When the knock came again, Mia shook her head just like a dog would shake its fur to make itself dry. Throwing her ringing phone which bore Beatrice's name to the bed, she stood up, wiped her face dry before hurrying towards the door.
When she opened the door, she allowed just her head to peek out while her doe eyes stared at him in anticipation. What would be his next move?
Rey stared at her and all his anger vanished into thin air like there was never there. Her eyes were red and swollen, she probably did notice.
"I have to step out." He stared and watched her face get tight with fear.
'Would he tell me to leave before he is back?' She thought and wanted to swallow, but even that was too difficult to do.
"I don't need to tell you to get something to eat." He blabbered and wondered why he was blabbering.
There was a tiny frown on her face.
"When I am back, we will have to talk." He stated, all care and soreness gone from his face, leaving her in absolute fear.
She looks at him searchingly but he keeps a straight face.
"Yes Sir." Her voice was shaky.
"Good." He looked down at her and she felt like an unworthy servant. She would need to beg him for his forgiveness once he was back.
She did all she did on impulse but he only gave her a single nod that left her wondering if that counted as a nod at all, a slight movement of his head and then he was gone.
She was left to stare at his back as he receded into his car and drove away without stopping to look back.
Rey fought so hard to stop himself from looking back. He guessed she was still watching, he had strained his ears to hear at least the slight movement of the door and heard nothing. He needed to think of how to put everything in order and stop the madness going on once and for all.
He had considered going in to dress more formally, but thought against it. He was going to see his mum and not some strange business partners.
Before he drove out, he looked at the direction of Mia's room to see the door just closing. Ah hah! He would have to keep his part of the deal and get Sabrina what she had requested for.
Keeping down the bile at the back of his throat, he stopped at Fredrick's store. He didn't want to see Fredrick but Fredrick was just right at the reception as if waiting for someone that looked like him. For a split second, he thought Fredrick knew he was coming.
When Fredrick gave him a smile, he ignored it.
"You don't need to be that grumpy, let's push personal matters to the side and focus on business." He smiled at him walking into a deeper section of the store and Rey tucked his lower thin lips behind his upper teeth.
'The sly thing.' He stared at Fredrick's now relaxed back.
"What would you want, Rey Rey?" Fredrick's smile annoyed him.
If a few workers weren't following behind to serve both of them, he would have taken Fredrick unawares and punched him in the face but would he really take Fredrick unawares? The man was always prepared for anything.
When Reynaldo didn't respond, Fredrick turned back to look at him and had one of his annoying smiles plastered on his face.
"Or is it for the Princess? I can make the best pick of everything." He smiled more brightly and Rey saw red.
Reynaldo rushed at Fredrick, holding his fancy collar with his left hand while his right hand was in the air ready to punch him in the face.
"Go on." Fredrick's lips smiled, facing downwards and he gave a shrug.
"You all can leave." He signaled to his panicked employees and after some minutes of hesitation.
"Don't you dare…" Rey's words were forced, his eyes were fierce but Fredrick remained calm.
"Dare what?"
"Mia." Rey mentioned.
"Leave her alone." He ordered.
"She would come to me herself if you treat her poorly because I'd be there to make her feel better." Fredrick smiled.
Rey who imagined it happened got pissed and released his punch, right at Fredrick's mouth, making the guy stumble backwards a bit.
"Keep your mouth shut!" His shoulders were lifted and they remained that way.
"You could have hit any other place." Fredrick wiped the trace of blood off his lips before looking at Reynaldo like he didn't feel the pain.
"I need a designer bag and a pair of shoes for Sabrina. I'd be waiting in the car, get it delivered." With that, he turned and stepped out, ignoring Fredrick's disapprovingly 'tsks' and the scurrying feet of the eavesdropping employees.
***
Holding the bags and refusing help from a servant, Rey steps into the already opened door and frowns when he sees the Peters in deep conversation with his mother whose hands were flying everywhere trying to give a perfect description to whatever she was saying.
'If the Mr. And Mrs. Peters was here, then…' He thought as his eyes scanned the room and even further to the corner to see the last person he would want to see at the moment. Celine!
As if noticing his eyes on her, Celine looked at once and caught his gaze. She gave a wide smile that Rey doubted came from her heart and called him as loud as she could.
"Ooh Reyyy!!" She drops her phone and runs towards him.
He stood rooted to the floor as every eye was on him, his sister who had been glaring at Celine before she noticed him now looked at him with her head shaking slowly to the side in disapproval.
Celine jumps on him, wrapping her legs around him in a silent demand to be carried but he just stands, immobilized and angry.
Was this the surprise? He looked at his mother to see her bright smile, at Mr. Peters to see his silent nod of approval and at Mrs. Peters to her place her hand over her lips, probably suppressing a giggle.