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Lucas is busy in his office when Drake came unannounced.

"How's the married life? It looks like it suits you." Drake started teasingly, which he willed himself not to react.

"No reaction, eh? But your face says it all." Drake said in all seriousness.

"What do you mean by that?" He tried to ask nonchalantly.

"Well, you look better, you look so happy even without smiling." His comment made him snort. When he saw him still staring, he kept his face unreadable, although he wanted to grin from ear to ear. Drake's observation is true, he felt invigorated with his new relationship with Claire, yes, it is sexual but there is another emotion that wanted to burst. He doesn't want to acknowledge it before and keep suppressing it, but now, no more. He finally decided to accept the truth, that he has fallen in love with his wife. He is undeniably in love with her, hard-and-fast. Though fear and some unwelcome thoughts kept coming, he cannot refute what he truly felt.

"Why did you come here? What do you want?" He asked, still pretending that his comments do not bother him.

"Why? Am I not welcome here anymore, now that you finally fell in love?" Drake countered, still baiting him.

"So what?!" He finally gave in to his teasing which made Drake laugh so hard. At any other times before, he might be annoyed or angry, but not now, not anymore, ever since Claire.

"Wait until you fall in love. I will laugh my heart out at your expense especially if that woman will not bat an eyelash to the likes of you." He said jokingly testing whether he will fall on his trick. He expected him to disprove what he said but his bestfriend just kept quiet. 'Now, this is something.'

"Care to share?" He urged him to speak but all he got was a deep sigh.

"That deep, huh?" He simply said but kept quiet. He wondered if his bestfriend will tell him anything when Drake opened his mouth and asked something.

"How did you know that you are falling already?" Drake asked, uncertainty on his voice.

"I don't know. Don't ask me, I'm new to this as well. Why? Is there a woman?"

"Well, yeah. I met her about two months ago. She is not the same like everybody else I've met." Drake answered bewildered.

"How different?" He asked, though he may have an idea of what he meant. For he also felt discomfitted when he first met Claire.

"Well, first of all, she do not care how handsome I am nor how charming I can be." His answer made him scoff and eventually leads to full blown laugh which made Drake's face one full of annoyance.

"Sorry. I just saw myself in your current situation. Now, you know how I felt." He apologized and continued in all seriousness. "Just give it sometime and let yourself feel it's wonderment."

"Never knew this day would come that we will discuss something other than business." Drake said finally with a laugh and left afterwards.

Yeah, he never saw himself like this. In love with someone, in love with his wife. He checked his watch and saw that it is only half past two in the afternoon. He misses her and the time they spent together are the best he ever had with anyone. If he had known this is how it feels with her, he should've acknowledge and accepted his feelings for her sooner. He took his phone and dialed her number, the other line answered at second ring.

"Hello."

"Hey, sweetheart. Travelling already?" He asked when he heard a honking sound.

"Yes. Is there anything you want?" He heard her ask.

"Nothing sweetheart. I just want to be sure that you are safe since Kevin cannot come with you." He answered, not giving away that the true reason is that he misses her too much.

"I'll be fine Lucas. I'm almost there, maybe fifteen minutes more. Thank you for worrying." Claire said, he hinted a smile on her voice that made him smile as well.

"Okay. Claire sweetheart, can you do me a favor?" He asked, when he heard she hummed in agreement, he continued. "Please inform me when you get there safely."

"Okay. Sure, I will."

"Okay, drive safely... Bye." He closed the line after he bid her goodbye. He almost said the three-letter word but caught himself in time.

He busied himself after the call and after fifteen minutes like she said, he received a text from Claire informing him that she arrived safely in Millbrook. He sighed, for this will be another long weekend without her sleeping beside him.

---

Weeks passed with that routine and him missing her everytime they are not together, like, right now. He has been on edge since this morning when he woke up not feeling her beside him. He's been keeping that to himself, not giving a clue to her that he is bothered that their relationship is at a standpoint. He doesn't want to take a risk of confessing his true feelings to Claire for she may not reciprocate it. The fear is there, like a constant, nagging feeling and he is not happy nor elated by it. He took a deep sigh and refocus on the documents in front of him. He's been trying to understand it for an hour but he cannot seem to comprehend what was written or what the document is about. He closed the file and think, contemplating whether he will follow Claire to her hometown or not. If it is okay to do so, or she may think that he is being clingy? Will she be happy once she sees him? Or will she drive him away?

After several minutes of pondering, he decided to just go with it and go after her, whatever the consequences. He spoke to Sophie to clear his schedule the whole day until tomorrow. It is not yet noon so he has so much time to travel. He went home first, changed his outfit for a more comfortable one and pack some clothes as well. He then drove to Millbrook with so much excitement, looking forward to seeing her. He even caught himself humming and singing to the country music coming from his radio. His attention was caught with the ringing of his phone which he answered immediately when he saw that Drake is the one calling him.

"Hello. What is it?" He asked.

"Where are you Lucas? Sophie said you cleared your calendar for today." Drake asked, bewilderment can be hinted in his voice.

"I'm going to Millbrook." He answered nonchalantly, but Drake did not bought his carefree answer and proceeded to tease him.

"You miss your wife that much, huh?"

At his jib, he kept his cool and still pretended that he is not affected.

"What do you want Drake?"

"Well, I just want to invite you for a drink but since you have more important thing to do, I'll just be my company and will not bother you. Drive safely brother and good luck." Drake said and closed the line after. He just shook his head at his bestfriend's antics.

---

He arrived before noon and went straight to the shop. Beatriz saw him right away when he entered the store and approached him.

"Lucas, good to see you again. You need anything, or are you here for Claire?" Bea asked him without a pause.

"Good to see you as well Beatriz. I can see that the shop is doing well." He answered and his comment made Bea's one brow rose, as if telling him that she cannot be fooled by what he said.

He cleared his throat before answering her question. "Yes, I am here for Claire. Is she here?"

Beatriz looked at him pointedly for several seconds before finally answering. "She's not here, she just left actually. Her family have a luncheon date."

"She's having a lunch with her family? Okay. Where will they be?" He asked after deliberating whether it is appropriate to do so. Good thing, Beatriz did not make it difficult and gave an answer immediately.

"They are in this local diner just a few minutes away from here. Take right at the crossroad and drive several blocks. I forgot the name, it's the one with an owl on their signage. It's not difficult to find." She said offering directions. He thanked her and left.

When he sat on his car, he did not start the engine first but debated with himself if it is okay to barge into the family's affair without being invited. But he thought that Alessa, Claire's mother knew him already, so it will not be so awkward with everyone there if he comes without prior notice. His eagerness to see Claire is stronger than the thought of him being outcasted by her family. With that thought he finally turn on the engine and drove to where Beatriz directed him. When he turned right at the crossroad, he slowed his car to better be able to find the diner which is not that hard to do, for the owl that signifies the place is a humongous one like what Bea have said.

He parked his car and was about to step out when another car stopped right next to his. He shouldn't have minded whoever it was but he stopped when he saw the driver who stepped out of the car, for it was Ethan Anderson. It is safe to say on his part that they have a mutual dislike to each other which started when they were still at school.

'What is he doing here?' He thought. He didn't know that he may saw him today in this place. It's been several years since their paths last met, though physical violence never happens, you can feel the tension when they are at the same place and at the same time. Right now, he doesn't want that to happen. He will just ignore him and pretend that he didn't exist.

His forehead creased when he saw that Ethan walked purposefully towards the diner, a bouquet of flowers on one hand wearing a huge smile. His brows furrowed more when he saw Claire walked out of the diner. He thought at first that she may have seen him on his car but instead of running towards where he was, she met Ethan with a hurried steps and a gorgeous smile. They embraced and Ethan even twirled her which made Claire laugh gaily. They both went inside the diner hand-in-hand after Ethan gave her a forehead kiss. He clenched his teeth at what he saw and felt like a million knife struck his chest. His hands clenched the steering wheel as well making it almost white, he almost went out of his car to make his presence known but he was able to control himself. He decided to leave the place at once before he did something that he will surely regret in the future.

He drove without direction and found himself at the bar, him and Drake frequented. He drank and drank without control to numb whatever he felt and he refuses to acknowledge whatever emotions he is currently dealing. He doesn't know how many hours he stayed or how much alcohol he took until he found himself being assisted and Drake's voice penetrated his consciousness urging him to get up. He tried to do his bid but his body refuses to comply. Aware that he is already drunk beyond relief, but he no longer care, thus, succumbing himself into the darkness and numbness that alcohol offered.

---

Lucas woke up with a hammering headache and a parched throat. He felt disoriented at first when he tried to open his eyes and checked his surroundings. He wondered why he is at Drake's place when everything that happened came back like a pouring rain. He clenched his teeth at the memory, not caring that the action made the pain on his head more intense.

His eyes went to the opening of the door and in came his bestfriend, eyes full of worry and questions. He saw him opened his mouth to speak but he beat him to it.

"Don't ask. Do something about my headache." He demanded which Drake complied by giving him a glass of water and two tablets of Paracetamol. He took and drowned it with the full glass of water. He then stood, went to the bathroom and fix himself as much as possible. He stared at himself for full five minutes before he decided to went out and face Drake with his million questions.

He sat at the table where breakfast is already served which consists of toast, eggs and black coffee. The food in front of him brought back memories when they were still at the university and weekends always means booze. His train of thoughts was interrupted by Drake's first of his million question.

"What happened yesterday Lucas?" He asked in all seriousness and continued asking when he did not answer the question. "You were excited and very eager to see Claire yesterday when we talked over the phone, and four hours later, Mitch called me to pick you up since you were already drunk. Did you know that you finished two bottles of whiskey and a bottle of scotch in a span of two hours?" Drake said astonished. Lucas thought he is finished with his rant but he is wrong.

"We have never done something like that even when we are in deep shit before. Are you trying to toast your innards? What happened to that happy and contented Lucas that I spoke to, weeks ago?"

At his question, Lucas felt that his chest is constricting, like his heart is being squeezed beyond its limit. He never felt anything like this, not even that darkest time of his life. His current situation, he believes, surpassed that moment. Since he still kept his mouth shut, Drake probes him further.

"Lucas, what really happened yesterday? You went to Millbrook to see Claire, didn't you?"

This question made him decide to finally speak. "Yes, I drove to Millbrook yesterday. I saw Claire, but, she is with Ethan."

He saw that Drake's brow furrowed with his answer and asked the inevitable.

"Ethan? You mean Ethan Dominic Anderson? Your archenemy?"

"He is not my archenemy."

"No? But you are always at each other's throat, though both of you have done nothing to make it physical, you two are always going after whatever the other one has." Drake stated and followed it up.

"You both wanted to be the football captain, wanted the same girl, you two were always head to head when it comes to popularity and so on, the list is too long for me to say one by one. You almost had the same course but you changed your mind after your father's death, considering you will inherit your family's business. But if not for that, you will be an architect today, just like him." The last three words were said with emphasis as if it will change everything.

After Drake's rant, they both fell silent and finished their breakfast, and Drake, as serious as he can be, finally asked the question which made him uncertain on how to proceed from then on.

"What are you going to do? Are you going to ask Claire what you saw and clear any doubts? Or are you going to let your jealousy consume you?"

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How will Lucas handle this problem? What do you think?

Please type in your comments and insights about this chapter. Kindly vote as well.

Thank you for reading!

-blue