MEETING BRANDON HALL
Antonio's feet ached as he reached the driveway, his legs heavy from the long walk back to the house.
As he approached the front door, he could already hear laughter drifting out from inside.
Pushing open the front door, Antonio stepped inside. He kicked off his shoes, his steps cautious as he followed the sound of laughter coming from the living room. He knew Lisa's voice anywhere, she definitely the one laughing.
When he reached the living room, the sight that greeted him stopped him in his tracks.
Lisa was there, lounging on the plush sofa, her laughter ringing out, and beside her stood the blonde-haired man Antonio had seen earlier with Asher—the man who had taken his car.
The man's arm was casually draped around Lisa's shoulders, his fingers lightly tracing circles on her arm as she giggled. They were close, too close.
He cleared his throat, making his presence known.
Lisa's laughter died abruptly, and she turned her head, her eyes landing on him with a faint flicker of surprise. "Oh, Antonio," she said, her voice light but dripping with condescension. "I didn't see you there."
Antonio clenched his jaw, his hands curling into fists at his sides. Before he could say anything, the blonde-haired man beside Lisa picked up a sleek black box from the table in front of them. He flashed a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"This is my gift to you," the man said, his voice smooth and arrogant as he handed the box to Lisa. "I want you to wear it tonight for dinner. I'm taking you to this fancy restaurant downtown."
Antonio's blood boiled at the man's audacity. Without thinking, he stepped forward, his voice sharp. "She's not going anywhere with you."
The blonde-haired man—Brandon, if Antonio remembered correctly from earlier—raised an eyebrow and turned to Lisa, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. "Who is this, Lisa?" he asked, as though Antonio wasn't standing right there.
Lisa glanced between the two men, the tension thick in the air. "He's, um…" She hesitated, her voice faltering slightly.
"I'm her husband," Antonio cut in, his voice firm, though his heart pounded in his chest.
Brandon blinked, then threw his head back in laughter, the sound cold and dismissive. He shook his head, his eyes glinting with amusement as he turned back to Lisa. "You didn't tell me your driver was this bold."
Antonio's jaw tightened, but before he could speak, Brandon waved him off like he was nothing more than a pesky fly. "Lisa, you really should inform your staff of their place. Letting them speak like this—" he clicked his tongue "—it's unbecoming."
Lisa shifted uncomfortably on the couch, but instead of defending Antonio, she reached out, placing a hand on Brandon's arm. "Brandon, please don't be upset," she said, her voice soft, almost pleading. "He didn't mean anything by it."
But Brandon's expression darkened, the easygoing arrogance replaced by a flicker of annoyance. He turned to Antonio, his eyes narrowing. "You don't seem to understand who I am," he said, stepping forward, his tone dripping with disdain. "I'm Brandon Haul, son of one of the biggest business moguls in the country. And who are you?"
Antonio swallowed hard, his mind racing for a response, but nothing came. His voice caught in his throat. He had no real title to speak of, no wealth or power to back him up. He was nobody in Brandon's world.
Brandon smirked, clearly enjoying the silence that hung between them. "That's right," he said, stepping even closer to Antonio, his voice low and menacing. "You're nobody. So why don't you keep quiet and let people who actually matter make the decisions?"
The words cut deep, and Antonio felt his chest tighten, the weight of his own inadequacies pressing down on him. He stood there, frozen, as Brandon turned back to Lisa, his demeanor softening instantly as he pulled her close. He leaned in and pressed a cordial kiss on her cheek, his lips barely grazing her skin.
"I'll pick you up at seven," Brandon said, his tone smooth again, as if Antonio wasn't even there. "Be ready."
Lisa smiled up at him, clearly trying to smooth things over. "Of course. I'll be ready."
With that, Brandon turned and walked toward the door, his presence commanding the room even as he left. Lisa stood up quickly, following him, eager to escort him out. She barely glanced at Antonio, her steps hurried as she moved after Brandon.
"Let me walk you out," Lisa said, her voice bright and sweet, a stark contrast to the cold indifference she had shown Antonio.
Antonio stood there, rooted to the spot, watching them walk away together. The door clicked shut behind them, and the house fell into an eerie silence. The weight of everything that had happened in the past few hours crashed down on him all at once—the humiliation, the insults, the dismissal. It was like he had become invisible in his own life, a background figure to everyone around him.
He sank down onto the edge of the sofa, his mind racing. How had things spiraled so far out of control? His wife was laughing with another man, a stranger who treated him like dirt, and she didn't even bother to defend him. Antonio felt the familiar sting of helplessness settle in his chest, but this time, it came with a bitter edge.
The minutes ticked by, and the house remained quiet, almost suffocating in its stillness. Antonio stared blankly ahead, his thoughts a whirlwind of anger, sadness, and confusion. He had always known that his marriage to Lisa was strained, but seeing her so easily dismiss him in front of someone like Brandon—someone who clearly didn't care about him at all—made the reality of his situation hit him harder than ever.
Lisa had chosen her side, and it wasn't his.
The front door opened again, and Lisa stepped back inside, her face carefully neutral as she closed the door behind her. For a brief moment, their eyes met across the room, but Lisa quickly looked away, as though she couldn't bear to face him.
"Antonio," she said softly, almost as if she were talking to a child. "You shouldn't have spoken to Brandon like that. He's important, and you… well, you should know your place."
Antonio stared at her, the words settling over him like a suffocating blanket. There it was again. His place. He had no place in Lisa's world, in the world of people like Brandon. He was just… nobody.
Without another word, Lisa turned and walked upstairs, leaving Antonio alone once again.