*Bruno*
I sat behind the table as I watched Lucia walk towards the bathroom. Her hair which was packed into a ponytail dangled with each step she took.
She turned before finally stepping into the hallway which led to the restroom. Her face glowed in the light, and I could only thank my stars for having such a beautiful lady beside me.
For a very long time, I wanted to bring Lucia here; I wanted her to see what it was like to be here. This was my private stop, just like the lake. It was also my mom’s favorite place before it was renovated to become something this- something a little fancy.
The couple by the side, who had been lovey-dovey since the beginning, has stood up and left. I watched as they left before taking a glance at my golden Rolex wristwatch. Lucia should be back by this time but she wasn’t here. I tensed a little, especially after remembering that there was someone who was out to get us.
Instinctively, I shrugged off the chair, pushing it back. It connected roughly with the tilted floor, making a light screech. I stood up and took long strides to the restroom. Lucia was my top priority, and I had to keep her safe.
I pushed open the restroom, opened it, and took a long, careful look around, not stopping to care if someone was there or if I’d been seen as a pervert, and thankfully, no one was around, not even Lucia. I didn’t want to panic. She may have chosen to walk out through the back door, maybe to take a look.
I walked towards the door and as I got closer, I could see the shadow of a woman on the wall and of a man who stood for a while. It seems they were speaking and that looked so much like Lucia. Taking more steps, she appeared in sight but the man had moved away and I saw the shadow as it left with him though I wondered for a moment if there was another route at that end I didn’t know about.
Lucia stood stiffly as she watched the man leave. I drew my brows together. Who could that man be? I wonder. Lucia turned around and her eyes met mine. She stiffened and for a moment I could swear I saw fear flash through her eyes but she smiled sweetly the next second. “I wanted to look around,” she said.
That sounded so much like a lie no matter how much I wanted to believe her. “This place is nice, even the back view is beautiful,” she said looking around the little garden which had little bulbs with the shallow of a star around them. “You didn’t come down looking for me, or did you know,” she asked and I stepped forward and pinched her cheeks lightly, “that hurts,” she groaned, slapping my hands off.
I muttered a little sorry as I watched her rub on her cheeks. “Who was that man?” I asked.
Her eyes darted around, refusing to settle on mine. “What man?” She asked back.
No, she wasn’t planning to lie. I repeatedly told myself. “I was here alone. I was attracted by the light that streamed through the door, which was left slightly ajar,” she paused, taking a quick look at my eyes before looking around. “But I think I’ve had enough now,” she said.
I didn’t push for more answers. Not as I watch her take unsteady steps in front of me. Not when she picked up her purse and walked out while taking a careful look around. I trusted her, she was Lucia, my beloved, my woman.
Finding out whoever was there was a piece of shit, and I could do it without stress, but I’ll wait for a while.
Lucia didn’t wait for me to open the door for her before flinging the door open and stepping in. She crossed the seatbelt across her chest without altering any words. Her purse rested on her lap, but I noticed she grilled it a little more tighter than necessary, and her eyes darted around. “Is something wrong?” I asked her.
She turned sharply. “No,” she released the grip on her purse. I didn’t bother her again as I drove back and she spoke less too. Her phone beeped when we were close. She slowly brought the phone to her face and stared into her phone before her head swung right.
Something was wrong.
That was a fact. “Have you caught them?” She suddenly asked as I took the last turn. “The thieves?” She went further.
“Of course. It took a while, but I was finally able to get them most unexpectedly,” I grinned. She nodded, muttering something I didn’t hear. I stopped in front of the house. She opened the door. “Aren’t you coming in?” She asked.
“Rave is inside. I have a few things I have to take care of tonight,” I said and drove off, watching from my rear mirror as she moved inside. I drove straight to the clubs and stayed inside immediately after I arrived. Something was off with Lucia. I entered my office.
Soon, there was a knock on the door, and a burly man who barely fit in the black suit he wore walked in. “To what do I owe this special visit to Reed?” I asked. The last thing I wanted right now was to enter into a banter with him, and he knew it. We weren’t friends, and I began to wonder who had allowed him into the club. He wasted no time showing off those brown teeth, and I felt like punching them off.
“Do I need your permission to visit?” He asked.
“It seems you don’t mind being thrown off the club,” I warned. “Whatever you came to discuss, I’m not interested. Get out,” I ordered, and I was sure he knew I meant every word. If he didn’t hear, or maybe he heard but refused to obey, I had no idea, but he walked towards the chair and sat down. I gritted my teeth.
I could already see things moving further south.
*** ~
*Lucia POV*
I stopped my red car in front of a five-star restaurant. I closed my eyes, trying to convince myself for the last time that this wasn’t entirely wrong. It wasn’t like I wanted to see Jason. It wasn’t like I was cheating on Bruno. I opened my eyes, freeing myself from the seatbelt. I took a good look at myself; though things were over, I didn’t want anything to look off when I met him. Bruno took good and special care of me, and I wanted to show it off.
I stepped into the restaurant, ignoring the bow of the guards at the door and the weird stares I got from some girls as I walked past them. I was wearing a red gown which was slit at the side. My heels clicked loudly on the floor, and I could care less if it made my appearance more obvious than it should. I held my black purse in front of me and took each step with grace.
A waiter approached me asking for my name, which I gave. And just as I had thought, Jason had made a reservation and was already here. She led me to Jason’s seat which was away from the regular restaurant where more people were seated. I lifted my chin and raised my head.
I was here to finally end things.
“Hope you weren’t waiting for long?” I said and dragged a chair a bit loud as I say before he could come draw it. He waved his hands, “no, I just came,” he said and one side of my lips pulled up. I knew he had been waiting for over an hour. I had purposely made him wait.
He waved his hand for a waiter, but I stopped him, “Let’s make this snappy. I’m not here to eat,” I said. His eyes moved to me. They held what I referred to as warmth. He was happy to see me. I almost scoffed.
No matter how many times he had said he wasn’t behind whatever Sarah did, I could not believe him. I wanted to buy it, but maybe I’d need more evidence before I could believe him.
“Why did you want to see me?” I asked him, going straight to the point. He had messaged me three days ago when I sat beside Bruno in the car as we returned from our little outing. Bruno, thinking about him made my heart ache a little, and I looked around as if I was scared that he was somewhere watching me.
After this, I was contemplating telling him about Jason, though I had not decided yet. The last thing I wanted was to keep him in the dark and I know he may have sensed it already, “I don’t know where to start,” I heard Jason say and brought my attention to him once more.
“And you called me out?” I asked him not to bother to hide my displeasure.
“Who is that man? The man you were with at the restaurant/Bar that evening,” he asked his time filled with hatred.
“Were you following me?” I asked him.
“That’s not the question, Lucia,” he said.
“Answer the fucking question, Jason,” I said a bit too loudly, and the table beside us flung their head to look at us.
“That doesn’t matter. I want an answer, an explanation. Why were you dining with a stranger? Why were you there with a man?”
“He is not a stranger,” I said sharply, cutting him short.
“Well, he is to me.”
“I don’t owe you any explanation,” I said. I was here to end it. I would not deviate from the plan.
“I’m your boyfriend, you owe me every explanation you can think of.” He said.
“No. You are not my boyfriend. We broke up the moment you sent me away. The moment you sent me to this hell. And I cut all ties with you when you gave Sarah the order to…”
“I gave no such order. Why can’t you believe me? I love you and always will. Sarah means nothing to me. Whatever she did, I had no hand in it. She did it all on her own accord and without telling me. I never knew you were sold off. I spent so much time thinking and calculating on how to get my uncle out of the way, thinking you were in safe hands, only to be lied to that you had gone missing and were being searched for, but it was all a lie. Sarah had tricked me, too. Why can’t you see that you were robbed from me? I am also a victim, just like you,” he said without stopping to catch his breath. His eyes were red; tears outlined them.
I have never seen him this scared. This pained.
Something stirred within me. He didn’t break eye contact. Jason was telling the truth.
I blinked twice in succession.
Why were we tangled in a web? He reached for my hand and covered it with his, “please believe me, Lucia. I have always loved you and would never do that to you,” he said.
I should be happy that he still loved me, “and now my uncle is dead. I killed him, nothing can stop our love, we can finally be together,” but that was where he got everything wrong. The earth seemed to stop moving. Everything suddenly blurred. Here was the guy I had once called mine. I had been forcefully snatched away from him.
But then…
I slowly pulled my hands away from his, “I’m sorry,” I love Bruno. I don’t know what to feel towards Jason right now, and all I could think of was staying with Bruno. I shook my head. I needed to get out of here. “Please move on. I’m in love with someone else,” I said and dashed off.
I knew this wasn’t right. I had acted cowardly. Jason didn’t deserve this, and I was being self-centered, but I wanted to put myself first for once, so what was best for me?
And right now, Bruno was best for me.