As the heavy rain began to fall outside, Riana was already at the subway station. It was a strange environment for her, a place where people rushed by, each immersed in their own worries, as if she were just another face among many in that space. Her thoughts felt paralyzed, while her heart drowned in a sea of tears.
Trying to reconnect with reality, Riana slowly descended the ramp of the subway station, allowing herself to be guided by the movement of the people around her. When the train doors opened, she boarded, seeking refuge in that small moving space. For a few moments, silence reigned, only the muffled sound of the tracks echoed in the underground station.
However, the tranquility was interrupted when a stranger rushed into the car, almost missing the moment when the doors closed. Riana felt a shiver run down her spine at the agitation of the scene. Outside, two men dressed in black suits and red ties were furiously banging on the subway door, their expressions filled with determination.
As the train pulled away from the station, Riana found herself caught in a whirlwind of thoughts. Who were those men? What did they want? What was happening? These questions echoed in her mind as she watched the city quickly disappear through the train window.
However, the abrupt entrance of that stranger nearly knocked Riana over, causing the bag she was carrying to fall to the floor. In a moment of irritation, she turned to him, her eyes sparkling with anger.
— Are you blind? — She shot, her tone heavy with indignation, while the stranger awkwardly tried to apologize, clumsily holding her things in his hands.
— My apologies, miss. — He murmured, his expression a mix of embarrassment and sincere apology.
Riana felt a chill run down her spine as she looked around, fearing being recognized by someone in that bustling environment. She took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure as the words escaped her lips with difficulty.
— You should pay more attention. — She spoke, trying not to meet his eyes, but it was inevitable. Their eyes met, and a small smile appeared on his lips.
— I’m sorry, but can we start over in a different way? — He extended his hand to greet her, a gesture of courtesy that took her by surprise. — William Lamartine.
Riana smiled with distaste, feeling a twinge of sarcasm in her words.
— French, it had to be. — She murmured, her voice heavy with irony.
She pulled the bag from his hand with determination, turning her back on him before he could react. When the subway finally stopped, she didn’t hesitate to get off.
Belmont Avenue was bustling on that rainy night, but Riana faced the drizzle without hesitation, her mind still absorbing the unexpected encounter in the subway. She spotted a taxi in the distance and ran towards it, feeling compelled to leave that disturbing meeting behind.
As she entered the taxi, a mix of emotions washed over her. As much as she hesitated to admit, she felt surprisingly calm. There was something in the look of that unknown man that intrigued her, a unique glimmer she had never seen before. A slight involuntary smile formed on her lips as the taxi drove away, taking her back home.
It didn’t take long to reach her destination. As soon as the taxi stopped in front of the imposing gate of her house, Riana spotted the comforting figure of Aila, the housekeeper, who came to greet her upon noticing her arrival. In silence, the two walked together until they crossed the threshold of the residence. They passed through the entrance hall, but Aila suddenly stopped, her keen gaze fixed on Riana. Gently, she took the things from the young woman’s hands and asked with concern:
— Dear, did something happen? Why didn’t you answer your phone?
Riana didn’t look directly at the housekeeper, but responded with a heavy sigh, her words laden with uncertainty and fatigue. She apologized to Aila, her voice tinged with discouragement.
— Sorry, I lost my phone; I have no idea where it could be. Please, I don’t want to talk to anyone.
With heavy steps, she began to head towards her room, but before disappearing through the door, she turned briefly to look at Aila, her expression heavy with silent pain.
— I want valerian tea. I’ll be in my room.
The housekeeper immediately noticed the sadness in Riana's eyes, a whirlwind of emotions that she tried to hide behind a mask of calmness. She desperately wanted to know what had happened, but before she could say anything else, Riana was already striding away.
— Riana... — Aila called, but the young woman didn’t look back. She simply repeated her order.
— My tea.
Aila knew that the conversation had come to an end, at least for now. With a resigned sigh, she watched Riana walk away and then headed to the kitchen. Although worried, she knew that the best she could do at that moment was to fulfill the young woman's request. She asked one of the maids to prepare the valerian tea, a gesture of care amid the storm that loomed over the Raddoc household.