Mantis

27. Victor's weakness and the ghost of the past

– What ball? – Marcel asked the question I also wanted to know the answer to.

After all, I was just supposed to come here, show up, and that was it. There was no talk of any balls.

– Perez invited us to his birthday party – Victor explained politely. – We got a last-minute invitation. There will be a lot of important people there. It's a great opportunity to make new connections. It starts tomorrow evening and goes all weekend, but we're flying there in his helicopter today to settle in.

Marcel didn't respond immediately; he remained silent, appearing deep in thought, then held his gaze on me for a moment, narrowing his eyes almost imperceptibly.

– Why did he do that? – he asked after a while, giving Victor a look I couldn't decipher. – Why did he invite you when he barely knows you? And why is he taking us there in his helicopter?

– Does it matter? – Victor said nonchalantly, glancing at me quickly. – The important thing is we have this opportunity.

Marcel clearly didn't share his attitude, looking as if he'd been slapped in the face.

– Victor, are you blind? – he said in a tone suggesting his employer was developmentally delayed. – They know each other. – He pointed at me.

– So what? – Victor shrugged, and Marcel looked at him as if he had just announced that the earth is flat.

– So what? – Marcel exclaimed passionately. – They know each other! Don't you find it strange? What if it's some kind of setup?

Victor smiled indulgently in response.

– Marcel, please... Don't start. No setup, just a coincidence. Perez knows Paulina's father. They did business together.

– That's what she told you? – Marcel snapped, still agitated, scrutinizing me with an unfriendly gaze.

– Perez told me – Victor replied calmly. – Stop winding yourself up for no reason.

– Me, winding up? – Marcel fumed. – She suddenly appeared in your life! Just when you start meeting with Perez. Maybe you'll tell us who you really are, huh? – he turned to me, drilling me with a madman's gaze. – A rich heiress? Daddy's little girl? A fortune hunter after wealthy businessmen? Victor isn't that rich, you know?

I didn't answer, struck dumb. Marcel was acting like he was in a frenzy.

– Marcel! – Victor rebuked sharply, bringing him back to relative order. – Stop it! You're forgetting yourself. Calm down and leave her alone. And that's the end of this topic, – he declared, definitively ending the discussion, then practically took me by the arm and led me to the hotel room he had reserved for me.

Not even half an hour later, Marcel came to Victor's room. Through the wall, I could hear raised male voices, but I didn't want to delve into the discussion, so I put on headphones and immersed myself in music until my phone battery died.

Exactly at ten to six, I went down to the lobby with my exceptionally modest luggage, where neither Victor nor Marcel was yet present. They arrived just in time, as the driver sent by Perez had already taken my bag and seated me in a massive black SUV.

Victor cleverly positioned himself between me and Marcel – who was still glaring at me with undisguised hostility – and then, uncharacteristically stiff, sat silently until the car stopped in front of a tall building.

I watched Victor with growing curiosity. As we walked to the elevator, Marcel had to ask him the same questions twice and nudge him when he still didn't get answers. He acted as if he was on a massive dose of tranquilizers, and I would have assumed he'd taken something if not for the fact that he was clenching his fists and nervously swallowing, fidgeting with his tie repeatedly.

When we stepped onto the rooftop, where Perez and his entourage were already waiting with his helicopter, Victor mumbled some mechanical greetings and instead of following the rest, stayed back.

– Are you alright? – I asked, approaching him, because he had turned quite pale and looked unwell.

Victor loosened his tie and let out a loud breath.

– Why did I agree to this? Investors, connections, a new quality of business. And the fact that... – He trailed off, staring into the distance but quickly returned his gaze to his feet.

I frowned, unable to understand what was going on. I scanned around for something that could be bothering him but saw only the starry sky, the red blinking lights of tall buildings, and the helicopter. Nothing that should scare him except the fact that we were now several hundred meters above the ground... Was he afraid of heights?

A tiny creature inside me lifted its head with a diabolical smile on its little lips. The great Victor the conqueror had weak knees when looking down from a high building?

– Are you afraid of flying? – I more stated than asked, looking at his handsome face, which had hardened in an attempt to pretend everything was fine, and I smiled kindly. – Do you have a fear of heights?

Wiktor didn't deny it.

– Is that fucking funny? – he snarled.

I realized I was still smiling, so I immediately became serious.

– No, of course not – I said, suppressing the malicious whispers of the little creature. – I just didn't think fearless Wiktor was afraid of anything.

Wiktor looked up at me and smiled faintly.

– What are you two doing? – Marcel suddenly appeared out of nowhere. – Getting in? Why do you look so pale? – he asked, looking at Wiktor. I opened my mouth to say something, but Wiktor jerked his head to the side, which I took to mean he didn't want to discuss this in front of Marcel, so I let it go.

Wiktor really didn't handle the flight well. Right at the beginning, when the helicopter lifted off, he turned even paler, and his hands trembled. He didn't look out the window at the shrinking objects below even once. He only looked at his knees and breathed very slowly, occasionally closing his eyes and swallowing nervously. Only when we landed did he start to look alive again.

He slowly recovered in the car as we drove to Rafael Perez's hotel, where Perez had promised us the best rooms. By the time the car pulled up to the driveway opposite the grand entrance, he looked just like his usual self.

Perez personally led us to the hall of the magnificent palace, which was no less than the most elegant hotels in the capital, and took care of the formalities. We were already heading to our room when a young, curly-haired man appeared at the top of the main stairs, whom I didn't recognize at first.

– Finalmente está nuestro cumpleañero! – he called out in Spanish, drawing the attention of everyone nearby, then dashed down the stairs with outstretched arms. – Hola mi jefe! – he said to Rafael's back as he embraced him. – Welcome, beautiful Paulina – he said to me, and before I could react, he took my hand and gently brushed the back of it with his lips.

I cast him a startled look, which Rafael must have noticed because he immediately reacted. – Manuel – he muttered with a clearly audible, warning tone, to which Manuel immediately straightened up. – Let's greet Olivia.

Manuel made a not-too-pleased face but didn't protest and, along with Rafael, moved towards the still-arriving guests. I unconsciously followed them with my eyes.

– Everything alright? – I heard Wiktor's voice as if from a distance, and reluctantly turned my distracted gaze to him.

– Absolutely fine – I lied smoothly, putting on a fake smile. – Just keep me away from Manuel.

Wiktor glanced in the direction of the man who had greeted me so effusively.

– That guy? What's wrong with him?

– He annoys me – I explained, not going into details.

– He's the one who wanted you to come.

– Him? – I asked, casting a startled glance towards the curly-haired man.

– Yeah – Wiktor confirmed, still looking towards Manuel. – Who is he?

– Rafael's son – I replied, not taking my eyes off the energetic, curly-haired young man who was now busy greeting a blonde woman in an elegant white suit in fluent German.