Chapter<b>14</b>
“What’sthis?Dowehavetocallyouseveraltimesbeforeyou’letoeat?”Lucas‘deep,maicvoicesoundedfrombehindher.
Avelineopenedhereyesandlookedathim.“Lucas,haveIeverdoneanythingtowrongyou?”
Lucasfrowned.“Whatareyoutalkingabout?”
Avelinegaveabittersmile.“Whycan’tyouevengive measinglesmileanymore?”
Lucas’sthinlipspressedintoahardline.
Avelinewalkedtowardshim.“DoyoureallyhatemesomuchjustbecauseIwon’tdivorceyou?”
Hereyesshimmeredasshegazedintohisdarkeyes,tryingtofindatraceofherselfinthem.
Shefoundit,buthiseyesnolongerheldaffection,onlycoldness.
HefeltresponsibleforSophia.
Heryearofdevotion,allthosebeautifulmoments,nowfelt likeajoke.
Lucaswatchedthelightinhereyesextinguish.Thenheheardhersay,“Fine,Iagreetothedivorce.”
TherewasnopointinkeepingthisversionofLucasaround.Sheonlylovedthegentle,caringLu,whosawherashiswholeworld.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!
However,LuhadregainedhismemoryandturnedintoLucasTudor.HewasnolongerherLu.
#15DOMUS
AsAvelinewalkedpasthim,Lucassuddenlygrabbedherwrist.
Aveline’sbreathcaught,herlongeyshestrembling.“What?”
Lucas’slipsmoved,andafteralongmoment,heasked,“Areyouserious?”
Avelineclosedhereyes,herexpressionbleak.“It’sfunny,there’snotevenabitoftrust left.”
Shepulledherhand freeandlefttherestroom.
ShebrieflyspoketoYvonneandleftdirectly.
Yvonnewassurprised.“What’swrong?Shedidn’tlookwell.”
Fredericksaid,“She’stoonarrow–minded.NotsuitableforourTudorfamily.<i>”</i>
Sophia’seyesflickered,butsheremainedsilent.
SheturnedtolookatLucasandnoticedhisbrowstightlyfurrowed,withanevenmore intensecoldaurasurroundinghim.
“Lucaseandeat,”Sophiacalledsoftly.
“Alright,”Lucasrespondedandwalkedover,sittingdownnexttoSophia.
Sophiaservedhimsomefood.“Thisisyourfavoritedish.”
“Thankyou,”Lucassaidtly,pickinguphisfork<b>to</b>eat.
However,thenextsecond,amemoryshedthroughhismind.
Avelineheldhishand,teachinghimhowtousetheutensils.Herfair,beautifulfacewasfullofconcentration.Whenhecouldn’tgetitright,sheevenyfullysmackedhishand.
14
+15BOHUS
“Youseemsosmart,howcanyoubesoclumsy?Thisisthsttime,watchcarefully.”
Shetaughthimagainandagainuntilhefinallygotit.
Lucassuddenlyclosedhiseyestightly.
Sophiaquicklyasked,“Lucas,what’swrong?”
Lucasputdownhisforkandstoodup.“Ihavesomethingtotakecareof.Youallenjoythemeal.”
Withthat,hestrodeoutoftheroom<b>.</b>
AvelinelefttheTudorfamilymansionandwalkedalongtheemptymainroad.Shetookoutherphocallforaride,buttheyweretoofarfromthecity,andnodriverswereeptingherrequest.
Shehadwornhigh–heeledshoestomatchherdress,andnow,afterwalkingsuchalongdistance,herfeetwereblisteredand
sore.
Shetookoffherheels,holdingtheminherhand,herfacescrunchedupindifort.
Justthen,sheheardthesoundofacarbehindher.Turningaround,expectingataxi,shesawLucasdrivingtowardher.
Howunlucky!
Sheimmediatelylookedawayandcontinuedwalking.
However,thecarstoppedrightinfrontofher.Lucasgotoutandwalkedtowardher,hisexpressiondarkandgloomy.
Avelineinstinctivelytooktwostepsback.“Whatdoyouwant?
+15BONUS
Areyou goingtohitme?”
Thenextsecond,shefeltherselfbeinglifted offthegroundashepickedherup.
D