Chapter 5. Never Meant to Leave

"Poor hand. It must be hurting so badly right now. Do you mind if I help you massage it?" Lucien stretches his hand towards the receptionist but she angrily shoves it away and glares at him.

"Stop playing silly jokes with me, asshole and tell me why you’re here!" She yells frantically.

"You should already know why I’m here, mio caro so tell me what I want to know."

The receptionist creases her brows and twists her mouth. "I just can’t believe this," she cackles. "You’re here to see Ms. Juliet?" She asks just to be sure she’s thinking right.

Lucien shrugs and nods, not feeling like saying anything else.

"A poor wretched fellow like you wants to see Ms. Juliet? And to think you’re even the reason she’s lying there right now! It sure as hell pisses me off. You have a lot of gut though for coming here. I can’t even believe she once had something to do with you. Urgh! So disgusting!"

Lucien chuckles and his face for the very first time stretches into a mischievous grin. "At least I’m way better than you in so many ways," he says, strolls closer to the counter, and rests his hands on it. "I suppose you will love it if I tell your colleagues that you fuck your pot-bellied ugly boss every Friday night just to retain your job. I also suppose you will love it if I let your lover know that the Friday nights you claim that you are busy working are all lies and are used only for fucks. He stays just three buildings from here in case you think I don’t know him so it will take me just a few minutes to do that," he glances at his phone. "I still have time anyway. So perhaps I should go do that now." He turns to leave but before he can take a step, she rushes to him and deters his path.

"Please don’t tell anyone about this. I’ll do anything you want. I’ll have a night with you if you wish. Please don’t just leak this." She begs with her hands clasped together and lowers her head, seemingly not able to stare at him in the face anymore.

Lucien’s eyes turn icy and he puts his hands in his front pocket. "I got no interest in your drilled wide pussy," he retorts. "You ain’t even my type. Just tell me what I want to know or risk getting your ass whooped."

The receptionist opens her mouth to bark at him for what he just said but exhales and sighs. "She stays in VIP ward three. Go through this way," she points at a path just a few steps away from them. "You will find the ward at the last junction. Please…"

"That will be all. You can go back to your duty post now," Lucien orders authoritatively, shutting her up, and without saying anything or even the least hissing, she does as he just said. "Good," he says, smiles up at her, and walks away.

The receptionist releases the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding all this while as soon as he is out of sight and pats her chest in a gesture to calm herself down.

"I hope he keeps his dirty mouth shut," she mumbles under her breath and makes a cross sign.

"What are you doing here, you fool? Thought my mum told you to stay away from us!" A young fair girl who has a slight resemblance with Mrs. Avery shrieks at Lucien, who is just getting to the ward.

"I have no business with you, your mum, and your dad, Brianna. I only came to see Mi amor," Lucien retorts coolly and shoves her away from the door. He doesn’t have the time to entertain her.

"Ahh!" Brianna yells at the top of her lungs and intentionally falls on the floor. "My hand, my legs," she whimpers, feigning tears.

Mr. Santiago and his wife, who have been inside all this while, rush out at the sound of the yell and their jaws slack as their gazes drop on Brianna whimpering on the floor.

Due to the abrupt rush they came out with, they don’t notice Lucien who is standing beside the door, and he, discerning that as a good opportunity, rushes in and bolts the door.

"He just entered the ward!" Brianna yells out but before Mr. Santiago and his wife can understand what she just said and react it is already too late cause Lucien already bolted the door.

"He was standing beside the door when we rushed out?" Mrs. Avery, who is finding it hard to believe what her daughter is saying, asks.

"Yes, mum. He even pushed me. Now, my hands and legs hurt," she whines pretentiously.

"He did what?!" Mr. Santiago barks and flares up, breathing laboriously.

"He pushed me, daddy. Just because I asked him what he is doing here," Brianna replies and secretly winks at her mum and both make an eye sign.

"I’m so sorry, dearie. I promise you that I’ll surely deal with him for laying his filthy hands on you."

"Thank you, Daddy," Brianna smiles and just to make her story sweeter, sniffles.

"Good job, daughter," Mrs. Avery whispers only to her hearing and helps her stand.

‘I’ll surely deal with him,’ Mr. Santiago, who can’t stand his daughter’s tears, thinks and walks to the door and starts banging on it. "Open this door, bastard!" He bellows but gets no response.

Lucien ignores the banging on the door and strolls to Juliet who is lying eyes closed on the bed and his face softens.

He sits on a chair before her and takes her hands into his. "I never meant to leave you, baby," he whispers as the memories he’s been trying to keep away come raining down on him and two droplets of tears unknowingly trickle down his cheeks and land on Juliet’s hands.

"But you did, Lucien! You left me when I needed you the most! You left me even without a goodbye! You left, Lucien! You couldn’t even fight for me! I hate you so much for that!" Juliet suddenly yells out in tears and blinks open her eyes.