5| The slap he deserved

ADRIAN

I shouldn’t have come here. But I had to gather all I need to win the bet anyways… I can’t let that Nerd of a brother win.

He was always good in such games but this time…. I’m not giving him a chance. He has what’s mine.

Such thoughts kept creeping in my head as I sat in my black SUV packed across the street, watching the big gate of Brian’s villa. I had no real reason to be here, No invitation. No welcome. No right. Or maybe it was my right as she is mine.

And Lisa…

She was supposed to be miserable without me. Lost. Crawling back eventually.

Instead, she disappeared from my world and ended up here… with him…

I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, waiting…and watching.

Then…

The gate slid open.

And my breath hooked for a second.

It was her.

Lisa.

Walking out slowly, hands in her pockets, her hair tied up carelessly like she didn’t even try fixing it but still looked… like the Lisa I once owned.

I held the steering wheel tightly, almost like my hand could melt it.

She shouldn’t be here. With Brian. My identical twin brother…

Not after everything I did to her.

Not after i walked out.

Not after Monica made a fool of her.

“How did she even get to know about Brian.” I asked no one in particular.

I leaned forward a little, lowering my window just enough to look closely.

Then Brian walked out behind her. She turned toward him, smiling softly.

Something in me snapped… which felt unnatural.

LISA

I stepped outside with the intention of feeling the winter cold. The snow seems to be melting with the sun’s presence. Staying indoors all these while made my head feel heavy and made my body hot. I wrapped my arms around myself and looked up at the sky.

Behind me, Brian stepped out, already on a call, his voice as calm as always.

“Yeah… yeah, I’ll send the patient’s file when I reach the hospital. No, tell him the surgery will be done by Dr Anderson.”

I nodded at him and smiled a little. He gave me a soft nod back before turning away and pacing near the car.

But just then…

A car that looked very much familiar.

Adrian? What would he be doing here ?

My stomach twisted.

I stepped outside the villa, not knowing why exactly I was walking towards him.

And he walked up to me like he owned the ground he stepped on.

“Lisa.”

I closed my eyes for half a second. “What do you want, Adrian?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead he looked me up and down like he was checking if I was still the same woman he left behind.

“You shouldn’t be here with him,” he said.

I laughed once… in a cold manner. “Here we go.”

He took a step closer.

“Lisa, listen to me. Brian is bad news.”

My jaw tightened. “Adrian..”

“I’m serious,” he said quickly, almost desperate. “You have no idea who he is. He’s pretending. He’s dangerous. Just stay away from him and come…”

I slapped him.

Real Hard.

Right across his cheek.

The sound echoed through the quiet street.. and Adrian froze, his eyes wide, and his hand touching his cheek in disbelief.

I stepped closer, my voice low but fierce.

“If Brian is bad news,” I said slowly, “he’s still better than staying close to you.”

His expression darkened instantly.

“How dare you..”

“How dare I?” I snapped. “You brought another woman into our home while I was still your wife.. She hurtfully made me sign the divorce papers... You threw me away like trash. And now you want to play protector? For what? Because your ego can’t stand the idea of me moving on?”

He looked stunned.. but then a wicked smile played across his face.

“ I know you want me back Lisa… I can keep you close and She’ll never know we are still together. Just enter the car and I’ll move you to somewhere far away from bri…”

Before he could even complete the trash leaving his lips, I landed another hot slap that made him almost attack me… but he held himself anyways, hands still on his face.

Good.

I wasn’t done.

“I’m not yours anymore, Adrian. We’re divorced. Remember? You made sure of that.” I said in rage.

His jaw twitched.

“You don’t understand, Lisa,” he muttered. “You were mine…” he still tried to speak which was so unnatural coming from him.

“Not anymore.”

He opened his mouth again, but suddenly Brian’s voice came from behind us.

“Lisa? Everything okay?”

I didn’t even turn toward him.

Instead, I looked right into Adrian’s eyes… and smiled.

A real, evil, sweet smile.

“Oh yeah hun.” I said loudly. “Perfect.”

Then I walked away from Adrian and toward Brian. His call had ended, and he stood beside the car, confused.

Before he could ask anything, I leaned close and whispered quickly:

“Don’t react. Just follow my lead.”

He blinked but nodded slowly.

I took out my phone.

“Selfie?”

He stared. “What?”

“Smile like we’re madly in love,” I whispered. “Please.”

Brian sighed softly but came closer without complaint. His arm brushed mine lightly.

I raised the phone.

Adrian stood behind us, still shocked, cheeks red from my slap.

I leaned my head slightly against Brian’s shoulder. “Smile,” I whispered again.

He gave a small, soft smile.

It was good enough.

*Click.*

I took another one, even closer.

*Click.*

Adrian clenched his fists. I could see it from the corner of my eye.

Perfect. It really gave me a kind of satisfaction seeing him that way.

Brian whispered, “Why are we doing this?”

“Because someone needs to learn he can’t control me anymore.”

Brian didn’t ask more. He understood my mission.

We walked to the car. Brian opened the door for me like it was the most normal thing in the world.

I got in.

He alarmed the driver and We both buckled up.

Before we drove off, I turned my head slightly… and met Adrian’s stare.

It was Cold, Furious and Confused.

Good.

The driver started the engine and we drove away.

ADRIAN

I stood there alone. and frustrated.

My cheek still burning, even with the cold.

My breathing uneven.

Did Lisa…

Really slapped me….

She took pictures with him.

She laughed in my face.

I rubbed my cheek slowly, anger boiling under my skin.

But then something else hit me.

Something weird and unsettling.

Those pictures…

They looked wrong.

Her smile was too forced.

His smile too soft.

I know Lisa well enough by now… she hated taking pictures and Brian he wasn’t the type to take a calm pic… he was really dramatic with the people he feels free with.

They weren’t natural.. I know that for a certain.

They weren’t in love or at least they aren’t free with each other.

I narrowed my eyes.

Something was off.

Very off.

And Lisa…

she hated me because of Monica.

But she didn’t know everything. She didn’t know the whole truth

Not yet.

I looked at the road they drove down.

And a slow, dark smile curled on my lips.

“If you think you can hide behind Brian,” I whispered to myself, “you’re wrong, Lisa.”

I stepped back into my SUV and started the engine.

“I’m not letting you go. Not yet.”