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Nevertheless, I knew it couldn't go on like this forever. Perhaps it had been an exaggeration to reprimand her yesterday, but that didn't change the fact that I was worried – and not without reason or even unjustified.
She was in danger, which was not to be discounted. Even Amedea could not deny that. So why didn't she let me know? I didn't want to tie her to this villa. On the contrary, I could hardly wait to get rid of Amedea. Was her excuse in this regard as plausible as she made it out to be?
I bit my tongue. I knew the answer to that. That just didn't mean I liked it, either.
I took some effort to leave my office and go to the kitchen. Amedea was like clockwork. Every night around the same time she visited the kitchen. Probably after she sat in front of her computer for hours on end and noticed how hungry she’d become.
She raised her head briefly when she heard my footsteps and then concentrated on her plate again. Nevertheless, she seemed surprised. Well, no great wonder, I had spent the last few days adapting my routine to her habits so we didn't run into each other unnecessarily.
Even when I dropped down on a chair opposite her and looked at her, she continued to focus her attention on everything except me. I couldn't blame her, but subconsciously it bothered me a bit.
I cleared my throat, but she ignored that, too.
Of course.
She wanted to draw me out. To get me to make the first move after she had tried to apologize but had not succeeded.
I rolled my eyes and leaned back in the chair, hands clasped behind my head. Amedea was really good at stubbornly holding on to her position.
"You could at least look in my direction," I said.
"Why?" she promptly shot back, her eyes fixed on her plate.
"Because I have something to talk to you about."
She cautiously lifted her gaze in my direction. However, I recognized nothing of the cheerfulness in it that she usually carried around, as if it were a firmly anchored part of her personality. That was probably also my fault.
"And what would that be?"
"I'm sorry about the fight yesterday. We both overreacted, I would say."
She gave a humming sound, already focused on something else. Again, I noticed how much that bothered me. In the beginning, she had tried to get through to me. Now she simply didn't seem to care.
I squinted my eyes and tried to make sense of this change.
"Don't worry about it. I'll stay here until we find a suitable house, and then you can put twenty bodyguards in front of my door. I don't care. The main thing is that I have my peace and don't have to listen to accusations," she replied in a muffled voice.
So that was it? She gave up her position so easily? I had expected resistance. Some form of rebellion. Something that made it difficult to argument her protection was necessary. that made it difficult for me to sell her my protective measures as necessary.
Irritated, I raised an eyebrow, unsure what to say to that. The easiest thing would have been to declare the conversation over and leave her alone again, but I simply wasn't that comfortable.
"If you want, I'll show you the vineyards tonight. They belong to me but are cared for by an employee. At the top, there's a small hut with a viewing platform over the surrounding area." Was that enough to make her more mellow? At least now, she could no longer reproach me for not being interested in her.
"Are you saying that because you want to, or was it a suggestion from Fiero? Or Emilio? Your sister?"
Did she really not trust me to come up with it on my own, or did she just want to provoke me?
"Don't worry. It's completely my idea."
She contorted her face as if she were torn. She was probably considering whether to refuse, as I had already done with her or to accept the olive branch.
"What kind of mood will you be in?"
I should have expected this question, but it still surprised me.
Amused, I looked at her. "I'll do my best to leave the grouch at home."
"Somehow, I find that hard to imagine."
