Butterfly's Year

15. Contract and horse courtship

In accordance with our agreement, in the afternoon I drove to the floor where Victor's office was located. An elegant receptionist led me to the room where, according to her, his personal assistant worked.

– Mr. Guellard has one last meeting – she informed me, pointing to his office door. – He asked that you wait for him.

She let me through the door, and as soon as I crossed the threshold, the man who had been standing facing the window turned around, beaming.

– Paulina – he said excitedly. – Nice to see you.

He was certainly not Victor's assistant. Manuel Perez could be doing anything here, but not assisting my boyfriend.

– Manuel – I nodded briefly, not intending to engage in conversation.

He clearly had a different plan, as he approached me, glowing.

– What are you doing here, princessa? – he asked cheerfully, standing closer than necessary.

– I came for Victor – I replied, ostentatiously moving away from him.

I bypassed him and sat on the white leather-upholstered sofa.

– Are you his driver now? – he inquired, dropping heavily onto the seat next to me, then sprawled comfortably with his arms spread out on the back of the sofa.

– He just wanted to make sure I can drive the car he gave me – I replied, crossing my legs to clearly distance myself from him.

– Oh, he gave you a car – he muttered with an unreadable glint in his eye. – How noble.

– I accepted it for the sake of peace – I said, scrutinizing my nails.

In my mind, I was clawing at Manuel's noble neck so deeply that blood from his artery would splatter onto his elegant white collar.

– Peace from your boyfriend is a precious thing – he muttered with a mischievous grin.

– Not from my boyfriend, but... Never mind – I muttered under my breath. – What are you doing here?

– Checking how your boyfriend is handling our part of the business – he announced, likely referring to himself and his father. – He still has some obligations to us, and who knows if he won't mess up without you by his side.

He smiled nastily, and the little creature inside me jumped up and made a determined face.

– Victor is competent and reliable – I replied coldly. – He doesn't need to be checked.

A sly grin appeared on Manuel's face again.

– After the amount of time a certain attractive lady has spent in his office, I'd think deeply about that – he said with a smug look. – You should probably be interested in his contacts with the opposite sex.

I was slowly starting to boil with anger inside. He was brazen and irritating, and after what he had done, he was so far from being exemplary that he should keep his mouth shut in my presence and not dig himself deeper.

– Victor is at work and can meet with clients of any gender – I retorted coldly, standing up ostentatiously to clearly indicate that his company annoyed me. – If you intend to suggest that he's cheating on me, you've sunk lower than I thought, and I have no intention of continuing this idiotic conversation.

I turned my head theatrically in the opposite direction, walked to the spacious window, and began stubbornly staring at the view outside.

– Oh, come on, Paula – Manuel stood up and jumped to me, but I didn't even grace him with a glance, still proudly admiring the panorama of Warsaw. – I was just joking. I didn't mean to offend you.

I glanced at him kindly, like I would look at a squashed bug stuck to the sole of my favorite shoe.

– Not a funny joke – I snapped dryly. – If you have to be here, be here, but please do not talk to me.

I turned my head again, tossing my ponytail in his face, and crossed my arms demonstratively over my chest.

– Oh, Paula – he muttered in a meek tone – can't we just be friends? I know I'm on your black list, but let me somehow make it up to you.

The little creature inside me frowned indignantly, and I raised my eyebrows high, turned to face him, and gave him a disgusted look.

– Make it up to me? – I sneered coldly. – Do you hear yourself? You can make up for a broken jaw if you don't leave me alone.

Manuel didn't seem affected by my cold tone, or he didn't show it. In any case, he still stood with a slight smile on his face and looked at me with polite interest.

– Princessa – he said in a purring voice that used to make my knees weak – don't be so prejudiced. Give me a chance...

– Don't call me that – I growled coldly.

He leaned dangerously close to my face, but his charming baritone no longer worked on me. So, I took a step back, but I couldn't go any further because I was leaning against the cool window.

I felt very uncomfortable and was already planning to dodge under his arm, but Victor's voice saved me. He was just letting a woman out of his office, who turned out to be Lena, the same one I had the dubious pleasure of meeting at the shipyard opening.

– Perez, you here? – he grumbled, wrinkling his nose as if he had smelled something particularly foul.

– As always, ready to scrutinize you – Manuel replied, utterly unfazed by the fact that my boyfriend had caught him practically glued to me. He nonchalantly brushed an invisible speck of dust off his suit, still standing dangerously close to me.

– Step away from my girlfriend, if you please – Victor growled in an icy tone.

Manuel didn't move an inch, but when Vic tensed up like a panther ready to pounce on its prey, he relented and walked over to my boyfriend.

– If she wants me to step away, she'll tell me herself – he murmured, clearly pleased with himself, sending me a cheeky, rogueish smile.

Victor clenched his fists, but his face remained stone-cold.

– I know exactly how far she wants to be from you – he retorted dryly. – Wait for me in the office.

– I see Vic isn't just cold to me – Lena interjected in a nonchalant tone. – Be careful, kitty, you might lose your partners.

She casually stroked Victor's shoulder as she walked by, sending him a gaze that was unmistakably lustful. Then she glanced up at me, and I was shaken by the predatory gleam in her eyes. As if she were challenging me or something. What the hell?!