Chapter 3 Three.

*Lola*

I sat and re-sat uncomfortably on one of the large plush couches in Lamonthe's mansion, while my mind dangled between being grateful or resentful.

Lamonthe saved me. But he is also the cause of my misery all these years.

Getting this job meant Max and I would have a roof over our heads in the next couple of months. So I should be thankful. Not to mention paying off the loan shark who had threatened to hurt my dear daddy if I didn't give him his money in three days' time.

But if he was the cause of your misery, why should you be thanking him?

I winced at my new line of thought. My eyes roamed around the large living room. The space felt like a small haven. So Lamonthe had been living his best life right at this place? While his son and I had almost rotted away. A jab of pain stabbed me deep in my chest.

"So you are Lola?"

My head snapped towards the direction of the smooth and cultured voice which rang across the room like a melodious song. When my eyes met with the older woman descending down the stairs, my whole body tensed up a little. There was something about her aura that felt so intimidating.

I quickly stood up and clasped my hands behind my back. "Good morning, ma'am. I'm Lola Thomas, Lucas Blackwood's new personal assistant."

"I know," she said, flipping her perfectly laid ginger-coloured hair, "I don't know if Lucas had given you an instruction on where to start?"

I shook my head to a no, now wondering where Lucas was and why he hadn't come down yet. Was he avoiding me? And who is she?

I bit back a curse, knowing that I shouldn't have gone back on my words by choosing to have anything to do with the man who left my soul broken five years ago. I had contemplated rejecting the job until the temp agency emailed me my contract, and it had the figures I would be getting paid as a salary.

"Not exactly," I replied to her, my voice now devoid of any emotion.

"Alright, that wouldn't be a problem. I can fill you in on the things you need to get from the nearest mall before you can get started with work."

She ended up listing all the things I would buy, and I stood there, watching each word roll off her tongue with such precision that left me wondering if she had practiced her words before saying them. When she was done, she brought out a platinum card and held it out to me but somehow became skeptical about handing it over to me.

"Are you sure I can trust you with this card? I don't want to hear a story of how some new girl we brought ran off with a huge amount," she smirked at me.

Is she trying to imply that I am a thief? My heart wrenched at the thought.

"Not that the cops wouldn't catch you anyways," She concluded.

As a reply, I gave her a subtle but thorough look by slowly lowering my eyes and taking in every fashion statement on her body. Even though I stayed less than a decade in the fashion industry as a model, I don't need a fashion stylist to tell me that the sea blue gown she was putting on costs hundreds of dollars. If not some thousand dollars.

The Jimmy Choo stilettos are also around the same price. I gasped on seeing the Gucci handbag.

"Are you ready to start your day, my love?"

I paused on my fashion analysis and raised my head, only to see the man that used to be the center of my world descending the stairs.

My love? What does she mean by my love? Does it mean that they are dating or something?

I took another careful look at the woman's face, this time to gauge her age. We have the same oval face and pouty mouth. But her eyes are pale, piercing brilliantly blue. She is not only the older version of me but also older than Lucas.

What was Lucas thinking dating an older woman?

My blood began boiling with rage when I saw the woman easily offer her lips to him and he smacked a quick but sensual kiss on it.

"I will be at the art gallery. Call me if you need anything."

"Alright, Alessia. Have a great day, love," Lucas replied.

The woman's stilettos began clicking towards the front door, I looked at Lucas expectantly, waiting for an explanation.

"Hey you! Aren't you coming to get the supplies?"

Alessia dropped me off at the mall. All through the way, she told me about her history with Lucas. How they met at an art exhibition. How she and Lucas had connected after the first conversation. How she helped his career. She was more of telling me to back off than making small conversation.

I was relieved after she dropped me. However, my relief didn't last long because the next call that came into my phone ended up flipping my life upside down.

I found myself speeding towards the hospital where I was told Max had been admitted. Apparently, he had fainted and when the school paramedic couldn't revive him, they had to rush him to the hospital.

On finding the children's section and Max lying helpless in one of the wards, all the air in my lungs almost left, leaving me breathless.

"The doctor had managed to stabilize him, although he seems to be in a very critical situation," one of the nurses on duty told me.

"But will my baby be okay?" I managed to ask with my hoarse voice.

"We will only know that once we start the treatment. And to start the treatment, we will need you to deposit some cash."

Both myself and my currently empty account found ourselves crashing on the floor. Blackness ensued.