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Not ten minutes later, I was back in my room, throwing myself on the bed and crying so bitterly as if I wanted to flood the entire world.
Never again will I let that man get to me,I vowed, and my hatred for him burned almost as intensely as my longing for him.
CHAPTER 40
The next morning at breakfast, I sat stiff as a board between Aza and Chris. My eyes were still swollen and red from all the tears. I had told Aza that I was allergic to the gorgeous purple houseplant.
She gazed at me suspiciously but didn't mention the unnatural redness afterward.
“Did you all sleep well?” Tanael asked his guests while Sam handed me the bread basket with a pitying look. Had his boss told him about that embarrassing moment tonight?
I would have liked to sink into the ground and jump into Tanael’s face with sharpened claws at the same time, whereby the latter gained more encouragement from my being.
“MissMyrina, I hope you also slept well,” Tanael now addressed me. I felt his caramel-colored eyes on me.
If I didn’t look up now, I was letting him win, and I couldn’t let that happen. So I scraped together the last bit of pride, lifted my eyes, and gave him such a radiant smile he backed away a little.
"Thank you for asking,Mr. Baldur," I replied formally and saccharinely. "After a rude, ugly insect finally disappeared into thin air, I slept like a baby on clouds."
Sam nearly choked on his coffee, and Zuri smirked to herself. Only Tanael looked at me in horror. Unimpressed and without avoiding his gaze, I bit into my roll. I would imagine his face on the punching bag tonight in the training room. The thought of it reawakened my fighting spirit.
Without hesitation, I struck verbally. “So, how was your night,Mr. Baldur? I hope you didn’t have any nightmares about the rage-filled darkness that will send your shattered heart into the nearest black hole.”
Using his story as a metaphor for what I would like to do to him was not decent, but it felt very good at that moment. Tanael visibly swallowed, and uncertainty settled on his features. My heart ached, but I kept trying to tell myself he didn’t deserve it any other way.
Cold suddenly penetrated his caramel eyes like mist, darkly enveloping them and making him shake off his uncertainty until he looked menacingly over at me.
"I can assure you,MissMyrina. I slept well despite an annoying mosquito that wouldn't leave me alone, even though I had already chased it away once. Apparently, she just can't get enough of me."
We glared angrily at each other and, during our verbal exchange, had forgotten everyone else at the table, who were now staring at us with open mouths. How was I going to explain this to Dad and my brothers?
Tanael sucked in the air in a controlled manner, and a calmness settled over his face that made me shudder. Suddenly, everyone concentrated only on their food, as if nothing had happened. The only ones who occasionally gazed at me with encouragement were Aza, Sam, and Zuri. Tanael paid no attention to me throughout the rest of breakfast, and after the meal was over, I excused myself with a headache and stayed inmy room until we left. I even turned down Chris’ offer to take me for a walk on the beach.
I never wanted to meet this man, Tanael Baldur, again. Never. Still enraged, I packed my things into the suitcase and demonstratively left the dress from the reception on the bed together with the shoes and jewelry.
"Are you sure you don't want to pack it?" asked Aza as she came to pick me up to leave. Disappointed, my eyes flew back to the evening dress that had looked so good on me. But I couldn't take it because it would always remind me of him.
"No," I said firmly and walked past my friend down to the entrance hall, where the rest of the family was already saying goodbye to our host, Zuri and Sam. I saw Stephan waiting next to the limousine through the open front door. I would have preferred to go directly to him, but etiquette demanded that I also say goodbye and thank him.
Unobtrusively, I hid behind my brothers, hoping to sneak out unseen.
They had already taken their leave and now helped the butler and Sam carry the luggage to the car.
"Myrina, please say goodbye to our hosts!" My father said before I had slipped all the way through the door. Cursing silently, I went back into the entrance hall.You can do this, I told myself.
“Mr. Baldur, I believe my presence is required when loading the luggage,” Dad apologized while looking anxiously toward the limousine. Immediately, he booted out, leaving me alone with Mr. and Mrs. Baldur.
Zuri took a step toward me and held out her hand. She gave me such a sweet smile that I couldn't blame her for being married to the man I so painfully longed for but who would always remain out of reach for me.
“It was nice to have seen you again, Myrina!” she let me know in a soft voice, but I hardly heard what she said because of nervousness.
“Thank you for your hospitality,” I rattled off as if automatically.
She observed me thoughtfully. “I’ll leave you two alone then.” In the next second, she disappeared through a door. I would have loved to yell after her to come back. Stealthily, I looked around, but even Aza was no longer in the entrance hall.
The best thing would be to get it over with quickly. So, with lowered eyelids, I took a step toward Tanael and held my hand to him.
“Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Baldur,” I murmured. But instead of taking my hand, he gently put his fingers around my chin and lifted it until I could no longer avoid his gaze.
