Chapter 21

Azalea's POV.

I stared at him with doe eyes, then I heard the yelling and looked over to see Jakob, the kind old man who was also drinking his sorrows away. Jakob was being treated horribly.

“Hold on,” I muttered and walked over.

“What’s going on here?” I asked the security.

“He ‘forgot’ his wallet and finished one of our most expensive bottles,” the security explained then glared at Jakob.

“Okay, okay, it’s fine, I’ll pay for it,” I offered. It would cost me my entire day’s worth of salary, but it was fine. Jakob didn’t deserve this, and I knew for certain he had forgotten his wallet because he always paid and tipped.

“Thank you,” Jakob said with a hiccup. I noticed his keys in his hand.

“Let me drive you home,” I offered, and he didn’t fight it at all.

“I’m coming with you. There’s no way I’m letting you do this alone,” Lucas decided.

“Lucas–” I started to protest but then realized it might just be for the better. I didn’t know Jakob too well, and he was drunk. “Come on,” I grabbed the keys from his hand.

Lucas helped Jakob to the car. We all settled into the car, and I looked over at Jakob to give me his address. He instead just showed me the GPS. I nodded.

“So, do you know this man?” Lucas began to ask. He looked at him through the rear-view mirror. I followed suit and spotted Jakob asleep. He slept like a rose all curled up in the back as if nothing was wrong in the world.

“He’s a steady customer and always polite,” I responded truthfully. There wasn’t much I knew about him other than his name, that he tipped well, and that he drank his sorrows away. “He drinks but never to this point,” I explained.

“Do you do this for all customers?” Lucas asked. His tone was so careful, I couldn’t tell if he was judging or genuinely curious or perhaps he was being cautious, which I should be too. I didn’t have long to go before I’d have to go pick up Lynn.

“Nope, although I have called a cab for a few over my course of time,” I admitted with a shrug. It’s not like I send the clients to drive home when they can’t even walk in a straight line. “There’s just something about Jakob that makes me consider this kindness for him,” I admitted, looking at Jakob again through the mirror.

His GPS had the location saved as ‘Home,’ but the area we were headed to didn’t exactly look like the place I thought we’d be heading to. We were slowly approaching a luxurious neighborhood. There wasn’t much past this neighborhood, so where the hell did Jakob live? His car couldn’t have the wrong address programmed since this was clearly stated as home.

“I thought you left today,” I stated. He was supposed to leave for the airport after our meeting at the cafe.

“I extended my stay another day,” Lucas explained.

“Oh, ok,” I hummed and could feel my heart racing.

“Azalea, I feel like I never apologized for not helping you when you needed me back then,” Lucas started to say. It’s official, I've had enough of his forgiveness. He earned it, he can stop asking about it.

“Lucas, we spoke things over, it’s fine, remember,” I reminded him.

“Azzie, I will go back to Sunset Trails, I’ll clear your name, I’ll make them put respect on your name and we’ll say that you went to the city for education, and then you can come back home,” he began to plan, only thinking about himself in this narrative, even when it was sweet that he tried to fix things for me.

“Lucas, you know I can’t go back and this is my home now,” I said simply.

“Everyone you know is there,” Lucas said matter-of-factly. I couldn’t tell him how wrong he was, how I had a daughter, Ada, Clara, and Callie. If I did, I’d have to explain a lot more to him.

“I’ll protect you from Laura if that’s what you’re worried about,” Lucas offered and smirked at me, “Trust me, my role comes with power and lately they’ve been relying on me a lot and they will not upset me.”

“Lucas, accept it when I say I’m happy here, I will not move back to the Belt with you,” I stood my ground.

“Don’t you miss the life you had?”

“No,” I mildly lied, and before he could say much, the GPS announced that we had arrived.

We arrived at the front gates of what seemed like a mansion. The walls surrounded the massive property, there were vines with flowers growing across the wall, and it was tended well. The large gates had fancy ornaments on them. Beyond the gates was simply one of the most beautiful mansions I’ve ever seen.

“He lives here?” Lucas was skeptical, and so was I.

“Let’s find out,” I muttered and spoke into the intercom and let them know who I was and why I was there.

The gates opened, and we drove in. The driveway had flowers lining the sides, there was a nice cabana on the side and a fountain in the middle. Jakob was wealthy.

I parked the car, and three men came rushing out. “Boss,” the man said worriedly as he took Jakob from Lucas. The two other men carried him away. Okay, so Jakob officially lived here.

“I’m the house manager,” one of the men explained himself.

“Thank you so much for getting him back home,” the house manager said sincerely. He seemed to know him quite well. “Please wait a moment whilst I tend to him,” he then asked and disappeared.

I looked around the room. His house was incredibly huge and stunning from the outside and even better inside. Posh wall-length windows, and curtains made from the finest fabric draped down. The inside had a rustic theme going on, and I could tell just by looking that all these wooden items and detailing were all of the finest and most expensive wood. He had a centerpiece made from a red-pink wood that I assumed could only be Pink Ivory.

Jakob was a wealthy man. This was the first time I learned of this. The car he drove to the club was your standard sedan, perhaps a little fancier than mine, but it’s certainly not the car of a rich man, not like the other cars I spotted in his garage. Those would’ve given away what a rich man he was.

I wondered what a man like him was even doing in the club, what sorrows he drank away. I looked around and noticed Lucas had been doing the same as me. He was just as astonished as I was.

I spotted a painting. It was large and hanging from the wall where the staircase looped around. I could make out that the man in the portrait was Jakob, perhaps when he was a lot younger. There was a stunning woman next to him bearing a smile that exuded warmth. Even Jakob looked extremely happy, and there was a little girl between the woman and Jakob who was clearly a mix of those two. They were Jakob’s family.

I looked for more clues, but there weren't any more photos of his family, and certainly, not anywhere the little girl had aged. I felt my heart ache as I could imagine what could’ve happened. Of course, I could just be assuming things, but I can’t exactly walk up to him and ask. This house was expansive and luxurious, but it was clear it wasn’t a home.

The butler walked back down to meet with Lucas and me. “Thank you for waiting, I was a little busy,” he said. “Can I offer you anything?” he then asked.

“No, it’s fine, we should get going, but thank you for your kindness,” I said politely, and the butler just stared at me with a frown.

“Well, at least allow me to pay for the drink. He mentioned you helped to pay for something because he forgot his wallet,” the butler decided and was going through one of the drawers.

“It’s fine, truly,” I assured him. I’d make that money back in tips.

“No, no, miss, let me pay,” the butler pleaded, and I sighed. Perhaps Jakob told him to do this.

“Okay, uh, here’s the receipt,” I handed over the receipt not wanting him to get in trouble with his employer.

“I made it out in my name, there shouldn’t be any issues, and if there are, please let us know,” the butler explained as he handed me a check. I looked to see his name was Mr. Roberts.

“Of course, thank you, Mr. Roberts,” I nodded to him as I tucked the check away, and Lucas just smiled and waved at the man. Lucas walked to open the front door.

“Miss Azalea, wait,” Jakob's voice and the urgent matter of descending the stairs made us turn around. Jakob caught up with us and handed me a small stack of cash. “Here’s a tip.”

“I can’t accept this,” I was quick to say. That was far too much to be even considered a tip.

“You must. You can use it to treat you and your little girl to a nice dinner. It’s to make up for me taking up your time,” Jakob decided. My lips parted as I heard the words he said, the exposing words I didn’t want Lucas to hear, but it had been too late.

“Little girl?” Lucas asked with a frown, and I hoped Jakob would shut up. He didn’t shut up.

“Yeah, the one who looks like you and spends her time in the staff room,” Jakob continued, and all I could think was: That alcohol should’ve been stronger to mess with his memory right now. Instead, he could remember quite clearly that I brought my child there.

“What little girl, Azzie?” Lucas asked, narrowing his eyes on me. He must’ve realized that I had been keeping something from him. The mention of a child seemed to put him in an even more curious mode, one I wouldn’t be able to shake off.

“We should get going, have a great night and there’s no need for extra payment” I wished them then stormed out of the house with Lucas on my tail. This was terrible. I couldn’t come up with a lie even if I tried. I’d have to tell Lucas the truth. I was so, so damn close to getting away with it all.