38

CHAPTER 38.
The sun had set, and the sky was painted with hues of orange and pink, creating a serene and calming atmosphere. The cool breeze of the evening whispered gently against the leaves of the trees, creating a soft rustling sound. The night was young, and the world seemed to be at peace.
In the midst of this tranquil environment, Andrianne found herself alone in her room, locked away from the world outside. She sat on her bed, staring blankly at the wall, lost in her thoughts.
Her mind was in turmoil as she thought about what had happened earlier in the day. She couldn’t believe that Steve had kissed her, and it had stirred up emotions within her that she thought were long buried. She was married to Lucas, and yet she couldn’t help but feel conflicted about her feelings for Steve.
Lucas returned home from the office with a bouquet of fresh flowers for Andrianne. As he got to the door, he saw Steve, Andrianne’s new bodyguard, who was supposed to keep her safe while he was away. Lucas greeted Steve and asked about Andrianne’s whereabouts.
Steve replied, “She’s upstairs in her room. She’s been there since she came back from her walk.”
Lucas felt uneasy at the news. Andrianne usually loved spending time with him, and it was unusual for her to isolate herself from everyone. He decided to go up to her room to check on her.
As Lucas made his way up the stairs, he wondered what could have caused Andrianne to lock herself up in her room. He thought about the possibility of her being sick or upset about something.
When he got to her door, he knocked softly and called out her name. There was no response at first, so he knocked again. Finally, after a few moments, he heard the lock turn, and Andrianne slowly opened the door.
Lucas saw that her face was red and puffy, as if she had been crying. He was worried and asked, “Andrianne, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Andrianne tried to put on a brave face and replied, “Yes, I’m fine. I just needed some time alone.”
Lucas wasn’t convinced and stepped into the room. He noticed the scattered tissues on the bed and saw that she had been crying. He walked over to her and gave her a comforting hug, then handed her the bouquet of flowers.
Andrianne’s eyes lit up at the sight of the beautiful flowers, and she hugged Lucas back tightly. Lucas pulled away and looked at her, concerned.
“Andrianne, please tell me what’s wrong. I’m here for you,” he said.
“Lucas, I just …. I’m not entirely comfortable with the new bodyguard sent to hire me,” she began, picking her words.
Lucas couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He stood there, frozen, staring at Andrianne with a mixture of shock and confusion.
“Why would you want me to fire Steve?” he asked, his voice low and serious.
Andrianne hesitated for a moment before finally responding, “I just don’t like having him around. It makes me uncomfortable.”
“But he’s your bodyguard,” Lucas countered. “You need him to keep you safe.”
“I know,” Andrianne replied, “but I just can’t shake this feeling of unease when he’s around.”
Lucas frowned, trying to make sense of the situation. He had never heard Andrianne express any discomfort with Steve before, and he had no reason to suspect that there was anything more going on between them. Still, he couldn’t ignore Andrianne’s distress.
“Can you tell me what’s really going on?” he asked gently. “Why does having Steve around bother you so much?”
Andrianne knew she could never tell Lucas about her past relationship with Steve. The thought of it made her feel sick to her stomach. How could she tell her husband that the man hired to protect her was also her ex-lover? It would break his heart and shatter the trust he had in her. No, she couldn’t risk losing Lucas. She would have to keep her secret buried deep within her heart.
“It’s nothing, Lucas,” she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. “I just don’t feel comfortable with him around.”
Lucas reached out and took her hand. “Andrianne, I want you to tell me the truth. Is there something going on between you and Steve?”
Andrianne’s heart raced as she looked into Lucas’s eyes. She couldn’t lie to him, but she also couldn’t tell him the truth. “No, Lucas. There’s nothing going on between me and Steve. I just don’t want him here, that’s all.”
Lucas studied her for a moment before nodding. “Alright, I understand. But I can’t fire him. Your dad hired him, remember?”
Andrianne nodded, relieved that Lucas wasn’t pressing the issue any further. “I know, I’m sorry. I’m just being irrational.”
Lucas gave her hand a squeeze. “It’s okay. We’ll figure it out. Just know that I’m here for you, no matter what.”
Andrianne felt a lump form in her throat as tears stung her eyes. She knew she didn’t deserve Lucas’s love and understanding, but she was grateful for it nonetheless. “Thank you, Lucas. I love you.”
Lucas leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I love you too. Now, let’s go downstairs and have dinner. Maybe it’ll help take your mind off things.”
Andrianne nodded and followed Lucas downstairs, her heart heavy with guilt and fear. She couldn’t let Lucas find out about her past with Steve.
Lucas sat down beside Andrianne, taking her hand in his. “I know this is difficult for you, Andrianne. But you have to understand, Steve is here to protect you.”
Andrianne pulled her hand away, her eyes filling with tears. “I understand that, Lucas. But I can’t bear to be around him.”
Lucas sighed, understanding her pain. “I’ll talk to Steve and ask him to give you some space.”
Andrianne looked at him gratefully, feeling a glimmer of hope. “Thank you, Lucas. That would mean a lot to me.”
Lucas stood up and walked towards the door. “I’ll go talk to Steve now. Don’t worry, everything will be okay.”
As Lucas left the room, Andrianne’s mind raced with thoughts. She couldn’t believe Steve was back in her life after all these years. She had buried their past so deep that she thought it would never resurface. And now, she had to face the fact that he was not only back in her life, but also working as her bodyguard.