CHAPTER 33.
As Lucas excused himself to answer the call, Andrianne’s mind raced with all sorts of possibilities. Could it be work-related or something else entirely? She tried not to worry too much as she sipped on her wine and waited for Lucas to return.
Lucas listened intently to the person on the other end of the line, his expression growing more and more serious with each passing moment. Andrianne watched him curiously from the couch, wondering what could have possibly made him so tense.
After a few minutes, Lucas hung up the phone and turned to Andrianne. “That was my business partner,” he said, his voice grim. “There’s been a break-in at our warehouse. A lot of our inventory has been stolen.”
Andrianne’s eyes widened in shock. “Oh my god, that’s terrible. What are you going to do?”
Lucas rubbed his forehead wearily. “I don’t know. We’re still trying to figure out the full extent of the damage. But this is going to set us back a lot. We might even have to shut down for a while until we can recover.”
Andrianne could see the worry etched on his face and it pained her to see him like this. “Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked, hoping she could somehow ease his burden.
Lucas gave her a small, grateful smile. “Just being here with me helps,” he said. “But I appreciate the offer. It means a lot to me.”
They sat in silence for a few moments, both lost in their own thoughts. Andrianne was acutely aware of how close they were sitting on the couch, their shoulders almost touching. She could feel the heat radiating off Lucas’s body, and her heart started to race.
Suddenly, Lucas spoke up. “Andrianne, I know we got off on the wrong foot when we first met. But I want you to know that I never wanted this marriage to be a burden for you. I care about you, and I want to make things right between us.”
Andrianne’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected Lucas to say anything like that, and she didn’t know how to respond. Part of her was still wary of him, still convinced that he was only using her for his own gain. But another part of her wanted to believe that he was genuine, that he really did care about her.
“I appreciate that,” she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. “But it’s not that simple. There are a lot of things going on right now, and I don’t know how to make sense of it all.”
Lucas nodded, looking thoughtful. “I know things are complicated. But I’m here for you, Andrianne. Whatever you need, I’ll do my best to help you.”
Andrianne felt a surge of gratitude towards him. Despite everything that had happened between them, Lucas was still willing to be there for her, to support her through whatever challenges lay ahead.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “That means a lot to me.”
They fell into a comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Andrianne couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, things between her and Lucas could turn out okay after all.
As Steve ended his call with Andrianne, his phone rang again. He looked at the screen and saw an unknown number. He hesitated for a moment before picking up.
“Hello?”
“Hello, is this Steve?” a deep voice asked.
“Yes, who’s speaking?” Steve replied.
“I prefer to remain anonymous,” the voice said. “But I have some information that I think might interest you.”
“What kind of information?” Steve asked, intrigued.
“It concerns your current assignment,” the voice said. “I know that you’ve been tasked with keeping an eye on Andrianne, but I have reason to believe that she’s not the only one in danger.”
“What do you mean?” Steve asked, feeling a knot form in his stomach.
“There are others who are at risk because of your employer’s actions,” the voice said. “I can’t give you all the details now, but I suggest you start looking into it.”
Steve’s mind was racing. Who was this anonymous caller, and how did they know about his assignment? And who else was in danger because of the situation he had found himself in?
“I’ll look into it,” Steve said, trying to keep his voice steady. “But I need more information. How can I contact you?”
“You don’t need to contact me,” the voice said. “I’ll be in touch when I have more information. Just remember what I’ve told you, and be careful.”
With that, the call ended, leaving Steve with more questions than answers. He sat there for a moment, trying to process what had just happened. It was clear that he was deeper than he thought, and thahe needed to be careful if he was going to get out of this alive.
Steve sat back in his chair, a wistful look on his face as he let his thoughts drift to the past. He remembered the good times he had spent with Andrianne, the moments of laughter and joy they had shared. He missed her terribly and longed to hold her in his arms once again.
As he sat there lost in thought, memories flooded back to him. He remembered the first time they met, their eyes locking across the crowded room. Andrianne’s smile had lit up the entire room, and he knew from that moment that he had to have her.
Steve’s mind drifted back to their first date, the way Andrianne had looked so beautiful in her dress, the way her eyes had shone with excitement. He could still feel the warmth of her hand in his, the way she had laughed at his jokes.
He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. It had been so long since he had seen her, since he had felt the touch of her skin against his. He missed her more than he could ever express.