Lucas sank into his sit like a rag and his heart was ballooning with a medley of emotions. His mind was assaulted by a series of flashbacks.
“I’ll make sure you regret ever playing with my feelings. Lucas Evangelista, you’ll regret ever doing this to me. ”
Now Lucas knows where his problem is coming from. Yes, the Evangelista group has been having setbacks but it’s not the kinda setback that can lead to an overnight flopping. It’s not the kind that’ll nudge the shareholders to want out by selling their shares.
As his mind got ambushed by a flashback, Lucas now knows Sia kept to her words. She indeed made him pay. She indeed made him regret ever hurting her. Intentional or not, he hurt her.
Sorrow erupted in him like a volcano, tearing his heart into shreds, blinding his vision, and compressing his thoughts.
What should he do?
His lover.
His woman.
His once upon a time soulmate is the architect of his downfall.
What should he do?
“Mr. CEO. That’s Ms. Sia. Your…your ex-girlfriend. She’s the one.” Grey rattled, shaking his head.
The pain he captured on Lucas’s face is unmistakable. The guilt misting his eyes is inscrutable. Grey doesn’t know the full details of what happened between Sia and Lucas that’s why he can’t pinpoint the reason remorse, guilt, and blame flicker in Lucas’s eyes like a burning candle.
“That means she was deliberately avoiding acceding to our proposal, Mr. CEO. She accepted some companies but never ours. Because she wanted us to fall.” Grey reasoned and Lucas fell silent.
No truer words than what Grey said. Everything that happened was deliberate.
“Do you know who Sia is?”
Estrella’s words at their engagement party rang in Lucas’s ears like a bell.
Now he understands why Sia’s look transformed. It’s because she married the popular Mr. Monson. She is married to another man.
Reclining his head back in his chair, Tears flood from Lucas’s eyes. Agonizing tears.
“What do we do, Mr. CEO?” Grey’s heart taut with worry.
“Nothing. We’ll do nothing.” Lucas said, dejected.
“Are you just letting her get away?” He asked the broken Lucas.
Lucas wanted to scream ‘yes’ she deserves it after what he made her pass through. But this is his family’s legacy. One that he can’t let go.
‘Is she the person that bought my villa too?’ He wondered. The chances of her being the person are high to Lucas, since all these are an act of revenge.
Lucas asked Grey to leave so he can be alone and think. Think. But all the while, his mind can’t process anything except the stifling voices that kept whispering.
‘You deserve it. You broke her heart. You hurt her. You deserve it.’
Picking up his phone he called Ethan, his trembling hands made it difficult to hold the phone against his ear so Lucas set it in a speaker mode.
“Did you see that? Ethan Estrella knew…” He hooted. “She fucking knew that’s why she never said anything. She knew Sia’s the one buying my shares. Fuck. Fuck.” He thundered, anger collided with pains, and regret oozed from his body.
If he’d known things will end up this way, Lucas wouldn’t have said he played her years ago.
It doesn’t matter if it’s the truth or not. Sia already lived with the truthful lies. She already grades him as nothing but a cheat and a worthless pig.
“Chill dude. It’s not the end yet. Chill.” Ethan tried to talk him outta that but Lucas is solely gripped by sorrow. “let’s hang out tonight?” He suggested.
Lucas nodded and Ethan cut the call.
That moment they cut the call was the moment Lucas apportioned more blame to himself and a series of ‘whys’ riveted his mind..
Why did he accept the contract at first?
Why did he come up with such a stupid idea to call it quits with Sia years ago?
Why didn’t he scurry to her that day or maybe snake out in the middle of the night and better explain things to Sia? Just why and why and why is what he kept thinking.
To think Sia, a wretched, poor, freckled-skinned girl six years ago is now in the corridors of power.
To think that his lover will be his downfall. Lucas can’t seem to absorb this. It’s still like a mystery. A fucking mystery but as the hazy fog of confusion clears, he started accepting the truth. It’s real, Sia is the widow and the bane of his existence.
Regardless, Lucas’s heart still adores Sia more than it ever did.
Time dragged by fast with Lucas hunched on his seat, swiveling the wheel as his mind riveted in thoughts. When his phone rang, pulling him out of his reverie, Lucas took cognizance of the darkness that consumed the day.
Peering over the phone and seeing Ethan’s name flashing on it, his finger shot to the receiver.
“Done? We’re in the club.” The cacophony of music and din of conversations in Ethan’s background made Lucas cringe.
“Sure will be there.” He said quickly and hung up. He thinks maybe boozing with his pals will alleviate his fucked up mind and erase his thoughts about Sia’s betrayal.
In matters of seconds, he already piled up in his usual Uber and drove straight to the club.
Arriving at the bustling club, Lucas projected through the crowd as his eyes searches for Ethan and Adriano.
Spotting them at the bar, he moved toward them in one fluid motion. Heaving a sigh, he ordered a cognac.
Trading glances between them, Adriano piped up. “So you didn’t go to see the girls today?” He teased.
Lucas had rejected going out with them yesterday saying he wants to see his favorite girls and spend some time with them.
Shaking his head, he said, “No. Not today.”
“Ahh. That’s cool.” Adriano hummed.
Lucas grabbed the glass and guzzled the cognac. He belched as the drink fizzed down his throat. “I’m so fucking messed up.” He grumbled, pummeling the glass heavily on the counter.
“Look man, none of this is your fault…” Ethan tried to placate him, restrain him from blaming himself but Lucas cut him off.
“It’s all my fucking fault. I messed up, man. I messed up.” He growled. Adriano rolled his eyes but not in an irritated way. He’s not irritated. He just doesn’t tag being sad about a woman as reasonable. Well, except that Sia isn’t just a woman now.
She’s a fucking zillionaire. Her debutante will soon pervade in Forbes magazine, pegging her as one of the richest women in the world.
“I shouldn’t have agreed to this. I shouldn’t have broken up with her in such a bad way. That’s why she’s exerting revenge on me. That’s why she’s fighting me all along without my knowledge.”
He irrationally grumbled.
Ethan and Adriano muted, not knowing what else to say to brighten his mood.
Their silence prolonged and they individually downed their drink. Lucas was contemplating what to do.
Should he beg her?
What should he do to appease Sia?
To make her cease fighting him?
“Fuck. Oh, fuck.” Lucas yelped, his brows knitting together as he peered at his screen.
“What, man?” Adriano asked.
Standing up, Lucas tucked his phone into his pocket and adjusted his sling.
“It’s Danika. She traveled and is calling me on a video call. I don’t want her to think I’m pretending if she sees my environment.” He snapped, spinning on his heels.
“Fine then. Have a nice night, bud.” He shook hands with Ethan and Adriano and stormed outta the club.