"I hope you know what this means to me.", Lucy said truthfully.
She was so embarrassed she couldn't look him in the face.
Aubrey didn't say a word.
She smiled when she heard nothing, she continued to talk.
"I'm not a woman who falls in love so easily. I'm not good with this.. I just did it because I thought you might slip away from me. I know you won't be here for long, and I got nervous.", Lucy took the courage to finally see him from eye to eye.
Aubrey wanted to say something but his throat felt dry. He was also not good with this. It was their first time. To feel a feeling known as love. It was raw and new.
Lucy saw him having difficulty to utter a word. She suddenly felt dispirited. She was angry. Why didn't he say anything? Just say a word and she would feel reassured. She would feel better to know that what she had done was not wrong, that it was the right thing to do.
Lucy felt some thorns piercing inside her chest. She was happy to finally said what she meant to say. But at the same time, she was lost in dilemma. She felt alone in this.
But just as she was haunted with insecurities, he embraced her softly. She was startled at first, but her eyes lighted up in relief.
".. Lucy."
Her eyes widened, she was astounded. Did she heard him wrong? He said her name? The first word he said was her name..?
Lucy was a strong woman, but now she felt weak. Her eyes watered, she wanted to cry. She wasn't dreaming?
".. Is this real?", she asked him. She was still in his arms.
Lucy didn't move a muscle. She also didn't hug him back. She let her mind wander for some time until she was certain it was not a dream. She started to sniffle. She couldn't believe it. She made it. Her feelings got through. They reached him.
'They reached him!', now she began to laugh in her tears.
Aubrey felt his chest hurt when he saw her sad. He knew what she wanted from him. It was too fast but he didn't want to make her wait. He also couldn't just stay in his comfort zone forever. It might be the time to finally carry on. That was also what he had decided when he ran from that place.
He wasn't sure if this was right or wrong. But her happiness meant the world to him. That was what he knew. And he thought he was now ready to take a step.
".. I don't know.. but maybe I'm in love with you..", he took the new step.
Lucy heard him clear and concise. She felt like floating in the sky. She never thought such feelings ever existed. She was very content now.
"I like you, Aubrey.", Lucy said, low as a whisper. But she was so close to him that her words easily went to his ear.
He could feel his face burnt when he heard her confession. Lucy hugged him back. Her smile was clearly seen in her eyes. She was so glad she took the first step.
•••
The next day, both of them were found sleeping together on the bed (in Lucy's room upstairs). But of course they didn't do anything. They just slept while hugging each other.
It was not the first time they had slept in the same bed together. Lucy found it comforting when he was sleeping beside her. And Aubrey realized how important her presence was when they both snuggled to fill the warmth.
She woke up at six thirty, the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Aubrey's sleeping face. Lucy smiled from her heart. She was so happy beyond words.
'He didn't have any nightmare..', she said, smiling to herself.
Aubrey stirred when he felt movement on the side. He blinked and saw Lucy staring at him. Her intense gaze was enough to light a candle in him. She was alluring this early in the morning. Uh oh..
Lucy knew what impact she had over Aubrey. She smiled sheepishly. Hehe.. her bold actions started to come out again.
Lucy hovered over his body, she was now on top of him. Her face too close to his. She was becoming a number one flirt in the world just by being beside Aubrey. She didn't know why she felt brave whenever he was involved.
"Morning..", she said. Giving him a peck on his lips. She then sat up to go for a bath.
Aubrey was dumbstruck. How could she kiss him like it was natural?! And then just go away??
".. morning?", he answered her hesitantly. Was he actually dreaming?
"No you're not.", she said, able to guess what was on his mind.
Lucy went to take a bath, Aubrey was left alone on the cold bed. He turned to the place where she had laid earlier. It felt empty. His chest going weird. Was he feeling a bit lonely?
•••
Olivia was starting to get busy with her store having many orders for her newest Sunny cupcake. An original creation one of her personal chefs had made. She then got a sudden call from Lucy. Olivia gulped in horror. Will Lucy kill her when she get to know that her secret was blown?
Olivia tried to straighten her back, composing her posture. She better not say a word about it to Lucy. Yes.. that was the best thing to do.
"Hello? Lucy?", she answered the phone quite late.
"Hey Olivia, are you busy? You don't pick up my call that fast.", Lucy said. She was twirling the pen while sitting on the desk at her office.
"Eh.. is that so? I pick it up just fine right?", Olivia laughed to cover her nervousness. Lucy sensed something weird, but she ignored it.
"Listen Olivia, I need your help."
"Huh?"
•••
"A device that looked like a choker?", Liam repeated his sister's words. Why did she need to know something about it?
"What are you supposed to do with such things?", he asked Olivia.
There was a device like that under testing in the tech lab of Min Corporation. But how could his sister know about it?
"Uh.. it's not for me. It's Lucy.", said Olivia. She herself wasn't quite sure.
"Lucy?"
"Yes, she was having problems with the device, she wanted to opened it. But it was designed to not be opened again once installed.", Olivia explained. She was not good with such technology from her father's company. So she had to turn to her brother for help.
Liam went quiet for a while. How could Lucy get her hand on the device?