Harmony's POV
Mirabel's life felt tiring. I had to avoid her step-siblings. They never sought her but wouldn't let her be if they saw her. So, I avoided them like a mouse.
At work, I dreaded the day Zephyr would walk in again but running was useless. I survived his first visit. That was encouraging. Perhaps, I would keep acting oblivious.
I still couldn't help but watch carefully to know when he would walk into the café again.
On a cloudy evening days later, he finally walked in. The top two buttons were undone as usual, an expensive wrist watch on his wrist, suit was neat and well-fitting.
However, he was not alone. A pair of cold steel-grey eyes met mine quietly. His skin was a bit fairer than the man he followed dressed cleanly wearing a tie on a navy blue suit.
I swallowed looking away from those eyes immediately. I hadn't imagined that Jasper would come with his brother. Mirabel's target was Zephyr when she drugged the drink but both brothers drank the wine.
Mirabel had thought Zephyr wasn't scary since he was a flirt. While Jasper's eyes were naturally cold and he was quiet, his hands had less blood compared to Zephyr's.
To think that Mirabel just knew him as the owner of the hotel and wanted to use him to escape her family, which was the only thing that could explain the guts she had to set someone like Zephyr up.
A notification appeared and I glanced at the boss who had been too busy with the coffee maker to know we had new customers.
With hands slightly shaky, I prepared their orders stalling as long as I could.
Another notification came in as I stalled.
"What order is that?" the boss who had served the coffee he was making walked to me and asked.
"Can you handle it? I need to go to the restroom," I tried to excuse myself although I knew running would make it even more suspicious.
He looked down at the tray I held just in time for a new notification and he turned to the screen of the computer.
"Just serve it first before you leave since you're done," he replied turning away to begin prepping the new order that came in.
Feeling defeated, I sighed as her shoulders slumped. My gaze flickered towards the men watching me. Why do I have to deal with Mirabel's mess? My head began to throb painfully. With a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders and walked towards them.
"Hello, here's your order," I said with a slight bow as I began serving them.
Two pairs of eyes, one pair brown, the other grey studied me as I served them carefully. I focused my gaze on the table and their order even as their scent filled my nose.
"If you want anything else, you can order," I reminded them as I held the tray ready to leave.
I remembered Zephyr had held my wrist a week ago and I was expecting them to stop me again. So, I tried to leave as calmly as I could to avoid that from happening.
I smiled even when they didn't respond as I continued to avoid looking in their direction.
Since I got no verbal response, I bowed slightly and turned to leave. I had given them enough time to stop me while I stood there awkwardly. I wasn't expecting them to stop me with the chances I gave them but her wrist was still caught.
I frowned looking down at my wrist lightly held in Zephyr's grip. I wanted to use the tray on his head. What was the use of holding my wrist as though their mouths had lost their function?
However, knowing I was living in a world where I had fewer rights than a man, she shrank immediately but wore a façade of trying to remain calm.
"Is there something else you need?" I asked him letting her voice tremble slightly, showing the right amount of respect and fear.
"Yes, what's your name?"
I looked down at her name tag and lifted my gaze to him. I bit back the urge to ask him what happened to his eyes.
So much news of men killing women. These men were evil. The kind she read about in history books. I knew they would be capable of anything and I had to move carefully.
This protagonist's body was weak and there was no way I could fight my way out of any act of violence they decided to show.
"I asked you a question."
Harmony. "Mirabel," I replied correctly. I hate the name my situation forced me to represent.
His grip on my wrist loosened as he stared into my eyes. I could very easily read into what he was thinking.
Mirabel was beautiful but she was not confident and always bowed her head looking for a place to hide.
"Do you recognise us?" he asked calmly.
"Yes."
His eyes brightened as he waited for me to go on. "So?"
"From the news. Everyone does," I replied looking around hoping the other customers recognised them.
They had the attention of almost everyone but it was uncertain if they recognised them. What I saw in their gazes and glances was admiration.
Zephyr's grip around my wrist tightened. I was sure that would leave a mark just like the last time. A small smirk played on his lips but his gaze got colder.
"I want to order something else," Jasper announced. His voice was low and cold but it got Zephyr to release my wrist.
I took his order and left. My heart pounded hard as I walked back to my colleague. I held back the urge to look back at Jasper. Had he ordered something else to make Zephyr release me?
He was nice but I knew I could not forget his lack of empathy from the story.
"What went wrong?" my boss asked glancing at the brothers.
"Nothing," I replied calmly.
Both brothers were strikingly handsome, with defined cheekbones, sharp jawlines, features carved with careful precision, balanced with effortless confidence that made their presence captivating.
However, I was impressed by how they looked very different with different hair, eye color and skin tone. That was just how contrasting their touch had been.
I swallowed snapping out of my thoughts and began prepping another order leaving my boss to take care of Jasper's order.
***
3rd person POV.
"She ignored us," Jasper said as they walked to their cars.
"Yes, I told you so," Zephyr replied. "I don't know what game she's playing."
Jasper sighed. One visit to his brother's hotel had led him to get drugged and raped by a female staff member. This was something too absurd to believe yet it had happened to them.
"Have them investigate again and resend the footage," Jasper said. He recognised her face, and hair yet it was difficult to believe the wild woman of that night was the innocent-looking youngster.
She had trembled like a blade of grass in the wind when held yet she could drug them?
Zephyr stretched his hand blocking Jasper's path. "I reinvestigated it. She did it. I also apprehended the drug dealer she bought the drug from. I could send you the new footage I obtained from where she picked up the drug. She planned it carefully. She is fooling both of us."
Everything about her seemed otherworldly. From her innocent weak façade to her seductive alluring appearance. She did something unimaginable and trapped him in an endless sensual dream.
She had planned it all, yet she pretended to have nothing to do with it. That was equally otherworldly.
From the background check they did, she was diligent and hardworking. She had also lived a very pitiful life.
They suspected she did it to trap them but she hasn't requested anything from them. She had taken morning pills the day after meaning she wasn't about to use pregnancy to trap them.
Neither of them could figure her out.
Jasper could not hold back a sigh. "Send the footage," he agreed.
Zephyr nodded and dropped his stretched hand. "Okay, bye."