Chapter 4: Mute Stranger

***Bungee jumped to the weekend Saturday***

From that last Monday, Anna had refused to show herself at Regel Summer after she’d learned that the guy Sino was the son of an Asian billionaire family, and that the disciplinary committee shall not take any legal action against him even after what he had done to her. Though she did not like the idea of getting on the unfavorable side of a billionaire’s heir, the embarrassment was too much for her to sulk it up by merely skipping classes.

The Modeling Agency Manager had called several times to persuade her into contesting for another beauty pageant but she was feeling so reluctant to show her face to the media fearing that gossips might have slowly spread in the agency, and her perfect fragile self image was at stake. To make herself feel better, she’d decided to go shopping and from there hang out with her Roman.

Ae Ra’s gorgeous figure slowly descended from the staircase… “Lets go” she casually talked to Eric and Lilian whose loyal butts have been glued to the tempting couch simply because she had earlier said to Lilian “You and Eric should wait downstairs” so for the past two hours, they’ve been doing just that _ waiting downstairs for their boss to finish dolling up.

“Yes Ma’am” Eric answered as he straight off, threw his weight out of the couch. A tall and tough looking driver and sometimes a bodyguard who people would easily assumed to be an Olympic athlete with a lot of nerves, only that Eric unfortunately does not have those nerves needed to control a mean woman _ specially not if she was his boss. So practically, Anna owns the big guy.

While he stands still, the other smaller figure in a black denim jeans and fancy yellow tank top slowly padded her feet across the tiles and advanced to hold Anna’s bag. Lilian hardly wears jeans unless she knows she’d be required to hold a lot of shopping bags on both her hands, legs and head _if only Anna could actually make her carry some stuff on the legs and head, she surely would. So in short, Lilian only dressed in anticipation for the future circumstances.

***Time Skipped***

One of Anna’s best shopping mall was located on the ninth floor of a sky scraper building which has over forty floors. The skyscraper was once on the hot list of top ten most developed structures in the whole mega city.

As Eric parked the Limo next to a Lamborghini Veneno, Anna’s head turned towards the direction of the freakin-ride. The baby caught her attentions and made her wondered who the rider could be. She surely has eyes for good things, and she thinks it was her rights to have only the best out of life. Every good thing out there deserved to be hers.

Whatever. Its not like she can risk her pride to knock on his glass to see whoever the rich guy could be, so as Eric held the door open without wasting time, Anna wobbled her hips out and began to catwalk towards the building. Lilian followed from behind, wearing a normal slip on to make herself active. When its shopping time, Lilian was always enough to pack her shopping bags while Eric would glue his ass to the driver seat.

Lilian nervously clutched on Anna’s handbag as they stepped into an elevator. She’d felt like throwing up whenever she entered an elevator due to a certain incident which had happened in her past.

The door was almost halfway closed when it opened again for another company whom as soon as he stepped into the elevator, the aura instantly changed. Pride… money… million dollar shoes and a must-be expensive wrist watch. Followed by a pleasant smell of fragrance which definitely has more woody than floral ingredients, slowly mixing into the air to captivate human attention.

The man has a dark brown shiny hair perfectly slicked to the back, though his thick luscious eyebrows and lashes were all black. From what Anna could see, his nose was naturally contoured in a slim shape that perfectly matched his fanciable lips. Overall, he has that touch of a feminine look even though the broad shoulders buried in a black tuxedo seemed to be honed to the qualification of a wrestler.

Noticing how the good looking guy who smelled like a billionaire is now stylishly checking her out, the beauty goddess revealed a flirtatious smile around her lips. And oh… something he just did with his killer eyebrow made her feel so hot.

Lilian has gone too deep in her thoughts to notice the flirting session going on around her. Her mind wandered off to a far place to avoid focusing on the elevator. The thoughts of her family and her kid sister who recently got diagnosed with a bone marrow disease plus Jordan Miko, who has been calling and troubling her for days were all roaming in her mind.

“Hi.” Anna grabbed the golden opportunity and offered her hand to shake the young man who with a sophisticated smirk, silently took her hand and gave it a bonus peck from the tips of his lips _ the Italian way of greeting gorgeous women. 

“Anna” She added in a delicate girly girl voice while she watched him put his hand inside the front pocket of his tuxedo and brought out a black pen. His other hand dug into his black trousers to reveal a sticky note. Instead of talking, he wrote down something as followed: “Jalan Marco. The man with the ability to NOT speak but listen to people’s minds”

When he showed it to her, a part of her heart melted softly. He could have been her perfect dream guy if he was not mute. But hell no, she cannot date a mute guy even if he is a freaking rich man. Not in this lifetime… or the next one either.

Kind of like the mute guy could read minds _ gratitude for his quick witted nature, he easily picked up on the woman’s reactions which secretly put him off. He perceived himself in a high self esteem and does not like people giving him the pathetic look. 

“Lets go… Lilian” Anna said, and Lilian was whisked back to reality as she quickly followed her boss out of the elevator. The young man pretended not to understand anything, his hand slightly raised up as he waved once at Anna who also managed to return the gesture right before the elevator door closed. She wondered if she detected something sinister beneath his calm looking exterior? Or maybe no?

“Who was that?” Lilian did not know when her mouth suddenly began to develop a mind of its own to dare make inquiries.

“Just some mute rich guy I’d say” Anna surprisingly answered her without throwing a fit or glare.

There they’d go…

Into the glittering lights which decorated the entrance.

Pleasant scent started to saunter into their noses.

Cool atmosphere makes everything feel much calmer.

The elegant shopping mall ahead was one of the best place to shop for qualitative nail polish, nail henna, nail design, nail artwork and everything that has the word ‘nail’ attached to it. They also sell women clothing, handbags, cosmetics and all other loads of expensive stuff and whatsoever.

“Welcome” A female employee kindly said with a warm smile softening the cheery bright color of her red lipstick, but Anna’s delicate gaze shifted away from the woman’s face and travelled down to her black pantyhose.

What a cheap new slave, Anna had cursed in her mind. She seemed to hate her for no reason. Her eyes roughly went back to the lady’s face, then to the opposite direction of the well arranged designer bags stacked into their independent spaces ahead. She came to buy some nail stuffs but the bags have captured her attention, and now she remembered she actually need them _ Lilian had cleared the old ones.

“They are the latest brands” the employee swallowed down her pride and pressed her advantage when she noticed where Anna’s attention was lingering. It was part of her job to wear a sweet smile even when she had imagined stabbing Anna like a psycho, kicking her in the head and forcing her to kiss a monkey’s ass. But she was well trained in both perseverance and that aspect of customer influencing so she needs to deliver her role _ and survive in a wicked world.

When Anna managed to reply to the cheap lady, only a whispered “Nice” came through her lips before she began to catwalk into the beaming and glowing lights which beautified the stones on her mini dress. Faces shone everywhere, and the place was bustling with activities though not as crowded as the ordinary shopping malls for the stinky rats.

A young couple lovingly strolled pass her, and the man’s eyes seemed to glitter with something like an admiration when he secretly stole glances at Anna’s beautiful skinny legs. Men can never stop being men, so its becoming normal to receive the random attention on her.