Chapter Nine: Finding Vica

The moon was up and everything was so quiet and calm. Vica dressed in a black singlet and black casual pants, her black hair tied in a ponytail. The blue water in the pool alongside the moon reflected on her skin, giving her a blue shade skin tone as well.

Xavier on the other hand had on a gray shirt that hugged his body bringing out his abs and physique. His hands were in the pockets of the evening joggers. They stood by the pool in absolute silence, except for the squawking of an evening bird.

Vica robbed her hands, the evening breeze gave her the chills. "Next time don't wear so little, it gets cold here in the evening. " Xavier cautioned.

Vica chuckled without responding to his statement. She hated the familiarity he was building between them, there wasn't going to be a next. The only reason she accepted a walk around the mansion was because she felt the need after being unconscious for quite some time.

Xavier moved close to her and touched the bandage wrapped around her head. " Is the pain still there? Nurse Inna doesn't come till the day after tomorrow, " Xavier said, with so much affection and concern.

Vica frowned and walked away, she hated that he acted as though they'd known each other for so long.

She moved further from the pool following the path she could see and Xavier followed her, " What's the matter with you? " He asked, perplexed by her indifferent behavior toward him.

Vica stopped in her tracks and turned around. "You wanna know? "she asked, taking slow steps towards him.

"Enlighten me, " Xavier responded with a scoff.

"I am not your friend and won't be, stop all this care stuff, they irritate me so much." Vica recounted, poking her finger on his chest.

Xavier smiled at her words instead. " Irrespective of the fact that you saved my life. I wish so much you didn't. "

Xavier took her hands in his and smiled warmly at her, he had watched her while she was unconscious without leaving her side. He had never felt so attached before or the need to be nice to someone, but somehow Vica made him feel that way.

" Come with me, " he ordered, pulling her by the hand. Though reluctant, Vica followed without any objections.

They arrive at a great garden, beautiful and neat. The flowers were pretty, one thing wrong was they looked unkempt. The gardener had surely not turned in the past two weeks.

Vica felt happy and at peace. The air smelt very nice and good. She bent down to pick out some among the tulips. " Don't! " Xavier stopped her, holding her hand. " You aren't putting on any gloves, "

"Makes no difference to me, " she simply said.

" This is my peace, I enjoy planting flowers. It's a sign that tomorrow will be beautiful. " Xavier said with a distant sadness it didn't reach his eyes but his eyes sparkled in the moon. "You know, just like a flower blooms at dawn, is our hope that tomorrow is coming with happiness and a beautiful life. "

"You could die before tomorrow comes, some flowers die before they blossom. " Vica retorted, walking away.

Xavier didn't understand why she turned out to be so pessimistic about everything. Who made you this hard on yourself? He asked himself.

" Which is your favorite, these right here are my souvenirs from any country I visit." Xavier said with an enigmatic smile.

"Can't find any at all. I think you are too colorful."She looked around shaking her head in the negative. " Not a single flower is near my liking. "

"Too colorful? " Xavier was quite confused. He was going to guess the tulip or the blue roses.

"This garden looked like it was owned by a Disney princess." She mocked chuckling." You need a tiara, I mean lily, Dahlia, orchid, lotus? " She cracked another chuckle." Are you in love with rainbows, cause it looks like you brought a rainbow home."

Xavier enjoyed her laughs and smiles but his ego was hurt, this was his pride, and wasn't going to stand back and watch someone make jest of him.

" Here is a deal, I'll give up half my garden to you. Plant your own flowers, let's see which are more beautiful, " Xavier announced with a blink of excitement.

Vica frowned at his statement walking away. "No!" she responded without looking back.

"Why?"

" The moment I get well enough, I'm leaving your life and your garden" Vica informed with a scowl.

She hated whatever he was up to. Making room in his life for her, giving her a comfortable place. Something she loathes. Yes, this was all part of the plan but the more fond and close she got to it would make things harder to execute when the time came. She was already having a soft spot for him and that scared her the most.

" I did some background check about you, Ludovica, "Xavier informed quietly. " Apart from the fact that your life is in danger, you have nowhere else to go if you leave this place." Xavier shrugged," I'm giving you not only safety but shelter."

Vica frowned at his words. " When you invite death to your home, don't make things easy for her, " She responded walking towards the door.

Xavier, confused at her words, ran after her and grabbed her wrist, cautious not to hurt her. " I'd like to know what that statement meant " he demanded with a hint of anger in his voice.

" The last time I checked, detectives don't seek permission to know, they just intrude and get their answers, " she responded with a sly smile.

A maid walked in on them with a phone: " Sorry to interrupt Sir, but you have an urgent call. "She announced a bit nervous about the situation.

" Will attend to the call in the study in a while." Xavier answered dismissing her without saying a word.

The maid didn't leave though it was obvious her message had been responded to." Anything else Lizzie?" Xavier asked, sounding pissed, he still didn't let go of Vica's wrist.

" Sir it's the District head, sir, he ordered you to report immediately after you get the message" Lizzie responded a bit scared.

" Go to your duty," Xavier ordered.

The maid half ran out of their presence. Vica looked at her wrist and then at Xavier, then the retreating figure of the maid. Xavier understood the message and let go of her wrist.

Vica walked upstairs without looking back, she wasn't comfortable around her victim. It's bad enough that they shared a kiss before, though he doesn't know yet.

She needed some time to meet up with Shadow and discuss the plan since things were moving faster. She had to find a way, direct communication wasn't advisable, and Xavier must have put a tap on her already.

****

Xavier walked in hanging his coat on the portico. He folded up his sleeves, looking around the house, Lizzie took his briefcase and handed it to another maid who took it to the study.

" Welcome, sir." she greeted with a slight bow. Lizzie was a small-skinned lady, probably in her late 30s, her blond hair short and hanging on her neckline.

" How is she? " Xavier ignored her greetings, looking around instead.

" She hasn't left her room for two days now. Lizzie informed with regret.

Xavier frowned at the feedback. " What about her drugs, has she been consistent? "

" Can't tell sir, "Lizzie answered. The woman has never said a word to any of them since she got here. After Xavier left for work the night they had a misunderstanding, she came down for breakfast the day after that and for dinner and that was it.

Not a word, the maids knocked at her door but she didn't open up. Xavier sighed and ran upstairs. He knocked at her and she didn't open up. He was worried, she hadn't answered her calls.

He pushed the door and then found out it was open. He went back downstairs after looking in the bathroom.

He asked the guards and they said she didn't go out, she must be in the house, but where?

Xavier went to the garden and discovered she had attended to the garden weeding out the grass among the Flowers, she trimmed some and started her nursery.

Xavier smiled a bit satisfied by what he saw. He went back to the mansion freshened up and had his lunch. At every point his eyes were at the door, hoping she would walk through any moment.

He went back to the office to study the files he brought back home, and ended up sleeping on his desk. He didn't realize how tired he was, he woke up feeling all sore and weak.

He called for coffee and Lizzie brought in a mug of coffee after five minutes. " Is she back yet? " he asked, immediately Lizzie moved in with the coffee.

A disappointed look surfaced on Lizzie's face, she bowed her head. " I'm sorry sir, "

" you can leave now"

Xavier took his coffee and walked to the window, looking at the sunset, he remembered when he first saw those unusual amber eyes. How her face shone in the sunset blazing through her skin and how her hair colour changed. He remembered her in his arms and wondered what it felt like looking at her struggle to see his face despite the sunset acting as a hindrance.

"Where are you, Vica? " he asked, gulping down the coffee. He dropped the cup on the table and walked outside.

When he stepped outside, the evening breeze, he felt relief but his mind was still thinking of Vica and her whereabouts. Yes, he knew that she'd come back home, but he just wanted to see her.

He left three days ago without seeing her, just a message to her through Lizzie that he had been called for work.

When he got to the back of the building, the nostalgic feeling came rushing to his mind. This part of the building was ancient and completely different from the modern structure at the front.

The two parts of the building were like a dichotomy between the past and the present. This part of the building had ancient furniture, starting from the structures to the interior design.

It was a perfect blend for the sides of the building to coexist. If one hadn't come behind here they wouldn't know this part existed.

Xavier tried to open the door but discovered it was open. It's been a while since he came behind here, maybe Lizzie forgot to close the door after cleaning, he thought. He stepped in sniffing the dusty crusty smell, no matter how much cleaning was done back here, the dusty smell never went away and he loved it.

He walked to the drawing room that he had turned into an art studio. This room reeked of paints and other art materials.

Filled with palettes, drawing boards, cardboard, pencils, paint, brushes, canvas, a good daylight lamp, paint scraper, and paper rags. The room was a complete studio.

Xavier looked at the painting of his grandmother and with a sad smile he said, "Mi manchi, Nonna. "