Rainee told her parents she had quit her job because they weren't treating her well. She lied, not wanting to burden them with the real reasons. She knew her dad would try to convince her to reconsider or suggest another solution.
"Good... You'll find a better job in no time," her mom said, gently patting her hair.
Rainee smiled proudly, feeling the warmth of her mom's support. They had raised her like a princess, teaching her to never tolerate mistreatment and always stand up for herself. Her parents had always been her strongest supporters, never forcing her into anything she didn't want to do. She was so grateful to have them, knowing they loved her unconditionally.
Suddenly, Rainee's phone buzzed with a message from Lucas. He wanted to meet her tonight to talk about something.
"Mom, I'll be staying at Lucas's apartment tonight. He wants to talk about something," she said.
Her mom narrowed her eyes teasingly. They were well aware of Rainee's relationship with Lucas, and it was normal for her to spend one or two days at his apartment whenever she had the time.
"Maybe he wants to propose to you. It's been three years already," her mom teased with a grin.
"Mom! Don't start, please… And I'm not settled enough for that yet," Rainee replied, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks.
Though she tried to dismiss it, a small part of her was eager to find out exactly what Lucas wanted to talk about. Sam, her younger brother, rolled his eyes while working on his homework and chimed in.
"Marry him before he finds you annoying."
Rainee shot him a playful glare. "What did you say?!" she laughed.
Her mom smiled and shook her head. "You'll figure it out when the time comes, sweetheart. But remember, we're always here to support you, whatever you decide."
As Rainee headed out, she felt a mix of anticipation and curiosity. What did Lucas want to discuss? Was it about their future, or something else? Whatever it was, she knew one thing for sure, her life was about to change, and she was both nervous and excited to find out how.
____
As soon as Rainee entered Lucas's apartment, her expression changed in an instant. A wave of happiness washed over her; after so long, he had finally found time to be alone with her. She had hoped he would greet her with a warm hug and tell her how much he missed her. But as soon as she hung up her coat, his first words caught her off guard.
"Why did you meet with Alex?"
Confusion flashed across her face. She stepped closer to him, concern evident in her eyes.
"Did he do something to you?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.
Lucas sighed deeply and walked toward the living room, his tone calm but firm.
"Come inside, we need to talk."
"Lucas... When did you meet him?" Rainee asked, still unsure of what was going on.
"He called me to his office and asked me to break up with you. I refused," Lucas replied, his words clipped but resolute.
Rainee's jaw tightened as she gritted her teeth, trying to control the anger boiling inside her. Alex was pushing too far now. If he had a problem with her, why drag others into it? They both stood there, the tension between them palpable, neither willing to sit down first.
"Don't worry about it," Lucas said, breaking the silence. "I'll handle it. He's not that free. He'll get bored of this stupid game soon enough."
She spoke in a low voice, her gaze darting nervously around the living room. Lucas scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief.
"You know him, don't you? He can't sit still until he gets what he wants, and now you're telling me not to worry? Are you serious? Why did you have to put yourself in front of him?"
Her eyebrows arched slightly in surprise. She couldn't recall the last time he'd spoken to her in such a harsh tone. Lucas never raised his voice or showed disrespect during their arguments. He was always calm, always composed. But, as much as she hated to admit it, she understood. What boyfriend would remain calm knowing someone was trying to take his girlfriend from him? It was only natural for him to lose his cool.
"Listen, I get that you're angry, but you know how I am when I get upset. Sam got hurt, and seeing him like that made me lose control. I slapped him, but I don't know why he thought I would sleep with him... I swear, he won't force me, and you know better than anyone that I would never agree to something like that."
Lucas narrowed his eyes, as if questioning her judgment.
"Do you even know who he is? He can do anything. You really think you can stand up to him with nothing but your attitude and empty words?"
Her brow furrowed, her heart aching from his words.
"Why are you so angry with me? Did I do something wrong? I just stood up for myself, and for my brother. Is that wrong? I'm not trying to win or lose here. If he's being childish, that's not on me. I just returned the favor. That's all."
"Then whose fault is it, huh? You think you can just slap him and walk away, and he'll do nothing? Rainee, you need to learn to tolerate some things. He practically owns the world, and we're nothing compared to him. You've offended him and bruised his ego, now he wants to humiliate you. Just apologize, and everything will be fine. If you want, I can talk to him again, and he won't do anything."
He reached out to grab her hands, but she pulled away, her eyes empty and distant. Lucas gritted his teeth, clenching his fists, already guessing what her response would be.
"I won't. I don't think I did anything wrong."
Lucas let out a sarcastic laugh, feeling helpless.
"Yeah, you're always like this. Are you really like this, or is it just some act to attract more men?!"
For the first time in three years, he yelled at her. Rainee's eyes widened in shock. Hearing such harsh words from him was a revelation, and the sting of his accusations cut deep. She never thought he viewed her like this, and it hurt more than she expected.
"Lucas! Do you even hear what you're saying?!"
Her calm response only seemed to infuriate him further.
"I'm not a fool! He's not the type to fall for just anyone. Everything was going fine, I was about to get promoted, but YOU…! How the hell did he get seduced by you? Or... did you do something with him behind my back?"
Rainee clenched her fists, wanting nothing more than to push him away, but she controlled the urge, her teeth gritted. Her eyes, already red, began to tear up before she could even stop herself. Lucas realized too late that he had gone too far. Seeing her tears, he froze, unable to speak. After a minute of heavy silence, Rainee lowered her gaze, lost in her thoughts, struggling to make sense of everything.
"You know… we never brought up breaking up in the middle of our fights. No matter how long they lasted, we never once considered it."
Lucas' eyes widened, fear seizing him at the thought of losing her. He took a step toward her, instinctively wanting to hold her, but she stepped back, raising her hand to stop him.
"Do you know why?" she continued, her voice trembling. "Because, before, there was trust between us. I thought that, no matter what happened, we could get through it, as long as you trusted me as much as I trusted you. But… I guess I was wrong. You trust him, Alex, more than you trust me."
"Babe… please let me explain. I---"
"Let's break up, Lucas. I lost my job, and if you stay with me, maybe they'll fire you too. I'm sorry for messing up your plans. Because of me, you lost the chance of getting promoted--"
Before she could finish, he immediately wrapped his arms around her, stopping her from saying another word.
"No. Please don't," he pleaded, his voice desperate. "I'm sorry, baby. I was just angry. I didn't mean it. It's just… I feel powerless right now. I want to do something, but I can't. I was frustrated. I'm really sorry. Please don't say things like that. I'll quit his company and work somewhere else. It doesn't matter. You're more important to me."
He held her tightly, as though terrified of losing her. She, too, wrapped her arms around him, understanding despite the pain in her chest. She wiped away the tears that were slipping down her face, silently processing the weight of it all. She didn't want to let a single fight ruin their three years together. Lucas felt a knot of unease in his stomach, watching her, and then, without warning, he pulled away slightly, retrieving a small box from his pocket.
"I was going to propose to you," he said, his voice raw, "but everything got ruined… But baby, I'm serious about you. Will… will you marry me?"
She stood frozen, staring at the ring in front of her as if caught in a dream. Everything had unfolded so quickly, and it felt surreal, like none of it was real. She hadn't expected this, not like this. Even though he hadn't knelt down or said anything elaborate, the simplicity of it, the rawness, told her everything she needed to know about how genuine he was. They'd never been the type to do grand romantic gestures or plan surprises. It was always simple, always honest. Her eyes shimmered with tears as she stood there, unsure of what to do. She felt as if she was doing something wrong, but there was no turning back now. She had already said so much, already been through so much with him. With a small smile, she nodded.
"Yes..."
_____
Two weeks later...
Alex sat in his office, watching the CCTV footage of one of his hotels, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. He had waited so long to find something against Lucas, and now, finally, he had uncovered something huge. As he plotted his next move, wondering how to tell Rainee, Andrew's voice broke his concentration.
"They're getting married."
For a brief moment, Alex's expression faltered, his jaw clenched tightly as anger surged through him. The urge to throw something, to break whatever was within reach, was overwhelming. But then, as his mind churned, a wicked smirk slowly spread across his face.
"Great… What better time to set off the fireworks?" he mused, his eyes narrowing. "Let's see how my bride will react when she finds out about her so-called boyfriend."
He looked up at Andrew, while turning off his tablet. "When's the wedding?"
"In two weeks, sir," Andrew replied, hesitating slightly. "But… can't we tell her before or after the wedding? It could hurt the company's image and attract too much unwanted publicity."
Alex shot him a sharp, icy glare.
"What do you mean by after the marriage? You think I'll let her marry him?!" His voice was cold, laced with disdain. "She became mine the moment I set my sights on her. Sooner or later, she'll have no choice but to agree with me."