Chapter 3. Sorrow.

Lucas stood in front of the fountain in the middle of the villa's garden, looking at it intently while his mind turned a tornado of thoughts.

He clasped his hands at his back, eyes fixed on the water gushing out. That’s exactly how his thoughts are gushing out from the crevice of his mind.

He wore a sleeveless Tshirt that protuberated his thick muscles and looking at his right arm you could see Sia’s face drawn there.

He tattooed her on his body which clues you in how much he loves and adores her.

She meant the world to him.

Huffs, he unclasped his hands from his back and dipped his right hand into his sweat pant and wiggled out the promise ring.

Lucas twirled it around his fingertips, studying their names that’s engraved on the ring.

A symbol of his love for Sia.

“I made a promise to your parents Lucas before they passed away.” His uncle’s voice reverberated in his ears.

“What’s the promise?” asked Lucas.

“That I’ll relinquish the Evangelista’s property to you once you become a man.” Said his uncle.

Lucas stiffened on his stead, eyes never straying from the ring on his fingertips as his mind jumbled with thoughts.

“But I will do it under one condition.” Said the uncle.

Lucas remembered how expressionless his face was and shook his head.

“Quit that girl you’re dating and accept the marriage contract I signed with the Wood family.”

These cold words of his uncle’s shot through Lucas’s mind. He gulped, loudly.

“How!?” his voice was shaky.

The thoughts of leaving Sia irritated him.

It scared him.

“We need the Woods contact and power to excel more in the business world. Hera gave us that opportunity because of how both our families were. Your father would have done the same thing if he was alive.”

Lucas shook his head at the sound of that.

How can he be forced into a marriage he doesn’t want?

Yes the Evangelista company is slightly facing some set backs but that doesn’t warrant him marrying a girl he doesn’t want.

“I can’t accept that, uncle. I can’t marry anyone except Sia.” His voice was a low rumble as his thoughts went wild.

He was just with Sia hours ago. How can he suddenly tell her this?

How can he suddenly break up?

“It’s not like you don’t know Danika! You know her. You too were friends before she migrated to England so you know her and she’s not a stranger to you.” Said his uncle.

“No, Danika and I were just friends. She’s not the one I love.” He protested.

“Then, consider it a goodbye from getting your rightful position as the heir of the Evangelista family…”

Before the man could finish, Lucas briskly interrupted him.

“No, no uncle!” he called.

Sighs, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

At the moment he’s walled into desperation.

No chance to make things right. To think things through.

He has one option.

And he chose the option.

“fine. I accept to marry Danika.” He said with a shrug.

His uncle smirked, “good boy! Better call it quit with that Sia girl. In two days time, I’ll get you the documents to sign for the marriage contract and the one for the family’s property.” Came his uncle’s voice.

Afterward, he stood up from the seat he was on and made a beeline out of the living room of the villa.

Lucas sighed as what transpired yesterday came rushing back in his mind.

“Sia, I’m sorry to disappoint you, baby. Truth is, I don’t know what else to say so you’d accept the breakup. So I had to come up with this…hurtful words. I’m so sorry.” Lucas muttered. He blinked the tears that smudged his sight.

“I wish things didn’t have to be this way. But it already is and I’ve messed up. Big time. I wish you could forgive me, Sia. I wish.”

Meanwhile at that moment, Sia stalked to their burnt house and sat by the corner looking at the mess.

Looking at the pieces and ashes her mother turned into.

Sia never feared anything but at this moment she has developed a phobia for fire. Her last remaining family died same type of death. Fire!

‘I’ll get revenge on whoever did this.’ She mumbled inwardly as tears burned her eyes.

‘But how? What if they come back for me?’ She thought. ‘did they plan to burn us all? Maybe that was their plan, to kill us all but I happened to come back home very late last night.’

Things are slowly beginning to make sense to her now. She’s lucky she wasn’t inside the house if not she'd have been dead too.

The whole Macallista would have been wiped out.

“God!” she called out. Her tears are now rippling down her cheeks.

However, she suddenly felt queasy. Sia rushed to the gutter and retched.

“isn’t that Sia? Poor girl.” She heard someone mumbled at her back but she couldn’t look to see who it was because she’s still retching, profusely.

“Her mother just died. Now she’s homeless. I really pity her.” She heard someone butt in again.

“Let’s move before anything happens again.” Another woman chimed in. And before she could turn to see their faces, they already left.

Sia huddled on the ground, devastated.

Her life here on out was worrying her. Where will she begin?

As her mind was riveting in thoughts, someone called her.

“S-Sia?”

She knows that voice. It’s very familiar hence Sia turned to the direction it came from and there stands her nanny Ms. Celine.

Immediately, the tears plastered at the crevice of her eyes coursed down. She stood up immediately and launched herself in Ms. Celine's arms.

“My dear. How are you? I’ve looking everywhere for you.”

“Aunt. Thank God you’re alive. I thought…” she broke into tears. She struggled to breathe due to the constriction she felt in her chest.

“I thought you died there too.” She gushed, hugging her nanny again.

“No my child, it’s only your mother that was in there because I went out to get somethings but came back to meet the house on fire.” Answered her nanny.

“Oh thank God…” she mouthed in between tears. Mucus effused from her nose. Her face completely reddened.

“I don’t know where we would stay but we have to find some where and lay our heads.” Said her nanny as she began to drag Sia away.

“Promise me one thing Celine.” Celine remembered Sia’s mother’s words.

“What is it Monica?”

“You have to protect Sia when I’m gone.”

“where are you going?”

“they…they might come for me any time. I know they’ll.”

“Who are they?”

“Just know they’ll come back. They want me dead. They want us all dead. I know it for sure.”

These were the mothers last words before Celine left the house and when she came back everywhere became a sea of fire.

Celine brought Sia where she had planned to spend the night and they lay there.

However, Sia was still puking. ‘I’m sick.’ She sighed and mumbled inwardly.

Two months later, Sia’s stomach began to bloat and she was heedless of the cause.

Celine too didn’t notice that Sia’s tummy was bloating considering the type of cloth she puts on. Baggy Tshirt and one ragged denim trousers she has left.

Sia resorted to menial jobs to make little penny they feed with. Anything about pursuing her dreams.

Furthering her education is now at the back of her mind.

No hope again. Lucas’s words kept haunting her. All the while he has never bothered to see her.

This makes Sia believe it’s truly over.

Afterward, Celine noticed Sia was pregnant and became utterly worried of what will become of the child Sia was carrying. This worry continued for months until the night Sia put to bed.

“Push…Sia c’mon you can do it. Just one last time!” Celine urged.

“I can’t…” She wailed.

“No, you can and you’ll. Don’t give up yet. You’re bringing a beautiful seed in this world. Keep pushing.” Celine egged her on.

Sia bemoaned and pushed with the last ounce of strength she has and then the baby came out.

She heard the baby’s cry but it died down within minutes.

“Oh my Sia.” She heard Celine squeak.

“Wh…what…is…it?” she stuttered, her eyes were heavy and was clipping close.

“You lost the baby.” Celine said in between tears.

Sia wanted to get up, hold her baby and see its face even if it’s dead but she couldn’t. Her head slumped and that was the end of it.

When she woke up the next day, Sia didn’t see Celine.

She waited for hours and days but Celine didn’t show up.

Whilst wandering on the street one gloomy evening, she got into a slight accident but the man was kind enough to save her.

While at the hospital, the strange man approached Sia with smiles etched in his face.

“You are?” she asked when she spotted the man beside her on the bed through the crack of her eyes.

“Mr. Monson, lady. And you?”

‘Mr. Monson? Isn’t he the owner of the Monson group?’ she asked, eyes fixed on the man.

“Sia.” She said dryly.

“Well, it’s nice meeting with you Sia. You’re such a pretty girl.” Said Mr. Monson.

Sia was not interested in him.

In fact, she has given up in whatever called love.

She hates the word now.

“How old are you?” the man’s words cut through her thoughts.

“Twenty-two.” She said casually and tilted her head to the other side to avoid the man’s gaze.

“Perfect!” the man exclaimed, making Sia shudder.

“What!?” she asked as she turned back her head.

“Marry me!”

These words threw Sia off guard. She’s out of love and he’s asking her to marry him?

She barely even know him!

Just then, Sia drank in his features.

He has slight grey hair. Slightly tall, she assumes because he’s sitting down so she couldn’t read his height well. Quite fat.

Overall, he should be inching close to late forties or early fifties.

‘Marry someone like him? Impossible!’ she routed inwardly and rolled her eyes at Monson which he noticed in one go.

“I could give you the life you want. I could help you achieve your dreams.” Mr.Monson added the moment he noticed her conflicting thoughts.

He might look like he’s too old but that’s not true. He’s just in his late thirties but it’s the nature of his body that makes him seem too old.

Hearing his offers, Sia snapped her head towards him and one thing struck her mind. ‘Make Lucas pay. This is your opportunity to make him pay. Revenge!’

Shakily, she parted her quivering lips, “and? What do I owe this?”

“I want an heir.” Said Mr. Monson.

Sia’s thought went wild. Give him an heir?

She doesn’t have a baby? How will she give birth whereas the one she gave birth to died?

‘Just accept this first Sia.’ Her warring thoughts urged.

“Fine. I accept to marry you!” she declared.