119

Leila spent the rest of the morning reading on the couch. The sun streamed in through the tall windows, warming the room and making it feel peaceful. She flipped the pages slowly, trying to stay focused, but her thoughts kept drifting.

The odd feeling from earlier still lingered, like something was wrong. She didn't know why, but it left her unsettled. Shaking her head, she set the book down and got up to tidy the living room.

Just as she fluffed the last pillow, the door opened, and Lucas walked in. He looked tired but still gave her a small smile.

"You're home early," she said, walking over to him.

"Yeah, I finished faster than I thought," he replied, pulling her into a hug.

Leila leaned into him, letting his familiar scent calm her nerves. "How was it?"

"Busy," he said, avoiding her eyes. "Just a lot to handle, but nothing I couldn't manage."

Leila frowned, sensing something was off. "You okay?"

Lucas hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I'm fine. Just a long day, that's all."

"You sure?" she pressed, stepping back to look at him.

"Yeah," he said, forcing a smile. "I promise."

Leila didn't believe him, but she let it go. She knew he'd tell her when he was ready. "Alright. Do you want some tea?"

"Tea sounds perfect," he said, following her into the kitchen.

As she prepared the tea, Lucas leaned against the counter, watching her. He wanted to tell her about his conversation with Riccardo but didn't know how to bring it up. He didn't want to scare her, not until he had more answers.

"Hayley stopped by earlier," Leila said, breaking the silence.

"Oh?" Lucas asked, trying to sound casual.

"Yeah, we had tea and caught up. It was nice," she said, smiling as she handed him his cup.

Lucas nodded, taking a sip. "She's a good friend. I'm glad you have her."

Leila studied him for a moment. "You're being weird."

Lucas nearly choked on his tea. "What? No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are," she insisted, crossing her arms. "You're distracted. Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened," he said quickly, setting his cup down.

"Lucas," Leila said softly, stepping closer. "You can tell me if something's wrong."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's nothing serious. I've just been thinking a lot lately."

"About what?" she asked, concern etched on her face.

"Us," he said, meeting her eyes. "I want to make sure you're safe, that's all."

Leila tilted her head. "Safe? From what?"

"I don't know," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just have this feeling, like something's off."

Leila reached out, taking his hand. "I'm fine, Lucas. You don't need to worry so much." She said, trying to reassure him even though she wasn't so sure herself.

"I can't help it," he said, squeezing her hand. "You mean everything to me, Leila. If anything ever happened to you…"

"Hey," she said, cutting him off. "Nothing's going to happen to me. We're okay."

Lucas nodded, but the worry in his eyes didn't fade. "I hope you're right."

Leila pulled him into another hug, hoping it would ease his mind. "I am. Trust me."

They stayed like that for a while, holding onto each other in the quiet kitchen.

EVENING

They sat on the couch watching a movie, Lucas's phone buzzed on the coffee table. He picked it up, frowning at the screen.

"Who is it?" Leila asked, noticing his expression.

"It's Riccardo," he said, getting up. "I need to take this."

Leila nodded, watching as he stepped into the hallway to answer the call.

"Yeah?" Lucas said, keeping his voice low.

"I've got something," Riccardo said on the other end. "The number that sent the message to Leila? It's untraceable. Whoever it is, they know what they're doing."

Lucas clenched his jaw. "So, we're back to square one?"

"Not entirely," Riccardo said. "I've got some people looking into it. We'll find out who's behind this, Lucas. Don't worry."

"I'm trying not to," Lucas muttered, glancing toward the living room. "But it's hard. I just want to keep her safe."

"You're doing the right thing," Riccardo said. "Let me handle this. You focus on her."

"Thanks, man," Lucas said before hanging up.

When he returned to the living room, Leila gave him a questioning look.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, forcing a smile. "Riccardo just needed to ask me something about work."

Leila didn't push, though she could tell he wasn't being entirely honest.

"Alright," she said, shifting her focus back to the movie.

Lucas sat down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He tried to focus on the screen, but his mind was racing with different thoughts.

***

The next morning, Lucas left early again, telling Leila he had meetings to attend. As she waved him off, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something.

Deciding she needed a distraction, she called Hayley.

"Hey," Hayley answered after the second ring. "What's up?"

"Do you want to grab lunch today?" Leila asked, hoping her friend was free.

"Of course," Hayley said. "I'll pick you up at noon?"

"Perfect," Leila said, feeling a little better.

By the time Hayley arrived, Leila was waiting by the door, ready to go.

"Someone's eager," Hayley teased as Leila climbed into the car.

"I just need to get out of the house," Leila admitted.

"Fair enough," Hayley said, pulling out of the driveway.

They drove to a small café in town, finding a table near the window. As they waited for their food, Hayley gave Leila a curious look.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

Leila hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, why?"

"You just seem… distracted," Hayley said. "Did something happen?"

Leila sighed, stirring her drink. "It's Lucas. He's been acting weird lately. I think something's bothering him, but he won't tell me what."

"Have you tried asking him?" Hayley suggested.

"Of course," Leila said. "But he just brushes it off."

"Maybe he's just stressed," Hayley said. "You know how he gets when he's got a lot on his plate."

"Maybe," Leila said, though she wasn't convinced.

Hayley reached across the table, squeezing her hand. "Don't worry too much. Lucas loves you. Whatever it is, he'll tell you when he's ready."

Leila smiled, grateful for her friend's reassurance. "Thanks, Hayley."

"Anytime," Hayley said with a grin. "Now, let's talk about something fun. Did I tell you about the guy I met last week?"

Leila laughed, letting the conversation shift to lighter topics. For a little while, she forgot about her worries and enjoyed the moment.

But deep down, she knew this calm wouldn't last. Something was coming, and she could feel it.