Chapter 56 Dispute.

Chapter 56 Dispute.
Chapter 56.
Dispute
Lucas and Alicia are back at the corporate headquarters. Stress is a constant third member in the office, but the understanding from the previous afternoon keeps them synchronized. They work diligently, reviewing the phases of the stolen project, creating the bold new plan Alicia promised.
In the middle of a technical discussion about market expansion, Alicia's cell phone, which is face down on the desk, lights up. She discreetly picks it up, just as Lucas is distracted, talking on his own phone with a partner in Hong Kong.
The message appears:
> "Hello beautiful, how are you?"
>
Alicia’s heart skips a beat. She quickly hides the screen from Lucas.
She types back:
> "Who is this?"
>
The response is immediate, as if the other person were waiting:
> "Alexei. A mutual friend gave me your number. But it's a secret, I can't tell you who it is."
>
A pang of unease runs through her, thinking of the threat this represents to her relationship if Lucas discovers it.
> "Mmm, ok. What do you need?" she asks, trying to sound neutral.
>
> "To get to know you more. I really enjoyed talking to you; you seem like an exceptional person. I’d like to invite you for coffee."
>
Alicia feels her breathing grow shallow. She knows she must nip this in the bud to protect her relationship and her sanity.
> "I think there's a misunderstanding. I didn't make it clear that I have a partner. I don't think it's right for us to meet. Please, don't write to me. I don't want problems."
>
> "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know. My apologies, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just wanted us to be friends; there’s nothing wrong with being friends. Or is your boyfriend jealous?"
>
The use of the word “jealous” hits her. It is confirmation that this conversation is not innocent.
> "Very jealous," she replies with a slight touch of defiance.
>
> "But we can be friends. That doesn't mean we're doing anything wrong. Just good company."
>
The cell phone vibrates.
“Alicia, I'm talking to you!” Lucas calls her attention, noticing her stillness and the way her hand is clenched around the phone.
“I’m sorry, my love,” Alicia apologizes, placing the cell phone face down on the desk. “I was checking some university matters. Where were we?”
Alicia focuses on him, her mind struggling to concentrate on the numbers while her adrenaline spikes from Alexei’s message. They work another hour, the silence only broken by the sound of keyboards, the tension hidden beneath the surface of professionalism.
Leaving the company, Lucas heads toward the main entrance. Alicia follows him. Just as they approach his official car, Carolina rushes over, moving with a speed uncharacteristic of her usual fragility.
“Lucas, my love,” Carolina says, hurrying to take the passenger seat. She turns to Alicia with a sugary, venomous smile. “You know I get carsick in the back. You can tell Alicia to take the back seat.”
The request is a public, deliberate humiliation. The front passenger seat is traditionally the seat of the partner or the closest associate. By stealing that spot, Carolina not only degrades her but forces Lucas to take sides.
Alicia does not let the blow pass. “No,” Alicia intervenes, her voice firm. “If you get carsick, you should go with one of the security personnel. I’m not moving.”
“Alicia, please,” Carolina insists with a pitiful sigh, seeking Lucas’s compassion.
Alicia looks at Lucas with a mixture of defiance and disdain. The silent question is: Do you want me to get in the back?
Lucas, exhausted by the corporate crisis and the emotional tension, yields to the pressure of avoiding a public scene and Carolina’s hysterical drama.
“We are not going to argue over a seat,” Lucas says, his voice tired and disappointed.
Alicia interrupts him with a sharp coldness. “No, we are not going to argue. Take it. The seat is yours, Carolina.”
Without waiting for a response, Alicia turns around, ignoring Lucas’s hand trying to stop her.
“Where are you going?” Lucas asks, grabbing her hand urgently.
“I brought my car. I’m leaving in it.”
Alicia pulls her hand away abruptly, gets into her Ferrari—which she had left in the hands of one of the company’s drivers—and drives out of the parking lot before Lucas, leaving the scene of the confrontation hanging in the air.
Carolina notes Lucas’s uncomfortable expression and frustration, feeling emasculated and thwarted. The victory is sweet and complete. She walks toward the car, savoring the moment, and instructs the driver to follow Alicia’s car at a safe distance, under the pretext of "security."
Emotional Exhaustion
Upon arriving at the mansion, Alicia doesn't wait for them. There is no confrontation, only a silent retreat. She goes straight into the mansion, heading up to her room where she locks herself in, leaving dinner and explanations for later.
Once inside, she picks up her cell phone again and sees Alexei’s messages.
> "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. If, in the future, you need a friend, don't hesitate to write to me. I'll be here if you ever want to talk."
>
The message is too perfect, too timely. It is the invitation to emotional betrayal, the lifeline that will sink her. Alicia feels a deep uncertainty. She turns off the phone screen, tossing it onto the bed. She stares fixedly at the ceiling, her eyes glazed over with emotional exhaustion.
How much longer can she endure all this?
Lucas’s love is a challenge, and with every situation that passes, it pushes them further away from being freely together. Carolina’s presence is a constant war. The professional disaster is a sword over her head. Alexei’s offer is the only escape route, the only space where she could be herself. But opening that door would mean risking her relationship with Lucas.