Laleen was shocked when Amelia suddenly fell to the floor, her mouth kissing the ground quite literally.
Her eyes widened as she stared at her fallen self laying ungraciously on the floor with her butt sticking out and she took a step backward out of pure instinct.
Amelia on the other hand couldn't believe her eyes. What the hell just happened?
A second ago she was walking confidently towards the lowly waitress but a second later, she stumbled.
Her green eyes quickly darted to the culprit which was none other than Mr Degavon's foot which he had cleanly brought back to his side like it was nothing.
His foot! He had purposely put his foot out so she could stumble!
Her face contorted in confusion. But why?
Suddenly her eyes widened in realization. No... Surely there was no way he realized!
It took a bit more effort than usual and gritting teeth to mask pain before Amelia was finally able to get on her feet.
She smiled victoriously at Laleen as though she was the cause of her fall. Feeling creeped out by her smile which Amelia herself didn't realize how awkward it looked, Laleen took another step back.
This simple action Amelia viewed as an insult and her face immediately contorted into an ugly frown.
Her falling was just accidental, she told herself. There was no way that Mr. Degavon had spotted her stick out her foot to make the lowly waitress stumble.
And she was very careful when she spilled water on her to avoid soiling Mr. Degavon himself. There was no reason for him to be against her on this matter.
Assuring herself of this, the initial fear that gripped her dissipated like mist. She was totally fine. Now to punish this maid.
She took another hasty step forward and this time it was the lowly waitress who screamed at her in panic.
"Careful!' Laleen shouted as she stared at the ground where Amelia was about to take another step forward before she instinctively froze at Laleen's warning.
Slowly Amelia looked down and to her horror, Mr. Degavon's leg was positioned right in front of her, probably to make her fall once again.
All the color paled from her face as she swallowed dryly. As creepy as it was, he wasn't even looking at any of them. The man seemed to be immersed in his own world as he flipped through page after page of the menu in his hands.
The unreadable expression on his face as he sat calmly amidst the chaos that was starting to bubble sent both women swallowing in fear.
Laleen just stared at him. She was still shocked when she realized that it was his leg that made the green-eyed woman stumble. She hadn't seen it the first time at all. Wait, was he the one who made her stumble as well?!
A look of apprehension spread across her face as an unknown fear gripped her. But still…she found herself finding it hard to believe. Why would he even do that?
Strange, she finally thought, never tearing her gaze away from him. He hadn't done anything and yet…
"I haven't done anything so why are the both of you so scared" He finally spoke the words that were just in her mind. The sheer coincidence was enough to make Laleen swallow hard.
But she wasn't the only one feeling the pressure that radiated from this man. Amelia could feel it tenfold!
They watched as he slowly brought his movements to a pause as he finally dropped the menu on the table.
Slowly he looked towards them, holding Amelia's gaze for barely a second and then finally at Laleen.
Laleen couldn't help the shiver that ran through her spine. Why was she scared? At the thought, her eyebrows furrowed and she stared bravely at the man in front of her. She did nothing wrong so she refused to let herself feel so intimidated.
If Shane was surprised at her bold stare, he didn't show it. Rather his gaze slowly returned to Amelia.
A cold gust of wind seemed to have blown into the cafe as he locked eyes with the green-eyed woman. How could the temperature get extra chilly so quickly?
Laleen could only hug herself tighter feeling the cold wetness of her clothes. God, she was the one suffering here.
"Miss Olivia," he called out calmly. Amelia could only shiver like a leaf on the spot knowing she had been found out.
She couldn't even dare to correct him. Just how much was he not paying attention?
She was not Olivia but Amelia.
Slowly, he tilted his head in sheer wonder. He seemed genuinely interested in knowing what was going through her mind. And then his lips raised ever so slightly, almost like it never happened. Was that his effort to smile at her? It felt like a death sentence to poor Amelia.
His voice was indescribably cold and seemed to cut through the tension that had accumulated around them. And yet it was calm as he questioned.
"Do you not like the idea of peace? Or is it the quiet that you struggle to enjoy?"
He regarded her with a welcoming expression as if sincerely wanting to hear her honest thoughts. But a certain glint in his eyes told her the exact opposite. Her fingers were starting to tremble uncontrollably as she struggled to connect her words.
"I-I like…I-I" She stammered. All the while, Shane urged her on.
"Go on. You like what, Miss Olive?" He probed in an encouraging tone. Was this man doing it on purpose? He just gave her another name that wasn't hers.
Laleen took a step backward gingerly. Somehow this man's cold aura made her shiver more than the chilly weather.
There was something otherworldly about his presence, especially now he appeared to be…angry? She wasn't sure.
This man was too mysterious. She found herself drawn towards him but also immediately repelled. She couldn't get closer than this. She had a feeling he wouldn't let her.
But there was one thing she was at least sure of and most definitely grateful for. She was not on the receiving end of this mysterious man's questions.
Amelia felt like she was being asked her final questions before she would be executed.
"Tell me, Miss Olive. Were you not shown love and care while growing up? Are you perhaps what people call a sadist?"
With every question he asked, Amelia's response was a dutiful 'no'. She kept her eyes downwards as though terrified to look him in the eye and she sounded like she was about to cry
Laleen's face could only pale in shock at the woman in front of her. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. Was this not the same woman who arrogantly spilled water on her a few minutes ago?
Her behavior had undergone a complete 180-degree change. Laleen could feel the seeds of sympathy sprouting within her chest. Compared to her mistake, the green-eyed woman wasn't at fault. Amelia just behaved like every other arrogant rich lady would.
He should stop, a voice suddenly whispered to her. Laleen found herself agreeing immediately before she froze. Could she make him stop?
A sense of determination seized her as she straightened her shoulders, having come to a firm decision. All the fault was hers. Not the green-eyed woman no matter how rude she was. And was he not the one who made her stumble? Was he not?
She took a step forward to tell him exactly what was on her mind. It wasn't Amelia's fault in any way.
But that was until she heard his next words. "Move those lips of yours and tell me, Miss Olive. Do you have a fetish for having waitresses stumble while serving you?"
It felt like someone had dumped a bucket of icy cold water all over her.
S-She...was behind her fall?!
It suddenly dawned on her as she took a step back. There was no need to plead for someone so despicable.
It all made sense now.