Lost in the Northern Lights

Chapter 5

The next morning, Eva woke up with a storm brewing inside her. However, knowing that Alex would be tied up with early rehearsals and preparations for his evening performance provided Eva with a minor relief, so he wouldn't bother her. If they had a fight, he always made it back to her the next day, bombarding her phone with calls and texts, begging for forgiveness. Even when Eva instigated the fight, which was rare, the misunderstandings stemmed from Alex's jealousy and fear of losing Eva. Despite this rift between them, she understood that his fierce love for her sometimes led him to act irrationally. She decided to go to the concert, although she was equally determined to let her silence be his punishment for a few more days. He had ruined such an important moment for her. How often do you come across such golden opportunities?

The relentless rain against the windowpane seemed to mirror Eva's tumultuous feelings. She vented her frustrations to Anna, who had already begun to resent Alex for his overbearing possessiveness and jealousy. Anna understood the profound influence Hermann Ranta had on Eva. That's why her anger intensified. Phone calls with Anna always brought Eva a sense of emotional reprieve, so, with a clearer mind, she headed to work, steeling herself to confront Athena. She even let herself imagine for a second charging her with a savory slap, but Eva didn't want to solve the problem with her fists, at least not yet. But the moment she walked in, Giorgio informed her of Athena's sudden sickness, leaving Eva to manage the day on her own.

"Sure, 'sick'," Eva said with a hint of sarcasm. "She's probably nursing the imaginary bruises from the punches she had to receive." She couldn't help but smirk at the thought. Athena won't be able to hide from the fist of justice forever.

On the way to the lockers, Giorgio intercepted Eva. He leaned in, his voice filled with a mix of amusement and concern. "I've already spilled the beans to your dad about our eventful evening. But, we're both a tad concerned about your accumulating overtime. Perhaps spread it out? Take a break and enjoy some time with your boyfriend. How's that for an idea?"

Eva sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Don't worry too much. Once October rolls in, I'll likely have fewer shifts. With the new semester starting, I'll be neck-deep in coursework."

Giorgio cut her off mid-sentence, his eyes alight with recollection. "Oh! I almost forgot. Those gentlemen covered the entire dinner tab. And that Hermann? He's quite the gentleman, despite his somewhat delicate appearance."

Eva chuckled, musing over Giorgio's definition of 'delicate'. Was it the long hair? The stage makeup? She couldn't question Hermann's kindness. She knew how much he cared for his fans. He conscientiously captured photos with anyone interested, never shying away or disregarding them, sheltering himself with the regal Björn. A pang of regret hit her, wishing she'd had more time with him the previous night.

"But here's the cherry on top," Giorgio exclaimed, producing an envelope as if by magic. "Seems they left something extra for you. A tip, perhaps?"

Eva caught a whiff of a familiar scent from the envelope, thinking with a hint of embarrassment, "If it's from him, I'll sniff that envelope forever?" The thought was oddly intimate and sent a shiver down her spine. Swiftly, she took the envelope from Giorgio and made her way to her privately in the back, tearing it open as she walked.

Instead of cash, she found a simple piece of paper. It appeared as if someone had hastily ripped a piece of paper from a notebook with the date 'August 16' printed on the top. Delicate, elongated handwriting spelled out an invitation: "Tonight at 9:00 p.m. at the Four Seasons Hotel. Björn will wait downstairs to escort you to the conference room."

A rogue thought flitted across Eva's mind, one she swiftly and bashfully brushed away: "Thank heavens I chose matching underwear today." A peculiar blend of anticipation and anxiety coursed through her, causing her heart to race and her limbs to tingle. Why did he want to see her once more?