Destiny's POV
"Oh, Red! Are those punches intended for my sin of taking your first love's virginity?" Lucas asked with sarcasm, and a mocking smile spread across his face as he slowly got up from the floor.
He didn't mind the blood dripping from the cut of his lower lip, smearing his white suit from the hard blow he received from Red.
I wanted to protest, but I was still shivering, and I had lost my ability to speak as I watched Red's face turn crimson, and his nostrils flare up with outrage. His eyebrows were crunched together as he looked at Lucas, who stood on his feet again as if nothing happened.
I am just glad Lucas didn't fight back, or I didn't know how to stop them.
"You should know how to treat a woman, Lucas!" He roared with a creased forehead.
"Don't educate me on how to treat my woman, Red. I am just having fun with your ex-girlfriend, who is now my mistress, like what we did in that hotel room." He responded, and I stood up and slapped him on his face.
"You are such a liar, Lucas!" I yelled, and he shrugged his shoulders, massaged his face, calmly walked towards his table, and sat on his swivel chair.
"Don't pretend nothing happened between us, Destiny. Your ex saw the pictures and the video. Don't act like you are innocent; why don't you tell Red the real score between us?" He asked, and I couldn't believe he would be saying those things.
"Lucas, you are going to hell with your lies!" I shouted, and he shook his head laughing.
"It means you are coming with me to hell. Stop your tantrums already. I still love you no matter what you do. It won't change a thing; I accepted you for what you are; I am just a little hurt that you wanted to look innocent in Red's eyes." He declared.
"I am not like your ex-boyfriend who only wanted money from your family. And you denied our relationship to get your inheritance back. You don't need to worry, I can support you. I will file a divorce and marry you." Lucas added.
He looked great and mighty, and I knew he was having a good time tormenting Red and me.
"You didn't commit a mistake, Destiny. There is nothing wrong with falling out of love with your first love." Lucas added, and I wished to disappear in a hole. I knew he was intentionally doing it to anger Red and get back at him for hitting him.
Lucas was getting back at me for rejecting him years ago. He told me one day he will have me whatever it takes. And he knew he could never win against my ex if he fought with him physically. But I knew Red was losing the battle even if he hadn't received any blows from Lucas.
"I really wanted to kill you right now," Red interjected as he moved closer to Lucas's table, curling his fists.
"Go ahead, Attorney Galvez," he challenged Red with open arms, and I felt horrified.
"You have to stop, or I will call the police," I quickly said as I came between them.
"If you don't kill me, Red, I will make sure you will be disbarred for what you have done to me," Lucas said as he stood up from his seat, and my ex-boyfriend's lips tightened with wrath as he towered over Lucas.
"Go ahead, file a case against me, and let us see who will win," Red responded in a loud voice.
"I already won; I got Destiny's heart after years of pursuing her, and she finally realized she deserved someone like me and not trash like you. You wouldn't become a lawyer without her family's money." Lucas replied.
His insult made Red madder, and he whacked Lucas so hard that he went flying in the air and was propelled to the wall before his body hit the floor.
I thought he was done for, but he still stood up, wearing the same smile.
"Destiny, you are worth all the pain I suffered from your ex," he said without a trace of pain, and he looked like he was possessed. And before I could react, Red put his suit jacket over me, held my wrist, and dragged me out of Lucas's office.
He didn't let my hand go as we walked toward the elevator, and his knuckles were red from punching Lucas. He pressed the Lower Ground floor button, and my heart was beating so fast as I stood beside him, and his silence was killing me. Red didn't say a single word the entire elevator ride.
"Let me go," I said as I tried to get away from his hold the moment we reached the parking lot, and the coldness I saw in his eyes pierced my heart.
"Just this once, get inside the car, Destiny," he ordered as he opened the passenger's door, and I climbed without protest, afraid he would drag me inside.
I got so tired from all of them hurting me mentally and physically, and I had enough. I wished to go somewhere where I could live my life without pain, but it would be impossible.
"Just some advice: you need to break up with Lucas," Red said after he started his car and drove away from the parking lot without looking in my direction, and his voice was cold as ice.
"There is nothing going on between Lucas and me, Red, and you should believe me," I answered.
"Drop the act, Des. I knew I had nothing to offer you, but I never used you or your family as my leverage so I could go to college. Cheating is one of the things I hated the most." He responded, and I was hurt that he turned deaf and wouldn't listen to me.
"You could have anyone you want, and I didn't expect you would choose Lucas of all people. He is married, and he will only bring you trouble." Red added, gripping the steering wheel harder than necessary, and I kept my mouth shut since he wouldn't listen to me.
I knew him so well, and by how he looked at the moment, he was too angry to listen to me.
"Where are you staying?" He asked without concern, as if he was a taxi driver talking to his passenger, and I wished to open the door and jump. He used to speak to me with gentleness and full of love, but his affection for me was totally gone.
I wished he would apologize for sleeping with my stepsister, but he wasn't sorry he did it, and Carmie did an excellent job ruining my relationship with Red.
"Just drop me at the nearest mall. I needed to buy some groceries," I responded, but he didn't say anything as he continued driving.
"What are you doing?" I asked after we passed the guard's post leading to the parking lot of one of the malls in our city.
Red didn't answer as he looked for a vacant parking space.
"I needed to buy something from the grocery store, too," he declared after parking the car. He got out of his car after turning off the engine and walked towards the entrance without opening my door, which caused my heart to bleed more.
Red used to be a gentleman. He would always open the door for me, whether it was his car or any establishment we went to. I climbed out of his vehicle with a heavy heart.
Seeing him in deep pain and anger crushed my heart, but I am hurting too; his betrayal tormented me, and I don't know if I can ever forgive him.
In silence, I followed him as he made a beeline to the door leading to the grocery store. I took the smallest basket while he took a large cart. I didn't have enough money, and I was sure Daria would freak out if I bought food and things that were not necessary.
I craved my favorite food and imagined drinking wine after eating my medium-rear steak. My mouth was drooling as I passed the meat section, but I turned my head and strode toward the canned goods aisle.
I hated having to buy more processed food to survive, but even if I was tight with my budget, I still picked fruits and vegetables and put them in my basket.
After picking up a carton of fresh milk, I stared at the rack for a long time, deliberating if I should buy more. I shook my head, carried my basket, and went to the counter.
I haven't seen Red, which made me feel a little disappointed and relieved at the same time. I paid for my groceries and hurriedly left the cashier counter.
I was waiting at the bus stop for my ride, and I couldn't believe I would buy groceries for myself one day. I was shocked to find Red's car stopped in front of me.
"Destiny, get in!" He demanded with fury.
"No, thank you," I replied, and he came out of his car looking pissed, snatched the grocery bags from my hand, and pulled me to his car.
"Why did you leave me?" He asked with a raised voice after he fastened his seatbelt.
"We didn't have the same address anymore," I countered, and his face darkened as he drove the car so fast that I had to grip my seat.
"How did you know we are staying here?" I asked in disbelief after he pulled over in front of my new place.
"I have my ways; besides, even if it was over between us, I wanted to make sure you weren't sleeping on the street." He answered before exiting the driver's seat, and I was left in my seat speechless as I felt the searing pain of my broken heart.
"These groceries are for Daria; that is the least I can do for her; she cares for me like I am her own son." Red declared after he unloaded the cartons of his groceries.
"I hope our paths will never cross again, Destiny," Red added with harshness in his voice before he closed the trunk and returned to his car, making my heart more broken than it already was.