Chapter-2

Author's Pov

Aurora gulped feeling a weird sensation erupting her spine, this wasn't something new to her but she wasn't just getting used to it. For the past few years, she had felt like someone was constantly following her or watching her but whenever she tried to find the source of her discomfort her efforts always returned hopeless.

But she knew one thing, this feeling always started whenever she went to the cafe for her first job, but again shaking away her uncertainties she reminded herself that she had left nothing in her to allure anyone anymore to be her stalker. In past, all of her friends and the boys who hit on her or were behind her for either her money or her body.

Being 5'5 Aurora had an hourglass body which every girl would kill to have, her waist was slim but not to the extent of being called skinny. Her puffy cheeks, red lips and shiny blue eyes which resembled perfectly with ocean water could drive any man insane. Her once healthy brunette silky locks were the sign of her perfect princess life and at that time attracting men was no big deal to her.

But now she would laugh if anyone told her that they were interested in her, especially at how depressed she always looked. Even though her height remained the same but her once hourglass body was nowhere to be seen. Her waist had turned terribly slim to the extent of being called malnourished, and her fragile arms and legs were another story, she had noticed how only once her male colleague touched her arm and instantly left it fearing that he might break it at how skinny it felt in his hand.

Her once healthy hair had fallen so much that she was now ashamed of letting them down, even an old woman would have better hair than her now. Her chubby cheeks had turned extremely dainty but fortunately not enough to show her cheekbones, but indeed her jawline had turned sharper than before because of her extreme weight loss. Her dry slightly pink lips, dull eyes and pale face could never attract any men anymore. 

And it wasn't like she wanted to, her heart was stuck on that one particular guy and no matter how many men might enter her life she would never be able to move on. Maybe dying in his memories was her fate and surprisingly this fact didn't bring any sorrow to her instead she felt a wave of happiness against her chest each time she thought of ending this misery.

She was living for her father, he was the only reason she hadn't lost the battle of her mind and heart otherwise only God knows she had nothing to live. She was surviving and she had to keep going, it was her punishment for what she did to him. And she knew it still wasn't enough, until she was alive she had to repent. 

But only if she knew, her real repentance didn't even start yet.

"Aurora," She flinched coming out of her trance, turning towards the smiling guy, she returned his joyful grin with her small ones.

"Felix," She greeted her only co-worker and a friend. Well not really a friend but as they had been working together for almost 5 years now, Felix had put a stamp on their relationship as a friendship one and Aurora didn't really have the heart to say no to him, especially at how he had helped her so many times.

"Come on, why are you standing here alone? I have been waiting for you so long, I called you here not to stand but help me with the shopping. We didn't come to this shopping mall for you to stand alone, come!" As always Felix didn't touch her but motioned her to follow him.

Felix only once touched her and at that time Aurora told him she didn't like to be touched by anyone, so after that, the man respected her boundary and never made any move to come closer to her. Felix was already engaged and had a beautiful fiance who used to work with them, these two were the only people who actually approached Aurora and befriended her even though she tried her best to stay anonymous.

Felix's fiance was pregnant and they were going to get married in a month, so Felix invited her and a few of his friends who were their colleagues as well to go shopping together, that way he would be able to do wedding shopping and also would give everyone an invitation to their wedding. Aurora didn't want to come here because of two reasons, first, she didn't want to hear taunts from her other colleagues for being rude as she never cared to interact with them.

And second, she had no money to shop here, she simply said yes to help Felix with the shopping. She followed the joyful man while gazing around the place, Felix entered the jewellery shop and gestured for her to choose, she smiled a bit reminiscing the moment when Laura, his fiance clearly ordered her to select jewellery for her as Laura always claimed that Aurora's choice was the best.

She selected the jewellery with much attentive measure taking a long time, but as soon as she succeeded in her quest she noticed the man heave out a sigh of relief like finally he was free from the imprisonment. She chuckled at his dramatic gestures and looked around the shop when her eyes suddenly halted on a beautiful, simple and elegant pendant.

Grey-hued eyedrop-shaped pendant dangled on the silver chain, that colour. It reminded her of the eyes that never left her mind, the same beautiful crystals she had at her mercy without any effort but she didn't cherish it. Her ungrateful egoistic heart didn't treasure it. Her eyes and attention were completely stuck over the exquisite pendant making the man behind her follow her emotional gaze.

Felix smiled noticing her staring at the piece, he secretly went near the worker and asked the person to pack the simple pendant which had gained her whole attention as well. Felix had no idea why Aurora was such a silent woman, she never shared any of her problems with them. It was obvious she was suffering a lot but the woman's facade of being fine was stronger than anything else.

Aurora's eyes broke away from the pendant when Felix called her, she turned around only to gasp out when she found him raising the box whose lid was opened revealing the same pendant she was watching a while ago. She snapped her eyes at the smiling man realising that he had bought it for her.

"No Felix, I can't take that, please don't---" Felix sighed before nearing her leaving a respectful distance between them.

"Aurora, you have helped me so much today, and you have to help me even more now, so please it's a small token of appreciation from me. Please take it," She again refused it shaking her head.

"I am helping you as a friend, so please don't do this." A full-blown smile appeared over the overjoyed man as he pushed the box near her even more.

"Finally, you called me your friend. So fine as a friend I am gifting you something please take it. You never told me your birthday and never have you ever accepted any of the gifts I gave you. But now you also accepted the fact that we are friends so please take it otherwise it will hurt me a lot and will show only one thing that you had not considered me as your friend." As expected Aurora's eyes softened not getting how emotionally he was blackmailing her into giving in so finally not wanting to hurt him she extended her hand hesitantly grabbing the box.

The past scars were still fresh on her mind and heart, she could never forget how she had hurt so many people in her immaturity especially that one particular man, and now even the slightest thought of being the reason for someone's sadness scared her. She would rather stay alone her whole life but would never want anyone to feel hurt because of her. She had vowed never to be a reason for someone's pain or tears again.

"Come on wear it," Felix said in excitement making her gulp down as she stared at the pendant once again which again reminded her of his eyes.

Taking a deep breath she pulled the pendant out and carefully clicked it around her dainty neck letting the grey crystal fall lazily over the dip between her bony collarbone. Felix smiled and nodded in appreciation, "This looks perfect on you, beautiful." She smiled lightly at the gleeful man before they again got busy in the shopping hunt.

But what she didn't know was the hawk eyes of her predator, he might not be near her all the time to examine her every action but he indeed had his eyes stuck over her. His body might not stalk her but his eyes did, and the poor woman had no idea what by accepting that gift she had done to provoke the merciless beast. 

"Sembra che non posso più lasciarti solo, veleno mio." He whispered in the dark empty room. (Seems like I can't leave you on your own anymore, my venom.)

The twisted smile graced his lips as he leaned back against the chair watching her each move with his calculative gaze through the CCTV footage of the mall. She had no idea what this action had started, he had seen her for years rejecting the gifts offered by this man before but suddenly she accepted that gift and had some doubt that she might be willing to move on and that had struck him hard.

He narrowed his eyes before nodding his head, seems like it was finally the time to strike for the last time. He had to play his last triumph card when he will see that father-daughter duo crying on their knees begging him for his mercy but would he show it? 

No, he would be the same heartless bastard that they were to him once.

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The Italian is from G****e translation so don't mind.

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