Chapter Eleven: Phone

I slowly looked up to Dark who was tightly hugging me as he furrowed his eyebrows and watched the car sprinting away which was about to hit me a while ago. I could see his chiseled jaw above my forehead, making me gulp due to its intense feeling it was giving me.

 

“Fuck that driver…” he mumbled and looked down at me. “Are you okay?”

 

I immediately shook my head and snapped out from my thoughts so I could push his chest away. “I… I’m sorry…” I said and cleared my throat.

 

“Why are you mad, by the way?” he asked.

 

“I am not,” I denied abruptly and turned my back on him, only to realize that my heart was beating so fast.

 

We entered the mall after the guard examined the two of us. A woman in a black suit and hair in a bun who was formally standing in front of the guard straightened up as she saw us. I was about to ignore her, but Dark approached her half way. I squinted my eyes and did not have any choice but to follow.

 

“Good day, sir,” the serious woman greeted with a frowning face. “I hope you have a nice morning.”

 

I arched my eyebrow. Woah, what was that?

 

My eyes ventured on the entirety of the serious woman. She was not pretty. Rather, very formal and masculine from her stance and style. My attention was caught at the side of her left hip. A peeking gun’s hole. Its color just blended on her suit, but because I am very accustomed to hidden details of every outfit of a person and taught of different types of guns, it was not hard for me to distinguish that this woman is a fighter. She won’t be confronting Dark if she is not.

 

Dark nodded and turned to me. “Rose, this is Secretary Minerva. She will assist you today with the stylist and the makeup artist she hired,” he said. “I have an urgent meeting to attend to, so I might just leave you under her protection.”

 

I tried very, very hard to snort and raised my eyebrows the way he said that I will be protected in the hands of his secretary. But I only smiled and obeyed.

 

“Then we will wait for you to come back,” I said.

 

He only stared for me seconds before he fished out his phone and dialed a number to call. I followed him with my gaze before he went out the exit. I regarded the secretary who was waiting for me.

 

Secretary Minerva, huh?

 

“Hi!” I greeted in enthusiasm and reached out my hand. “I am Rose Echavez.”

 

“Nice meeting you, Ms. Echavez,” she said formally and slightly bowed her head.

 

“Do you mind if I ask where Dark is going? I mean, you are his secretary and all. You might know?”

 

“Mr. Vergara forbade me to tell you anything, Ms. Echavez,” she said and paved the way to demonstrate for me to walk. “Shall we?”

 

Hmmm, loyal. I like her.

I did what she wanted me to do. I led the way. I have been in this mall almost everyday. I know where every store is located, from shoes, clothes, and cosmetics. Secretary Minerva was explaining the directions where we should go, so I would just follow her instructions even though I am already familiar with the boutiques and salons inside the mall.

 

Thankfully, because of my black hair wig, contact lens, and no makeup on, I was not recognized by the sales workers in every store we entered. I insisted not to touch my hair and just did my makeup. The secretary did not force me to do so.

 

For over two hours that passed by, I saw myself in fabulous makeup, Chanel coat dress, and Saint Laurent boots. It was the stylist’s choice, and I was so impressed by what she did that I would love to hire her the next time we do this. I wonder how much her rate is.

 

“Hmmm, I look pretty,” I whispered and turned around in front of the whole body mirror inside the dressing room.

 

“Ms. Echavez? Mr. Vergara is already outside the mall. He is looking for you,” Secretary Minerva announced from the outside of the dressing room.

 

Ugh, can’t she know that I am busy admiring myself right now?

 

But instead of following my mind, I finished fixing myself and went outside the dressing room where I caught Secretary Minerva looking at her watch. She barely cared about my appearance and merely led the way for us to walk.

 

I could notice how people we passed by would still glance at me. I was already used to the attention since I was a kid; not only because of the political power of my father, but also to my beauty. Because I am not only beautiful. I am a beauty who is also extraordinary and confident in every way.

 

Did I flatter myself that much?

 

I secretly giggled.

 

Secretary Minerva guided me to the parking lot. She approached an Aston Martin and opened its passenger seat. I did not hesitate to enter inside where I saw Dark holding the steering wheel from the passenger’s seat. After his secretary closed the door, she immediately bowed and walked away from the car without even saying anything to Dark.

 

“Let’s go,” Dark said and maneuvered the car without even looking at me.

 

I looked up and wanted to open the mirror above the car, but he would be suspicious since a poor girl like me will never be familiar with a car’s features. I deeply sighed.

 

“W-What is this? Can I touch this one?” I asked with innocence and pointed to the thing above me.

 

He glanced at it for a second before his eyes went back to the road. “There is a mirror under it. You can open it,” he said.

 

I grinned.

 

Well, that was what I was talking about!

 

I acted slowly because I wanted him to know that I was so new to it. I even gasped to prove my ignorance. I could barely see from my peripheral vision that he kept turning his head to my direction, as if he was weirded out by what I was doing.

 

When I was done, I began focusing on my face from the reflection of the mirror while he was busy driving through the busy, long road. Suddenly, he sighed and grabbed something from the dashboard. Before I could even turn my head to look at him, he already placed a white box on my lap. I looked at it with confusion.

 

“Have you held a cellphone?” he asked and then shook his head later on as if he just realized something. “Oh, I forgot that you do not remember your past.”

 

“Uhhhh, Hector had a cellphone once. Whenever I would borrow it, I would… call one of our neighbors,” I said. “So I know how to use it.”

 

“That is good,” he said. “I bought you one.”

 

“You did not have to…”

 

Because I have one!

 

“You have to so that I can contact you from the mansion whenever I have an agenda in my business,” he explained. “Open it.”

 

Without saying anything, I began opening the white box. Slight excitement was inside me because it was the latest model of the brand that was just released last week. I bet it was a very expensive one.

 

I had to stare at the black screen when I managed to open the box. It was literally the latest model. I had to hold back my excitement just to stay calm and not squeal. 

"Wow," I mumbled with a small, soft voice. "This is beautiful." I withdrew the phone and turned to him after. "Thank you, Dark."

"You're welcome."

I spent the whole time in the car manipulating the cellphone and was amazed by how generous he is despite his austere and cold nature. He was so focused on driving because the road was so full of fog. If I opened the window, the cold temperature would attack us. We are in the coldest city of the country. 

"We're here," Dark announced. 

We stopped in front of the entrance of a small cabin. I expected that we are going to a hotel because that was what he informed me when we were in the mansion. He went outside the car and opened the door for me.

While I was appreciating the beauty around the place, he was busy hovering his eyes on my whole appearance. There was a glimpse of sadness in his gaze, and I don't even know why.