I KNOW I AM A HEARTLESS MAN!

"I am talking to you, Idiot!"

Theodora watched as his jaw ticked, and then suddenly nervousness washed over her as Gerald slowly opened his big green eyes to look straight at her. The very first look from him told her that she had done a mistake by kicking him.

Theodora slowly backed away from him. Her eyes darted towards the escape. She turned to sprint out of there but the agile man was quick to pull her back, only to shove her into the wall of the stall to his left.

Theodora tried to move, but he pinned her right where he wanted her. Standing close to her, he invaded her privacy but was sure to not let their bodies touch.

Theodora breathed hard and rapidly, her chest moved up and down as she glared up at the green-eyed stranger. Gerald placed his fists to her on either side and then leaned, so they were now eye to eye.

Theodora's heart leapt in her chest, making some crazy moves. She felt something rushing through her veins, only to reach her brain and explode there.

She had never been in such proximity with any man other than her father and Zerith. The way he looked at her intimidatingly did something to her body. She realised her knees were shaking but not in fear.

That feeling was something that she had never experienced before. It was like hundred folds stronger than the one she has when she broke the rules and tried to seek freedom.

Staring back at him and feeling his hot breath around her after the stunt they had pulled together, gave her a thrill of an adventure. Something she had always missed and longed for in her life.

"You are not as bad as I first thought."

"huh?" She blinked in bewilderment.

"I am talking about your looks. You are more good looking than I first thought."

His words sent a shiver down her spine, and she finally snapped back to reality.

'Theodora! How could you let such a cheap man use his charm on you?!!' She chided herself mentally.

"And you are as heartless as you look! Who uses a kid for their advantage?! You made that kid cry for God's sake!!!" She exclaimed unbelievingly.

Gerald observed her in silence for a long moment before he said, "I know I am a heartless man. I never argued against it, now did I?"

That left her speechless. She did not understand what to say to him.

"I do not wish to speak with you. Let me go!" She said, not knowing what else to say to him.

Gerald pulled away from her, and she realised that she had not breathed in a while.

Gerald gestured her to go by moving his hand dramatically towards the road.

"Just remember that we did not meet and we did not speak. We never crossed paths with each other. Have a good day!" Saying that he strolled out of there, whistling.

It took ten whole minutes for Theodora to digest what had happened in these past twenty minutes.

Twenty minutes! And that man had made her feel an unsteady and nerve-wracking ride of various emotions. Theodora realised she needed to go now. Bertha must be worried for her.

But what if those guards found her?

No no! How would they? Did not that rascal just walk out holding his head high?!

Theodora peeked out to the crowd and in all the directions to make sure it was safe to step out. And after making sure of that, she came out of her hideout. Looking around, she realised that she did not know the way back. She did not get a chance to pay attention to where they were running.

And that nonsense man left her alone. What a chivalry?!!!

"Theodora? Theodora?"

She heard Bertha's voice coming from her right. Relieved, Theodora's desperate eyes frantically searched for her friend amongst the crowd. Finally, their eyes met and they both ran towards each other.

"Oh my God! Theodora! Where have you been? I was looking for you everywhere. Do you know how worried I was!" Bertha could not hold herself back from hugging her friend now that she could finally breathe in peace.

Theodora could not express how relieved she was upon meeting Bertha again. That crowd, those noises, that place everything was so overwhelming that Theodora felt cold and out of place without her by her side.

The two friends pulled away from each other and it took great effort for Theodora to blink back the tears in her eyes.

"I... got lost." She said, not knowing what else to tell Bertha.

And even if she told her the truth, would she have believed it? And if she did, then she must have laughed at her face and Theodora did not want to make a fool of herself. So she did not mention the green-eyed theif or what stunt they pulled together.

In the hope to change the topic, Theodora said, "Come on I am hungry. Let's find something nice to eat." Theodora had no heart to eat anything in that dusty and crowded place.

But she was indeed very hungry, especially after all the running. And going home was the last thing she wanted to do that day.

Theodora found a decent looking stall nearby which was serving hot and delicious snacks.

"There!" She pointed at that stall and began pulling Bertha that way, but the maid stopped her.

Theodora looked at her in confusion.

"I... I have done something really stupid." Bertha said, casting her eyes down at the ground.

"What?"

"When I could not find you anywhere I saw a familiar guard and... and I told him to inform Zerith that you have gone missing."

"WHAT?!!!"

The people passing by gave Theodora weird looks. Theodora immediately lowered her voice and held Bertha's hands in her tightly... almost punishingly.

"What the hell are you saying, Bertha?" She hissed, glaring at the other woman whose face scrunched up in pain and guilt.

"I am sorry!" She apologised.

Theodora took a long drag of air before asking, "When did you tell him?"

"About... about fifteen minutes ago. Zerith is in the mansion and the guard has gone there to inform him." Bertha told in a low voice.

Theodora felt like breaking something to vent out her anger.

"Now what are you waiting for? Run!"

Saying that Theodora picked up the hem of her dress and darted out of the fair and in the direction of the Longhurst mansion. Bertha was hot on her tail.

They needed to reach back before the guard told anything to Zerith or Ralph got to know about it.

With a record speed, the two women somehow managed to reach the garden while huffing and panting like ragged dogs. Theodora felt pain in her stomach as she was not used to such physical exercise.

"What are you two doing here? I thought you will not return before the sunset."

They heard Zerith's voice from behind, and then only they released a sigh of relief. He did not know anything yet and thus, the two of them were safe!

*

*

*

At the end of the second day of the fair, the triplet along with Filch, had delicious food served and bottles of alcohol to complement that breezy night.

They sat in the same place where they usually celebrated the small moments of happiness, the cold nights of loneliness and peaceful evenings of regrets and just thoughtfulness.

"Dang! Oscar, we have got more collection than yesterday!" Isabella whistled in glee after she was done counting the money and jewellery they had stolen.

Oscar only smiled, but that smile did not reach his eyes. Isabella noticed it but decided to not point it out and turned her attention to Gerald, who had a mouth of the bottle on his lips for a long moment.

"Do you wish to die choking on that bitter liquid before you show us your today's collection and witness our wedding?" Isabella snatched that bottle from his hand and began drinking from it.

That bitterness burned the back of her throat, and she moaned in satisfaction. It was unconventional for a woman to drink that kind of alcohol, but she did not realise when she picked up on that habit.

Anyways life had never offered her the privilege of being a woman, so why she should act like one?

Gerald rolled his eyes at her and yawned, staring in the distance. Oscar noticed his changed mood.

"Gerald is there anything you want to share?" He asked warmly.

Gerald thought for a moment, recalling his day. Did anything worth mentioning happen? He asked himself and one striking face popped up in front of his eyes.

But what was that? He did not know!

"Wait! I know that look! I know that look!!!"

Gerald was startled at Isabella's overexcited and loud voice. Even Filch who was dozing off sat up straight and shook his head, looking at her in alarm.

"Wh-what?" Gerald did not know why he stuttered like that.

A wide and irritating smile stretched on Isabella's face as she pointed her finger at Gerald.

"You found THE woman, haven't you?!!"

All the excitement died down. Both Oscar and Filch rolled their eyes, and disappointment washed over their faces. Oscar resumed drinking, and Filch ignored Isabella making some guttering sounds and went back to sleep on Gerald's coat that he had put on the rock beside him.

Gerald and THE woman? It was the weirdest combination that could ever happen!

Gerald shook his head, not saying a word, but he felt Isabella's curious eyes trained on him for long long minutes until she finally went to sleep.

Gerald probably had not realised that, but when he went to sleep with that hazel-eyed woman on his mind, he also wore a small smile.