Chapter 9 How Pathetic
1120 Words
Even the cold water couldn't calm Mason down. His brain was filled with Lucia's eyes, her cheeks, her swollen lips…
"s**t!" he cursed inside.
He tried again to organize his thoughts.
There was a clap of thunder, and he flinched.
Was it going to rain?
Turning off the water, Mason threw on a robe and walked to the window. He pulled aside the curtains, and all he could see was sheets of rain.
That stupid woman must've gotten a taxi, right? Or at least found shelter from the rain?
Concern and worry flooded his eyes without him realizing it.
The seconds ticked by.
Mason had never felt so anxious before. He paced back and forth in the living room, constantly walking to the door to see if Lucia was back.
But he waited from 10:30 to midnight without seeing any sign of Lucia.
"Dammit, don't come back if you don't want to!" he thought angrily.
However, he couldn't help but call Lucia's number.
"Where the hell are you?!" he snarled as soon as the call connected.
There was a gasp, as if the other person was frightened by his anger. "Who are you?" she asked timidly after a pause. "Why are you looking for Lulu?"
Mason frowned at the voice.
"Where's Lucia?"
His voice wasn't as harsh anymore, but it was still unfriendly.
"I don't know! She left her purse and phone here. I'm looking for her too!" Susan had almost broken into tears when she couldn't find Lucia at the Empire Club. She was worried that Lucia would get kidn*pped.
Mason's eyes narrowed.
If Lucia didn't have her purse or phone, then she…
Worry gripped Mason's chest.
"You didn't answer me. Who are you? How do you know Lu—"
"Beep!"
Before Susan could finish her question, the call was cut off.
Mason couldn't keep waiting. He got his car keys and was about to go out and find Lucia when the doorbell suddenly rang.
From the surveillance video, he saw Lucia standing there, drenched in rain. The worry in him was suddenly cleared.
And replaced by anger.
He opened the door and stood at the entrance like an angry god, watching Lucia limp in.
There was only one word to describe her: pathetic.
Her wet hair clung to her pale face in messy clumps; the soaked clothes stuck to her body, hugging her figure; and her ankles and heels were all scraped by her shoes.
"Lucia, did you do this on purpose? You purposely did this so I'll feel bad? Well, I can tell you, I wouldn't feel bad, even if you didn't make it back tonight!"
Lucia froze in her tracks. She bit her lips to stop herself from crying.
She lifted her eyes and glared at him.
She knew he wouldn't feel bad.
How could he leave her on the road if he felt bad?
If he would feel bad, why would he keep rubbing salt in her wounds after she got back, instead of comforting her?
Looking away in hatred, she sidestepped him without answering and limped up the stairs. Rainwater dripped down, leaving a trail behind her.
Mason turned and stared at her backside. His eyes fell upon her injured feet. "Lucia!"
But Lucia ignored him completely!
"Are you deaf?" Mason strode over and grabbed Lucia's arm.
"Don't touch me!" Lucia broke free from his grip.
"Why are you throwing a tantrum? If you didn't go to that dating event, this wouldn't have happened to you! You asked for it!"
Mason had wanted to be nice and tell Lucia that her friend was looking for her, and remind her to call, but when Lucia shook him away, his ego came back.
"Yes, I asked for it. It's all my fault, alright?" Lucia retorted, swallowing back her tears.
"Even if you didn't have money and couldn't get a taxi, are you too stupid to find shelter?" Mason's tone softened when he saw her crying.
Shelter?
Lucia scoffed. "Mr. Reynolds, I'm sure you've taken that route many times. Is there any shelter where you threw me out at?"
Mason couldn't reply.
He still believed she was in the wrong, but now he felt like the bad guy.
"I'm exhausted and freezing. I don't have the energy to argue with you!" Lucia glared at him and continued limping upstairs.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Mason spoke up, "Call your friend, or else she might report you missing to the police."
Lucia's footsteps halted, but only for a second, before she continued upward.
Mason gazed at her stubborn backside. He was frustrated, for some reason.
He shouldn't have done this tonight. He shouldn't have kissed her!
He shouldn't have kicked her out!
He was the one who should've gotten out of the car.
When Lucia's figure disappeared at the end of the staircase, Mason returned to the sofa. He lit a cigarette and inhaled sharply, brows furrowed.
The smoke shrouded over him, softening his harsh features.
Lucia called Susan as soon as she returned to her room. She didn't have her phone yet, so she had to use the landline.
"Lulu, I was so scared! I thought you got taken away by a bad guy! What would I do if that happened? Oh my god, I would feel horrible. I almost called the cops!"
She indeed got taken away by a bad guy—a super bad, horrible asshole!
Despite her angry thoughts, what Lucia said to Susan was, "I'm alright. I just drank too much and wandered away from the club."
"No, some guy called you earlier. He was looking for you and sounded worried," Susan said. "Tell me the truth. Who is he?"
"I'll tell you another day."
Lucia didn't want to think about him again.
"Susie, I have a headache. I'm gonna hang up. You should rest too."
"Wait, you have to tell me who he—beep, beep…" Before Susan could finish, Lucia hung up. She realized that Lucia's caller ID number was the same as the man from earlier.
It wasn't normal. She had to interrogate Lucia some other day.
Achoo! Achoo!
Lucia shivered and let out a string of sneezes. She got goosebumps all over too.
She hurried to the bathroom and stripped off her wet clothes. Her cold body finally started recovering when the warm water showered over her.
Mason's cold heartlessness filled her mind. Tears filled her eyes again; her heart panged!
After the shower, she sat on the side of her bed and dried her hair. Warm wind came from the blow dryer, but her entire body shivered. She was cold from head to toe, from out to in.
Maybe she should give up after all!
- Writer
