Chapter 52 The Tears She Tried to Hide
"ARE YOU hurt?" Lena was about to start the engine of the car when Mr. Blackwood spoke.
The embarrassment, pain, and suffocation still lingers, shattering her confidence piece by piece. Like a flood drowning her, like a storm wrecking her. Her eyes were glistening with warning tears, but she held them back, not wanting to create a dramatic moment in front of her boss.
She looked at him through the rearview mirror. He was sitting comfortably in the backseat, his eyes were directed at her through the lens of his specs. His lips pressed into a grim line. Powerful. Every inch of him radiated restraint and precision. And he looked calm. Too calm for someone who just punched a man.
Lena cleared her throat and slowly nodded. "Y-Yes, sir. I'm sorry for the trouble."
"Drive," he said, not diving into a deeper conversation. "I still have a meeting to attend at four o'clock. You'll join me again."
Lena was busy the whole day, and she was happy that Lucian took Angel to lunch today after her class. Lucian sent her a picture of them that made her smile so sweetly. She completely forgot about the incident at the restaurant because of her two sunshines.
"Miss Mendoza, send me the minutes. And bring me a coffee, please," Mr. Blackwood said before entering his office. Lena didn't get to answer, but she immediately finalized the minutes and sent it to him through email.
She entered Mr. Blackwood's office, carrying a cup of coffee. She gently put it on his table as she felt him slowly lifted his gaze to her.
"Miss Mendoza," he called using a tone that hints concern.
She dropped her gaze at him. "Sir?"
"You can file a case against them for slandering you," he answered, gaze was cold, but there was a hint of gentleness in his tone.
Lena pressed her lips together. "I-It's...okay, sir. I don't want more trouble."
Mr. Blackwood took a deep sigh before he sipped on his coffee. He spoke again after. "I just can't stand injustice and maltreatment."
She gave him a gentle smile. "Thank you for your concern, sir. But it's really okay now. I'm used to it anyway."
"Getting used to maltreatment is never an option," he shook his head slowly. "Nevermind if you don't want to make a big deal out of it. Thanks for the coffee. You can go."
Lena nodded and bowed before she stepped out of his office. She went back to her table and continued working. After work, Lena stretched her back, arms, and neck. Thinking how Miss Winnie handled her duties everyday without a break. Now she gets why Miss Winnie is irritable and strict.
When Lena arrived home, she remembered how Eva caught her and Lucian kissing this morning. She immediately roamed her eyes around to find the young maid. She wants to talk to her. She trusts that Lucian already talked to her, but she still wants to.
"Mommy!" Angel greeted her after she entered the master bedroom.
She found a piece of flower and a note on the bedside table, so she grabbed it.
'I have a night class today. Sleep early and dream of me. Love, your baby.'
Lena found herself trying to suppress her smile while hiding the note and the flower in the drawer. She kissed her daughter's hair and went out of the room to find the young maid.
She found Eva in the east corridor, carrying cleaning materials. Her motions were gentle, practiced. Head down. Face calm, unaware of her presence.
Eva was working as if nothing had happened. And Lena couldn't pretend otherwise.
She hesitated in the doorway, but then spoke softly. "Eva..."
The young maid turned, startled. Strands of dark hair slipped from her ponytail. "Miss Lena. Good evening." She smiled, polite, pleasant, and just a little too composed.
Lena's chest tightened as she stared at her. "I hope I'm not interrupting..."
"Not at all, miss. I'm finished here," she answered, still smiling.
Lena nodded. "I was wondering if we could talk. Just for a moment."
Eva's smile faltered, barely noticeable. She swallowed hard before she slowly nodded. "Of course."
Lena tried to meet her eyes, but something about Eva's expression made it harder than she expected. It wasn't anger.
It was... restraint. Like she was trying to hide something.
"I..." Lena began, struggling to find words. She doesn't know where to start. "I know this is shameless and...selfish, but I want to talk to you about what you saw this morning."
There it was. The flicker. Eva's posture changed a little bit. She stiffened. Like she was expecting it, but she was still shocked.
She said nothing. Only nodded once, her eyes carefully avoiding Lena's. Eva looked down at her hands.
Lena bit her bottom lip before she spoke again. "It was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened. I'm engaged to Viktor, and Lucian is..." she paused, choosing her words carefully. "He's young. And this is complicated."
Eva nodded slowly. "I understand."
"But I'm in love with him," Lena confessed.
Eva looked up then. Her eyes were kind. Too kind. She didn't look shocked. She looked...hurt.
"Eva, please say something," Lena said again, begging for an audible reaction from the kind maid.
"I've been in this mansion for quite a while now, but I don't involve myself with my boss's lives," She paused, then added gently, "You don't have to explain anything to me, Miss Lena. I won't say a thing."
Lena felt her throat tighten.
Was she being sincere? Or cautious? She couldn't tell. But she was satisfied with her answer.
"Thank you, Eva," Lena said before she bit her bottom lip again.
Eva gave a soft and restrained smile. "You have my word."
"Thank you," she said, voice barely above a whisper.
Eva smiled again, and this time it reached her eyes, just a little. "I should get back to work."
Lena nodded. "Of course."
A series of silence followed, and then Eva looked at her again, she looked tense now. "Uhm...I'll go now, Miss Lena."
Lena nodded and watched her as she left.
She hadn't planned to follow the young maid, but she did. Eva ran to the garden through the backdoor, Lena didn't show herself, but her chest tightened when she heard her restrained sobs.
Lena cupped her mouth, frozen by the quiet sound of restrained sobs beneath the garden tree. Eva was crying, not loudly, not messily. Just... brokenly and miserably.
The air thickened around her. And slowly, as though the truth had been blooming all along, Lena understood.
Eva likes Lucian. And Lena couldn't tell what hurt more, discovering that truth, or knowing she had just broken someone else's heart.