Chapter 3

Alodia said goodbye to Nicu when she already made sure that he was in his classroom. She went to the mall to buy the necessary ingredients that she was going to use for baking and cooking to prepare for her employer’s birthday. She was totally going to prepare a surprise for Nicoleta’s birthday. She was sure that the latter would be happy about it.

While looking for the ingredients in mind, she didn’t notice the man who was pushing his cart that was filled with groceries. She bumped into it and some canned goods hit her shoulder, making her groan in pain while massaging that assaulted part.

“Pardon!” She heard the man’s voice who spoke in Romanian. He continued to profusely ask for her forgiveness. Her mouth suddenly hung open. That familiar voice!

Harman! her mind shouted, making her heart thump so loud against her rib cage. Shit! Why is he here in all places?

She tried hard not to look over her shoulder. But damn that neck of hers. It seemed to have its own mind and turned toward the owner of that sexy baritone voice. It seemed that time and space didn’t exist as they looked into each other’s eyes. Those black curly lashes and dark brown eyes…

“Alodia?” He recognized her instantly.

She looked in front of her to escape from his staring eyes. She quickly took the things she was going to buy and walked away fast. She wanted to get away from him as soon as possible. But he chased her and held her by the arm.

“Let me go!” she said firmly without turning and looking at him.

“I have been looking for you for years!” he told her.

She couldn’t stop herself from looking him in the eyes then. He what? He was looking for her for years? When was it? Since she was gone? But why? Didn’t he understand why she went away? He should have known it by now! And he should have hated her! Was that why he stopped her because he wanted to confront her?

She swallowed the huge lump in her throat and blinked fast. She raised her chin because he was way taller than her five feet two.

“And there’s nothing to talk about, is there?” Even though she was a bit guilty, she didn’t want to show it to this man.

She tried hard to take back her arm and went to the cashier to pay.

But he was still on her heels. She could hear the soft steps of his shoes against the white tiled floor of the mall. She knew that his strides were longer than hers but she tried hard to ignore him.

She paid everything and he followed her quickly without paying. But the staff there chased Harman to make him pay for the goods. When she looked over her shoulder, she could see that he took in a deep breath and took some money from his wallet and paid everything. Afterward, he chased her again outside the mall, ignoring the people’s stares.

“Alodia!” He called her name.

But she didn’t turn around like she never heard anything. She hailed a cab and got in quickly. She shook her head at the taxi driver when he thought they were together. She told him the address and they were off.

“I think he’s calling you, miss,” he said in Romanian while peering at his rear view mirror.

“I don’t know him,” was her only reply.

But the driver grinned at her. He obviously didn’t believe her but she didn’t care.

“Looks like he knows you well, then. Besides, he’s after us now, driving his car,” he revealed.

“What?” Her jaw hung open and her eyes widened.

She looked behind them and she could tell that it was that brand and make of the car that she saw in his garage earlier this morning.

“Shit!” she cursed. She then turned to the driver. “Could you lose him, please? I will pay you handsomely,” she requested the driver.

“Well, if you say so,” he said and grinned at her again. He stepped harder on the accelerator as long as the traffic could permit.

However, Harman was still close on their tail. She calculated the money that was on her. Could she really pay for the taxi? Why was he being so persistent? She was pissed. She ground her teeth and her heart was beating so hard. What did he want with her?

She then decided to tell the middle-aged driver to just send her to the address she’d given him. She paid him before she got off from the cab. He then winked at her.

“Seems like he won’t let you go, miss.” The fat driver grinned widely.

She didn’t answer and the driver waved at her before he drove off. She quickly took the keys from her winter coat and shoved one inside the keyhole of the gate before Harman could park his car.

“Alodia!” he called her again. But she was already inside the gate and locked it fast enough before he could even grab her. She ran toward the big house, and when she was in, she also locked the door as if he could still follow her inside.

She took a deep breath and rested her back against the door. She was out of breath after their chase. After a few minutes, she then decided to peer from window. She could see that he was still out there, staring at the big house of her employer.

“My God! Why wouldn’t he just go away?” she murmured to herself.

Her heart seemed to be crumpled so tightly in her chest. His face looked so sad and his shoulders were slumped. She swallowed hard and blinked away the tears that formed in her eyes. She had to stand her ground of not going to see him and talk to him again in spite of what she felt for him until now.

After a few moments of watching him, he turned around and walked away. But she knew damn well that he was going to come back. He already knew where she was. And should she get out of Nicoleta’s haven of a home? Her employer knew of her story with Harman. It was because she thought of her as a friend. And she was a good person and a good soul. Nicoleta understood why she did it to Harman.

“But wouldn’t you need to talk about it before you decided to do what you had to?” Nicoleta asked her then.

It was like only yesterday. But it was already three years ago. And she blinked again to try to shake it off from her memory. She went to the kitchen instead. She had to keep herself busy so that she wouldn’t think about Harman and what was in the past when they were still together. She had to remind herself that it was all a game and nothing more!

She just had to forget everything that was between them even though he was just nearby. Even if he was going to confront her about it—or not…

She sighed when all the “ifs” started to appear in her mind.