Chapter 44

Harry, Lucas' butler, arrived at Kiara's home and was escorted in by her housekeeper. Kiara was surprised to see him, as she had not expected any visitors that day.

"Good afternoon, Miss Kiara," Harry said, bowing respectfully. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"No, not at all," Kiara replied, motioning for Harry to sit. "What brings you here, Harry?"

"Well, Miss Kiara," Harry began, looking slightly nervous. "I've come to talk to you about Lucas."

Kiara's heart sank at the mention of Lucas. She had not seen or spoken to him since their divorce, and the thought of him still had the power to unsettle her.

"What about him?" Kiara asked, trying to sound casual.

"Lucas is miserable without you, Miss Kiara," Harry said, his voice low and earnest. "He's been moping around the house, barely eating or sleeping. He's lost all his spirit, and it breaks my heart to see him like this."

Kiara felt a pang of sympathy for Lucas. She had loved him once, after all. But she also knew that going back to him would only lead to more heartache.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Kiara said firmly. "But I can't go back to Lucas. Our relationship was toxic, and I don't want to put myself through that again."

"I understand your reservations, Miss Kiara," Harry said, nodding sympathetically. "But Lucas has changed. He's gone to therapy, he's taken responsibility for his actions, and he's made a genuine effort to be a better person. I truly believe that he deserves another chance."

Kiara felt torn. On the one hand, she wanted to believe that Lucas had changed. But on the other hand, she didn't want to risk getting hurt again.

"I appreciate your concern, Harry," Kiara said, her voice softening. "But I've made up my mind. I can't go back to Lucas. I need to focus on myself and my own happiness."

Harry nodded, looking disappointed but also understanding. "I see. Well, I won't keep you any longer, Miss Kiara. Thank you for hearing me out."

"Of course, Harry," Kiara said, standing up to show him out. "And please tell Lucas that I wish him all the best."

"I will, Miss Kiara," Harry said, bowing once more before leaving.

Kiara watched him go, feeling a mix of sadness and relief. She knew that divorcing Lucas had been the right decision, even if it still hurt. But she also knew that she deserved to be happy, and that was something she was determined to find on her own.

The next day in Kiara's office, Lucas nervously clutched the bouquet of flowers as he walked into the lobby of her office building. He had spent all morning picking out the perfect arrangement of her favorite flowers, hoping to surprise her and make corrections after their split.

As he made his way to the reception desk, he saw Kiara's secretary, Jane, typing away at her computer. "Hi, Jane," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I'm here to deliver these flowers to Kiara."

Jane looked up from her computer and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, Lucas. I'm not sure Kiara will be interested in seeing you right now."

Lucas felt his heart sink. "Why not?"

Jane hesitated for a moment before sighing. "Look, I don't want to get involved in your personal life, but Kiara's pretty upset with you. She's been on edge all day, and I don't think she's in the mood for any surprises."

Lucas's grip on the flowers tightened. "Please, Jane. I just want to make things right. Can you at least give them to her?"

Jane sighed again, but then picked up the phone to buzz Kiara's office. After a brief conversation, she hung up and turned to Lucas.

"I'm sorry, Lucas. Kiara said to tell you to just leave the flowers here. She doesn't want them."

Lucas felt like he had been punched in the gut. "She doesn't want them? Can't you just give them to her later, when she's calmed down?"

Jane shook her head. "I'm sorry, Lucas. She specifically told me to dump them in the trash. I think you should probably just go."

Lucas stood there for a moment, feeling dejected and embarrassed. He slowly walked back to the elevator, the beautiful bouquet now feeling heavy and worthless in his hands.

As he rode down to the ground floor, he couldn't help but wonder what he had done wrong. Why was Kiara so angry with him? And why was she being so cruel?

But as the elevator doors opened and he stepped out onto the street, he knew that he still loved her. And he was willing to do whatever it took to make things right and if this doesn't work, he was prepared to take Logan's line of action and make her life misreable.

***********************

Kiara punched the intercom within her office, her face flushed with anger. She slammed her hand on her desk and growled, "Jane, get in here now!"

Jane, hurried into the room. "What's wrong, Kiara?"

"Lucas. That's what's wrong," Kiara spat. "He came into the building again today, uninvited and unwanted."

Jane looked at her with concern. "I'm sorry, Kiara. I didn't realize he was causing you trouble."

"Well, he is," Kiara said, her voice rising. "And I want you to make sure he never sets foot in this building again. I don't care what excuse he gives or what story he spins. If he shows up, you call security and have him removed."

Jane nodded, her eyes wide. "Of course, Kiara. I'll make sure he's on the blacklist and that everyone in the building knows not to let him in."

Kiara leaned back in her chair, a sense of satisfaction washing over her. "Good. I can't have him disrupting my work and my life like this. He needs to stay away from me."

Jane gave her a sympathetic look. "I understand, Kiara. And I'll do everything in my power to make sure he doesn't bother you again."

"Thank you, Jane," Kiara said, her tone softening. "I appreciate it. Now, let's get back to work."