What was her game?
After introducing him to her friends, she pulled him away from the crowd, stopping only when they reached an empty corridor.
"What are you doing here, Naomie?" Knowing his ex-fiancée, she was not here by coincidence.
He did not believe in a chance encounter. On the contrary, he thought his ex had it arranged. It was not accidental that they would meet randomly in this isolated place.
Then, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, possessively staking a claim on him.
"One of my friends invited me on this trip." She explained her presence but not her intentions.
However, he did not believe that she was here for a vacation. After several years of being in a relationship with this woman, he already knew when she was lying.
"Cut the crap, Naomie. Tell me why you are here." He could tell she had an ulterior motive for suddenly appearing after being away for years.
"How did you even know that you would find me here?" He strongly suspected that his mother might have something to do with this. He was aware of how much his mother opposed his wedding with Andy.
Therefore, he could not discount the possibility that his mother orchestrated all this. His mother sent his ex to mess up his marriage with Andy.
Fuck it!
He would be furious if he did not find it amusing. His mother was wasting her time ruining a fake marriage. But, of course, his mother did not know that.
Only his father and Andy knew about their arrangement.
"What is funny?" Naomie must have noticed the smirk on his lips. But he could not help it as he thought of their futile efforts.
At any rate, who said he could not teach them a lesson not to mess up with his private life? His mother and ex should stop meddling with his affairs.
"I just remembered something hilarious," he casually said. "But I don't think you would find it funny if I told you." He recalled how he thought he was in love with this woman.
Eventually, he realized he only hurt his bruised pride but not his heart. He learned that a woman like her did not deserve his attention and time.
Besides, he had stopped believing in love, thinking it was an emotion for the weak. Marriage should not be built in such irrational behavior. Instead, it must be based on a mutual agreement that benefits both parties.
"I want you back, Lucas." She whispered into his ears, using her most alluring voice that used to appeal to him. But her tricks would not work on him anymore.
After she left him, returning his ring and breaking his heart, he learned that love did not exist. It was an illusion for fools.
"I made a mistake. I should never have left you. Please, forgive me." Naomie begged as her fingers played with the hair on his nape while she seductively tried to catch his lips.
"I'm ready now."
"I will marry you."
"I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
"I love you, Lucas!"
He heard all the words he had longed to hear, but it was years too late. He already realized that she was not the woman for him. She was not the wife he was looking for.
In a way, he felt lucky that the wedding did not happen. It saved him from years of regret and the complications of divorce.
"You lost your chance when you left me, Naomie." He untangled her arms from his neck and pushed her away.
He was glad he saw her today because it only confirmed what he already presumed. He never loved this woman. He might have been attracted to her before, but not anymore.
"You don't mean that." She fought back as she tried to hug him. "You are only saying that because I hurt you." She tightened her grip around his waist as she buried her face on his chest.
"I know you still love me, Lucas." She insisted as her eyes stared into his eyes.
He noticed a glimmer of tears in her eyes but failed to see the sincerity in their depths. Again, he would not fall for her act, believing it was just another one of her performances.
"I'm sorry to burst your bubbles, but you're wrong." Once again, he pushed her away. This time, he made sure she would get his point. "I don't love or intend to marry you, Naomie."
He was done explaining himself to her. He had to end her delusion that they could still have a future. His mother might still want her to be part of their family, but not him.
Besides, I'm already married.
He wished to tell her, but he remembered he already made that mistake earlier. He did not want to do that again.
"Lucas..." She shouted behind him. "You can't do this to me." But he ignored her as he continued to walk away.
He had been gone long enough from his wife. He had dealt with her once and for all. It was time to leave their past behind and move on.
I'm married to Andy now.
It was his only path, moving forward.
But when he returned to their table, it was empty. When his eyes roamed the dimmed room, he found his friend dancing on the dance floor.
"What is she doing?" He angrily mumbled as he saw his wife dancing intimately with his womanizing friend.
Did she have no shame? She was already married. But she thought she could still flirt with other men.
When he walked closer, he suddenly realized that it was not his wife Chase was dancing with. But another woman who appeared like his wife in the dim light.
"Where is Andriana?" He asked his friend once he was within hearing distance from the loud music in the air.
His friend was the last person with his wife. So far, he had not seen any trace of his wife.
"She went back to the hotel. She said she had a terrible headache." Chase told him before returning his attention to his dance partner.
He guessed he should not be jumping to conclusions regarding his wife. But lately, his brain had been all over the place. Since he agreed to marry her, he was never the same.
Quickly, he also left the club, returning to their suite. He could not help but worry that something might have happened to his wife. Was she sick?
Was she alright?