Isabella~
"Miss Luis, what are you doing on this deserted road?" He pulled to a stop in front of me and lowered his car window.
I gestured for him to look at my car's tire.
"Oh, but where are you going so early in the morning?" His voice was filled with confusion.
Now, how should I inform him that I am planning to meet Jordan Lucas? No, I can't tell him the truth; if I do, he will again force me to answer his petty questions, and I'm not in the mood to argue with him.
"I have some important work to complete in an old prison cell." I only partially told him the truth, as I didn't want to reveal my true motivation for visiting the old prison cell outside the city.
"Do you have spare tires, Miss Luis?
" He gave my face a sincere, worried glance. His eyes were only filled with concern for me. Unlike yesterday, there was no sign of desperation in his eyes, and I'm relieved he's stopped calling me Bella.
"No, Mr. Thompson, I didn't bring my usual car today because I was in such a rush." I fidgeted nervously with my fingers.
Why is he not inviting me into his car, knowing full well that he is also visiting the old prison? Did he transform so drastically in a single night that his desperate attempt to win me back assumed an entirely professional demeanor?
When I tried to read his expression, I saw that he was quite concerned about me. I'm not sure why, but even after establishing clear boundaries with him yesterday, I'm still searching for his feelings toward me.
"Miss Luis, I'm going there too. If you feel safe with me, you can take a seat in my car." His tone conveyed that he wasn't pleased with me. He seems agitated about what happened between us yesterday.
"Thank you." I opened the door and sat in the back seat of the car.
Since he wasn't my driver, I was tempted to take the passenger seat instead of the back seat, but my memories from the past kept getting in the way. When I sat in the passenger seat with him to attend his award ceremony, he pulled me out of the car and made me sit in the back seat so that Alicia could sit next to him.
He drove his car toward the prison cell. An uncomfortable silence increased the tension between us.
"I sincerely apologize for my behavior yesterday, Miss Luis. Are you still furious with me?" His eyes remained focused on the car's rearview mirror. He keeps referring to me as Miss Luis, and that irritates me.
"No grudges, Mr. Thompson." I attempted to avoid eye contact with him in the rearview mirror by looking out the window.
"Why did you decide to withdraw from my case, even after accepting my apologies? Despite reading my text messages, you never responded to any of them." His voice brimmed with grievances, and his gaze remained fixed on my face.
His unceasing gaze made my face warm, and the resulting heat in my body caused my throat to dry out.
Why didn't I respond to his texts? I should have. I received Xavier's apology message in the afternoon, but before I could reply, my son Alan had asked me to sleep with him. I could not refuse his request because of his illness.
Although I had planned to answer later, Alan fell ill again during the night. My focus shifted entirely to him, and I forgot about the message. Alan's fever made me question if this case was worth leaving my son alone. I sighed. Just as I was about to explain things to Xavier, my phone rang.
"Alan, how are you now feeling?" When I got the call, I gently inquired about my five-year-old son's health.
"Mama, you promised last night to spend time with me until my recovery, so why did you leave me alone today?" He whined at me on the phone, sounding as though he would burst into tears at any moment.
"Sweetheart, don't cry. I'll see you soon. I have urgent work to attend to; otherwise, you know your mama never broke her promise." My heart ached to hear him upset, especially when I knew how badly he wanted me to stay with him. Breaking this promise stung more than I could admit.
"Mama, I'm missing you; please come soon." He coughed over the phone, and each cough stabbed through me. I could feel his pain—his longing.
"Sweetheart, please take care of yourself; Mama will be there shortly." After a brief conversation with my son, I ended the call because I could feel Xavier's constant stare on my face.
"Is your son ill?" He questioned me in a concerned tone.
"Humm..." I nodded, averting my gaze to the window to avoid initiating a conversation.
My mind was elsewhere with Alan. Why am I here when my son needs my presence?
"I am sorry once again for my misbehavior, as I was unaware of your emergency." His voice was heavy with regret.
"It's all right." His constant focus on my face makes it challenging for me to comprehend his driving style without looking at the road. I regret sitting in the back seat now. I had no way of avoiding his stare.
"Are you a single mother, Miss Luis?" His question sent a chill down my spine.
"No, my husband will be back soon from his tour." I answered quickly, my heart thumping. As soon as I mentioned my "husband," his grip on the steering wheel visibly tightened.
Was it jealousy?
"Miss Luis, We reached the old prison cell." This time, his voice sounded stiff. I got out of his car and turned to say thank you, but he sped off to the parking lot without even pausing to hear me.
I stood outside the police station door, waiting for him. This time, he entered the police station quietly, without bothering to ask me questions. Did he ignore me now?
Silently, I followed him into the police station. Since Xavier seemed to be friends with a police officer, getting permission to meet Jordan Lucas was not difficult. When a police officer saw me following Xavier, he pulled over to inquire about me.
"Why are you following us, Miss? Whom do you want to meet?" He questioned me, suspicious.
Xavier turned around upon hearing the police officer's question and looked at me in confusion.
"As Mr. Thompson's attorney, I would like to speak with Jordan Lucas." The police officer studied Xavier's face for confirmation before allowing me to meet Jordan Lucas, but Xavier's eyes stared at me, still calculating and confused.