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Chapter 55

Lucien Alessandro

'Hey! Are you free for a drink?'
I had texted Vladimir earlier before driving to the bar. Normally, we would hang out at one of my villas or anywhere except public bars, but today, I wanted to breathe. I wanted to clear my head. Have a few bottles of alcohol and clear my head.

Vladimir was already waiting by the time I arrived at the bar, so we headed to the VIP room together.

"I ordered your favourite drink as soon as I got here, boss." Vladimir said, referring to the bottle of vodka gracing the table in front of me.

"Hmm." I just nodded.

"I will pour you some."
He poured some into the glass cup and handed it to me, then poured himself some too.

Silence crept into the atmosphere as I stared into space. I tried hard to get my mind off Scarlet at least for the time that I would be here, but I couldn't.

My heart twisted in my chest as my mind wandered off to last night, and my grip around the glass tightened, my jaws clenched tightly as waves of regret spurred through me. I shouldn't have raised my voice at her. She didn't deserve the treatment I gave her, and now she was driving me nuts with her unusual attitude.

"You seem disturbed. Is everything alright?" Vladimir's voice brought me back to reality, and I gave him a long suspicious stare before shaking my head as I lifted the glass to my lips and sipped from it.

"Hmm." He knew best to give up. I like that about Vladimir a whole lot. He knows when to talk. And when he asks me a question, he always sticks to the first answer.

My heart felt heavy with several thoughts about Scarlet, and when I couldn't hold it in anymore, I spoke up.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" I asked him out of the blue, and he snapped his eyes wide as they gazed at mine.

"Hmm?" He batted his eyelashes, shock evident on his face.
It was the first time I was asking him such a personal question, so I get where the shock is coming from. I was never interested in his life outside work.

"Uh...no, I don't." He lowered his gaze, obviously embarrassed about the question.

"Oh..." I mouthed, nodding my head.

The atmosphere tensed.

"Have you ever been in love? I mean, feel something for someone." I felt uncomfortable asking him this question, but strangely, I couldn't hold back.

He stared at me shockingly again, and nodded briefly.

I adjusted in my seat, suddenly interested in this conversation.

"Really? Do you mind sharing?"
He looked at me without saying a word.

"You know, I just realised now that I know nothing about your relationship life even after being friends for ten years. I'm just curious." I said to him, trying to ease the atmosphere.

Vladimir and I met just two years after I took over the mafia family ten years ago. He was there for me through thick and thin. He was one loyal person I'd trust with everything I have.

"It's an old story..." he shrugged casually.

"Not something serious." He added, exhaling deeply.

"We met and dated briefly before I joined the mafia family..." he paused, his lips twitching into a smile. One I could refer to as a painful smile.

"She is married now." He looked straight into my eyes, chuckling dryly, but I saw the pain hidden behind his smile.

"Oh... Sorry about that." I muttered, a part of me feeling bad for asking him about it.

"It's fine. I'm over her." He chuckled again. But the look in his eyes said otherwise. He didn't look like he had moved on from her. Perhaps he still had some feelings left for her. Might not be love, but I was sure he still feels something for her.

"So, why do you ask? Are you perhaps in love with someone and need guidance about it?" He casually asked, locking eyes with me.
I felt my heart flutter, my cheeks burning hot, and I swallowed nothing, turning my face away. Fuck! Did I just blush?

"That's nonsense. I'm not in love with anyone." I tried to sound firm, but my voice sold me out.

"Your eyes are saying otherwise..." he paused, then leaned forward, his eyes boring into mine as he asked. "Tell me... who is making my boss blush?"

I batted my eyelashes and huffed. "Blush? What nonsense! I'm not blushing." I defended, gulping down a glass of the alcohol. I adjusted my tie as I suddenly felt hot all over, my throat going dry as my heart pounded hard in my chest.

"Whoa! You are so funny." I chuckled dryly.

"I can offer some advice if you are in need of it." He shrugged, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

'Let me hear it'.
I wanted to tell him, but eventually had to suck it in, telling myself that I would deal with it even though I wasn't sure how.

I reached for my phone, hoping to have gotten a reply from Scarlet, but disappointment washed through me when I was met with no notification.

'Hey! Are you good? Have you eaten yet?'
I sent her another text, but after five minutes passed and I didn't get a reply from her, I gave up. She probably doesn't want to talk to me.

I drank with Vladimir until I was drunk and could barely keep my eyes open. It was the first time in years that I would get so drunk.

"I think I should take you home, Sir." I heard Vladimir's faint voice as I threw my head back on the sofa, my eyes heavy.

"I'm fine, Vladimir. I'm fi..." And just like that, my eyes went close, and my lips went numb...