Chapter 20: Loving The Wrong Man
Lara stepped inside the house, shutting the door softly behind her.
The silence was heavy, broken only by the faint hum of the refrigerator and the distant ticking of a clock. Dim light from the kitchen cast shadows along the walls, making the house feel emptier than it already was.
She stood still for a moment, listening.
Lucas must be asleep, or maybe he wasn't home yet.
Right now, it didn't matter.
With a sigh, she made her way to her bedroom, not even bothering to turn on the lights. She slipped out of her heels and collapsed onto the bed, too exhausted to change out of her clothes.
Pulling her phone from her bag, she set an alarm for 5:00 AM. No matter how late she had been out drinking, she couldn't afford to miss work. Her students depended on her.
She exhaled deeply, closing her eyes, and within moments, sleep claimed her.
The blaring sound of her alarm jolted her awake.
Lara groaned, reaching out blindly to turn it off. The moment she sat up, a sharp pain shot through her skull. A pounding headache.
"Great," she muttered, pressing her fingers against her temples.
She forced herself out of bed, trudging into the bathroom. The cold tile under her feet sent a shiver up her spine, but she ignored it, grabbing her toothbrush with sluggish movements. She brushed her teeth mechanically, then stepped under the cold shower, inhaling sharply as the icy water hit her skin. It did little to wash away the exhaustion clinging to her bones, but at least it jolted her awake.
Once she was done, she wrapped her hair in a towel and changed into something comfortable, loose sweatpants and a plain shirt.
Then, she took a deep breath.
It was time to go downstairs.
She hesitated in the hallway, gripping the wooden railing as she looked toward the kitchen.
Would she be able to face Lucas with a neutral expression?
After what she saw yesterday… after the pain that carved itself deep into her chest… could she act like everything was normal?
I have to.
She had no choice. She had to face him. She had to endure this.
Lara inhaled deeply and forced herself to move, one step at a time, until she reached the kitchen.
The moment she stepped inside, her body tensed.
Lucas was already there.
He was sitting at the dining table, nursing a cup of coffee. His usual cold, unreadable expression was in place, but all she could think about was how different he looked last night—when he wasn't with her.
That gentle smile. The softness in his eyes. The way he looked at Rhia.
Would he ever look at her that way?
A sharp ache pressed against her ribs, but she quickly buried it, forcing a small smile onto her lips like she always did.
"Good morning, hon." Her voice was light, steady, as if her heart wasn't cracking inside her chest.
Lucas lifted his gaze, meeting hers.
But he didn't respond.
He simply looked at her for a second before turning away, bringing the cup to his lips.
Lara's smile didn't falter. Of course. What else did I expect?
She turned toward the fridge, opening it as if the silence between them wasn't suffocating. "What do you want for breakfast?"
"Don't bother." Lucas said flatly.
She paused briefly before nodding. "Okay."
Without another word, she grabbed a bowl from the cupboard, poured in some cereal, and added milk. No point in making a full breakfast when she was the only one eating. She brewed herself a cup of coffee before sitting down at the table across from Lucas.
The silence was suffocating.
The only sounds were the occasional clink of her spoon against the bowl and the faint hum of the air conditioning.
Lara glanced up, searching for something, anything to say. But before she could, she realized Lucas was already staring at her.
She sucked in a breath, caught off guard.
He didn't look away. He didn't even seem the least bit fazed that she had caught him. His expression remained unreadable, his gaze steady, too steady. Then, after a moment, he simply turned away, lifting his cup to his lips and taking a slow sip of coffee, as if the moment had never happened.
Lara hesitated before finally speaking. "How was your day yesterday?"
Lucas didn't even glance at her. "It was fine."
Short. Dismissive. Just like always.
Lara lowered her spoon, staring at the tiny ripples in her coffee.
She wanted to push further.
She wanted to ask where he had gone.
If the woman she saw yesterday was Rhia, the woman he truly loved.
If she was the reason why he had never looked at her that way.
If she was the reason why, after three years, he still treated her like she was nothing more than a shadow in his life.
The words clawed at her throat, aching to be spoken.
But she swallowed them down.
Instead, she asked, "What time did you get home?"
Lucas paused at that.
For the first time, he turned to her fully, his dark eyes locking onto hers.
"I should be the one asking you that," he said.
Lara blinked.
Something flickered inside her chest. Surprise, curiosity, maybe even the smallest, most fragile hint of hope.
So he did notice.
Did that mean he cared?
But before the thought could settle, another face flashed in her mind.
Reagan.
Her stomach twisted slightly.
It was Reagan who had driven her home. He had been the one who looked out for her when she had too much to drink. The man who made sure she didn't fall down the stairs, opened the door for her, shielded her head as she got into the car, and even fastened her seatbelt without a word.
Small gestures. Simple things.
But things Lucas had never done for her.
She gripped her spoon a little tighter.
Would Lucas care if he knew?
Would it even matter?
She swallowed hard, pushing down the sudden turmoil inside her.
"I—" She hesitated before forcing out a small chuckle. "I didn't stay out too late."
Lucas raised a brow slightly. "Is that so?"
Lara nodded, bringing another spoonful of cereal to her mouth though she could barely taste it. "Yeah. Just had a little fun with some friends."
Lucas hummed in response, his expression unreadable. Without another word, he drained the last of his coffee and pushed back his chair.
"I have to go," he said, placing his cup in the sink. "Don't wait up."
Lara watched in silence as he walked out of the kitchen, his footsteps fading down the hall. A few seconds later, the front door opened and clicked shut.
And just like that, she was alone again.
She exhaled shakily, lowering her gaze to her half-eaten cereal. She idly pushed the remaining pieces around with her spoon, her appetite gone.
It's always like this.
No matter how much effort she put in, no matter how many times she tried, she was always left with nothing but his indifference.
And for the first time, her thoughts drifted to Reagan, the man who barely knew her, yet had done more for her in a single night than the husband she had loved for years.
The thought sent an unsettling ache through her chest.
Because deep down, she was starting to wonder—
If she had wasted all this time… loving the wrong man.
Lara finished her breakfast in silence, the taste of her now-soggy cereal barely registering. Once done, she washed the dishes, her movements slow and deliberate, before heading back to her room.
She changed into her uniform. A neatly pressed blouse tucked into a knee-length skirt, then sat at her vanity, studying her reflection. Dark circles were faintly visible beneath her eyes, but exhaustion clung to her bones in a way no makeup could hide.
She reached for her foundation, applying a light layer, followed by a touch of blush and soft pink lipstick. Her curling iron sat unused beside her. Instead, she ran a straightener through her hair, letting it fall naturally around her shoulders.
That'll do.
With a quiet sigh, she grabbed her bag, checking once more that she had everything she needed. Then, she stepped out of the house, locking both the main door and the gate behind her before getting into her car.