Chapter 32: Lucas

I grab Alaina just as she falls and save her head from hitting the marble floor. I lift her gently and carry her through to the bedroom and lay her on the bed. I check her pulse which is strong and she’s breathing regularly so I don’t think it’s anything serious. Just shock and exhaustion most likely, but I call and wake my doctor, even though it’s almost two in the morning. I ask him to come and check her over, just to be on the safe side. He’ll do it; I pay him a small fortune to be at my beck and call, which is rarely, so he’s getting a good deal.

I head back into my kitchen and glare at the woman standing in it like she fucking owns the place. I thought I was rid of her and good riddance too.

‘What the fuck do you want Veronica?’ I ask her harshly.

‘Now is that any way to talk to your wife?’ she asks sweetly, but I’m long past being fooled by her shit.

Several years ago, I was completely hoodwinked by Veronica. She had seemed smart and sweet when I met her. I indulged her, spoiled her and I thought that she loved me. I proposed; we had a beach wedding in the Caribbean, with only a couple of witnesses. She said it was what she wanted. At the time, I just thought that she wasn’t flashy and didn’t want any fuss. Seriously, how wrong can a guy be? It was only a few months after the wedding when her true colours began to shine through.

She became childish and petulant. The more I indulged her, the more she wanted; it was never enough. She started to party a lot. She got involved with people that I didn’t trust, and who I was sure were just after money or something out of my business.

We rowed almost daily. She said I was suffocating her, that I just wanted her to stay at home and not have a life, which was complete shit. She had the life that most people dreamed of. More money than she could ever spend, cars, houses, vacations all over the world.

The last straw came about three years ago. I came home late from the office; I had been negotiating a massive deal which would double the size of my company at that time. It was a little past nine when I came home and found her fucking one of my accountants on our sofa. Needless to say, I fired him and threw them both out of my house. I haven’t seen her since, all our communication has been through lawyers. At least I was smart enough to get an iron clad prenup, it meant she walked away with two million and that was it. Looking back, the fact that I wanted a prenup at all, should have warned me right then that something wasn’t right with us. Considering that she’s now standing in my kitchen must mean that she’s burned her way through it. Tough fucking luck!

‘I’m not going to ask you again, Veronica. What do you want?’ I ask through gritted teeth.

She looks at me with a simpering face which does absolutely nothing for me.

‘I want us to try again, Lucas. I think that we ended things too hastily,’ she says quietly.

‘We didn’t end things hastily; I ended things because I caught you fucking another man in our home,’ I all but yell at her.

She flinches but I don’t actually give a fuck.

‘You can’t tell me that you are honestly happy with the stripper, are you?’ she asks incredulously, and I have to laugh. Even if she was still dancing, Alaina has more class in her little finger than the gold digger standing in front of me.

‘I’m exceptionally happy actually, so cut the shit and tell my why you’re really here? You have two minutes, then I’m throwing you out whether I have the answer or not,’ I tell her. Her eyes widen; she knows I mean it.

‘I’m broke,’ she wails.

‘You’re sleeping with an accountant. Surely he can help you with your financial issues,’ I reply sarcastically.

‘We broke up,’ she sniffles. ‘He didn’t look after me the way you did,’ she cries.

That means that he didn’t have the money to keep her in the lifestyle that she thought she deserved, or wasn’t willing to pay for it. I’ve really had enough of this crap and the doctor will be here soon.

I take my phone out of my pocket and send a text message. Then I look up and stare at her coldly.

‘Veronica, I don’t really give a shit if you’re broke. You aren’t my responsibility.’ She begins to protest, but I hold up a hand silencing her.

‘You had no respect for our marriage or me. You won’t get anything here, so you’re wasting your time. Stephan is outside and will take you wherever you want to go. That’s the most I’ll give you and believe me it’s more than you deserve. Now, get the fuck out of my house and don’t every come back here.’ I tell her and stare at her coldly.

I see her eyes narrow. Ah here it comes, the real Veronica.

‘That little slut won’t make you happy you know. Women will only every want you for your money, because you’re a selfish, cold hearted bastard,’ she spits at me.

‘I’ll take my chances.’

With an angry stare, she turns on her heels and marches swiftly out the door and slams it behind her. Thank God.

I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and head back into the bedroom, Alaina is beginning to stir, no doubt from the racket that Veronica was making.

I sit next to her on the side of the bed, as she shifts and her eyes slowly open, taking in the room around her. I open the bottle of water that I’ve put on the night stand and offer it to her silently.

She sits herself up slightly and takes the bottle with a trembling hand, takes a couple of small sips, then hands it back to me and lays back down.

‘I’ve got the doctor on the way to check you over,’ I tell her gently, but she remains quiet, staring at me with accusation in her look. I lower my gaze and fiddle with the corner of the comforter on the bed.

‘She’s not my wife,’ I tell her quietly. ‘We’ve been separated for about three years now and we divorced soon after that,’ I continue. ‘She only married me for the money and the lifestyle being married to me could bring. It ended when I came home and caught her fucking one of my employees.’

I look back to Alaina who lets out a sigh, like she has been holding her breath and the tears start to rain down her cheeks. I gather her up into my lap and rock her, allowing her to sob into my neck.

‘Sorry,’ she mumbles when her sobs quiet slightly. ‘It’s just been a hell of a night.’

‘You have nothing to apologise for, sweetheart. I should have told you about her, but honestly, I don’t even think about her. I never dreamed she’d come back here.’

‘What did she want?’ she asks curiously.

‘Money,’ I tell her grimly and shake my head, disgusted.

‘She was a first-class bitch,’ Alaina says, vehemently and I burst out laughing. Too true.

The doorbell goes suddenly, making Alaina jump.

‘It’ll just be the doctor,’ I tell her, rubbing her back, and she scoots back onto the bed to let me stand up.

‘I don’t need the doctor; I’m fine now.’

‘Better to be safe than sorry,’ I reply with a smile. She sighs and nods her agreement.

I let the doctor in and show him into the bedroom. He greets Alaina pleasantly and asks for some privacy, so I reluctantly leave Alaina with the good doctor and head back into the kitchen. There is glass everywhere, so I go to find a brush and start clearing up until they’re done.

They’re in there for what feels like a million years, and I’m starting to get worried, when the doctor opens the door and exits the bedroom.

‘Is everything alright?’ I ask worriedly. ‘You’ve been in there forever,’ I say exasperated.

‘There is nothing to worry about, Mr Frost. She’s waiting for you.’

I see the doctor to the door then hurry back inside to Alaina. She’s still on the bed, her face is deathly pale, and I think about calling the doctor back in here. I go over to the bed and sit beside her, taking her hand in mine.

‘Sweetheart, are you OK? Your white as a sheet! Maybe I should get the doctor back?’ I ask but she shakes her head.

She looks at me with wide eyes and grips my hand hard.

‘Lucas, I’m pregnant. About 6 weeks.’

I stare at her, dumbstruck. Pregnant, her, a baby! She stares at me for a long time and I’m unable to say anything. She starts to look concerned, so I clear my throat.

‘You were on the pill,’ I say hoarsely.

‘The doctor said it must not have been effective; he said it’s not common but not impossible,’ she says quietly.

A baby! Us! My head is in a complete tailspin, my stomach is roiling, but I feel a burning sensation of nervous excitement coursing through me. I’m going to be a father! I look at Alaina again, but she’s looking down at the bed sheets, frowning.

‘You’re not happy about this, are you?’ I ask her softly, fearing her response.

She looks up at me apprehensively. ‘Actually, I was worried more about your reaction to this,’ she says uncertainly.

She thought I wouldn’t be happy about this; that’s why she’s so pale and frightened looking. I pull her into my arms, my lips find hers and I kiss her passionately, tears streaming down my face. I pull back slightly and look directly into her beautiful eyes, eyes that I hope with all my heart our child will inherit. Our child!

‘Sweetheart, I’m ecstatic that you’re pregnant. I know its sudden for us, but I want our child,’ I tell her honestly, and she begins to cry.

‘I hope these are happy tears this time,’ I tease her, and she giggles and smiles, wrapping her arms around my neck and pressing her lips back to mine.