5. Hard To Breathe

Lucas' POV

I knew it was all going to get to this.

Right from that very faithful day when I was seated back in my office with all the heavy loads of work on my head when that annoying newspaper stepped in, and I looked at it, I knew that this was going to be the result of everything.

I had been pained and regretted my delay at that time.

I had gone home and cried almost all night weeping and fussing over my bad luck at that piece of news.

It showed on her face in the picture that she must have been so happy to join that Union.

But I know the man in question and I know the kind of person he is. I knew that things weren't going to be as easy as she would have expected them to be.

Damien Vance is not the kind of man a woman with dreams Of a Happy home should get involved with. That is one thing I know, which is the very reason I have always done my best to avoid any such interactions between the both of us.

I have even ensured that none of my company members made any move to make some sort of collaboration with his company.

He is a dark and shady Individual who cares about nothing less than money and power.

All this is just to ensure that we never come in contact even though part of the reason is because he got involved with the woman I had been craving and dying almost all my life to be the mother of my children.

God, the thought of it was so infuriating. I nearly had an accident a certain time because of it.

But looking at her seated right in front of me with that beautiful, angelic, gorgeous face of hers stained with all the pain and sorrow she must have been going through, I am filled with excessive anger. I am filled with excessive regret and rage and a boiling determination to take her away from him.

I cannot let her go ahead with this. God knows that seeing her like this is breaking me.

I have endured all these years watching her from the Shadows and seeing her living the life she must have thought must be her perfect fantasy.

God knows I wanted to approach her every single day to warn her of the mess she was getting into, but I didn't want it to feel so weird coming to meet her all of a sudden after all these years of not being in contact with her.

I didn't want it to be like I was after her sadness or something.

So I just had to keep my cool and keep on observing her from a distance.

But right now this is my chance. I noticed when she stormed out of the company with tears in her eyes and I couldn't help myself before following her quickly to this bar.

The fact that she stepped in here was what prompted me to follow because I know she is the kind of person who doesn't like too much crowds and parties and anything that involves alcohol.

I knew I had to be here for her. Something must have gone wrong and I suspected that this is what it is.

I sigh as I rub my fingers through my hair with frustration watching her lean against the table with her face fallen and her expression sullen.

"Did you love him that much?" I find myself asking as she lets out a soft breath and then glances at the table.

The waiter I called had already dropped some soft drinks before us a few minutes ago, but she was still reluctant to take anything.

I just want her to at least eat something and refresh herself. I don't like the expression I'm seeing on her face.

I have missed that beautiful captivating smile of hers that never failed to set my heart swooning all those years.

Trust me I knew she was head over heels in love with me then. I noticed how she always kept staring at me whenever I came by.

I have even heard gossip and gist from her friends about how much she craves for my presence.

But I was such a stupid, silly, shy teenager then. I didn't have the guts and the wits to approach such a stunning damsel like she was.

We spoke a few times and exchanged pleasantries but it didn't lead to any deep conversation.

All that was mostly my fault. I just get so tongue-tied anytime I am with her.

She was every guy's dream at that time the perfect girl with those mesmerizing sparkling blue eyes of hers and her gorgeous long silky blonde hair.

She always stood out among the ladies in every way, and it shocked me to some extent that, for some strange reason, she didn't know just how beautiful she was.

She sometimes looks extremely shocked whenever a guy comments on her as if she wasn't expecting it, and it intrigued me to the core.

She was everything I needed but I didn't have the guts to go for her.

I just... Let her go.

Which was stupid of me.

"Honestly I don't know what to say. I just want to go home right now. But I can't because we stay in the same apartment. And I don't want to ever see him again. I just want to have a very long, deep sleep without waking up for probably the next 12 hours." she says, and I snicker immediately, using my palms to cover my mouth.

She looks up at me with surprise. "are you seriously laughing at me right now?" she asks, sitting up immediately, but I shake my head quickly.

"Nope." I immediately say and then pick up my soft drink. I place it in my mouth and begin to sip slowly using it as some sort of means to keep myself from embarrassing myself in front of her.

She finally signs with a devastated expression her gaze still on the table.

"I can take you to my home if you want?"

She looks up at me taken aback.

"I will take care of you well."

I watch as she flushes and looks away.

God her reactions are driving me crazy.

I want her. I need her.

She suddenly returns to her sour mood.

Okay, I think I've had it. I don't think I can bear seeing her in this state anymore.

"Do you know what?" I ask forcing her to look up at me with a sorrowful expression.

"Screw it!! if this is how it is, I don't think he deserves you, so you shouldn't give him the pleasure of weeping over him. he doesn't deserve your tears, and you know it." I find myself saying, watching as she looks away from me, using her hand to support her head and she leans against the table.

"Yeah, you don't need to tell me. I know that honestly. But I really can't help myself. I feel like a fool. I have never felt so broken in my life before. I never imagined that at some point in my life, someone was going to play me this hard and manipulate me with my feelings in this painful way. It's just so annoying. If I had a chance, I could kill him."

" I could give you that chance if you want," I reply immediately forcing her to look at me with a deep frown.

"Wow, I didn't know you were a killer," she says immediately, and I flinch.

I guess that came out wrong.

I shake my head immediately and laugh it out waving my hands at her.

"No, it's not like that. It's just an exaggeration okay? I was just trying to show how much I don't like to see you in this state."

Her face suddenly grows soft and I noticed her cheeks becoming Rosy.

Now that is what I want to see.

According to my guess, maybe she wasn't expecting that I would care for her this much. She probably never had an idea that I also felt the same way she did for me all those years back in high school.

How I saw regret not making my move back then. It aches. But now I am here, and I'm back for her, and nothing is ever going to stop me. Not even a witch or a wizard.

"Do you know what? I think you're right. I just need to stop thinking about this, even though it is hard. You are correct. He doesn't deserve my tears. He doesn't deserve to know that I still care about him. he can keep on living his life the way he wants it. I'm just confused right now I don't know where to head to."

"What about your mom?" I ask immediately and watch as her face falls as quickly as her elated mood appears.

That forces me to gulp down hard. Did I say something wrong? I wonder to myself as I observe her intently.

"I'm sorry. did I say something wrong?" I ask with curiosity and watch as she sighs brushing her fingers through her beautiful silky hair as if exasperated.

"I don't know why the hell my life is just so incomplete and complicated," she says forcing me to frown.

" No don't say that. it can't be the truth." I say, but she raises her hands, shutting me up immediately.

"No, it's the absolute truth. My life is incomplete and so bad. I feel I should just kill myself and be reborn in another dimension where everything is so perfect and lovely." she says and I raise an eyebrow.

Okay, that sort of wish is Sharp and vivid. I think to myself chuckling deep down within me with admiration for the stunning lady in front of me.

"Okay, what is going on in your life? Can you explain to me?"

"Long story short. Well, my mom is with the Creator, and my dad..." She halts in her sentence and stares at the ceiling as if confused about how to put her sentence.

"I won't lie to you. I don't know where he is. he has never proved to be a very good man. All the while he's been with my mother, so the moment she died, he just attended her burial and disappeared for my life without even caring about my well-being. I was practically alone. Until he came and did things that made me throw myself all for him. I am a fool."

I am left staring at her with my mouth wide open due to the shock that is hitting straight at my chest.

Yep. Her life is worse than a mess.

I should have been there. She shouldn't have gone through all this.

I did not see that one coming. I think to myself.

Damn her dad is a very cruel-hearted human being.

And then that bastard!!

I clench my fist tight while staring at her trying to control the rage that is brewing deep down within me.

Calm down, Lucas. Calm down. It's alright it's all going to be good. I say softly to myself before shutting my eyes and taking a deep breath.

"What about you? How has your life been?" she asks immediately, forcing me to look up back at her beautiful sparkling blue eyes, staring straight into my mind and making me lose knowledge of all the vocabulary I have ever learned in my life.

You like the good old days...

I chuckle nervously feeling shivers move through my spine as I look away from those captivating eyes and return them to the table.

Why the hell do I suddenly feel shy from nowhere? I don't understand this but please don't tell me that my past self is beginning to meet the present.

I scoff and then shake my head.

That's ridiculous.

"Okay, so I'm just going to go straight to the point. I am uh... I am an entrepreneur working with the Arden and Marco Maximum Limited."

I notice her eyes go wide the moment I say that, and it makes me look at her with confusion.

Why the hell is she staring at me as if she must have suddenly seen a ghost?

"Please tell me you are joking," she says forcing me to raise an eyebrow.

"Joking about what? What could I possibly be joking about?"

She chuckles.

" I can't believe it. Do you mean to tell me you are working with Arden and Marco maximum limited? You got to be joking right? That is the largest industry in the world right now in the entertainment sector. How the hell did you do that? That's so cool" she asks.

I chuckle. " Wow. The funny thing is that I don't just work there. I am the CEO." I say slowly wondering how she will react.

"What???!!" She shouts out loud, and I look around quickly, gesturing at her to bring her voice down.

I don't think things are going to sit well with me if everyone in this bar hears that.

"I am sorry. Are you serious??!!" She brings her voice down to a whisper.

" Oh my God. I am sitting in front of the CEO or Arden and Marco maximum limited??" She exclaims calmly.

I chuckle nervously. I expected this.

Well, what can I say? This is what happens when literally 70% of my life has been running away from public appearances and expressions of the media.

The attention is always too much whenever my name and my personality are revealed, and I do not like it.

This is one of the reasons I have made every single effort to ensure that my pictures and every detail about my appearance are never revealed to the public, even the media.

For anyone around me to know that the CEO of my company is standing right before them, I will have to say it myself and show them proof. That is how I want it.

But well. People these days have their way of sneaking into celebrities' lives, so I just had to go into hiding.

I had to set up my mansion on an island.

Crazy right?

Yeah. I know.

It's how desperate I am to get away from attention.

I detest being recognized everywhere and coming in front of flashing cameras surrounding me in every direction I turn. I hate that to the core.

"That is so freaking hard to believe!!" she says out loud still staring at me with a shock I never expected to see in her eyes.

Not like I didn't expect it. I just didn't expect it to this extent.

I smile and lean against the table feeling a little bit confident at her expression after figuring out my true achievements.

I am going to go straight to the point.

I wink at her and watch as she flushes.

She blinks and bites against her lower lip nervously.

God that is seductive as hell!!

We are suddenly staring Into each other's eyes non stop.

God!!!!!

I wanna die.

I want her!!

Why am I suddenly finding it hard to breathe??!!