Chapter 7 What was wrong with this girl

Raven Blackwood:

I lied. I wasn't going to Italy for any meeting. I mean I was going, but not like it was some urgent meeting, where I had to be present, personally.

Last night, right after the alliance meeting ended, I saw Victor Thorne looking quiet stressed, and making various calls. I casually asked what happened. He didn't hide, and told me his daughter was going to Italy for her studies, and he was worried about her safety.

Listening about his daughter made my brows raise. Not because I was concerned or what for her. But I remembered her behaviour every time I saw her.

The first time, it happened, when two years ago, I visited her house to give flowers, just because she had fainted. She looked at me like I would eat her if she met my eyes for a second longer. After that, there were only a number of times, I saw her. And each time, she either ran away or looked too scared.

Well. That was not the Valerie Thorne I remembered in my memories. She used to be the most cheerful, bubbly, sunshine girl I had ever seen. It would be wrong to say, if I was not pissed off from such reaction.

Initially, I didn't find it odd. I thought, may be it was tantrum, just because I told her father about her nightclub visit. But then, it didn't seem that way either. I wanted to know why.

So, I put some effort, made my assistant, Eliot, basically, to find her favourite things. So, I could give one of them on her eighteenth birthday. But when I did, she literally dropped it. DROPPED IT, even before she could carefully hold it in her hands.

So, I was even more curious, what was up with her reactions, when it came to me. Like I wondered. Did I look like some sort of beast?

That day, I looked in the mirror, basically stared, to see what was wrong with my face, that scared that little girl?

But it didn't matter how long I looked at myself in the mirror for, it was still the same. Handsome. So, what else could it be? My tone. But no, I was always polite to her, never raised my voice either.

So, when last night, I heard she was going to Milan, Italy, tomorrow, I decided to tag along with her. And told her father, and my partner, Victor Thorne, that I was also going to Milan, Italy for some meeting, and I can help her settle down as well. And he readily agreed.

I wanted to see for myself, how would she react upon seeing me joining her little trip. Would she be scared? Would she ran away again? But too bad, she won't have any other choice, but to face me.

Early in the morning today, I took my time to shower, dressed well. I wanted to look presentable. Although, I always looked presentable. But I paid more attention to my appearance, just so I wouldn't scare her.

And then, I paid her home my visit, so we could go to the airport together. As expected, the moment she saw me, her face went pale. My mind wandered to thousand number of reasons for why was she scared now. What did I even do?

Regardless of how much she wanted not to agree to come with me, she was here now. On my private jet, and she had no choice.

I typed some of emails, when I caught her looking at me from the corner of her eyes. I looked up at her. But she already looked away and closed her eyes, pretending to sleep.

I couldn't help but laugh. What was this now?

Time passed slowly. I read some documents, but the view before my eyes was more interesting. I rested my hand against my forehead, and looked at Valerie Thorne.

She was asleep in her seat. And had her head tilted slightly to the side, and lips were parted open, just a little. Her chest rising and falling in a slow rhythms.

If I didn't know her better, I would have thought she was sleeping peacefully. But her fingers... they told a different story. She clenched her fingers tightly in her lap, as if, even in her sleep, her body didn't trust me.

I hated that.

I shifted a little in my seat, just enough to lean forward. I put my elbows on my knees, and quietly watched her like she might ran away again if I blinked.

I wasn't trying to be creepy. I just... wanted to understand.

This girl had once laughed so freely in my father's garden, every time she visited with her father. She used to run around barefoot with her messy hair and eyes glowing. I remembered that image clearly. And now, she avoids me like I carry poison in my veins. What even changed?

Her lashes fluttered suddenly. Not fully awake, but close, it seamed like she was having some bad dream.

I immediately leaned back in my seat, pretended to scroll through my laptop again. I wasn't going to question her now. I had all the time in the world for her. May be I would ask in Milan. But I would.

For now, only one question roamed in my mind. 'Who made her scared of me?'

Because it wasn't me. Not directly. I would've remembered if it was me. I would've noticed. Wouldn't I?

She shifted again, this time leaning slightly against the window.

The fear inside her for me wasn't any random fear. It probably been building inside her for a long time.

I glanced at Eliot, who was sitting two seats back. He had his eyes closed, and headphone on, enjoying the ride, like he was on vacation.

So I sat there silently. Watching her sleep like she was some riddle I had to solve. And I would. Even if I had to tear open the truth she had tried to bury behind her blue eyes.

Soon, the hours passed, and the flight was about to land. I glanced at Valerie Thorne who was doing her makeup with full concentration, like as soon as she will touch the ground, some modelling agency will take her pictures, and she would be a new sensation by tomorrow morning.

I sighed. Girls were never easy to be understood, especially when they were all grown up. But, lowkey, I admired her dedication. She looked beautiful as ever.

Her hand paused mid air as she caught me looking at her. I smiled gently. And then, her lipstick slipped out of her hand.

I shook my head. I couldn't take it anymore. What was wrong with this girl? For heaven's sake? I merely looked at her. Looked, not devoured!