Chapter 6: Enough To Momentarily Fill The Cracks
Lara took a deep breath, wiping away the last traces of her tears.
She forced herself to get up and went straight to the bathroom, letting the warm water wash away her exhaustion. She didn't bother putting on full makeup, only dabbing on extra concealer under her eyes to hide the puffiness from crying. The last thing she wanted was for Lucas to see her looking so weak, so broken.
Once she was satisfied with how she looked, presentable but not overly done, she stepped out of her room and headed straight to the kitchen. Cooking had always been a small way for her to show her love for Lucas, even if he rarely appreciated it. Today was no different.
She prepared a simple breakfast—black coffee and hangover soup. She doubted he would refuse, knowing he had gotten himself drunk last night. Whether he liked it or not, he needed something in his system before heading to work. He didn't have time to be picky.
Just as she finished setting the table, she heard footsteps behind her. Turning around, she saw Lucas enter the kitchen, looking as composed as ever.
If she hadn't seen him drunk out of his mind just a few hours ago, she never would've guessed he had been drinking all night. He had already taken a shower, his hair neatly styled, his suit impeccable. The only sign of his hangover was the faint crease between his brows, a sign of the headache he was surely battling.
Seeing him, Lara hesitated.
She didn't know how to act around him after what had happened. Just looking at him brought back the unbearable pain from last night.
She wanted to confront him.
Who is Riah?
Do you truly love her?
Do you still meet her?
Her heart screamed for answers, but her mind held her back. She knew better than to ask. Confronting him wouldn't change anything. It would only push him further away, maybe even give him another reason to hurt her.
So she did what she always did. She forced a smile.
"G-Good morning, honey," she greeted, her voice soft yet uncertain.
Lucas barely spared her a glance. His gaze remained indifferent as he walked past her, heading for the coffee machine.
Lara's smile faltered, but she quickly recovered. "I already made you coffee," she said quickly, turning to face him. "And I made some hangover soup."
Lucas paused, his eyes flickering toward the dining table.
"I know you have a hangover. Just eat what I made. I didn't put poison in it, if that's what you're worried about," she added, attempting to lighten the mood, though the bitterness in her voice was hard to hide.
For a moment, he looked like he was debating whether to listen to her or not. But after a few seconds, without a word, he walked toward the table and sat down.
Lara's lips curled into a small, relieved smile. She immediately moved to serve him, scooping a portion of soup into a bowl and placing it in front of him. She then poured his coffee, watching as he silently started eating.
It was rare to see him eat the food she made, even rarer to share a meal together like this. Lara sat across from him, her own breakfast untouched as she stole glances at him.
Her mother's call from yesterday lingered in her mind. She debated how to bring up the matter. She knew Lucas wouldn't like the idea. But she had to convince him.
After a moment, she gathered the courage to speak.
Lara cleared her throat. "Are you free this weekend?" she asked carefully.
Lucas didn't even look up. "No."
She bit her lip. She had expected that response, but she had no choice but to push further.
"Could you possibly make some time?" she pressed. "My mom called yesterday… she wants us to visit this weekend."
"Tell her I'm busy," he said flatly.
"I did," she admitted. "But she insisted. She says it's been a while, and she really wants to see you."
Lucas' hand tightened around his spoon. He clearly wasn't fond of the idea.
Lara understood why.
Lucas and her father had never gotten along. Initially, her father had admired Lucas—his intelligence, his success, his ability to handle business with such sharp precision. When the arranged marriage was first proposed, her father thought it was a good idea. He had believed that Lucas would be the perfect husband for his daughter.
But after the wedding, it didn't take long for him to see the truth.
Lucas was cold, distant, and completely indifferent toward her.
Seeing his daughter suffer in a loveless marriage, her father's admiration for Lucas turned into resentment. Two years ago, he had even asked Lara if she wanted to annul the marriage. He told her that their companies had already benefited enough from the deal, that she could leave if she wanted to.
But she refused.
Because despite everything, she still loved Lucas.
And because of that, her father had no choice but to let her stay in this one-sided marriage.
Lara lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry you have to do this," she said softly. "Mom's just really stubborn. I can't say no to her."
Lucas exhaled, rubbing his temple as if debating whether it was worth the trouble. Then, finally, he spoke.
"One hour."
Lara's head snapped up. "What?"
"I'll go with you this Saturday," he repeated, his tone bored. "But I'll only stay for one hour. That should be enough."
Her lips parted in surprise.
She hadn't expected him to agree. Even if it was only for an hour, it was more than she had hoped for.
A genuine smile broke across her face. "Yes, that's fine. Thank you, hon."
Lucas didn't respond. He simply finished his soup and coffee, stood up, and walked away without so much as a goodbye.
Lara stared after him, feeling the familiar ache in her chest.
But she didn't let it bother her.
She was already happy enough that he had agreed to go with her.
Even if it was just an hour, even if it was only for appearances, he was willing to go with her. That small, fleeting act of compromise was enough to momentarily fill the cracks in her already broken heart.
She finished her breakfast in silence before cleaning up the dishes. Afterward, she returned to her room to get ready for work.
She curled her hair, applied light makeup, and put on her uniform.
And when she walked out the door, she did so with a smile like she hadn't spent the early hours of the morning crying over a husband who would never love her back.