Chapter 66
Andrianne sat on her bed, still in a daze from the shocking revelation that Steve was working for her father. She couldn’t believe it. The man she had trusted and confided in had been lying to her all along. Her thoughts drifted to her mother, who had died mysteriously years ago. Could Steve have had a hand in her death? Andrianne shook her head, trying to dispel the thought. She couldn’t jump to conclusions without any evidence.
Andrianne heard the knock on her door and knew it was Lucas. She took a deep breath and opened the door. “Hey,” he said with a smile. “How was your day?”
Andrianne forced a smile. “It was fine, just a little busy with work.”
Lucas nodded. “I understand. How are you feeling?”
Andrianne hesitated for a moment before answering. “I’m okay,” she said, trying to sound convincing.
Lucas could sense something was wrong, but he didn’t push it. “Okay, well let’s go downstairs and have dinner. I’m starving.”
Andrianne followed him down the stairs to the dining room. The table was already set with their favorite dishes. Lucas pulled out a chair for her and she sat down.
Lucas couldn’t help but marvel at Andrianne’s beauty as they sat at the dinner table. He had always found her attractive, but tonight, she seemed to radiate an ethereal glow. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, which made Andrianne feel a little uneasy.
“What?” She asked, her fork paused midway to her mouth.
“Nothing,” Lucas replied with a smile. “Just admiring your beauty, as always.”
Andrianne rolled her eyes playfully. “You’re such a charmer,” she said, trying to mask the flutter in her stomach.
Lucas chuckled. “I’m just stating the truth.”
They continued with their meal, making small talk about work and other mundane topics. Andrianne found it hard to focus on the conversation, her mind still reeling from her encounter with Steve earlier. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that her father had a hand in her mother’s death, and now, she had to deal with the fact that Steve was working for him.
“Is everything okay, Andrianne?” Lucas asked, noticing her distant look.
She looked up, her thoughts interrupted. “Hm? Yeah, everything’s fine,” she replied, trying to sound convincing.
Lucas raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “You sure? You seem a little distracted.”
Andrianne sighed, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. “It’s just been a long day,” she said, avoiding his gaze.
Lucas reached across the table to hold her hand. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”
Andrianne felt a surge of gratitude towards him. Lucas had always been there for her, even when she didn’t want him to be. “I know,” she said, finally meeting his gaze. “But I don’t even know where to start.”
“Start with what’s bothering you the most,” Lucas suggested.
Andrianne hesitated for a moment before deciding to open up to him. “It’s my father,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“What about him?” Lucas asked, sensing the seriousness in her tone.
“Lucas I don’t want to stay in this marriage,” Andrianne revealed, her eyes filling up with tears.
“Hey, hey, you don’t need to get yourself worked up about that,” Lucas replied, he reached for her hands and squeezed it gently.
Andrianne was both shocked and confused at Luca’s reaction, she knew he wasn’t one to get violent at least not in this kind of situation or maybe out of pity because she had just lost her mom. But his reaction after she said this wasn’t particularly what she was expecting.
“You know…. I’m not particularly interested too, I think it’s mutual between us and that’s okay,” he said, smiling.
“It’s okay if you feel suffocated by this whole thing,” he said gesticulating with his fingers. Andrianne wiped the tears that had escaped from the corner of her eyes with the back of her hands,
Andrianne felt a sudden rush of relief wash over her as Lucas explained his own feelings towards their marriage. She had always thought that he was content with the arrangement, but now it seemed that he was just as unhappy as she was.
“I was never given a choice, Andrianne,” Lucas said, his voice filled with frustration. “My father arranged this marriage because he thought it would be good for our business. But I never wanted it.”
Andrianne felt a sense of empathy towards Lucas as he spoke. She had always seen him as a heartless businessman, but now she saw that he was just a victim of circumstance like herself.
“I never wanted this either,” she said, her voice softening. “But my father forced me into it. He said that if I didn’t marry you, he would cut me off from the family.”
Lucas nodded in understanding, his expression softening. “I know how it feels,” he said. “To be forced into something that you don’t want. It’s not fair.”
Andrianne felt a sense of camaraderie with Lucas as they talked. It was as if they had both been living in their own separate worlds before this moment, but now they had found a common ground.
“I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you,” Lucas said, his voice sincere. “I know that I haven’t been the best husband.”
Andrianne smiled weakly. “It’s okay,” she said. “I haven’t exactly been the best wife either.”
They both chuckled, the tension in the room dissipating. Andrianne felt a glimmer of hope as she realized that maybe, just maybe, they could work things out between them.
As they finished their dinner, Andrianne felt a new sense of appreciation for Lucas. He was not the cruel and heartless man she had always thought him to be. He was just like her, forced into a marriage that he didn’t want. And maybe, just maybe, they could find a way to make things work.
The rest of the evening passed by in a blur as Andrianne and Lucas talked and laughed together like old friends. And as she went to bed that night, Andrianne felt a sense of peace that she had not felt in a long time. Maybe, just maybe, things were going to be okay.