Lia flinched, turning around as she gasped in shock.
Infront of her was a figure standing head and shoulder above her. He was in his black pyjamas and looked like he had just stumbled out of bed. Emeralds depths shone in his piercing stare and his hair as dark as a raven's even though ruffled, exuded a high contrast as his dark moderately thick and naturally carved brows complemented his eyes. His jawline was a chisel and pure perfection.
Lia stared in awe. But it seemed she wasn't the only one bedazzled. It took Lia longer to recover from the aftermath of the collide.
"Hello miss," his voice was a deep baritone, waking her up from the shock. "Did you miss your way in here or do you need some assistance?"
Lia blinked, her eyes averting from his gaze. She looked around then nodded.
"Okay. So, which is it?" the man seemed rather gentle with his speech.
"First of all, I am so sorry about what just happened. Actually, I have sneaked inside to see the owner of this villa."
The man's face transformed into a quick smile that faded slowly as he is well acquainted with sign languages. He would always communicate with his mute mother with it and was stunned to have a reminder of her wake up to him this morning.
"Oh, it's fine. Unfortunately, the owner isn't around at the moment," the man replied with his hands instead and that made Lia relieved a bit. She immediately felt comfortable to say whatever it was that had brought her to the villa knowing there's someone who understands her at least. Sensing the disappointment through her face, the man said with his mouth this time, "Perhaps, there's something you'd like to tell him? I can help you convey your message when he returns."
Lia nodded.
"My brother. He has been held captive by him since yesterday. He had trespassed with fishing on the property and the security man had told me he will be taking him to prison."
"Prison?" the man queried as his face squeezed into an interrogative grimace. His lips muttered, almost like he was cursing.
Again, Lia's head bobbed.
He rubbed the nape of his neck as if unable to believe his ears, but Lia only persisted with her plea. "Please, I'd really appreciate it if you can help me get through him now. His mother would be really worried and close to death if not dead by the news right now."
The man chuckled at her humor.
"Be rest assured your brother wouldn't be going to prison," he assured Lia.
Suddenly, repeated heavy steps conquered the floor, marching from down the stairs up. Lia and the man's attention shifted to the apex of the stairs as a voice followed.
Could he be Mr. Rhysand? Could he be the owner of the villa?
"There he is," the masculine voice behind the steps said as soon as he reached the top of the stairs. He heaved a sigh, before coming forth with his huge stature.
"Morning, boss," the other man with Lia greeted first.
Both men exchanged pleasantries and while at it, the man that had entered asked as his gazed finally caught Lia.
"Who is she?"
The man Lia was with cleared his throat before speaking. "She has come to plead with you to release her brother."
"Brother?" The man asked. "Was it the same boy Heather had told me about? That was locked up for fishing on the property?"
Lia nodded, her head casted downward in shame. She couldn't dare to look him in the eye.
A brief moment of silence enshrouded the atmosphere.
"What is your name?" the man asked.
"Lia," she could only gesture with her lips.
"I can't hear you," the man said but the man in his black pyjamas was kind enough to chime in.
"She's mute, but I guess she meant Lia."
Lia nodded in response.
"Oh. I see," the man said. "You will definitely be leaving with your brother but only on one condition."
Lia's interest piqued.
"You will be coming here to fish daily. For Rhysand."
Confusion screamed on Lia's face. He's not Rhysand?
"What? You don't know how to fish?"
Lia kept mute instead, even though dissatisfied by the request.
"You will be working as the villa's personal fisher and cook. Are we good or your brother have his second night in the cellar tonight—"
"No. I agree. Please," Lia quickly accepted.
"Good. Your job starts next week."
~~
A black sleek sedan drove out of Rhysand's villa on its way to the most expected place for a sinner like himself.
The cathedral.
It wasn't his first time going to see the priest. To Rhysand, he owes him his every breath for keeping him alive, halting him from unaliving himself many years back.
With the help of the priest, he was able to start his fishing business as a key distributor across most parts of the country. He also runs various restaurants and pubs on the Island. And In spite of all of that, Rhysand chose to be reclusive about his status.
The car halted right at its final destination and Rhysand hopped out of it.
"He is free now. You may come in."
Rhysand rose from one of the pews he had been sitting, trailing behind the nun and soon, he was back in the inner sanctum of the church. The confessional.
"I reckon you have been unholy lately." The priest said over the grille.
"It's exactly what you are thinking, Father. I think I have sinned again."
"And what is it about this time?"
"It was a girl."
"And what about her?"
"She...She was a mute. Her brother had been held captive by Heather for trespassing I wasn't even aware of it. She had come to the villa this morning to plead for his release." He explained.
"And you didn't?"
"No, father," his throat bobbed, and his body, tensed. "Do you remember the girl I had told you about, father?"
"From four years ago? At the Carnival?"
Before now, Rhysand had attended and saw Lia at the carnival ground that same night too. She was sitting all by herself, her eyes wandering as though finding a needle in the dark as he admired her secretly from afar. She had caught his attention and eye. For Rhysand, what he felt that moment was a love at first sight —a love he had never felt for or with any woman in his twenty seventy years of existence.
"Yes, father. She was the one. Her name is Lia."
"Holy Father. You haven't been stalking her have you, Conrad Black?"
"No, father," he said through a smile. "I promise you I had left it in fate's hand like you had told me to. And just this morning, fate had brought her back to me, father... and I had sinned along with that."
"How do you mean?"
"I had played a game with Connor and now she will be coming back to work as my maid."
Connor. Rhysand's best friend and most trusted person. They had met at a local pizzeria back in the mainland—the city—when Rhysand was just eleven. For someone his age, Rhysand was quite tall and could easily pass for a teen old enough to work there. Connor had caught him one time but after understanding the reason for his lies, he had helped conceal it from the manager and ever since then, their friendship was as solid as a rock and beyond. He had also come all the way from the city, leaving all that concerns him to dwell in the quietness of the Island together with his friend.
"Let me guess, you had tricked her."
"Technically, father. But I ...," the words seized in his throat. The priest stayed silent, and Rhysand continued. "I promise my reason wasn't for any ill intentions but rather because I felt... I had felt something more, father."
"Something like what?" he queried.
"Like, I can't explain it. I was really besotted. She has such an alluring set of brown eyes and the most silkiest curly hair I have ever seen on a woman. She has such an ethereal beauty that had me wanting to sin father, it was nothing like I have ever seen my whole life."
"Conrad Black!" the priest cautioned him back to his senses.
"I'm not crazy, I promise. I just... she was really beautiful, I think that's an understatement. She was so breathtaking and even that and any perfect word to qualify her with would be nothing but a mere understatement as well."
"You can't go around having filthy thoughts about a woman if at all you are serious with wanting to become a saint."
"I never said that father—not that way. I just hope my sins could be forgiven that I become revived and reborn like a saint." Rhysand's emotions came out roaring this time. "But I doubt if that will ever happen."
"Doubting the Lord's forgiveness is a sin itself, Rhysand. You were just fifteen—"
Rhysand scoffed. "No, father. I had a choice and I made the wrong decision, and it will continue to hunt me for the rest of my life."