Chapter 44
As Andrianne left the coffee shop, Steve sat there for a moment, his mind racing with thoughts of the past and the present. He couldn’t believe that Andrianne was married to Lucas, and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy at the thought. He knew he had no right to feel that way, but he couldn’t help it.
As he sat there lost in thought, his phone rang, and he saw that it was Lucas calling. He hesitated for a moment before answering, unsure of what to expect.
“Hello?” he answered tentatively.
“Steve, it’s Lucas. Can you meet me at my office in half an hour?” Lucas said in his usual authoritative tone.
Steve was taken aback by the request, but he knew he couldn’t refuse. “Uh, yeah, sure. I’ll be there.”
Lucas hung up without another word, leaving Steve feeling even more unsure of what was to come. He finished his coffee and left the coffee shop, making his way to Lucas’s office.
When he arrived, he was greeted by Lucas’s assistant, who directed him to Lucas’s private office. As he walked in, he saw Lucas sitting behind his desk, looking up at him with a stern expression.
“Have a seat, Steve,” Lucas said, gesturing to a chair across from him.
Steve sat down, feeling uneasy. “What’s this about, Lucas?”
“So, what’s your deal with Andrianne?” Lucas asked, his tone betraying his jealousy.
Steve played dumb, pretending to be confused. “What do you mean?” he asked innocently.
Lucas rolled his eyes. “Come on, man. I know you’re her bodyguard and all, but it seems like you know an awful lot about her personal life.”
Steve smirked inwardly. He had planned for this. “Well, I suppose it’s just part of the job,” he said, shrugging. “I have to know everything about her in order to protect her properly.”
Lucas didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t press the matter any further. Instead, he changed the subject.
Steve left Lucas’ office, he couldn’t help but smile to himself. He had successfully tricked Lucas into believing that he only knew Andrianne as her bodyguard. But the truth was that he knew her intimately from their college days.
Steve’s mind drifted back to that time, when he and Andrianne were the perfect couple. They had fallen in love during their freshman year, and their relationship had blossomed into something beautiful. But things had started to unravel in their senior year when Andrianne’s father had lost all his wealth in a business deal gone wrong.
But now, years later, Steve had found her again. And he was determined to win her back, no matter what it took.
As he walked down the street, Steve’s mind was racing with ideas on how to make Andrianne fall for him again. He knew that she was in a loveless marriage with Lucas, and he was confident that he could convince her to leave him and come back to him.
But first, he needed to get rid of Lucas. He knew that Lucas was jealous of him, and that gave him an idea. He could use Lucas’ jealousy to his advantage, and drive a wedge between Lucas and Andrianne.
Emily pushed the door of Lucas’s office with a determined look on her face. She had been preparing for this moment for days, rehearsing what she would say and how she would say it. She was going to show Lucas that she was not a pushover, that she was strong and independent.
“Lucas, we need to talk,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “I’ve been thinking a lot about us and I think it’s time we…”
Lucas interrupted her before she could finish her sentence. “I’m sorry, Emily, but I’m very busy right now. Can we schedule a meeting for later?”
Emily was taken aback by Lucas’s cold and formal tone. This was not the reaction she had expected. She had hoped that Lucas would be willing to talk to her and hear her out.
“Lucas, please, just hear me out,” she pleaded. “I have something important to tell you.”
Lucas sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Fine, Emily. But make it quick. I have a lot of work to do.”
Emily took a deep breath and began to speak. She told Lucas about how she felt about their relationship, about how she wanted more commitment from him. She poured her heart out, hoping that Lucas would listen and understand.
But Lucas remained impassive, his face betraying no emotion. When Emily finished speaking, there was a long, awkward silence.
Finally, Lucas spoke. “Emily, I’m sorry if I’ve given you the wrong impression. But I’m not looking for a serious relationship right now. I have a lot of responsibilities and I can’t afford to be distracted by personal matters.”
Emily’s heart sank as she heard those words. She had been so sure that Lucas felt the same way about her. She felt foolish and humiliated.
Lucas stood up from his chair and walked over to Emily. He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry, Emily. But I hope we can still be friends.”
Emily nodded, unable to speak. She turned around and walked out of the office, her head hanging low.
As she walked down the hallway, she felt a lump form in her throat. She couldn’t believe that she had let herself fall for Lucas. She had been so sure that he was the one for her.
But now, as she walked away from his office, she knew that it was time to move on. Lucas was not the man she thought he was. And she deserved better.
Lucas watched Emily as she left his office, his eyes following her form until she disappeared from view. He felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him as he realized that he was done with her. He knew that he had used her, but he didn’t feel any remorse about it. He had a lot on his plate at the moment, and he couldn’t afford any distractions.