Lucas had suppressed his ego. It was difficult, but he succeeded in letting go of Velia to accompany Harry, who was struggling on the operating table. He was generous of heart, and fate had something unexpected in store for him.
Lucas’s eyes opened after a deep sleep of five hours. A light feeling washed over him, and he knew exactly why. It was Velia.
Lucas turned his head. Velia was in his embrace. She was fast asleep and had decided not to leave. She had decided to stay with Lucas.
The heat, bitterness, and tightness that once filled Lucas’s chest disappeared without a trace. As soon as Velia returned, everything vanished. It was replaced with unimaginable happiness.
Lucas pulled Velia closer, wanting to immerse himself even more in their embrace. He closed the small distance between them to plant a gentle kiss on her head.
“Until now, you still don’t realize who you truly love, Ve? Why do you have to be so stubborn in denying the truth? Aren’t you tired?” Lucas whispered softly.
It seemed difficult for Lucas to go back to sleep when the kiss awakened desires within him, desires to do something else, like caressing Velia.
If only you accepted me as I hoped you would when we first met. Maybe our relationship could be more than just good like this, but-
Lucas closed his eyes briefly. He exhaled as a flurry of memories swirled in his mind.
No problem. I will truly be able to have you, sooner or later. With your willingness. Without any coercion from anyone. Without interference from anyone.
There was a different gleam in Lucas’s eyes, just as he made a promise to himself.
Including interference from the people around us.
*
A gentle touch awakened Velia’s consciousness. It was a familiar and gentle touch that resonated within her senses.
Gentle. Smooth. And the accompanying tranquility felt the same. It was a strong indication to Velia that the touch came from the same man.
Velia opened her eyes. Now she could clearly see the hand that was caressing hers rhythmically. She looked up, and Lucas smiled at her.
“Good evening.”
It took Velia a moment to comprehend Lucas’s greeting. Her gaze shifted to the wall clock, and she immediately widened her eyes.
“Eight o’clock?”
In shock, Velia sat up with a surprised expression. Lucas laughed, holding his stomach.
“Oh my, it’s already eight p. m?” Velia asked incredulously. “I hope the clock is broken.”
A hope that would not come true. Velia sighed faintly and briefly rubbed her face.
“I actually overslept. Oh, my goodness. You should have woken me up, Luc. It’s been a whole night, and you haven’t eaten. Wait. I’ll cook your dinner.”
Lucas enjoyed Velia’s panic but did not let it continue for long. When Velia was about to get off the bed, he stopped her.
“It’s alright. Honestly, I still want to laze around with you a little longer.”
“You need to eat and take your medicine.”
Lucas reached for Velia’s hand. “Just a little while longer.”
Velia gave in. She complied with Lucas’s desire and lay back beside him.
“You also need to rest, Ve. You must be tired from taking care of me these past two days.”
Velia nestled in Lucas’s embrace, finding a comfortable position. “I’ve had enough rest. Now it’s time for you to eat.”
“We can order takeout. How about that?” Lucas offered with a reason to follow. “I can get dinner delivered, but not the togetherness like this.”
“Alright. So, how are you feeling now?”
“Check for yourself.”
Velia slightly leaned away from Lucas’s embrace. She touched his forehead and felt that his temperature had dropped. No more fever. It felt cooler.
“It seems you’re already healed.”
“I am healed, and my body doesn’t ache anymore.”
From Lucas’s bright face and tone of voice, Velia could be certain that he had indeed recovered. However, she would not overlook one important thing.
“Even so, I hope you continue to rest tomorrow.”
Lucas furrowed his brow, and Velia nodded. She seemed confident in her decision.
“It’s better if you rest until you’re fully recovered. Rather than getting sick again, right?”
“Exactly,” Lucas agreed. “So, what else do I need to do, Nurse Velia?”
Velia chuckled softly. “Next, you have to let me go so that I can order dinner. Taking care of a sick person like you really drains my energy.”
Reluctantly, Lucas released his embrace. He let Velia get up and reach for her phone.
Lucas’s gaze remained fixed on Velia. As various menu options were presented to him, he simply smiled.
It was clear. From Lucas’s eyes, the answer was evident. He had not only recovered but had also been reborn.
*
Sandra’s steps seemed firm and organized. She walked with her chin slightly raised, exuding a confident aura. Occasionally, her lips moved, forming a faint smile as she responded politely to greetings received.
“Good morning, Ma’am.”
Sandra stopped in front of Vlora’s desk. The secretary greeted her as she stood up.
“Good morning,” Sandra replied. “Is Lucas here? Is he not in a meeting or with a client?”
“I’m sorry, Ma’am. Mr. Hernandez didn’t come to the office today.”
The thin smile on Sandra’s face instantly vanished, replaced by a crease on her forehead.
“He didn’t come? Why? Is he not on a business trip?”
Vlora shook her head. “No, Ma’am. Mr. Lucas didn’t come today because he is not feeling well.”
“Lucas is sick?”
“Yes, Ma’am. He has been unwell since Friday, and today he decided not to come to the office.”
“What’s wrong with him?”
“Just a fever due to overwork, ma’am. Lately, Mr. Hernandez has had a lot of tasks to complete.”
It made sense. At least Sandra could be relieved that Lucas was only exhausted, not seriously ill. He would surely recover with enough rest.
Wait.
Sandra’s expression changed as a thought crossed her mind. She seized the opportunity and chose to sit for a moment.
“I want to ask you something, Vlo. I know you’re someone Lucas trusts.”
Vlora smiled. “Yes, Ma’am?”
“Do you know Lucas’s new home address?” Sandra asked, gazing intently at Vlora. Her hand tapped on the desk silently. “He hasn’t been living in his old house for a long time.”
“I’m sorry, Ma’am. I don’t know Lucas’s new home address.”
Sandra’s friendliness vanished, replaced by a fleeting frown. She sighed in frustration and got up. Without saying anything more, she walked away from there.
Vlora let out a long breath. Sandra’s departure brought relief. At least now, there was only one personal matter outside of work that had the potential to consume her time.
The door to Lucas’s office opened. A mischievous-eyed man looked at her.
“So, you didn’t lie when you said Lucas was sick.”
Vlora let out a long breath, holding back her annoyance. “I never lied, Sir. He didn’t come to the office today because he’s unwell. If you don’t believe me, you can wait in his room all day.”
Andreas laughed. He approached and took the seat that was previously occupied by Sandra.
“Do you never lie?” Andreas asked, sounding skeptical. “Didn’t you lie to Mrs. Hernandez earlier?”
Vlora blinked once, and Andreas shrugged briefly.
“You must know Lucas’s address. He always assigns his secretary to take care of that kind of thing.”
Vlora did her best to maintain her composure. She took a deep breath and calmly responded to Andreas’s words.
“Mr. Hernandez now lives in an apartment, not a house.”
A spark flickered in Andreas’s eyes. Vlora concluded her explanation with a definite statement.
“So, I didn’t lie when I said I don’t know his new home address.”
Andreas grinned.
*
Lucas felt truly taken care of by Velia. Even when she had to work, Velia made sure that all of Lucas’s needs were prepared without anything missing.
Food, clothing, and even warm drinks were provided by Velia. It was all a form of care that made Lucas feel truly fortunate.
Lucas’s condition had greatly improved. The fever was gone, and his body felt fresher. So, it was no surprise that he managed to find time to work in between the ongoing rest.
The sound of his phone ringing caught Lucas’s attention. He paused his work and answered the call after recognizing the caller.
“Hello, Mom.”
“Lucas. Are you sick?”
Lucas furrowed his brow. “How did Mom know?”
“I went to the office and you weren’t there,” Sandra replied on the other end. “Vlora said you’re sick. Is it true?”
Lucas took a deep breath. He straightened his back in the chair and confirmed his mother’s question.
“Just a common fever. I’ve been working overtime too often lately.”
“Have you seen a doctor?”
“Don’t worry, Mom. I’m already feeling better now.”
Thanks to sufficient rest, regular meals, and the help of fever-reducing medicine. Lucas smiled softly as he remembered Velia taking care of him.
“In fact, I’m already healthy today, but I decided to continue resting.”
“Thank goodness. I feel relieved. Oh, Luc. Have you had lunch? I can bring lunch to you.”
Lucas chuckled softly. “No need to worry about my lunch, Mom. I can assure you that I have it covered. It won’t be late, and it will be nutritious. So, you don’t need to find my place now. I don’t want Clarissa to come and disturb my rest.”
Sandra’s readiness was evident even through the phone connection. Her response hinted at surprise. Sandra should not be surprised if Lucas could guess her intentions.
“I can assure you of something, Mom. The moment I see Clarissa, my illness will come back.”
“Luc! I-”
“Thanks for worrying about me, Mom, but I’m really being well taken care of here. No need to worry,” Lucas cut in quickly. “So, if you plan to use this opportunity to bring Clarissa along, sorry, but I’m not interested in her.”
“Oh, my goodness.”
“We can continue this conversation another time, Mom. I have some work to do.”
“Whatever, Luc!”
Lucas closed his eyes as Sandra exclaimed. He could only sigh in relief when the call ended at the right time.
Lucas’s gaze fell on the time displayed on his phone. The slight discomfort on his face, caused by the conversation with Sandra, immediately disappeared when he realized something.
It was now office break time. There was free time that Lucas could make use of, and that’s exactly what he did.
“Hello, Luc.”
Velia picked up Lucas’s call within a short two seconds. She quickly filled Lucas’s hearing with her soft voice that seemed to whisper.
“What’s wrong? Is something happening?”
Lucas smiled faintly. Velia’s concern made his heart bloom.
“Yes. Something did happen.”
“What is it?”
Velia’s worry became more palpable. Her voice conveyed genuine concern. So, Lucas smiled and gave an answer that would undoubtedly leave Velia stunned on the other end. The answer was:
“I miss you.”
*