Page 16 of Valentine's Miracle

“The Rue is absolutely breathtaking. The street performers are astonishing, and the art that connects everyone from around the world!”

The vendor’s eyes brighten, and I don't think he was expecting someone from the States to know about the best-hidden secret of his home city.

“You’ve been there?” he asks, pride shines brighter than the glitter on his eyes. “The Rue is the pride of Toulouse. Only locals know when the impulsive creators would come out to perform.”

I laugh at the memories; my friend and I were coated in environmentally-safe dust of colorful paint. “It’s what gives it the name. When it leaves, everyone feels regret because they have this feeling of not being able to have the most fun when they are all exhausted.”

“You seem to know it from experience,” he remarks, a grin pulling on his lips.

“One month and three Rue experiences; it’s the best vacation I could ever ask for.”

A high-pitched screech breaks the happiness between the vendor and I as I take the bag he had delicately arranged.

“Oh my god!” a woman’s voice screams. “You’re Alejo Vazquez’s guard!”

I turn my head, watching the frown on Silas’ face deepen. Just that moment, he turns to me and glares with those green eyes. I’m not sure if he’s glaring because he’s asking for help or he’s blaming me for being in that situation.

How was I supposed to know that he’s going to be this popular with the ladies? If Sebastian is here, he’d be over the moon with how many women are flocking into his arms. He did say that he likes catfights and ethical issues are out the window if they fight like women scorned.

“Everyone’s talking about you!” the same woman screams again.

I give her three seconds before Silas hisses something out and it’s most likely not a pleasant experience to be on his bad side. The woman looks as if she’s offended, but she wouldn’t be an influencer if she doesn’t have a thicker skin to cynical haters.

“I will pay you double if you become mine.”

My eyebrows shoot up, and his eyes return to mine. The anger in them is at the boiling point, and I need to defuse the situation before he tosses that woman out of the window. I don’t think his company is going to protect him on a voluntary manslaughter charge.

“Ladies, please allow space for Silas to breathe.” I push past them and stand beside the raging man.

The woman who seems to be the center of the attention has her lips curling in discontent at my disruption. Her change of demeanor gets Silas subtly putting himself in a position where he has the maximum space between them without touching me.

I want to remind him that not everything is an active threat.

“Who’re you?” the woman snobbishly snorts. She isn’t all the interested in my name, but she probably wants to know what kind of person she’s dealing with.

I’m not a bigshot mogul or a tycoon of a Fortune 500 company. I’m just a mathematician with a flexible schedule and good money-saving skills, but that’s just because I spend money on things that I am able to afford without feeling guilty of spending my own hard-earned money.

Sometimes, it’s good to treat myself.

“Just a concerned citizen.” I smile, and that makes her riled up.

I’m trying to be civil, but she’s being unreasonable.

“This doesn’t concern you.” She crosses her arm. Her friends or other influencers stand close by to see what Queen Bee wants to do with little old me. I’m not going to fight her, especially not with those acrylic nails and I’m just not a violent person.

Silas, on the other hand, is not above hitting women. Sebastian had said something about Silas seeing red and gender means nothing to him. Some would say this is the gender equality that everyone is fighting for, but I believe they’re mistaking the points that are made.

Violence is never the answer.

It just rubbed me the wrong way when Sebastian unintentionally paints Silas as a violent person. I have never heard one incident about abusing power in the company, and I would have heard about it from Sebastian. That man can’t keep a secret, nor does he even understand what a non-disclosure agreement means when he started working for them.

“Ladies,” I get their attention as I raise my hands up to show that I’m not going to take my imaginary earrings out to fight them. “This is Silas; he’s my bodyguard. If you wish to use his services, I suggest you book his time; he is a very popular choice.”

Oh. I think I just made the situation worse. The Queen Bee of the group fumes and she pulls out her checkbook from her designer bag, and even her pen is wrapped in the status of gold.

I recall my words, and I don’t find them offensive. It’s just the truth. I’m surprised that Sebastian had the skills to pull this off when I remember him saying that Silas is one of the top choices for security and he has to be booked weeks ahead.

“Here,” the woman snaps while tossing me a check with a lot of zeros. “Use that for your new bodyguard.”

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