Viona huffed irritably.
“We’ll see about that. I’ll make sure you’re gone from this house by tomorrow,” Viona said with complete confidence.
Elkan merely curved his lips into a smile.
“I won’t give up, Miss,” Elkan replied calmly.
“SHUT UP!” Viona shouted as she turned toward the stairs.
Elkan followed behind Viona. But first, he asked her mother for permission.
“Ma’am, I’d like permission to look after Miss Viona.”
“Yes, go ahead. Please take good care of her.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Elkan then walked behind Viona. Meanwhile, Viona climbed the stairs, tapping her white cane against each step to find her way. However, since she still wasn’t very skilled at walking without being able to see, her foot caught on a step, and she nearly fell.
Luckily, Elkan was behind her and immediately caught her, preventing her from falling. But Viona wouldn’t accept his help.
“Let go of me! Don’t touch me!” she snapped.
“Yes, Miss.”
Elkan released his hands from Viona’s body.
“Stay away from me! Don’t come any closer!” Viona’s voice rose even higher.
“Yes, Miss.”
But Elkan’s two-word answer only made Viona even angrier.
“Don’t just say ‘yes’ when you’re not going to follow my orders!”
Elkan said nothing. But he still didn’t move from his spot. Viona continued climbing the stairs. Unfortunately, she stumbled again and fell backward. Luckily, Elkan was still behind her.
The young man immediately caught Viona’s body before she could fall down the stairs. Once again, Viona shouted at him.
“I already told you to leave, Elkan!”
This time, Elkan didn’t answer.
“Elkan!” Viona called.
Still, there was no answer.
Viona continued walking until she reached the top. She assumed Elkan had really left.
She made her way to her room with the help of her white cane. As soon as she arrived, Viona hurriedly closed the door so Elkan couldn’t come in with her. Unbeknownst to Viona, Elkan had already entered the room without making a sound.
Once inside, Viona sat on the bed. Not long afterward, a servant knocked on the door.
“Miss Viona, I’m bringing your food,” the servant said.
“Yes, come in.”
The servant opened the door. But when she entered, Elkan immediately pressed his index finger to his lips, signaling her not to greet him. The servant nodded. She placed the food on the table, then gave Viona a message before leaving.
“Miss Viona, before ma’am left for the office, she told me to remind you not to eat late. If you want to take a walk in the backyard, you have to be accompanied by Mr. Elkan.”
“I don’t want him accompanying me. You should just leave.”
“Yes, Miss.”
After the servant left, Viona spoke to herself, lamenting her fate.
“There’s no point in going to the garden. There’s nothing I can see. Everything is the same. Everything is dark.” Her tears finally broke free.
Elkan could only watch her in silence. After she had cried to her heart’s content, Viona slowly made her way toward the table with the food.
She groped around for the food. That was when Elkan moved closer and helped bring the food within her reach so she wouldn’t have trouble taking it. But he did everything without making a sound. After she finished eating, Viona reached around again for her drink. Since she couldn’t see, her arm bumped the glass, which was still on the table, and knocked it over.
The drinking water spilled onto the floor. Still feeling around with her hands, Viona managed to pick up the glass and intended to get more water from the dispenser. But when her foot stepped into the water on the floor, she slipped and nearly fell face-first. Luckily, Elkan managed to grab her just before she fell.
But instead of thanking him, Viona became angry again.
“Who is this? Is that you, Elkan?”
“Yes, Miss.”
“Why are you still in my room?”
“Because ma’am assigned me to look after you.”
“But I don’t need you!”
“But I need a job, Miss.”
Viona fell silent for a moment, then became angry again.
“That’s not my problem. Get out!” she shouted, pointing toward the door, though her index finger wasn’t actually aimed at it.
“Yes, Miss,” Elkan replied gently.
Elkan then walked toward the door and opened it. Afterward, he closed it again without leaving the room.