Ch-16
Luciana felt a chill running down her spine. She didn't expect turns of events such as these. Seeing Oscar on the stage and hearing him, she felt like she was being struck by a lightning. This was not good.
She met with an accident with him. In which she created drama in the public, making him look like a bad guy. Yet he gritted his teeth and compensated them with a bike. As she looked at him and digested the fact that he was the President of Bernadette didn't sit well with her. She wants to leave this place.
She was here to play the piano. She did it. And now… she was done.
So, there was no reason for her to stay here anymore.
"Joe, Can you call your driver and ask him to drop me off?" Luciana asked Joe. She doesn't want to stay here anymore and face that arrogant jerk's face. He was bad both mentally and emotionally for her. Getting out of this place would do her some good.
"I came in a cab, Luc. Even Evelynn came in a cab," Joe said and Evelynn nodded her head at him.
"I want to go home, I did my part," Luciana said with a pout. Joe could understand what she was feeling. But Evelynn had no problem staying here, unlike Luciana. She had every reason to leave this place.
"Finding a cab in this area is hard. But we can try. It may take some time," Joe said, shrugging.
"Whatever, just do it please," Luciana said feeling desperate.
Joe took his phone and called a cab for her to go home. "It takes half an hour for it to reach here," Joe said. She nodded her head at him. "I can do with that."
"Sit and have some food till then," Joe said, walking away to take care of his own duties.
Luciana went to have her food while Evelynn was dragged around by her manager to socialize with other peers and important people.
Feeling bored even after eating, she continued to sit at the nearest table. She didn't like this environment. Everything reminded her of her family.
—-
Flashback…
"Lucy, I asked you to rest. You don't need to force your body to attend the banquet," Luciana's brother said as he carried her in his arms.
"Brother, I love socializing and playing piano," Luciana pouted.
"Yeah yeah… to the point of fainting, right?" he scolded.
Luciana had been sick for the past two days. Yet, because it was their company banquet, she forced herself to attend the banquet and even played the piano to entertain guests.
She cared very little about her exhaustion, talking to everyone she could and bringing smiles to their forlorn faces. Her body eventually couldn't hold her up anymore which led her to collapse in the mid-conversation with a friend. If not for her brother standing near her, she would have caused a stir in the crowd.
He immediately lifted her in his arms before carrying her in his arms to her room. And here she was still talking and making jokes.
"Brother… you don't know the happiness of socializing," Luciana said.
"I know that you get new friends, new boyfriends, and more parties," he said teasingly.
"Brother, this is called making connections and expanding the connections. Don't taint my motive with your accusations," she argued tiredly.
"Fine, Fine. Grandma! This peasant bows to you now! So now sleep," he said kicking her room door open.
Settling her on the bed, he drew the sheets over her shoulders and pressed a peck to her forehead when he saw her immediately fall asleep. He instructed the servants to set up water and arrange clothes when she awoke.
End of Flashback
—----
Luciana sighed bitterly as she remembered the past events. If her brother was here, she wouldn't have to suffer this much. She wouldn't have to run away from here like this.
Every step she took was affected by fear. With a sigh, she picked up her phone and saw that the cab was still twenty minutes away. She just relived a memory and 12 live revelations and it had only been 10 minutes? Shaking her head, she put down her phone and added another pastry to her plate.
She didn't have a proper breakfast so this should quench her hunger. She gobbled down all her food and decided to grab a drink for herself.
Getting up she strolled to the outside of the hall. There was a beautiful garden with a big, gushing fountain. The ivory gleamed in the moonlight, not a speck of moss growing from its gaps. The maintenance here was good. Her feet dragged her subconsciously near the water fountain.
Feeling the soulful, cool night breeze, she shivered a little. The night looked like a black blanket over the planet, the blue tint of the clouds looked so beautifully giving a comfy feeling in her chest. It made her forget about a certain arrogant jerk. The beautiful sky looked like it was embroidered with pearls which looked like stars. A small smile crept on her face.
As she smiled she was the most beautiful woman present at the party. Gone were the usual crinkle between her brows, the hardness of the mask she wore constantly. It was her, the night, and the water.
Checking the phone she realized there were 13 more minutes for the cab to arrive. She prayed she wouldn't have to see that man before she could leave.
With a sigh, she hugged her arms to herself, trying to cover herself from the chilling cold.
"Looks like someone is enjoying the peace," a gruff voice said.
Luciana's eyes widened in shock hearing that voice. Oh, god! No way in the hell did she want to meet him. She would much rather run away. She tried to check the cab distance and keep herself busy. But the cab was still ten more minutes away. She didn't like this man.
They say watching the time makes it slower. Actively waiting drags out the ticking minutes. She realized that now. But… it was too late. Maybe she could have run to the women's restroom. That way he wouldn't have gone there. Or she should have waited near the entrance so she looked too busy for her company. It was as if she had served herself to the devil on a silver platter for him to gobble her up.
"Are you avoiding me, Miss Carson? I don't think we had that big of a fight," the voice slurred a little, amusement spark in his tone.
Luciana felt his slow, hot breaths fanning her exposed shoulder. It looked like the devil was hell-bent on cornering her tonight. That wasn't good. She swallowed thickly, his presence alone affecting her.
"I wouldn't dare, Sir," she replied, stepping away subtly to make some distance between them.