"This way, Miss Amelia," Andrea said.
They trudged up a fairly deserted path. The air was starting to get a little thinner the more they walked, but thankfully, that didn’t cause Amelia’s nose to continue bleeding. She had pinched it the entire journey, and because of her efforts, the blood had stopped trickling.
However, things were starting to go a little haywire. They had taken the ski lift, crossed several different slopes, and when Amelia raised questions about it, Andrea only said, "This is the right path!"
Unless the nearest first aid center was on the top of the mountain, it finally set into Amelia that this was most definitely not the right way. Her head had gone fuzzy ever since she had parted ways with Matteo, and if it hadn’t been for Lilie, perhaps she would’ve taken his offer of bringing her directly to the infirmary himself.
"Here we are," Andrea proudly said, standing with his hands resting on his hips as he looked down at the world below him. "We started a little slow previously, but I think you’re ready for this monster!"
Amelia paled as she looked down― the people looked like ants from up here, and the slope was so steep that she could possibly tumble down and snowball into a giant ball before reaching the base of the slope. If Matteo had been reluctant to let her go onto the beginner’s slope, he would’ve absolutely murdered Andrea for bringing Amelia here.
"Wait..." Amelia said, looking back at Andrea confused. "I thought we were heading to the infirmary?"
"Oh!" Andrea said, placing a hand over his lips. "Well, honestly, I thought that was just a farce said to placate your fiancé, honestly. After all, he definitely wasn’t going to let it go without a little white lie with how angry he was."
Then, Andrea chuckled to himself as though he had heard something funny.
"You know, Miss Amelia, I think Miss Emmeline was right. Mr. Montgomery truly has plenty of anger issues."
Amelia frowned. She trusted Andrea enough as a coach when he had shown himself capable during the earlier half of their lesson together, but now that they were alone, she wasn’t so sure.
Without Matteo’s watchful eye on him, there was something very different about Andrea. Maybe it was the way he stood with a much more relaxed posture, maybe it was the way he spoke, but Amelia felt like an animal behind the cages of a zoo.
"She always said that he was a scary man, and boy oh boy, I did not believe her one bit!" Andrea laughed in good humor. "She even dubbed him as ’a difficult man to love’. Between the both of us, I must admit that I was a little surprised to see the way he acted with you on the telly."
Andrea leaned in — not at an inappropriate distance, but still enough to make Amelia’s skin crawl — and whispered as though there were people listening to their conversation.
"Between the both of us, I was a little stunned back then. He seemed like the perfect gentleman in front of the paps, but I suppose that was an act after all." Andrea then pulled back and shrugged. "Can’t blame a man for wanting to put on his best side for the girl he wishes to conquer."
"Conquer?" Amelia echoed, appalled by the word choice.
Andrea nodded, giving Amelia a knowing smile.
"Men like him who are powerful and have the world in the palm of his hand would always want a challenge," Andrea said, a statement Amelia might not have rebutted if she heard it a few months ago. "Emmeline always said that she was the only one who could handle his temper, so color me surprised when I realized there was another Hawthorne heiress who could tame the beast."
He then chuckled as though he had heard a world-class award-winning joke, lightly slapping Amelia’s shoulder. He didn’t put much force into it, but Amelia winced either way― he had coincidentally hit a bruise, and now that the adrenaline was gone, everything hurt badly.
"But a rich man will always be a rich man," Andrea said with a sigh. "Ever so insistent on having things done his way."
"No... I mean... Matteo was right," she slowly said. "I should go get myself checked before I attempt a―"
She paused, looking at the slope.
A young man had made his way up and prepared himself before setting off, zooming quickly into the distance, and disappearing into the snow in a blink of an eye.
She continued, "―more advanced slope."
"Your nose seems fine," Andrea pointed out. "The air here is thin and dry― nose bleeds are common. Just make sure not to sniff too hard and it shouldn’t bleed again anytime soon."
Amelia took a step back and away from the slope. Every fiber of her body was protesting against Andrea’s words. She finally placed her finger on what it was that his tone and words made every warning bell in her head flare― everything was superficial.
Even Andrea’s friendliness and professionalism that he initially had seemed to have melted away like an ice cube placed under the summer sun.
"Well," Andrea said, preparing his own boots and board. "The only way from here is down. Come. I’ll guide you."
He beckoned Amelia over and Amelia stared at him, aghast.
"There has to be another way down," Amelia said.
"You can walk," Andrea said, looking almost bored. "But I am not walking back down with you, especially not with the boards. This is a much faster way."
"I’ll walk then," Amelia said, planting her feet firmly into the snow. She had no intention of tumbling down there, and if she had to spend another hour finding her way back down to the base, that was what she would do.
Andrea shrugged. "Suit yourself," was all he said before he placed his ski goggles on, pushing off and quickly disappearing with a hoot of excitement.
Amelia watched as her snowboarding instructor went down the slope and disappeared into a speck in the snow, leaving her alone at the top of the highest slope at the resort.
Shit. She should’ve listened to Matteo. He wasn’t being overly paranoid after all.
Just as Amelia picked up her board, something slowly fell from the heavens above, causing Amelia to put out a hand, her palm facing upward. One drop of white landed on her gloves, then another, and another.
It was starting to snow.