85

CH 85.
Lucas sat in his office, scrolling through his emails and trying to focus on work. He had a lot on his mind lately, especially with Emily’s pregnancy and the tension it was causing in his marriage with Andrianne. He knew he needed to tell her the truth, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Suddenly, the door to his office burst open and Emily strutted in, looking more confident than ever. Lucas tried his best to remain calm and collected, but he couldn’t help feeling a little unnerved by her presence.
“Lucas, darling, I’ve been thinking,” she purred, walking over to his desk and leaning on it provocatively. “I miss you. I miss the way we used to be together. I think it’s only fair that we start spending more time together.”
Lucas sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Emily, we’ve been over this. I can’t just drop everything and spend time with you whenever you want me to. I have a wife and a baby on the way.”
Emily’s expression turned sour at the mention of Andrianne. “Don’t even bring her into this. This has nothing to do with her. This is about us.”
“There is no us, Emily,” Lucas said firmly. “I made a mistake and I regret it, but I’m committed to my marriage and my family now.”
Emily’s eyes flashed with anger. “You can’t just brush me aside like that, Lucas. You can’t just forget about all the good times we had together.”
“I’m not forgetting anything,” Lucas said, feeling his patience starting to wear thin. “But things have changed. Andrianne is my wife and the mother of my child. I can’t just abandon her for you.”
Emily scoffed. “Abandon her? You’re not abandoning anyone. You’re just spending time with me, like we used to. Is that really so much to ask?”
Lucas stood up, feeling the need to assert himself. “Yes, it is. And I won’t do it. Now please, Emily, I need to get back to work.”
Emily’s expression softened a little. “Fine. But just know that this isn’t over, Lucas. I won’t give up on us that easily.”
With that, she turned and sauntered out of his office, leaving Lucas feeling relieved but also a little uneasy. He knew that he needed to be careful around Emily, especially now that she was pregnant with his child. But he couldn’t let her come between him and Andrianne. He needed to figure out a way to handle this situation before it got any worse.
***********************
Andrianne had been restless since the last time she met with David, her lawyer. She had been determined to bring her father to justice and she knew that the task ahead of her wouldn’t be an easy one. She picked up her phone and called David, who picked up on the second ring.
“David, I need to see you,” Andrianne said, her voice trembling with emotion.
“Sure, Andrianne. Is everything okay?” David asked, sensing the urgency in her voice.
“No, it’s not. I can’t seem to shake off this feeling of betrayal and anger towards my father,” Andrianne replied, her voice breaking.
“Okay, calm down. Let’s meet up and talk about this. How about we meet at my office tomorrow?” David suggested.
Andrianne agreed, grateful for David’s support. She hung up and tried to distract herself by doing some work, but her mind kept wandering to her father’s betrayal.
The next day, Andrianne arrived at David’s office feeling anxious. She was still unsure if she was doing the right thing by going after her father, but she knew she had to try.
David greeted her with a warm smile and led her to his office. They sat down and David asked her to explain the situation in detail.
“So, my father has been embezzling funds from our family business for years. He’s been using the money for his own personal gain, and he’s been doing it all behind our backs,” Andrianne explained, her voice shaking with anger.
David listened attentively and asked her a few questions to clarify some details. He then took a deep breath and said, “Andrianne, I won’t lie to you. This won’t be an easy case to win. Your father is a powerful man with a lot of connections. But we can try our best and see what we can do.”
Andrianne nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. She knew that going up against her father wouldn’t be easy, but she was determined to get justice for her mother.
They spent the next few hours going over the details of the case and discussing the possible outcomes. David explained the legal procedures they would have to go through and the various strategies they could use to build a strong case against her father.
Andrianne left David’s office feeling both scared and determined. She knew that the road ahead would be tough, but she was ready to do whatever it takes to get justice for her mother.
As she drove back home, her mind was filled with thoughts of her mother and how much she missed her. She knew that her mother would be proud of her for taking this step and standing up for what was right.
Andrianne arrived home feeling exhausted and emotionally drained. She was greeted by Lucas, who noticed the look on her face and asked if everything was okay.
Andrianne took a deep breath and told him everything that had happened. Lucas listened attentively and held her hand, giving her the support she needed.
“I’m so proud of you, Andrianne. You’re so strong and brave,” Lucas said, his voice filled with admiration.
Andrianne smiled weakly, grateful for Lucas’ support. She knew that the road ahead wouldn’t be easy, but with Lucas by her side, she knew she could face anything that came her way.
As they made their way up to their bedroom, Andrianne and Lucas walked in silence. They had both been lost in their own thoughts throughout dinner, and the silence between them felt heavy.
Once they were in their bedroom, Lucas changed into his pajamas while Andrianne sat on the edge of the bed, still fully dressed. She stared off into space, her mind still racing with thoughts of her mother and her father’s involvement in her death.
Lucas noticed her distant expression and knew something was bothering her. He sat down next to her and put his arm around her, but she stiffened at his touch.
“What’s wrong, Andrianne?” he asked gently.
She sighed and shook her head. “It’s nothing, I’m just tired.”
Lucas knew better than to push her further. He could feel the tension between them and it made him uneasy. They both got under the covers and turned off the lights, but neither of them could fall asleep.
Minutes turned into hours and still they lay there, lost in their own thoughts. Andrianne’s mind was consumed with thoughts of her mother and the injustice of her death, while Lucas couldn’t shake off the guilt he felt over his affair with Emily.
Finally, in the early hours of the morning, Andrianne broke the silence. “Lucas, can we talk?”
He turned over to face her, his heart beating faster. He had been dreading this conversation, but knew it was inevitable. “Of course, what’s on your mind?”
She hesitated for a moment before speaking. “I just feel like something’s been off between us lately. Like we’re not as close as we used to be.”
Lucas felt a lump form in his throat. He knew she was right, but didn’t know how to fix it. “I know, Andrianne. I feel it too. I just don’t know how to make things right.”
Andrianne sat up and turned on the bedside lamp, casting a warm glow over the room. She turned to face Lucas and took his hand in hers. “I don’t want us to drift apart, Lucas. We’ve been through too much together to let something like this tear us apart.”
Lucas felt a wave of emotion wash over him. He loved Andrianne more than anything in the world, and the thought of losing her was unbearable. “I know, Andrianne. I feel the same way. I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right between us.”
Andrianne smiled, a small glimmer of hope in her eyes. “I believe you, Lucas. I just hope we can find our way back to each other.”