Chapter5:PathsCrossed
1043 Words
As Lucas got ready to leave the house, he looked out the car window. Through the rain, he could see Emma standing against the stone wall near the gate.
Her dress was completely soaked, sticking to her body and showing her curvy shape. Her long hair hung in wet strands around her face, making her look fragile and abandoned.
Lucas understood right away what had happened. He knew Marie and Anne's personalities well. They would never be kind enough to arrange a ride for the niece-in-law they had always disliked.
He turned to his assistant Spencer, who was sitting in the passenger seat. "Get out and hold an umbrella for her."
Spencer immediately grabbed the black umbrella from the floor and stepped out into the rain. He walked quickly toward Emma while Lucas rolled down his window.
"Get in," Lucas said to Emma. His voice was cold and commanding. "I'll take you home."
Emma looked up, startled to see it was Lucas. She instinctively took a step back, shaking her head. "Uncle Lucas, it's okay. The rain will stop soon. I can wait."
She remembered Marcus's warnings about how dangerous Lucas could be. Marcus had specifically told her to keep her distance from his uncle. She didn't want to cause herself any more trouble, especially not tonight.
Lucas's eyebrow went up when he saw Emma clearly trying to avoid him. His tone got deeper and more commanding. "Get in the car. Don't make me say it again."
His natural power was overwhelming. The way he spoke made it nearly impossible to refuse. Emma felt her determination weakening under his intense stare.
Before she could refuse again, Spencer appeared beside her with the umbrella. He gently took her wet purse from her shaking hands.
"Ms. Emma, please get in the car," Spencer said kindly. "This rain will continue for at least another hour. It's very windy out here, and you're not dressed warmly enough. You'll get very sick."
Spencer's tone was gentle and concerned. Emma looked up at the dark storm clouds, then down at her completely soaked dress. Water was still dripping from her hair. She was starting to shake uncontrollably.
Finally, biting her lip, she opened the car door and got inside.
The inside of the car was warm and luxurious. Soft leather seats and the faint smell of expensive cologne filled the space. Emma immediately felt the temperature difference.
Lucas looked at her wet dress, which was now sticking even more tightly to her body. The fabric had become almost see-through. He could see the outline of her undergarments. His throat tightened without him meaning it to.
Without a word, he took off his dark gray suit jacket and tossed it to her.
"Thank you," Emma said quietly, quickly pulling the jacket around her shoulders. It was still warm from his body heat and smelled like his cologne. The scent was surprisingly comforting. "I'll have it cleaned and return it to you."
"Just throw it away," Lucas replied coldly. His tone carried casual pride, as if the expensive jacket meant nothing to him.
The car pulled away from the house and drove smoothly through the rainy night. Silence settled between them. Emma sat in the corner of the backseat, not daring to look at the powerful man beside her. She could feel something intense coming from him. It made her nervous without meaning to be.
She stole a glance at his profile. His jaw was sharp and perfectly defined. His dark hair was styled perfectly despite the rain. Everything about him screamed wealth and power. He was nothing like Marcus, who was gentle and easy to talk to. Lucas seemed dangerous.
Twenty minutes later, the car stopped in front of Emma's house. She quickly gathered herself and reached for the door handle.
"Thank you so much for the ride," she said in a hurry, leaving his jacket on the seat. "I really appreciate it."
Lucas watched her disappear inside the house. The faint smell of jasmine perfume still hung in the car where she had been sitting.
He found himself breathing it in deeply. His body reacted without him meaning it to.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "She's your nephew's wife," he warned himself silently. "Control yourself."
As soon as Emma entered her house, she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. Her body started to feel hot despite her wet clothes. Her head felt heavy and confused.
Before she could even change out of her soaked dress, everything went black. She collapsed in the living room.
When Emma woke up, she found herself lying in a hospital bed. The room smelled strongly of medicine, but the bedside table was covered with familiar treats.
Strawberry shortcake, colorful macarons, handmade chocolates, and a large bunch of pink roses.
"Ma'am, you're finally awake!" A nurse appeared beside her bed, looking relieved. "You've had a high fever for over twenty-four hours. Mr. Blake was so worried. He stayed by your bed the whole time. He only left an hour ago because of an emergency call."
The nurse checked Emma's temperature with a digital thermometer. "Do you want me to call him? He'll be so happy to know you're awake."
Looking at the familiar arrangement of gifts, Emma felt her heart soften despite everything. She had always gotten sick easily and had a terrible fear of shots and medicine.
Whenever she was sick, Marcus would do exactly this. He would buy all her favorite treats and flowers, hoping to cheer her up and help her get better faster. It had become their tradition over the years.
These sweet memories made her chest ache with confusion. How could the man who cheated on her be the same person who spent the night worried beside her hospital bed?
"Where is he now?" Emma asked, pushing herself up in bed. "I want to find him myself."
The nurse smiled. "He's somewhere in the hospital taking care of business."
She left her room and walked down the clean hospital hallway.
As she turned the corner, she stopped suddenly.
There was Marcus, coming out of the pregnancy doctor's office. But he wasn't alone. A woman walked beside him, her hand resting protectively on her belly.
- Writer
