VAERDA: La Grande Famiglia

⛓Per Paura⛓

Per Paura: Out of fear

Adriana VAERDA
Getting dressed in a black corset top and a pair of cargo pants I head out into Mumbai City. The streets are crowded with the morning bustle. Walking along a small road opposite the hotel I go into a small chai shop. As soon as I enter the shop owner, Sheela, a small, plump lady dressed in a patterned blue saree, walks out pulling me into a bone-crushing hug.

She drags me further into the shop pushing me to sit on one of the benches there. Though we don't speak a mutual language, you could call us the best of friends.

She hands me a hot cup of fresh Indian milk tea. She plops down next me, looking at me expectantly. I blow on the tea and take a small sip and break out in to a large smile. Assuring her that the tea is as good as always.

"Adi, you have boyfriend?" She asks out of the blue in really cute broken English.
"No, I don't think so." I shake my head, shrugging.
"Aaryan not your boyfriend?" She asks again. I choke on my tea and look at her with wide eyes.
"You- wait- how do you know Aaryan?"
"He come yesterday; say he marry VAERDA hotel owner. You only nah? VAERDA hotel owner."
"I met him only once and he was drunk out of his mind." I scoff at the memory.

"Ms. Vaerda, have you tasted the samosas here?" A deep voice calls out from behind me. I spin around faster than I could register with wide eyes. There stands the devil himself, dressed more casually in a white shirt, hardly buttoned and pair of blue jeans.
"I-I of course I have." I internally groan at my stutter.
"Adi you say you don't like samosa, so you didn't eat my samosa." Sheela immediately corrects probably as revenge for me declining her samosas the last time I was here. I shoot her a look of disbelief, whose side is she on?
Aaryan raises an eyebrow, thankfully ignoring my lie.
"I don't do well with Indian spice" I try justifying myself. Aaryan moves to join me on my bench. Sheela smiles and walks off to get him one of her oh-so-great samosas.
"So Ms. Vaerda, I apologize for the racket I caused at your hotel last evening." He gives me a smile that wasn't really a smile, more of a smirk, but I guess he was trying to smile, I took it as a smile because I guess someone like him doesn't smile much.
"Well if your done with that and now that you have met me, I'm going back." I get up to go when he grabs my wrist.
"Go out with me tonight." He states more than asks. I remember what Athena told me, to just do as he says. I look back at him.
"I'll pick you up at 8." He says and walks out slapping a crisp 100 rupee note on the counter as he walks by. I look around, still shocked trying to grasp what just happened.

Sheela sticks her head out of the kitchen holding a golden-brown triangular wonton.
"Samosa?" She says mockingly with a smirk.
"Sheela please." I shoot her a look of disapproval. "I'm leaving." She waves at me with a megawatt smile.

I walk back to the hotel, as I enter, I see Aaryan getting out the elevator. His thugs form a neat semi-circle behind him as he strides out. He mouths the words 'Eight tonight' flashing me his signature smirk.
I look away and walk into the elevator with my head held as high as I could.

I sigh as I go through my suitcase looking for a suitable outfit to meet a few of our investors for lunch. I pick out a pair of black dress pants and a grey turtleneck pairing that with a long leather coat and a gold belt. I pull on my new Prada boots and head down.

The conference was held in the board room on the floor below mine. I wrapped it up quickly, wanting to go back to my suite and sleep. The investors decided that they wanted to renovate the ballroom and add in another restaurant.

I make small talk with a few of them after that just for formalities. As soon as I enter my suite, I kick off my boots and throw my jacket on the couch. As I walk into the bedroom, I find a few large, black boxes wrapped in Chanel ribbon.