Amanda ended the call after that leaving Luca speechless for what he heard. His ex-wife must be trying to frighten him, he thought. His mother-in-law cannot do that of course. She may be the worst person he knew but she'll never ever let his blood taint her hands.
Luca used the last cent in his pocket to buy a meal for his sister Lara, he promised her that when he returned home, he's employed already. Unfortunately, that cannot be done as long as the Carters and Ashtons were using their power and connections to drag him down even more. He cannot understand why they're still doing it when he already signed the divorce papers because he had foreseen this. He only called Amanda as his way of asking for help to stop his mother-in-law from plotting horrendous things in his life and his sister. He loves his sister Lara, and he'll do everything to protect her, even if it means lowering his pride just for peace.
After buying a meal for Lara, Luca decided to start walking home because it was getting dark. Until he was stopped by a signboard looking for a janitor in events.
"Why not?" Luca told to himself. The Carters and Ashtons may be blocked him from applying to the other companies, but they've underestimated Luca's capability to adapt to his environment, his determination and persistence is commendable.
Luca has a huge smile on his face when he went home.
"Guess what? I got a job!" Luca greeted them as soon as he step his foot inside their small home.
Lara smiled at his older brother. "Really? This deserves a toast brother!"
She tries to spill a joke as they can't afford an expensive drink to celebrate such wins though. But Luca's huge grin slowly fades when he notices that Lara looks pale.
"Are you not feeling well?" He quickly asked and walked towards his sister who was sitting on the couch. Even though she's smiling he could see clearly how pale her lips are, and her eyes look wary. Luca touched Lara's head and found out that she was hot and sick badly.
"You have a fever."
"Why?" Luca asked. Lara barely gets sick because she takes care of her health well, as she witnessed how her mother spend the rest of her life in the hospital and she doesn't want to take her path.
But Lara just looked away, seemingly avoiding his brother's question.
"It rained earlier." She simply replied not looking at his brother's eyes. And from that moment he knew that his sister is lying.
"Tell me exactly what happened, Lara." Luca calmly persuaded his sister
A moment of silence reigned from the four corners of the room.
"During lunch, a couple of teens seat with me. They asked me…"
"No, they teased me. Saying I was the sister of the poor son-in-law of the Ashtons."
"Tell me you didn't buy that. I've told you already that there are people who might be wealthy, oozing with richness, living in huge mansions, riding in a four-wheeled limited edition car, but lack manners, and don't have the capability to understand things, right?" Luca calmly tries to convince his sister to open up to her.
"No, why would I do that? But I ditch class after that, and on my way home, it started raining. I have no umbrella with me, so yeah I arrived here drenching." Lara replied summarizing everything that caused her fever. Luca heaved a deep sigh, even her sister's life started getting troublesome because of him.
"I'm sorry about that, would a soup will do the trick?" He asked to lighten up the aura in their small living room.
"Of course." Lara shot back and smiled genuinely.
Life has been getting difficult for the Scott siblings, Luca is working really hard in his job as a janitor in an event organizing company. His salary is not enough to cover their expenses so he has to do some sideline like delivering food where he started getting used to rude and impatient customers. While Lara continues going to school and completely ignore all his bullying from schoolmates like her brother told her to. She's also trying to do some tutoring for her allowance, but Luca always told her that she doesn't have to do it because it's his duty to provide everything for her.
"Luca, I'll assign you as the head waiter for Amanda Ashton and Steven Carter's wedding tomorrow." His manager uttered as soon as he entered their small office.
Luca paused for a moment in fixing the broken mop upon hearing those names.
'They're getting married already after just a month of signing the divorce papers?' Luca was surprised to hear such terrible news for him. Until now, he still thinks of Amanda, but the scene where he saw her naked on top of another man haunts him every night.
"Luca? Are you still here?"
Luca came back to his senses when his manager started waving his hands in front of him. The blurred face of it started being clear as well as its voice.
"Would you take the job? The Carters give a huge tip, you might need it for your plan of migrating to another city right." His manager tries to convince him.
"O-Of course I'll take that, Sir," Luca responded. This will be a good opportunity for him to see his ex-wife whom he loved dearly. Though he doesn't have an idea of the amount of pain he'll have to endure tomorrow witnessing a new beginning for a new couple but a sad ending for him.
"That's my boy! I made the right choice for hiring you!" His manager taps his back thrice before leaving him. Luca sighed heavily, he just has to work tomorrow, disregard the people involved on that occasion and everything will be smooth as it should be, he'll get his salary with a bonus of course, good enough for their plan to move out of the city, and start a new life.
"Oh, technically who do we have here?"
Luca expected that his work today will be as smooth as it always be, but in front of him was 5'6 inches tall woman, wearing a white elegant dress like it would cover her rotten behavior.
"From an office dog to a waiter hmm?" Agnes steps closer to Luca as the latter remains firm and not be bothered by her presence.
"What do you think you are doing here huh?"
"I am here to work Ma'am." Luca politely replied as the crowd started to get attentive to their conversation.
"Ha! If I know, you only wanted to see Amanda because you're still madly in love with her!"
"Such an attention seeker ex-son-in-law!" Agnes grabbed the glass of wine on the tray next to Luca and splash it on him.
Loud gasps and murmurs fill the event hall.
"He's Amanda's ex-husband right?"
"The news was true, he's broke as f*ck that's why Amanda left him."
"I heard his mother died that time too."
"Yeah, poor boy."
"Even if I was Amanda, I wouldn't endure five years of marriage if he's that broke."
"Look at him, he's wearing waiter clothes, that's so embarrassing."
"Hey girls you enjoying the party?" It's Amanda who interrupted their conversation.
Luca closed his eyes after hearing those ladies make gossips about him. He was used to those insults, however, the fact that his job might get involved this time and he might lose it once this chaos became more evident in the event, Luca turned around. Hoping that Agnes would understand that he won't argue with her. But unfortunately…
"Where do you think you're going? You unrespectful bastard!"
*Slap*
Another wave of loud gasps eluded the area.
"Mom!"
Amanda's eyes widened and quickly run towards his mom and Luca when she finally recognize what was going on.
"How dare you turn your back on me?!" Agnes exclaimed finally getting all the attention of the crowd as everyone became silent, making room for the commotion that was happening.
"You ungrateful brat! My daughter endure for five freaking years with her nonsense marriage with you, and you got that audacity to show your face on this wedding of the town? For what? To ask for pity? To ask for come back? Sorry to tell you but, Amanda is so much happier with Steven. He could provide everything for her, and when I say everything…everything!"
"Mom that's enough, everyone's looking at us," Amanda whispered to her mother, but the latter was not listening. Luca remained composed, still not facing Agnes. The embarrassment he's taking is too overwhelming that he cannot even move a finger.
"Get out of here! You're not f*cking invited and definitely not welcome in this event!" Agnes pushed him out and this time Luca faced her. He throws a short glance at Amanda who has those fear on her face, terrified that her wedding might be ruined, and be the talk of the town not because of the amazing decor her wedding had but this issue of her past.
Everyone is silenced. No one dared to speak when Luca faced the Ashtons.
"I went here, not as your ex-son-in-law Ma'am, but rather as a waiter trying to make a living."
"One sentence that you should've comprehended earlier, was being rich really make people that stupid?"
"What did you…" Luca didn't let Agnes finish her words and speaks again.
"I'm here to do my job, serve you and all the guests in this event, because you are my manager's client and our goal is to give you the best service and satisfaction at the end of this event. I didn't ruin this wedding because my purpose is different, YOU are the one who ruined your daughter's wedding, not me. In the first place Ma'am, why would I want to be here? Who would want to attend your ex-wife's wedding…"
"who cheated on you?"
Agnes' eyes widened at what Luca just spilled out, it was like a bomb that has exploded in front of their guests.
"Woah…Amanda cheated on him?"
"With Steven Carter?"
"That was big."
"What the f*ck are you saying, Luca Scott?" It was now Steven Carter who entered the commotion.
"You should leave before I let my bodyguards drag you out of this place."
"What now?" Luca looks at Steven Carter straight in his eyes, he's a few inches taller than him that's why he can't be intimidated by his aura.
"I'm working silently here, and now that it's my turn to speak. You're all tensed…"
"Why?" Luca asked and let out a small grin before facing everyone.
"Luca stop…" Amanda warns him.
"Are you afraid that these people will know the truth about why Amanda Ashton got divorced from me?"
"That's because you're a lazy broke…"
"F*ck off!" Steven wasn't able to finish his sentence when Luca screamed, his rage is now visible all over his face. He's like a volcano composing himself but might explode at any moment.
"You started this show Ma'am? Then I'll end it for you." Luca throws a short glance at Agnes who's now anxious, while ignoring Amanda's terrified presence.
"Yes! What you heard is right, Amanda cheated on me with Steven Carter. And guess what? On the night of our fifth wedding anniversary…"
"Luca please I'm warning you…."
Luca throws a cold glare at Amanda, his eyes tell it all. The anger, the pain, and the taint of betrayal.
"On the night of our fiftieth wedding anniversary, I saw her with my two eyes fully naked and having sex with this man!"
Another wave of gossip erupted.
"And you know what's worst…that's not the end yet."
"Everyone seemingly knows, including this mother-in-law of mine, and tolerated her daughter cheating on me for five freaking years!"
"That's enough Mr.Scott! No matter what the reason for your divorce with my now daughter-in-law, it won't matter here. Give yourself a little decency and respect. Please leave." Luca's former boss and Steven's father now speak off, cutting the drama in the supposed-to-be wedding event.
Luca unbelievably look at him but didn't say a single word.
When two guards approached Luca, he throw a short glance at the Carters and Ashtons, memorizing their façade, and this day that he wish to never forget before he got escorted out of the event hall.
Luca expected that he'll get fired when he returned to their office.
"Thank you for your service Luca, I'm on your side because I witness how you work diligently. But you know, I'm doing this for my business. You already know my point, you experienced it yourself. It's the Carter and Ashton after all, but I hope when the time comes and you became one of the most powerful human beings in this country, I hope you won't become one of them. I believe in you, you are destined to achieve greater things." Those are the last words of his manager before he got fired. He still gave Luca his salary, and good compensation, more likely a separation pay, good enough for Luca and his sister Lara to move to another city. Luca understands how rich people use their connections to their advantage.
On his way home, Luca finds himself standing in the middle of the bridge. It was almost midnight, and only a few cars passes by. The fresh air started to soothe and calm his inner soul, and the night sky was dark yet bloomed with the thousands of stars it has. Luca smiled bitterly, this is the place where he proposed to Amanda. That time he was a hundred percent sure of her, that their marriage will be completely perfect despite being aware that the difference in their status will make a huge impact on it. He visualized a perfect family with her, two children that will strengthen their bond as a married couple. Amanda is a sweet and loving girlfriend during the first four years of their relationship back in college, they were so in love and even the whole campus knows about their relationship. Luca is the known genius and generous boyfriend, and Amanda, the campus rich sweet girl crush. Luca thought that when they marry each other, nothing will change until Amanda's mother thickens the plot of their story.
Amanda changed, and Luca was too blinded by his love to fail to see it.
As the cold wind blows and touched Luca's skin, a hot liquid flow down his cheeks. The pain is too unbearable for him that he can't make a word out of it, only to see the dark ocean beneath the bridge, and thinks how deep it could be.
'If I jump here, will the pain stop?' Luca asked himself.
"Go on jump."
Luca came back to reality and open his eyes when he heard an unfamiliar voice of a woman, only to see a pair of emerald eyes darting at the open sea. The smoke of the cigarette covers half of her face but when it stops, one word to define it, beauty.
"If you want to end your life, go don't hesitate. I won't stop you dude, but one thing…"
"Once you die, those people who have wronged you will be grateful."
Luca's forehead creased, "I'm not asking for your opi…"
"It's not opinion, rather facts. You'll be the loser in the end, so yeah kill yourself."
The woman throws the cigarette butt on the floor and steps on it, before looking directly into Luca's eyes. Her emerald eyes look intimidating but they are gorgeous, however, Luca couldn't read any emotion in them. It's like he's staring at an ice cube, clear yet cold and empty.
The woman walks past him, and Luca was confused if she was an angel sent from above to stop him from thinking those horrendous thoughts.
'T-That's weird.' He thought and went home.
Luca arrived at their small house, and notice something strange with their wooden gate.
"Why is the gate open?" Luca can't explain the sudden anxiousness he felt. His heart started beating so fast and quickly run towards their main door.
"Lara!?"
"Lara!? Where are you?"
When he finally opened the door, he tried to find his sister in their small parliament. Broken glasses windows are everywhere, and the wooden chairs have been destroyed like it has been thrown onto someone. Even the flowers and vases that have been taken care of by their late mother are all scattered in pieces on the marbled floor.
One thing that shocks Luca the most is seeing blood from the kitchen, it's like fresh blood that has been ripped out of his sister's skin.
A tear fell from his eyes.
Lara is nowhere to be found.