64

CH 64.
Lucas was in his office, poring over some reports on his desk when he heard a knock on the door. Without looking up, he said, “Come in.”
The door opened and Emily walked in, a sultry smile on her face. Lucas sighed inwardly. He had been dreading this moment. Emily was his mistress, a relationship he had started before he met Andrianne. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn’t seem to help himself.
As soon as Lucas acknowledged her presence, Emily made her way to his desk, her heels clacking on the polished floor. She wore a form-fitting black dress that accentuated her curves, and her long blonde hair was styled in loose waves.
“Lucas,” she purred, placing a hand on his desk and leaning in close. “I missed you.”
Lucas forced a polite smile and leaned back in his chair, attempting to put some distance between them. “Emily, what are you doing here?”
Emily shrugged, her perfectly manicured nails tapping impatiently on the desk. “I just wanted to see you, catch up.”
Lucas felt a knot form in his stomach. He had been foolish to ever get involved with Emily in the first place, but he had been going through a rough patch with Andrianne at the time, and Emily had been a welcome distraction. Now, however, he was happily married, and the thought of being with Emily made him feel sick.
“Emily, I’m busy,” he said, trying to keep his tone firm. “I don’t have time for this.”
Emily’s eyes narrowed, and Lucas could sense her anger growing. “You always have time for me, Lucas. Don’t forget who you’re dealing with.”
Lucas felt a sense of dread wash over him. Emily was not someone to be underestimated. She was cunning, manipulative, and had a way of getting what she wanted, no matter the cost.
“I haven’t forgotten,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Emily flashed him a cruel smile before turning on her heel and strutting out of the office, her hips swaying with each step. Lucas slumped back in his chair, feeling drained and defeated. He knew he needed to end things with Emily once and for all, but the thought of her wrath was enough to make him hesitate.
He was trying to settle down at his desk when his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID, but it was an unknown number. He hesitated for a moment before answering.
“Hello?” he said, his voice cautious.
“Is this Lucas?” a deep voice on the other end asked.
“Yes, this is Lucas. Who is this?” Lucas replied, trying to place the voice.
“I have some information about your wife, Andrianne,” the voice continued, ignoring Lucas’s question. “You might want to hear what I have to say.”
Lucas’s heart skipped a beat. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach. What could this person possibly know about his wife? He tried to remain calm as he asked, “What do you mean? What about my wife?”
“I know she was involved in the death of Steve,” the voice said bluntly.
Lucas felt like he had been punched in the gut. How could someone possibly know about that? He had done everything in his power to keep it a secret. He tried to keep his voice steady as he replied, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. My wife had nothing to do with Steve’s death.”
“You can deny it all you want, but I have proof,” the voice replied. “I suggest you take this seriously, Lucas. Your wife is in danger.”
With that, the caller hung up. Lucas was left sitting at his desk, feeling numb. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. He had to do something to protect Andrianne, but he didn’t know what to do.
He quickly picked up his phone and dialed Andrianne’s number. When she answered, he could hear the sound of the blender in the background.
“Hey, babe,” she said cheerfully.
“Hey, Andrianne,” Lucas replied, his voice tense. “Listen, I just got a call from someone who claims to know about your involvement in Steve’s death.”
“What?” Andrianne’s voice was filled with disbelief.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but we need to be careful,” Lucas said. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Andrianne sat at the edge of the bed, clutching the phone tightly in her hand. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. The call from Lucas had shaken her to her core. He had told her that someone had called him and said they knew about Steve’s death, and that they believed she was involved. It was as if the ground beneath her feet had shifted.
Her mind raced as she tried to process the situation. She knew that Steve had been a dangerous man, and that Lucas had been in danger. She had acted in self-defense when she shot him. But would the law see it that way? Would they understand that she had no other choice?
Andrianne’s heart pounded in her chest as she tried to calm herself down. She knew she had to be careful, she couldn’t afford to let her guard down. She looked around the room, her eyes falling on the gun that was still on the nightstand. She picked it up, holding it gingerly in her hands. It was a reminder of what she had done, and what she was capable of doing.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to push the memories of that night out of her mind. It had been traumatic, to say the least. She had never imagined that she would find herself in that kind of situation, fighting for her life and the life of her husband.
But as she sat there, alone in the silence of the room, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. What if the law caught up with her? What if she was arrested and thrown in jail? She had heard of people being punished for acting in self-defense before. Would she be one of them?
Andrianne shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She couldn’t think like that, she couldn’t let fear consume her. She had to be strong, for herself and for Lucas. She knew he was worried too, and she didn’t want to add to his burden.
Taking a deep breath, Andrianne stood up from the bed and walked over to the window. She looked out at the city below, watching the people and cars pass by. She felt a sense of detachment, as if she was watching the world from a distance.
But she knew that she couldn’t stay like this forever. She had to face the reality of what had happened, and find a way to move forward. She just didn’t know how.