The workshop was bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun, casting a warm glow over the scene. A sketch of an intricate jewellery piece adorned the wall, a testament to the craftsmanship of the young man diligently working at the table. Strands of silver hair cascaded over his forehead, a striking contrast against his otherwise dark locks. With careful precision, he worked on the earrings, each movement deliberate and focused. His icy blue eyes watching the piece with care.
As he sanded the piece, lost in his task, a sudden knock on the door startled him, causing the earring to slip from his grasp. He turned to see another man standing in the doorway, his expression apologetic.
"I'm sorry, Argon, I didn't mean to disturb you. I just…" The man trailed off, hesitating before asking, "May I enter?"
Argon gave a tense look to Kant, his eyes narrowing slightly. He glanced around the workshop, clearly contemplating whether or not he should allow Kant to enter. Argon had a problem: he didn't like people in his personal spaces, especially his studio or home. This made it very irritating for him to see others inside his sanctuary. That was exactly why Kant always asked for special permission to enter the room.
With a thoughtful hum, Argon nodded, allowing his secretary and a friend of ten years to enter the workshop and retrieve the fallen earring. As Kant struggled to reach the earring wedged in the narrow gap between the tables, Argon leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, and observed the scene with a hint of impatience.
"Just leave it! Tell me why you are here?" Argon inquired, his tone tinged with a touch of annoyance.
"Oh, I came to ask you for dinner. You haven't had anything since breakfast, so I thought you would fancy a good meal," Kant replied, offering a weak smile. However, Argon seemed disinterested, turning his gaze away.
"I will eat once the piece is complete," Argon stated firmly, "Also did you get a reply form her yet?" shifting his weight as he reached for a long stick to retrieve the earring himself. "Nothing yet," KAnt shook his head while reaching out to him. " Let me do it, Argon," Kant insisted, taking the stick from Argon and kneeling on the floor to retrieve the earring.
"But Argon, this is going to take at least a few days. Are you sure you want to stay hungry until then? You have just one earring ready. Also, there is so much paperwork at the office that I am sure you will be overwhelmed once you see it for yourself. I suggest you let the other workers take over. No one is going to notice," Kant tried to persuade him.
Argon reclined in his chair, watching as Kant finally managed to grasp the earring and hold it up triumphantly. "You should only make pieces that are for someone special, people who will notice the effort," he remarked.
With a click of his tongue, Argon took the earring from Kant's hand and placed it on the table. "I hope you have something good for me to eat, or I will cut your raise this month," he declared, rising from his chair. Kant grinned and followed him closely.
"Argon, there's a great restaurant I want to take you to. It's just a ten-minute drive from here. I bet you'll love it," Kant said as he opened the car door for Argon to enter the back seat. They had just exited the workshop, nestled in the tranquil hills on the outskirts of the city.
As they drove away, Argon checked his emails while Kant drove in silence. When they rounded a curve, Kant spoke up. "Argon, I know this place might not be up to your usual standards, but they make some of the best Italian food."
"Mm-hmm..." Argon responded absently, watching the road while his mind wandered. It seemed that Kant wanted Argon to initiate a conversation, but Argon wasn't getting the hint, so Kant had to directly state the issue.
"Argon, your mother called today," Kant said, his voice tense. "She said she wanted to meet the girl you're interested in."
Argon's eyes snapped to the rearview mirror, fixing Kant with a dark expression. "What did you tell her?" he demanded defensively.
"Of course, I didn't tell her anything!" Kant felt a pang of betrayal, as if Argon didn't trust him. "But—"
Kant's hesitation made Argon uneasy. "Say it," Argon ordered.
"I don't think I can keep quiet much longer. She's threatening me like— I shouldn't say such things about your mother, but she's psychotic!" Kant burst out. Argon froze for a moment, then took a deep breath.
"You..."
"Argon, I'm sorry, but her methods are really vile. I'm afraid I might have to abandon our eight years of friendship and two years of working together because of this. I hope you'll tell her who the woman is so my life isn't in danger," Kant said, his voice heavy with depression.
Kant and Argon had met when they were around fifteen, and their friendship had grown strong over the years. While their professional relationship was one thing, whenever Argon needed a friend, Kant was there, and the same was true for Kant. Argon was notoriously hard to please, but with Kant, he was more relaxed, which is why their bond had endured longer than either had anticipated.
"What's the point? It's a lost cause," Argon said with a heavy breath, looking away. His gaze paused on a tall billboard by the road. It was a flashy advertisement featuring Viviana's radiant, smiling face as she held a bottle of perfume, treasuring it more than anything.
Argon chuckled. It wasn't clear what was funny, but he did, and then he muttered something under his breath as he turned his gaze away from the poster.
At the same time, a car sped past them, well over the speed limit, disappearing in a flash. Kant barely had a moment to process what had happened. "What is up with people?" he grumbled, eyeing the trail of smoke left behind by the car. Meanwhile, Viviana's foot was on the accelerator. In her mind, everything she had just watched in the footage replayed with utmost clarity—how she had been mocked by Freya and Nico as they played her and cheated behind her back.
"In 200 metres, turn left," the robotic voice of the GPS instructed. Viviana slowed down and spotted the turn. In five minutes, she was outside the building where Nico was. She rolled into the parking lot, swiftly got out of the car, and headed towards the elevator. Reaching out to press the button on the wall, her fingers suddenly paused. A dizzy spell hit her, causing her to sway. The vision from a while ago flashed before her eyes once again, the same button style appearing vividly.
"Hah!" She let out a nervous laugh, shook her head, and pressed the button. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the parking lot was empty. "Sigh," she breathed out, feeling a bit lighter. The elevator doors opened, and she stepped inside, pressing the button to Nico's floor. Her mind was conflicted, two thoughts battling for dominance. No matter how much she tried to shake off the vision and focus on Nico, she couldn't.