her.
She rolls her eyes in a way that tells me that she fully expected Anna to tattle on her to me.
"I know that,"she eventually says."And I will apologise to her."
She then looks at me."But if you are expecting an apology for slapping you,you can forget it."
"I wasn't,"I tell her with a sigh.
"Good,"she says before turning her attention to her laptop again, furiously typing.
One might think all she is feeling is anger but I see the tears that are threatening to escape her eyes.The one's that she is holding in just by biting her lips.
I shove my hand in my pocket,hating those tears so much.
"Look Lina,I know that you are scared and overwhelmed right now but it will pass,"I say still standing up.
She gives a little snort but doesn't look my way or say anything.
If twin tears didn't just roll down her eyes,I would think that she didn't hear me.
I let out a breath before joining her in the loveseat.
Grabbing her chin,I make her look at me.
"What can I do?"I ask impulsively,looking into her brown eyes.
"You can let me go but I already know that your answer is no,"she says,still openly crying.
I drop my head a bit,knowing that she is right.I can't do what she wants me to do.It is impossible.
"But don't worry,I will be good to go by the time that we go see my parents,"she says,surprising me.
I didn't think that the visit was even on her mind.
"You will?"I ask,still not believing what I'm hearing.
"Yes,"she assures me,removing my hands from her face before wiping her tears."I'll be fine.After all the lives of my family members are on the line,"she finishes, smiling without humour.
I nod, not going to deny that it was the truth.
After all,all this blackmailing had got me this far.
And I'm not stopping until she is all mine.
"Since that you're aware that I won't blow up your plan,why don't you go do whatever it is you do when you're not bothering me,"she tells me,looking at me coldly.
I hesitate a little but I get up,saying,"I'll have Anna come and give you something to eat again.Don't send the food flying this time,"I order.
"She might actually kill me if I did that,"Lina says with a small, breathless laugh.
"I'll call you when it's time to go,"I tell her before exiting the library.
As I walk out the door,I start brainstorming things that would make her happy when all of this is over,to make up for the tears that is shedding because of me.
But at the moment, one thing comes to mind when this-my head on a pike.
It's clear that I even if I do manage to get her parents to accept our relationship,I still have my work cut out for me.
I can't wait.