"You called?" Alex answered, a little out of breath. "Sorry, I just saw your missed call."
"It's fine," Mike said. "I just wanted to check—are you with Mia today?"
"Nope. Haven't seen her since thursday. Why?"
"She told Mikael she was meeting you for lunch."
"…Wait. What?"
"Exactly." Mike sighed. "She lied to him."
"Oh god. That girl." Alex groaned. "Who is she really meeting?"
"I don't know. She turned off her phone, too. I've tried calling a dozen times. She's unreachable."
"That's not good"
"Alex, Mia mentioned something to me a few days ago… someone called her out of the blue." Mike said with tension.
"Who?"
Mike hesitated. Then:
"Nelson."
There was a pause. And then—
"WHAT?!"
***
"What are you doing here?" I asked, my brow furrowed.
Great. Just what I needed. Another annoying guy after Matteo and Mikael.
"Business deal," he said flatly. "I almost didn't recognize you. The Mia Isabella I knew would never be caught dead in a place like this."
"Well, she's dead," I muttered, scooping another bite of mango ice cream. "So feel free to go do your business elsewhere. I don't have the energy to deal with your nonsense today" I said sarcastically, avenging myself for his rudeness at the hospital before.
"Ha! Have you finally lost your mind?" Lucas snorted. "After three years of chasing me around like a lovesick puppy, now you brush me off like a stranger? I should've ended things a long time ago."
"I've already sent the annulment papers to your office. My grandpa butler should have mailed them. You might receive it by next week."
That shut him up for a second.
"You didn't destroy those papers like you used to? What's the catch? Found a new man to leech off already?"
I gave him a sweet, mocking smile. "How did you know? Speak of the devil—here he comes now."
I stood up and waved. Lucas instinctively turned around.
"Caspian! I'm here!"
Caspian stepped through the entrance, looking effortlessly polished, his smile softening the moment he saw me.
"Mia, sorry I'm late. I had something urgent to take care of." He reached us, then glanced between me and Lucas. "Mr. Lucas Vellard, what a surprise. You two know each other?"
"Barely," I said, brushing invisible dust from my skirt. "He's just… someone I used to know. Nothing worth remembering." I smiled at Caspian. "Come, sit down. Want some ice cream?"
"Hahaha." Lucas laughed bitterly. "Mr. Caspian Auralius, heir to the Auralius Group, owner of this mall—what a smart catch, Mia. Upgrading your target list?"
"Oh, thank you. I am smart." I said sweetly. "Took you long enough to notice."
"You—"
"Mia," Caspian leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Who is he? Did you two… have a past?"
I shrugged. "Ex-fiancé. The annoying, narcissistic type."
"Oh. I'm… sorry. I didn't know." he said, barely a whisper.
"No need to be. That chapter is long closed. There's nothing left between us. So please, let's just forget his existence and go grab lunch. I'm starving."
"Alright," Caspian smiled and offered his arm.
"Wait," Lucas suddenly cut in. We both turned back.
"I'm joining you. For lunch."
"WHAT?!"
***
He still insisted on following us to lunch, despite my warning that he'd regret it. But knowing Lucas and his arrogant pride, backing down was never an option. Fine. Suit yourself, stubborn mule.
We made our way through the busy mall, weaving between weekend crowds, and finally stepped into the elevator. It was packed, of course—peak lunch hour. A group of loud, middle-aged aunties squeezed in front of us, pushing us toward the back. I had to bite my tongue not to laugh out loud when one of them accidentally elbowed Lucas in the ribs. He looked outraged, nearly letting out a curse as he struggled to keep his balance.
Meanwhile, Caspian pulled me closer, shielding me with his broad arms. I was practically cocooned in his embrace. My cheeks burned, my heart thudding so loudly I was scared someone might hear it.
"Are you hot? Your face is red," he whispered with concern.
I nodded quickly. No way I was going to admit that I was blushing like a teenage girl because of his arms around me.
"Just hold on, we're almost there," he said, flashing a soft smile. I could practically feel Lucas glaring at us from beside. Oh, he looked absolutely murderous. Serves you right, stalker.
Ting! The elevator doors finally opened and we tumbled out. Lucas looked like a wreck—face flushed, breathing ragged. He resembled a cooked shrimp more than a dignified businessman.
"HAHAHA! Lucas, are you still sure you want to follow us?" I teased, trying not to laugh too loudly.
"I AM," he snapped, panting slightly.
"Suit yourself," I said, tossing my hair with mock elegance. "Come on, Caspian. Let's hurry or we won't get a table."
I grabbed Caspian's hand and tugged him forward. We entered the ramen restaurant I had researched online. As expected, it was already crowded, but the turnover was fast. Soon enough, we were seated.
"Welcome," the waitress greeted us warmly. "To celebrate our fifth anniversary, we're holding a spicy ramen challenge. If you finish our signature ramen within thirty minutes without drinking any water, your meal is free and you'll also receive a limited-edition gift!"
My eyes sparkled. Free food and a prize? Count me in!
"I'm joining!" I said instantly, eyes gleaming. "What about you guys?"
"Mia, are you sure?" Caspian asked, looking genuinely concerned. "Don't force yourself if you can't handle it."
"I'll be fine! I know my limit," I said confidently. Even if I had to cry through it, I was going to win that merchandise.
"Alright, I'll do it too," Caspian agreed. "But seriously—if it gets too much, just stop."
I smiled sweetly in response, then turned to the grumpy tag-along. "You? Wanna join or are you going to back down?"
Lucas raised a brow and smirked. "Please. This little challenge? Child's play."
This guy! His ego truly knew no bounds.
"We'll see about that," I muttered, rolling my eyes. Then I turned to the waitress. "Miss, we'll all join the challenge."
"Perfect! Please wait a moment while we prepare the meals," she said.
I turned back to the guys with a grin. "Alright, boys. Let's suffer together!"
Caspian chuckled at my enthusiasm, while Lucas gave me a bored look like he was above all this. Whatever.
Soon, the waitress returned and placed three huge bowls of fiery red ramen in front of us. I blinked. The portion was massive, and the smell of chili nearly made my eyes water on the spot.
"The timer starts now," the waitress announced, tapping her phone.
The countdown began.
"Mia, are you sure about this?" Caspian asked again, clearly worried.
"I'm fine, really. You just worry about yourself," I said, trying to act tough—even though the smell already made my lips tingle.
He gave me a small nod, clearly resigned to my stubbornness.
"She'll regret this in five minutes," Lucas muttered with a smug look.
"Oh yeah?" I smirked back. "We'll see who ends up in tears calling for his mommy."
***
Meanwhile, I had no idea that Alex was on the verge of losing his mind, frantically trying to call me but getting no answer.
Alex paced back and forth in his apartment, the phone clutched tightly in his hand. He had already called Mia more than ten times. Each time, the same message played:
"The number you have dialed is currently unreachable."
He tossed his phone onto the couch and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
"Where the hell are you, Mia?" he muttered under his breath.
A part of him wanted to believe she was just out shopping or maybe stuck in a place with bad reception—but deep down, he knew something wasn't right. He grabbed his jacket and was halfway to the door when his phone vibrated.
"Mike?" he answered immediately.
"Still no response?" Mike's voice was tight with concern.
"No. I've been trying for over an hour. What the hell is going on?"
"I also try to reach her but I can't"
"The fact that she turned off her phone makes me even more worried," Alex said. His voice dropped. "Mike… do you think it's him?"
There was silence on the other end.
"Nelson?" Mike finally asked.
Alex's jaw clenched. "Yeah."
"I don't know. She hasn't mentioned meeting him… but if she did…"
"We need to find her," Alex cut in. "You call Mikael and try to stall him. If he finds out she lied and that it's possibly about Nelson… things could get really bad."
"I'm on it. Be careful, Alex."
"You too."
He ended the call, grabbed his keys, and rushed out of the door. His chest felt tight with dread. Something told him today wouldn't end well.