CHAPTER 31

* She really looks like the portrait* 

Dimitri can't stop giving quick glances at Thea who look so awkward sitting in the passenger's seat while looking at the window. They are on their way to her school, which at this time he could have been at his appointment with his client. But the thought of Thea coming all the way with him at Simon's seems a bother to her, now they are on this silent situation. 

* I should keep my eyes on the road* 

Dimitri gripped the wheel as he sped the car out of frustration startling Thea on the process. He immediately eyed her as he heard her gasp and their eyes met. There it is again, the same thing that happened to him at the museum yesterday which he thinks is just a phantasm, the girl that he saw on the window. It happens again, a blink of Thea's face with her hair tied and fixed elegantly with some strands fell on her temples, far from how she really looked like right now; messy hair and pale lips. 

That split-second send shivers on Dimitri's guts as he looked away terrified. *What is happening to me* 

He then thought about the portrait back in the museum and thought of Thea's face. Questions lurked in his mind again, the same questions that he had the moment he realized that the two looked the same. But the man shook his head. 

* I dont have time for this nonsense, I have other thinks to think about more....Mr. Aguinaldo's attempted assassination, breaking up with Annie and the murder case I am handling. NO time to waste Tri.* 

As he set his mind on planning what to finish on his piling tasks today, his mind still slipped on the person beside him, Thea. He can't stop but observe how uneasy she is, how her legs shake, and how she occasionally bites her nails. He can tell that this girl is not comfortable with him, most girls are. She is young after all, just twenty years. But he remembers how she shivered the first time they met in the back alley of the cafe and she always avoided him and avoided looking at him as much as she could. He noticed it all. It might not be visible to anyone that clear but he is observant. As he connected the dots, from her behavior towards him to the portrait and her looking the same his eyes widened. 

*Is she perhaps avoiding me because she knows about the portrait?*

Once he noticed her starting to calm down and starting to get used to the atmosphere, he stared straight on the road. 

"What time will be you off your class?" He asked. 

Thea's eyes widened in surprise for his sudden question " Huh? I-d-I dont know maybe at one in the afternoon?". she stuttered. 

While having his eyes on road, he quickly glanced at her noticing how she fiddles on her fingers and her eyes wondering about the window. 

*I guess that was quite sudden.* "I'll pick you up." Dimitri added. 

"Sir? I can walk from my school to the cafe sir." *Of course you can! Why would I drive that close?!*

"Not in the cafe." 

"Sir?" 

*Should I just not do this?*

"I want you to come with me after your class, I need to show you something." *Nah, I just need to confirm my suspicions and if she's not what I think she is then quits. I can get back to my work.*  

Hiding his grin amused at how terrified she looked, Dimitri noticed how she started fiddling on the locks on the door. *What is she doing?* 

His eyes widened and immediately locked all the doors, even in the back seat. His brows arched wondering of her actions. *Dont tell me she has another job, Simon mentioned how she got three jobs before while studying. Or is she just afraid of me. Hell! Does she think I am gonna do something with her?!* 

"Do you have another job after your class? I'll pay you double. Hourly." Dimitri asked, determined to make Thea agree on his request. Dimitri felt proud of the thought that he can get rid of this crazy thinking about Thea, the painting and well his nightmares. *It started from nightmares anyway, that's why I crashed at the museum yesterday.*

*Hah! People like you can't say no to money___* 

"Sir_i-its not about the pay but I really need to rest after my class so I can work at the cafe at night___" Thea answered hesitantly avoiding his piercing gaze at her. He looked at her intently seemingly furious at Thea's hesitation. 

He grunts in frustration and grabbed the phone. *How did I end up doing this?!*

"Sir?" Stacy answered on the other line after Dimitri called her. Her tone as he answered her makes him even more furious. "That girl, Thea. She called that she could not make it to work in her shift." 

"She said, she's not feeling well? I don't care. Take her place. I'll pay you double__" Dimitri urgently said on the phone not letting Stacy speak. 

"But sir__" *UGH! Why is everything not going my way?!* Dimitri grunts and hangs up the phone and threw it in the backseat before looking at Thea. 

The girl looks puzzled but even more terrified of him. 

"All fixed, now you can rest later. How about that." Dimitri asked, although calm but in his mind he is slamming several things due to his frustration. *Dont you dare say no girl.*

"Okay." Thea answered as she lowered her heard leaving her no other choice adding to Dimitri's attitude towards her. 

As soon as Thea close the door, he didnt leave until Thea got in the gate, with her backpack on her, she ran fast which made Dimitri roll his eyes. "Why in the hell would she be afraid. She looked like she'll pass out few minutes ago." he mocked and started the engine. 

He reached for his phone in the backseat grunting *Why did I throw this?*  and dialed Theo on the phone. 

"Hey, Theo." 

"What? You still have a score on me for crashing into my museum yesterday___" 

"About that..."

"What?" Theo asked on the other line with his frustration audible on his voice

"I'll rent the museum out for the whole afternoon." 

"What?!"