Page 132 of Lucas

“But I saw the Jaguar outside.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Ava. He left while I was in the kitchen. He seemed quite upset. Is everything alright?” Hugo’s voice is gentle, and concern fills his tone.

“It will be as soon as I find him,” I say with more confidence than I feel.

I rush to the garage and fling open the door. All his other cars are here. There are no empty spots. Did he leave on foot? Where would he go?

I try calling him again, but he doesn’t answer.

Fuck, he must think I believed the picture. He came home and saw I was gone and assumed the worst. He didn’t know I had plans to meet Cora. If he had just waited, just talked to me, he would know.

I would never leave him like that. I love him.

Except I never said the words. He doesn’t know.

I leave the garage and head back into the house. I’ll wait for him here. When he comes back, he’ll find me waiting. I love him, and he needs to hear me say it.

I enter the bedroom, our bedroom.

I need to tell him about what my father did, about the state of the company. That I’m sorry.

What if he doesn’t want me anymore after he hears it all? What if he doesn’t believe I had no part in it?

I stare at myself in the mirror, my eyes wide and scared in my pale face. “Be brave, Ava. He loves you, and you love him. You can work this out,” I whisper to my reflection, trying to bolster my courage.

I sit on the bed to wait.

Then I lie down on the bed. And wait.

And wait.

I jerk awake when my phone rings, my heart leaping into my throat.

I scramble for it, my fingers clumsy. “Lucas?”

“No, it’s Cora. You thought it was Lucas?” Her voice is sharp with worry.

“Yes.” I sit up, rubbing my face, trying to orient myself.

“He’s not with you? I thought he went home a long time ago,” she says, the words tumbling over each other. “Where is he?”

“He wasn’t here when I arrived.” I glance at the clock and curse. “Fuck.” I leap to my feet, ice flooding my veins. “I must have fallen asleep. Is it really almost midnight?” Panic claws at my chest, strangling my breath.

“Yes. Are you telling me you haven’t seen him since you left my place?”

“I came home, and Hugo said he had left without saying where he was going. I assumed he went to clear his head, so I waited.”

“Ava, it’s been hours! He should have been back by now.” The strain is clear in her tone, fear bleeding through.

God. The pressure in my chest intensifies, squeezing like a vise. “I fell asleep. Shit. Maybe he’s home? Maybe he came back, and I didn’t hear him?” I leave the room and start opening doors, one after the other. “Lucas?”

The house is dark. I check every room, calling his name, just to be sure.

“Fuck, Cora, he’s not here. What if...” My voice trembles, hot tears pricking at the backs of my eyes.

“Don’t say that. We need to find him. Focus. Where would he go?” she demands, her words clipped and urgent.

I force my thoughts to slow, to focus. I take a deep breath, then another.