Chapter 7 The warning
1151 Words
The banquet didn't take long before cumin to an end and Lauren was already heading out with her arm still linked in Leo's.
She was aware of his gentle yet intoxicating aura, his friendliness when the other guests waved him goodbye and how quickly he made them all feel welcomed.
" You're staring,"
Lauren quickly looked away at his accusations, having been caught red-handed, her cheeks heated but she kept her eyes to the floor.
Who was he really?
"I'll drop you off," he said as he led her to his car but she nibbled on her low lip, staring at his Jeep with hesitation in her steps.
They may be trying to act indifferent but that didn't change the fact that they slept together. Given the way he spoke to her, Lauren could've sworn he was disgusted by her and even held some kind of contempt against her.
His attitude however, seemed strange right now.
Her phone rang, pulling her out of her thoughts and she released her hand from his arm to open her pause.
She frowned at the caller ID, wondering why the f**k he was calling her. After that stunt he pulled, wasn't it obvious they were done?
"You should hear what he has to say," Leo spoke after glancing at the ID and sensing her hesitation. He knew she was going to let it ring to the end. "It could be important."
What could be so important that he couldn't wait to tell his ex- wife? She wondered but then again, she told herself she didn't care even if she gripped her phone hard, remembering how this used to be so normal just a few days ago.
With a grunt, she answered the phone, pressing it against her ears, "What?"
Her eyes widened in shock at his request-- no, that wasn't a request, it was more like a demand with a crazy authority-- just who did he think he was talking to?
"Excuse me? Who do you think I am? Sophia? There's a reason why she's your secretary and I am--" she sucked her words back in, remembering they were in a public place and Leo chuckled beside her, noticing her self control despite how angry she was.
"Simply put, I cannot believe you right now. Run back to your secretary, hmm? She's even by your side right now," with gritted teeth, she whispered with anger, "We are done."
She hung up at once, not giving him the chance to say another word nor have the last word. Her head began to pound and she regretted taking the call in the first place. Just who did he think he was to call and order her about-
"That went well," Leo said with sarcasm in his tone and she didn't know whether to glare at him or just ignore him.
"Yeah, right," she narrowed her eyes.
"He misses you or that's not the conversation from the phone?" He asked, trying to pry.
If she wasn't refraining herself from speaking ill against his family, she would've entertained him but with this much anger in her heart, she knew if she opened her mouth, he would hear things he wouldn't like about the people he considered his family.
She wasn't going to behave like a b***h. Her head was spinning from all the alcohol she drank so carelessly at the banquet.
"I just wanna go home, please," she said, hoping to cool off in her bathtub filled with warm water and scented wash.
Her phone's ringtone blasted in the air and Lauren was already groaning, ready to give Jayden a piece of her mind but when she saw the call from her father, she relaxed a little bit.
"Dad--"
"Where are you?" Charles' stern voice cut off her sentence and she could already sense that something was off.
"I'm on my way home from the banquet I attended-"
"Come home no. It's urgent," he hung up without asking if she even had the extra energy left to spare.
Whatever it was, Lauren already had a sinking feeling in her stomach.
With a pounding headache and a troubling feeling in her heart, Lauren asked for a ride. She had no other choice than to take what Leo was offering.
She sat so close to the window, looking out as they drove down to her family house, her thoughts reminiscing on the events of the last few days. She's had it rough but why did it seem like things weren't going to exactly be smooth from here on out?
"We're here," the driver announced and she awoke from her trance, grabbing her purse and opening the door to get down.
" Thank you so much for the ride," she said as she started to climb down. "Get home safe and have a wonderful night--"
"Lauren,"
He grabbed her hand, pulling her back on the seat, her face next to his own and the words caught in her throat. She was lost in his orbs for a moment, his handsome face reminding her of the forbidden night they shared together.
"I just wanted to say-"
"We should avoid contact in the future," she blurted with a slight frown. "We can't keep showing up to events together nor can we have you dropping me home."
"What are you saying-"
"I wouldn't want to start a scandal with your precious family name on the line," she tipped her chin up with a cold look on her face.
He searched her eyes, looking for the truth behind them and he saw her mind was made up.
"I intend to sever all ties with the Williams family once my divorce is processed and finalised."
She pulled away from him when his grip on her arm loosened, taking it as her cue to get out of here. The car was getting too hot anyway and he was in her space.
"Lauren wait--"
She was already climbing down from the car and slamming the door shut, rushing to her house without a moment to spare in a glance. He watched her leave, going further and farther away which caused his heart to tighten in response.
It felt as though she was slipping from his fingers.
Lauren had her hand over her fast beating heart as she made it inside her house. That was close. Why did he have to be so handsome without even trying?
This wasn't the time to swoon over her ex- brother-in-law-
"There you are."
She lifted her head to the voice and paused when she saw a full house; her father, stepmother and stepsister were seated in the living room.
What was this gathering supposed to be, a family meeting?
They've never had that--
"What the heck were you thinking when you signed those divorce papers, Lauren!" Her stepmother's scream threatened to pull the house down.
How did they hear the news so fast?
- Writer
