The next morning dawned with a heavy sky, the kind that seemed to mirror the turmoil inside me. I had barely slept, my mind racing with thoughts of Alex, Lucas, and the conversation that awaited me. The air felt thick, charged with the tension of unresolved questions and the fear of what tonight might bring.
I spent the day trying to focus on anything but the impending meeting. Work emails, errands, even cleaning—none of it did much to distract me from the knot of anxiety growing in my chest. Every time I caught a glimpse of the clock, it seemed like the hands were moving too quickly, pulling me closer to the moment I had been dreading.
By the time evening rolled around, I felt like I was going through the motions on autopilot. I dressed in something simple—jeans and a sweater—nothing that stood out too much. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself tonight. I just wanted answers.
As I made my way to the café where I had agreed to meet Alex, my heart pounded in my chest. The place we were meeting was “our spot,” a small, cozy café tucked away in a quiet part of the city. It was where we had spent countless afternoons, back when things were simpler—before everything had gone so wrong.
When I arrived, the café was nearly empty, just a few patrons scattered at tables with their laptops and cups of coffee. I spotted Alex immediately, sitting at our usual table by the window. He looked almost the same as he had the last time I saw him—tall, lean, with that same easy confidence that had drawn me to him in the first place. But there was something different now, something guarded in the way he held himself, like he was bracing for a confrontation.
I approached the table, my footsteps echoing softly in the quiet room. Alex looked up as I neared, his expression unreadable. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the weight of everything unsaid hanging between us.
“Aria,” he said finally, his voice soft, almost tentative.
“Alex,” I replied, my tone cooler than I intended. I took a seat across from him, folding my hands in my lap to keep them from trembling.
He watched me for a moment, as if trying to gauge my mood, then nodded toward the menu on the table. “Do you want to order something? Coffee, maybe?”
“I’m fine,” I said quickly, not wanting to prolong this any more than necessary. “Let’s just get to the point. What’s going on with Lucas?”
Alex sighed, running a hand through his hair, a gesture that used to make me smile but now only served to remind me of the distance between us. “Aria, I didn’t want to drag you into this. I really didn’t. But Lucas… he’s not who you think he is.”
I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. “I’m listening.”
“There’s no easy way to say this,” Alex began, his gaze dropping to the table. “Lucas and I… we didn’t just have a falling out. It was more than that. We were partners, yes, but we were also competitors, in a sense. We were both working on the same project, something big, something that could change everything in our industry.”
“What kind of project?” I asked, my curiosity piqued despite the tension between us.
Alex hesitated, then leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. “It was a tech startup, something that had the potential to revolutionize data security. We both had different ideas about how to move forward, and those differences… they tore us apart. Lucas went behind my back, tried to push me out of the company. I retaliated, and things got ugly.”
I frowned, trying to piece together what he was saying. “But that was years ago. What does that have to do with now?”
“That’s the thing,” Alex said, his eyes meeting mine with a seriousness that made my heart skip a beat. “Lucas never let it go. He’s been watching me, waiting for the right moment to make his move. And now, it seems like he’s using you to get to me.”
I stared at him, stunned. “What? How? Why would Lucas use me?”
“Because he knows you mean something to me,” Alex replied, his voice tinged with a mix of anger and regret. “He knows that if he can get you on his side, it’ll throw me off balance. It’s a power play, Aria. He’s using you to mess with me.”
I shook my head, trying to process everything he was saying. “But Lucas… he’s been nothing but kind to me. He helped me when I was going through a rough time, and he never once mentioned anything about you.”
“Of course he didn’t,” Alex said bitterly. “He’s smart, Aria. He knows how to play the game. He’s been biding his time, gaining your trust, waiting for the right moment to strike.”
I felt a wave of nausea roll through me as I considered the possibility that Alex might be right. Had Lucas really been manipulating me all this time? The thought was almost too much to bear, but at the same time, I couldn’t ignore the nagging doubts that had been creeping into my mind ever since Lucas mentioned Alex’s name.
“What do I do?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Alex reached across the table, his hand hovering just above mine. “You need to stay away from him, Aria. Cut ties, block his number, whatever it takes. Don’t let him get any closer to you. He’s dangerous.”
I looked down at his hand, so close to mine, and felt a surge of conflicting emotions. Part of me wanted to trust him, to believe that he was trying to protect me, but another part of me couldn’t forget the pain he had caused—the lies, the betrayal.
“Why should I believe you?” I asked, my voice trembling. “After everything you did, how do I know you’re not just trying to manipulate me again?”
Alex’s expression softened, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of the man I had once loved. “Because I care about you, Aria. Despite everything that happened between us, I still care. And I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
I stared at him, searching his face for any sign of deception, but all I saw was sincerity. Maybe he was telling the truth, or maybe he was just a better liar than I remembered. Either way, I couldn’t afford to take his words at face value. I needed to figure this out for myself.
“I’ll think about it,” I said finally, pulling my hand back and breaking the connection between us. “But I’m not making any decisions until I have all the facts.”
Alex nodded, though I could see the disappointment in his eyes. “Just be careful, Aria. Lucas is dangerous. Don’t underestimate him.”
With that, I stood up, grabbing my coat and bag. The weight of everything Alex had told me pressed down on my shoulders, making it hard to breathe. I needed to get out of there, to clear my head and figure out what to do next.
As I walked out of the café, the cool night air hit my face, snapping me out of the fog of confusion that had settled over me. I didn’t know who to trust anymore—Alex, Lucas, or even myself. But one thing was clear: I couldn’t let myself be a pawn in whatever game they were playing.
I needed answers, and I needed them fast. And if Lucas wasn’t going to give them to me willingly, then I was going to have to find them on my own.
With that thought in mind, I pulled out my phone and started dialing a number I had hoped I would never have to use again. It was time to take matters into my own hands.
***