“JAVIER, can I go see Dory today?” Gretel asked when their session came to an end.
He looked up from reading the papers.
“What are you going to do there?”
“I just missed her.” She brought her hands together on the table. “I’ll be back before sunset. I promise.”
“All right, then. Have fun with her.” Javier smiled.
“Thank you!”
JAVIER stood by his window as he watched the carriage left. Mr. Martinez will take Gretel to Dory’s shop and collect her when it’s time.
“Javier’s birthday is more than a week away. I want to make it special for him.”
He did not mean to hear it when he was approaching the dining room a while ago.
“Maybe if I give him a present, he’d change his mind.”
He took a deep breath and shut his eyes. Pain sliced across his chest.
He was already running out of time. He would not be there after his thirtieth birthday. He won’t even be around when Gretel turned twenty. He will never see her become the person that she always wanted to be.
He put a hand over his eyes, but it did nothing to stop his tears from falling. That was the worst pain he felt in years. It was more painful than Edina rejecting him after showing her his cursed appearance.
She begged him not to move any closer. He disgusted her, and she could not even look him in the eyes.
But that did not hurt as much now. It pained him more that Gretel wanted to do everything to make his birthday special, but he was leaving her in return. He did not want to hurt Gretel. He’d rather watch her push him away just like Edina did. Maybe that would make departing this world easier.
“YOU COULD just pick from the most expensive shirts here. I’m sure Javier will like it,” Dory said.
Gretel pouted for a moment.
“I said I wanted to make it more special for Javier’s birthday. So, you help me sew a shirt for him. You got to teach the most beautiful pattern you have.”
“Well, it would be complicated.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Dory grinned.
“I guess falling in love really makes people stubborn. I could not help but feel jealous.” Dory pulled out a stack of paper from her drawer and handed it to Gretel.
Gretel smiled. How could she deny something that was very obvious?
They both turned to the door when it opened. A woman in her late forties came in, looking sophisticated and proud.
Gretel and Dory exchanged glances. They had never seen that woman before. She must be from another town.
“Good afternoon, Madam,” Dory greeted politely as she stood up. “How can I help you?”
“I’m looking for a beautiful black dress,” the woman replied. She was holding a fancy mirror with a silver handle.
“You’re at the right place, Madam. On what occasion are you wearing it?”
“My stepson’s burial. It’ll be in more than a week. I want to look beautiful on that day.”
Gretel and Dory exchanged glances once again. This woman must be crazy. Who in their right mind would wear something grand in a burial?
“U-um, let me just show you my collection.” Dory disappeared into another door.
Gretel was about to ignore the woman, but she approached her and smiled at her sweetly like they were acquaintances.
“You’re beautiful,” she said.
“T-thank you, Madam. You’re beautiful, too.”
Her skin was as white and delicate as porcelain.
“I guess the feeling of being in love gives you the glow.”
Gretel stared. Who was this woman? Why was she talking to her like she could see through her eyes?
“But what happens if it was not meant to last?”
“W-what are you talking about, Madam?”
“I’m sure it will leave you heartbroken when you realized the man you gave your heart to was not you think he really was. You poor thing.” She caressed Gretel’s face and looked at her with pity.
Gretel flinched. There was no warmth in her touch at all.
“If I were you, I’d run away as far as I could and never return. Save yourself, dear.”
“I appreciate your advice, Madam, but I think you were mistaken,” Gretel said firmly.
The woman just smiled. It was not more than just an ordinary smile. It was as if she knew something that Gretel did not. She was giving her a spooky feeling.
“Madam, you can now choose your preferred gown,” Dory interrupted.
Gretel took a deep breath when the woman turned to Dory.
“THAT WOMAN was weird,” Dory remarked as the woman finally left. “She was giving me the chills despite the hot weather.”
“You’re not alone, Dory. I don’t know. Something does not just feel right,” Gretel said. She was relieved the woman was finally gone. “By the way, what do you know about curses?”
“Curses?” Dory’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“Do you really think there are witches in real life?”
“Well, I’ve heard of them before, but I haven’t seen them myself. It’s hard to believe stuff like that.”
“Do you think a curse could be broken? You know so that the cursed person could go back to his normal life.”
“What kind of a person would curse someone and ruin his life?”
Gretel sighed. “Definitely a heartless person.”
“Isn’t there a book about curses?” Dory asked.
“I’m not sure. I haven’t seen that one. And even if there is, it’s not a good idea for a bad person to possess it.”
“You’re definitely right about that. But why are you suddenly curious about curses? Do you know someone who was cursed?”
Gretel’s eyes widened and shook her head at once.
“I-it’s just that when I meet one, I want to help him.”
“I guess the person who gave that curse could break it. It’s only logical.”
“I guess you’re right.”
Then Gretel must ask Alexander who gave him that curse. Maybe there was still a way.