My Poor Vanya

Rhodes hummed and looked at Giles. He turned to the woman. "Don't sign my proposal for today. I'd need to change a few details. I won't let the people of Menorosa get hurt further. Bring in your own catering and manpower. I expect you not to drag the defenseless to this party."

"You will still allow us to host the party here?" Kathy lifted her brows in disbelief. "I thought you'd back off since it's dangerous."

"The party will happen one way or another. I don't want you to hold a party in an innocent neighborhood. You already told me that this was urgent for your community. The most I can do to help is to provide a place where no one else can be implicated." Rhodes glanced in Giles's direction. "Giles, if it helps, why don't you take your family on a vacation on that weekend?"

Giles pressed his lips into a line. He whispered, "I can organize a team building weekend for the employees instead. My wife can join us while my daughter can stay with her friends."

He leaned a hand on the table. "Are you sure you want to do this, Rhodes? You just woke up from a deadly accident and lost your memories. You just started seeing those ghosts recently. This is too hasty for you. How confident are you that they can protect you?"

A small smile curled Rhodes's lips. He brought his gaze up at the standing Giles. He said, "I have someone else who can protect me. I don't need to rely on them."

Before Kathy could get offended by Giles's question, she felt a strong pulse of spiritual power. She looked up and saw the thin mist descending on the room. It wrapped around Rhodes like a possessive spirit. Like what Acacia and the others said, the entity guarding this Rhodes Huxley was powerful. However, Kathy didn't feel guarded or horrified.

"Looks like I found my answer." She sounded pissed off, instead.

"Dr Rhodes, please work on your revised contract for the party." Kathy got up and placed a calling card on the table. "Send it to me later. I'll also send you our caterers' details and credentials. I'll add a contract of cooperation between us so I can share our contingencies with you."

Rhodes placed his calling card beside hers as if his way of exchanging contacts with her. "You can call me if something arises. I'm staying at the Flower House if you want to see me."

Kathy picked up his calling card at the same time Rhodes took hers. They slipped the calling cards into their wallets and ended their meeting. Giles went to see Kathy off while Rhodes stayed behind to put pen marks on the previous proposal.

Since no one else was there, Rhodes spoke with the semi-translucent mist, "Vanya, is there a chance that we will run into trouble? You will let me know if something happened, right?"

"I will find time to speak with you during the party."

Instead of a serious tone, Vanya chuckled as if amused. He continued as the mist slowly swirled around the man at the table. "My dear, are you deliberately putting yourself in trouble? I can come to you whenever you like. No need to expose yourself to dangers you cannot control."

Rhodes smiled and closed his eyes. His chin lifted as if savoring the chilly breeze Vanya brought. "I know… but I can't wear that fancy look if I won't be inside the spiritual realm, right? If it's a mere dream space, the chains will tear my arm off. I'm still on a sling, you know."

Vanya laughed heartily, but his voice was so deep that it sent shivers down Rhodes's spine. It didn't help that Rhodes could somewhat feel hands caressing his neck and chest within the chilly breeze.

"My sweet dearest, I shall indulge you then. I will protect you from anything that can hurt you. I will also allow you to deal with the threats you can neutralize."

"Are you that powerful?" Rhodes opened his eyes. "Won't you need to hide from your family? They might think you're doing something dangerous and stop you from meeting me like this."

"Worry not about me, my dear. Our family patriarch allows me some liberties in exchange for my cooperation." Vanya's voice seemed softer this time. "I am prepared to endure dangerous missions to appease them… just so they will allow me to find my way to you."

Rhodes's lips curled into a small smile. "I shouldn't feel happy, but thank you for saying that. At the very least, I won't think that you are the one celebrating your ninetieth birthday."

Vanya laughed and kissed Rhodes's head as if blowing wind on it. "I must leave you now, but don't fear. Call for me, and I shall come."

"Do you know…?" Rhodes blushed a little. "Someone just told me I never had a black dog named Vanya. Please stop with the dog references. I suddenly felt so guilty. I don't want you to think I see you as my dog, either. I'm really sorry, Lord van Iveren."

"All forgiven, my dear. I do not think of you as such." Vanya's voice seemingly softened due to his growing distance. The mist was also dispersing. However, his words still made a strong impact on Rhodes's heart. The mysterious man in a fedora said, "However, I must also confess. I am happy upon hearing your words that night.

"You have forgotten your life, but you have not forgotten about my poor Vanya."

The mist completely dissipated. Rhodes stayed quiet and frozen until Giles walked inside the room. The manager complained about the dangerous party, but Rhodes could only zone out. For the first time, Rhodes realized that Vanya didn't simply venture into that church that day. He didn't accidentally run into Rhodes and that ghost lady.

Vanya knew Rhodes was getting married. They were even so close that Rhodes heard about his pet dog.

…

The days came and went. Rhodes barely stepped outside his usual places, keeping him safe from stray ghost attacks. The spirits in the hotel also seemed to sleep with the people, allowing the construction company to work without any problems.

Kathy also opened a correspondence between her and Rhodes. It seemed that the Iveren family appreciated the arrangements Rhodes was willing to give. They also agreed to drop the reservation at Ring Garden without mentioning Faded Rose. The Gardner family didn't show signs of retaliation just yet, but Rhodes figured they would wait until the party.

Today, Rhodes sat in the backseat with utmost discomfort. He kept pulling his hood to cover more of his face. He also sported a pair of dark spectacles. Deresita worried about him from the driver's seat, but Frieda begged him to come. The daughter was set to take her college admission exams today. She couldn't get rid of her cold feet if Rhodes didn't come with them.

"Why are you like a fugitive hiding from the law?" Frieda sobbed at Rhodes's shoulders. "You're making me guilty. I'm really sorry…"