The game of disobedience

7 - Revenge is eaten hot

As I crossed the building's garage, I didn't expect to find anyone at that hour. But there he was, standing before me, holding flowers with a that stirred the depths of my stomach. It made me want to vomit.

Instinctively, I took off my glasses and held my folders closer to my chest, as if it could protect me from whatever was to come. Lucas had always been persistent, but I wasn't in the mood to deal with him at that moment.

It was early in the season. Him cheating on me had been enough. I didn't need a scoundrel on my tail.

How many times had he done this before? How many times had he gotten involved with someone and then simply acted like nothing had happened? My blood boiled just thinking about it. He was a selfish son of a b***h, and I wasn't willing to fall into his traps again.

I had a plan.

"What are you doing here, Lucas?" My voice came out colder than I intended, but I couldn't help it.

He stared at me for a moment before responding, and the silence between us was almost palpable. I could see the tension in his shoulders, and for a brief moment, I wondered if he felt the same discomfort as I did.

There were no kisses or "how was your day".

"We need to talk, Anny," his voice was calm, but there was an urgency behind it that I couldn't ignore.

I took a deep breath, trying to control the anger that threatened to overflow at any moment. I didn't want to let my emotions take over, not when I was facing him. Not again.

"We have nothing to talk about, Lucas," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady and controlled. "You've said everything you needed to say the last time we saw each other and in the messages earlier."

He took a step forward, his hands reaching out towards me as if he wanted to touch me, but I instinctively recoiled.

"Please, Anny, just listen to me for a minute," he pleaded, his pleading eyes meeting mine.

I hesitated for a moment, fighting against the torrent of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. But then, something inside me hardened, and I knew I couldn't. Not this time.

It was over.

"I have nothing more to hear from you, Lucas," my voice weighed slightly, but I refused to back down. "You had your chance, and you blew it. Now, please, leave me alone. You won't like what you'll find."

He seemed about to say something else, but then his shoulders slumped defeatedly, and he stepped back, a resigned expression crossing his face.

"I understand," he murmured, his voice full of sadness. "I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry. For everything."

Did that mean anything?

"What do you want from me, Lucas? You brought this upon yourself. I'm just responding."

"Can I just ask one question?"

"Go ahead."

"Why did you move to that penthouse, Anny? Be honest, please."

For a moment, I was paralyzed, trying to control the emotions threatening to overflow. My plan came to mind instantly, a carefully crafted strategy to make Lucas pay for what he said to me. A fleeting guilt tried to seep in, but anger quickly suffocated it, strengthening my determination.

"I owe no explanation."

"You've always been curious to meet my father."

"He doesn't seem to like you very much."

"He doesn't like many people, Anny."

"He's pleasant. I liked him."

"Did you move to that place to provoke me, didn't you?"

A laugh escaped my lips, but soon shame took over. After all, admitting that part of my decision to live in that penthouse was to get back at Lucas was an uncomfortable truth, even if it was to execute my plan.

"Do you think the world revolves around you? It was just a coincidence. I was going to move to an apartment, but my ex-boyfriend cheated on me. I just wanted to go to the best place. Something my family's money could afford. I never needed a man for anything. Just my lovely daddy who always gives me everything."

Lucas shook his head, his face showing disapproval.

"You're being extremely toxic with that speech, Anny. Are you really using your good family relationship to attack me?"

"I don't need to be more delicate with someone who scorned a life with me. I don't care about you anymore. If I can make you feel a little of what I felt, I will, Lucas."

I concluded my words with a mix of challenge and determination, feeling momentarily relieved to finally express what I had been holding back for so long. But at the same time, I knew that it was only the beginning of a journey that promised to be tumultuous and full of twists and turns.

He would have to swallow it.

I looked into Lucas's eyes, facing the whirlwind of emotions dancing in his gaze. There was a mixture of regret, disbelief, and perhaps even a little admiration for my boldness. But above all, there was the certainty that things between us would never be the same again.

"Do you think you met my father for what he did that day?"

I think about answering, but I just sigh resignedly.

I knew exactly where things stood and how they were progressing rapidly. Perhaps it was better to resolve it soon and end it once and for all. That way, I wouldn't have a man like Lucas chasing me.

"I can get to know him better."

"You have no idea what you're getting into. He's not your friend, Anny."

"Maybe I'll invite him for a coffee and tell him what his son did to me. Who knows, maybe he'll be grateful for you being away?"

"Stop this."

"Stop this, Lucas? I've barely begun."

"If I find out you've talked about me to him or you're getting involved where you shouldn't, I'll take you out of it myself. Don't get into things that have nothing to do with what happened."

"In fact, I think everything is interconnected, Lucas, don't you?"

I provoke and see his eyes mix with frustration and anger for what I'm doing. He realized it. He knows I haven't taken the final step yet. Son of a b***h.

"Stop these crazy ideas. If you still want me, take me back and stop playing. You don't need this. You're worth much more than all this."

"Where was my worth when you were with that woman? When you cheated on me?"

At that moment, a heavy silence hangs between us. We're motionless, staring at each other. I feel obstinate, determined not to back down. Lucas, on the other hand, seems deflated and upset, an expression of disappointment plastered on his face.

He lowers the flowers, a gesture reflecting his disillusionment. I watch him closely, noting how his posture betrays a mixture of regret and cowardice.

"Dominic is not someone you should be around. I, as his son, can say that, Anny," he murmurs, with a tone of warning in his voice.

"Then why have you always wanted to get his attention?" I ask, confronting him directly.

"It's not about getting attention. I want to do my best so he doesn't have to talk about me," he replies, his expression hardening even more.

I let out a sarcastic laugh, watching Lucas's reaction become even more closed off.

"Do you know what the best part of all this is? It's that you also messed up with him. See? We already have something in common," I provoke, feeling a mix of satisfaction and bitterness.

"Don't mess with my father, Anny. He's not someone for you. You'll regret this. Don't be swayed by his friendliness and lightness," he warns, his voice laden with concern.

"I won't listen to anything you say. I don't need to. I'll do whatever I want," I retort, maintaining my defiant posture.

"I haven't given up on you yet," he murmurs, his eyes fixed on mine.

"You didn't give up on me, you lost me. A loss you'll never find again. Now, let me go to my home," I finish, walking away from him firmly.

I walk towards my car, feeling mixed between liberation and sadness. Lucas may have tried to hold me back, but I'm no longer his. I'm determined to move forward, even if it means facing the challenges that the future holds.

He'll have to deal with it.

Heavens. Blood and emotion rush fast.