“The rays of the sun may hide under the stars of our night

But your soul is always open under the sky and my eyes”

- Sawika Sangwit

The longer you are with a person, the easier it becomes to understand them. You get used to their manner of communication and habits. Everything that seemed strange before is now perceived differently.

I woke up in a soft bed, not hearing the sound of my alarm clock. Opening my eyes, I froze. This was not my room. Feeling anxious, I began to remember yesterday. True, Lady Isara herself invited me to her room. Did I really fall asleep right in her bed without noticing it? I carefully sat up and turned my head. This was not a dream or even a nightmare. In front of me lay a sleeping woman, with a calm and very graceful face. I could not tear my eyes away and so continued to admire her, hoping that she would not wake up. The translucent cape in which she sat yesterday fell off during sleep, exposing her rounded shoulders. Slightly leaning forward, I noticed that Lady Isara had a small scar under her eyebrow and several small moles under her left eye.

I had to force myself to turn away from her to leave the bedroom because it was already seven o'clock. This meant that she would wake up soon and I needed to change. I got off the bed and went to my room. Having closed the door tightly, I looked around, fortunately there was never anyone on this floor. As far as I knew, Lady Sawika and Lady Fai climbed to their chambers using another staircase, which was closer to the exit to the courtyard. So it turns out that they never cross paths with Lady Isara. And the entrance to the third floor is completely closed to me.

—

The longer you are with a person, the more you get used to their presence in your life. You become interested in learning more about them. You start to be attracted by their features, voice and eyes. Desires that were not there before, or maybe were, but you did not pay attention to them, appear.

I woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. No, nothing new, I had seen this dream more than once. The only difference was that when I opened my eyes, it was not a lonely sheet that was waiting for me, but a sleeping innocent girl. She still had the book open in her hands, bending a little closer to her, I took it. I put it on the dresser and then straightened her blanket. She was fast asleep, but I saw how her eyelashes trembled in her sleep. I don’t know why, but I wanted to touch her face. Marta was different from everyone I had seen before, her amber eyes always told me that she was not from here. Thin arms and white skin. I brushed away a strand of hair that lay carelessly on her cheeks. She frowned, but did not wake up.

It's three o'clock in the morning, I can't sit like this. No one would watch someone sleeping all night long. I got out of bed and went to the window. The moon was shining right on me, maybe that was the reason for my insomnia.

Looking at Marta again, I thought. Maybe I should be more careful with her. Yesterday I saw her talking to my sister. Something like that shouldn't bother me, but knowing Sawika and her love for young girls. The thought angered me. No, she wouldn't court her. Marta belongs to me, that's the terms of the contract.

I push these thoughts away, it's not like that. The girl can't belong to me, she's not a thing. And yet, should I make sure that she no longer needs my sister's company?

After another hour of thinking, I finally went back to bed. I was lucky, I was able to fall asleep and wake up in the morning. Unfortunately, when I woke up, Marta was gone. Maybe she was embarrassed, because she accidentally fell asleep in my bed. In any case, I will not ask her questions.

Niwat is supposed to come to see me today. He said he has good news. I just wish I knew if he was lying or not. He often thinks good of things that usually don't mean anything to me.

When I entered my study, there was already coffee on my desk. I had a vague thought that Marta was avoiding me. It was impossible to say that something had happened between us, but perhaps that was how it looked in her head. Before I had time to really come to my senses and take my place at work, there was a knock at the door.

- I know it's early, but please let me in. - Niwat showed up very unexpectedly. To be honest, I thought I'd expect him for lunch and not earlier.

Isara: Come in, just speak more quietly, your voice is ringing in my ears. - I sat down in the chair.

The man greeted me with a mysterious smile on his face. He straightened his jacket and sat down opposite me. I waited for him to start the conversation, but instead Niwat continued to grin for some reason unknown to me.

Isara: Be so kind as to tell me why you came, and if not, then go on about your business.

Niwat: You seem to be much more cheerful today, which certainly makes me happy Isa. Although you are as lacking in patience as always.

Isara: That's very kind of you. I hope that's all you wanted to say.

Niwat: Take your time. I really came on business. - He took out a small envelope. - Our dear client Mr. Panichwit has a request. His daughter works at the theater. There will be a performance there tonight. - Niwat handed me two tickets. - You can consider this gratitude for how quickly we reacted and saved him from a scandal.

Isara: He has already paid the full amount, I don't need the tickets. You can offer them to my sisters or the house workers. - I didn't accept the invitation.

Niwat: I understand that you don't like such events, but I think a person has appeared in this house who hasn't often had the opportunity to visit such places. - It immediately became clear to me that he was talking about Marta. Why would he suddenly worry about the well-being of this girl?

Isara: So you want to please my assistant? - I tried to ask this question as casually as possible. - Why didn't you offer them to her yourself then? - He wouldn't dare.

Niwat: I'm afraid we're not that close. Even though I know quite a bit about her, I'm sure she wasn't happy to know how I got that information. - He laughed as if there was something funny about it, but he fell silent when he saw my displeasure. - Well, I'll leave you these tickets. You can throw them away or use them. Either way, the decision is yours. - The man put them on the table.

Isara: Is that all you wanted to talk about?

Niwat: We still have time to discuss work issues. Better tell me how your relationship with Marta developed. I saw her downstairs, she seemed to be worried about something.

Isara: Worried? - Does she really not want to be seen by me? Silly girl, I couldn't scare her.

Nivat: Is there a conflict between you? Did you scold her?

Isara: No, I have never raised my voice at her.

I don't understand what she didn't like. I was careful with her, I didn't try to scare her away. Why did her reaction say the opposite? Niwat noticed that I was thinking.

Niwat: I don't know what's going on within the walls of this house, but in any case, I'm sure you'll figure it out. - He pointed at the tickets again and then stood up. - I'll be in touch. If you do go to the show, write to me. Have a nice day, Isa.

I said a quick goodbye to him and glanced at the invitation. The show starts at eight o'clock in the evening. I have plenty of time to prepare. An irritated sigh escapes and I call the manager to me.

—

Khun Niwat politely said goodbye to everyone in the kitchen. I sat at the table finishing the breakfast kindly prepared by Rada. The cook ran from side to side preparing another appetizer, and Mali sat behind us peering somewhere to the side.

Mali: Strange. Why is he so happy? - She turned our attention to Anon. - Lady Isara gave him some kind of task, but why is he happy?

Rada: Maybe guests will come? Although, in that case, he would run to tell me about it first.

Mali: Okay, what's for snacks? Lady Sawika is probably already tired of waiting. - The maid snorted discontentedly.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Rada: Oy! Give me a minute, I want to arrange everything nicely. You know how attentive she is to details.

Mali: The details are not only about appearance, but also about time. Do you want her to reprimand me?

Marta: How could Lady Sawika get angry about something like that? She seemed very calm to me. - I finished eating and put the dishes in the sink.

Mali: Of course she can, especially during a creative crisis. Sometimes her mood is even more difficult to predict than the behavior of Lady Isara. The mere mention of this woman made me shudder.

Rada: Oh my God, Marta! Are you cold? - Poor Rada looked at me in fear.

Marta: Ah... no. It's just a muscle cramp, I must have slept in a bad position. - I wanted to close this topic as quickly as possible. - Let me take the food to Lady Sawika myself. Okay?

Mali: What an immortal. Take it if you're really bored. Just be careful.

Marta: Of course.

I quickly left the kitchen in search of Lady Sawika. As always, she was looking for inspiration in the fresh air, fortunately the weather was favorable today. I managed to catch her in the gazebo. The woman was examining the petals of delicate white flowers in her hands.

Marta: Good morning, Lady Sawika. - I smiled and placed the dish next to her.

Sawika: Marta, I didn't expect to see you so early, but I'm very happy. Did you really think about it and decide that it would be more pleasant to help me than my sister? - Her satisfied face for some reason made me blush.

Marta: I'm afraid that's impossible. However, I don't see anything wrong with taking the time to attend to your needs from time to time. - I bowed my head politely and wanted to leave, but she stopped me.

Sawika: Take your time, sit down. The weather is beautiful today. - She invited me to sit next to her. I sat down obediently. - Do you like the flowers? I planted them for the first time seven years ago. Now I can't imagine my life without their beauty and charming scent.

Marta: I thought picking flowers was prohibited here.

Sawika: That's right, others can't. If they looked after the garden the way I do, then maybe there wouldn't be a rule. - She grinned and I noticed that when the Lady smiled, she had very cute, neat dimples. Literally everything about her screamed about the tenderness of beauty, although her character was still hard to figure out.

Marta: Very beautiful, Lady Sawika.

Sawika: You say such words, but you look at me, not at the flowers. - She took my hand. - Take them, put them on your dresser and in the evening you will feel how the aroma fills the whole room. - The girl gave me three small flowers.

Marta: Thank you.., I really like them.

Sawika: I'm glad.

We might have sat like that for a while, discussing the beauty around us, but suddenly Anon urgently called me to come back to the house. I said goodbye and ran to find out what had happened. He led me into the living room.

Marta: Does Lady Isara have some task for me?

Anon: This is not just a task. Lady Isara invites you to be her escort for this evening. - This news leaves me speechless and I can't find the words to respond. - Marta, you will be going to the evening performance at the theater tonight. So I was tasked with providing you with a dress. I was able to find several options, but the Lady insists on the last one. - He hands me a Package with a famous brand written on it. - Go up to your room and change quickly. You must tidy yourself up, and then show yourself to Lady Isara.

Marta: Wait, but I... - He doesn't let me finish, pushing me towards the stairs.

I walk into the room hesitantly, holding a bag of expensive clothes in my hands. For what reason did Lady Isara decide to invite me? Usually, if she had to go away on business or to a meeting, she would just warn me about it. I put down the flowers from Lady Sawika, enjoying this delicate scent for the last time, and then try on the outfit. A black evening dress with a cutout on the back and a slit that exposes my legs. In addition to the dress, there were also shoes in the bag. Luckily for me, they were not on a large platform, which means I will be able to walk calmly without stumbling. I suppose I need to do the appropriate makeup. This is already more difficult. After half an hour of torment in front of my mirror, I finally decide to go out.

I had to gather my courage to knock on the door. I was afraid that Lady Isara might be angry that I greeted her in the morning. I don't know why, but I didn't want to see her. After waking up in the morning, I walked around with a very strange feeling in my chest and couldn't get rid of her sleeping image.

Marta: Good morning, Lady Isara. - I open the door, hesitating to enter.

Isara: Are you having trouble? It's been over an hour since you went up to your room. - She continued talking to me while filling out some documents in her hands.

Marta: No, not really. I'm just not used to this kind of clothing. - I close the door and stand right in front of her. She looks up at me, but doesn't say anything. The woman looks down and turns away again.

Isara: Okay. Be ready. We have to leave at seven. Anon will tell you when you need to come down. - Lady Isara points me to the door without looking at me again. I thought that maybe I did something wrong, but I had no desire to pester her with questions.

During the entire time of waiting, she never called me to her. I sat on the bed looking at the flowers, for some reason it seemed a good idea to put one of the flowers as a bookmark. Now, every time I inhaled the aroma, I wanted to meet Lady Sawika as soon as possible. There were many questions that I would like to ask her, but I was embarrassed.

As expected, at ten minutes to seven, Anon invited me to go downstairs. I went out into the yard and walked to the exit where Lady Isara's car was parked. It was getting dark outside and a little chilly. A hot hand touched my shoulder and turned around abruptly.

Isara: I didn't mean to scare you. Can we go? - To say that the woman looked beautiful would be an understatement. A long dress of a bluish hue that emphasized her figure and a cutout on the shoulders, which emphasized her collarbones. I swallowed, lowering my eyes to the floor. I wanted to make a compliment, but it seemed inappropriate to me. How strangely my behavior changed every time we were alone. I remember that I experienced something completely different when we first met.

Marta: Yes, of course. We shouldn't be late.

The woman smiled mysteriously, which put me in an even more awkward position. The worst thing was that I couldn't tell if it was a smirk or a sincere smile, perhaps she was pleased, or maybe the opposite. Lady Isara walked forward, opening the car door to the seat next to the driver's.

Isara: Sit down Marta.

I sit down, expecting her to do the same. Soon the car starts moving and the evening city opens up before my eyes. Everyone worries little by little and I enjoy the ride. Lady Isara drives very carefully, which cannot but please me. The silence in the cabin is interrupted by a notification that came to my phone. It seems I even see surprise in her eyes, but she quickly returns her attention to the road. The thing is that I only use my phone when I am in my room. She has never seen me keeping it with me when I am in the office or on the first floor. In fact, I simply did not have an urgent need to check notifications and communicate with someone on a regular basis. All my friends knew about the situation regarding me and my family, they tried not to disturb me, finding out about my affairs once every couple of days. Most often, I received messages from my brother and stepfather. Krit and I had a separate agreement regarding messages, but my stepfather wrote to me periodically to find out if everything was okay. I never told him the truth about where I work now. He thinks I found a permanent job in another city, not knowing that I was still in Bangkok. I'm afraid that even if I told the truth, he wouldn't believe me. I quickly replied to the message and put the phone back in my purse.

After 20 minutes of driving, the car stopped. We arrived. Lady Isara was in no hurry to get out, she looked expectantly, but I didn’t know what to say. The woman turned around taking something from the back seat. It was a cape, most likely she was afraid of freezing indoors. It was amazing that no matter what clothes she wore, she looked perfect. Her figure parameters could only be envied.

Marta: I think we should hurry. It's better to come early and wait inside.

Don't you think so?

Isara: Yes, I agree. - Although she didn't show it, I was sure that Lady Isara didn't want to go there at all.

We entered the theater. On the first floor, a crowd of smartly dressed people had already gathered in the lobby. Many were using the waiting time before the performance to chat with others. However, Lady Isara paid no attention to them at all, instead she pointed to the stairs leading to the exit to our balcony. It was quite expected that our seats would be separate from the other guests. I followed her, looking at the pleasant decoration of the hall along the way.

We sat down and waited for the show to begin. I tried not to look at Lady Isara too often, but it was hard. Her bare shoulders beckoned me to take another look. Although I was afraid of being noticed, the likelihood that she would notice was very small. The woman sat with a gloomy face, turning her gaze to the crowd of people gathering below. It is not entirely clear to me why we came here if she was not pleased. Still, she could have refused Khun Niwat right away and instead of taking the tickets, simply asked him to leave. Perhaps she did not want to get into another conflict with her father and that is why she agreed so easily.

In any case, I was pleased that she offered to accompany me. This was the first time I had gone out with Lady Isara. The Sangwit family residence was quite spacious, but I still felt like leaving the house without permission or a specific reason. Although, I'm afraid it was partly my fault. It had been about two weeks since I started working here, and I had never once raised the issue of going home. I knew that Lady Isara wouldn't keep me by force, in fact, she would be happy for me to go and leave her alone for a while, but... I don't think I really wanted to go home and see my mother in the same state I had last seen her in. It may sound selfish, but that's the way it was. Every evening and morning, I wrote to my brother to see if my mother was feeling better.

However, the answer was always the same - "She is very weak, the doctors are trying a new treatment, but so far there has been no success." This has left me feeling more disappointed. We now have money, but nothing good has happened. I hold on to the hope that one day my brother will say, "She's better," but for now, I can only pray that her condition doesn't get worse.

I went into my thoughts completely forgetting about where we were. Soon I felt Lady Isara touch my hand. She looks at me with a question.

Marta: Sorry Khun Isa, I was lost in thought. What were you saying?

Isara: I asked if you were cold. - She pointed to my feet. - I'm afraid there's a draft and you might get sick.

Marta: Everything is fine, I'm not cold.

Isara: Tell me if you feel cold. I'll give you my cape.

Marta: Thank you.

After making sure I wasn't lying, she leaves me alone with my thoughts again. Today is a really special day. I woke up in her bed, as if I were a princess from a fairy tale, who accidentally found a beauty next to me. When I was finally able to get rid of these strange obsessive thoughts, I was lucky enough to find Lady Sawika and finally...Khun Anon said that Lady Isara herself offered to accompany her to a performance at the theater.

I'm afraid that my smile now betrayed all my noisy thoughts.

We sat for a couple more minutes and soon the lights went out in the hall. The orchestra, which was near the stage, began its own game. The actors came out one after another, causing the audience to shout. When the main character finally came out on stage, I froze in admiration. An incredibly beautiful girl, she captivated me with her smooth dance movements. I watched her without opening my eyes. If it weren’t for the sudden goosebumps that ran down my back, I would have continued to sit and enjoy her performance. Turning my head towards Lady Isara, I froze. It seemed that all this time, she was not looking at the stage at all, but at me. Even when I met her eyes, the woman did not look away.

She whispered something silently, but I couldn't make out a word. Leaning forward slightly, I asked.

Marta: It's very noisy here, could you repeat that?

In response, Lady Isara moved closer to me, almost touching my ear with her lips.

Isara: You look beautiful in this dress.

I felt like I was wrong. After all, when I walked into her study today, there was no reaction from her. I was completely confused, but my body reacted to every word, making me blush. Should I answer something?

Marta: Thank you Khun Isa... But you chose this dress yourself.

Isara: Yes, that's right. I knew it would suit you. - The breath and the quiet voice burned me, I resumed the distance, returning my attention to the stage. Why does this feeling continue to haunt me?

I tried my best to follow the actors' performance, but obsessive thoughts got in the way. For the rest of the evening, I tried to avoid Lady Isara's gaze, afraid that she might notice the changes in me. I don't know why, but any thought that I could get closer to her made me afraid. Fear of being deceived. Fear of being lost. But most of all, I was afraid that after the changes in our communication, I would start seeking her attention out of personal need. We were too different and too distant for me to allow myself to think about it.

The show ended and we were back in the car, I no longer knew if I was happy with the evening. I wanted to get back to my room and wake up the next day.

Isara: I told you to tell me if you were cold. - She moved closer to me, covering my legs with her cape. Her face was very close to mine.

Marta: I’m not cold… - I answered almost in a whisper, wanting to hide from her eyes.

Isara: Then why are you shaking? - Lady Isara also asked quietly, which made goosebumps run through my body again.

My heart was giving me signs of alarm and I understood perfectly well why, even though I tried to lie to myself.