Chapter-12

Lucas Alberto's POV

It's Monday morning. Weekend went by so quickly as usual. The company with us and Piccolo's will be finalized in two weeks. Everything went well until Felisa caught us. I hope I didn't put her in trouble. She looked scared. It's not like we did anything wrong. But I felt like I got caught doing drugs. Felisa looked very angry. And then Marcus, he just keeps making jokes, cause she doesn't stop laughing.

I wanted to lift him up from his chair and throw him off before sitting myself down there. She has to only look at me. Fuck! What's wrong with me? Why am I thinking like this? But was he really that funny? What did they talk about? I can make her laugh. If only we talk. We have to stop this silent game. I have to talk to her. I can't forget how she nearly said my name. It keeps reeling again and again in my mind.

Fuck! I am at office. I should concentrate on work! God! You know what? Fuck this! I will just talk to her and take her out! The knock on the door brings me back.

"Come in."

Daniel opens the door. He comes and places some files on my desk. "I analyzed these contracts and marked the changes we need to make. I will mail you the remaining details."

"Mm. Good. Ask Ms. Piccolo to come and meet me. I have to speak with her."

"She left in the afternoon. She said that she informed you. She has completed her work for the day."

I frown. She left.

"You want me to call her-"

"Don't. Leave it. Go to back to work."

He gives a nod and goes out.

She informed me? Pulling out my phone, I find a message from her.

Lucas, I need leave from afternoon today. It's kind of urgent. I have informed the HR team and sent you an official mail too.

Opening my mail, there is an official leave applied by her for the half day.

Mr. Alberto,

This is to bring to your attention that I will not be present for the later part of today's work time. It's for personal reasons that I need this leave. I have applied for a leave to HR and they have accepted it.

Regards,

Annabel Piccolo.

My research team, does not need to ask me for permission, they have to contact direct HR for it and just inform, which she did.

Kind of urgent? Personal reasons? What can it be? Now I just can't concentrate on work. I take my phone to message her, but what should I ask.

Where are you? What are you doing? What's kind of urgent? What personal reasons? Wouldn't that be too stalkerish?

I sigh. This is getting so out of hand I can't ask her. We are not that close, yet we are not that far. If only we were dating.

Where are you?

I send out the message and wait for her reply. Many scenarios play in head as I wait. Did Mrs. Piccolo get too angry at her? Did something happen at their house? If she is in trouble for that, I need to go and explain. There is nothing wrong in what we did. I like her and I would like to take her out on a date. Hopefully, Mr. Piccolo would agree.

There is still no reply. Come on, Angel!

I am at home. I have some work.

Her message reads. Okay. So, it's not about us. She has some work. What work?

My mind is going bonkers. I call Gemma.

"Gemma. Where are you?"

"Office. What happened? Is everything okay?"

I try to keep my cool. Slow down. Handle this carefully. "Nothing. Just calling. What are you doing?"

"I am at office, Luc. So, take a guess. I am working."

"Is everything alright at you home after dinner Saturday night?"

"Um... Yes. Don't worry. We will come out with the best project. I am working on it too. In fact, I am with Marcus right now. Guess who has a crush on Anna?"

Fuck! Damn it! Hold it in! Anna first! "Where is she right now?"

"Who? Anna? Isn't she at your office? Hello! You are her boss."

"She took a half day leave."

"Oh yes! She is moving out so. Maybe she's shifting things out of the palace."

What? "Moving out?"

"What?... Yes... This week. Yes, she is getting her own place." She is speaking with someone. "Sorry. It was Marcus. Yes, she is moving out. Mom, got so angry that day. Did something happen? Anna decided to move out that day."

That gets me thinking. "Nothing. I will talk to you later."

"Bye."

We cut the call. Why does Marcus have to know? What could have happened?

Oh Angel! Are you okay?

Annabel's POV

"I will be more than okay, Papa." I look at the man standing outside of my new house with dark glasses on and with no expression on his face. "I don't need security."

"I am not going to leave you alone here, Bell." Papa says with finality in his voice.

"Papa, please. I want to feel free. This is going to keep me at unease." I request. He sighs.

"Okay. But, he is going to stay here, until the surveillance cameras will be interested."

"Cameras?"

"Yes, of course."

I don't say anything. If that's what keeps him at peace. "Okay." He smiles as I agree and turns to leave.

"Addio (Bye), Bell." He says and I walk him to his car. He gets inside.

"Addio, Papa. Thank you for the house." I tell him as he rolls down the window.

"You don't have to. It's yours." With a smile he leaves.

I turn back and take a deep breath looking at the house. The security guard stands at the front door. I go inside and feel the warmth. Mama lived here. Just that thoughts itself makes me feel warm. I looked around the house again. It took me two days to move all my stuff here. It's mostly books. It's a two bedroom house, so all my books go in one room. It's almost like a library.

Papa helped this weekend and I did the remaining work today. He came to visit me and see if I am all set. Felisa was too happy when she learned the news. She didn't even say anything.

The house is not too big. It's small, simple and cozy. It has a nice lawn. Papa had someone taking care of it all these years. There is a large picture of Papa, Mama and me as kid in the living room. There is a small picture frame of Gemma on the living room table. I smile as I look at it. There's another picture of Gemma, Papa and me.

Sighing, I go to the backyard and sit at the table with my book. I took a half day leave today. Lucas didn't message me the whole Sunday and I was too busy to send one to him. My phone pings and I pull it out of my pocket to see that it's from Lucas.

Gemma said you moved out. Is everything alright?

The concern in the message fills me with something... warmth, giddiness and happiness.

I am fine. You don't have to worry, Lucas.

I send the message. It's already evening, so I start preparing dinner.

Will you be coming to office tomorrow?

His message pings again. Is he thinking about me as much as I am thinking about him?

Of course. I took only a half day leave. I will see you tomorrow.

I hit send. I have to talk with him. I will talk with him tomorrow. Putting an end to my thoughts, I get back to cooking my dinner in my new home. I feel strangely happy. I miss Papa already though.

"Buon giorno, Annabel!" Aria greets me as I come to office. I greet her back.

"Buon giorno, Aria! Hi guys!" I greet them all.

"Anna, can you give me the file of Paris project? Are you done going through the contract? Is there anything that we need to work on?" Daniel asks. I open the drawer and take the file before handing it to him. He seems to be in a rush.

"Here. Is everything alright?"

"Yes. You know how the Paris project is supposed to be finalized in next month?" Aria answers instead of Daniel.

"Yes."

"They have moved it up to this week."

"What?"

"Yeah. Mr. Alberto is leaving for Paris in an hour. Daniel is working in that." Nicole says.

Lucas is leaving for Paris? Now? Today, I came to office with an affirmation to talk with him no matter what, but he is leaving. No. I can't let this be.

"Is Mr. Alberto in his office now?" I ask aria.

"Yes. He seems very busy with this sudden change in schedule." She answers typing away on her laptop. I take a deep breath. I can't be selfish. I can talk to him once her comes back. I have waited all these years. I can wait two more weeks. Really? Can you? My heart asks. The answer is obvious. I can't. I take out my phone and send him a message.

You are leaving for Paris?

I wait for his reply, but there is none even after fifteen minutes. He will be leaving in another half an hour. Taking a piece of paper, I write what I feel. In case I can't say it, I can at least show this paper. I take some random file and put this paper in it. I go and knock on his door. There is no response. Opening the door, I find him sitting at his desk that filled with files and papers. There are two other people in the room. They are all discussing something. Once he sees me, he nods his head for me to come.

This feels awkward and new. I walk to him and go to his side of the table.

"Good morning." I greet the people in front of him.

"Good morning. I feel like I have seen you somewhere." One of them says. Of course, in newspapers, news and tabloids. I give them a smile.

"I know you are busy, but I just need a signature from Mr. Alberto on this file." I say before placing the file in front of Lucas.

"It's fine. We are done." They say and get up.

"We will wait for you downstairs, Mr. Alberto." The other one says and they both walk out.

Finally! It's only us both now! I turn my eyes to Lucas and find him looking at the words that I wrote. Being in the same room as him, where I know that I am not under scrutiny and not having the fear of getting caught is really a new feeling. Right now, all I can think about is us. He writes something on the file and hands it to me without looking at it.

Say. Say something. Just say his name. He suddenly gets up and looks me in the eyes. My heart beat increases... again.

"Lu-" I was about to say his name, but this time... He stops me. He puts his finger on my lips. He shakes his head in a manner to say no. Isn't that what he wanted? Isn't that what we both want? To finally speak. I am ready to lose in this game.

Then he does the unthinkable. He puts his arms around me and pulls me in. His warmth, engulfs me. I am in shock to respond. I have once imagined how it would feel to be in his arms and... Oh my! Tears pool my eyes for some reason. His phone rings. Pulling away, he places his hand on my cheek and plants a soft kiss on my cheek.

Suddenly my heart stops. The reality settles in. I don't want him to leave now. I want him to stay. I meet his eyes. He doesn't pick up his phone. It keeps ringing. But mind is only thinking about what happened a few seconds ago. Tears trickle down my face, in happiness. He wipes them away with his thumb.

I have waited for this moment for years. Years. Now, I truly know that he feels just like I do. This is a confirmation. This is a confession. We don't need to date to know that. We don't need to speak to know that.

Oh my! He likes me too!

There is a knock on the door that makes Lucas take a step back. I immediately compose myself. Lucas gives me a moment before letting the person come in.

"This is the complete file on Paris project and this is the contract." Daniel says as he puts them down on the table. The atmosphere in the room is awkward and I am sure Daniel can sense it. He looks at me and quickly looks away, knowing something is not right. But at the moment, Lucas is all I can think about.

"Good. I won't be back till two weeks. Only send mails during these two weeks." Lucas tells him.

"Sure, Mr. Alberto." Daniel says before looking at me and leaving.

My eyes meet Lucas's.

Two weeks?

I am sorry. His eyes read. My heart still doesn't feel at ease. Then he does the unexpected.

"Wait for me." He says. My breath is caught in my throat. He spoke to me! He finally did! All this waiting... And he finally speaks. He looks right into my eyes and asks me to wait. Oh I will!

"I will." I don't realize that I spend until a few seconds. He leans his forehead against mine for a few seconds and I take in the moment.

I will be waiting.

His phone rings again. He pulls away, but doesn't look away from me as he picks it up.

"Yes... I will... Okay." He responds and cuts the call. I know that it's time. He has to leave. I take the file and walk out of the room. I can't stay there another minute. I am happy and sad at the same time. I want to stop him, but I can't. I come and sit down in my place. He comes out immediately. I know that he is looking at me, but I don't. I can't. "See you all in two weeks." He says and walks out before they can respond. He knew that I will not look at him.

Once he is gone, I open the file and see what he wrote.

I will miss you more.

It's written right under where I wrote, I will miss you. My phone pings and it's a message from him.

Don't go out with anyone in these two weeks. I will kill the pig that takes you out.

That puts a smile on my face. I have waited for him for years, but for some reason, these two weeks are going to feel like two decades. I can sense that. Hopefully, everything stay the same by the time he comes back.

I look at the message again. My heart flutters. A smile instantly appears on my face. I can still feel the warmth of his arms around me. I don't think I can ever forget how it felt, now that I have felt it. I want to be in his arms.

Wait for me. Those words and his voice keeps ringing in my mind. I will never forget this moment in my life.

I will be waiting.

A/N:

Hey my cute dumplings!

A little Cliffhanger! These kind of departures are never good. Just something is not right. Did you like it?
At last they finally spoke! Their first hug! Their first kiss! (On the Cheek) But still. Did you feel the love? Tell me what you think.

Please VOTE and COMMENT.